I just needed to get a prescription rewritten.  Alice answered, gingerly rubbing her shoulder, sore from the sudden collision.

            Well, I’ll wait here for you then.  You can tell me what’s going on then.

            But I –

            No buts, my treat.  Sensing another protest from the blonde, Helena stepped closer, softly touching Alice’s shoulder, The least I can do to make up for the collision.  You said so yourself, I should have watched where I was going.  Now run along.  I know this marvelous restaurant where we can have lunch and catch up.  She smiled innocently, knowing that she had trapped Alice with her own words.

            Alice was too tired to put up a fight.  Besides, the doctor recommended that she not continue isolating herself.  Other than the run in with Shane in her apartment, Alice hadn’t spoken to any of her friends since her return.  They all were busy with their lives and loves.  Friendship became secondary to their family and their lovers.  Alice recognized that all of her friends were coupled off, and she wasn’t of any use to them as third wheel.  Dana and Lara afforded her other friends opportunities to double date and do couple things.  Alice, on the other hand, offered them nothing but cynicism on the transient and fickle nature of love and her medically diagnosed clinical depression.  She refused to be the downer of the group.  Despite feeling hurt and betrayed, Alice still loved her friends too much and wanted to spare them the sight of her emotional unraveling.

            They pulled up in Helena’s silver Bentley to a quiet restaurant overlooking the city.  It was a near perfect day, with the slight autumn breeze to cool an otherwise sunny and warm L.A. day.  They were seated in the garden area at a table in a remote corner near a vine covered trellis that encircled the outdoor dining facility, cutting it off from the outside world.  It leant a feeling of calm and serenity that Alice had not experienced in months.  Their waiter, in a starched white shirt, black bowtie and silver vest took their beverage order.  Helena, as was customary, ordered a Bloody Mary while Alice, knowing she would be taking her meds, opted for iced green tea.  When the waiter was out of earshot, the brunette scooted in closer.