“Hi Tina, sorry I tried to call, but your cell is off.  I wanted to drop this off seeing that you play so much.  I wanted you to have your soccer boots.”  Tina giggled at the gesture of soccer boots.

“They are soccer cleats, but boots sounds cute from you.”  Tina walked over and took her bag.  Bette made a face that told Tina that she should air out her stuff more often or something.

“Boots cleats whatever, here this thing stinks.  You should get some febreeze or I don’t know burn it.”  Tina looked at her with disgust and snatched the bag.

“Lady, this bag has been with me since middle school hell no!  I should wash it more though.  Sorry bout that.  Ew it does smell and I am used to it.  I was going to call.”  Tina feeling bad about the earlier events.  As the light of her house shown her face, Bette could see a bruise forming on her cheek.  Bette reached out to touch her face.

“It’s ok.  I know you need your bag.  It is sweet that you have such a sentimental heart for your passion.  Babe lets get something on your cheek.”  Bette thought it was great how Tina loved her passion for soccer.  It was something Bette felt for art, she had wondered if she could be that way about swimming, but of course Bette was focused on anything she did.

“Oh, my cheek, yea that will be alright.  No worries.  I always get some new bruise and I can just say it was from a ball or an idiot that ran into me.”  Tina was embarrassed about what had happened and it didn’t help that most of the people that would ask were there to see it.

Bette felt protective of what she had witnessed and wanted Tina to press charges or she herself would show Eric a lesson or two of how he should not hit anyone.  She reached to Tina and hugged her.  Tina seemed to push a bit away.

“Bette, wait.  We need to talk and I..I feel stupid.  I want to explain some things to you and well..shit, its complicated.”  Tina was fidgeting with her nails and looking at the ground and started to dribble or kick stones around.  Bette appreciated that she made her anxious and at the same time she had hoped it was a good anxious.