Chapter 17

Bette’s House

Both Bette and Alice sat on the couch holding ice packs to their faces.

Tayo sat Indian style on the floor tuning her bass while Carmen sat with her arms crossed over her chest on the love seat and Shane nursed a beer sitting backwards on one of Bette’s dining room chairs.

The four of them had just been the recipients of a long and verbose harangue from their business manager on the ethics of their behavior and what it meant for the band as a whole.

“Look, guys, I’m not trying to tell you what to do. I don’t care who you date, who you fuck, or what you do in your spare time. But I have to hold you accountable if it’s going to negatively affect the band.” Bette sighed behind her ice pack.

“That club could have been a really great venue contact if they start hosting gigs. I’d be shocked if that Dawn Denbo woman never lets any of us step foot in there again.”

“As long as Candace is working the door and you’re with us, I don’t think getting in there will be a problem.” Alice deadpanned while the others chuckled.

“Alice, this isn’t funny.” Bette was irritated. Not just at the brawl that her friends were responsible for, but for the lost opportunity at kissing the most alluring woman she had ever seen.

“You have to remember that there are six people in this band. And I’m going to go out on a limb and say 3 couples or potential couples among those six people. I’m trying to get you guys a tour started here. What happens when we’re in, I don’t know, the Bay Area, and a bunch of groupies start getting grabby with all of you? It goes with the territory, and there’s no time for this jealousy bullshit.” Bette looked directly at Carmen when she said that last sentence. “You guys are either together or you’re not, but you need to fucking figure it out for everyone else’s sake.” Her attention was then directed at Shane who was suddenly interested in the last sip of her beer bottle as she swirled it in front of her.