Bette woke up and rubbed her eyes. Her face felt tight from all the crying. She still wore the clothes that she had had on the night before, except that they were now much more crumpled. Her joints ached as a result of choosing to sleep on the sofa. She just couldn’t face sleeping in the bed without Tina, knowing there was a possibility they’d never share it again. She needed to wake up properly and figure out her next move.

After a shower and a change of clothes she arranged to meet Alice for a much needed coffee. She explained the whole story and turned to Alice for advice.

“So what do I do, Al?”

“What she said was right. You do need to figure out your priorities”

“She’s my priority. She means more to me than anything else in the world. Nothing comes before Tina”

“She’s the one who needs to hear it, Bette”

“I know, but I have no idea where she is”

“Why didn’t you tell her last night?” Alice asked.

“I don’t know…it just got so heated…I’m an idiot, Al”

“At last you’re talking sense” Alice ignored the glare from Bette.

“I can’t lose her. Not now” Bette seemed panicky.

“Then fight for her. Talking to me isn’t going to change anything”

“You’re right” Bette stood up.

“I always am” Alice grinned smugly.

Bette gave Alice a peck on the cheek and headed out for her car. Seeing as she had no idea where Tina was, she’d have to fight for her another way. There was only one person she could go to.

“Robert, I’m sorry to turn up like this” Bette stood on the porch of Tina’s parents’ house.

“Bette, come in” Robert led the way to the lounge “I was hoping you’d come by”

“Really?”

“I spoke to Tina”

“Oh” Bette’s face fell “then you probably hate me too”

“I don’t hate you Bette. And Tina most certainly doesn’t either” Robert soothed.

“Where is she?”

“I can’t tell you that. I have to respect her wishes. I’m not taking sides, and if there’s anything you want kept confidential then that’s fine by me. Tina will contact you when she’s ready”

“I can’t live without her, Robert. I love her too much”

“I know you do. And I’m pretty sure that deep down Tina knows it too. But you haven’t been showing her it much lately”

“I tried to tell her…” Bette started.

“Words, Bette.” Robert interrupted “They’re all well and good, but sometimes they’re not enough. If Tina is to come back to you she needs to see that you mean what you say. That she’s more important to you than your job”

“How can I do that?”

“I can’t help you with everything. You have to do what feels right to you. If I tell you what to do, it’ll all fall apart one day”

“I guess” Bette conceded.

“Love involves compromise, Bette. Tina must accept that your work is important to you, and you in turn must accept that she needs you to spend more time with her”

“I can do that”

“Then prove it. Not to me, but to her”

“I…I can cut down my hours and responsibilities. But how will she know?”

“Oh, she’ll know” Robert winked.

“Thank you” Bette stood up to leave.

“And one other thing I know about love” Robert too stood up.

“What’s that?”

“It always works out in the end”