Bette awakes groggily. She looks at the alarm clock on the nightstand. She cannot make out the time. “What does it matter, anyway,” she says to herself. She sits up and looks around. Her head is pounding and her vision is blurred. She holds her head in her hands. “Damn I drank a lot last night’ she thought to herself, ‘and I still woke up today.’ She stumbles to the minibar to take a look inside. “Not much left there.” She calls down to have the bar restocked. As she waits for the concierge to pick up, she rummages through her bag, hoping to find some aspirin. Bette pulls out a bottle of pills. Looking at them, she remembers that Alice gave them to her for safekeeping. ‘Just in case things get to be too much for me, you can keep me from doing something drastic, Porter.’ Bette closes her eyes. She clutches the bottle of pills, holding them against her forehead.


“Just in case things get to be too much for me.”

——

Tina paced Kit’s office nervously. She had never thought that she would be calling Peggy Peabody for anything in her life. But Helena gave her the number, and now she was trying to track the grand dame down. “Yes, please tell Mrs. Peabody that Tina Kennard is trying to reach her regarding Bette Porter. Yes it is of the utmost importance that I speak with Mrs. Peabody as soon as possible. Yes, it is an emergency. Thank you.” Tina closed her cell phone and closed her eyes. Peggy had to be able to help. It was their one chance to find Bette. If anyone could figure out where Bette went, it was Peggy.


As Tina walked back out to get Angelica, she stopped short, watching Kit and Alice cooing over her adorable daughter. She thinks to herself, ‘This is Angelica’s family. I can’t cut them out of her life. They’re all that she knows. The girls, Angus, and her Mama B.’ She walks up to the women. “I left several messages for Peggy Peabody. Hopefully she will return my call soon.”


Alice hands Angelica over to her mother. “God, I can’t take much more of this,” she sighs. She reaches in her bag. “What are you looking for?” Kit asks. “The doctor gave me some medication for my nerves before we went to Canada. I think I could use…” Alice rummages through her bag then stops short.


“What’s wrong, Alice?” Tina asks. “You leave them at home?”


“No…” Alice starts to look panicked and rambles through her bag. “Oh shit…”


“Alice what is wrong?” Kit reiterates.


“Fuck, I just remembered. I gave the pills to Bette to keep for me. I was feeling really down about Dana and I didn’t want to do anything stupid at the wedding. Oh God, I gave them to BETTE!”


Kit and Tina stare blankly at Alice. Tina’s cell phone rings. She looks at it and quickly hands Angelica to Kit. “Hello? Mrs. Peabody? Uh, Peggy? This is Tina Kennard. Yes, that Tina. Look, I was calling to ask a favor. Have you heard from Bette? Well, I just wondered. She did not return home after our trip to Canada and we are somewhat worried about her. She was very upset when her sister last saw her. What? Well, yes, I am worried about her despite the state of our relationship.” Tina rolls her eyes. “Peggy, I was wondering if there is anyway to figure out where Bette is. We know that she had a rental car. She may have driven or flown out of Whistler. What? Well, yes, you can call her sister Kit, or you can call me with any information. Thank you so much Peggy, we will await your call. What? Yes, I will give your assistant Kit’s number. Thanks again.” Tina closes her cell. Her thoughts return to Alice’s discovery. Bette wouldn’t really hurt herself, would she? Would she?


——

Bette opens her eyes again. She can’t tell if it is light or dark outside. She looks around the room and sees her pictures on the desk. She stumbles out of bed and sits to look at the pictures. Her family. ‘Maybe I don’t deserve to have a family,’ Bette thinks. ‘They don’t belong to me anymore.’ Bette sits up and looks away, staring into space. A single tear falls down her cheek. She looks down and gently touches the pictures.

——

Back at Henry’s house, Tina stares out of the window, worrying about Bette. She wonders what Bette is doing right now. Is she doing anything? Is she okay? ‘What if she isn’t okay?’ Tina wonders. ‘What is something is really wrong?’ Tina turns and walks across the room. She looks in on Angelica who is sleeping fitfully. She sighs and walks back to the window. “God Bette, what have we done to each other?” Tina says quietly. She thinks about her last conversation with Bette. Touching the window, she holds back tears and whispers “What have I done?”


Henry walks in and sees Tina looking out. She takes a deep breath and tries to look unaffected.


“Hey, where’s Angelica?”


“She’s sleeping. She has been really restless all day.”


Henry crosses the room and puts his arms around her. He nuzzles her neck. “You look like you need some TLC yourself.” He begins kissing her neck, then turns Tina around.


“Henry…” Tina starts.


“Shhh… Relax. I’ll take your mind off of everything.” Henry leans in and kisses Tina. She tries to pull away.



“Henry, I don’t..” Henry stops Tina by kissing her again, this time more roughly. “Don’t worry Tina, I’ll make you forget all of your troubles.” He begins to grope her crudely.


Tina tries to pull away, but Henry holds her tightly. He breaks the kiss and begins to kiss her neck and grab at her breasts.


“Henry, stop. HENRY!!! No! STOP IT!!!”


Henry stops and looks at Tina. “What?”


“I can’t do this.” Tina looks at Henry as if it is the first time she is seeing him. “I can’t do this.” She puts her hands up as if she is trying to block him.


“What is wrong with you?


“I said that I can’t do this.” Tina runs her hands through her hair.


“Okay, okay. Sorry. I thought that I could make you feel better.” Henry shakes his head. “If you’re not in the mood…”


“I can’t.” Tina repeats.


“Jesus, Tina I heard you.”


“I mean I can’t do this. I can’t do this anymore.”


“What do you mean?” Henry blinks and tilts his head. “What the fuck are you talking about Tina? You don’t want to make love right now? I heard you.”


Tears begin to run down Tina’s face. “I’m so sorry, Henry. I never meant for things to go this far. I honestly don’t know what the hell I meant. But I know that I can’t be here anymore. I care about you, and Mikey. I really do. But I am still in love with Bette. I never stopped loving her, and I never will stop loving her. I don’t know how I let my life get so far out of control. But it is WAY out of control and it has to stop. It has to stop now. I’m sorry Henry. I don’t belong here. You deserve someone who can truly love you.” Tina starts towards the bedroom. She stops and puts her hand on the door jamb. “Angelica and I will go now. I’ll take care of our things later.” Tina continues into the bedroom to collect her daughter.


Tina brings a sleepy Angelica out into the living room and puts her coat on. Henry continues to stand in the middle of the room, somewhat stunned. Tina looks over at him. “I am really sorry, Henry.”


Henry looks at Tina and sighs. “I’m not totally surprised, Tina. I guess I knew that you could not completely let her go.” He walks to the bedroom door. Looking over his shoulder, Henry says, “Goodbye, Tina.” He walks through the doorway and closes the door.


Tina’s cell phone rings. She looks at the caller ID answers the phone.


“Hello, Kit?”


Kit answers on the other end. “Tina, Peggy Peabody called me. She said that she has some information about Bette and will have it delivered to me in an hour. I thought that you would want to know.”


“Kit, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Tina hangs up and picks up Angelica. “Angel, we have to go back out. How about I call your Uncle Angus for you? Maybe he can meet us and you two can go to the park.” Angelica looks intently at Tina. “Ma Be go park?.”


“Sweetie, your Mama B isn’t here right now.” Angelica begins to frown and starts to cry. Tina consoles her daughter and grabs her things. “Baby, I’m going to do all that I can to get your Mama B back to you. To us.”