“Because she is BETTE!  This is still half my house and I don’t want it turning into a garbage dump.  Are you going to help me or not?”  Shane nodded and they each hoisted the unconscious Bette onto a shoulder and pulled her into the bathroom.

            “Help me with her clothes.”  Tina said and Shane turned away and suddenly a sheepish look spread over her face.  “What?”  Tina asked and Shane shrugged, rubbing her hair with her long fingers.

            “It’s Bette man.”  Shane said bashfully.

            “It’s a dirty body, come on you’ve seen hundreds, no scratch that, thousands of naked women.  This is just another one to add to the roster.”  Tina said with an icy tone that scared Shane for a moment.

            “It’s Bette.”  She repeated and Tina started to strip Bette and finally Shane began to help.  Once they got her into the tub Tina sent Shane out to change the linen on the bed.

            “You are so fucked up Bette.”  Tina whispered as Bette‘s eyes fluttered open and her wet hand found Tina‘s face caressing it.  Tina pulled away from the touch. Tina was still angry at her, but she also found herself pitying Bette.  “What happened to the carpenter?”  Tina asked coldly as Bette came too and a quick short harsh laugh from Bette.

            “She dumped me told me I was a mess and to go crawling back to you.  You blocked my calls to your cell.  I couldn’t talk to you and Oscar refused to put my calls through.  Then you moved and I couldn’t find you.”  Bette said softly watching as Tina bathed her. 

            Shane started picking up the remnants of the food cartons complaining about the smell and having to be in bed. Shane did her work quickly and listened to the conversation in the bathroom when she could.

            “I had to get off Alice‘s couch someday.”  Tina said in her defense.  The truth of it being she hadn’t moved out.  She had just not gone back.  Instead she’d opted to stay with Rosita who never said no to her staying there.

            “With the Latina?”  Bette asked and Tina‘s eyes grew frigid again and she rinsed Bette off, the water dirty as she washed away days of drinking from Bette‘s still gorgeous body.