By the time she got to the 12^th lap of her free-style set, she saw a figure swimming alongside her in the next lane over, a few strokes after she pushed off from the wall.  Jules’ trademark orange-and-black suit flashed past her smoothly, overtaking her amidst a trail of bubbles.

She seems to be energized this morning, Bette thought, smirking to herself, as she watched the lithe, taut body glide quickly past her.  Just flying through the water.

I guess we may get to race a few laps, after all.

 Cool. Game on.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By the time Bette, Tina, and Angelica arrived in the French brasserie-type restaurant in SoHo, it was past 9:30 am.  Despite the relatively early hour of an otherwise lazy Saturday morning of the holiday weekend, the restaurant was full, and buzzing with excited chatter and hearty laughter.  When they rounded the corner to approach the brasserie’s front door, they saw there were several groups of people sitting outside the restaurant’s doors, waiting to be seated, most likely.  Great, Bette thought.  And here I am starving!  Thank goodness Tina had the sense to feed Angie while they waited for me at home.

“Wow! This place is packed!” Tina exclaimed as she stepped up to the hostess.  She smiled at the young woman, who looked familiar, and had given her a friendly smile back.

“I like the new light grey sweater-with-pearls look you all are wearing today,” the blonde complimented the hostess, and smiled also at the other young woman next to her, who had been quickly looking at the brasserie’s seating chart.

“My apologies Ms. Porter-Kennard, but I don’t seem to see your name in our list this morning.  Did you make reservations for breakfast today?”

Tina grimaced slightly and shook her head, “I’m afraid we didn’t.  My fault, actually.  I’d suggested this place, and didn’t think to make reservations.  We’re meeting a good friend who’s visiting from DC.  He’ll be checking into one of the nearby hotels after we have breakfast together.  He will have just arrived by train about half an hour to forty minutes ago, I should think.  He’ll be here any time now …”

The young woman gave her an understanding smile, and whispered something quickly to her companion, as Tina paused.  After a few more whispered exchanges, they pointed excitedly at a table in the seating chart located near the windows towards the back of the restaurant.