Tina’s expression stilled.  She sucked in a lungful of air as her hazel eyes became slits.  Seconds ticked progressively, her intent look unremitting.

The one who sat opposite, closer to the shelf that still housed a picture of a happy couple in their very images had the inner edges of her eyebrows raised above worried eyes.  Bette’s mouth opened slightly but didn’t have occasion to say anything – interrupted by her former lover’s biting words.

“You said you needed me.”

She gasped desperately. “That I was the love…”

“So what were you trying to do?”  Tina accused hastily, “Win me back just to prove you could?" 

“To have what you had?”  Her voice lost vigor, the meaning of the allegations disheartening.  “You didn’t even love me but claimed you wanted me back.”

A sneer, a gurgle of disbelief was emitted, full of uncomfortable disdain. “Damn it Bette!”  Turning her head, she looked everywhere but at the woman before her. 

She didn’t heed notice to Bette’s dissent of ‘Tina, no.’ 

“Was she better?  Was she a better lover?" the blonde muttered quietly.

"How long?  For how many weeks if not months were you fooling me into believing you still loved me? That we were still together?  Why didn’t you just leave?  You loved her.  Admit it."  Tina shook her head motioning her further disapproval, "Don’t lie.  You wanted her and not me.  You loved her didn’t you?”

“And…” Tina finished, her voice breaking, “you didn’t love me anymore.” 

Just then she felt it a mistake to try and make sense of it all. That today was another lapse in the series that defined their present.  Especially now, burying the matter to an unreachable depth never sounded more appealing.  The hurt was simply, paralyzing.

“No,” Bette denied categorically attempting to quiet the serious charges. 

Taking a turn, she shook her head firmly while hands clutched the armrests vigorously.  Knuckles were white and prominent, so much so it was impossible to dispute the tension within as she appeared to want rise from the seated position to approach her companion.  Held back only by the knowledge it would trigger more inflammatory reaction than good.

A heated response interjected, “But you just said…” an incensed Tina looked across from where she sat.