“Bette, I did it because I loved you. I loved you then and I love you now. Even through all of it, I knew beyond a doubt that you still loved me. You see there is this crazy thing called the Bette Porter Phenomenon……if you are fortunate enough to have experienced it, you can’t help but get caught up in the intensity of it. It is all consuming, like a drug you just can’t get enough of. I was very fortunate in my life to have experienced it. You are an amazing woman Bette Porter.”

“Yeah, I’m so amazing that I drove the best thing that ever happened to me right out of my life.”

Tina saw the hurt and pain reflected in Bette’s eyes. She knew she needed to make Bette see that it had not been all her fault…..but how could she get through to her?

“Bette,”

Unable to look Tina in the eye, Bette continued to stare down at her hands. Tina reached over and took hold of both of Bette’s hands. Gently caressing them, she encouraged Bette to look at her.

“Look at me. Please.”

Hearing the softness and the sincerity in Tina’s voice, Bette slowly lifted her head and saw the love radiating from Tina’s eyes.

“I think if we are both honest with each other Bette, that we will see that we both played a part in the demise of our relationship. Please do not feel that you should carry more of the burden than I. We both did it Bette.”

Bette just stared into the dark brown eyes of the woman she had loved like no other. After what seemed like a long pause, she asked

“T, can I ask why you are not dating?”

Tina smiled at the one true love of her life. She would be honest in her reply “I told you Bette, none of them were you. If I couldn’t have you, I wasn’t prepared to settle for second best. So I chose to be alone.”

Bette pondered on that declaration. Deciding to continue to be honest with Tina, she then decided to take a giant step forward.

“Tina, I have to be honest with you. Since you told me this morning that you still loved me, I have been unable to think of anything else. I can’t stop thinking about you, and I was wondering if you would be willing……..that is would you consider dating me again?”