“Things are going well there.  Truthfully, I was on the verge of losing my job, but Peggy Peabody went to bat for me.  She saved my sorry *****.”

“I’ll guess that she did it with panache, too.  She’s all that.”

“She’s not a woman to be ignored.  Eileen, I was calling to find out if you’d like to get together for lunch or dinner this weekend–spend some time catching up?”

“Yeah, that sounds great.  I have this thing on Saturday night, but I’m free for brunch on Sunday.  Is there anything special on your mind, Bette?”

“No, just wanting to say hello.  It’s been far too long.”

“How about the Dandelion Café?”

“Good.  Early brunch or late?”

“Early, please!  After Saturday night, I’ll be hungry.  I’m determined to fit into the smallest, tightest little black wool crepe Vera Wang outfit known to man.  That means I’ll be positively starving myself for the next two days.  On Sunday, I’ll be ravenous.”

Bette laughed heartily and it sounded unfamiliar to her.  Suzanne was right; friends would do her good.

“Will Tina be coming with you?”

Bette brushed her hair out of her eyes and sighed into the phone.  “Tina and I are separated.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear it.  What happened?”

“You know, Eileen, I don’t want to talk about it.  It’s just taken over my life.  I really don’t want to discuss it at brunch, okay?”

“Honey, I know how you feel.  Since the last time I saw you, I’ve gone through three different men and a meal without having to drudge up those wounds is a digestible meal indeed.”

“Good.”

“Is this like a date?  Cause you know…”

“Not a date.  I’m hungry for a little intellectual stimulation is all.”

“That I’ve got plenty of.  I’ll see you around eleven on Sunday.”

“Bye, Eileen.  Looking forward to it.”

“We’ll have a good time, drinking mimosas and forgetting the loves in our lives.”

* * * * *

Bette drove to Fred Segal’s to see what new outfits had come in since her last visit.  Shopping was always a fun way to pass the time, but once she arrived, her heart wasn’t in it.  She spent a few minutes browsing the racks and shelves, but nothing caught her eye.  There was grocery shopping to be done, too and Tina wasn’t around to do it, so Bette got back into her car and drove to the local market determined to make a quick trip of it.  She bought fresh vegetables and fruit, five prepackaged gourmet dinners, a package of water crackers and a tasty wedge of Havarti cheese, along with six bottles of Pellegrino to replenish the empties sitting in her recycling container at home.