“Where do we go from here?”

The question hung in the air for a moment, before Tina cleared her throat.
Even though she could see love in Bette’s eyes, she wasn’t sure what
exactly, she had meant by that question, and wasn’t about to assume
anything. So, even though her heart was pounding like crazy, she decided to
just go with the flow. “Well, according to my sister, I need to get myself
back out there.” She laughed, “I’m not quite sure how to do that with three
children, I mean, I am sure that will be a deterrent to a lot of
people…that’s their loss though. But I guess she’s right, two years is
long enough.”

Tina looked at Bette with a look that showed only genuine concern and love.
“What about you Bette? Have you been able to date anyone since Nica died?”

Bette just smiled and shook her head. “No…I haven’t wanted to date anyone
else. Besides, Milaine took Nica’s death just as hard as I did. We have
become even closer these last three years. But because of her background, I
think she is fearful that I will leave her as well, so she has stuck pretty
close. I understand that fear, so I have tried to do everything I can to
help her feel safe. She seems to be Ok when she is at school and surrounded
by her friends, but during the summer, her abandonment issues become
stronger. The galleries also keep me very busy, and with the travel
involved, my days seem to be pretty full…which is a good thing.” Bette
gave Tina a kind of defeated look. “I know that I need to let go of my grief
and open up my heart to new possibilities…I know that Nica would want
that…I am only 49…but…part of me wonders just how many more chances at
love I’m going to get?” Bette laughed. “Sorry, that was another awfully long
answer to a very short question.”

Tina just shook her head and couldn’t help but remark to Bette. “No, Bette.
It’s wonderful to sit with you and have you be so open with me. You really
have changed over the years, and as far as I can tell, they are all for the
good.”

Bette looked down, then back up at Tina, and whispered, “Thanks Tina.”

The two long separated friends continued to catch up with each other, share
stories, neither one paying attention to the activity all around them, not
noticing that they were the only customers left in the restaurant.

“How is Alice? Do you still keep in touch with her, Bette?”

“Yes, we do keep in touch, mostly by e-mail these days. Every once in a
while, if I have to fly out to LA, I will visit her.” Bette laughed and
shook her head. “You know…now that she has had two of her books made into
movies, there is no shutting her up!”

Tina joined in the laughter. “I always thought that Alice would actually
become an investigative reporter, rather than writing about one…or at
least, writing about one and her merry assistants! But, I think Alice likes
the good life too much to really get down and dirty!” Both women looked at
each other, enjoying the easiness of the others company. “Bette, how is Kit?
I’m afraid I shut her out of my life, along with you. It was just too hard
to be reminded of what we had lost.”

Hearing that caused a wave of sadness to flow through Bette’s body. No
matter how happy both her and Tina had been living their lives separate from
each other, Bette’s actions had cause the breakup of their family of
friends, and no matter what anyone said, it had changed all their lives.

“God Tina, I am so sorry. My being unfaithful to you caused so much pain for
so many people. All these years, of not knowing how you felt, if you were
happy…if you had forgiven me.”

Tina interrupted Bette before she could go on. “Bette, please…” She
lowered her head, then reached out and covered Bette’s hand with her own.
“Don’t get me wrong, I felt the pain of your actions for years, but Bette, I
forgave you the moment Dani was born. Everything happens for a reason,
remember? Of course, I would have preferred that our break up had been for
other reasons, but the end result always had to be the same. I was supposed
to meet and marry Dan, just as you were supposed to be with Nica.” “Please
Bette, let go of your guilt.”

Bette looked at this woman, whom she still loved so much, and couldn’t help
the tears from running down her cheeks. “Tina, I don’t know what to say. You
are obviously still the incredible woman I met in my gallery all those years
ago.”

Tina could feel her cheeks warm with the heat of her blush. “Well Bette, it
looks like we both turned out Ok. Now…how is Kit?”

Bette smiled through her tears, wiping them with her napkin. “She is
wonderful. She lives here in New York with a man she met at a concert about
five years ago. His name is Ed and he treats her like royalty. He has asked
her to marry him, but Kit refuses. Says she’s too old for that nonsense, and
doesn’t need a piece of paper to verify how she feels!” Bette stopped to
laugh. “She absolutely dotes on Milaine.” Bette looked down for just a
second before continuing. “The four of us, Kit, Leslie, Nica and myself,
were all very close…spent a great deal of time together. Since Nica’s
death, we try to spend even more. Kit and I have the relationship now that
we both struggled for while we were in LA. It has been such a gift.”

At that moment, Bette looked around and realized that her and Tina were by
themselves, other than a few of the wait staff. The chairs were all up on
the tables, the restaurant quiet.

“Oh my gosh. I didn’t realize what time it is! We need to get out of here so
these poor people can go home.” She looked at Tina. “Tina, I don’t know
about you, but I feel like we just started the conversation. There is still
so much I would love to share with you.”

Tina looked at her watch and showed her surprise. “Oh my God Bette. It’s
11:00! How is it possible that we have been sitting here for four hours? I
have to get back to my sister’s. Our plane leaves at 9:00 tomorrow morning.”

Bette motioned for their waiter to bring the check. “I am so sorry. We lost
track of the time.”

“It’s Ok Ms. Porter, no worries.”

Bette discreetly paid the check, adding an additional $100.00 to the tip,
for making them wait. The gesture was not lost on Tina. ‘She always was so
generous when she felt it was deserving.’

As they walked out of the restaurant, Bette turned to Tina. “T, how are you
all getting to the airport tomorrow?”

Tina laughed, “We are going in Susan’s car, although it will be an
interesting fit, because of all the shopping we did!”

Bette wanted to do something; she couldn’t just let Tina walk out of her
life without even a tiny gesture to let her know she was thinking of her.
“T, let me take care of getting you to the airport. Let me send a car for
you. One that is big enough for the whole family. It can drop you off at the
airport and then take Susan back home.”

“Oh Bette, you don’t…”

“Please Tina, let me do this one small thing for you and your children.”

Tina laughed at the look on Bette’s face. “Ok…uh…sure. That would be
very nice of you Bette. Well one thing is for sure, you are just as
persistent as you use to be!”

Bette laughed with Tina. “Well, I think it is just you Ms. Kennard, that
brings that quality out in me.” As she raised her arm for a taxi, she looked
at Tina. “Tina, this has been so nice. Would it be Ok if I called you in
Seattle…you know, just to catch up some more?”

Tina gave Bette a goofy grin, not even trying to hide her pleasure at
hearing that question. “I would love that Bette.”