“I guess.”

“Tina made a reservation tonight at Crane’s. I guess you didn’t get her text. Will you be there?”

“I’d like to but…”

“Alice. Come on.”

“Not tonight. I’ll see her before you guys go. Really.”

“Alright, well…” Bette looked uncertainly at her good friend. She figured it was for the best to leave her to it… for now. “Put your phone on. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“I’ll call you,” Alice said.

Bette and Helena got up to leave. Alice stood too, brushing crumbs off her shirt to the floor, and gave Bette a hug. “Thanks for stopping by.”

The moment was cut short by one of Lenore’s Chihuahuas growling and barking at Bette. Bette glared at the dog as she released Alice from the hug. “I’ll see you soon.”

The dog followed Bette all the way to the front door, growling and barking, and she was happy to get out of the shadowy house and back into the sunshine.

***

“Well,” Bette sighed as Helena drove them back downtown.

“She’ll be alright,” Helena said cheerfully. “That’s what I keep telling her.”

“Yes.” Bette kept the snarky comment about Helena’s motivational skills that was on the tip of her tongue to herself. “Would you mind dropping me back at my hotel?”

When they arrived, Bette thanked Helena and went back to the suite. She dropped her bag on a chair and laid down on the bed after taking off her shoes, and stared at the ceiling. She needed to think.

Helena was acting like a completely different person. Alice was discouraged and miserable. Thankfully Kit was the same. Hopefully Shane was, too. No, Bette didn’t need to worry about Shane. Shane would never change. That’s what made her so… Shane.

But Alice. Alice hadn’t told her anything about what had happened in her life, and that bothered her. Alice was one of her best friends. Of course, she didn’t expect Alice to confide every little detail, but losing a job, an apartment, and moving into her mother’s house was a big deal. It kind of hurt that Alice hadn’t been more upfront.

Oh well, she thought. Helena said that she was keeping Alice’s apartment and all her things at the ready. That helps. Although Helena’s good deed would surely give Alice a boost, Bette felt that she needed something more than that to get back on track. She needs a purpose. She needs to feel independent again. Not like she’s indebted to Helena or her mother.