Bette sat in the chair facing Tina. ‘She wanted to hold Tina’s hand but was afraid she would reject it. “Tina I did ask Helena to give you a job, but it’s nothing like Kelly makes it sound. I never wanted you to find out about it.

Tina’s chin jutted out belligerently. “Well, now I do .And I don’t know who’s been disgraced the most, you for so shamelessly throwing your weight around, or me for unwittingly letting you get away with it.”

“All I did was ask Helena to give you a job Tina, you did the rest by yourself. After that night at the reception party, I couldn’t get you off my mind. Shane told me that Steven Kennard was your dad but you wanted nothing to do with his company. I already knew that you and Helena were friends and you had applied for a job with her. I also knew that Helena was in no position to hire you….” Bette paused, she knew Tina would probable hate her for what she was about to reveal.

“What did you do Bette?” Tina whispered.

“Can we not do this, please….?”

“W-h-a-t did you do Bette?” Tina knew she wasn’t going to like the answer, but she had to know.

“I ___, I___” Bette was choking up. “I blackmailed her into giving you the job”

“You did what?” Tina shook her head furiously. “Oh my God. Did you think that getting me a job would get me into your bed? What did you have on her? Never mind, I don’t think I want to know"

“Stop it dammit,” Bette shook her, “I already told you ,I was only trying to help”

“I didn’t want your help! I didn’t need it.”

“Maybe you didn’t, but it didn’t hurt you any either”

“You are the last person on earth I would want to be indebted to, now -I have a debt I didn’t even knew I owed.” Tina was really furious now.

“You are not indebted to me dammit”,Bette said through clenched teeth. I only got you there, you did the rest all by yourself.” She got up and moved over to the sofa, she held Tina ,pleading with her eyes for Tina to understand.

-Tina pleaded with her heart not to knock so solidly against her ribs, for surely Bette could feel it. Fight back Tina. “It’s collection time, Is that it?” Tina demanded. “Is That what the other night was about? Why did you wait four years? I’d have thought you wouldn’t let a debt ride that long. Am I to thank you for your generosity, or were you just letting the interest, which I’m sure is usurious, accrue? Tell me Bette, what’s the price of my job. How many more times do I have to go to bed with you for my debt to be paid in full?”

In the room’s dim light Bette’s eyes glinted moist and glassy. “I’ve told you,one has nothing to do with the other. I don’t know what happened to us that night before your wedding, but something did. What we have between us is____”

“There’s nothing between us,except a debt I never even knew that I owed.” Tina was past being angry, she was furious “You certainly had me fooled,as for Helena, I don’t think she was blackmailed, I think she was brainwashed. Why else would she think you are so fucking wonderful?”Tina gets up and opened the door. “I think your time is up Bette, now leave”

“When you calm down Tina, you’ll see things differently”

Tina slams the door in her face. Bette had taken away her dignity by obtaining her job for her. That she had been unaware of her machinations didn’t matter. How many people knew that Bette had secured her job for her? Did they think that was the reason she was sleeping with Bette? Alice , Shane ,Dana, Kit .Did they all know?. Were they laughing at her behind her back?” Tina shivered as she changed in the air-conditioned bedroom__but not because she was cold.

Bette had robbed her of self respect. Shame washed over her as she remembered how she had arched her body up to Bette, how her mouth had opened to her. Her legs. Her heart. “I hate her” Tina sobbed. Gathering her pillow close and bending her knees to her chest in an attitude of self-protection. This is ten times worse than Henry’s betrayal because I still want her.