By the time both women were ready and sitting on the couch together Tina had made her mind up and knew exactly what she had to do.

“OK, you ready?”  Alice said as she stood up and reached for her purse.

Tina grabbed her hand and pulled her back down.  Alice looked at Tina questioningly.

“I need you to phone Bette firstI need you to make sure she’s not there.”  Tina felt so bad already about putting Alice in the middle and having to do this wasn’t helping but Tina saw it as a means to an end.  She needed to go to the house to pick up some important stuff so that she could get out of L.A. for good so she would be able to live again.

“Oh..erm..sure, sure.”  Alice reached for her mobile.  She rang Bette and Tina’s number and waited.

“Hi, this is Bette and Tina, we’re not in right now”

Alice half covered the mouth piece with her hand and turned to Tina, “It’s the voicemail.”

“Tell her it’s you, she’ll pick up.”

“Um..hey Bette its Alice pick up.  Hey, come on Porter..”  Alice turned to Tina and shrugged, “She’s not there.”

“Can you try her mobile?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Alice dialled Bette’s mobile but it was the same routine, voicemail and Bette either really wasn’t there or she wasn’t picking up.  Alice turned back to Tina, waiting for instruction or a reaction or something other than the numb look on her face.

Where is she?  Who is she with?  Is she ok?  Suddenly Tina was plagued with doubts about her decision to leave L.A. but her anger then took over.  ***** Bette Porter, all she has to do is not answer the phone and I come running.  She did this to us, to herself.  Tina was brought out of her thoughts by Alice nudging her.

“Hey, she probably just went out to get breakfast, you know how terrible she is in the kitchen.  Hey, she could even be on her way here I know I told her not to but ***** you know Bette”

“Do I?”  Tina said as she stood up and walked towards the door.  She turned back to Alice who was still sitting on the couch.  “You coming?  If she’s not there I’d like to go now, get this over and done with.”