Justine came through the door and instead of the usual smile that always greeted Tina there was a look of total desolation. Tina immediately went over to her and found her eyes that were glued to the floor. She instantly took Justine in her arms and held her. She could smell the vodka that washed itself in her breaths.

“Sweetie what’s wrong? Is everything ok?”

Justine just held onto Tina like a child clinging to a fleeing mother. Her legs gave out and Tina maintained her grip all while crumbling to the floor with Justine still in her arms.

“Baby you’re scaring me what’s wrong? Please talk to me.” Tina lifted Justine’s eyes to hers and saw that there was pure pain in them. Her voice was weak and small, totally unlike the woman Tina was used to. Softly she said, “My Grandma just died.”

“Oh baby, I’m so sorry.” she rested Justine’s head on her bosom and rocked her as she saw her tears reappear and she felt her body quake with tears. Although both Tina and Justine knew this day was coming it still didn’t help soften the blow. With her kidney disease rapidly making her body waste away and spreading and making everything worse, with no chance of treatment her death was inevitable.

“Come on, Sweetie.” with no protest Justine allowed Tina to lift her from the floor and help carry her to their bedroom. Slowly she helped Justine onto the bed, she removed her jacket and carefully unbuttoned her shirt. Tina then lifted her legs on to the bed and laid her back while she removed her heels. There Justine laid with her bra and pants still on and her body shaking from sobs, all the while Tina couldn’t help but to feel a slight twinge of guilt course through her body. Here her girlfriend laid with her heart shattered and she wanted to slow down their relationship in the same day. Heartless couldn’t begin to describe how she felt.

………………………………….

How could she face Tina if she knew her secret? How could she even begin to look her in the eye if she knew that her love ran her every thought of the day? Maybe Justine might even take the under handed way out and tell Tina everything. Maybe she would tell her about Bette’s involvement in her affairs, granted it was minimal but still it was involvement nonetheless. As a best friend betrayal was the ultimate sin. Bette was working on her fifth “Adios” when her cell phone rang, she looked and saw that the caller I.d. read “J&T” it was the house phone from Justine and Tina’s place. The liquor talking to her made her answer the phone in a voice that Tina wasn’t used to.