"So you are gonna come, aren't you?" Rona repeated. "He's really been working hard for this gig. I mean the band's been practicing like mad."

Hannah thought about it for a moment. "What's my incentive again?"

"Incentive? Hannah, you're awful! He's your friend, you've got to support him!"

"Fuck" said Hannah. "You're such a bitch with the emotional blackmail." She shook her head. "Fine" she said. "I'll try and make it. When is it, again?"

"In a couple of weeks. They reckon there's gonna be a few local record companies there scouting around. I mean, mainly for the headliners you know, but still. . ."

"A couple of weeks, a couple of weeks . . ." Hannah tapped her chin. "Dammit, I don't think I'm doing anything. I guess I'll have to come, then."

Rona bit her lip in a delighted smile, and punched Hannah in a friendly manner on the shoulder. "It's gonna be huge" she said. "You'll thank me." She poured Hannah another glass of wine.

"How do you all know each other, anyway?" asked Sacha. It suddenly occurred to her that she didn't know.

"Ohh . . ." Rona looked up at the sky in thought. "Mal and Alain were, like, at primary school together or something crazy like that. I met Mal through Alain. And Alain's ex was a housemate of mine, years ago when I first arrived here."

"Wait, Alain had a girlfriend?" asked Sacha, surprised.

"Yeah, of course! What, did you think he was gay or something?"

"After the way he acted towards me? Of course not!"

"Oh yeah, good point."

Sacha took a contemplative sip of her wine. "I guess it makes sense that he has an ex. I mean of course he does, everyone does. It's just . . . He always seemed more talk than action, I guess."

"Oh, he is, he is" agreed Rona enthusiastically. "But everyone gets lucky once or twice." She thought about this. "She was a real cow, though. I think she still owes me about $100."

They were all silent for a moment, thinking about this. Then Hannah turned to Sacha: "So speaking of exes . . ."

"Who, me?" Sacha laughed after a moment. "Maybe later, Hannah. But my love life's really nothing all that exciting."

"Sounds like a challenge" said Hannah softly, taking a sip of wine. Sacha didn't ask her to explain. Rona giggled and shook her head.