Bette pursed her lips, continuing to be uncertain, but acknowledged that she could be stretching the limits her heart and, she admitted to herself ruefully, her overall health, could tolerate.

“You’re going to need to pace yourself, and take a breather from time to time, honey,” Tina reminded her firmly.  The brunette gave her a half-smile, half-frown, acknowledging the gentle reprimand.   The only person in the world who could tell Bette to slow down, and make her do it, was Tina.

“Look … at the end of the day, I’m a producer.  And I know how to set things up so that anyone who’s been monitoring you would continue to have the impression that things remain hot and heavy between you two.  Right now, especially, when they could be starting to doubt this affair you two are supposed to be carrying on, you need to give them something: like a love scene that they can see through filmy curtains through a window, or hot kisses in the entranceway of the flat … things they can photograph.”

“Let’s say we do this,” Bette answered slowly.  “How do the two of you “switch places”?  Do you meet in an alley somewhere?  Or …”

“She and I are drawing up a schedule, and we’ll test the switch under Rock Center later this week.  I’ll take one of those big bags that you used to tease me about, with me.  Jenna said that after the switch, she plans to hop off the subway after a couple of stops, and remove the wig and coat, and hop onto another line to head to Brooklyn.  She thinks she can bunk in in the studio the artists she’s working with are using.  So she’ll need the bag I’ll take to our meeting to carry the wig and coat in.”

“Meanwhile, I’m having Christy move in, and stay in our studio upstairs, for those nights I spend with you in Chelsea, so that she can watch Angie.  I’m planning to head to the office from Jenna’s flat really early on the mornings I’m with you, and then return home from the office later in the morning, play with Angie and have lunch with her, until Christy takes her to her summer camp in the afternoon.  Then I head back to the office.”