Kit: Thank you Bette. (To
Franklin) I’ll see you tomorrow Frankie (Wink)

Kit walked around to where
Bette and Tina were standing and followed them as they exited the boardroom.
James closed the doors behind himself as he exited behind Kit. The three women
made their way to Bette’s office chuckling along the way. Bette kept Tina’s
hand clasped in her own – not wanting to release the grip for fear that it
would all fade away if she lost contact with Tina. Once to her office door,
Bette halted and turned to Kit. There was pleading in her eyes when she caught
Kit’s gaze. Kit knew what it meant. She needed to allow Bette a moment alone
with Tina. After all that they had done for her in the past, she felt it was
the least that she owed them.

Kit: Uh James why don’t
you show me that new exhibit in the main gallery? Bette’s been talking it up so
much lately that I just have to get a glimpse of it.

James, at first, did
not understand what Kit was getting at, but then he noticed the look on Bette’s
face that Kit was trying to point out with her darting eyes.

James: Oh yeah right
come on. It’s right this way.

Kit: (To Tina and Bette)
I’ll see you two in a few.

Bette let out a slightly
audible sigh and unfurrowed her brow and loosened the grip on Tina’s hand as
the relief of knowing that she would have a few moments alone with Tina washed
over her. Bette nodded to Kit as Kit departed with James to the main gallery.
Bette then turned to Tina.

Bette: Tina I Would you

Tina found it humorous
that Bette lacked the ability to formulate her thoughts into coherent
statements. It wasn’t all that often that Bette was speechless. Tina thought it
would be wise to aid Bette with this dilemma.

Tina: Yes Bette, I’d love
to come into your office for a few.

Again, Bette sighed in
relief. She couldn’t believe the effect that being so close to Tina and being
able to hold her again was having on her. She didn’t want to jeopardize their
chances of reconciling by being a jerk or making the wrong comments. She felt
that she needed to choose her words wisely.

Bette opened the door and
allowed Tina to enter into the office before her. Once she herself passed
through the entryway, Bette closed the door behind her and waited patiently for
Tina to make the next move. It seemed like an eternity before Tina caught
Bette’s gaze again. Tina was completely caught up in the surroundings. So much
like her personality, Bette’s office reflected the organization and structure
that Bette personified with her own life. Up until today, Tina didn’t really
have a clue that it was mostly a fa&#231ade that Bette portrayed to the outside
world. Very few were allowed to see the real Bette Porter. Just as Tina had
suspected, Bette’s desktop was extremely organized. Upon closer scrutiny, she
noticed a picture displayed in plain view that one of the girls had taken of
she and Bette. Tina took a deep breath and knew that this was going to be more
difficult that she had anticipated.

TBC