“Get over it Mom. I’m fucking gay”. Alice looked sideways and shrugged her shoulders to accentuate her statement.

“You don’t need to swear or be obscene dear”. Lenore looked into the mirror and studied her reflection before applying a little more lipstick.

“Mom. I’m gay. I like me and mine. I … like … pussy”. Alice handed her mother a false eyelash.

“Now you are just being obscene and trying to shock me, dear one”. Lenore took the second eyelash to affix.

“Mom”. Alice reiterated with force and sincerity to gain her mothers full attention.

“Alice”. Applied a touch of blush.

“Mom”. Alice tried once more and finally catches her mothers eyes in the mirror.

“Alice. As long as you are happy, I am happy”. Lenore raises an eyebrow before using her little finger to smooth the gloss over her lips.

“Mom!!! Fuck it. You know what?”

“What?”

“I am a lesbian.”

“Do you think I look fat in this dress? Don’t forger about Albert.” Lenore stands to look at herself fully in the upright mirror.

Alice looks exasperatedly at her mother. “Mom. You look fine. Ben will love you in that dress.”

“You think so.” Turns back and forth in front of the mirror, sucking in her guts and checking for a hair out of place, before smiling in satisfaction at what she sees, ignoring the fact that the whalebone corset played a major part in ‘shaping’ her figure.

“Ben loves you. I doubt he even knows what you are wearing.” Alice sighed in resignation.

Lenore turned and took her daughters face in loving hands and studied her features in a measured manner before looking seriously back into her daughters serious brown eyes. “I know you have a crush on Dana. It is just a ‘faze’ you’re going through.”

“What the fuck?” Alice looked totally confused. “What has Dana to do with our discussion?”

This time Lenore rolled her eyes. “Alice.”

“Mom. Dana and I are just friends.” Alice asserted.

“Yes dear.” Lenore sighed before smoothing her bodice. “Let us talk about this later. I have work to do.”

Alice placed a restraining hand on her mother’s arm. “Mom. I’m not here to talk about me. I’m here talk about you.”

“About what dear?” Lenore paused for just a moment.

“You and Bette. The earrings.” Alice stated.

“Oh that. Don’t worry about that Alice. Bette blows and then that is the end of it. All is fine the next morning.” Lenore patted Alice’s hand on her forearm.

“You’re sure?” Alice queried with concern.

“I’m sure.” Lenore paused and considered her daughter seriously. “Bette is just dealing with her feelings for the preacher’s wife.”

“Oh that.” Alice tried for the mental jump it took to take to keep with her Mother’s mental gymnastics.

“You’ll see.” Lenore stated cryptically before sashaying out of the room and leaving behind a frustrated daughter.

“The preacher’s wife.” Alice whispered … "It all seems to come back to the preacher’s wife."

Alice fidgeted a moment before her eyes widened when she realised that Dana might be downstairs in the saloon at this time of the evening. “Dana.”