Chapter 2
Alice and Dana pulled up at Burbank Airport where Dana was still stressing out.
"Are you sure you turned your straighteners off? What if we take my parents back to a burned down apartment? Then what would they think, Al. They'd think I was in some sort of danger."
"Oh my god, Dana. You watched me turn them off and then you put them away. Stop being an idiot and calm down." Alice turned the key to turn off the engine, grabbed her bag and opened the door; the hot feel of Hollywood today hit her straight on in the face.
"Al, these are my parents, and I haven't seen them in a year. Please."
"I'm sorry, Dana. Come on, it'll be OK." Alice tried to hold Dana's hand but she pulled away, a bit too forcefully.
"Sorry, slow small steps for the homophobic parents." Dana could tell she'd hit a nerve with Alice so reassured her, "I love you."
"I love you too, come on."
"Alice, how nice of you to pick us up in that small car of yours." Sharon Fairbanks said to Alice a few minutes after their arrival. Sensing a sarcastic tone to the lady's voice, Alice replied,
"Well, it was the least I could do for you and Dana, Mrs Fairbanks."
"Well, we appreciate it, don't we darling?" chimed in Dana's dad, Irwin Fairbanks.
"Of course but my legs don't appreciate the cramp." responded Sharon with a laugh to send a shiver down Alice's spine.
"Please, Mom-"
"I know, Dana. I'm sorry. Two flights too many; I'll be fine when I get to sit down."
"Well we're almost there, Mrs Fairbanks." cheered Alice, trying the brighten the mood.
"Glad to hear, so do you two live together then?" Sharon tried to make that sound as nice as possible but it still came across in a disapproving tone.
"Uhm, no not yet-" Alice tried to cover up.
"Well, we don't really live together but my apartment is for sale; I'm going to be moving in with Alice." Dana butted in, trying to not spite her mother but just to show her that she's totally OK with talking about it with her.
"Oh, and why isn't Alice moving in with you?" Sharon responded.
"She has a house, so you know, that'd be better for the two of us. Plus we spend most of our time there anyway, and most of my stuff is there; that's why you'll be staying there this weekend."
"Yeah, we have the bedroom set up for you two." Alice grinned into the mirror above her to meet the eyes of Sharon Fairbanks.
"So we're going to be in... your bed?" Irwin started to seem concerned.
"No!" both Alice and Dana said together, "No," Alice said again, "I have the guest bedroom set up for you, I thought that would be more appropriate."
"As long as it has a bed and a wardrobe, I really don't care." said Sharon, trying her best to avoid all the arguments that usually came with a visit to West Hollywood.
"That it has, and here we are." Alice said, pulling her blue Mini onto the drive outside her house.