Tess acknowledges the beer before she acknowledges Jennifer –– she certainly notices Jennifer the instant she comes into the room, mostly because Tess never lets anyone trespass around her unnoticed, but acknowledgement is something that takes a bit more effort. Besides –– Jennifer can be so damn flighty sometimes, and as bitter as Tess is feeling, it'd be a shame to spook her.

So Tess picks up a table knife almost mindlessly, and she uses the good silverware to pry off the bottlecap. She drinks deeply in that straddling-alcoholism sort of way and then meets Jennifer's eyes.

"Last I checked, I owed you, not the other way around."