Bette only smiles as they make it to their cars.

Tina looks down at her phone when she gets a notification. She then smiles and holds up her phone to show Bette the message she just received. “It seems I’ve been invited to pizza night at your place….”

Bette shakes her head and chuckles. “I knew it would turn into everyone coming over when Alice volunteered to watch the kids….”

Tina laughs, but her smile fades when she looks into Bette’s eyes. She looks away and clears her throat as she takes out her keys and unlocks her car door. “I think I may pass so…”

Bette’s smile wavers as she tries to figure out why their playful conversation just suddenly shifted. “You know you’re more than welcome….”

“Yeah, I know. I just uh…” Tina moves her hair from her face. “I’m just a little tired, so….”

“Gotcha…” Bette says. She pauses for a beat before speaking again. “Are we good?”

Tina creases her brows. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, it just seems like things have been a little weird or something lately…. I can’t really put my finger on it….”

Tina leans against her car and nods. “Oh yeah, yeah, we’re fine….”

Bette also leans against her car. “Tina? What’s going on?”

Tina looks at Bette and sighs. “Everything is fine…. but I must admit I’m feeling a bit guilty….”

Bette stays silent as she looks at Tina expectantly.

Tina nervously plays with her keys. “Um…. I…. I saw Michelle out with another woman a few days before you found out about her cheating….”

Bette looks away from Tina and drops her head. “I see…”

“You’re upset….and you have every right to be. I wanted to tell you so bad, but I didn’t know what to do. I barely slept….”

Bette looks up at Tina and shrugs. “When was this?”

“Um, oh, it was the night I saw you at The Planet when I was headed to meet my date….”

Bette gently nods and drops her head again.

Tina gulps, looks up at the sky, and shakes her head. “I should’ve told you; I know…I’m so sorry. I understand if you’re mad at me—”

“I’m upset…. but not at you….” Bette quietly says.

Tina sighs in relief. “You’re not?”

“No…” Bette shrugs. “It’s a fucked-up situation…. you were in a very precarious position, I get it…”

Tina again sighs in relief.

“So, where did you see her again?” Bette asks.

“It was at Kai’s Steak House….”

Bette chuckles and shakes her head. “Wow…” she quietly says. She then looks up at Tina and gently smiles. “I hate that you’ve been beating yourself up about this….”

“We’ve just come so far in our friendship. I didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that, but like I said, I didn’t know which way to go with it….”

Bette nods. “I get it…. thanks for telling me what was up, though….”

Tina smiles as she opens her car door. “No problem, you can thank me by covering for me with Alice….”

Bette laughs as she also opens her door. “I’ll do my best….”

Tina laughs. “See ya later….”

“See ya…”

Tina gets into her car and drives away feeling a lot better after coming clean to Bette…