Tina walked up the front steps of a house that was an unfamiliar place to her. Her mind and heart were racing, but in opposing directions. Her heart was telling her that Bette needed her and that she was nothing with out her. Her head was lost, whilst Tina had always known that Bette loved with all of her being, the thought that she needed her was not a common admittance for her.

The front door opened and Shane motioned for Tina to come in.
Hey Tina, how are you?
Yeah like that, hey I brought you some coffee
Tina you are a life saver. This is deep isnt it? Sahne said lookin at Tina with a sympathetic tone
Yeah you might say that Tina said sitting on the couch.
All right, spill it
I got this today. Tina said handing Shane the package. Shane looked at the writing on the front and then opened it. She pulled out the CD and then the letter, and then she looked back at the front of the package.
This is Bettes hand writing yeah?
Yeah
I was right, this is deep. Shane quickly read the letter as she put the CD in to the machine and pressed play.

After listening to the song twice Shane re read the letter, she looked back to Tina who hadnt moved off the couch, her legs were pulled up against her chest and she hugged them as if to protect her self.
T you know what Bette is saying here, whats your question?
What does it mean?
Well Tina this could mean many things, in general this means all those things that every woman wants to hear; that they are loved wanted and needed so much more that they will ever know. In your situation it means this and a lot more
Tina simply nodded softly as she tried to understand what it was that Shane was actually saying.
Tina, this means she wants to move on from this, that whilst she has been with out you she realized what she threw away with that other woman, this means that she wants you back Shane said looking at Tina with a sympathetic smile. Tina looked up and met her gaze
Tina this ball is in your court now.
What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to react to this? Tina sounded lost.
Positively, negatively or neutrally. Tina looked at Shane and gave her that desperate look.
Sorry, Ill put this into simple terms, positively you can take this as Bette making the effort, that she wants to get this show back on the road, and you can respond to this to whatever degree you feel comfortable with. Negatively, you send this back with a return to sender stamp on it and tell Kit to tell her where to go, then you move on with your life without her by your side
With out her by your side was about all that Tina caught, and that simply wasnt an option for her.
And neutrally?
Sit on it for a few days, then tell her you need more time to digest
Shane I have already told her that I want to work this out
And do you? Shane asked bluntly.
I want to go back to what we had like eighteen months ago, but not six months ago Tina was cut of.
Happiness and that connection we all know that you two share, not anger and despair because your alone but your married to a person that you used to know Shanes view was set on the wall in front of her, her voice sounded as though in a trance. Her concentration shifted rapidly back to Tina.
Tina as I said, this ball is in your court, what you do with it is your choice and no one elses
Thank you Shane
Tina, for you and Bette, any time

Tina and Shane sat and talked for the rest of the night. After a while it became clear that Shane was in pain her self. Tina knew it had to do with that woman with all that money.
So, Shane, hows your journey upon the train of life going? Tina asked in a motherly tone.
Yeah, you know me, keeps chugging along at the same pace really
Shane thats bullshit and every body knows it, what happened with the lady with the money?
Tina I really dont want to talk about it
Yeah, and I can understand that, but you do know that if you dont talk about it you will have a harder time trying to get over it
Yeah, I know all of that, its just that it ended so badly and Shanes voice trailed off somewhere and left behind a person in pain.
Like I said to her Tina, people keep telling me that I have to start feeling or I will go crazy but, I did and now I feel like *****, I feel like I have had my heart ripped out of my chest, I mean I know that love is what makes this whole life worth the ***** we all go through, but if this is what love is about it can go back to where it came from. Shane said slowly coming back down from her tangent.
Shane look, I know what your going through
T I dont mean to be disrespectful here but have you ever been in a relationship with a married woman whilst her teenage ***** daughter has a crush on you and you are in business with the husband?
Well when you put it like that, no, but I have had my heart broken a few times
Tina I fell for her, not because she had money or because she was forbidden fruit, but because she was the person that she was when I was with her. Tina, what you and Bette have is very special, I would be stoked if I found something that was even in the same ball park as you guys.
Shane trust me you will, can I make a suggestion though?
Yeah sure
Well it usually helps if you spend more that one night with the same woman, if you know what I mean? Tina said lightening the mood.
Good point
Shane can I ask you a personal question?
Yeah
Why didnt you stop it, the affair I mean?
Dont get me wrong here, I did try to stop it, but when you have something offered to you on a silver platter its very hard to say no, plus she was black mailing me, if I didnt keep ***** her she would end the deal I had with Steve. Tina, Bette wasnt blackmailing that other woman
Why wont you say her name, you know its Candace?
Tina, when I go to bed with a woman, well other than the most recent one, I make it clear that this is a not strings attached thing, I would never have done what that woman did, I know I am calling the kettle black here but I was in between a rock and a herd place, she knew exactly what she was doing.