(Back to the future…….)

Tina tags along behind Bette, while Bette meets and greets guests. Soon she finds herself standing outside a group of artists and boardmembers while Bette joins the group, ignoring Tina further. Tina continues to stand there arms crossed feeling extremely out of place. Helena takes an interest and strolls over.

Helena: “Hello again, Tina. You look rather bored. You should join me at the bar.”

Tina: “I don’t know….I’m here to support Bette.”

Helena: “You’re showing support just by being here. Trust me, she won’t mind. She seems quite involved in a lengthy conversation with Alton Belvahn. He’s very into himself, so she’ll probably be there a while. No since in you not enjoying yourself, right?”

Tina thinks it over and replies, “Right.”

She starts walking towards the bar, but Helena stops her, “Allow me……” Helena holds out her arm gesturing for Tina to link arms with her “….don’t want you getting lost in the crowd, now do we?”

Bette trails off from what she is saying when she realizes Tina is gone. She scans the room and see’s Helena escorting Tina around the gallery. “That *****!” she mumbles under her breath.

Alton: “Excuse me?”

Bette: “Oh nothing….what was I saying?”

Helena and Tina seat themselves at the bar and Helena requests two glasses of chardonnay.

Tina: “So do you know all the artists that are showing?”

Helena: “Not really. Why do you ask?”

Tina: “Oh because you referred to Alton Belvahn as if you knew him.”

Helena: “Oh yes, him I know. He and my mother are close friends.”

Tina: “Which piece is his?”

Helena: “Hmmm….did you see ‘my breast above me’?”

Tina: “I’m not sure. Which one was that?”

Helena: “You can’t have missed it. It was that horrid display of a feminine torso. It’s placed in the lower gallery on the front wall.”

Tina: “Oh that’s his? That is awful. Oops! sorry I forgot you’re friends with him. Don’t mind me. I don’t know a lot about art anyway so my judgement doesn’t matter.”

Helena: “That’s quite alright. He’s my mother’s friend. And as I said earlier he thinks rather highly of himself. Some of his work is very expressive, but I agree, that one in particular, is dreadful.”