“Hey Tina,” Alice hugged.

“Hi Bette,” Shane greeted pulling Bette into a brief embrace.

Sad faces and equally depressed greeting went around leaving Bette’s older sister, Kit, last.

“How are you holding up, baby sis?”

Bette didn’t answer.

“We came as soon as we heard,” Shane confessed.

“Do they know anything?” Alice asked.

“I’m…,” Bette began but waited away.

The group watched as Bette retreated to the bedroom.

“Excuse me.”

*****

Bette sat with her back facing the door, on the bed. Her normally straight posture was limp. Tina gently closed the door and climbed on the bed sitting behind Bette. She didn’t touch her, she didn’t speak. Tina just sat with one leg folded under the other and her arm at a thirty degree angle resting her head on her palm. She listened to Bette shuffle out a breath.

“Make them leave.”

Straight to the point.

“They’re worried, Bette. They love her, too.”

Bette didn’t doubt her friends’ love for her daughter. She never would.

“Please,” she whispered peeking over her shoulder through the shield of hair.

*****

“Well what now?” Alice asked.

She glanced at all the girls wondering what their next move should be.

“We should give them some time,” Kit answered.

“They need us more now then ever. I say we stay,” Dana voted.

“You see how Bette is acting. She’s in a zombie state. And besides, if they need anything, Tina will call us,” Shane stated.

“I guess,” Dana replied.

“Let’s just give them some space tonight. And check in tomorrow with Tina to see if there’s been any developments.”

“Good idea, Kit,” Alice responded.

The group collectively walked out the door.

“Coming, Al?” Dana called out to a lagging Alice.

“Yeah, give me a minute,” she waved.

“See you tomorrow, Kit,” Shane bid goodnight to Kit.

Once Kit was out of earshot…

“What are you thinking, Yoda?”

Alice stood in front of Shane.

“That I should call Serena.”

“You know about them, too?”

“Doesn’t a wise JEDI know all?” Shane joked.

“You think she already knows?”

“I think Evan was really visiting Serena in New York instead of taking a tour of the NYU campus.”

*****