(Summer 2005, Helena’s Penthouse)


Helena: Tina, dear are you almost ready?

Tina: Yeah, just putting on my shoes.

Helena: Okay, the limo is waiting downstairs.


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(Peggy Penthouse)


Peggy: Remember you are not to come in until I announce your name.

Bette: Okay, are you sure that this is going to work. I mean Tina has lived with Helena for a year and hasn’t tried to even call me once.

Peggy: When Helena first introduced me to Tina I saw in her eyes that she really didn’t love Helena, that she loved someone else, You!

Bette: Right, so I will be in the wing of the hotel until you radio Paul to tell me to come in.

Peggy: Yes, now do you have you speech prepared?

Bette: Yeah, it is about how modern art has structed the society we live in.

Peggy: Good, sounds nice and boring.

Bette: Trust me it is beyond boring.
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(Waldorf-Astoria)

Tina: Wow, this place is amazing. I can’t believe that so many people have showed up to hear this mystery guest speak.

Helena: Well, apparently she is quite popular. Oh look over there it is Quentin Pearce, I need to talk to him about a Piccasso painting I want to buy.

Tina: Go ahead, I need another drink.

( At the bar)

Peggy: Tina, how wonderful to see you again. I hope that you are enjoying yourself.

Tina: Yes, this is a large gathering of people to hear this suprise guest speaker. Can you tell me a little about her.

Peggy: I will tell you one thing. She is great at what she does and her employer is lucky to still have her.

Tina: What do you mean still have her?

Peggy: Well she was almost fired, for trying to be provacitive.

Tina: Oh. Well she sounds intriguing.

Peggy: Oh, she is, that she is. I need to get this shindig underway.

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(Waldorf-Astoria Grand Hall)

Peggy: Our next speaker is one that I am truly fond of not only for her love of art but because she lives and breathes art on such an extreme level. This person was willing to get one show with such reckless abandon that she almost lost her job. Luckly for her I saw something in her that made me decide to loan my collection to her emyployer. So with out futher ado I would like to introduce tonights special guest/ speaker…… Bette Porter.

Tina: ( almost choking on her drink) Bette!

Helena: I can’t believe my mother asked her to speak.


Bette: When Peggy called me to speak at this gala I was a little reluctant. But Peggy said that she had the utmost cofidence in my ability. What I wanted to speak to about tonight and what I am going to speak about are two different things. My love for art most of the time overshadowed my love for the one thing that truly meant anything to me, my family. My family was what keeped me ground during the darkest of days and the brightest of nights. Yet I took it for granted thinking that she would always be there and now that she isn’t, there are days I contemplate ending it all, because if I don’t have her then what am I living life for. You are all probably wondering what this has to do with art, but if you look at some of the great painters you will see all suffered from some loss. My loss is the greatest of all, I lost my heart and I don’t think that I will ever get it back, even if I did get it back I don’t think I would want it because there is only one keeper of my heart and she knows who she is. Thank You.

( Bette exits the stage and races outside to a waiting limo)

Tina: I can’t believe that she is here in New Youk. I wasn’t imaging things this whole time. It was here I was seeing.

Helena: Oh come off of it Tina!

Tina: What. Oh shove it Helena. I am going after her.


TBC- Tina goes after Bette but loses her in the street. She asks Peggy to help her with Bette.