Naturally I bring my running session to an end and follow her because as absurd as it may sound I need Dana to tell me how to be me. I haven’t been myself for a while, not since the great invasion of Tina. I don’t think I could even go back to my old self if I tried. The question is, do I want to go back? Do I want to rid myself of these feeling? I quickly come to a decision. No. Being oblivion held no appeal.

Instead of behaving like a defeatist last night I should have let Tina explain and maybe together we could have overcome her uncertainties what ever they may be.

“So what would Bette do?” I ask, getting comfortable on the exercise bike beside Dana.

“What would Bette do about what?”

“If not sit back, what would she do?”

After a short pause she says, “Bette would approach it like a exhibit she were curating I think.”

Leaning into the handles of the bike, she stares thoughtfully at me. “You once told me the first thing you did when putting a show together was take photographs of the pieces individually then you’d lay the photographs on the floor and consider how the pieces fit, not how the artist intended for them to fit but how you understood them to. The observers –“

“Natural sequence” I finish, quickly catching onto where she was headed with this.

“Bette would think objectively. Both you and Tina it seems were so focused on the key pieces, yourselves, that you forgot to consider the other pieces in the exhibit. Alice was your first externality, Tina freaked and you let her freak.”

I groan because Dana was so right. Our lengthy nightly phone calls were typically light hearted and about future plans and aspirations. Not once did we broach the topic of our friends and how they would react. I’d been so sidetracked by our heartwarming exchanges that I don’t think I even mentioned Dana’s knowledge of the relationship to Tina. “Fuck”

“Bette…”

“Yes?”

Dana eyes do a comical roam around and I realise we are no longer alone.

“Don’t worry its just a minor speed hump” she whispers, picking up the pace of her cycling.

I start peddling faster and hope that she’s right. I was never any good at hurdle.

——-

I step into my gallery and immediately feel at ease. I’m in my element here.

“Hi James” I smile and continue on to my office.  Stopping at the door, I look back. “Is that a cupcake?”

He nods and tries to speak with his mouthful “ifsss waanfuull–“

I shake my head and enter the office. Its 8:30am, who eats cupcakes this early in the morning?

In the process of shrugging my jacket off I spot a white box placed at the centre of my desk.  Several steps later and I’m at my desk reading the note that was sitting on top of the box.

You wouldn’t answer my calls last night and because you’ve spoiled me over the past 2 weeks its now impossible for me to sleep without hearing your voice. Since I was up for the better part of the night I thought it’d be wise to utilise the time.

Try the vanilla strawberry one with the sprinkles first.

Forgive me.

T  

Completely blown away by the letter and my fortune, I fall back into my chair and just smile. “wow”

I open the box and take in the variety of cupcakes on offer. Even with my limited knowledge of baking I knew the different flavours meant she must have done several batches.

I pick up what I assume must be the one she recommended I try first since the only other cupcake with sprinkles was clearly chocolate flavoured.

At first bite I moan.

At second, I moan again.

At third, I think to myself  ‘Damn I’m lucky’

 ———————————————— Thanks for reading.