Bette’s Loss and Gain (Part Four)

Ash had accepted an invitation for he and Bette to attend a friend’s Halloween party a couple of weeks later.  The thought of dressing up and getting wasted at a college party didn’t appeal to Bette at all and she saw this latest event as another in what was becoming a long list of obligatory couple occasions she wanted no part of.  Since she had chosen to put virtually no effort into finding a costume, they had decided to go as Miami detectives, choosing sunny pastels from their closets.  That night, Ash came over dressed in a white sports jacket and slacks and an aqua button down shirt. The sleeves of his jacket and shirt were pushed up to just below his elbows.  He had a pair of sunglasses setting atop his head and thick soled sandals on his feet.  He looked out of place in New England, but he was true to his character.  Bette was in bed and she didn’t look well at all.  She explained that she simply wasn’t up to going to a party, that she was coming down with something, but it would be fun.  She felt bad enough and would feel even worse if he didn’t go, so she pleaded with him to have a good time with their friends.  Reluctantly, Ash left, but promised to stop by on his way home.  Again, she told him that she’d just be asleep and didn’t want to put him out.

“I love you, Bette.”

“I love you, too, Ash.  Have fun for me, okay?  You look like Don Johnson. You’ll be a big hit.” She sniffled and did her best to give him a smile.

When he bent to kiss her, she turned so all he got was cheek and muttered, “I don’t want you to get sick.”

Bette lay underneath the covers for a few minutes before picking up the newspaper on the floor beside the bed.  She sat up and scanned the pages, then swung her legs around so that she was seated on edge of her bed.  Bette took a deep breath and walked to her desk and picked up the phone and dialed.

Two rings later, Gail picked up.  “Hullo.”