Tina added. Seriously, Alex. Sometimes you are the only person who can get through to her. Dont sell short the relationship that you have with Bette. You came here because you knew that we were having problems and youve tried to help. You have given Bette and I things to think about and helped put issues in perspective for both of us. We need you, Alex. We love you and we want you to be a part of our childs life.

Alex was a bit taken aback by the unusual display of emotion. If there is one thing Alex preferred to avoid, it was emotion. However, since it was happening, she had to decide if she would take part and give in with some emotion on her part. Was Alex finally ready to spill out the secret she had been carrying for eight years?

Perhaps it was the alcohol that she had consumed or perhaps she was just tired of carrying so much baggage, but Alex decided to unburden just a bit. She took a long sip of her drink and faced Bette and Tina.

Alright, if you must know, this visit to Hungary was very hard for me. It played on a lot of emotions.

Bette and Tina both gave Alex a look of support and waiting for her to continue.

I dont know if you remember from when we were children, but I always had a certain fascination with gypsies. Since we were Hungarian, I always rather hoped that I had come from Hungarian gypsies, though my grandparents assured me that I had not. Anyway, while I was in Hungary, and for the ***** of it, I went to see a gypsy to get my fortune told. I know it was stupid but I did it anyway.

What happened?

It was the weirdest thing, you know. I dont believe in that stuff; I know it is all bullshit, but she told me something that she would have had no way of knowing.

They waited for Alex to continue. It took a moment as Alex sat blinking her eyes and trying to contemplate what to explain. She told me that I had been paying a debt for a long time and I was almost finished paying that debt.