Tina: (Smiling) A penny
for your thoughts.

Tina’s comment rattled
Bette out of her own thoughts and brought her back to the present where Tina and
she had their arms entwined with each other’s. Bette absorbed all that she could
from the vision before her. There was her one true love, her best friend, and
her soul mate standing in her arms. Bette never thought that she would ever see
the day that she and Tina would be together again. The emotion was building
within Bette as she tried to formulate a coherent comment of her own that could
express exactly how she felt about Tina and the gift that Tina was giving her
of a second chance to share their lives with one another. As she struggled with
her own thoughts and feelings, unshed tears accumulated in Bette’s eyes. She
tried desperately to blink them away but was unsuccessful as a few escaped and
trailed down her cheek. Tina ever so gently brushed them away as Bette took a
few deep breaths to try to regain her composure.

Tina: It’s okay. I know –
I know.

Bette mustered a smile and
realized that the whole scene was playing out in front of the board members.
Luckily, Tina’s hand on Bette’s cheek had shielded most of the view from the
board members. Bette leaned in close to Tina’s ear and whispered a response.

Bette: Thank you.

Bette straightened herself
and changed to a more businesslike demeanor. She grasped Tina’s hand, entwined
her fingers with Tina’s and then turned to face Franklin and the CAC board
members. She knew that this was sink or swim time. Franklin would either make
Bette a better offer to stay with the CAC so as not to lose the talent that had
brought notoriety to the once small and unsuccessful museum or he and the board
would accept the Porter-O’Brien Foundation’s offer and build a strong business
relationship with Bette and the foundation which would in turn bring the foundation
notoriety and many more opportunities to help others and create a new improved
path for Bette’s life and career. Either way, it was a win – win situation.

Bette: So Franklin – Does
this mean that you accept our offer or should the Porter-O’Brien Foundation
take its grant money elsewhere?

Franklin stood in silence.
It was visible that he was struggling with the choice at hand. Bette took that
as a good sign. She knew that it would be a difficult decision if the situation
were reversed and she had to make the choice between losing the best museum
director the CAC had ever had or gaining a very generous grant offer. Franklin
finally came to terms with the dilemma and made his announcement.