Houston, Texas

"It's a lie you know."

Sitting on the chaise longue in Alice's bedroom, flipping through a magazine, Katherine broke her silence.

"What is?"

Not turning around from where she sat at her dressing table, a magazine propped up against the mirror for quick reference to the makeup look she was emulating, Alice didn't seem at all fazed by her outburst.

"That everyone will be able to tell."

"Tell what?"

She hadn't exactly been hoping that it was obvious, the last thing she needed was everyone she knew snooping in her business, but everything she'd been told before now had led her to believe that there would be some indication to others, which was proving to be entirely false. Unfortunately, since no one seemed to be able to sense that she'd reached a new level of maturity, she hadn't had anyone to talk about it with, and she was growing antsy keeping it to herself.

"Do I look different to you?"

Looking over her shoulder, Alice studied her for a few seconds before giving up and asking what she meant.

"Different how?"

"Exactly, how?"

Knowing she looked the same as she always did, she'd assumed the secret would be revealed to others through intuition or something equally as invisible, but so far it hadn't.

"Katherine, what are you talking about? I'm very confused."

"I gave Bobby my virtue."

Saying it aloud for the first time, she looked around, wondering whether perhaps that was what might make the difference, but again, nothing happened, at least nothing until Alice comprehended what she'd said, then things changed.

"You did what?"

Dropping the eyeliner she was holding, her friend moved with speed, closing the gap between them in no time.

Laughing at her change in attitude, she felt quite sure now that her assumption had been correct.

"See, you couldn't tell."

"No, but I need to know now. When, where, how?"

Rushing the words, Alice's enthusiastic curiosity was exactly what she'd been hoping for, she had a lot to say.

"I didn't plan to, it just happened."

"Start from the beginning, I want to know everything."

Taking the invitation to heart, she spilled every detail, including those that had only occurred to her after the fact and those that she hadn't thought of until Alice mentioned them.

As far as regrets went, the only one she had was something she never would have been able to change. If Bobby had never been Pam's then she doubted they would have ever crossed paths, so to wish she'd gotten him first was futile.

Additionally, to wish that she'd met him later in life didn't feel right, because she liked where he fit into her story. What had occurred was bound to happen at some point, with someone, whether it was her prom date, her summer beau or the fraternity boyfriend she intended to find in college, now she didn't have to worry about when or with who anymore and she was happy.

"We all like to get our own way, but you always manage to take things further."

Giggling, Alice's reaction summarised her well. She knew what she wanted, she went after it, and most of the time she got it. It was nice being her, especially now.

Dallas, Texas

Running the soft fabric between her fingers, Sue Ellen selected the sweater in her size and walked back towards the collection of dresses Jenna was looking at, listening to the latest development in her love life.

"He sent me flowers thanking me for my help."

Referring to Bobby, she offered no explanation about what had actually occurred between the two of them to cause the change in his behaviour, going from deliberately creating space between them to contacting her in a manner that could be interpreted as romantic or platonic.

"Help?"

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who is confused by that statement."

Shrugging, Jenna indicated she wasn't being deliberately vague.

"Well, whatever you did, it made an impression."

"I'm just not sure what that was or what is going on in his head. Something has changed and he thinks I know what it is, but I don't."

"There's a way to find out."

Encouraging her to call him, she did wonder herself what was going on. She knew he'd gone to Houston, probably to meet with Pam's family, but Jenna had nothing to do with that, so surely that couldn't be it.

"Ask him."

Nodding, she was reminded of the difference between the two of them. Where she was more likely to overthink and come to a conclusion that may or may not be correct, Jenna was far more straightforward.

"I have an idea."

"Mm?"

Sure Jenna had thought of something she wouldn't have suggested, she didn't even try to guess what it was.

"Are you free tomorrow night?"

Thinking about it, she nodded, "we have dinner reservations."

She and JR were due a weekend away at some point, they'd tried in the past to make their time a priority but life had gotten in the way over the last year and they were slowly building back up to where they'd been before.

"Can you change them so they're for four?"

Sensing what Jenna was getting at, she hesitated to answer, conscious that she was starting to involve herself in something she had no business being involved in.

"You're three, but who is four? Bobby or Jack?"

"Jack is out-of-town."

Shrugging again, Jenna appeared to disregard her casual fling with Jack.

"You want to force a double date on Bobby?"

"I'm not forcing anything."

Knowing what she wanted, Jenna sounded like she had it all planned out in her head.

"I won't surprise him."

Happy enough to double date, she didn't want to assume that Bobby would feel the same way.

"I'll invite him personally."

Unperturbed, Jenna removed the responsibility from her hands.

"There has to be an easier way to find out what the flowers were for."

Considering that Bobby hadn't actually indicated a romantic interest in Jenna, she did wonder whether she was moving a little too fast; Jenna didn't seem to have the same concerns though.

"There is, but I don't want the flowers to be the end of it."

"As long as he knows what he's being invited to."

Seeing no real problem with it as long as there was no ambush, she didn't fight it any further. A double date that everyone wanted to be on might be nice.

"He will."

Grinning, Jenna sounded convinced that she knew what she was doing and she just had to trust that she did.

To be continued…