Chapter 1

Angelica scowled as she looked at the reflection staring back at her from the full-length mirror mounted on her wall. She held a shirt in her left hand and placed it against her body tilting her head and smiling. She held the other shirt up that was grasped in her right hand and repeated the same routine.

“Angelica!” Tina called down the hallway to her for the third time. “I mean now!”

Tina turned back around and grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl exasperated at having to call Angelica once more to make her grand appearance for school.

“I swear as she gets older her ability to ignore me improves,” Tina said pouring coffee into her travel mug.

“It just seems that way,” Bette chuckled as she kissed Tina on the cheek and began to pack her briefcase with artist brochures she had reviewed well into the night. “What’s your day look like?”

“Shot to hell.”

“How are you going to get her to school then?” Bette asked as she turned and faced Tina, who was leaning against the counter.

“Me?” Tina laughed and shook her head. “You’re taking her to school Babe.”

“I can’t, I’m already a half hour later then I wanted to be.”

“I have a meeting on location,” Tina reasoned. “I’m meeting Helena there.”

“She won’t mind you being a little late.”

“Bette,” Tina’s tone of voice grabbed Bette’s attention quickly causing her to stop packing her briefcase. “You’re your own boss, you know that right? You can be late.”

Bette looked at Tina leaning against the counter in a black suit, a royal blue shirt underneath, and her 4-inch heeled boots with her arms folded across her chest. When Tina arched her eyebrow, challenging Bette, Bette paused as if developing a strategy for her response.

“Forget about it Porter,” Tina grabbed her travel mug and walked toward a stunned Bette. “Both of us are running late and you have the benefit of being your own boss so you have the best case scenario for being late.”

“We wouldn’t be late had you not turned the alarm off instead of hitting snooze.”

“I didn’t sleep well,” Tina said in her defense as she gathered her own briefcase and purse.

“I’m well aware of that since I was trying to sleep next to you.”

“Nap at lunch,” Tina teased. “I hear your boss is a pushover.”

Tina brushed her lips across Bette’s and opened the door to leave before Bette’s mind processed her playful banter. Tina closed the door leaving a stunned Bette holding the largest catalog she perused the night before and her briefcase stuffed to the maximum capacity.

“Shit, there’s no room for this,” Bette muttered to herself.

She looked at the clock on the wall and sighed, desperately needing to be productive this particular morning, but being held back by an indecisive Angelica.

“Angie!” Bette yelled startling Angelica even though she was in her room with the door closed. “I mean now Angie or you’re on you own to get to school!”

Angelica quickly chose the shirt in her left hand and began to put it on while walking down the hall. She adjusted it to ensure a slight hint of skin showed above the waist of her low-rise jeans. She had creatively borrowed a pair of Tina’s boots the night before to complete the particular look she was striving for.

“What is that?” Bette stared at Angelica as she entered the kitchen.

“What?” Angelica asked perplexed by the question.

“Your shirt.”

“If you know it’s a shirt why did you ask what it was?”

“There’s no way you are wearing that shirt to school,” Bette said arching her brow at Angelica to signal her seriousness.

“I’m sure Mom wouldn’t care!”

“Like hell Angelica,” Bette countered. “Even if she did think it was ok to wear to school, I don’t, so go get a different shirt that actually covers your body.”

“Why don’t I just get a sheet and wrap myself in it so nothing but my eyes show?”

“Suit yourself, but make it quick or you’re on your own for getting to school,” Bette answered quickly bringing the debate to a screeching halt. “You’ve got 30 seconds to find said sheet and get in the car because in 35 seconds it’s leaving our driveway.”

Bette walked out the door and hit the button on her key chain to unlock the doors to her car. She opened the driver’s side door and threw her briefcase in the back with her purse. She shed her suit jacket, draping it in the backseat next to what she had just put back there. She got into the car and started the engine, honking once, happy to see that just as she did so, Angelica was closing the door to the house.

“I’m coming!” Angelica said as she rolled her eyes, throwing her books in the backseat.

Bette began to pull out of the driveway as Angelica frowned at her musical selection.

“Why is it that we always listen to classic rock?”

“Why is it that you don’t appreciate it?” Bette asked with a smile on her face.

Bette began to expertly maneuver through traffic while Angelica fidgeted in her seat determining the best manner in which to ask a question she already knew the answer to. Angelica knew it was time to interrupt when Bette began to sing loudly and off key.

“Mama B?” Angelica’s words dripped with sweetness.

“Hmmm?”

Bette changed lanes and ran a yellow light in an effort to shave off travel time to Angelica’s school.

“I forgot to ask you a question last night,” Angelica inwardly cringed at her lie. She had discussed with her best friend Cathy the perfect strategy for approaching Bette and Tina regarding the school’s upcoming dance. The end result was several well thought-out plans ranging from the greatest potential for success to grasping at straws. This particular one was to catch Bette and Tina off guard regarding her request. It fell somewhere in the middle on the success scale.

“What’s that?”

“I need you to sign this piece of paper,” Angelica said casually and went as far as to attempt to hand it, and a pen, to Bette as she pulled into the parking lot at school.

“What’s this for?”

“It’s just a permission slip.”

“And what am I giving permission for at the last minute?” Bette questioned as she began to skim the permission slip in her hand. “This is for a dance?”

“Yeah,” Angelica said sheepishly. “Each student that wants to go needs to hand in a permission slip from their parents.”

“Are you going with a group of your girlfriends?” Bette pushed for additional information.

“Not exactly.”

“Then how exactly would you be attending this dance?” Bette asked as she arched her eyebrow in Angelica’s direction noticing her daughter working feverishly to avoid her gaze.

“Someone asked me,” Angelica shrugged.

“Who asked you?”

“What’s the big deal?”

“The big deal is that we care what you’re doing when you’re out of our sight,” Bette began explaining her logic to Angelica with a tone laced with frustration. “If I don’t know this boy that asked you, you’re not going with him.”

“What?!”

“What part of ‘you are not going with a boy I don’t know’ don’t you understand?”

“The unfair part so I guess all of it,” Angelica countered back in a manner reminding Bette of herself at that age. “Everyone else is going!”

“I’m not everyone else’s mother.”

“Why can’t you just trust me?”

“It’s not you we don’t trust, it’s everyone else. However, I’ll compromise in the interest of saving time Angelica. Bring this home and we’ll discuss it with your mom after dinner.”

“This sucks!” Angelica reached around and grabbed her books from the backseat. She made a production of slamming the door as she mumbled heading toward the entrance of her high school.

“Oh thank you Angie,” Bette mumbled sarcastically to the empty car. “I’ll have a great day I’m sure.”

Angelica immediately spotted her best friend Cathy as she got out of the car in a huff. Cathy was dutifully waiting for Angelica’s arrival with their other friend Renee. Both girls were smiling and Cathy waived a piece of paper in the air.

“My mom signed it!”

“Mine too!” Renee exclaimed.

“Well not me,” Angelica said in anger. “Plan A didn’t work.”

“Which one was Plan A?”

“The ‘catching them off guard’ one,” Angelica said. “We have to talk about it tonight. This is so unfair!”

“So you don’t have a signed permission slip to go?” Renee confirmed quickly.

“It’s like they want to punish me for nothing,” Angelica whined. “I’m going to that dance with Darren whether they like it or not.”

“Not without a slip you aren’t,” Cathy pointed out. “It’s a bummer because Jake and I were really looking forward to doubling with you and Darren.”

“I have to go, the captain of the football team doesn’t ask a freshman out everyday,” Angelica said as she yanked on her low-rise jeans to rest even lower on her hips. “I’ll be such a loser if I say no because my moms won’t let me.”

“All you need is to get them to sign the slip,” Renee said as if it were the easiest thing in the world to accomplish.

“Maybe not,” Angelica smiled. “All I need is a signed permission slip as far as the school is concerned.”

“That look can’t be good,” Cathy said shaking her head in Angelica’s direction.

“I’ll sign Mama B’s name and work out the details later.”

“Yep,” Cathy said smiling. “I was right, it wasn’t good.”

“It’s perfect!”

“How do you plan on telling them that you did this?”

“I don’t,” Angelica said grabbing the slip out of her pocket and the pen from her purse. “They’re due today, so all I’m doing is buying myself some time to wear them down. Once I’ve done that, I’ll have Mama B sign a blank one that I’ll pick up from the office as I turn this one in and they’ll never know the difference. I’ll throw the one out that Mama B really signs at your house Cath.”

“And if they don’t sign it?”

“I can’t think about that right now,” Angelica ignored the nausea that was beginning to take over her stomach as she scribbled Bette’s signature on the paper in front of her. “This means there’s no room for error, I have to convince them to let me go.”

Bette sat in traffic a block away from her gallery, tapping her steering wheel to the beat of one of her favorite Journey songs. When the song ended, she flipped through a few radio stations before becoming bored with being at a stand still. She grabbed her phone from the passenger seat and hit the #1 resulting in Tina’s number being dialed.

“Hello?” Tina answered quickly sounding on edge.

“I just dropped her Highness off at school and apparently I’ve now won the award for being the most unfair mother in the history of time.”

“Wow,” Tina said in mock disappointment. “I was going for that award.”

Bette snickered as she turned into traffic and headed toward the gallery to begin her busy day.

“I told her that we’d talk about some permission slip she wanted me to sign on the spot about going to a dance.”

“When are we talking about this?”

“Dinner?” Bette suggested.

“We have plans with the girls to meet you at the gallery and then go to The Planet,” Tina reminded her as she signed the expense reports in front of her using her shoulder to balance the phone between it and her ear. “You didn’t forget did you? Angelica is staying at Cathy’s house for dinner until we get home.”

“Of course I didn’t forget,” Bette cringed having forgotten completely about the previously made plans. “You sound tired.”

“I am tired,” Tina confirmed.

“You haven’t slept well in almost a week. I’m worried about you Babe.”

“I’ll be fine,” Tina muttered as she fanned herself with another expense report that Helena handed to her for her review.

“I’m worried about me.”

“I don’t mean to keep you up at night Babe,” Tina said in an apologetic tone.

“What time is everyone meeting at the gallery?” Bette asked.

“I think Alice said something about 5:30-ish.”

“Remind me again what time that is in Alice’s world?”

“She’ll be there by 6:30 at the latest,” Tina said laughing.

“I’m here at work,” Bette announced as she turned into her parking spot. “I hope my boss isn’t too angry that I’m beyond late at this point.”

“I’m sure you can sweet talk her,” Tina said laughing harder. “I’ve got to run too and somehow convince a Peabody that a budget really does matter.”

“Does Helena still think a budget is the work of the devil?” Bette asked.

“No, today budgets are the work of an overbearing mother named Peggy.”

“Well good luck at accomplishing the impossible task of budgeting,” Bette laughed. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Bette parked the car and grabbed her suit jacket, briefcase, and purse quickly heading inside her gallery. Jordan was on the phone taking a message when Bette walked by smiling at her. She held up her finger to signal to her boss that she should pause in front of her desk. Once she hung up the phone, she handed Bette a stack of pink messages that had been taken earlier that morning.

“Here are your messages,” Jordon said with a smile.

“You’re handing me these without a cup of coffee.”

“I assumed you went to The Planet.”

“Not today,” Bette rolled her eyes. “Angelica put me behind on her own without the help of me stopping where her aunts would be involved in an inspiring debate about the latest fashion, gossip, or gaydar.”

“One cup coming up,” Jordon got up and began to make her way around her desk to where the coffee pot was kept. “Don’t yell at me if it isn’t sludge strength.”

“Does it at least have caffeine?” Bette questioned.

“No, that’s bad for you.”

“Coffee without caffeine is just wrong,” Bette muttered as she headed into her office.

Bette sat her messages on her desk and slipped her suit jacket on the back of her chair. She sat down and looked at the first message when her phone beeped indicating she had an incoming text message.

‘Al moved dinner up to 5 – shoot for 6 to leave. Love, T’

Bette smiled as she quickly sent a text indicating she received the message and would be ready to leave the gallery at 6:00 for dinner. Bette opened the bulging folder of invoices and sighed. She opened her desk drawer and took out a calculator, frantically punching numbers on it and feeling frustrated with the results. She did the same math once more to ensure it was correct and shook her head as she opened her laptop and launched the gallery’s bookkeeping software.

Tina smiled as her phone vibrated in her pocket indicating she had a text message in her inbox. She flipped the phone open and smiled at Bette’s name appearing on the screen.

“Tina this is such an important movie for the studio that I don’t really think we want to limit the creativity by such a strict budget,” Helena said oblivious to Tina’s attention being focused on her message from Bette.

“Why have budgets at all then Helena?” Tina said sarcastically.

“Budgets are guides, but not something I’d say should limit us creatively.”

“You’ll be creatively filing for bankruptcy if you don’t stick to some of them,” Tina snapped back.

Tina’s fingers were quickly passing over the keys on her phone to respond to Bette’s message while she argued her point to Helena regarding the complete disregard of the approved budget by their new director.

“I think we can make an exception,” Helena argued.

“If you do that, be prepared for every director to expect exceptions when they find out that budgets mean nothing at our studio.”

Tina shut her phone after sending the message and glared at Helena. Her patience was worn out. She grabbed a copy of the budget and fanned herself in the hot sun, which was beating down on them as they stood on the studio’s Lot A.

“Ultimately this is your studio Helena, but then why go through the budget process at all if you just disregard it when it suits you? I can guarantee that Kyle can be doing things to keep these costs down and he isn’t.”

“You sound like my mother,” Helena muttered under her breath.

“Well maybe that’s why she’s as successful as she is.”

“Why is that?” Helena questioned seeing the agitation Tina was feeling reflected in her posture.

“She gives a shit about budgets,” Tina walked off toward the shaded area to grab a bottle of ice water.

Bette rolled her eyes as her phone vibrated once more to indicate another incoming message. She grabbed the phone as she continued to add numbers together and frown at her results. She elected to read Tina’s message half paying attention to it as her eyes glanced over all the numbers in front of her. Bette sighed and quickly wrote a return message.

‘Sorry to hear you’re having a bad day, I miss you. Love, B’

She sent the message and discarded the phone quickly to the side.

“Fuck,” Bette muttered as she bit her bottom lip in frustration.

Bette buzzed for Jordan who quickly came into her office with a pen and pad of legal sized paper.

“These catalogs are in order of best to least desirable,” Bette handed Jordan several catalogs that she had marked up the previous night. “Do whatever you have to in order for me to get a meeting with them within the next 3 days. Start at the top because if we can secure one of those shows I could care less about the bottom of the pile.”

“Do you want the meetings to take place here?”

“I’ll crawl anywhere they want me to if I can make some fucking money,” Bette said in frustration.

Tina didn’t even acknowledge that her phone had vibrated in her pocket while she was talking to Helena. She knew it would be a return text message from Bette and wasn’t about to interrupt the heated conversation she was having with Helena regarding budgets to answer the text.

“At this point Helena,” Tina said exasperated. “Do what you want if you view this as your studio.”

“Is everything ok with you?” Helena questioned as they stood in a small patch of shade near a trailer on the set. “You seem on edge.”

“I am on edge.”

“Then maybe you’d like to talk instead of argue?”

“You pay me to do a job Helena,” Tina began.

“One you do very well.”

“Then let me do it!”

“I’m trying,” Helena shot back. “Are you angry with me about something?”

“No,” Tina rubbed her head as she took her phone out of her pocket and read Bette’s returned text message. “Just on edge.”

“Is it Bette?”

“No, Bette’s fine.”

“Is there something I can help with?” Helena asked sincerely. “If it’s the budget I’ll bend Tina.”

“It’s not just that.”

“Then talk to me please,” Helena laid her hand on Tina’s as it was texting back to Bette. “I want to help.”

“I know,” Tina smiled at her friend. “I haven’t been sleeping well and I’m just on edge over it.”

“When I was in school in England I had issues sleeping. Did you try warm milk?”

“Yes,” Tina hit the send button on her phone placing it back in her pocket.

“Soft music?”

“That too.”

“A massage from Bette?” Helena asked trying to be helpful.

“She’s just as exhausted as I am because by tossing and turning, I also keep her up.”

“I’m sure she’d be happy to help,” Helena smiled. “If nothing else it’s an investment in her own sleep if it works.”

“I’m sure that whatever it is, it’ll go away soon.”

“So what are we going to do with the budget?” Helena asked as she sensed Tina calming down.

“Was all that to butter me up for more money?” Tina smiled as she teased her friend.

“Will it get me some wiggle room on this one picture?”

“You can have 5% variation,” Tina mumbled. “Anything beyond that and you’re going against what I recommend.”

“That’s a fair compromise,” Helena smiled. “I’ll make sure I give Kyle hell and tell him that we almost bloodied one another for me to get him the 5%.”

“No offense, but you’re as transparent as they come Helena.”

Bette glanced at the clock on her office wall as she ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. She hadn’t heard back from Jordon most of the day as she frantically called to schedule meetings for a much-needed show. Bette looked at the time once more and sighed.

“I missed lunch again,” she muttered.

She punched in a few additional numbers and slammed the calculator down as they reflected a situation she didn’t want to accept. The knock at the door startled her as she barked for Jordon to come in.

“It’s not Jordon,” Alice said as she trotted in and plopped down in a chair across from Bette’s desk. “What a fucking day from hell!”

“You ok?” Bette asked hardly paying attention to the conversation.

“I hate getting articles that seem to be fluffy pieces only to find that they’re not when I have days of research to wade through and a deadline that comes way before that.”

“You’re bitching about getting a serious assignment?”

“Aren’t there just days you want to fuck off and do nothing Bette?”

“I suppose,” Bette shut the troubling laptop and slid it aside. “You’ve made a career out of that though, so what’s the problem with sinking your teeth into a more worthwhile piece?”

“Kristen, explain to our friend here how my plan is to retire having done only pieces that were superficial and frankly only the ones that catch my attention?”

Kristen smiled as she bent down and brushed her lips against Alice before sitting next to her.

“How’s it going Bette?” Kristen asked.

“Fine.”

Kristen frowned knowing Bette better then most and seeing the tension residing in her neck and jaw.

“You’re here early,” Shane said to Alice as she walked in.

“We thought we’d have at least another hour before you’d show your face,” Dana said following Shane inside of Bette’s office.

“Is it a crime to try to be on time these days?” Alice asked.

“It’s not a crime, but why change your ways now?” Dana smiled.

“Maybe I was looking forward to seeing you since you’ve been gone for weeks.”

“I doubt that,” Dana shot back.

“I did miss you! I even watched the tournament you’re covering just to hear your voice,” Alice teased.

“Do you even know what tournament I’ve been commentating for?”

“Sure,” Alice said casually. “It’s on Open of some sort.”

“Well that narrows it down to the US Open, French Open, Australian Open, and a few other minor tournaments that are scattered throughout the year.”

“No I know it’s one of those big ones you named!”

“It’s the US Open Alice,” Dana said rolling her eyes.

“If it makes you feel better you commentate for it better then you played it.”

“Ouch,” Shane said grimacing as if she had been hurt. “That was harsh.”

“What was harsh?” Helena and Tina walked into Bette’s office breaking up the conversation.

“Alice’s summary of my tennis career.”

“It couldn’t have been that bad,” Helena defended Dana. “Not everyone is asked to be a commentator after they retire. You’ve joined the likes of Martina and Chris Evert.”

“You really do pay attention to her career don’t you?” Alice asked Helena with a smile on her face.

“I try to pay attention to what my friends do yes.”

“Hey Babe,” Tina brushed her lips against Bette’s and sat on the corner of her desk. “Are we ready to go early because to be honest, I’m exhausted so the earlier we get there the earlier I can get home and collapse in bed.”

“I need a few minutes,” Bette said getting up from behind her desk. “I’ll be back and then we can leave.”

Bette walked outside of her office to Jordon’s desk and leaned over it, speaking in a soft tone.

“Any bites?” she asked nervously.

“Not off the first 4, but the 5th one is a go, and the 6th is a no.”

“So we have one out of 6 and you’re working on the last 9?”

“I should have something on some of them tomorrow.”

“Do what you can to get it all tonight,” Bette said rubbing her forehead. “Text me on my cell and let me know what we’ve got please.”

Bette walked back to the office and stood in the doorway listening to the various conversations taking place among her friends.

“I need to grab some things out back,” Bette announced. “Why doesn’t everyone take off and I’ll meet you there anyway.”

“Fine by me,” Alice got up and began to gather her things as she continued the debate of Dana’s career with Helena.

Bette had disappeared quickly into the back of the gallery by the time that the group had gathered their things and made their way to the front where Jordon’s desk was located.

“Burning the midnight oil?” Tina asked smiling at Bette’s assistant.

“Something like that,” Jordon smiled back attempting to keep conversation light.

The door swung open interrupting the friendly banter between Dana and Alice regarding Dana’s commentary skills and disagreements with Martina on air. The tall, slender woman dressed in a striking business suit flipped her hair back and pushed her Chanel sunglasses on the top of her head. She smiled, specifically at Tina, before walking past them and stepping in front of a stunned Jordon.

Despite not knowing who the woman was, the majority of the group couldn’t peel their eyes off the woman standing in front of them. Shane smiled as the woman nodded and winked in her direction. Shane leaned in toward Dana and talked in a hushed tone.

“Wow that woman is beautiful.”

“Stunning,” Dana muttered as her mouth remained agape and she stared at the woman’s body.

“Beautiful,” Alice whispered forcing Kristen to nudge her in the ribs. “Ouch!”

“It’s like she knows we’re all staring,” Helena muttered in Tina’s ear.

“I get the feeling she’s used to it.”

“I wonder who that is?” Alice asked to no one in particular.

“She looks familiar,” Dana said finally closing her mouth after she spoke the sentence.

“You’ve seen her before?” Tina asked a bit stunned.

“Somewhere,” Dana said deep in thought. “Somewhere recent, but I know it’s not in person or I wouldn’t have forgotten it.”

“Nobody would,” Shane said.

“Is Bette in please?” the mystery woman asked Jordon, blocking out the discussion in the background as if she were used to people talking about her.

“I’m sorry she’s left for the day,” Jordon mumbled to the beautiful woman standing before her.

“That’s too bad, I’ll try back tomorrow. Do you know what time she’ll be in?”

“She gets in typically around 9:00 if you’d like to stop back then.”

“I will, thank you.”

The mystery woman smiled at Jordon disarming her as Jordon could merely blink and smile back.

“Who is that?” Tina asked quickly, turning to face Dana and demand an answer.

“I can’t put my finger on it.”

“Try Dana,” Tina said anxious about the woman that walked past her and out the door with a confident stride. “If it were recent did you see her in New York?”

“Maybe,” Dana hedged.

“Think!” Tina urged Dana as her patience grew thin.

“Um,” Dana stalled for time as she searched her memory quickly to appease Tina. “It had to be in New York but it wasn’t in person. I would have remembered that.”

“Obviously,” Tina rolled her eyes. “Most of you couldn’t take your eyes off her!”

“I think she was on the cover of a magazine,” Dana offered as a peace offering to Tina. “I can’t remember which one though.”

“What kind of magazine?” Alice asked.

“Oh my God!” Dana said loudly. “I got it! I saw her on a special addition of Time. She was on the cover. She’s a huge artist that exploded on the scene having made some controversial pieces. She’s the hottest thing in the art world right now!”

“Her name Dana,” Tina prompted. “What’s her name?”

“Shouldn’t you know? I would assume Bette would be talking about her with how much publicity she’s been getting.”

“Megan Freedman,” Helena said with the cover of the special edition of Time in her hand. “Her name is Megan Freedman according to this.”

“I was afraid of something like that,” Tina muttered in anger as she walked out of the gallery with tears glistening in her eyes. “It had to be fucking Megan Freedman.”