Beebo snorted at her. “You try it and I’ll beat you, I swear I will,” she said. “I’ve had enough from you, Laura. I’m not made of stone. Am I nothing to you? Am I supposed to _believe_ I’m nothing to you? Do you think I like to stand and listen to you slobber over that simpering little roommate of yours? Can she give you what I can give you? Well damn it, _can_ she?” Laura couldn’t face her, much less answer her. She only worked the iron over her dress and glanced at Beebo’s shoes. Beebo’s voice softened a little. “Jesus, what a mess,” she said, leaning on the refrigerator. “Here I am falling for you. I ought to have my head examined. I ought to know better.” She came over to Laura and took the iron out of her hands and Laura had to look at her. “Laura,” Beebo said, leaning toward her, “I’m nuts for you. I wasn’t kidding.” They gazed at each other, Laura surprised and scared and flattered all at once. “I need you, baby,” Beebo whispered. “Please stay.” “I can’t, Beebo,” Laura said. “You don’t really think you’re in love with that little blonde, do you?” “Yes.” Beebo shook her head and shut her eyes for a minute. “Jack says she’s straight. Jack is a shrewd boy. Don’t you believe him?” “No.” “You want to get the Miseries, Baby? That’s the quickest way.” “You don’t know her, Beebo. Even Jack doesn’t know her as I do. She’s changing. She seems interested in me. She’s sort of approachable. She doesn’t even want to see her ex-husband anymore. She wants to stay home at night with me. She breaks dates with him to do it.” “All right.” Beebo turned away. “Suppose she’s gay. Suppose she is. What then?” She turned to look sharply at Laura. Laura was stumped. She had never looked beyond the present into that possibility. What would it be like, just the two of them, both gay, living together, in love? “Well, then everything will be wonderful,” she said. Beebo gave a short unpleasant laugh. “Yeah,” she said. “Wonderful. You walk hand in hand into the sunset.” “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Beebo. I never made a secret of my feelings for Marcie.” “I never made a secret of mine for you, baby.” “We’d never do anything but fight, Beebo.” “Fight and make love. I could live forever on such a diet.” She smiled a little. “It would drive me crazy. I couldn’t take it.” “Do you think there won’t be fights with your little Marcie if she turns out gay?” “I suppose there will.” “You know damn well there will. And if she’s straight, what happens? She reads you the Riot Act. Calls the cops. Sics her husband on you.” “She wouldn’t do any of those things, Beebo. She’s a sweet girl. She wouldn’t get wild like you.”