“Phew?,” Marissa asked, “saved by …”

“Did you say that you liked that piece at the Biennial, which reflected cabs from Madison Avenue, upside down on the ceiling, by some trick of the camera?,” Lauren continued, in a puzzled voice. Marissa motioned to Lauren that she was walking over.

You’ve got a bunch of new friends here, huh? Jodie signed, after they both watched Marissa walk away.

Yes, Bette responded briefly. She didn’t elaborate. So do you, Bette added, after pausing slightly.

Jodie chuckled. She blew a kiss towards the tattooed woman, who was standing on the opposite side of the circle, talking to the two women she and Jodie had been talking to earlier.

Girlfriend, Jodie signed, looking at Bette with a gimlet eye, as if gauging the beautiful brunette’s reaction to this triumphal announcement. She shrugged when Bette didn’t give her anything back in response, and took a long swallow of the drink she’d brought with her.

Bette continued to eye her carefully, over the rim of the glass that she sipped from.

Jodie tried another approach, The years have been good to you, Bette. I’ve never seen you look more beautiful.

Thank you, Bette signed and thought herself, Maybe Jodie’s changed. Can handle her drink better now?

Jodie continued, I think about you sometimes, especially in the summer.

Bette pursed her lips in a half-smile, half-frown.

And I get so sad, Jodie added.

Bette stared into the red liquid in her drink, rubbed her fingers down the condensed liquid coating the glass, wetting them. She elected not to engage with Jodie on this line of conversation, for now.

She drew her eyes up, and gave Jodie a half-smile.

Jodie continued, And I wonder about how life would be right now, if …

Bette shook her head, thought to herself, better put a stop to this.

She signed, Jodie, there’s no need to think of things that way …

Jodie smiled at her, then after a minute, she chuckled as she signed, You were pretty mad, Bette. The last time I saw you in your gallery…

Furious, Bette responded, lips now slightly turned up in a small smile, as they both reflected on the scene in her LA gallery that had been charged with so much emotion, seemingly a lifetime ago.