Kit: Tina, dont be so hard on yourself. I know how Bette can be and I know that it wasnt always a picnic to live with her. You are still reeling from everything you heard her say today. You need to give yourself some time and sort out how you really feel.


Tina: Kit, I dont have time to figure out how I feel right now. I need to figure out where Bette is.

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Tina sits, trying to think of something that will help her find Bette. She then remembers the stack of mail. Maybe there is something in it that can help. She goes, gathers it all up and takes it to the dining room table to begin to sort through it. Kit looks over at her.


Kit: Would you like some help with that?

Tina: No, Kit. I can do it. I just thought there might be something here that could help.

Tina eliminates the junk mail, then goes back to the tedious task of sorting through the remaining letters. She doesnt put much thought process into it, she instead just begins opening things one piece at a time. First thing she opens is an electric bill. She looks for the due date only to realize that it has a credit balance. Thats odd she thought to herself. She opened the next piece. It was a statement showing their investments that Bette had closed out. She kept going. She came across some of the transactions showing the sale of some art pieces. She sifted through more bills, all surprisingly having been paid ahead. Bettes departure had not been a spur of the moment decision. She had obviously spent a great deal of time thinking things through, planning things out.

She came across a letter from their insurance company. As she opened it she was surprised to find a check. She begins to read the letter only to discover that Bette had been in an accident and this was the settlement check. She couldnt believe that Bette had been in an accident and she had never known about it. And from the size of the check it had not been just a little fender bender. How could she not have known? Was Bette okay, had she been hurt? So many questions ran through her mind. As she looks through the attached paperwork she sees the date of the accident. Why did that date stand out to her? She reaches into her purse and pulls out her palm pilot, looking back to the date. Oh my God, she thinks to herself. That was the day of the initial attorneys meeting. She remembers Bette getting on her knees pleading with her not to do this. She remembers the tears in Bettes eyes. How could she have failed to see that Bette was in just as much pain as she was. Tina begins to cry and Kit goes over to her and wraps her arm around her.

Tina: Kit did you know that she had been in an accident?

Kit: Yeah, Tina I did. Tina: How come you never said anything.

Kit: Bette asked me not to.

Tina: Was she hurt? How bad was it?

Kit: Lets put it this way. She wasnt hurt in the accident. But she was hurting. It happened right after she left your attorneys office. She had been so upset over the fact that you were wanting a legal separation that she wasnt thinking clearly. She ran through a red light and plowed into another vehicle. No one was hurt, but her car sustained considerable damage. The thing that got me the most was that she could have cared less about her car. Can you believe that? She completely totaled the front end of her Saab, the car she babied so much, and she could have cared less. All she was worried about was the legal action you were taking. I knew right then that this was going to be one heart wrenching, long haul for Bette.

Tina: I never knew. I wished she had told me. Maybe it would have helped me get past some of the anger and doubts I was feeling. I know I put up a wall to protect myself. But at the time, I just didnt trust her. I didnt know what her motives were, whether she really loved me, whether she missed having someone wait on her hand and foot or whether she just didnt want to be alone. I didnt really give her a chance to explain her actions. Once again we were at complete opposite ends of the spectrum. Tell me something Kit.

Kit: Whats that Baby Girl.

Tina: Tell me about the conversation you had with Bette regarding the daddy blues that she eluded to on the video. When was it? What did you talk about?

Kit: Remember the night that I was supposed to meet David and I asked Bette to go with me because I was nervous?

Tina: yeah, I remember.

Kit: Well, while we were sitting at the bar waiting, we talked about your relationship. I told her how lucky she was to have you. I told her how I thought that you two had a marriage like God chose you two to find each other and that was a love that you never wanted to let go. She seemed a little distracted and mentioned that she had a lot of things on her mind. I told her that it was the daddy blues. You know, worrying about all the responsibilities, the financial responsibilities, the I cant take any more risks responsibilities because she had two other lives totally dependent on her keeping everything together.

Tina got a little defensive.

Tina: God Kit, you laid all that on her. No wonder her mind was working overtime. You know how Bette is. That is a lot for her to process all at once.

Kit: Tina, I didnt tell her anything that she wasnt already feeling. The thoughts were already there. I could see it in her eyes. I was just trying to get her to open up and talk about it in hopes to get her to see that it would all work out okay and that every parent that is the sole provider has those fears at one time or another.

Tina: Im sorry Kit. I didnt mean to jump down your throat. Its just that I cant believe I never had a clue that all this was traipsing around in her head. If she would have just talked to me we could have worked through the fears together.

Kit: Tina, you know Bette has to process things in her own time and her time schedule is nothing like yours and mine. She has to process the tiniest little detail, sometimes it can take her forever.

Tina knows Kit is right. She continues to go through the mail. She opens a letter from the CAC. It is from the Board of Directors, they just say that she will be missed during her leave of absence and that they eagerly await her return. A leave of absence. She couldnt believe that Bette would take a leave of absence. She turns to Kit.

Tina: Kit, did you know she was taking a leave of absence from the CAC?

Kit: God, no Tina. She never said anything about that to me. Does it say for how long?

Tina: No, but I know someone who can tell me.

Tina picks up the phone and dials James.

James: Hello

Tina: James is that you.

James: Yeah, who is this?

Tina: James, its Tina. I need to know what you know about Bette. I understand she has taken a leave of absence. I really need to find her, it is very important that I find her. I need any information you can give me.

James: Wow, Tina. I really dont know what to tell you. She kind of shocked everyone when she requested the leave and she wasnt really sure on how long she would be gone or even if she would return. I know the Board wants to believe she will be back, well most of the board, that is.

That is not the information Tina wanted to hear. Once again Bette was being evasive. Being careful not to allow anyone to know more than she wanted them to know.

Tina: James, did she say anything to you before she left? Anything that would give you an idea of where she might have went?

James: Im sorry Tina. She was very vague about the whole thing.

Tina: Well, thanks James. Do me a favor, and if you hear anything give me a call and let me know.

James: Of course Tina. Im sorry I cant be of any more help. Tina hangs up from James and looks at Kit.

Tina: God, Kit. I cant believe this is happening. That job meant the world to her and James said the Board wasnt even sure if she was coming back. This just keeps getting worse and worse.