“Thank you. Now you’re flattering me.” Susan smiled coyly holding the eye contact a bit too long then cleared her throat.

“Well I better get going. I need to sign some autographs. It’s been a pleasure meeting you all.” She said to the table then turned her attention to Bette. “Bette perhaps I’ll see you in the private lounge area later if you want to stop by to pick up a CD.”

“I’ll be there. Be sure to hold one aside for me.” Bette smiled at the older woman.

Susan and Marina walk back to the private lounge area where they have a table set up with CD’s for purchase which Susan happily signs for her adoring fans.

***

“Wow Bette did you see how she was checking you out. I think she wants to get on your dance card too just like all those other women tonight.”

“Alice please; enough with the meat tagged jokes.”

“I’m not joking Porter. You always get a lot of attention but you’ve got more action now that you’re going to be a mom than ever before. You should take advantage of it before the baby is born.”

“Alice I don’t think my becoming a mom has any bearing on this. I don’t even know these women and they don’t know anything about me or my life. How could they know I’m adopting a baby? Did you do a blog or something? You know I don’t like my private life all over social media.”

“I didn’t do anything. I didn’t have to. You know how small this community is. I’m sure they’ve seen you all over town with Francesca. Word gets around.”

Tina sat at the round table with Bette and Alice on either side of her so she couldn’t help being drawn into their conversation. She was doing her best to follow along since she’d arrived late and didn’t know exactly what had taken place earlier. Normally she wouldn’t butt in knowing Alice’s tendency to cross personal boundaries but hearing all this talk of Bette adopting a baby was perplexing and she had to ask. “What are you two talking about?”

“I’m just saying women are flocking to Bette. Didn’t you see all of them surrounding her earlier?”