This was Peggy’s third surprise of the day and since surprises one and two hadn’t worked out in Helena’s favor she dreaded this new development. She didn’t know what to make of it. When her mother told her that she was cutting her off financially and that Bette Porter was being named head of the Peabody Corporation her first instinct was murderous rage; but after sitting through the awards ceremony and hearing the role Bette had played in her mother’s stead to approve the grants as well as the high esteem that she held in the Los Angeles arts community and social services arena she slowly realized just how formidable an opponent Bette Porter really was.

Helena knew her mother adored Bette and considered her a daughter. As irrational as it was, this was the root of her hatred for Bette but she had no idea of the depth of the love, affection, reliance and trust that Peggy held for her rival. She had no idea of the power her mother had bestowed on Bette. In all the months she was plotting her revenge she’d never fathomed that Bette could have toppled her from her self-appointed throne at any moment with Peggy’s blessing.

Helena’s decision to involve Tina in her little scheme was predicated on the fact that she knew Bette would be affected but as it turned out Tina’s affection for Helena was the only thing that gave pause to Bette’s otherwise intent to crush Helena like the cockroach that she is. Had Tina listened to Bette and her friends’ warnings and not gotten personally involved with Helena they might not even be here. Helena never cared about what anyone thought of her before but she actually worried about what Tina would think of her now that she was fully exposed; and worse yet if her mother didn’t keep her word not to humiliate and embarrass her in public.

When reality set in Helena abandoned any further thought of retaliation against Bette, Winnie, her mother or even Tina should she turn against her. All the fight left her. She felt like just crawling back into the hole from which she’d come out of. She had nothing left to fight them with. Her mother had stripped her of all her power, control and protective armor. She’d foiled all her plans. With the simple stroke of a pen she’d lost joint custody of her children, controlling interest in her ex-wife’s theater company, and ownership of the co-op in Gramercy Park.