Bette could only nod, and Tina could see the apprehension”the fear”in her eyes. As Tina turned to walk back to her car, Bette kept hold of her hand. Tina? Please remember that I still love you with everything I am. Even if I dont amount to much right now.

Tina couldnt look at Bette, but couldnt bear to hurt her any further. I love you, too, babe. Thats the problem. With that, she began walking away.

Just before Tina was out of earshot, Bette called out, Call me! Please, Tina, call me. Once Tina was out of sight, Bette collapsed on the beach once more and placed her head in her hands. Oh, God, I am so scared. I know I havent talked to you in forever, but please hear me now and help me get through this. Please. With a choking sob, Bette offered her first prayer in longer than she could remember, a plea born of desperation and a realization that she had messed up so badly that perhaps only divine intervention could help her rebuild her life.

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Tina got back into her car and rested her forehead against the steering wheel. I am so exhausted, she thought to herself. She knew that she had finally hit the wall, and there was no point in continuing to talk to Bette right now, because it would only be the fatigue talking, not her. Ive got to find somewhere to regain my strength and my perspective. With that, she turned the key in the ignition, and got back on the highway. This time she headed for the mountains, hoping her spirits might rise along with the elevation.

Tina drove east, into the Sierra Nevadas. As much as the loved the ocean, the mountains quieted her soul in a way she couldnt find anywhere else. She passed Lake Tahoe and descended the switchbacks into Carson City, Nevada. Eagle Valley was the ugliest valley in the area, but it provided easy access to trails up into the eastern foothills of the Sierras, which were much less crowded than those on the California side. If she needed isolation, northern Nevada was where she could find it.

She took a room at a charming bed and breakfast in the historic section of the capital (consisting of just a few blocks of neighborhoods, really). After grabbing a grub steak special at The Golden Nugget, she deemed her immediate needs met and decided to do some hiking. She drove to the foot of a trail at the north end of the valley, and began hiking.