Several minutes later, she joined the others in a loose line.  They each started walking past the partners who were seated in a U shape.  Then one of the assistants called out, “Okay stop!”

Tina turned to face one of the studio execs that she’d been talking to earlier. She suppressed a smirk as he held the hand she held out, his brows furrowed in thought.  She glanced over at Bette, who was holding a man’s hand, and released it quickly, with a small smile, to the man’s disappointment.

Several of those seated had guessed wrongly about the hand offered, and the assistant called out, “You’re out!”

After some general good-humored protestations, the rest of the people in the line were told to resume walking down the line again.

“Okay stop!” the assistant called out again.

Bette felt for the hand extended to her, and felt that it was a woman’s hand, this time, but it was bony.  With a small smile up to the hand’s owner, she laid it down carefully.  She heard protestations from people who were told to leave the game, after they’d guessed wrongly.  I wonder where Tina is?

After another round, and the number of participants thinned out further, the assistant called out, “Okay those walking please cross over to the other side of the U.”

Tina walked across.  Now she was on Bette’s side.

“And walk!” the man called out.  After a second he called out again, “Now stop!”

Tina groaned inwardly.  She was still not in front of Bette, but there was one partner who now stood in front of her husband.  There was a murmur of excited chatter amongst onlookers.  Marissa signaled for silence.

The husband picked up the hand offered, and rubbed his thumb over the back of the woman’s hand, his head tilted to the side in thought.  The woman was smiling, looking confident that he was going to kiss her hand anytime now.  To her surprise, however, and to everyone watching, he let go of it, and let his arms drop casually to the sides, with a small, regretful smile.  His friends were suppressing their guffaws, and one was doubled-up in laughter as the man’s wife’s eyes continued to widen in shock.  Tina shook her head and offered the woman a sympathetic smile.  That guy will be in some trouble when they get home, she thought.