Della approached Perry before he left the suite, "We didn't happen to go to the fund raiser because we knew that Laura Robertson would be there, did we?" She batted her eyes to hide her nervousness.

Perry asked, curtly, "Who is 'we'?"

"Thirty-five years is a long time."

"It was thirty years, but who is counting. Not me." They held a gaze, Perry's defensive and Della's mocking.

Unable to bear any closer scrutiny from the woman who missed nothing, Perry abruptly left the hotel room.

After he left, Della's expression was thoughtful and not happy nor comfortable, and she wondered if Perry was trying to fool her or himself.

*****************P&D***********************P&D***************************

Laura breezed into the suite wearing a fur that surely cost the lives of many small defenseless animals. There was an almost visible trail of $200 an ounce perfume. Della also noticed the emerald earrings that would have fed a small village, and wondered whether she had dressed to impress Perry or to intimidate her. She immediately attempted to squash the uncharitable thought, but Laura just managed to bring out her claws.

Once Laura was seated, Della felt obligated out of courtesy to express her sorrow for Glen's and Laura's circumstances.

"Oh, Della, I'm a survivor. It's what I do. And you, still steadfast and loyal, as always?"

Della once again controlled the cat in her that was very unprofessionally scratching to get out. "That's what I do." She shook her head as if to shake off the pleasantly delivered gut shot.

There was a short awkward pause before Laura broached the subject that sat in the room between them like a white elephant. "I always wondered but never had the bad manners to ask at the same time." She hesitated, "What about you and Perry?"

Della felt like a small electric shock hit her, and the Siamese had had enough and decided to tell the truth, at last. Her eyes sparked and she said, "Perry and I have-"

Perry Mason entered the suite abruptly like a hurricane sweeping into New Orleans.

"Well, it's nice to see the two of you getting reacquainted," Perry said, innocent of the estrogen in the room that had just reached critical mass.

Della took the opportunity to get the hell outta Dodge, but it was not to be.

"You just bought supplies," Perry bellowed, a little aggressively.

"Then I'll return a few phone calls," Della turned to leave again, patting her hair in a nervous gesture that he noted.

"Did I interrupt something?"

"No." Della's eyes widened just a bit, Perry noticed, at they did she was dodging an answer.

He turned back to Laura.

She too widened her eyes. "Noooo."

Della left the room as gracefully as possible, before she saw Laura plant one hip on Perry's desk.

************************P&D*****************************

Della's normally good nature was being tested. She grabbed her handbag from her room and left, slamming the door.

Perry was so, sooo blind sometimes. Grrr. She needed some retail therapy. A lot of retail therapy!

Della had been the Queen Bee in Perry's hive for many years and she was after all a mere human.

Did Perry come here hoping to see Laura? Suddenly her stomach tensed. The sparks were still there between them; that was obvious. Is that what she had become? Some "thing" so "loyal" and devoted like a damn Golden Retriever that Perry was tired of her, looking for someone more exciting and different. Someone like Laura Robertson, elegant, beautiful, and still so sexy that men, even Perry, fell easily under her spell.

Della hated to admit it to herself; she was normally so self-confident, but she wasn't the svelte sexy woman that she used to be. Attractive women had a hard time aging, and Della was no different, it was just that usually Perry made her feel so beautiful that it wasn't an issue. Now since Laura was here—poof-she felt like she was invisible. Just a loyal, dependable dog. Isn't that what Laura was getting at?

Della stopped in front of a large window in downtown Denver and looked at her reflection. She was no dog. She was loyal, but she was no dog. She had gotten a little dowdy lately, maybe. After her trial for murdering Arthur Gordon, she wanted to just disappear for a while. Della had never understood how the accused felt before, even if they were exonerated. She sure did after what she'd endured. Maybe it was time to shake off that mantle of doubt. She entered the store. Time to stop. Time to shop.

******************D & P***************************************************

She couldn't believe it! Laura had betrayed her husband worse than if she had had an affair. At least there would have been love in the mix, but Laura had done it for power. Della pitied her for the first time since their acquaintance. There was genuine remorse in Laura's eyes and her comment to Della about being "steadfast and loyal" suddenly had all new meaning. Perhaps it wasn't a slight after all. Perhaps it was admiration. Perhaps it was Laura's feelings of guilt trying desperately to find some way to save herself and her husband. Things between her and Perry and Laura and Glen weren't so clear anymore. Della wondered if her recent insecurities were the cause of her jealousy, and she had long known how Perry was during a trial, single-minded to the exclusion of all else at times.

Della moved to comfort the man she loved after Laura's confession. Perry was loyal and steadfast, too, and exposing Laura had been gut-wrenching for him, she knew.

It was very cold outside on the steps. Reporters had gone away. Paul had run off to do what Paul did.

When Perry exited the building he knew he would find Della waiting for him. He always knew Della would be waiting for him, and he would always be waiting for her. It was their way.

He put his arm around her and said, "Let's go home." Her smile up at him put his world right again. Laura was not his wife or his love. Della was and they were going home.

After the driver helped them into the waiting car, Della crossed her legs and looked out the window at the snow, missing LA. Perry's hand reached for hers and she turned to smile at him again. His gaze travelled down her long legs to the new pumps on her feet.

"New shoes?"

"Oh, these things…" Della shrugged, noncommittal.

"Sexy. But Miss Street, in case I haven't told you lately, you're always sexy."

Della gave him that trademark loving smile and Perry leaned over to kiss her on the cheek near her ear.

Both of them exhaled a great sigh of relief and contentment. Home.