“It’s okay what do you want to know?” Avery asked. 

“All about you.” Page said. Avery smiled. “What?” 

“Your funny thats all.” Avery looked at Page. 

“What’s so funny?” Page asked smiling. The bell rang. Avery stood put and slung her back pack over her shoulder. “Come on, your not going to answer me.” 

“Next time” Avery started to walk away but turned back to Page who was checking Avery out and said, “If your lucky.” Avery smiled and walked off.

********

Tina walked into Darkside with Alistair and Addy. Lil and Shane were stocking the bar. 

“What are you guys doing here?” Helena asked from the DJ booth. 

“I couldn’t take sitting home all day.” Tina said. 

“I think someone has the first day of school blues.” Lil said. 

“Is it that obvious?” Tina asked. 

“I speak from experience.” Lil said. 

“Mommy can I go play on Auntie Helena’s computer?” Alistair asked. 

“If she say it okay.” Alistair took off. 

“It’s okay. I’ll go. Come on Addy let’s go play.” Shane took Addy from Tina and followed Alistair. “Alistair wait on me!” she yelled. 

“You’ve been through this before, does it get any easier.” Tina said. 

“Knowing Avery, who knows. Knowing Bette, Never.” Lil said. 

“How?” Tina lifted a case of beer onto the bar. 

“You forget I love and lived with them. I know better than anyone how they are.” Lil said. 

“Any advice?” Tina said. 

“What happened?” 

“I’m not sure exactly. There is one thing that bugs me though. No matter how many times Avery concedes to Bette, which I take is something new, Bette continues to doubt that Avery has changed. I just can’t believe that with what Avery has done for us for the world that she hasn’t changed. And then there’s Avery she pushes Bette until she can see Bette is about to react and then she pulls back, almost like she is afraid. It’s all so confusing.” Tina lifted another case of beer onto the bar. 

“Avery and Bette’s relationship can’t be explained. It can only be witnessed. Before everything happened. The one thing Avery always wanted was Bette’s attention. Even when she was little. Bette has always been unconsciously preoccupied. For instance, there’s always the gallery or School. It doesn’t mean she loves Avery or you or the little ones any less. It’s just how she copes when things don’t turn how she imagines them to be. And I’m sad to say Avery is not and never will be how Bette imagined her to be when she was pregnant. The sad thing about all this is that Avery knows it and for the first 13 or so years she tried to her best to conform to Bette’s standards. We both know what that meant.” Lil flattened the beer boxes and she and Tina carried them out. 

“What happened? I mean when I met Avery she seemed like hell on wheels.” Tina dropped her boxes in the recycling. 

“Avery realized that nothing she did would be good enough and that the only way she could get Bette’s attention was to be hell on wheels.” Lil smiled. “And I’m not expecting anything to be different after the newness wears off. Just be prepared for it.” 

“How do I keep it from happening?” Tina asked. 

“You know how when you put to magnets together it you put the negative and positive sides together they are attracted to each other but if you put the negative and negative or positive and positive sides together they repel each other.” Lil opened the back door and Tina walked through. 

“I think I understand.” Lil looked at Tina as she said it. “No not really.” Lil laughed. 

“Don’t worry you’ve got family here who have been down this road.”