JUSTIN-  "LILY please!"

BETTE-  "Well now, she's right.  I mean I don't know about your bedroom, but she is correct about my proclivity." 

LILY-  "Proclivity?  Myyou're an odd duck aren't you?"

BETTE-  "Don't like my choice of words?"

LILY-  "Well, it's an interesting or rather odd word choice, at the very least."  (Turning to Justin) "You're right Justin, she's very keen.  I like her."

JUSTIN-  (Jokingly and feigning exasperation)  "Oh God, let me withstand my fate this eveningplease, let me survive it all!"

LILY-  "Don't worry my brother, just let the lesbians lead the way and you'll be fine.  You might end the night with a smile on your face after all!"  (Bette and Lily laugh and Justin shakes his head smiling.) 

BETTE-  "Well, before we head off into an interesting evening, I just need to use the ladies room.  Can I meet you back here?"

LILY-  "Yes, it's just down the hall, to the left."  (Bette excuses herself and goes off.)  "Damn it Justin, she is ravishing.  Truly luminous.  I can't fathom ever leaving her if I ever had the 'proclivity' as she put it to fall in love with her and share her bed.  You didn't tell me it was Bette Porter."

JUSTIN-  "Lily, please, you really must be careful"

LILY-  "Yes I knowI'm sorry, I didn't think to not mention the girlfriend.  I guess she didn't follow her to New York did she?"

JUSTIN-  "I gather she did not.  I think she is in some pain.  I see it in her at times, though I have to look very closely.  And she's really just wonderful at her job, so it's not as though her personal life permeates her professional one.  However, there are moments when we're alone, when we're chatting about one thing or another, that I see it.  Kind of what you once told me you saw in me after Linda passed."

LILY-  "It's THAT bad?"

JUSTIN-  "Yes, I'm afraid so.  At least that's my reading of it.  So Lil, please, this is not"

LILY-  "Justin, easy does it I have no such interest in her.  But as a person, as a friend, I feel drawn to her.  There's a lovely inner quality that's adorned by all that outer beauty.  She really is exquisite, but I assure you my interest is platonic."

JUSTIN-  "Well amen to that.  I imagine she's still hurting, deep down.  She's stillwell, I don't know, I suppose the word is 'vulnerable'.  So, tell me, are you involved with the cellist really?"

LILY-  "Don't be silly."  (But then she smiles)  "She's straight, except when we're on stage togetherI think she enjoys it."  (Justin shakes his head and smirks.)  "Oh relax Mr. Morneau."  (She strokes his face briefly with her hand.)  "You said she was staying at a hotel still.  Is she still trying to find a place?"

JUSTIN-  "I think she had been trying to work something out on the upper west side."

LILY-  "Oh.  Hmmmm.my brownstone in Brooklyn is getting rather large and lonely, perhaps she'd like to share it with me."

JUSTIN-  "Oh I don't know Lil, I thinkwell, it's none of my business.  If you want to bring it up with her, go ahead."

LILY-  "How could she possibly have left her?"

JUSTIN-  "Who?"

LILY-  "Her lover.  Look at her Justinwould you ever leave Bette Porter?"

JUSTIN-  "Don't be silly.  I'm sure there's more to that story than just that."

LILY-  "Yes, wellin the final analysis, it is that simple once you put all the insignificant rubbish asideit really is that simple I think."  (A few moments later, Bette rejoins them and then head off into the Manhattan night.  They have a late dinner and drinks.  The three talk during the late evening as though they were old friends reunited.  After Justin left them to each other, Bette and Lily talked further for hoursas though they had known each other for ages and shared things about themselves that only old friends would.  Bette thought Lily was amazing.  Bette thought to herself that while she may have been aroused by the cellist, this maestro was arousing her spirither dying and angst ridden spirit.  She felt and hoped that this woman was to become a new friend, of the sort that last a lifetime.  Coincidently, Lily was contemplating the very same thoughts.)

(The next day, in the wee hours of the Los Angeles morning, Tina was awake and staring off into the darkness toward the window in the bedroom.  She was on her left side, her eyes wide open, but everything else felt closed to herher mind wasn't cooperating, her body was tired, and her heartit's like it wasn't even there.  She seemed to have everything- a beautiful daughter, a new boyfriendthe nuclear family she wanted so much once.  And yet, she had lost so much more.  She heard Angelica making noises through the monitor.  She slowly and carefully got up and went to her little girlAngelica was sitting up, looking restless and crying.  Tina was taken aback at the site.  It reminded her of the events of the recent night when she couldn't calm her daughter down.  She went to her, picked her up, and started to console the little girl.  Angelica seemed agitated and restless, and if it weren't for the magical affects of nursing, Tina wouldn't have known what else to do.  She sat in the rocking chair while nursing her daughter.  As she fed her and stroked her, and gazed at her with both love and concern, Henry appears at the threshold.)

HENRY-  "Hey, is she ok?"

TINA-  "Hi.  Yeah, I think she might just be hungry.  I guess I woke you?"

HENRY-  (He smiles, looking at the beautiful site before him.)  "I don't mind.  I have to get to work in a couple of hours anyway.  It's almost day break."  (He moves closer and kneels in front of the two 'women'.  He looks at Tina with concern and pats her knee.)  "Are you ok?"

TINA-  "Yeah, fine, just really tired.  She's been a handful lately."

HENRY-  "Are you sure that's all?  You seemed really distracted last night.  You seemed like you were somewhere else.  I haven't seen you very much lately and last night you barely let me spend the night."

TINA-  "Is this about the sex?"

HENRY-  (Mildly sarcastic but still gentle)  "Well, that would be nice every once in a while, but it's not just thatit's what's behind it.  You seem detached.