Of course she did, Bette smiled to herself. Angie had such a good relationship with Alice and Shane, and to their credit they had always shown up for her and been positive role models. It was hard to explain how, but Bette felt more love for her friends than ever because of their unwavering commitment to their relationship with Angie.

”She had a great time, I think. Sometimes I wonder if it will get harder for her, but for now she is just living in the moment and it’s not complicated for her,” Bette provided. Just complicated for me, she thought morosely, moving a loose brunette lock from her face.

”And Tina?” Shane asked.

Bette froze internally, and experienced a quiet but brief moment of panic before realising the obvious innocence of the question.  She had apparently paused too long, because Alice jumped in before she could respond.

”You guys are going to have to talk eventually…” said Alice, picking up the coffee that had just arrived on the table.

Bette reached over for her tea, before realising it was too hot to pick up and put it back down on the saucer. In the eyes of her friends, things between Bette and Tina were somewhere between caustic and amicable.

”We do talk,” Bette countered, rubbing her now warm fingertips across the palm of her hand absent-mindedly.

”But only about Angie,” Alice badgered. Bette could have laughed at that. She had to blink away vivid images of meeting Tina in secret over the last few months, spending secluded hours wrapped up in linen sheets and each other. 

”You miss her?” Shane asked, stirring her coffee. Bette considered this question and decided on a strong response.

”Of course I miss her, but in the same way you miss a tooth when it’s been extracted. The hole feels huge in the beginning, then you get used to it and eventually forget the tooth was ever there.” she offered by way of explanation, hoping that would put a stop to this line of enquiry and throw her friends off any inclination of an alternate situation. Stunned silence, however, was a rare response.

”That is some dark shit, Bette,” Alice responded, eyes wide and staring down at her drink.