“Um… I think we’re past the bridge, and we’re now on that big road next to the East River.  If I remember correctly we’ll be getting to midtown soon if we don’t hit traffic,” Alice mused aloud, her mind temporarily off of her grief.  Bette heard the cabbie say something to Alice.

“Cabbie says it’ll be about 15-20 minutes,” Alice reported.  “Hardly any traffic at this hour, he says.  Thank goodness.  I don’t think I could take sitting in traffic right now, Bette.  Do you remember the traffic I went through during that trip I took here for the Thanksgiving thing?”

As Alice went on a tangent, grousing about the traffic of New York, first, then the cold weather, secondly, Bette smiled inwardly.  At least her friend was thinking of something else at the moment. 

Fifteen minutes later, as Alice recounted a funny story about a recent ski trip she and Dana had taken to Big Bear mountain over the past weekend, Bette was outlining a four leaf clover shape using milk she had frothed for Tina’s cappuccino.  Then she laid a thin wafer of chocolate across the saucer of the cup of cappuccino, and walked towards the staircase.  “I think we must be a few blocks from your street now, Bette,” Alice was saying.

“Alright,” Bette answered.  “Just ring the bell when you get here and I’ll buzz you in, ok?”

Alice paused before answering.  Then she said, “Bette, don’t think I didn’t notice what you did there.”

“What?  What did I do?” Bette asked, as she reached the top of the staircase, and then veered left to walk down the hall towards their bedroom.

“Don’t act so innocently,” Alice responded.   She continued, pretending to be disappointed, “You distracted me.”

Bette got to their door, and cradling the cordless phone against her ear by pinning it with her shoulder, she opened the door slowly.

Tina was on her back, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.  The blonde gave Bette a big smile upon seeing the brunette and the cappuccino she was carrying for Tina.  Tina sat up, scooting closer to the edge of the bed nearest Bette as the brunette approached one side of the bed.

“That wasn’t my intention,” Bette parried.