Storm Watch 02.06 – This Cage

            Bette pushed opened the door of her house she and Tina‘s house the house that they’d chosen together.  The house that was now falling apart because of her lies.  The house was silent she immediately saw that there were pictures of Tina‘s family that were gone from their place. 

            A photo of them at the ceremony that they’d exchanged vows at was on the hard wood floor, the glass shattered into shards.  The photograph of them smiling, and holding one another, for what was supposed to be an eternity. 

            How short eternity had been?  Bette thought, not picking up the glass or the picture, she just stared at it for a long time.  She finally bent, letting the glass fall away, and she replaced the picture in its rightful place on the mantle. 

            She looked around, tears rushing forth again, and she wiped them away.  Tina had been here, she’d come and taken her things, but not much was gone.  Bette wondered if perhaps she didn’t want any remembrance of their time together at all. 

            She stopped at the kitchen counter, where she vividly remember Tina making her favorite pasta, and saw the wedding ring sitting there, solitary, and alone as if in a stark bold statement to Bette.  Here *****, I’m gone.

            Bette shook, her long fingers picking up the ring, it was well worn, but the shine had never gone from the gold band.  The luster had gone from their relationship, and that had been her own doing.  She took the chain that she was wearing off and slipped Tina‘s wedding band onto it, pressing it to her heart as she felt the hot stinging tears fall from her eyes again. 

            “I will make this up to you Tina, I swear to you in some way, I will.”  Bette vowed to the empty house, taking the ring and kissing it with her dry lips.  Making a silent oath to do whatever it took to get the woman she loved back; if she’d have her. 

            Bette walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower.  The Latino woman that Tina had been with was right she smelled of Candace, the sweet smell of freshly sawed wood.  Who was that woman that had gallantly defended Tina?  She was young, much younger than even Shane, barely out of high school Bette thought to herself as she held the ring close to her heart.