Warm arms enveloped me as my eyes opened and I stared at my wall. Her fingers fell across my sheet and her mood ring was a deep blue. Her slow heavy breath was insuring. I reached for her ringed hand and slid my hand on top of hers and pressed down to wake her.

“I’m awake Fran. I’ve been awake.” She entangled our legs more. “You want some breakfast. I’m starving, a loving starving girl.”

I turned to face her and she smiled and I nestled my face into her neck. “You’re a beautiful girl,” I whispered, “and I don’t want to get out of this bed, EVER.”

Her giggles were infectious. The phone rang.

I reached, she moaned. “Hello,” I said.

“Fran, it’s Shirley,” Said her voice from the earpiece.

“Shirley!” Betsy’s demeanor was unwavering. As a matter-of-fact she became more loving as her hands slid down my naked sides. “You’re calling early.”

Shirley was serious, “Well, I have to talk to you. I broke it off with Betsy yesterday and well...she was really upset and now I feel terrible.”

“Oh, she probably wasn’t upset as you thought she was.” Betsy’s head was in between my sheets.

“Oh, you didn’t see her. I’m worried about her. I’ve been calling her apartment all night, but no answer. She’s really vulnerable Fran. I just hate to hurt people, you know?”

Of course guilt was ravaging within me, but Betsy was doing a tremendous job at alleviating it that I couldn’t remove the guilty smile from across my face. And Shirley thought she felt bad? I felt terrible, but completely...well...you know, let’s say physical and leave it at that. Shirley continued, “But I want to see you today Fran, how about lunch, my treat.”

“Lunch?”

Betsy’s head popped up forming a tent shape with my blanket. The top of the tent being her head which was now shaking no. What had I done? It’s either all or nothing with me, I thought. I just wanted one girlfriend, but now out of the blue, I had one on the phone and one between my legs. What’s a girl to do?

“Shirl, I’m gonna have to call you back. I haven’t had my coffee yet and I can’t agree to anything until that time.”

“All right, go have your coffee now and call me right back.”

“All right, all right, I‘ll call you.”

We hung up and Betsy reared her head. “You can’t see her now or I’m telling.”

“I told you before we did anything I was interested in Shirley.”

“Come on Fran, who do you want--- Shirley or me?” She sat up on her knees, her naked perfect body completely available to me.

“Well...?”

“Well! What’s to think about?”

“I think I’m in love with Shirley.”

Clearly, this was not the thing to say. Betsy immediately jumped off the bed and slid on her skirt. “You know you are all the same, just use me and-”

“Hey Betsy, I didn’t use you. It was you who seduced me. I was totally honest with you.”

She sat on the edge of my bed and tucked her head underneath her shirt. “Whatever! I’m telling. And then nobody’s happy.”

I got up and put on my robe and sat next to her as she pressed her feet into her shoes, “Betsy, we hardly know each other. I’m confused. I had one of the best times of my life last night, you’re incredible. There’s no denying that, but I do need to finish this thing with Shirley.”

“You mean start. I’m the one that’s finished.”

“We don’t know that. Let me just see her and see how it goes.”

Tears welled in her face. “I always am the one left out and I know that’s what’s going to happen again and I just want to be with someone. I want to be with you.”

I wanted to be with her, too. I wanted to take care of her, warm her, and make her happy. But how to tell this to Shirley was an unknown. It’s funny, I wanted to take care of Betsy, but I wanted Shirley to take care of me.