A smirk on Quin’s lips, then she looked up, her bright emerald colored eyes met Helena’s, “Because all my life, I was Helena’s shadow, then as I got older, I broke away from that.  Escaped, ran around the country, figured out that I was just like my sister.  Wasn’t something I was happy to find about myself.”

            “You… You hated being compared to me?” asked Helena, stunned and hurt.

            “Yeah,” said Quin gently.

            “All my life I’ve heard, I wish you were more like Quin, more artistic, freer, and here you are, telling me that mother did the same thing to you,” said Helena.  “Quin, I’m rather sure that nothing matters more than your happiness.”

            “Julie is moving to New York, so I don’t know how we’re going to work this relationship out, but one way or the other, I thought it was time to get outta the closet,” stated Quin.

            “Welcome to the club,” grinned Helena, raising her cup to Quin, who laughed and clinked it against Helena’s.  Both idly wondering how Peggy was going to take it.

***** 

            Jo lay down on her bed, looking at the time, well passed midnight, more than likely Bette wasn’t going to show up.  Rolling over, wincing at the pain in her stomach, tapping on the computer, checking who was in the club below, chuckling that Alice, Rosita, Carmen and Lara were there, playing pool.  Focusing on Rosita for a moment, hoping that she was doing okay. 

            Falling back onto her back, “Computer, lights at 20 percent,” she ordered, the lights dimming significantly.  Her arms over her head, the thick black shirt riding up above the now scarring dagger cut. 

            Blue eyes fluttering closed; fighting sleep, but it over took her, her breathing slowed, her tense body relaxed.  Sleep overtaking her.

            Bette crept into the room a few hours later, having driven around for a while, thinking, crying, and wishing for something to be different.  Wishing for Kit to be alive and well, for the world to start making noise again, because it was silent now.

            Bette’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, seeing Jo’s profile against the backlight of the computer, finally, Bette smiled.  Jo was by no means gorgeous, she was cute, funny, and kept her on her toes at all time, which was what Bette had loved about her.  Thoughtful, and sexy, nothing about sex bothered her, you could say any word, or do any act and the woman never batted an eye.