As expected, Alice picked up on the first ring. "Bette what the fuck? I've called you a million times."

"And I'm calling you back."

"Are you still in Detroit? What happened with the hotel chick?"

Bette bristled. "Nothing."

"Nothing?" Alice's voice was disbelieving. "Bette"

"Nothing yet. It's complicated."

Alice laughed. "So you're still there? Snowed in." She said the last two words suggestively.

"I'm still in Detroit at the hotel, yes."

"And you're calling to check in. With me." Alice laughed again.

"No. I'm calling to tell you I'll be back shortly but I'm not sure when. So you can stop calling."

"Oooh, so you called to stay stop calling." Alice lowered her voice. "Because you don't want to be disturbed."

"Exactly," Bette said, looking up at Tina, who emerged from the bathroom. "One second," she said and Tina nodded.

"Oh is that her?" Alice's excitement burst through the phone. "Bette, you're supposed to have hit that and moved on by now. What is going on with you?" She couldn't help but be amused at the situation. So not Bette.

"Alice, don't be ridiculous."

"What's ridiculous? I'm sorry I couldn't talk last night but you know how much I love Kathy Griffin-"

"Yes, I know. And that's fine. We'll talk when I'm back in L.A."

"About this?"

"About whatever you want."

"Uh huh." Bette could practically hear Alice's toe tapping on the other end. "You cannot call and get me all riled up on this gossip, Bette, and then withhold. That's seriously unfair."

Bette glanced at Tina, who'd looked away when Bette mentioned L.A. Bette sighed inwardly, not feeling up to damage control already. She stared at Tina's back as she spoke into the phone.  "It doesn't take much to rile you, Alice. I'm not taking responsibility."

"And you hooking up out of town?" Alice said sarcastically. "That's just usual?"

"No, it's not usual."

"But I don't get the story till you're back in L.A."

"Right."

Alice sighed. "Okgeez. Should I be a friend or something here? I'm not prepared. Do you need somethingwhat do you need? Support?"

Bette laughed. "Oh my god, please no."

"Whatever, Bette," Alice sneered. "I'm hanging up now." Then, after a pause, "Call me!" Her voice disappeared in an instant.

Bette flipped her phone shut, and Tina turned at the sound, smiling nervously. She'd been busying herself, unconvincingly. "I'm not playing it cool, am I?"

"No." Bette smiled at her.  "But you don't need to be cool. I'm sorry this has been such a hard day."

"It's ok." Tina gestured towards the cell. "A friend of yours?"

"Yeaha crazy friend of mine." Bette rolled her eyes. "She's irrepressible."

"She wants to know what you're doing?"

"She does."

"Kind of hard to answer I'll bet." Tina knew she was fishing and felt disingenuous doing it. But she couldn't really help herself.

Bette eyed her carefully. "I didn't even try. What did you tell your friend?"

"Nothing." Tina smiled shyly. "I didn't exactly call him."

"No?"

"No." Tina sighed and sat down on the spare bed across from Bette, who was reclined against the headboard of her own.