Chapter Thirteen
The Opening
Alex’s POV

We all arrived at the perfect time.  We weren’t the first there but we weren’t too late either.  Dana took everyone’s breath away.  She was the most beautiful woman there.  I knew everyone who knew who she was were wondering where Harrison was while everyone else was wondering which one of us in our group she was with.  If that makes any sense.  I have to say that I did freak out a little when I overheard some reporters talking about her.
An hour into the night a reporter approached Bette, Dana, Tina, and I.  “Ms. Desmond, you’re collections appear to be a huge hit.  Are you surprised?”
“Not at all.  The CAC did a wonderful job advertising my work and I think the controversy around it helped even more.”  I winked at Dana.
“Ms. Porter, do you think this is a greater hit than Provacations?”
“Well sir, that is an unfair comparison.  The two shows are completely differe.  They have very different themes.  Provacations was meant to shock people, this show isn’t.”
The reported nodded and looked at Dana.  My eyes widened as I realized the reported knew who she was.  “Ms. Fairbanks, may I ask you a few questions?”  Dana turned towards the reported and nodded.  “Well, first and foremost, where is the handsome Harrison?”
“I wouldn’t know.  I actually haven’t talked to my double’s partner in a while.”
We could all tell the reporter was greatly taken aback by this.  We were taken aback by it.  This wasn’t at all like Dana.  “Well then, why exactly are you here?”
“I’m here supporting my partner, the artist.”
“I’m sorry?”
Dana rolled her eyes as she moved next to me and grabbed my hand.  “I am here to support the artist who happens to be my girlfriend.”  My eyes were wide open, bulging out of their sockets I’m sure.  Dana turned to me and smiled.  She kissed me on the lips.  “I’m going to get a drink.  You want something?”
“No thanks.”
“Okay, Better?  Tina?”  They both shook their heads.  “Okay, be right back.”  The three of us watched as she calmly, confidently, walked over to the punch bowl.
Without paying any more attention to the reporter, we all looked at each other.  I pointed at Dana.  “Did she just do what I think she just did?”  Bette and Tina both nodded, still speechless.  “Okay.  Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.”  I left Bette and Tina and walked over to Dana.
“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,” I could hear her mumbling.  I noticed her hand was shaking so I grabbed her cup and set it on the table.  She looked at me with tears in her eyes.  “Oh Alex.”
“Dana, its okay.  You’ll be fine.  Trust me, everything will work out.”  I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her exposed shoulder.  “Bette and I only have to stay for another hour or so.  If you want you can grab the others and take the limo to the Planet.”
“No, I want to stay just don’t let me talk to anymore reporters.”  I laughed and nodded then led her to the rest of the group where she was congratulated by everyone.

The Planet
Two Hours Later
Dana’s POV

“If I had known you were wrong I would have taken you up on that offer of leaving earlier,” I grumbled as I took off my coat and threw it on the counter.
Alex chuckled and kissed me on the cheek as I flopped down in a chair.  “Told ya Babe.  Maybe next time you’ll listen to me.”
I glared at her and she quietly sat down next to me.  “I did listen to you which is why I didn’t leave early.”
Alex smirked and leaned back in her chair.  “I love you.”
I sighed but then chuckled and put my head on her should.  “I love you too sweetie.”
“Yuck!”  I looked up and saw Alice and Shane peering down at us.  Shane was smiled and Alice was making a face like she had just sucked on a lemon.  I flipped her the bird.  “Oh grow up.”
The two of them sat down and pulled their chairs close together.  Alice and I looked at each other and laughed.  “And they said yuck to us.  I think I have a toothache now.”
“I know.  I thought I had a sweet tooth but that is just too much.”  I laughed as Alice rolled her eyes and looked over her should as Bette and Tina walked in.  “Hey guys.”
Bette and Tina sat across from one another.  Tina winked at me as she sat down.  “I thought the night was beautiful.  Alex you did a wonderful job designing the displays.”
Alex actually blushed.  “Thank you Tina.”
I glared at Tina.  “I never said that it wasn’t a beautiful night.  I just said that it was long.”
Alex chuckled and squeezed my hand.  “Don’t worry sweetie.  I didn’t even doubt that you thought it was beautiful.”  I smiled and snuggled into Alex’s shoulder.  “Lets change the subject please before someone’s feelings are truly hurt.”
Marina pulled up two chairs.  “Jenny and I have some good news.”  The two of them sat down and leaned into the group.  “I need to get a bigger table for all of us,” she murmured to herself.
“Well, what’s your good news?” Alice, forever the gossip queen, asked.  Marina looked at Jenny then Jenny held up her left hand.  “Nice ring.  What’s the good news?”  We all looked at Alice, waiting for her to realize what she had just said.  “What?”
“Alice, you are so dense,” I said as I glared at her.  I turned to Marina and Jenny.  “Congratulations you guys.”
“Thank you Dana.”  Marina looked at Alice and laughed as she could tell, just as the rest of us could, that she was still trying to figure out what was going on.
“There it is,” we all said as her eyes went wide.  Alice blushed as we all laughed.  Shane wrapped her arms around Alice’s shoulders, pulling her into a position similar to mine.
I noticed Bette and Tina shooting glances towards each other.  I was about to say something when Alice lifted her head.  “Alright you two, spill it.  You’ve been looking at each other like that all night.”
I noticed Alex wasn’t paying attention to our friends but to her daughter and her friend.  “Alex?”
Her head whipped around and looked down at me.  “Huh?”
Everyone laughed at her and Stacy and Tahna sat down with us.  “Where’d Kit and Ivan go?”
“Kit wasn’t feeling very good.  She was the only person in ut group who ate the food.”  Bette looked at Alex.  “I think there might have been something wrong with it.”
Alex held up her hands.  “I hired the people who you told me to hire lady.”  We all laughed as Bette stuck her tongue out at Alex.  “Yeah, that’s real mature.  You’re setting a bad example for my daughte3r and her friend.”  I looked at Alex, the way she said friends was strange.  Luckily no one else picked it up.
“Oh please mom.  Like you’re a poster child for maturity.”  Everyone laughed as Alex proved her daughter right by sticking out her tongue.  “See?”  Alex groaned and leaned on me.
“Oh, leave her alone, besides, Bette and Tina haven’t answered my questions yet.” Alice turned to the two of them.  “What is going on?”
Bette looked at Tina and sighed then nodded.  Tina smiled and looked at the entire group.  “We’re pregnant again.”
Everyone one of us look at the two of them, surprise on all our faces.  “Congratulations Tina!” Alice said, jumping up and hugging Tina.  Alex laughed at the expression on Bette’ face, already knowing what it meant.
“I don’t think its Tina that pregnant mon chere Alice.”  Alice looked at Alex then at Tina and Bette.  “Congratulations Bette.”
“Thank-you Alex.”  We all looked at Bette, shock now replacing the surprise.  “Is it that hard to believe that I am going to be a mother?”
We all looked at each other and busted out laughing.  “I … can just … picture you … in a maturnity … power suit,” Alice sputtered between laughs.  Bette just shook her head as Tina tried not to laugh along with everyone else.
“We’re sorry Bette, its just that its hard to picture you as a mother running after a little baby.”  Bette shook her head at Shane.  “Congratulations Better.  We’re here if you need us.”
“Yeah, definitely,” we all chimed in.
“Well, thank you guys.”  Bette smiled and grabbed Tina’s hand, squeezing it.  “It really means a lot.”
“Whose the donor?”
“My brother,” Tina said.  “This way we’re both related to the baby.  We’re both real family.”  Everyone nodded.
I looked over at Stacy and Tahna.  The two of them had been awfully quiet the entire time we’ve been at the Planet.  I looked at Alex.  She was now talking to Bette, telling her all about pregnancy, being the only one in our group to actually go through the whole nine months.  “So, Stacy, how are you tonight?”
Stacy slightly jumped at the sound of my voice.  “Geesh Dana.  You scared me.”
“Sorry. Is everything alright?”  Stacy nodded as she took a sip of her soda.  “You guys have been quiet.”  Stacy shrugged and Tahna just looked at her hands in her lap.  “You know you can tell your mother anything.”  Stacy and Tahna whipped their heads in my direction and I nodded.  Their reaction proved that my thought were correct.
Stacy sighed, causing Alex to look at her.  “Stacy, is something wrong?”  Stacy got a deer caught in the headlights look on her face.  “Stacy, what’s wrong?”
“Well, technically nothing is wrong.”

Stacy’s POV
I looked at my mother and could tell she was really worried at this point.  “It just that I’m seeing someone.”
“How come you are just not twlling me this?”  I shrugged and kind of slumped down in my chair.  “Who is he?”
I sighed and looked at my hands.  “You see, that’s the thing.”  My mother looked at me, not understanding what was going on.  Dana nudged me in the side and mom looked at her.
“Stacy, come on.  You can tell her and you know it.”
I looked at Tahna and she squeezed my hand under the table for support.  “Mom, I’m seeing Tahna.”  My mother looked at me, then at Dana, and lastly at Tahna.  “Mom?”
“You treat her right you hear?”  Tahna nodded and she looked at me.  “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”  I shrugged and looked at the table.  My mother nodded.
“Like mother like daughter I’ve always said.”  MY mother and I looked at Alice then at each other and started laughing.  Everyone else joined us in our laughter.

Passer-By’s POV
I walked by a store window and looked inside.  At first glance I thought it was open and was about to go in.  Then I noticed the sign on the front door.
CLOSED FOR A FAMILY
GATHERING

The End.