“Hey you.”  Bette’s words were hushed; the volume control imposed on library patrons was apparently in effect.  “Are you okay?  Do you want me to call the nurse?”

Tina looked up from where she rested playing with the fringes of the thin yet soft blanket that covered her.  She too was quiet though for a different reason.  “Mmm…Baby?”

The brunette’s eyebrows twitched.  There was a surprise on her face that couldn’t be contained.

“I had the strangest…” The voice of the recently incapacitated woman cracked as she disclosed timidly, “I’m a little hoarse.”

Bette cleared her own throat.  “Let me get you some water.”

Reaching up with a cool hand, Tina rubbed the fatigue from her eyes.  It was then she felt something wasn’t right.  It was then she noticed her finger was bare.  Inquisitively, her focus landed on her companion’s hand.  As Bette raised the beige plastic reservoir she saw it mirrored her own.  The absent gleam from the gold band that adorned Bette’s hand brought all thoughts to a rough halt.

Their rings, hers and Bette’s were missing.

At that moment, images inundated her mind.  Her breath caught.  Pictures that projected against her lids almost forcibly influenced Tina to push her head back into the pillow.  She shook her head but the action failed to dislodge the rush of memories. 

She heard Bette’s dulcet voice in the background, “called me…so worried…Angie’s with Shane…”

Tina couldn’t focus on what she was saying.  The momentary comfort in finding the one she believed was her partner when she awoke was inexorably obliterated.  Instead, her mind replayed the forgettable series of portraits that had been her reality.  Their reality. 

Four names swam in her head.  Linked to herself and Bette.  All these individuals had inserted more distance between them.  A constriction started around her heart to the point she thought she would again lose consciousness.

It was coming back to her.  Feeling faint.  Feeling the darkness invade then overcome her senses.  But a voice called the blonde back.  Catching her before she fell again.

“Tina.  T…are you okay?”  The brown eyes that looked upon her were anxious. 

“No…yes,” the blonde forced out, “I’m fine.  Just a little disoriented.”

Now she understood the earlier quizzical look from Bette.  When she called her by the endearment she thought was still their present.