Bette and Tina had fallen asleep in each other’s arms and woke up the same way. By twelve they were dressed showered and headed out the door to breakfast. The two sat across from each other both sipping coffee quietly.

Tina: I really hate to do thisI mean I don’t want to ruin a good thing but what is going on with us?

Bette took a quick glimpse round the room to make sure no one she knew was in the restaurant.

Bette: I don’t know T. I laid my cards on the table already. I can only offer you a piece of me, not the whole package.

Tina closed her eyes and thought to herself. She didn’t want the whole package, just one very important piece..her heart.

Bette: T?

Tina: Yeah?

Bette: You said you could handle that.

Tina: I can

Bette: Tina

Tina: I hope I can.

Bette gave an exasperated sigh.

Bette: Tell me what you want me to do Tina? Give all of this up. Throw away this lifestyle, my career, my friends all of it?

Tina: No.

Bette: Then what?

Tina; Nothing. Nevermind Bette.

Bette reached under the table and rubbed Tina’s leg.

Bette: I shared something with you last night that I had never shared before.

Bette’s voice was barely above a whisper.

Tina’s eyebrows arched in confusion.

Bette: Passion, lust, want. I have never ever shared those things. I’m so glad it happened with you. I want to spend endless nights with you the way we did last night.

Tina: So do I.

Bette: well unfortunately in this relationship there are some outstanding circumstances and some fine print. We just have to be creative and work around them.

Tina moved her knee from Bette’s hand.

Tina: Like how?? Pretend I’m your cousin? No wait, a really good friend from school. Oryour long lost sister. Then not only will the public have no idea but lifetime will make it into a movie of the week. Broadway Star and the long lost sister she has ***** with!

With that Tina’s voice got louder and people were starting to look.

Bette: T, please. Shh.

Tina realized she may have stepped out of line.

Tina: Ok, I’m sorry. It’s just all of this is so sudden, so new and so ***** scary.

Bette: I know.

Tina: I will try. I promise I will try.

Bette shot Tina a defeated look and continued picking at the ripe mango on her plate.

Without warning a sharp piercing ring came screaming through Tina’s pocket book.

Tina: ***** my phone. I’m sorry.

Tina grabbed the phone out of her bag and pressed it to her hear.

Tina: Hello?

Alex: Girl, let me tell you what happened to me last night

Tina: Alex, I’m sorry now isn’t a good time.

Alex whispered to match the volume of Tina’s voice.

Alex: Oh that’s right. What happened last night? Did you meet her?


Tina: I have to go. And why are YOU whispering?

Alex: I don’t know. Come onjust tell meyes or no and then I’ll let you go.

Tina pressed her hand to the mouth of phone.

Tina: Can you excuse me for just one-second babe?

Bette: Sure go ahead. Tell him I say hello.

Tina: I will. Be right back.

Tina walked swiftly out of the restaurant toward the street.

Tina: hey, sorry.

Alex: Tell me you are out with her right now?

Tina smiled.

Tina: I am out with her right now.

Alex: details!! Lot’s of them!

Tina: Sweetie seeing as how you are a ***** man, do you really want ALL the details?

Alex: Good call. Just the one’s that are necessary.

Tina: I’ll share them later but first I have a question for you.

Alex: I’m listening.

Tina: Is it worth it?

Alex: what?

Tina: Love is it worth everything everyone says it is?

Alex: Baby is she still asking you to stay hidden?

Tina: She isn’t asking me, she’s telling me.

Alex took a deep breath.

Alex: Love is worth almost everything. There is only one thing that love doesn’t make up for.

Tina: and that is

Alex: It isn’t worth compromising your own happiness and identity.

Tina:Yeah, I figured that much.

Alex: What are you two doing tonight?

Tina: She has a show at 3 and then an autograph signing at 6. Why?

Alex: I thought maybe the three of us could get together. Grab a drink. This way I can get a better feel of what’s going on.

Tina: 3 of us? Where’s James?

Alex: He has to work AGAIN.

Tina: Sometimes I think you are just using me because you’re lonely.

Alex gasped in his best melodramatic manner.

Alex: NEVER!

Tina: Uh huh! I’ll ask her, but if not, maybe you and I could just go.

Alex: Sounds like a plan.

Tina: OK so I’ll call you later then.

Alex: Just one more thingwas the ***** any good?

Tina giggled.

Alex: Come onwas it??

Tina: it was incredible.

Alex: I knew it!!

Tina: Both times!

Alex: WHAT?!?! TWICE?!?!

Tina: I’ll call later.

With that Tina hung up the phone and headed inside.

Bette’s smile shone bright from across the room as she spotted Tina enter the restaurant.

Bette: Hey.

Tina: Hi. It was just Alex. He wanted to know if you would like to join us for drinks tonight after the signing.

Bette looked down at her empty plate and Tina knew the answer.

Bette: Some of my old friends from Yale are coming to the show tonight and I’m going out to dinner with them. One of them is actually the producer’s son. I had no idea they were related.

Tina: Oh, ok.

Tina hoped Bette wouldn’t be able to read the disappointment that ran along her face.

Bette: I’m sorry.

Tina: No it’s fine. Go. Have fun.

Bette: Maybe after dinner you can stop by.

Tina: Yeah, maybe.

Bette: I’m off tomorrow you know!

She gave Tina a seductive glare.

Tina: I’m not.

Bette: Oh yeah. Sorry. Well still, you can come over.

Bette leaned across the table to whisper in Tina’s ear.

Bette: I’ll make sure you’re in bed at a decent hour.

Tina: That offer is sounding more appealing every second.

Tina sat back and admired the beauty in front of her. All she needs is time. She needs to see that we can take care of each other. She can have her career and me. It’ll just take some time. Tina wasn’t sure who that little pep talk was really for.

Tina: It’s gotta get better, it can’t get any worse.

Tina whispered under her breath.


Bette: What?

Tina: Oh nothing.

Tina flashed Bette a smile that could have fooled a thief.

It was almost 2 and Bette had to get going to work. The two stood and exited the restaurant. Tina try desperately to relax and Bette feeling the pangs of guilt surging through her sore body.

Tina offered to walk Bette to the stage door on 47th and Bette accepted. When they got there no one was prepared for the awkwardness that came next.

Bette: So okI guess I’ll call you later.

Tina: Yup, that would be good.

Bette leaned in to hug Tina and Tina turned her head to kiss Bette on the cheek. Bette turned away from Tina’s lips so quickly that they bumped foreheads.

Bette: Ow, *****.

Tina was rubbing her head.

Tina: Sorry. I never thought a goodbye could be that PHYSICALLY painful.

Bette’s mouth turned up in a simple innocent grin.

She turned her head quickly and made sure no one was watching. When the coast was clear she leaned into Tina’s ear and whispered.

Bette: We are going to be just fine.

It wasn’t the kiss goodbye she hoped for but she realized this relationship would take baby steps.

Tina: I know.

Tina was feeling more confident when she walked away from the theatre. If Bette was willing to work hard to make this relationship real that Tina owed Bette to do the same.
Tina grabbed her phone and dialed Alex’s number.

Alex: House of hot and *****, how may I service you?

Tina: You are soo disgusting!!

Alex: You love every second of it.

Tina nodded and gave in.

Tina: I do!

Alex: So are we all on for dinner and drinks?

Tina: Two of us are?

Tina could hear the frown in Alex’s voice.

Alex: She bailed?

Tina: She has to have dinner with some old college friends that are in town to see the show. One of them is the producer’s son.

Alex really liked Bette, as an actress. He admired her ability to make anyone believe anything. But as a person, Alex was nervous. He didn’t trust the beauty as far as he could throw her. Most of all he didn’t want to see Tina get hurt. While Tina was in New York, Alex made it his mission to make sure she was safe and happy.

Alex: Ok, well maybe we can just stop by the autograph signing and say hi. Besides I really want the new CD autographed.

Tina: I didn’t realize you were such a big fan.

Alex: I’m not but those things autographed sell on E – Bay for like $400!

Tina: If I were standing next to you I would have slapped you.

Alex smirked.

Alex: Hit me like you love me!

Tina: Gross!

Alex: Ok so you and I will meet around 5:30 then?

Tina: Sounds good to me.

Alex: Ok, I’ll call you later.

Tina hung up the phone and lifted her face to feel the suns heat. It would be ok. She knew it would. Well, she hoped it would.

Alex looked down at his phone. How could he possibly be the one to tell Tina that Bette was no good for her? How could he express that someone like Bette could crush her soul? He couldn’t. All he could do was make sure he was there for Tina when it all came crashing downwhich inevitably, it would. When it came to people like Bette, it always did!