“There’s a difference between ‘love’ and ‘in love’.  The first is what I feel for you.  But Tina is the love of my life, Candace!  I have to go.”  She sat up on the side of the bed, covering herself with the sheet.

“So you’re leaving me—just like that?”  Candace jumped up, grabbing her robe to cover her vulnerability.

“This never should have happened, C—I told you that when you kissed me that first time, that would never happen again.”

“But it did, didn’t it?  And not just once!  Remember, you were the one who always came to me, Bette!  When you broke that kiss, I respected your wishes.  But it was one of the hardest things I ever did.  I left that night, wanting so much more from you.  I felt such a strong connection with you that day–that’s why I invited myself to lunch with you. 

“So when you kept making yourself available for me, I thought you felt the same.  Yeah, you told me you had a girlfriend, but you didn’t tell me how long you’d been together.  I figured the relationship must have been coming to an end; why else would we have spent that morning together at the B & B—at your request?  I didn’t make you jump in my car, you know!”

Bette struggled to maintain her composure as she put on her clothes.  “But remember how you told me not to pay for it on my card—so you had to know I was thinking about Tina!”

“Yeah, but she was the last thing on your mind after I threw you on that bed, wasn’t she?  I sure never heard you call out her name when I gave you what you needed!  And besides, we have a different kind of connection between us, Bette.  You know it—don’t run away from it—or me!”

“Candace, stop it!  Let me go!  I have to see her this morning to fix this—to beg her forgiveness.”

“Yeah, that’ll go over really well—you just got fully dressed without taking a shower!” Candace smirked.  She looked at the clock.  “What—you’re gonna try to catch her at The Planet?  Right now, that’ll be very convincing!  If she knows you as well as you say, she’ll know just where you’ve been!  And when she rejects you, you can come right back to me.  I understand that you do have to talk to her, but do you really think she wants you back, Bette?  I saw how she attacked you that night—in fact, the scars from those bite marks just faded away not that long ago.   Do you really think she’ll take you back?”

“I don’t know…I really don’t know…but I have to try.”  Bette started walking towards the bedroom door.

Candace moved quickly and touched her shoulder, and Bette turned to face her.  “You know, Bette, you have zoned out on me a few times, and I do understand that.  But haven’t I given you everything you need?  Don’t you know how much I love you?” 

“Please…don’t—don’t do this to me right now!”

“What am I doing, Bette?  Forcing you to face the truth?  You know the truth, and it won’t go away.  You want me, and I want you.  Why the fuck else would you have been here with me all this time?”

“Maybe it’s because I didn’t think I had anywhere else to go!  My friends don’t understand.  Tina is hurting so much that she hasn’t even come by the house to get any clothes!  I’m a wreck at work.  You have been my island of solace during this painful time, and I appreciate it, C—I really do.  But I have to get back to the real world and begin to repair the damage I have done!”

Candace stepped closer to Bette, putting her arms around her waist.  “But this is real, Bette—as real as it gets.”  Her face was inches from Bette’s, and she moved in for a soft, lingering kiss that Bette returned.  Breaking the kiss, Candace said, “If you can deal with it, I’ll hear from you later.” 

Bette stood there, stunned.  She saw Candace walk away with that subtle swagger that caught her eye not that long ago.  “Shit!  How am I going to do this?” she said under her breath as she walked out the door.

TBC