It’s not like you need to seduce her, for Christ’s sake. You live together. It’s time you start thinking about you and what you’re needs are, instead of always worrying about your crackpot girlfriend.

Tina finally had to find a bench and sit down. It wasn’t the pain in her feet that made her suddenly lose balance. It was that last voice, a voice that sounded suspiciously like her father before he left when she was 10 years old. She wondered with a bit of pain why, after nearly 20 years of being silent, her father was trying to make his presence known, if only by a gruff voice in her head.

"Uh oh…" Tina thought, "could Bette’s neurosis actually be infectious?!"

Tina tried to laugh off the alarm she was feeling. "Not only is Bette not where she’s supposed to be, my head’s not on straight either! Where the hell is she?" She took out her cellphone and dialed Bette’s office. James answered after two rings.

"She’s not here."

"Tina? Is that you? Who’s not there?"

"Kelly Osborne. Bette! Bette’s not here. Are you sure it’s the Pacific Design Center? Are you sure it’s 10 o’clock? It’s nearly noon and I haven’t seen her anywhere."

"I’m sure you just missed her. The Center is 3,000 square feet large after all." James placated her while munching on a lean Turkey sandwich.

"Maybe you’re right. But she couldn’t have gone far. She’s wearing that ankle-length skirt she loves, and I hate, today. She slows down to 1 kilometer per hour in that outfit." Tina tried to reason it out aloud. "Let’s see. If Bette is traveling at a rate of 1 km/hr and she has to cover a distance of 3,000 feet, where could she be having lunch?"

A deafening silence answered her. Finally, she heard the sound of ripping paper from the other end of the line. James’ exasperated voice came on, "Look, what’s the conversion rate of kilometers to feet anyway? And is that rate over time, or distance over rate, or rate over distance…"
 
Tina sighed. "Never mind James. It was a dumb idea anyway. Bette hates surprises. I should have emailed her or sent her a text this morning. She’s probably on her way back there. Thanks anyway." Tina ended the call and got wearily to her feet. Back to the house to cram a bit more for her exam later that night.