A few days later, Bette was standing by her desk looking over some proofs…when

her door opened..She didn’t look around to see who was there…”I told you that I

didn’t ***** want to be bothered..” she said hatefully…
And a soft, familiar voice rang in her ears…”I’m sorry…I can come back..” said

Tina..
“No..I apologize…I’m just up to my ears in proofs that will probably take a

decade to finish looking over..” said Bette as she turned around to look at Tina.
Tina walked over to Bette’s desk…and picked up a proof..holding it

up…”Wow..these are really good..”
“Yea..the artist is out of Georgia..well known there…and we wanted her work

here..so I contacted her and she sent the proofs for me to look over…”
“Oh..” said Tina as she laid the proof back on Bette’s desk..and walked over to

the window to look out…”I always loved this view of the city…”
“Me too…” said Bette still looking at the proofs..
“So, what can I do for you today?” asked Bette…
“Well, I was hoping that we could have dinner and talk?” said Tina fidgeting..
“Ummm..well…I would like that but I have already made plans…”
“Oh…I see… Well, maybe some other time then….”
“Yea…maybe..” said Bette not paying any more attention to Tina..
“Well, I’m gonna let you get back to work…I’ve got a few errands to run…”
“errands for Eric?” said Bette not looking away from the proofs…she held one

up…”Wow, this is beautiful..”
Tina had almost gotten to the door when she heard Bette’s comment..”What?” she

asked as she turned around to look at Bette….to look at Bette’s back..since that

was all she could see..
“I asked if it was errands for your new lover?” asked Bette…She hated being so

mean to Tina, but she couldn’t hardly control herself…
“Bette…he is not my new lover…”
“Then what the ***** would you call him Tina? Your new friend? I could hardly call

him your friend if you are ***** him…I mean, I wouldn’t ***** one of my

friends…” said Bette very coldly….
“He is my friend…I just can’t let him be alone right now….”
“And why the ***** not? You left your wife alone….me…your wife…you left me

alone to go and suck on his *****…” screamed Bette…
“Bette, this is enough…I can’t take it anymore…”
“Can’t take what? the fact that you are still married to me and living with him?”

asked Bette
“Bette…u don’t understand why I am there with him…”
“You are damn right I don’t…I don’t understand why you cheated on me with him in

the first place….what the ***** did I do that was so bad that you had to *****

him…T? Why didn’t you just ***** him in our bed? *****, u did it in our

home….goddammit….” said Bette as she slung the proofs on the desk and turned

to look at Tina…
“How did you know that?” asked Tina through the tears…
“A little ***** birdy told me…”
“Look Bette…I love you very much and I want back what we had…”
“I don’t see it happening T….u are still there with him…and even if you weren’t…I

don’t know if I could ever trust u again…”
“Bette…you just don’t know why I am still there with him…so how can you judge

me for being there?”
“Ummmm…well…let’s see….For starters, you haven’t made any effort to try with

our relationship…you just left..you didn’t even fight for it….what do you

think that tells me..?..and second, you are still ***** him….”
“No..I am not Bette…”
“Oh christ..come on Tina…how ***** stupid do you think I am?”
“Bette…I am not sleeping with him…I am only there for 1 reason…well for 2

reasons…”
“Come on then…give me the reasons…I’m dying to hear this pile of horse

*****…” said Bette sarcastically.
“I am only there Bette…is because Eric has cancer…and he has noone to help

him…and the fact that you don’t want me anymore…”
“Ahhh…and you fell for that didn’t u? The whole I have cancer and I am dying..will you please stay so that i can ***** you?”
“Fell for what? Bette..have you no sympathy? He is dying…”
“For lack of a better word Tina…idiot…”
“What?” asked Tina
“You are a ***** idiot…when it comes to him…”
“Bette, he wouldn’t lie about something like that…”
“Tina…think….have you been to a dr’s appt with him yet? Is he taking chemo? Is

he on medications?”
“He has a doctor back home…that he sees…and he hasn’t started chemo yet….and

further more…I’ve seen some medications…”
“Yea..well..Tina…I don’t think Advil is considered a cancer drug….unless they

have come up with some new information that I don’t know about…” said Bette as she

turned back around…
“Don’t be such a *****…”
“Oh my god…I can’t believe you just said that….I have every ***** right to

be a *****…and it’s gonna get alot worse…” said Bette not turning around…
Tina didn’t say anything…she just left sobbing….
Bette turned as the door slammed…’*****..’……

Later that night, Bette went home and got ready for ‘Milk’…..upon arriving

there, she went to the dj’s booth with Kit…
“Hey, baby girl…how’s it going?”
“Not too bad I don’t guess…considering….”
“Come here Bette…this is my friend Martie…I want you two to meet…”
“Kit…I…” and before Bette could answer…Kit was already introducing them…”
Bette this is a friend of mine…Martie…and Martie, this is my sis…Bette..”
“How are you?” asked Martie as she extended her hand…
“Fine..” answered Bette as she extended her hand for the shake…”Just fine…”
“I was just about to go dance to Kit’s hittin hard music…would you like to join

me?” asked Martie…
“Oh…I can’t..” said Bette…
Kit grabbed Bette’s arm….and leaned to whisper into her ear…”It may take your

mind off of things…you deserve a good time…I’m not trying to set you two

up…she knows about you and Tina and she offered to help try to take your mind

off of things…”
“Kit…dammit…are you gonna tell everyone my business?”
“Just her…everyone else already knows that you aren’t taken anymore…just look

down there..” said Kit as she pointed to the crowd…”See…everyone is just

wanting to get their hands on my sis…they are all just foaming at the mouth..”

she said with a laugh..
Bette let out a laugh…”See..that’s what I want you to do…I haven’t seen that

in a while…so just go have fun…it will make you feel so much better…I

promise…” said Kit.
Bette looked at Martie….
Martie: Come on beautiful..let’s go dance for a while…” and she took Bette’s

hand leading her out of the dj booth, down the stairs and onto the dance floor…
After an hour of dancing, Bette was having such a good time…a slow song came

on….and Bette turned to walk off of the floor….
“And just where do you think you are going?” asked Martie as she grabbed Bette’s

arm…turned her around and pulled her into her arms…”I’m not done dancing

yet…”
“But, this is a slow song…”
“I know…and I like this one…” she said as she moved and Bette followed her

lead…she was getting a little cozy… Bette felt strange being in someone else’s

arms..even though it wasn’t her wife..actually, it felt really comfortable and

good to be held again..she laid her head on Martie’s shoulder..closed her eyes and

imagined being with Tina….even though she had hurt her so bad…you don’t just

fall out of love with someone over night…..as she was continually reminding

herself of her love for Tina…there was a tap on her shoulder..

tbc