Time to ruminate, check.  Helena?

Oh.  Me?  I - I don't know, Alice.  I'm not sure there is a best part.  Not one I've discovered yet.  Why don't you go?

Yeah, you go, Alice. 

Um, cause mine sounds ... never mind.

Bette cocks her head at Alice.

So, go on Alice.  What's the best part for you?

Never mind.  It's stupid.

You, say something stupid?  Shocking.  Go on, Alice.

You know, Shane

Ladies, please.  Alice, continue.

Well, I was gonna say that it's cool, you know, to just - those times when you feel like wearing your stretchiest, saggiest underwear, your hair's all bedheady, and you just kinda stand there, in the living room, singing "Creep" into your hairbrush.

Shane bursts out laughing.  Bette ejects a small spray of vodka, then quickly wipes her mouth.  Helena snickers.  Jenny nods, rather gravely.

Definitely wouldn't want anyone to see that Al.

Oh leave me alone, forget it.

Bette smiles warmly.

Come on, Alice, I think it's cute.

Shane leans in towards Alice, crooning off-key into her ear.

I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo.  What the hell am I doing here?

Alice swats her away.

I see them.  Sitting at a table, full and empty glasses in front of them.  Theyre smiling.  My stomach drops, I feel a tug in my heart.  I see Shane sitting next to Alice who's sitting next to Helena.  I see Jenny, an empty chair next to her.  I inhale.  I nod my head. 

Come on, like you guys never do weird shit when you're alone.

I - oh forget it, I'm not drunk enough to say this.

Come on, Bette.  I'll buy you another one.  How about a shot?

Are you insane?

I will if you will.

I'm game.

Fuck it, count me in.

They drink, well aware that hangovers and hurting, aging bodies await.  Well aware that not one of them has any thing, any reason, any one, to regret a hangover for.  Well aware that if they don't get up spryly, cheerfully, on a Saturday morning -- if they stay in bed, bleary-eyed and whining, sleeping and sweating -- it will matter as much or as little to another's immediate existence as if they didn't get up at all.

I see them laughing.  Helena is leaning forward, gesturing, animated.  She partially blocks Alice from my view.

You watch game shows?

In your underwear, like Alice sings?

Alice shoves Shane, who giggles.

No, Shane.  I'm afraid I'm fully clothed.

Which ones?

Match Game.  What's My Line. Truth or Consequences.  Let's Make a Deal, that's my favorite.  We didn't have those when I was overseas, British television being a bit more ...

British.

This sends Alice and Jenny into gales of laughter.

I knew I shouldn't have said anything. 

Oh come on Helena, in the annals of stupid things people do when they're alone, that's pretty benign.

Helena smiles at Bette in reply.

Now fair is fair Bette, you still haven't told us yours.

Their laughter provokes a pang of longing that causes my breath to catch.  From here, I see them so clearly.  As I cross the floor, weaving in and out of dancing, chatting, laughing women, I see myself, a long time ago, a lifetime ago. 

Among them, with them, laughing, loving them. 

Ok.  But don't laugh.

We're gonna laugh, Bette, we're half in the bag.

Fine, then I can deny that I said it tomorrow.

Come on Porter, for christ's sake, I'm getting old waiting here!

Keep your pants on Alice, I'm going to tell you.  Ok, when I was at Yale, I took a colloquium on artists and their methods.

Oh brother.

Shut up, Al, let her finish.

And there was a woman who spoke for one lecture and she was magnificent.  Her work was so textured, vivid, fresh and original and it had a depth to it that was so -

Did you sleep with her?

What??

Alice, shut up!

No, of course I didn't sleep with her.

Excuse me.  It seemed like a perfectly normal question.

Bette, I for one, am still interested in the actual point of your story.

Thank you, Helena.