“I cannot believe you’ve stayed there for hours waiting Cherie to call you back. You should have called me Shane! I could pick you up!” Alice was angry & ripped the sugar packets & poured them in her coffee.

“Look it’s fine all right, can you please drop this?” Shane dismissed the argument.

“Drop this? Come on, I’m trying to be a friend here. Do you really think this is going to continue forever? She’s not gonna leave her glamorous life just to be with you. The husband, the business, the daughter who’s totally all over you by the way:” Alice continued nonstop. “it’s fucked up!” Shane started to move on her chair, her teeth biting her lips with anger. “Back me up on this Tee?” Alice begged to Tina.

“She’s got a point, Shane. We just don’t want you to be hurt for something that is already twisted to begin with.” Tina looked at Shane directly in the eye & her last words faded after seeing Shane’s anger starting to show more and more.

“You too either change the subject or I’m gone!!!” said Shane with such a normal tone yet very strict. She took a sip of her strong coffee. Alice wondered if any of this warnings sunk in Shane. She knew Shane would go with her flow anyway but couldn’t hurt to point out the inevitable future.

The silence grew stronger. “So Tina, how’s Bette doing?” Alice attempted to change the conversation. Shane’s mood came back to normal, she stired in her chair & came forward nearer to Tina just to hear her answer. “She looked pretty shaken up at the police station. Where’s she now?”

“She’s under a lot of pressure because of the exibit, you know. She’s edgy. Silent most of the sometimes. Very stressed.” Tina tilted her head almost trying to believe what she was saying. She wanted to avoid the “distant” word from sharing but decided against it. “She’s very distant. I’m concerned.”

“It’s only natural Tina. The miscarriage, the ***** tv debate, the exibit… She’s only human.” Shane suggested. “Maybe, but I’m hurting too you know. I’ve had the miscarriage, I’m trying to cope with a new job. Volunteer work, but still…” She threw a look to Alice and knew her thoughts instantly. Still she let her talk.