A week or so later Bette and Tina had arranged to go on a night out with Alice. They felt bad that they’d neglected her, but they’d had some serious making up to do! When they arrived at the club they discovered Alice wasn’t there yet, and so got themselves a drink.

“It’s been so long since we actually went out” Tina commented.

“Come on, don’t tell me you wish we’d spent all our spare time clubbing instead of” Bette looked around and then leant close to Tina’s ear “*****”

Tina put a hand in Bette’s back pocket and pulled their bodies close together.

“Definitely not” she gave Bette’s arse a squeeze “but we had to leave the house some day”

“Ladies!”

Alice had made her entrance. She had a look of mock digust on her face as Bette and Tina moved apart.

“Do you think you can keep your hands off each other for long enough to give me a hug?” Alice asked.

Bette and Tina grinned and moved either side of her and wrapped their arms round her.

“Alice sandwich!” they laughed.

“You guys!” Alice shrieked and pushed them away “how old are you?”

“Sorry Al” Bette stifled her laugh.

“Yeah, we’ll act cool now” Tina grinned.

“Yeah you’d better” Alice warned them “now there’s someone I’d like you to meet”

Alice beckoned forward the woman standing behind her, who had been so quiet that neither of the others had even noticed she was there.

“I didn’t want to be the third wheel all night, so I brought along a friend” Alice put an arm round the woman “this is Dana Fairbanks”

“Nice to meet you, Dana” Bette extended her hand, which Dana shook nervously.

“This is my ex Bette Porter” Alice explained “she likes to think she’s something special, but she’s really not” she added in a loud whisper.

“I heard that, Al”

“And this” Alice continued “is her fiance Tina Kennard”

“Hi” Tina shook Dana’s hand and smiled.

“You know, it was me who got them engaged. If I hadn’t helped them they’d be sleeping in different beds by now” Alice told Dana.

Bette and Tina glared at Alice witheringly.

“So how do you know our dear Alice?” Bette asked Dana.

“Um, well…” Dana started.

“I was writing an article for the sports section of the magazine on talent for the future, and I had to interview Dana. She’s an up and coming tennis star” Alice leant forward and continued in a stage whisper “she’s also soooo *****, but totally in the closet”

“Did Dana even get a chance to speak in this interview?” Tina asked, noticing Dana blush.

“Totally. I got loads of material. Right Dane?” Alice nudged Dana.

“Yeah, totally” Dana nodded.

“Dana, I’m gonna buy you a drink” Bette put an arm round Dana and lead her towards the bar “and also give you a chance to actually speak for yourself”

Dana smiled gratefully as they left Tina and Alice to chat. Bette found that once she got talking, Dana actually had a fair amount to say. They talked about both their careers, laughed about Alice, and discussed Bette and Tina’s relationship, which Alice had taken the liberty to tell Dana all about.

“You know Alice is right about one thing” Bette took a sip of her drink.

“What’s that?”

“You are so *****”

Dana groaned “I know. Is it that obvious?”

“Uh huh”

“I can’t be out in my career. Apparently I don’t carry off the ***** image quite the same as Martina and so I have to keep the guys interested”

“That sucks”

“Tell me about it”

“You can be out round us though” Bette linked her arm through Dana’s and they walked over to Alice “hey Al, where’s T?”

“Over there” Alice nodded to Tina, who was deep in conversation with a woman in the corner.

“And you just let her go off with some woman?” Bette asked incredulously..

“Sooo not getting involved. It’s your relationship, not mine” Alice smiled sweetly.

Bette shot her a cold glance and marched over to Tina. She put a hand on Tina’s shoulder and looked icily at the woman.

“What’s going on here?”