“About that. Shane, I didn’t get to tell you, but I got a job!”

“What? When?”

“Just now! Well not now, now, but today. Just awhile ago.” Alice proceeded to tell Shane the whole story, including the fact that she suspected that Tina and Bette made it happen. Bette plead her innocence in the matter and Tina did too, to Bette’s surprise. But maybe it was better that way, if Tina had indeed been involved. It was better for Alice’s confidence not to know, especially when their friend was just now getting back to being herself.

“By the way, Alice, there’s something you should know,” Helena put in. She filled Alice and the others in on the details of how she had rented Alice’s old apartment and kept her things out of storage and repossession. Alice was stunned.

“Helena! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t accept what I was trying to do for you,” Helena said sheepishly. “It was easier just to do it and not tell you beforehand. You would have tried to stop me.”

“You bet I would have,” Alice said with a wavery laugh. Bette noticed her eyes looked a little teary.

Kit cleared her throat theatrically. “Well that’s not all, baby girl. I made a little trip with Miss Angie yesterday to pick something up for you.” She tossed a set of keys in Alice’s direction.

“You didn’t!” Alice squealed.

“Oh, but I did,” Kit said with satisfaction. “I knew how much it hurt you to sell that car – you were so attached to it and all. When I called the dealership you told me you took it to and found that they still hadn’t sold it, I couldn’t let the chance go by to get it back for you.”

“This is unreal,” Alice said, crying freely now. “This is just too much. You are all the best friends I ever could have had. I love you all.”

“And we love you,” Tina said, wrapping an arm around Alice’s shoulders. Her eyes met Bette’s and she winked.

Christmas definitely wasn’t Bette’s favorite holiday, but it was somehow fitting to see all these wonderful things happening for her friend on Christmas Eve.

“I gotta go, you guys. Vegas calls,” Shane said. “Alice I love you and we’ll talk when I get back. Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas!” the assemblage replied in unison, before collapsing into a shared laugh.

***

Much later, when the gifts had been opened and the group had gone to dinner and come back, and Angie had been tucked into bed with the clearest lesson yet in her young life that giving, not receiving, was what Christmas was all about, Bette and Tina finally found themselves alone.

Bette turned to Tina with a smile. “All’s well that ends well,” she said.

“Yep.” Tina climbed onto the bed and dropped her heels one by one over the side. She sighed, wiggling her toes and punching a pillow to put behind her back as she reclined against the headboard.

“You’re never going to tell me if it was you, or just a really well-timed coincidence, are you?”

“Nope. What should we do tomorrow?”

“Well,” Bette said, joining Tina on the bed. “I’ve been thinking…”

“Hmm?” Tina hummed, with her eyes closed.

“Maybe on our way back, we could make a stop in Arizona.”

Tina’s eyes popped open and met Bette’s. “You’re joking,” she said in an incredulous tone.

“No, really. You ought to see your uncle. He’d like to see you.”

“How do you know?”

Bette pretended to study her nails. “I may have found his number in your address book and called him.”

Tina leaned over and gave Bette a spontaneous kiss. “I love you.”

Bette sighed contentedly and snuggled against Tina. “I know. You should.”

“And you’re sure you’re willing to risk being served another plate of rattlesnake?” Tina asked with a raised eyebrow. “Just because it’s Christmas?”

“I’d do anything for you, my love. On a holiday or any other day.” She gave Tina another kiss and smoothed a wayward lock of hair gently away when she pulled back to look at her. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, babe.”