Life: Still
Altered - 4.02
Everyone was gathered
around a long table in the modest back yard of Dana
and Shane house.
Chatting, hugging, kissing cheeks, finally, they sat down, and an
attractive dark skinned, dark haired woman began to serve the prepared
dishes. Wearing a pair of barely there
jean shorts, and a tank top that read, Kiss
The Girls.
Daisy let out a low
whistle, leaning back in her chair to admire the view as the woman strode away
from her, Ro reached over, grabbing her girlfriend, and wagging a finger.
No. The table giggled, and Daisy pouted
sexily. Her green eyes watching Rosita,
lips pursed, arms crossed over her chest, looking very much like Alice.
I can look. Daisy retorted, Shane
rested her head on Danas shoulders and they
kept laughing. Tina
rolled her eyes, Cassandra cupped her face and shook her head, Bette
was watching the waitress also, who pivoted on her heels and addressed the
gathering of women.
Im Carmen,
and Ill be waiting on you tonight. If
there is anything else you need, before the next course, just let out a
bellow. Carmen
said, winking at Shane, who winked back.
What was that? Tina
demanded of Shane, who winked at Tina. Tina didnt
wink back, it was common knowledge that Tina,
couldnt wink to save her life.
Cassandra giggled, in a rather good mood, things seemed to be going very
well for everyone. Only Quin looked sad
at the end of the table, studying her fingernails with a distant look on her
face.
That was me, getting
winked at. Shane
said with a smile. Dana
said through a mouthful of salad.
We know Carm
Ah. Cassandra said, nudging Bette
to pass her the dressing, and Bette did. Thanks.
Welcome, so Dana,
what is this big announcement? Bette
asked, eyeing a very stoic Quin, who looked uncomfortable in the seat next to
her. Daisy was trying to get her aunts
attention, but Quin was gone to the world.
Ro gently kissed Daisys cheek.
Later, right now,
food! Dana
said with a laugh, and they began to banter.
Carmen came back, refreshing their wine,
and water. She took her time, knowing
that more than a few of them were watching her every move, and enjoying it.
Lara
said that the surf and tuff Carmen
giggled, Will be ready in about, 20 minutes
Lara? Surf and tuff? Quin asked her attention finally snapping on. She felt her cell phone vibrating, but
ignored it. Knowing it was either her
mother, her sister or Alice. Whod left her three messages already
today. Quin had walked away from their
house in Seattle,
leaving Alice
there without another word. Let her simmer, Quin thought.
Surf and turf,
lobster and steak, Quin. Yeah, ever
since Lara bought the Planet from Kit
and Marina, weve been hanging around with her a
lot lately. Dana
said, realizing that Quin didnt quite seem herself today. Where is Al? Dana finally
asked the question that everyone else was thinking.
Daisy muttered
something under her breath in Spanish, and Ro slapped her arm lightly. Carmen
made a face, whispering.
Someone is talking
trash about their Mami
Thats your mother
youre talking about, dont you dare say that again. You had to teach her Spanish, huh, Rosita. Quin said through clenched teeth. Ro blushed, blowing a strand of her silken
hair from her eyes.
You have got to be
kidding me! Daisy blared; losing her
temper for a moment, a reassuring hand on Daisys hand from Ro calmed her down.
Daze why are you
angry at Alice? Cassandra asked. No one knew about Quin and Alices
separation. Theyd kept it a secret,
Quin to angry about how and why it had happened, and Alice to embarrassed about
it. Going their separate way, without
telling any of their closest friends.
You know what, lets
not talk about it, ok? Quin asked
softly, looking down at her plate, thinking for a moment, and then adding. I think Im going to go. Im not feeling well. Everyone chimed in, asking Quin if she was
ok, and Quin waved it off. Guys,
really its nothing.
Why wont you tell
them? Daisy asked angrily. She stood and Quin cast her green eyes up at
the sky, still bright blue, an hour away from sunset. There was to be no solace there, Quin
realized that coming here was a mistake.
These were Alices friends, even her family, in Daisy, she should have
cut her loses, run away, but she hadnt.
Cuz I dont want Quin said quietly.
Alice cheated on,
Quin. Then she left for a week, ran away,
and hid like a coward. Daisy announced,
When she came back, she was pissed that Quin was leaving Seattle. The table grew quiet. Quin let out a long, tired sigh.
Look
She messed up,
Quin. You gotta give her a second
chance Shane began, Dana putting her
hand on hers. This evening was going to
be a lot harder than theyd first thought.
Quin looked down at her own hands, missing the gold band that had once
sat there, sadness in her body language.
We messed up. Things werent that great in the past few
years Quin admitted reluctantly, Im
gonna go
No. You are staying right here, with your
friends. Youre as much our friend as Alice
is come on, Quin. Tina said, getting up
and moving Quin back to her chair. Dana
reached over, touching Quins sad cheek.
After a few minutes of quiet, Shane asked Tina.
So what do the
Peabodys have you working on? Shane
asked. Tina had taken a very lucrative
job offer from Helena two months before, running their new production studio. Shed in turn, hired Daisy to over see any
music and scoring that theyd need during production. Daisy, having no reason to stay in Seattle if
half of her family was there, had said yes.
Ro didnt care where she painted, as long as Daisy was home every
night. Quin and Alices split, had only
reinforced Daisys decision to leave Seattle.
Oh, this idea for a
TV show, for one of the new gay-based cable shows. Its based on some older books, sort of
sci-fi, lesbian, detectives We havent
battened it down yet, but its getting there.
Tina admitted.
You Cass, find a job
yet? Bette asked her.
