“Say we go ahead with a crazy idea like that,” Tina answered, skepticism heavy in her voice, “who would Bette have a pretend affair with that those people would believe?  I mean, she couldn’t be someone that Bette would meet off of the street, right?  There’d have to have been some history between them – I don’t think they’d believe Bette would cheat on me with just anyone, you know.  And, Bette’s exes are all either in the west coast or in other countries.  You’d need someone based in New York.  It would be too much work for Bette to be flying around to pretend to visit someone she’s having an affair with, right?”

“Umm… we actually have someone in mind, and she’ll be based in New York over the next few months,” Diane responded carefully.  “But, just to be clear, Bette doesn’t know yet about this idea or about her staying in New York for the next few months.”

“Yeah?”  Tina asked, curiously.  “Can’t be anyone she’s been involved with that I know of.  Who?”

“Jenna, Jenna Bonham.”

“Huh,” Tina responded, noncommittally.  “Let me think about it.”

“I’ll text you later,” Diane answered.  “Honestly, Jenna’s not too sure about the idea, either.”

As Jenna remained silent now, lying back on the deck, continuing to think, Diane texted Tina, “So what do you think?”

“Send me a pic of her. You’re with her, right?” Tina texted back immediately.

Diane turned towards Jenna, and asked, “Jenna can I snap you?”

“Umm… sure… what for?” Jenna asked, sitting up a little.  Diane snapped a picture, the angle of her shot affected a little by the roll of a passing wave.

She sent the picture to Tina.

Half a minute later, Diane’s phone rang.

“Are you f&%$#@! crazy?,” Tina asked heatedly.  ”C’mon Diane!”

“Tina, hang on,” Diane said, walking away from both Brom and Jenna, who looked at her curiously.  “Let me explain …”  She gave them a quick smile, pointing at her phone and mouth that it was Tina.

They nodded their understanding.

As Diane continued to talk quietly into her phone, leaning into one of the rails, facing the ocean, Brom asked Jenna again, “Any thoughts?”

Jenna let out a long sigh, breathe deeply, and then smiled at Brom.

“You guys better have my back on this.  I can’t imagine anybody will be happy with me breaking up a happy marriage, even if I’m just supposed to be pretending to do so.”

Brom smiled ruefully, and answered, “You’ll do it if you care about her, I think.  Rescue her, in some way.  Knowing how she cares about Tina, and just how big of a blind spot Tina is, enemies would….”

“I’m exposing myself to a world of hurt … potentially… you know,” Jenna cut in, quietly, still contemplative.

Brom nodded, and gave her a rueful smile.  There was nothing he could say to lessen that kind of blow.  He sensed Jenna would, indeed, be a credible girlfriend, maybe because of history between them that he couldn’t put his finger on. 

As Diane was walking back to her, an unreadable expression on her face, Jenna made her decision.  What did Tina have to say, I wonder?  Can’t tell from Diane’s expression.  Or maybe it was the glare of the sun? Jenna thought.

She sighed, again, and then smiled at Brom, “Okay.  I’ll do it.”

xxxxxxxxxxxxx