Chapter 8

It’s been a month since the elementary school mission. Bette and her team have been ordered to see a psychiatrist to help deal with the loss of the young boy. Although Bette has been seeing the doctor every other day she also had her way of dealing with it. She visited the grave of Bret Johnson. She visited his mother a few days after. She didn’t know how this would help her but she wanted to know a little about him. His likes, dislikes, what he wanted to be when he grew up. She found out that his favourite singer of all time was Michael Jackson. Everyday when she visited him she would sit with her portable cd player and play ‘Gone Too Soon’ by Michael Jackson. Today was no different than the rest. She had an early appointment with the psychiatrist, and after that she went to his grave. Today she bought him a little present. It was young potted plant. She put on the song like she always did and talked with him for a while. She took the young tree and just outside the fence of the cemetery she planted the tree. “Bret, this tree represents your life. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you and that your life ended so suddenly. I’ll take care of it until it can strive on its own.”

Bette left the cemetery feeling better than she had in weeks. She had a day off and decided to spend it with Tina if she would have her. During her phase of dealing, Bette wasn’t the best company. Her moods were erratic. She tried putting on a happy face to avert any questions as to why she was so reserved and withdrawn. Then like a switch, she would go into a state of depression and shut everyone out. Tina had it the hardest. She never knew which Bette she would get at any given time. There were times when she tried to get close to Bette and for a moment she thought that she had finally broken down the wall she built around. They would spend evenings talking and enjoying the warmth of each others’ embrace, and other times Bette shut her out so tight and pushed her so far away that she actually had doubts of a future with her.