“Wait a second, Bette,” Tina said.  Bette heard a click, indicating she’d been put on hold.  Then half a second later Tina clicked back on, asking, “Honey, would it be alright if one of the producers of the movie that we’re making out of this joins us for dinner?

Bette hesitated before answering; she’d been hoping to take Tina on a romantic evening out, starting with dinner in a highly recommended French restaurant, and afterwards either invite her to take a stroll in the small beach area that had a view of the Golden Gate bridge, or take her to one of the nearby piano or jazz bars to listen to some live music if the blonde seemed too tired for a walk on the beach.  She was hoping Tina would go for the moonlight stroll on the beach, so that they could both take in the incomparable, romantic sight of the Golden Gate bridge enveloped in mist and twinkly lights.

“I’m sorry to spring this on you at the last minute,” Tina said in apologetic tones, noting Bette’s hesitation.

“Don’t be silly, T,” Bette answered quickly, “Of course it’s alright.  Look … I’ll call the restaurant right now, and ask them to adjust the reservation.  I’m sure it won’t be a problem.”

“Thanks, baby.  You’re the best!” Tina exclaimed.  “I asked because she wanted to go over a few things with me, before a meeting I’m asking her to take on my behalf in LA tomorrow afternoon, and we thought tonight would be a good time to do it because she was unable to make her flight back to LA, and was thinking of staying overnight.”

“As I said, it’s fine, T.  Your business is as important to you as mine is to me, and I know managing this situation will be hard enough as it is,” Bette said reassuringly.  “And at the end of the day, you’ll still need to make a serious effort in putting a great film, together right?  So I’m sure you’re trying to get as many pieces in place as possible to pull this off, including getting a good production team together.”

She could hear quiet sniffling on the phone, and smiled, imagining Tina at this moment.   Forget about the romantic dinner.  All she wanted, right now, was to see Tina.  To hold her in her arms, and make sure she was alright.  She’d rarely seen the blonde so shaken when Tina had gotten in touch with her, and they’d manage to have a FaceTime session, after the blonde had returned to her hotel following the surprise Scott had sprang on her in “Hit.”  And she’d never felt as visceral a hate towards anyone as she’d felt towards Scott at that moment.  This was twice now that he had gotten to Tina.  Bette didn’t need to hear about a third time.   But she parked that feeling, and focused instead on the larger threat.