Tina frowned.  Did something else happen while she was out in the combat area? 

“This happened about a week before Thanksgiving years ago.  I think it was the Thanksgiving before we met," Bette started.  “I was driving back one evening from Santa Barbara, and took the exit from PC 1 to
Malibu Canyon Road.”  Tina nodded.  That could be a tricky road sometimes, particularly at night. 

“And I saw a car that was ahead of me flip over several times and fall into a ravine.  I ran to the crash site and saw the driver didn’t make it but the passenger was still breathing, although she was bleeding heavily, particularly from her head.  I had managed to call 911, and an emergency vehicle came soon after.  I think they managed to save the woman.” 

“The emergency techs laid the driver’s body by the side of the road, away from the immediate area of the crash site, because there was a fuel leak, and we were concerned that a fire would erupt in the meantime.” 

She paused, and drew a breathe out slowly. “I stayed with the body, sitting by the side of the road.  Waited about an hour or so, because there’d been a multi-car accident by Studio City that night, and a lot of the emergency vehicles had been mobilized to that area, at least that’s what the operator said.” 

An accident by Studio City before Thanksgiving, before they’d met?, Tina thought.  Sounds familiar somehow. 

Bette was saying, “…so the next day, I guess I had tried to get all of that out of my mind, and for months thereafter I just worked non-stop, preparing to launch the business jet service to Paris, mounting a series of exhibits in the Gallery, etc.” 

“You stayed with the body,” Tina whispered, awed, once again, by the strength of character of her beloved.  Then the event clicked for her.  “Wait, Bette. I think there’s something I should tell you, too.” 

Bette looked at her quizzically. 

“I think that multi-car accident was the one Eric caused…you know, the one that caused such a delay in getting that emergency vehicle over to the crash site where you were waiting with that body?,” Tina was shaking her head.  Serendipity of the worst kind.