Candace shoved her hands in her pocket and began a short, tight pace in front of Bette.  “You know what this is?  This is so bogus.  Look, don’t tell me you’re not hot.  My God, Bette, we are so good together.  You can’t tell me that you’re not turned on.”

“Candace, I’m being honest.  I don’t want to take this further.  I mean it.  Look, I’ll give you a ride back to the Palms to pick up your car.”

“Come on.  Get real.”

“I’m being real.  This is as real as it gets.  Do you want the ride?”  Bette didn’t wait for an answer.   Instead, she opened her car door and plopped into the driver’s seat, waiting for Candace to go around to the other side.

“It’s not that far.  I’ll walk.  Forget it.  Forget it all, Bette.”

Candace strode off into the darkness leaving Bette to sit in her car.  “Goddamnit,” was all she said as she contemplated her solitary life.

* * * * *

Bette dog-eared a third article in ArtNews magazine.  On Monday, she would have James do a bit more research on the artists for her.  She was reading in bed and had been for over an hour.  Next to her, in the place where Tina had once slept, Bette had her notebook computer, her Palm, a legal pad and pen, and the small sheet of paper that stated she could purchase a month’s supply of Zoloft at 50 milligrams.  Bette glanced at the paper, but then turned back to her work.  Diving into work took her mind off of Tina and Candace.

Much later, she yawned and took off her glasses, placing them on the nightstand.  She pushed the computer and accessories further across the bed, away from her, reached and turned off the light, and snuggled down under the duvet.  After plumping her pillow and tossing left and right, Bette sighed.  She couldn’t get comfortable.  Her mind raced from the words Tina had spoken to the irritation she felt regarding them.  She thought about how she had decided to deal with her anger by sleeping with Candace.  Yes, she was terribly attracted to her, but Candace wasn’t the person she wanted in her life as a lover.  Was she? How had her life become such a mess?