The air was suddenly very cold, or maybe Tina had just realized the temperature outside in what little material her dress offered for warmth. She breathed into her hands and looked back to the restaurant before focusing on Bette once again.

What would she do? What could she do?

She thought long and hard before walking back into the restaurant and sitting opposite her fiancé; looking up at him in a haunting way. He knew Tina well enough to know that something wasn’t right. “What?” he asked, and then smiled to try and lighten her obvious mood change. “Do I have something on my face?”

Tina rested both arms on the table and looked up to him. “I can’t do this.”

He paused for a moment, not quite comprehending. On some level, he could feel what she meant by the small phrase, but he didn’t want to understand it. He loved her. “We can leave if you really want …”

Then she leaned back into her chair, still keeping her eyes on him. She exhaled for so long that she thought her chest would sink into her stomach. She wanted to cry. And yet somehow, she was able to explain that she had feelings for someone else.

They got up and left the place to stand in the parking lot and talk, where he insisted he felt more comfortable. He didn’t want everyone to hear what she was insinuating.

“There just … it’s been complicated,” she insisted, unsure of how to word the confession she had been thinking over for so long. “Even at work …”

“House?” he asked incredulously, reading in her expression just how ludicrous it would seem. “House?! You’re leaving me for that fucking nutcase? Why? What the hell is this about, Tina?”

Tina dropped her head. She knew he wouldn’t take this well – that he would probably freak out to an even greater extent, but she knew she would never forgive herself if she didn’t admit that confession. She breathed some courage into herself and lifted her head again. “She kissed me at work.”

His jaw dropped. “You … kissed her?” He looked disgusted. “I fucking trusted you.”

Before she could explain, he slapped her across the face. It wasn’t hard, but her cheek tingled. She didn’t cover the sting with her hand, she just kept her face turned, disappointed as well. She never thought he would have acted that way.