Chapter 11

This was her second week in Rome
and she had visited the famous Roman
Coliseum, and spent some time at the Capitoline Museum as well as, did some site seeing at the
pantheon, and even stopped at the trevi fountain. It had been a
great two weeks but still it would have been even better if she had a
companion.

For years now Bette had tried to
fill her life with things she enjoyed to take away the loneliness that she
constantly felt inside. Most of the time these distractions worked well for her
but as of late she was finding it more difficult to keep the emptiness inside
of her at bay.

She had learned from self
experience long ago that one night stands or the occasional fling only made it
worse so for her own self preservation she had given up having meaningless
interludes.

There was once a period in her life
where the emotions of loneliness and emptiness had became so over whelming that
she had tried to commit suicide. It was a nameless twink she had picked up at a
bar the night before that saved her life. Well actually it had been the in
hospital treatment that had saved her life. For a few months it had been touch
and go. With no family to speak of left she had worked very hard to stand
strong and tall again. It was not one of her prouder moments in her life in
fact, she had never shared this with anyone but her wrists still carried the
scars from her attempt to stop the pain she felt inside. Now she always made
sure she wore some type of jewelry on both wrists only taking it off in the
privacy of her home when she was alone.

From her therapist she had learned
how to shut off the negative thoughts and refocus her attention on more
pleasurable things. How had she put it get up, get going, and get out of your
head. It may have not been the most profound advice from a highly paid
professional but for Bette it worked and that’s all that mattered because she
was still standing tall.

Funny how life sometimes came full
circle after all these years Angie had come back into her life if only for a
short time. True she didn’t know who Bette was other than a friendly face in a
sea of strangers on this new journey she had began in this phase of her life,
But it didn’t matter Bette was just happy to have been given this time to share
with her.

The last three weeks of R and R had
rejuvenated her soul and now she was ready to go back to work with a fresh out
look. As her plane touched down she looked forward to home and its familiar
comforts.

Later that evening as she slipped
in to bed relaxed from her hot shower and clean sheets she peacefully drifted
off to sleep surrounded in the warmth of self love and appreciation of the life
she had created for herself.