“Once you have run that past my dead body – good luck getting Elizabeth letting you “

“I like a challenge “

“In that case – next week you and Carmen can come for dinner with Tina and I “

　

**

“I am sorry about Helena “ Tina said to Bette as they walked along the mall looking for ideas for the rings they would wear for the rest of their lives. Bette looked at Tina and smiled

“I just had to get away from her “

“I could see that – Shane saw it as well “

Bette nodded “ We had a chat – she’s a good kid “

“She’s not a kid Bette “

“She is to me “

“You sound like my granny “

Bette laughed “I hope you don’t do to your gran what you did to me this morning “

“Bette  – that’s gross “

Bette laughed and kissed Tina on the cheek “You love me “

“Yes I do “

“What did Helena say when Shane and I walked out ?”

“She didn’t understand what she had done “

“Dumb ass “

“She’s not herself – and I am not sure if its just the hangover “

“Shane said that she thought that this morning Helena seemed ashamed of her night with the stripper “

Tina whistled “ Not like her “

“That was what I said “

“Do you think she was right ?”

“I think Shane is one of the most perceptive people I know “ Bette said “ and if Shane gives me her view of someone I tend to listen “

“She’s not often wrong about people “

“So what does Shane think ?”

“Shane thinks that seeing the two of us together makes her wish that she had the same”

Tina rubbed her nose “Helena isn’t the settling down sort “

“She might be – you and I have been pretty out of what is happening with our friends for a few months. We have been wrapped up in work and then your family. You said it yourself the other night – we haven’t been in one another’s business for months “

“That’s because Alice has been missing for five months” Tina pointed out “ You always said that she was at the heart of everyone sticking their noses into what everyone else was doing and after the fiasco about the emails porn pictures you lost it with her”