“I’ll fucking kill her,” said Bette. She grabbed the keys off her desk and was heading for the door when Alice grabbed her by the arm.

“Bette!”

“No. I will fucking kill that bitch. She’s selling drugs to my wife. With me as a fucking drug mule?”

Alice tugged harder. “Bette, calm down.”

“I won’t calm down!” Bette yelled.

“Yes, you will! You have to. You have a show to put on in three days. You have an audience to wow and a team that is counting on you. You cannot do this right now.”

Bette was breathing heavily, like a dragon preparing to breathe fire. Her chest rose and fell with purpose. Her nostrils flared and her head throbbed. She knew that Alice was right. But calming herself was like trying to soothe a rabid Tasmanian devil.

Alice drew her into a tight hug. Bette initially resisted until the walls of anger around her began to fall. They dissolved into hot tears that fell from her eyes. “I’ve been so foolish, Alice. How could I be so gullible?”

“You’re not gullible. You’re trusting. And kind. All the things I love about you. All the things that made us friends in the first place.”

“Are they laughing at me? Like I’m some kind of idiot?” she asked.

“I don’t think so, honey. The thing with Sidney is a sickness. Despite the lying and the shit between you two, she really does love you. She’d never hurt you on purpose. She’d never make you out to be a fool. This is all about her and her addiction. This isn’t about you. And I’m sure that Tina is as legit as they come.”

“I’m so stupid, Alice,” Bette whispered, her shoulders shaking with sobs.

“You’re not stupid.”

“I am. I’m like a fucking teenager in love. Just blind to everything but what I want to see,” said Bette.

Alice held her, whispering calming phrases until Bette calmed in her arms. Alice wiped at her best friend’s tears. “You are the most brilliant woman I know. And as soon as this show is wrapped, you and I will march down to that salon and kick ass if we need. We’ll do what it takes so you find out everything you need to know about Tina.”

Bette nodded.

“But right now, you have to focus. You have an army out there that needs your command. I’m sorry I even brought it up. But I couldn’t wait on it any longer.”

“No, I needed to know. I needed to think these things through.”

There was a brief knock at the door before Maxwell Chambers popped his head in through a crack in the door. “Bette, today’s lunch has arrived. Pizza and wings. Can I bring you a plate?”

Alice answered for her. “Not right now. She’ll be out in a minute.”

Maxwell looked at Alice for a moment before he replied that he understood and closed the door again.

Alice squeezed Bette’s upper arms. “Soldier up. Who’s in charge?”

“I am,” Bette said quietly.

“Who’s in charge?”

“I am.”

“Who’s in charge, Bette?”

“I am!”

“Then show them. Do what you do. You’re brilliant, bold, and beautiful. You can do anything.”

Bette nodded. “I can do anything.”

Bette smiled. “Thank you, Alice. What would I do without you?”

Alice smiled in return. “The same thing I would without you. Suffer and be miserable.”

They laughed together until the redness and all trace of tears had left Bette and her regal composure had returned. Bette showed her out and then held her head up high to go slay more dragons.