Tina turned to Bette and smiled. They maintained eye contact as she spoke softly. She could already feel the emotions just under the surface. As she looked into Bette’s eyes she could almost see Bette’s emotional response without her having said a word. She had Bette’s full attention.

“Bette you’ve got the most beautiful and expressive eyes of anyone I’ve ever known. It was one of the first things that drew me to you. That night at the gallery opening when you turned around and smiled that amazing smile that we’ve coined the Porter smile, the genuine one that reaches your eyes; I was mesmerized. The way you looked at me had such an effect on me that I couldn’t pull mine away. It was like you looked right through me and saw my truth before I knew it for myself.

From that moment forward I started seeing myself through your eyes. After we got together I would sometimes drown in their depths when you focused your gaze on me. No one had ever looked at me the way you did. It was like I was the most important person in the world to you. You made me feel like when I had your attention nothing and no one else mattered but me. When you looked at me in those early days there was so much pride emanating in them. I just had to look into your eyes to be reassured that you were proud to be with me. I felt safe, loved and protected. It meant the world to me and it became an important part of how I viewed myself. I got my validation from you but then that feeling started slipping away.”

“I get this feeling from you that you’re so proud to be with me, and it makes me feel really safe and loved. It’s great … but lately I haven’t been feeling it. So I’ve just been trying to concentrate on myself and, uh … I’ve been trying not to get scared about it.”

“Did you explore those feelings and what changed between you?” Paul asked as Tina recalled the conversation to Bette.

“I didn’t explore as much as I reacted. I was trying not to get scared about it so I just focused on myself and the baby.”