At The Workshop

Whoa! Whoa! Wait a second Tina, Candace staggered backward. Theres no need to get ugly, Candace continued to maintain her distance from Tina, who was looking at her like she was crazy.

What the ***** are you talking about? Tinas hand was still in her purse.

Youve got a gun! Candace blurted out. Theres no need for anymore violence, Candace eyeballed Tina trying to gauge her next move.

Tina was still leaning forward against the desk, hand in her purse, but confused as to why Candace thought she had a gun. A part of her was amused because she never saw herself as the intimidating type, but after the fight shed had with Candace, she understood why.

Gun? I dont have a gun Candace, Tina retorted. I dont know why the ***** you thought Id have a gun, but whatever, Tina dismissed. Although, what I have could certainly kill you in another way.

Candace let out an audible sigh of relief and eased herself into the chair. A partially defeated look came over her as she scrambled to think of what Tina could be referring to. Tina gloated a little, but refused to let it show. She had the upper hand and planned to play it well.

And whos weak now Ms. Jewel? Tina began, intentionally being formal. Seems like youve lost your edge now maam. Seems like youre all talk until youre hit with something you cant control. Isnt that right Ms. Jewel? Tina dug her knife in.

Candace cringed. Tinas words struck her harder than the punches shed endured. She thought about how Bette indirectly portrayed Tina, and how she herself, viewed her. Though she had somehow sided with her outside the restaurant, she realized theyd both underestimated Tinas capacity to be stern, rational, and extremely strong. Candace gulped down the rest of her coffee and stared at Tina.

So? Whats in your purse if its not a gun?

Tina grinned. Shed struck gold (although she didnt know it at the time) in knowing that Candace took Bette to the hospital. After putting to good use some of the time shed spent holed up in Alices apartment, Tina found the piece of Candaces t-shirt Alice hid. She used it as a catalyst to do some additional sleuthing. When it came out that Candace had taken Bette to the hospital, she went back and sweet talked a friendly lady, Ms. Cramit, into giving her the billing information. She learned that Candace had paid for the visit using her business address, not wanting there to be a medical bill coming to their house. During her sleuthing, Tina thought about where Bette and Candace could have gotten together seeing as they couldnt go to their home. Shed struck even more gold, when she found the off-the-beaten-path hotel where theyd gotten together. (A haven for cheating professionals to have a little discretionary *****). Again, Candace picked up the tab; this time on her credit card. Armed with all this additional information, Tina pretended to be Alice and called in a favor with someone named Janet, whos name she found in Alices Special Contacts book. Janet was a very friendly and talkative woman who didnt even remember how she knew Alice, but blurting out all the information Tina needed. Shed gone from gold to platinum in less than sixty seconds. Now, thanks to Bettes ultimatum, she found a way to use what she knew. Rude awakenings didnt come any better than this, she thought with a sly grin.

At Bettes

James? Bette choked. Whats the matter James?

Silence on the other end. James was trying to find an easy way to break the news to Bette. Never before had he felt so conflicted.

Uhm, Bette, James spoke nervously. I dont know how to tell you this, but uhm

But what James? Bette interrupted. It cant be that bad, Bette guessed.

It is that bad, Bette, James went on. Tinas at Candaces workshop, James forced the words out and waited for the fall out.

Bettes heart was in her throat. She felt instantly sick, and all her blood drained out of her body.

Shes what? Bette screamed into the phone. James pulled the phone from his ear and waited for a moment. She, she ca, cant be, I have the car, Bette stuttered. She felt dizzy and eased downward into the chair.

She is. Katey told me, James said firmly.

Katey? Whos Katey?

I met her on the net and weve been talking for some time now. Shes a woodshop teacher, but is on a sabbatical and working at Candaces.

Bette thought for a moment. But how could she know it was Tina? Bette tried to rationalize. How would she know what Tina looked like anyway? Denial was setting in. There was no way Tina would be there, Bette thought while waiting for James to speak.

Bette, shes seen a picture of you and Bette in a Art World magazine.

Okay, but why is that a newsflash to me?

Okay, listen, James tried to calm Bette down before he dropped the ball.

Well? Bette was getting impatient.

Katey says they have cameras all over the building for safety and as a theft deterrent, James took a deep breath. Anyway, Katey was going to talk to Candace and looked up at the camera. She noticed Candace wasnt alone, and was about to keep on walking until she noticed the body language. Another pause.

Go on, Bette urged.

So Katey stopped and watched the screen to make sure Candace was safe and realized it was Tina. She called me to let me know because she wasnt sure what was going on and she knows that you and Tina are, well, were, together, James concluded.

Bette took another deep breath and tried to digest what James told her. Her mind was racing and she couldnt keep up. She couldnt fathom why Tina would have gone to Candaces job. She hated Candace, so none of it made sense.

Bette, are you still there?

Uh? Yeah!

Shes still there! James answered the question before it was asked. Katey is keeping an eye on the monitor, James added, still not sure if hed done the right thing by telling Bette. Bette was really popular and well known in the community. He too knew that Candace had taken Bette to the hospital, though hed never reveal that. Hed already said too much.

How did she say things were?

She said that things seemed to be calmer than when she first saw the monitor, but it still looked intense.

*****! Bette fumed. *****! *****! *****! She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Okay, Bette. Well, uhm, I better go now. And, uhm, remember youre supposed to be doing something with or for Kit. Uhm, came me later okay, James tried to get a word in. I better find out how much vacation time I have and take one. Im not sure I wanna stick around for the results of this call, James thought to himself.

*****! Bette screamed again and slammed the phone down.