“Did she now?”

The realtor saw the interest and took this as his cue to start highlighting the selling features. He directed his conversation to Tina.

“There are eight bedrooms all together not including the guest house and there’s a Nanny’s quarters down below.”

Tina’s demeanor changed when he mentioned the Nanny’s quarters because it brought back to mind what Helena had said earlier in the car about Bette being pregnant. She’d accepted that Bette had moved on and that she was now with Emma; but she couldn’t wrap her mind or heart around the idea of Bette giving birth to a baby that wasn’t theirs. They’d talked about Bette being the birth mother for at least one of their children but now she was having her baby with someone else.

She was grateful when Helena’s cell phone rang and distracted her from noticing Tina’s sadness. The call was from Helena’s attorney which she excused herself to take. Tina took that time to compose herself.

“What Walter? Please just tell me what you have to tell me. No digressions… no no Walter I do not ex …Walter what did I charge you with? … Don’t tell me things I don’t want to hear. That’s not what I pay you for.”

When she heard the gist of Helena’s conversation she steered the realtor away asking him to show her the lower level of the beach front mansion. “Do you want to show me the kitchen?” Tina says to the realtor then immediately feels the blush return. She walks ahead of him down the stairs leaving Helena on the upper level ranting and raving at her lawyer who was no doubt holding the cell phone away from his ear. He was used to his volatile client’s outbursts.

“Walter here’s what’s happening. I’m moving to Los Angeles and I want my children here with me so just fucking well make it happen and call me when it’s done.” Helena hangs up the phone and returns it to her handbag. She walks over to the spiral staircase leading down to the next level and catches Tina’s eyes as she looks up.

“So do we like it?” she asked Tina.

“It’s spectacular” Tina replied.

“OK. I’ll move in tomorrow.” Helena says to the realtor whose beaming face looked up at her from a few steps below Tina on the stairwell. He was already thinking about the big commission check coming his way. Tina giggled and says OK. She was amazed at how quickly Helena’s mood, tone and demeanor changed. She was like a chameleon going from anger to happiness in a matter of seconds. They signed the paperwork and made arrangements for the house to be cleaned, and staffed by the following day. It was already furnished so all Helena had to do was retrieve her clothes and personal belongings from the hotel.