CHAPTER THREE

Alice should have known a big breakfast wasn’t going to go over well with this crowd, and she was right. Coffee was about the only thing Tina and Shane could stomach this morning. And to tell the truth, even Alice wasn’t thinking much about food, not after her amorous little adventure at Dana’s front door last night.

As they sat around the kitchen table, well into their second and third cups, Alice decided to put her confusion over her love life on hold so she could attempt to lift the dark cloud hovering over her two close friends.

“So…,” Alice began tentatively.

“Ya know, I should go,” Shane said, starting to rise from the table.

“No Shane, don’t go. Please.” Tina took Shane’s hand and gently sat her back down.

She knew why Shane was offering to leave — she felt like an intruder; that because Tina had been there first, she had ‘first dibs’ on Alice. But what she didn’t realize was that Shane’s being there really helped. Tina had always felt especially close to Shane, and Tina knew from the gentle way the so-called ‘player’ always treated her, that Shane had a particularly soft spot for her too.

Before Shane had woken up, Alice had briefly filled Tina in on the whole fiasco with Cherie. And although Tina was hurting terribly this morning, she wasn’t too immersed in her own pain not to feel empathy for one of her best friends. She didn’t want Shane to be alone now. Anymore than SHE wanted to be alone.

For her part, Shane was grateful that Tina insisted she stay. Now that she was here, she really didn’t want to leave. But Tina looked so miserable, and she wasn’t saying anything. Shane thought that maybe it was because she didn’t want to talk about it in front of her, maybe she only wanted to confide in Alice.

The ringing of Alice’s cell phone momentarily brought everybody out of their increasingly depressing thoughts.

“Hello?” “Yeah, hi Bette.” Alice turned to Tina mouthing, “Are you here?”

Tina nodded half-heartedly.

“Yes, she is, hold on.”

Alice gave Tina the phone but stood right over her with her hands on Tina’s shoulders, ready to offer support. Shane looked on with concern; Tina didn’t seem very sure about this conversation.

“What is it Bette?” Tina was trying to sound strong, but her voice was already shaky.

“No, I don’t think so, not yet. I need time.”

Shane closely examined Tina’s changing expressions as Bette talked to her. She couldn’t hear what was being said on the other end, but whatever it was, the effect it was having on Tina was difficult to watch. Tina finally handed Alice the phone just before she collapsed in tears. That’s when Shane took over and lead her to the couch.

“Yeah Bette, it’s me,” Alice said as she took the phone back. “No, she just….well, I don’t think she’s really ready to talk to you just yet.” (pause) “Yeah, I will. Bye.”

Alice looked over at Tina, now nestled securely in Shane’s arms. This was definitely a different side of Shane, but one her friend seemed to be taking to quite readily.

As soon as Shane had seen Tina start to lose it on the phone she immediately went into rescue mode. Not something she was used to, but it definitely felt right with Tina — she’d always been a little protective of her.

When she had woken up that morning, Shane didn’t know how she was even going to make it through this day. Then she saw the look of utter devastation on the face of one of her best friends, and it seemed to place her own heartache on the back burner somehow. As she gently stroked the blond hair, Shane realized her priorities for the day had just changed. Her main concern now was finding a way to ease Tina’s suffering, not her own.

As Tina’s sobs began to subside, Alice brought her some tissues and sat down in the chair opposite the couch. “How’re you doing?” she asked, as she leaned over and placed a hand on Tina’s knee.

“I’ll be okay,” Tina said softly. “Hey, thank you. I’m glad I’m here with you.” Then she turned to Shane and said, “Both of you.”

When the phone immediately rang again, Alice wasn’t very anxious to pick it up. This day wasn’t exactly starting out well.

“Hello?” she asked hesitantly. “Dana! Um, hi.” (pause) “No, just didn’t expect…” (pause) “Uh, just having breakfast. Tina’s here.” (pause) “Long story. Shane’s here too.” (pause) “Also long.” (pause) “Well, I don’t know, maybe; can I call you back?” (pause) “Okay, I will. Bye.”

“Well. That was Dana,” Alice said unnecessarily.

“Yeah, we heard,” Shane replied. “Are you okay Al, you look a little flushed.”

“Sure, I’m fine!” Alice said, a bit too loudly. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Alice picked up her coffee and starting drinking. “Dana wanted to meet me at the Planet, for coffee.”

“Uh huh,” Shane nodded her head. “But you’ve already had a lot of coffee, haven’t you Al?”

“Well yes, that’s true.” Alice thought for a minute. “But Dana didn’t sound so good. She said she really needed to talk to me about something, something very important. I really hate to leave you two now, but it wouldn’t be for very long, and I’m kinda worried about her…”

“Alice, go,” Tina said gently, “take care of Dana. Shane and I will be fine.”

“You sure? I’ll be right back,” Alice said distractedly as she searched the apartment for her keys.

Shane and Tina nodded.

“Okay, if you’re sure,” Alice said as she hurriedly grabbed the keys and rushed out the door.

“Wow,” Tina turned to Shane, “What was that about?”

“I don’t know, definitely odd behavior. Even for Alice.”

“Yeah,” Tina smiled.

“That’s good to see.”

“What?”

“The smile,” Shane said quietly.

Tina gazed at Shane tenderly. “I haven’t told you how sorry I am about what happened with Cherie.”

“I’m kinda surprised you can have much sympathy for my situation, all things considered Tina.”

“Shane, you’re my friend. Besides, it’s completely different.”

“I don’t know, a lot of people might think I got what I deserve.”

“Well I’m not one of them.” Tina gently placed her hand on Shane’s cheek. “You don’t deserve this pain honey. You’re one of the kindest, sweetest women I know.” Tina leaned in and kissed Shane sofly on the lips. It was meant as a comforting kiss between friends. But it lingered a little longer than necessary. Not surprising, since these two had always had a bit of a secret crush on each other — so secret it’s possible they weren’t even aware of it themselves.

But a kiss has a way of enlightening those in denial about such things. And that’s what it did now.

As they faced each other on the couch, just inches apart, so close they could taste each other’s breath, each afraid to make a move, it was Tina who took Shane’s face in both her hands and kissed her again. Tentatively at first, as if on a first date, the kiss grew in intensity as they both seemed to give in to the moment and damn the consequences.

But before it could get too far out of hand, Shane felt obliged to pull away. “Look we’re both pretty vulnerable right now Tina,” she exhaled all in one breath. “Whatever this is, we shouldn’t….”

Tina put her fingers to Shane’s lips. “I know,” she murmured.

But everything had changed overnight. Bette wanted someone else now and it was tearing Tina apart. She needed to feel loved again, wanted again. And the way Shane was looking at her… Well, Shane had a way of making every woman feel desirable when she looked at her that way.

A million thoughts started racing through her mind as she stared at Shane’s tempting mouth — ‘This woman is so beautiful, and so precious to me;’ ‘Is this an enormous mistake?’ ‘Will it destroy my friendship with Shane forever?’ and ‘What does this mean for me and Bette?’

Thoughts of Bette led to thoughts of Bette and Candace, and that began to clear things up in her mind. This wasn’t about her and Bette. This was about her and Shane. And right now she wanted Shane.

As Shane gazed into Tina’s eyes she still saw the grief there, but something else was there too. Shane had been the object of desire too many times not to recognize it now. It surprised her to see that look in Tina’s eyes, but it couldn’t help but excite the ***** out of her. Tina was a stunningly attractive woman. Of course Shane had never even considered her in a sexual way before — she and Bette were strictly off limits, even in her fantasies. She definitely had principles where certain women were concerned, even if some people thought she lived her life without any scruples whatsoever.

But was this the kind of comfort Tina needed from Shane now? “*****, is this what ‘I’ need?,” she thought to herself.

There wasn’t much time to figure it all out because Tina was leaning in for another kiss, and Shane had no intention of pulling away again.



(to be continued)