Picking up on tension between the two on this topic, Lauren added, "I’ll be happy to hear any thoughts you may have on this Tina." 

There was a slight pause from Tina’s side, before Tina answered, "I’m sure Bette can give you all the advice you’ll need without any help from me."

Bette’s eyes widened, "Wait just a second, T," she started to say, when she heard Kit call out in the background, "Tina, I know Angie’s spoken with Bette already, and I think she’s ready for her lunch!  It’s warm and ready out here already."

"Well, Bette, I gotta go," Tina said coolly.  "Our daughter needs me."  Then she clicked off.

Oohhhh, boy. 

"Was she upset or something?," Lauren asked.

Bette blew out a long breath, and sighed, then leaned her forehead on her hands.

"It’s a long story, Lauren," Bette said with a sigh, head still facing down on her desk, muttering.

Lauren pursed her lips.  "Oh, I’m sorry if I caused any trouble."

Bette was shaking her head as Lauren added, "I have to be going, anyway."  She turned to walk out of the office.

With another sigh, Bette pushed up from her desk, and followed Lauren out.  This wasn’t the blonde’s fault, Bette was thinking.  She should have brought Lauren up earlier during the FaceTime session, but there was so much to catch up on with Angie, then….

"Thanks for the ride today, and the fabulous lunch, and the hot shower, lending me your clothes, etc!" Lauren was saying, as she pulled on a winter jacket that Bette had lent her also.

"I hope you come out to see my studio, because I really want to know what you think.  I’ll send your clothes around later this week," she added.

Bette gave her a small smile.  She seemed so earnest and had done a good job already, of signing up several of the talented, fast-rising artists in the scene. 

"Well, you know Lauren, something that would be really different for a New York gallery are tapestries.  The large-scale tapestries," Bette started to say.

"Tapestries, huh?" Lauren repeated, head cocked to one side.

"Yeah …they have a romanticism about them, have this handmade feel to them, and have deep roots in both Western and Asian art traditions.  Although they won’t fit into just any home, I bet if you find one that would blow people away, I think it could draw in enough interest and buzz to your gallery,"  Bette explained.

"Let’s talk more about that, please?," Lauren asked.  She leaned over to give Bette a kiss, one on each cheek.

Bette smiled, and remained non-committal.  I’ll clearly have to wait for Tina on any of that.