Bette reappeared and smiled at Tina. “Ready? I just had one of the waiters call us a cab.” She waved goodbye to Alice.

“Okay. Let’s wait outside then.” Tina saw Alice giving her a questioning look. She just shrugged in return and followed Bette to the door.

They stood outside for a minute or two waiting, making small talk, the air between them charged with…something. It wasn’t sexual tension, quite. Tina glumly realized that she maybe didn’t even know what sexual tension felt like anymore, but she couldn’t think of a phrase that fit. What was she doing here? I’m not doing anything that I don’t want to do. I’m not going to sleep with her, for Pete’s sake. Wait, why am I even thinking about sleeping with her? She took a deep breath. Stop panicking, Tina told herself firmly. She tried to think of one of her tried-but-not-so-true trenchant life-affirmations to help ease her nerves, but she could recall none. Stupid life coach. Why didn’t they teach you anything useful, like what to say to correct someone who might be thinking you’re a potential one night stand without giving offense, before you hopped into a cab with them? Tina groaned inwardly. How did she get herself into these situations?

“You’re awfully quiet.”

“Oh! It’s nothing. I’m just… I’m cold, my teeth are chattering a little bit – isn’t that silly?” Tina lied quickly.

Just then the cab pulled up, and Tina was relieved in spite of herself to see it – at the very least this awkward waiting was over.

Tina slid in next to Bette, who was talking about something, but Tina couldn’t focus or listen. All she could think about was what could be about to happen. She squelched a nervous giggle in her throat. Before she knew it, they were there. Bette paid the cabbie before Tina could move and then she was following Bette up her walkway, making automatic responses to everything she was saying while taking in their surroundings.

The house was smaller than she expected, more of a bungalow than a mansion, but it looked homey and quite cozy. Bette swung open the door with a smile over her shoulder at Tina. “Here we are. Welcome to my humble home.”

She’s nervous too, Tina realized. Somehow that made her feel better, and she felt some of her own skittishness dissolve. Bette was flicking on lights and Tina was about to comment on the beautiful Spanish-inspired design of what she could see, when a moan pierced the quiet. She exchanged a glance with Bette, who gestured for her to stay put. Bette went to the living room door and reached along the wall, snapping on a light.

From an angle, Tina could see that there were two people entangled on the couch, thankfully still clothed.

“Shane?”

A thin, elfish looking girl looked up over the back of the couch, her nearly-black hair sticking up in messy tufts. She grinned. “Hey, Bette! When did you get back in town?”

Bette rolled her eyes and looked over to Tina, who could only shrug and give a little smile in return. “Guess she decided to stay in.”