Lottie tried on her third outfit of the morning, black dress pants and a pale blue shirt with a vest underneath so it was open at the neck. Nice, but not nice enough, what if she saw her today, she probably wouldn’t but what if she did drop by, or call even … this was so stupid, if she called then she wouldn’t have to ‘see’ her. Glancing at the clock on the dresser she pulled off the black pants and pulled on a grey pair that were more casual.

“Fine.” She said, encouraging herself in the mirror, as she smoothed her shirt over “This will have to do.” and grabbing her shoulder bag, purse and pair of earrings she walked out the door.

She stared out of the window of the cab as the LA streets rolled by. She’d been here before, with her father on business and then with her previous step-mother to go shopping on Melrose and go star spotting and then the last time was to interview at UCLA. She smiled to herself, if she’d known then what she knew now maybe LA would have held more appeal, instead of feeling too close to San Francisco, too close to home. New York was no where near home and it gave her a sense of freedom. The driver pulled to a stop outside a leafy green building on a quiet side street, she jumped out and took a look around … 11:15, she was a little early, still it didn’t hurt to look enthusiastic so she opened the door and headed on up the stairs to the first floor offices of Dr’s Kennard and Casswell.

Finishing up with her last patient of the morning Tina tidied up the files on her desk.

“Hi Ruby,” she said, “Can you get Bette for me, try her on her cell first.” The line was quiet for a short while and then,

“Hello?”

“Hi babe, it’s me”

“Hey you, how was your first night in an empty bed?”

“Awful, how’s the hotel?”

“Nice enough.”

They both sighed.

“How was your morning?”

Tina laughed, “Fine, apart from us both being late and then me locking us out!”

Bette sighed, “Poor baby.”

“Oh it was fine, really. Kit came by and rescued us, you know how we go to pieces when you leave us.” She said jokingly, with a heavy heart as it was the truth. On the other end of the phone Bette was silently wishing she had never left, Tina carried on nervously “My new student starts today, my first ever student actually,” she paused, and then giggled “I’m nervous Bette.”

Bette laughed, “You have nothing to be nervous about baby,” she paused “now the student on the other hand, well she’d better be straight and/or taken or she can keep her hands off!”

“Bette!!! She’s nineteen for fuck’s sake!!” gasped Tina. “I’d think gay or straight the last thing she’d want is me.” She said, sticking her tongue out at Bette even though Bette couldn’t see her.

Bette laughed, “Alright then, but still, I’ll be keeping my eye on her.”

Just then the entrance door chimed and Tina looked up, twirling a curl of hair through her fingers, “I gotta go babe, that’s probably her, right on time.”

“ok, I’ll talk to you later, I love you.”

“I love you too babe, play nicely with the other kids from MOMA” she said sarcastically.

Bette returned the unseen gesture with her tongue, “I will, bye.”

Tina stood up and straightened herself out, taking a deep breath. Despite everything she knew nowadays she still managed to get nervous at her own abilities. She conjured up that same old image in her mind of Bette’s smile, encouraging her to go on, and strode forwards to open the door. Then there it was, alarmingly, the image of Bette’s smile greeting her.

Lottie walked forwards wearing a nervous expression. “Hello, I’m Charlotte Mitchell, you must be Dr Kennard?”

Tina shook her hand “Hi, Tina … please call me Tina.”

Lottie smiled, “Then I’m Lottie, if that’s okay?”

Tina smiled, her startle gone, “Of course, come in and take a seat.”

to be continued?