I roll over into a puddle of my own drool, and it awakens me immediately. I sit up, wipe my chin with an “Uck, disgusting,” and snap my mouth and discover it’s very dry.

“I guess that’s what happens when you drool this much.” I mutter as I try to stand. I feel lightheaded, so I sit back down. I look around to discover I’m in the living room, I passed out on the couch last night. My head is throbbing violently, and I realize I slept in my clothes. I moan in agony, and try to stand up again, this time slowly. I walk towards the kitchen and pull a bottle of water out of the refrigerator and gulp it down greedily. I pop a couple of aspirin, and decide I need to shower.

As the steaming hot water cascades down my sore body I try hard to remember last night. There was a bar with Alice. There was a cute waitress. Tina and Dana showed up. There was shouting. But what did we say exactly? It’s all too hazy, and I feel as if I’m straining my brain trying to remember. I shut off the water and put on my robe as I step out of the shower. Jesus, I don’t intend to drink again for quite a while. I can hardly even remember coming home. Dana brought me, I’m pretty sure.

I walk into the bedroom and begin to look for something to put on. I decide to be casual and put on a tank top and jeans. I’m sick of always wearing the power suits. As I am drying my hair with a towel I hear the door open and click shut. I roll my eyes and say loudly: “Your right Alice, I should start locking the door.” I step out of the bedroom and discover it is not my goofy companion who has walked into the house, it’s Tina. I stop drying my hair and my arm falls limp at my side with the towel in my hand.

“Hello.” She says non chalantly “I’ve come back just like I said I would.” She looks gorgeous wearing denim jeans and a tight fitting pink tee shirt. God, I almost forgot just how beautiful she is.

I stand staring at her with my mouth slightly agape. This can’t be real, can it? It has to be another dream, because this is what I wanted as soon as she left that night, for her to come back and say those words. Well, not exactly those words, but beggars can’t be choosers.

She walks towards me, and stops approximately a foot in front of me. She lifts her hand to gently caress my bruised cheek, which has already begun to turn lovely shades of greenish-yellow. “I’m sorry for this,” she begins, obviously talking about the bruise, “but I’ve never been so angry in all my life.” My mouth is still open, and I am afraid to speak. I feel as if speaking may make this all go away, she may not be real if I say something. She takes her hand away, and I immediately miss her touch, even if it was touching a bruise. She turns her head and begins walking around. She makes her way over to the counter in the kitchen and picks up a crumpled piece of paper. What the ***** is that?

She opens the paper and looks at it, then looks at me. “Who the ***** is Christine?!”

I furrow my brow, that sounds vaguely familiar… Christine… “I don’t know.” I innocently reply.

“Whatever, Bette. I just came by to get my things anyway. I thought maybe we could have a somewhat serious conversation since you’re no longer intoxicated, but I see that old habits die hard.” She holds up the paper, showing me what she is refering to.

Who IS Christine? “Tina, baby, I really don’t know who Christine is. Please, can we just talk? I really need us to talk.” I plead with her.

“No, Bette! I’m not ready for this. I thought I was, but I’m just not. I need to get out of here.” Tina rushes towards the door and I walk after her.

“Tina, please! Just wait, I really just want to…” Tina opens the door and stops dead. She steps aside and looks at me with disgust. When she moves I see what has made her react this way. I sigh deeply as Tina blows by the person standing in the doorway, nearly knocking the person over. I walk up to the doorway, watching Tina leave. When she backs out of the driveway in Alice’s mini and out of sight I look down at the figure staring at me.

“What part of ‘I don’t want to see you again. Please just leave me alone’ do you not understand Candace?”