Co-worker #2: Oh my god
Tina! You have to see this (pointing to the computer screen).

Tina couldn’t believe it.
The Peabody Foundation had awarded the Headquarters for Social Justice
$100,000. She grabbed the mouse and scrolled through the list of other
recipients. Nowhere on the list is the California Arts Center listed. Tina
saddens slightly at how Bette must be feeling.

Co-worker #1: (Laughing) I
think that’s it Tina, I don’t think they’re gonna give us another one.

Tina: (Clears her throat)
Can you guys excuse me for a minute?

Tina gets up and heads
back to her office. Her mind starts wandering back to what Bette said to her
right before she walked out the door – “Congratulations. You deserve it all.”
Bette must’ve known all along about the grant awards – but how? Why wasn’t she
upset about the CAC not receiving a Peabody?

Unshed tears start to pool
around Tina’s hazel eyes. She finally understands. Bette had changed. The old
Bette would have blamed Tina for her own misfortune. Even though Bette’s world
seemed to crumble around her, she still thought of Tina and the baby. How could
Tina be so blind? Bette made the ultimate sacrifice for Tina and her happiness.
She gave up all of the safe havens in her life for Tina. Tina suddenly felt
guilty about the way she treated Bette. The tears finally started to flow as
Tina realized that she just let the best thing in her life walk right out the
door.

Tina: *****! What have I
done? (Slightly panicked) I have to find Bette.

She dialed Bette’s cell
phone but it went directly to voicemail. Tina needed to find Bette and figured
that Bette would go see Kit for support after a stressful morning. She gathered
up her purse, cell phone and car keys in the hopes of catching Bette at The
Planet. Tina opened the door to her office to applause, which caught her
off-guard. One of her co-workers moved towards her.

Co-worker 1: We just got a
phone call! Helena Peabody is on her way over here!

Tina: (Shocked) Right now?

Co-worker #1: (Laughing)
Yes! We got the biggest grant that they gave. Nobody else got as much money.
She’s coming with a camera crew!

Co-worker #2: (Laughing)
It was your proposal, Tina!

Tina’s mind was reeling.
She didn’t have time to deal with some high society heiress that was trying to
fill her mother’s shoes. As much as she appreciated the grant award, her
personal life needed to take precedence right now. She couldn’t afford to make
another mistake by letting Bette get away and shut Tina completely out of her
life.

Tina: Okay, okay, uh, you
guys need to get this place looking sharp… but not too sharp; we don’t want
her to think that we don’t need the money. (To co-worker #1) I need to go. I
have a family emergency that I need to tend to.

Co-worker #1: (Concerned)
Is everything okay Tina?

Tina: I just need to find
Bette. If she calls her can you tell her to call my cell phone? (Almost
pleading)

Co-worker #1: Sure – No
problem. Are you sure you’re okay?

Tina: Well – I hope it
will be.

A perplexed look crossed
Tina’s co-workers face. It wasn’t like Tina to be so cryptic or shirk her
responsibilities with the Headquarters for Social Justice. It must’ve been
something serious with which Tina was trying to handle.

Co-worker #1: Don’t worry
about Ms. Peabody, Tina. We can handle her visit. I’ll call Oscar and see if he
can be back in time to help out.

Tina: Thank you. You know
I wouldn’t do this if it weren’t

Co-worker #1: (Cutting off
Tina) We know, Tina. Go find her.

A smile crossed Tina’s
face as she turned to walk out of the maze of corridors that lead to the
street. As Tina opened the door to the outside, a film crew was walking up the
steps to gain access to the building – behind them was a striking, impeccably
dressed woman. Tina had to do a double take at the similarities between
the woman and Bette – same sense of style, confident air about them, commanding
presence. Tina thought to herself that the woman must be Helena Peabody. She
made eye contact with Tina as each traversed the steps to the building. Tina
noticed an immediate difference in this woman. Where Bette’s mocha colored eyes
emoted warmth and desire, Helena’s were emotionless and cool that one would
expect from such deep pools of blue.

Tina brought herself back
to reality and grabbed her cell phone again to call Bette. Again, there was no
answer. She made her way to her car and maneuvered it out of the parking lot to
make her way over to The Planet.

Tina: Please, Bette – Be
there.

TBC…