They each took a long drink from their glasses.

“That was generous, thank you, Bette.  I really don’t deserve such a toast from you,” Tina said quietly, as she sat back, looking down at the last dregs of wine in her glass.

“We each deserve generosity in our lives, Tina.  Especially from each other,” Bette responded, as she, too, looked down at her glass, and then lifted her eyes to meet Tina’s hazel ones, which were covered with more tears.

She picked up the bottle, tilted it towards Tina, who nodded, and offered Bette her glass. Bette took Tina’s glass, tilting it slightly again, as she poured.  She took her own glass, and did the same.

She thought she should lighten the mood a bit, realizing, as did Tina, that for all the pain and hurt they had each experienced over the past year, in the end, she didn’t want a bad life for Tina, not at all.  She wanted, nay, wished Tina would have a good life. And she knew, by Tina’s words and actions thus far tonight, that Tina wanted the same for her.

“Besides,” Bette continued, nodding her thanks, as Tina replenished the cheese on her plate, “I can’t claim to have come up with that toast on my own.”

“Really?” Tina smiled, as she cocked her head to one side, inquiring.

“Yeah,” Bette said with a slight laugh. “It came from this Irish chick who was pretty drunk, and who had pulled a chair up next to me in this lounge/bar in the resort I was in, in the Maldives.”

“My toast was a bit of an elaboration of what she said, because she was slurring her words when I’d heard her say them.”

“Besides, she may not have meant it in the same way I just told you,” Bette said, as she took another sip.

“Oh…,” Tina smiled. “I heard about that…”

Before she could continue, Bette asked with some incredulity, “You did?!”

Uh, oh, Tina thought. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.

Bette was probing her eyes. After an uncomfortable silence, Bette drew a deep breath in, then blew slowly out.

“Shane.” She guessed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A month earlier:

Tina walked into the Planet, pushing a stroller, nodding her thanks at someone who had kindly held the door open for her.