Blind Date
B&T Beggining

    Bette covered her head with the blanket and sighed. Sunday morning…. All she wanted to do was sleep. She didn’t want to go to work, she didn’t want to talk to anyone, she just wanted to lay in bed until noon then go to The Planet to meet her friends for lunch. She turned on her side and faced the alarm clock.  Hmmm, 8:32. Bette smiled to herself and snuggled deeper into her soft and plushy bed.  Then the phone rang, Bette picked up the receiver to see Alice’s number pop up.
    “ Alllll…..” Bette droned as she flopped down on her back and covered her face with her other hand.
    “ Bette get your ass up!! It’s a b-e-a- uuutiful day!! Plus I don’t want to deal with Dana alone!!” Alice spoke loudly into her end of the phone. Bette loved Alice but it was the frequent early morning wake up calls she was beginning to despise.
    “ Alice, can’t you deal with the issue just this once on your own?” She heard an exasperated sigh and a mumbling Dana in the back round.
    “ No I cannot deal with this on my own! I need your help B.” Alice pleaded. “Pleaaseeeee?”
Bette rubbed the bridge of her nose.
    “Okay Al, I’ll be there in a half an hour.” Bette sighed. Alice said a quick thank you and hung up the phone. So much for a lazy Sunday morning… She thought as she went to get into the shower.
    Soon after she got out and dressed and on her way to The Planet. She had the radio cranked and was driving slow. She didn’t care that the person behind her was honking their horn, she just took her time. Parking outside the café, she saw an annoyed looking Alice and a disgruntled Dana sitting out on the patio. Bette got out of her car and walked towards the table.
    “ Hey guys,” She greeted clearly while sitting down. “ What’s happening?” Alice looked at her with a deadpan expression as Dana fidgeted in her seat.
    “ We have a problem.” Bette smirked and tilted her head slightly looking at Alice. “ We have a major Dana Dilemma.” She looked over at a nervous and shaky Dana. She loved Dana like a close sister, she was always bubbly and funny. Also good company when you aren’t so well in life. But her closeted status always proved a huge problem for her.
    “ Dana,” Bette looked at her friend fondly. “ Where you found out by the Gay Secret Police?” Dana almost had a heart attack right there and grabbed Bette’s arm for support from falling off her chair.
    “ There is a Gay Secret Police?!” She said in a rushed and hushed whisper as she tried to duck low and close to the table, looking over both shoulders. Bette laughed and Alice shaking her head, covered her face with her hands.
    “ No there isn’t Dane, she was being sarcastic.” Replied Alice in droll tones.  Dana dropped her forehead onto the table and groaned.
    “ Bette, you are so mean sometimes.”  Bette giggled and rubbed Dana’s back.
    “ Sorry, couldn’t resist,” Bette replied as Dana rested her chin on her hand and looked over at Alice. “ So what is the huge dilemma?” Alice cleared her throat and put her hands together on the table in a slight dramatic fashion as Dana rolled her eyes at her best friends theatrics.
    “ Well,” Alice motioned to across to Dana. “ Our friend here has been set up on blind date.” Bette raised her eyebrows and smiled over at Dana.
    “ Congratulations Dane.” Bette said smiling. Dana shook her head grievously.
    “ No, no congratulations, Bette, this is not good! I’m not out, what if someone sees us, I can’t do it!” Dana spoke fast and flinging her hands everywhere as she spoke. Alice looked over at Bette with an “ I-told-you-so” expression.
    “ See? Not good!!” Alice said. Bette shook her head and looked over at Dana.
    “ Who set you up?” She asked. Dana’s expression went suddenly sour.
    “ Harrison.” Bette let out a loud jolt of laughter that she tried to quickly cover up by coughing. Alice couldn’t help but smirk a little too. Then Bette felt hands on her shoulders. She turned and looked up.
    “ Hey.” Bette smiled. Shane smiled down at her and then moved around the table to sit across from Bette.
    “ Hey, so what is the news that you need help with?” Shane turned to Alice. Bette laughed again.
    “ Alice, did you call everyone?!” Alice shrugged and Dana glared at her.
    “ Just the people that are needed!” Alice replied. Shane leaned back in her chair and Alice explained the situation to her. At the end Shane could barely contain her laughter as Dana shrank in her chair, looking around nervously.
    “ I think you are doomed.” Shane spoke through her giggles. Dana shot her a mean look.
    “ You aren’t helping Shane.” Dana said in a slight accusatory tone. Bette sat back and looked at her friends. These morning meetings weren’t uncommon, especially when it was a conversation about how Dana could dodge an interview or a meeting of some sort that may give the media and people any clue that she was gay. She smiled as she looked at her friends.
    “ I have an idea!!” Alice announced, she grinned like a champion and looked around at the table. Dana just looked scared now. “ When is the blind date Dane?” They all looked at Dana.
    “ Th-this F-Friday..” Dana stuttered. “ Why?” Alice smiled mischievously.
    “ Does this woman know what you look like at all?” Dana instantly shook her head.
    “ No, I don’t think so, Harrison just said he gave a vague description.” Alice’s smile widened. Bette and Shane looked at each other.
    “ I have a meeting on Friday so I obviously can’t do it, but who is free on Friday?” Bette finally got the picture and shook her head in amusement.
    “ We aren’t going on her date for her Al.” Bette grinned, Shane started laughing again and Dana slowly smiled.
    “ That’s a great idea!!” Dana exclaimed. Shane almost fell off her chair and Bette looked at Dana is shock. Dana had a huge grin on her face and looked at Shane then Bette. “ Would one of you guys mind doing it? This is a really good idea, she doesn’t know what I look like and she’s apparently very pretty and very smart and funny and stuff.” Bette raised her eyebrows at Shane who shook her head.
    “ Don’t look at me, I ain’t doin’ it!” Shane crossed her arms as the group looked at Bette. She felt herself blush. Dana looked at her with pleading eyes.
    “ I don’t have anything on Friday,” Bette started and Dana got up and hugged her. “ I’ll think about it Dane.” Dana grinned and let go of Bette.
    “ Okay okay, thinking’s good!! Thinking is very very good!!” Dana spoke fast. Shane shot Bette an amused glance.
    “ You’re a brave one Bette.” Shane said. Bette shrugged. The group slowly dispersed and went off to do what they wished, but the day went by quick and before she knew it she was back at The Planet having dinner with her friends. Dana was fidgeting like a small child. Then she knew she just couldn’t contain herself anymore.
    “ Bette….” Dana started as Better looked up from her salad.
    “ Mm hmm Dane?” Dana flushed, Bette knew the question that was coming.
    “ Have you thought about it yet?” Bette nodded as Dana looked at her expectantly. Shane took a bite of her sandwich and glanced over at Bette. Alice just sipped her drink.
    “ I’ll do it Dane.” Bette said, Dana grinned.
    “ Thank you so much!!” Bette smiled and nodded.
    “ But I’m only doing it because you are my best friend and I love you.”

TBC……….. who is she going to meet on this date I wonder… *ponders*