“How can you say that? How can you know that after you have done this? You were just ***** another woman and now you know what you want?” Tina freed herself from Bette’s hold, and spun around to face her for the first time since they had entered the kitchen. She could see the bite mark on Bettes cheek, but she wouldnt mention it, wouldnt apologize for it yet. “You know I have been attracted to other people too, Bette. I have. But, I always think that no matter what fleeting thing I would have with that person it could never replace what you and I have. What we have made with each other.”

Bette grabbed hold of Tina’s biceps again, rubbing softly up and down her arms. “I know. I know… It just happened at such a bad time for me. I had been having doubts and then the baby. I made the wrong decision. It wasn’t anything more than *****, Bettes eyes pleaded with Tina. I know you don’t want to hear that… but that was all it was.”

“I don’t know how to fix this. How can I be with you? I can’t even look at you without thinking about your ***** mouth on her, your ***** hands on her,” Tina dropped her head, her face wet with tears. Her eyes focused between their bodies. “She’s seen your body… she’s seen you come…”

“Please… don’t do this to yourself. I love you. I *love* you. Please. Please just come home with me and I will do anything you want. I will go see someone. I will do anything.”

“I can’t come home with you right now… I can’t live in,” Tina has a thought. “Did… anything happen in our house?”

“No! No, I swear, never.”

“No… I just can’t be there now. I have to move out for awhile.”

“No! Please, Tina, don’t move out. I am afraid if you move out you will realize what a total ***** I am, and how much I don’t deserve you.”

“Bette… You want our lives to go back to normal and that just isn’t going to happen. I can’t just come home so you can pretend this didn’t happen. I can’t ***** get into bed with you at night and go back to being your dutiful wife!”

“I know I know… it won’t be like that. It will be different. I promise. And you don’t have to sleep in bed with me. I will sleep on the couch. I don’t care how long it takes.”

“No… I need some time. Just, please, I’m going to stay here with Alice this week.”

Bette sniffed. “No…” She said in a hushed, sad tone.

“Listen to me… I am not going to move out. But I’m going to stay here with Alice for a week and figure out what the ***** I am thinking.”

“Okay…” Bette wiped a tear from under her eye, and then wiped Tina’s tears away with her thumbs. “Can I come see you?”

“Yeah… in a couple of days,” Tina replied.

“Okay.”

“But I have two conditions Bette…”

“What? Anything…”

“You need to make an appointment with someone, a therapist, and take it seriously. It doesn’t have to be Foxworthy, but it has to be someone.”

“Okay… I will call someone first thing in the morning; the second?”

“Tell Candace it is over.”

“I will, I promise,” Bette nods. “May I ask one thing?”

“Yeah”

“May I hug you?”

Tina’s face grimaced as she started crying again–Bette followed.

“Yes.”

The two women wrapped their arms around each other against the kitchen counter, faces buried in the others neck.

“I’m so sorry I hurt you. So sorry…”

Tina pulled out of the embrace slightly and sniffed.

Bette cupped her face with her hands and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

“I love you,” With that she turned; walked out of the kitchen, and headed for the front door.