For the next two weeks Bette and Tina did everything in their power to keep themselves in check.  No flirtatious comments, no longing looks, across the room or otherwise, no light touches, and no more then 5 minutes in a room alone together. That was as long as each thought they could last before they would have to jump the other.  Of course they didn’t talk about this, no they just each made up rules for them selves and from that the game was made.  They didn’t have to talk about the rules because they connected in a way were the spoken word was, at times, useless.  

-Bette’s Office Friday afternoon-

Bette: knock on door “Come in”
Alice: coming in “Well hello my long lost friend Elizabeth Porter, I don’t know if you remember me, I’m Alice.”
Bette: laughing “Hi Al. What are you doing here?”
Alice: “I just wanted to come and check up on my working girl.  Make sure everyone is treating you right. Nice office.”
Bette: “Thanks.  And speaking of working girl, why are you not at work?”
Alice: “Bette I’m a writer, you can’t write nine to five I need my freedom to let it come to me and then I work.  You should understand that, writing is an art.”
Bette: “Oh right sometimes I forget your writing is an art. So why are you really here?”
Alice: “Well I’m really here to stop by and say hi to my friend, but since that is not enough for you then I might as well tell you that your coming out with us tonight.”
Bette: “Al I can’t I have….”
Alice: cutting in “Wait hold up! Do you have the kids this weekend?”
Bette: “No, but…”
Alice: “That’s what I thought. Look Bette I know that you have not wanted to go out a lot lately, you have so much going on and I understand that. Your life changed over night but you need to let yourself have a little fun every once and a while. And I think it would do you some good to come out with us and we all miss you. Come on one night.”
Bette: “Alice I really just…”
Tina: just coming in “Bette I was just talking to ..” realizing Alice was there “Oh hi sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll come back. Sorry.” Turning to go
Alice: “No wait! Your Tina right?”
Tina: “yea, Alice?”
Alice: “Right. You are just the person that can help here!”
Bette: “Alice, can we please not do this. I’ll just call you later”
Tina: “is everything ok?”
Alice: “It will be once you tell Ms. Porter that she should come out with her friends tonight. That she needs to have a little fun. Because she seems to listen to you about that stuff since you got her out a couple of weeks ago.”
Bette: “Tina don’t listen to her. I forgot to tell you that Alice was crazy and I’m just friends with her because I feel bad for her. I’m planning on ending that in about umm… 2 minutes.”
Alice: “your really funny Porter.  Look Tina why don’t you come out with us too, maybe you are what she needs to get out.”
Tina: “Umm, well….I …..”
Alice: “Wait do you two already have plans and you are keeping me out of the loop again?”
Bette: “No Al we don’t have plans”
Tina: “I think I’m going to go. It was nice to see you again Alice”
Alice: “No it’s ok you stay, I’m going. It was nice to see you too and it will be nicer to see you at The Planet tonight at 9:00 with this one right next to you.  Don’t let me down Tina! Bye!” and she was out the door before anyone could say another word
Tina: laughing “wow, she is something else”
Bette: “Yea I’m sorry about that. Alice can be a little forward”
Tina: “No its fine. I like her, she is spunky.”
Bette: “Well you don’t have to worry about taking me out. I’m just going to call her later and tell her to fuck off“
Tina: disappointed “Oh well ok, I’m mean I wasn’t worried.. I mean I don’t really have any plans so …. well if you wanted I could go with you. If you wanted I mean.”
Bette: smiled “Well it would make Alice happy. Are you sure? You don’t have any plans?”
Tina: “Nope no plans. It would be fun.”
Bette: “Ok then it’s a date.” Realized what she just said “I mean not a date date. Because we I mean….”
Tina: “It’s ok Bette I know what you mean.  Why don’t I pick you up at 8:30?”
Bette: “yea ok, thanks”
Tina: “See ya later” leaving
Bette: “yea later” Tina leaves ‘fuck’
Tina: in the hallway ‘fuck’

Tina went back to her office. Thinking ‘What did I just do, she doesn’t even like you Tina, you heard her not a date! Of course it isn’t a date because she doesn’t see you like that. You are just going to go out as friends, that is what you are friends.  That’s all she wants that’s all she is going to get.”

Bette thinking ‘Oh my gosh Bette what did you just do, could you sound like more of a moron.  She probably thinks you hate her.  Well you better make up of that tonight.”