“It is now,” Evan smirked taking Serena’s hand.

*****

“Where the ***** is Alice?” Bette asked looking at her watch.

She looked at anything to distract her eyes away from Serena and her daughter nearly curled around each other on the only couch in the redecorated caf.

“I’m sure she’s on her way, babe,” Tina soothed.

“Yeah well, the quicker we leave the faster we’ll get there,” Bette spat walking out the door.

“What’s eatin’ at her?” Shane asked occupying the space Bette had vacated.

Tina shifted her eyes over to the couch.

“Oh,” Shane said,” I thought she was okay with that.”

“As okay as any mother would be with their teenage daughter dating someone nine years their senior.”

“Point taken,” Shane emptied her cup.

“How are things going between you and Carmen?” Tina asked shifting her focus.

She wasn’t to thrilled with Evan and Serena’s relationship either.

“Good, good.”

“It’s been what I’ve weeks now? Definitely breaks the previous record of three days,” Tina smiled.

“I’m tryin’… I’m tryin’,” Shane smiled.

“I’m happy that you’re happy, Shane.”

“I just want what you and Bette have.”

“You’ll find it, Shane. Maybe you already have.”

*****

“Let’s roll, kids,” Alice greeted coming through the double doors.

“About *****’ time.”

“What’s up your *****, Bette?”

“Can we leave already?” Bette asked huffing out the door.

Alice turned to face the group, who all had the same face ..looks of ‘I don’t know’.

“Load up,” Shane said picking up her and Carmen’s bags.

“Don’t worry about it, Alice. You know how impatient Bette is sometimes,” Tina explained.

“Where’s Dana?” Serena asked walking up with Evan in tow.

“Sitting in the ride. And wait ’til you see it,” Alice smiled.

“Well let’s check it out,”Serena said to Evan holding her hand while grabbing their bags with the other.

“I can carry one of those,” Evan offered.

“I got it. I’m taking care of you this weekend,” Serena winked.

Alice’s eyes went wide. She glanced at Tina, who was smiling.

“So you’re okay with this?” Alice asked her friend.

“When Evan said she wanted Serena to go.. I was against it. Like Bette, I still think about her as my baby. But she is growing into a woman and she knows what she wants. And as much as I would hate for her to get hurt… she has to make her own mistakes.”