It was the headache that greeted Bette first, Alice second. It hit her like a two-ton dino fossil filled with wet cement. A groan deep in pain escaped her and Bette opened her eyes and immediately closed them. She felt a warm damp cloth on her forehead, she felt a caress on her arm and Alices voice.
.there thereBette its going to be okyou just lost it thats all..ill take care of you right now..its ok..just sleep nowjust sleep
Bette was then hit with memory the reality of what happened the other night hit her harder than the glaring headachemoaning Bette curled up in a ball and started whimpering for Tina
.Tinao god Tina I need youTTbabyforgive meT
Alice managed to hold back her tears thought it was very hard, she has never ever ever ever seen Bette like she saw her last night or even like this. Bette was their pillar that held the gang together, they looked to her in leadership. And now their chosen rock lay curled up so exhausted she couldnt lift her head or open her eyes. It was morning now and the light shined on Bettes eyelidsthrough the black fog of her mind one word got through.work.Struggling to get up Bette weakly called out the word work and managed to sit up before Alice steadied her.
In the shower Bette regained most of her composuresense came back to her in chunksthe collected Bette began to take over. After drying herself off, she looked deep into the mirror, red smeared dark circles were the bags under her eyeseven though she slept a little Bette felt like falling down. Her head felt like a jellyfish. When she came out to the kitchen she suddenly felt ashamed, how she behaved was totally stupidand dangerouswhat if she hurt T or Alice? Bette sat at the table and decided not to bring it up, it made her cringe with feelings of inadequacy. Alice made her a nice chicken broth, Bette noticed she kept touching her collarbone and this made Bette feel more worthless.
After breakfast Bette had to get home, she had to get her briefcaseand decent clothes..she was late for workfuck how could she even think of work!!??
Saying goodbye to Alice was hard, Bette hugged her gently and whispered in her ear that she was sorry, feeling Alice squeeze her back she knew she was forgiventhough she didnt deserve it. The drive home was hardinstead of thinking about last nightor about TBette pushed them back deep inside, instead thinking about the work she was going to get done today.

Home was different matter
Upon entering Bette knew something was differentsomeone was here..and seeing the empty drawers and made bed Bette knew thatT was hereFrantically feeling control slip away Bette ran room to room opening drawers and shelves and seeing more and more things gone. The bathroom was last and Bette entered it with tears welling once againseeing Ts toothbrush cup empty Bette ran screaming out of the housethe bathroom was their most sacred place, even more than the bathroomthey were their most inhibited in the shower..licking the water off each others necks and now the most basic domestic sign that T lived thereher toothbrush was gone
Bette trashed the yards, uprooting plants and flowers kicking potted ones over and punching the fence till her knuckles were bloody
it was over between themthe love medicine they shard between the,,it was goneit cut Bette to the very nerve of her being..and in the middle of the road Bette screamed her lost to the sky.