“Carmen, Tina was a married woman whose husband died suddenly, she’d been thrown into being a widow, and forced into becoming a mom. The circumstances of which I don’t think she’s clear on. I’m just trying to be a good friend. Nothing more.”

“The Dr. Porter I know never falters on her beliefs. When I was just starting at the hospital and I was just trying to sympathize with a patient whom just lost her baby you practically bit my head off for shedding a few tears  with her.”

“And it was the right thing to do! You can’t allow these connections to form to people that you have no way of holding onto. Their pain should not become your suffering, beca–

“ ‘Because the second it does you’re no longer capable of differentiating whose pain you’re trying to fix.’ I remember every line like it was yesterday, ok Bette I got it. But here you are connecting with a woman who you’d have otherwise dismissed as just another patient with another sad story to add to your list of patients.  But you’re with her almost every day, you’re sharing stories of your life with her, all I want to know is why her, what has she done to you? Because the Dr. Porter that I know would never allow for such a huge conflict of interest to develop into what can only be described as a budding relationship.”

“The way you ask that question it sounds like she’s put a scandalous spell on me.”

“In a way she has. This isn’t like you. I’m not saying I don’t like it and I don’t approve but it’s very much out of the ordinary and I really want to know why have you let yourself build this intimate connection to this one woman.”

“I think…in a way you’re right and wrong here Carm.” Bette knew that by telling the truth she’d be opening herself up to her friend who hadn’t so much as known her to shed one tear for a patient let alone allow one to penetrate her life so unabashedly as Tina had done. But she could no longer run or hide these gaping new feelings she had for her patient or her life as it were. “Tina she’s just different, I know that’s a generic answer, but it’s the truth.” Bette could only smile as she finally felt the liberation that came along with speaking so freely about your feelings to someone you trust.