‘I guess I should explain what I was doing.’

‘No need, you can go anywhere and do anything you want; it’s your house too.’

‘I don’t want you to think I was snooping.’

‘I would never bring anyone here I hope you know that.’

‘I just wondered if you were still sleeping in the guest room.’

Bette looked away and Tina could barely hear her when she whispered, ‘yes.’

‘I’m so sorry about that last night Bette.’

‘So am I Tina, so am I.’

‘Is that why you aren’t staying in there?’

‘Not entirely, I can’t stay there without you.  It’s too lonely.  In the guest room I can pretend I’m somewhere else.  I don’t see your things, don’t smell your perfume and don’t constantly relive that night.  Not that I can ever forget any of that just by being in another room.  I carry all that with me, always will, I just, well it’s just easier to be alone in the other room.’

Bette looked up at Tina and they both had tears flowing down their cheeks, Bette looked away.

‘Bette?’

‘Maybe this is enough for one day?’

‘No.  We can’t stop just because it hurts.  It’s always going to hurt Bette, hopefully just not this much.’

‘All right.  Do you want to get back to work?’

‘Sure.’

* * * * *

They worked a little while not saying anything just glancing at each other.  Finally Tina said, ‘I withheld myself to get back at you for not always being here.’

‘I know, I let you.  It was easier than talking about things.  I was never very good at opening up.  I guess I thought if I ignored things they would go away or go back to the way they were.  We just stopped trying to communicate.  Well, I never really tried; I just tried to buy my way through things.’

‘In the beginning I made you talk to me, even though I knew you were uncomfortable.  I thought I could make you feel safe enough to open up.’

‘I opened up more with you than anyone I’d ever known.  It just made me feel weak to be so vulnerable.  I was afraid of losing you.’

‘Why would you lose me for that?’