“Alyssa,” the blonde said. She barely cracked a smile, and quickly let go of Rian’s hand after a limp handshake.  She turned to look at Aerin, again, who was grinning from ear-to-ear, apparently still excited about running into Bette.

They talked simultaneously.

“So what are you doing here in Savannah…”

“What have you been up to? Are you feeling better? …”

The two friends stopped themselves, exchanged a mirthful look, and collapsed into giggles.

“Okay, you go first…”

“No, you go …”

Rian pretended to blow a whistle. “Aerin, why don’t you start?”

They both looked at her and giggled again, each still caught up in the unexpected pleasure of seeing a long-lost friend. Aerin unconsciously slipped an arm through Bette’s and answered, looking at Bette and Rian in turn. “Well, I joined Alyssa, my girlfriend, who’s here to give a lecture tomorrow about current art trends to students, the faculty, and Board of the School of Arts and Design downtown…”

Before she could continue, Rian exclaimed, “No kidding! I’m here to give a lecture, too!  On museum trends …”

This time Alyssa perked up and turned to give Rian a friendlier glance. “Oh! You’re a part of that annual thing they do now?”

Rian nodded enthusiastically. “So, are you an alum or something?”

“My partner in the firm I work in is, but she couldn’t come so she asked me step in …”

“I’m an alum,” Alyssa seemed to have perked up considerably. “I was surprised to have been chosen to give the lecture this year, though …”

“My partner in our consulting firm was, too. She would have come, but a client of ours in Hong Kong had a last minute issue concerning the plans we’d drawn up for an upcoming exhibit we were asked to help organize over there, so she had to fly out there …. And guess who’s giving the lecture on Monday afternoon?!”

Aerin and Bette were smiling at her and Alyssa. When Rian and Alyssa paused in their quick exchange, Bette introduced herself.  “I’m Bette.”  She extended a hand towards the blonde and gave her one of her trademark thousand-watt smiles.  Alyssa smiled back and shook the offered hand.  “Alyssa.”

“Um … sorry to cut in, ladies, but Rian, I think I should help you stretch now, before you cool off too much, and then your muscles become less amenable to being stretched,” Ed interrupted, in his booming voice.