For Ellen Burgess, Faith Ward, and Sabrina DeLane, this was merely another place to call home. But for Keesha Ward, Alexis Davis and Emily Quartermaine, it was the first opportunity they'd had to visit Dara Jensen's magnificently appointed home.

While the other women moved confidently through the house, Dara's first-time visitors stood in awe of the breathtaking décor.

“It's like something out of Architectural Digest,” Keesha breathed.

“Thank you…I think,” Dara laughed. “Feel free to take a look around,” she offered the three newcomers. “We'll be in the living room when you're through.”

Alexis, who lagged a bit behind Keesha and Emily, felt a moment's envy at the home her legal rival had created for herself. Dara's home was expensively but tastefully done. Yet a feeling of comfortableness pervaded every room.

This sense of comfort was all the more evident when Alexis finally made her way to the living room. An appetizing array of snacks and finger foods covered a low table in front of the oversized sofa and matching chairs.

“Everybody get comfortable,” Dara ordered. She unwrapped a dvd and placed the disc in the player. “The movie is about to start.”

All around the room the women settled into their places and stared at the big-screen television with interest. After the obligatory FBI warning, the title and opening credits began to roll.

“ Give me my five dollars ! ” Ellen Burgess crowed triumphantly.

“I'll owe it to you,” Sabrina scowled. She glared pointedly at Dara. “You know what? That is absolutely the last time we let you pick the movie.”

“Wha?? All I did was stick my hand into the bargain bin at Video World, the same way you guys do,” Dara protested. “It's not my fault that I came up with a clunker!”

Sabrina, Faith and Ellen all responded as one. “Dara, you always come up with a clunker!”

“C'mon, you guys, it might not be that bad.” Dara tried to plead her case. “If we just keep an open mind…”

“That's the same thing you've said every time you have gotten to pick the movie. And it never works out that way.” Faith Ward put her hands upon her hips. “Does Ishtar ring a bell?” she asked, one eyebrow raised skeptically.

Ellen Burgess mimicked Faith's expression. “Or Invasion of the Saucer Men ?”

“Oh, and by all means let us not forget,” Sabrina DeLane shuddered, “that god-awful movie BoyWonderz .” The sound of mock retching could be heard throughout the room.

Emily and Keesha watched the exchange between the older women with all the fascination of sports fans watching a tennis match. Their heads went back and forth as they followed the rather heated conversation.

Alexis hesitantly joined the discussion. “Kurt Russell does have his shirt off in this quite a bit…”

The other women all turned to stare at her. Alexis cringed in expectation of their biting remarks regarding her observation.

“Alright, Cousin,” Ellen turned back to the attorney, “you're saved this time. But only because Alexis reminded us of the one good redeeming quality about this movie…sweaty, half-naked Kurt Russell.”

#####

Despite all their promises to retain open minds where the Goldie Hawn movie was concerned, one by one the women of the conclave found their thoughts drifting. Not even a brief heated argument between Dara and Alexis on the legal ramifications of deceiving someone with amnesia was enough to liven the moment.

“Well,” Faith announced haughtily, “there is no way I could just forgive any man who would deliberately continue to deceive me about who I was, or what we were to one another.”

“I hear ya,” Sabrina chimed in. She smiled mischievously. “Now, I'm not saying that I would kick him outta bed right away…”

The other women chortled. “Leave it to ‘Bri to have her priorities in place,” Faith laughed.

A timid voice joined the conversation. “B-but doesn't it matter that in the end she fell in love with him?” Emily asked shyly. “I mean, in spite of being so completely opposite, they found one another?” The young woman's expression grew dreamy.

“Just imagine it…”