Throughout the walk back to their cabin, the drunk stooges kept the neighborhood entertained with their slurr-filled rendition of California Girls. Dana of course was the most boisterous of the three, taking her mind off her flip-flopping stomach. “Welllllllll East coast girls are hip, I really dig those styles they wear” she sang at the top of her lungs, urging the others to join in. Alice, not one to miss out on karaoke, sang the next line while Dana tried to click her fingers along “And the Southern girls with the way they talk, they knock me out when I’m down there” pointing ‘down there’ as they said those words. Tina laughed at their antics, sliding her hand into Bette’s palm to entwine their fingers.

Shane carried on the karaoke “The Midwest farmer’s daughters really make you feel alright”, “Ooooh go stud, you can sing girl” Alice commented before bursting into song for the next line “And the Northern girls with the way they kiss, they keep their girlfriends warm at night”. They all laughed at Alice’s insertion of “girlfriends” and joined with Dana who had begun the chorus “I wish they all could be California girrrrrls”. Even Bette sang along as they all linked arms and strutted down the street.

They reached the cabin before long and Dana stopped at the bottom of the steps. “I wanna do an Angel” Dana declared, “well let me just get my halo honey and …” Alice offered before getting a slap on the arm from Dana. “Noooo silly … I meant a snow angel, you know when ya … here …” Dana lay down in a fluffy covering of snow and started to splay her legs and arms to create the snow angel. “Oh Lord have mercy” Alice prayed, giggling at her goofy girl.

She leant over Dana whilst the others were laughing at Dana’s flapping limbs, drawing a halo in the snow above Dana’s head. “There you are my darling, your halo” Alice announced “You are now a real angel”. Dana stopped flapping and started clapping, carefully getting up to look at her handywork. “Awwww I make a good angel”, “yes you do honey, but we better get you inside or you’ll catch cold, my soggy angel” Alice slid her arm around Dana and helped her inside with the others.

By now the gals were pretty worn out from their busy day, and decided to call it a night. Shane helped Alice get Dana into the bathroom to change out of her wet clothes. Shane decided to let Alice take over from here and went to get into bed herself. Dana was rambling and slurring as Alice struggled to get Dana to cooperate with the clothes changing exercise. “Ya know something Al … you got a nice rack” Dana ran her fingertip down Alice’s chest. “That’s sweet honey, and ya know I’m quite fond of your tata’s too” Alice responded as she attempted to pull Dana’s top over her head.

Bette turned down the sheets on the bed then went to the kitchen to get herself a drink of water. Quite accidentally she bumped into Tina at the doorway, the moment electric given their close proximity. “Oops, sorry Tee” Bette managed to speak, her head was swimming with the scent of Tina, her skin always so intoxicating. “It’s okay” Tina breathed as the same sensation came over her, “I’m just … gonna get a glass of water, you want one?” Bette asked, trying to regain control of her senses. “Sure” Tina responded as they brushed past each other, Tina going into the bedroom to put her pyjama’s on.

Standing at the counter, Bette took a few deep breaths as she filled her glass with water. Once full, she raised it to her lips and drank it in one slow steady sip. She gasped for breath as she put her empty glass back on the counter, refilling it before pouring a glass for Tina. A few more deep breaths later she slowed the rapid beating of her heart, but nothing was able to stop the intense throbbing between her legs. She picked up the glasses and headed back to the bedroom, pushing the slightly open door, she entered as Tina was dressing.

Bette stopped in her tracks as she saw Tina standing with her back turned. The sight of Tina in her pale blue pyjama pants, the soft skin of her taut back, the butt that Bette loved, it only served to fuel the fire within her being. She studied the soft curves of Tina’s body, her arms were in the air as she was slipping her top on. Bette caught a glimpse of the round side of Tina’s breast as she writhed almost teasingly, her pyjama top sliding down her torso into place. The sound of Bette’s exhaled breath caught Tina’s attention, she turned around and saw Bette gazing at her. For what seemed like an hour, they stood and smiled nervously at each other, both aware of the magnitude of the moment they were about to have. Bette and Tina in the same bed again.

Shane lay in her bed, tanktop and boxers on, her hands above her head and covers pulled up to her waist. She was deep in thought, about a lot of things, but mostly the familiar face she saw at the bowling alley tonight. Shane wasn’t sure why this woman crept into her mind, given they’d practically only said “hi”, but it was enough to spark Shane’s interest. “So, how can I get to know her?” Shane pondered, “would it look too desperate if I went in and hired ski’s that I don’t plan on using? Don’t be stupid Shane, she’d see through me like Alice’s underwear”.

Shane shifted onto her side, getting into an almost fetal position, the image of Natasha smiling at the front of her consciousness. “She’s damn cute … but what else do I know about her … cute laugh, a decent bowler, employed … jeeeez, I gotta find out more, or just move onto another project”. Something about that last phrase made Shane cringe, was this her body’s way of telling her mind that the four F’s that ruled Shane’s love life were going out of style for her?

Cherie had been Shane’s first real forray into relationship territory, even though the fairytale ending didn’t happen for her. She still found herself having feelings for someone for longer than a night. It hurt Shane, sure, but she proved to herself that she could go down that path. If circumstances had been easier, perhaps an unmarried ***** woman, then the outcome may have been vastly different. Shane decided to go to the ski hire place and find Natasha tomorrow, there was no harm in trying. With that in mind, Shane couldn’t wipe the smile from her face, for the first time in a long time she felt good about being Shane.

Alice had finally gotten Dana into bed, not an easy task since Dana found it quite funny to feel Alice up whenever she put an interesting part of her body within reach of Dana’s goosing. They both lay in bed on their backs, staring up at the ceiling. Alice knew the silence wouldn’t last, “Pssssst … Al”, she tried to pretend she was sleeping so Dana would be quiet. “Hey … Alice Brunswick Peekwishky”, Alice couldn’t stifle her giggles “what Dana?”, “you’re soooo beautiful” Dana slurred in her drunken half awake state. “Thankyou baby, you’re too cute for words” Alice replied, leaning over and giving Dana a kiss on her forehead.

“Hey, Mister and Missus Talkalot, keep it down!” Bette exclaimed. This woke Dana’s naughty side up and she blew a raspberry at Bette “Pffffffffffffffffffft”. “Don’t make me come in there!” Bette scolded. She put her head back down on the pillow and smiled at Tina who was facing her as they lay in bed together. “Ya know Bette, we’ve always been like the mother and father of this little group” Tina whispered as she shifted a little closer to Bette. The normally confident brunette became slightly nervous when Tina lessened the gap between them. She wasn’t sure she could control herself with Tina so close to her, she also didn’t know whether taking the step and slipping her arm around her would frighten Tina off.

“Alice … hey … pssssst” Dana poked her finger into Alice’s arm, “Dana, I’m trying to sleep … what is it?” Alice was losing patience. “I have a poem for you” Dana sang, leaning in and giving Alice a kiss on her neck. “Ohh this’ll be good” Alice sarcastically remarked. Dana cleared her throat as she began her poem out loud for all to hear.

“A do-it-yourselfer named Alice,
Used a dynamite stick for a phallus.
She blew her ***** to South Carolina,
And her ***** landed somewhere in Dallas.”

Dana cracked up laughing and started thrashing around in bed, the two other rooms errupted in giggles. Alice tackled Dana and planted kisses all over her face, tickling her ribs with her fingers. “Lights out! Some of us need sleep” Bette ordered. Dana stopped giggling “Mom is sooooo bossy” she slurred as she switched off her bedside lamp. “I think she’s serious Dana, shhhhh” Alice warned her, “Damn right I’m serious” was the reply from Bette. Dana pushed her luck again “Pfffffffffffffffffffft”, Alice covered Dana’s mouth “shut the ***** up woman, she’ll separate us”. Shane was giggling, enjoying the playful dialogue.

Alice got an idea, one that she hoped would work for everyone’s sake. She slowly uncovered Dana’s mouth with her hand, and re-covered it with her lips. Dana moaned softly into the kiss, her mouth kinda working on automatic pilot given her uncoordinated state. Alice shifted gently to lay on top of Dana, who in turn wrapped her arms around Alice’s warm body. “God, she tastes like a brewery” Alice thought, taking the opportunity to kiss Dana’s neck instead, moving slowly down her body until she was softly dancing her tongue around Dana’s bellybutton. Her fingers hooked into the waistband of Dana’s pyjama bottoms and about to pull them down when Dana’s snoring broke the silence in the room.

Alice looked up and giggled at her honey, she carefully moved over to lay beside her, gently stroking stray strands of hair off Dana’s face. “Goodnight …” she whispered “my sweet snoring soggy angel”. Alice hesitated before continuing, “… I … love you”. Dana sighed in slumber, seemingly in reaction to the words spoken by Alice. “Dana … ” Alice whispered softly, checking if Dana was indeed awake. Dana started snoring again, “nevermind, I’ll tell you in the morning” Alice giggled, snuggling into Dana’s body. Whether she heard Alice’s heartfelt confession or not, it wouldn’t be the last time Alice would say those words to Dana.

**********

~tbc~