Tina responded quietly, “Yeah, I know, Thanks.”

They sat in silence for a moment each staring forward when Joe spoke barely above a whisper.

“It’s…it’s um, her isn’t it?”

Tina continued to stare forward, unsure of what to say and after a moment, she too quietly responded.

“How did you know?”

Joe, sighed and looked at Tina who met his eyes and with unshed tears brimming in his eyes his voice cracked and he responded.

“The, um the way you looked at her.  What I wouldn’t give…to have you look at me that way.”

Tina reached for his hand and said, “Joe, I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, me too.  But hey, like you said we can do this right.  Right?  I’ll figure out a way to be happy for you, I promise.”

“Thanks, I think I should go.  I really should be working.  Find me before you leave. Okay?”  Tina stood up and rubbed his shoulder.

“Okay”

Tina had been working the room for about 20 minutes when Ellie came up behind her.  She gave Tina a hug and said, “Mom, that was incredible.  Thank you sooo much, Bette is so amazing!  She was wonderful and she said how great you’ve been doing.  Oh mom I’m so proud of you.”

“Oh, sweetie, I love you, Thanks for sharing this with me.”

“Mom, I think we have to leave, okay?”

“Yeah, sweetie just be sure and leave me a voice mail when you get in.  And not too much fun with your friends, okay?”

“Okay, I promise, Bye.”

Ellie gave Tina a final hug and turned toward Bette and shook her hand.  “Thank you so much Bette.  I will never forget this.  It was amazing.”  With that Ellie walked away with a smile and wave.

Tina turned to Bette, “Thank you”

“It was my pleasure.  Tina she’s so much like you.  She’s wonderful”

“I guess we should get back to work.”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

About an hour later Bette and Tina were going over some papers for a sale when Alice jumped up in front of them.  “Oh man Porter, this is your best show ever, and oh man, some of the guests are soo hot.”

Bette gave Alice a stern look.  “Alice are you drunk, you know this is not the place for a scene?”

“Calm you jets Porter, I’m just a little buzzed.  I’ll behave.  I promise.”

“Okay.  Just be careful.”

“Okay.  Hey Tina, speaking of ‘hot’, who the hell was the guy you were talking to at the bar before?”

“Oh, Alice be serious.  That was my um, my husband.”

“Shit Tina that did not look like anybody’s husband.  Shit.”

And with that Alice was gone.  Bette and Tina looked at each and both quickly said. 

“Back to Work”