“James, do me a favor no personal phone calls today okay.  I don’t care if it’s Daddy, Kit, or the freaking President of the United States.  Understand?”

“Got it boss,” he said accepting his duty without question.

Tina was at staring at the computer screen, her mind was elsewhere as she tried to focus on writing a proposal.  She enjoyed being here, working has become her only comfort beside the cheerful Alice at home.  She wanted and needed to move out of Alice’s apartment knowing that she was a nuisance to her dear friend.  Her long-term relationship with Bette was over.  Although she felt free and in control of herself much in her still wanted Bette to call her and save their relationship. At times she just wanted to go over to the house and plead with Bette to take her back, surrendering to her pride.  She believed in their love but two months without Bette made her realized she lost the battle.  Bette chose Candace over her.  It was time for her to move on and take initiative in her life. 

She thought about going back to her career in movies again. The money was better than at the center although she loved the center she needed the money to support herself. She left the studio to start a family, her dream that has now been shattered.  She was very fond of the memories there.  Bette hated it but has always supported her works. Some of the movies she produced there were the studio’s best works. She called the studio up last week and they were more than happy to take her back.  She asked them for a month so she can finish off what she intended for the center. 

Bette was sitting at the table with a young man who was showing her a painting from his laptop.

“He’ll do a large-scale painting for one of the lobby walls, based on Japanese anime. It’s an illicit exterior…”

He looked nervously at Bette.  She wasn’t even looking at the presentation resting her head against her hand as she flipped through a booklet.

“Go on, I’m listening! I’m listening.”

“An illicit exterior installation, uh, just below the Sawtelle-405 freeway overpass…”