“Of course she is right,” Tina said out loud. She sat in 5 o’clock traffic lost in her thoughts. “I can’t very much run away to have the baby. If I did that I could just let the baby tell Bette on her eighteen birthday.” Tina shook her head dispelling the thought. “Well, I might as well. Friends call each other right?” Tina picked up the phone sure she was about to chicken out. Much to her own surprise her finger flew across the number pad.
         “Bette Porter.”
          ”Hey, Bette it is Tina.”
          ”Hello!” Bette practically jumped for joy on the other end of the phone.”I didn’t recognize the number.”
           “Yes, this is a new cell phone.”
           “Oh,” Bette said it softly but Tina could hear all the hurt in the single word.
            “I was calling because I need to talk to you.”
            “Ok,” Bette said warily. She was hoping that Tina had not decided it was a bad idea for them to be friends.
             ”Not over the phone. Can we meet somewhere?”
             “Yes, when?”
            “Tonight, if possible. This is not something that can wait much longer.”
 Bette glanced down at her calendar out of habit. She knew that she had nothing planned for tonight, unless you considered wallowing in self-pity a plan. “Tonight is fine. What time and where?”
            “Can we meet at 6 at your house?”
            Bette flinched at “your”. She managed to get an even, “Sure,” out.
            “Ok, I will see you then.”
             ”Tina wait! I was hoping to get this paper work done before I left today. So I might be a few minutes after 6. Just let yourself in.”
             “I can’t”
             ”You can’t?”
             “No. I don’t have a key any longer.”
              ”You don’t have a key?” she knew she sounded like an idiot repeating everything that Tina was saying but she couldn’t stop herself.
 Tina sighed; she knew she should just tell Bette the truth. “I flung the key and a few other things into the Pacific Ocean. So you see I can’t let myself in. Even if I had the key I don’t think I would be comfortable with letting myself into your house.”
            “Thank you for being honest. I will leave right now so I won’t be late. See you later, Tina.”
             ”Sure, Bette. See you later.”
              Both women hung up the phone unsure what had just happened. Bette was unsure if she should be upset or happy. She was asking herself just what other items Tina had thrown into the ocean. What does Tina need to talk about?
 Tina sat in her car staring at the phone. Bette had just pushed work aside to be there for her? That seemed a little off. “Maybe Bette hasno don’t you dare think that Tina,” she scolded herself. Behind her a car honked informing her that light was green.
 
              Bette walked to her car feeling a little desperate. She started the car and dialed Charlotte’s number.
              “Hello Bette. How are you today?” came the chirper greeting from her newest friend.
              ”I am confused.”
               ”Why is that?” Charlotte leaned forward, bracing herself for Bette’s words.
               “Tina called me today.”
               ”She did?”
                ”Yes, she wants to talk. She is coming over to the house at 6.”
                ”About what?” Charlotte inquired innocently.
                ”I have no idea.”
                “Oh. Well, this could be good right?”
                “Yes, maybe. It could also be extremely bad. Right now that is the one I am leaning towards.”
                ”All you can do is sit and listen. For gosh sakes Bette make sure you just listen!”
                 Bette smiled into the phone, “How come you know me so well?”
                “You are easy to read.”
                “Should I get a bottle of wine? Or dinner?”
                 ”No!” Charlotte practically yelled into the phone. She sat back in her seat, “No wine that is too intimate. Dinner is a thoughtful thing friends can do for each other.”
                  ”Ok, should I make it?”
                  “If you can.”
                  “Hey! I can cook some things.”
                  Charlotte laughed, “That is not what I hear.”
                  “You can’t take everything Alice says as the truth! She is a reporter she makes everything sensational.”
                 Charlotte laughs, “You better get to it.”
                  “Yes, thanks.”
                   ”Hey Bette if you need to talk I will be home all night long.”
                  “Thanks. No offense but I hope I don’t have to take you up on that.”
                  “Me either. Me either,” Charlotte said quietly.
                   ”Bye.”
                   ”Gook luck.”