“It’s just I think, when I look at this logically, the best thing for both of us to do is to just be friends and if something happens, it’ll happen. But it has to be organic.”

“So you don’t want to rush anything?” Shane asks. Simple question, but I have a feeling there’s more behind it.

“Right.” I say, waiting.

“And you’re hoping that, what, each of your current relationships just run their course?” she asks.

“Yeah, I guess.” I ask trying to get there before Shane asks her next question.

“Tina, come on. You can’t be that thick!” Alice says. “What if they don’t?”

“What do you mean?” Dana asks, as lost as I am.

“What if Eric or Grace really fall in love? What if they don’t want to let go? What are you going to do pine away forever, just hoping?” Alice concludes with the girls nodding along more after each question.

“Right, that’s where I was going. Thank you Alice.” Shane says plainly.

“No problem, Shane.”

I don’t know how to answer that, so I don’t. The only other thing I can think to do is sigh and put my head in my hands. Thankfully, sensing my unease, my friends turned to other, lighter subjects, namely making fun of Dana’s aversion to all things man. Good friends.

******************************************************************************

After several hours of laughing until my cheeks hurt, I went home. Driving on the highway, usually stuffed with traffic gave me brief moments to think while I steered the car home. Of course I thought about the possibility that our partners would want to continue and grow our relationships. As far as I know we’ve haven’t given them any reason to think that it’s not working. And that’s mine and Bette’s fault. But I don’t know. I feel like there’s nothing I can do about that.

When I reached the driveway around midnight, it suddenly hit me that I have a ton of reading to do for work tomorrow. Shit. Oh well, I guess I’m not sleeping tonight.

When I was sure that Grace was asleep, I grabbed a snack from the kitchen. Food acquired, I moved to the living room to gather some CDs off of the shelf. Gathering what I needed to get me through the night, I headed back to my room to hunker down.