She shifted above me, straining to look at the digital clock beside her bed ”It’s almost 11”

”Do you want me to leave?”

”I have to be somewhere soon”

”A lunch date?”

”Maybe” she alluded

That was it? How could she not give me more than maybe? ”You know..” I started as the jealously ran thick in my vein’s ”Lunch dates are theoretically the worst way to start a new relationship” Not sure why I needed to give her some lame statistic, maybe I was hoping it would put my own mind at ease

”You can’t do this” She moved from underneath me and began to button her pyjama top up ”Bette, you don’t get to come here and dictate to me what I should and shouldn’t be doing”

Is that what I was doing?

”I wasn’t”

”But you were. You give me some stupid speech about lunch dates because you can’t handle the fact that I want to move on with my life”

”Want or need?” There was a difference and while I watched her stand there, her eyes burning though me with anger I digressed. On my knees I crawled over and took hold of both her hands ”Your right, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that”

Tina stood there just staring at me and as I felt her skim the palms of my hands with her thumb she leans in and pressed her lips against my own then moved her lips to my earlobe, keeping it there for a second or two ”Goodbye Bette”

The feeling of sadness washed over my frozen body. She was serious this time and unless I gave her what she wanted.. my whole self, she wasn’t interested and who could blame her? I was awful for treating her this way.

More to the point playing with two hearts instead of one.

”I… Tina, I wish I could..” I was hushed by her finger on my lips

”We have done have been in this circle too many times before– No more goodbyes, baby. I can’t handle it”

I nodded, knowingly. I respected her wishes and knew that I needed to go home. Give Tina peace of mind ”I love you”

”I know you do but sometimes love just isn’t enough but I hope you got the answers you are after”