“I’m very glad to have the old Shane back.”

            “What was wrong with the new Shane?” asked Alice.  Slapping down her bag and then her cell phone.  A soft ball glove hung on her purse, like a badge of honor.

            “She was filled with self loathing and pity,” answered Bette.  Shane shrugged, thinking she was right, she’d stopped living when she’d realized that she wasn’t meant to be with only one person in life.

            “At least she knew… Nevermind,” grunted Alice.  “Listen, I have to go to this opening next week, Bette, want to come with me?”

            “What night?”

            “Thursday?”

            “How about I let you know?  Why not bring the newly reinvented Shane?”  asked Bette over her steaming cup of coffee.

            Alice eyed Shane carefully, Shane put her hands in front of her in a begging nature.  “Fine, fine!”

            “Where are we going?” asked Shane.

            “Babylon West.”

            “I think I might be free,” laughed Bette.  “I heard the place is a virtual den of inequity,” nodded Bette, a few of the students at the art college had been talking about it.

            “Yeah, well…  long story, but I have to go track down someone if I want to get in, and get a shot at the new chart hub, and then I have to go to practice” grumbled Alice.

            She jetted away, leaving Shane and Bette laughing at her. 

            “New hub?  What is she talking about, practice?” questioned Bette.

            “She’s doing this charity thing with Helena and Tina, a softball game?  They’ve been trying to get me to play…  Oh and the hub is Rosita Navarro,” said Shane informatively.

            “Carmen’s cousin,” said Bette.  Snapping her mouth shut suddenly.

            “What?” stammered Shane, her face pale, her hands shaking.

            “I’m sorry, it was supposed to be a secret… I wasn’t supposed to say…,” began Bette.  Reaching out and touching Shane’s hand.  “She’s been coming to my house once a week, to play Helena for the wedding, she feels bad about Helena getting disowned.”

            Shane stood, turning around twice, as if lost, trying to find her footing, to find a higher ground to stand on.  Bette reached for her, but Shane skittered away.  Bette felt bad, knowing how badly Shane felt about the whole debacle. 

            “Shane, baby girl, listen…,” said Bette.  “She doesn’t want to see you, she’s moving on.”

            “Where is she?” asked Shane.  “I need to see her, I need to explain…,” muttered Shane, her hand running through her hair desperately.  “You knew where she was, all this time?”

            “No, her cousin, Rosita, came with her last week, and I heard Rosita calling her cousin.  Carmen said something about going home, so I figure they are staying together.”

            “I need to find this Rosita Navarro,” said Shane steadfastly, “I’m not pissed at you, Bette, I’m…  later,” groaned Shane.  Walking away, raising a hand in a goodbye gesture, leaving Bette wishing that she didn’t have such a big mouth.