Oh come off it.  There a million divorced people in this goddamn neighborhood alone.  Every other family is kids from different parents. 

Youre stalling.  You wont let me adopt her.  What am I supposed to say?  Gee guys, I dont know.  I guess it must be because theres this dyke, see, and she had Tina all caught up in the girl world for a while and Tina had a baby and then they split up and the dyke went crazy and get this, she kidnapped the kid.  Well, yeah, she brought her back but still who is she, you ask? Who is this woman who Tina wont allow to see the kid but wont get out of her head either? She must be very important, huh? Maybe youve heard of her, some big art museum chick.  Names Bette Porter.  Personally, I like to call her Felonious Monk.  But then, were not close.

I have Angelicas leg bent, half jammed into the leg of her pajamas.  She wriggles and kicks so I finish quickly.  I zipper her up, snap the top, I kiss her without thinking.  He is chuckling to himself.  He stops when he sees me, staring, unblinking.  He shrugs his shoulders, he grins.  His eyes are cold, but he grins, like a little boy.

Before I lay Angelica in her crib, I kiss her.  I hold her close, I rock her against me, swaying.  I hand her a stuffed rabbit, her favorite.  She clutches it.  I lay her down.  I tell her goodnight, I tell her I love her.  Henry walks into the room, towards the crib.  I put my arm out, without turning around.  I whisper.

Get out of this room, you jackass.

I walk out into the living room.  He is in the kitchen, rummaging in the refrigerator.  I walk up behind him, I push the door hard.  He rears back, rubbing his shoulder.

Ouch!  Goddamnit Tina, that hurt. 

You listen to me, you fucking bastard.  If you cant handle the fact that I was with a woman for 8 years, then tell me.  Have the balls to tell me instead of running around making up stupid stories about my phantom former boyfriend just so your stupid friends wont laugh at you or wonder about you or wonder about me.

He slams the refrigerator door shut.

I can handle it.

Felonious Monk?  Calling her a dyke?  Caught up in the girl world?  You sound like youre in high school.

He pouts.

You thought it was funny.  When I said it the first time.  Cause of the whole Buddhism baby -

It wasnt funny, Henry.  Trust me.  It wasnt then and it isnt now.  Youre not funny. 

Sorry.  Remind me never to make a joke. 

Im going to wait to make sure shes down and then Im leaving.

Where are you going?

Out.

He nods slowly.  He smirks slowly.

Oh.  I get it.

In the face of his smugness, I restrain myself.

Get what?

Freaks and geeks, huh? 

What?

Alice, Shane, Max - that crowd, right?

No, you dont get it, Henry.  You dont get it at all.

Oh, I think I get it Tina. Loud and clear.  Leopards dont change their spots, do they?

What the fuck are you talking about?

You cant stay away.  You gotta have your fix, gotta see how the other ten percent lives. 

Theyre my friends.

You have friends here.

People can have different friends, Henry. Broaden their horizons.  You ought to try it.

He chuckles.  He smirks.  He looks straight at me this time, his eyes lifeless, mean.

And end up hanging around with a pill-popping bisexual, some half-guy She-Ra sort of thing, a skinny dyke screwup of a hairdresser, a chick who looks like she just walked out of an Andy Warhol movie and your stuck-up Brit of a boss who cant seem to stop fucking the hired help?  Nah.  Ill stick to my own kind, thanks.

I am not moving but I stop myself.  I bite back the words threatening to fly out my mouth.  I swallow them, hard.  I choke them back.  I push them back, down, away from the air that will give them wings, that will make them true.  I grab my purse, I walk away.  With a trembling hand on the doorknob, I speak, without looking back.

If she wakes up, if she needs anything, call me.  Otherwise...

I feel him, from here, from across the room.  I feel him turn his back to me.

Yeah, Tina.