“Laura, will you please stop that.  You know that was no date.  It was just a kiss.  And besides”

Laura adds, interrupting Tina, “what a kiss it was.”

Tina:  “Will you stop?”

Laura smiling, in a teasing tone says, “Come on, you said it was earth shattering.”

Tina blushes and looks down at the table trying to hide the smile that had formed on her face.  “No Laura, I said it was HOT.”

Laura:  “So, now that you’ve slept on it, what do you think?

Tina:  “I’m kind of scared.”  Hmm Laura thinks, ‘that’s what Bette said, too.’  Tina continues, “I couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss the whole way home.  I ran a hot bath, hoping to relax and get some decent sleep, and I fell asleep in the tub still thinking about Bette Porter’s fabulous lips.  I even had a dream about us.” 

Laura:  “What?”

Tina:  “Yep, I dreamed she was watching me sleep in the tub and she made fun of me because I snore.  Then she crawled into the tub with her pajamas on after I threw a wet washcloth at her and”  Laura stops her, ‘Whoa, please go no further.”

Tina:  “Laura, she really bothers me.”

Laura:  “Do you mean that in a good way or a bad way?”

Tina:  “Good, I think.  I find myself thinking about her a lot. You have to admit, she is gorgeous.  I know I’ve thought other women were attractive before, but Laura, I think about her eyes, how dark and soulful they are.  And then there are her hands, those strong hands.  I even think about her lips, how full and gentle they are.  But mostly I think about her smile.  I just want to melt when she smiles at me.  God Laura, what’s wrong with me.  I’m engaged to be married.  Why am I thinking about her like this?”

Laura:  “I’m not sure Tina, but I do think you need to find out the answer to that question.  And may I suggest you do it before Eric gets back from New York.  How long did you say he’d be there?”

Tina:  He’ll be here for at least five days, possibly seven.  He said he’d call me tonight to let me know for sure.” 

Laura:  “Well Tina, you’d better get working on the solution to your dilemma.  You have at least until Tuesday to figure it out.”

Tina:  Thank God I’m off this weekend.  I don’t know if I’ll be able to concentrate until I do figure this out.

Laura:  “Have you decided what you are going to do?”

Tina:  “I guess I’ll have to call Bette and talk with her.  I need to do this somewhere quiet where we can talk rationally, maybe over dinner.”

Laura:  “Whatever you decide, do it fast before both of you kill somebody because you aren’t concentrating on your jobs.

Tina looks at Laura intently.  ‘She knows something,’ she thinks to herself.  She gets excited about the possibility that Bette told Laura something about how she feels and she wants to no what it is.

Tina:  “What do you mean; did Bette say something to you?”

Laura pauses, acting mildly like a kid with her hand caught in the cookie jar.  She couldn’t break any confidences here.  “Look, I consider both of you my friends.  That’s all I’m going to say.  Just do something quickly, OK?” 

Tina, looking a little sad, pouts and answers, “OK.”

Laura excuses herself and heads back to the ER.  Tina sits there with a silly smirk on her face and ponders their conversation.  “So Bette talked to Laura, interesting.  I think I’ll go track Ms. Porter down and find out just exactly what’s going on.”  With that, Tina gets up and heads back to her office.  Once inside she calls her secretary Alice, over the intercom and asks her to get the number for Central Dispatch.

Alice:  “Tina, I have that number if you’re ready.”

Tina writes down the number, picks up the phone and starts to dial.  Her hands are shaking as the phone rings on the other end.

TBC