“Not at all Ms. Kennard. Come in…Angie and I will watch a little television for awhile.”

“Thank you.”

Kissing Angie and leaving her with a warning to behave she headed back across the yard to get her purse and keys.

As soon as Tina entered the hospital she could hear Bette’s voice…I told you fuckers I wanted to talk to Tina! Now I know she is here but if you don’t want to get her for me I can do this all night. I will see that not a damn one of you gets any sleep tonight.”

Going up to the door Tina pounded on it loudly.  “Bette its Tina you wanted to talk I am here. After a few moments of silence Tina tried again. “Bette if you want to talk move the bed away from the door and let me in. I would rather not do this with a door between us.”

Tina heard the distinct sound of the bed moving and a second later the knob to the room turned opening to allow her to enter the room. Bette sat down on the bed and motioned for Tina to take the chair.

“What did you need to talk to me about tonight Bette?”

“I want to know why Tina?”

“Bette you know why I left. I will not discuss this with you tonight. When you are stronger we will discuss this topic.”

“No Tina! We will discuss it now!” Bette’s voice was increasing in volume with each passing second.

“I have waited five years for an answer and tonight you are going to give me one. I thought you were going to stay at Al’s place until we could work things out but you left and just disappeared off of the face of the earth.”

“Bette I am sorry…I was really messed up in the head at that time in my life…I should have never ran away from you. You’re right I should have stayed and tried to at least work out a friendship with you.”

“Fuck the friendship Tina. I loved you. It was a different kind of love than the kind you have for a friend.”

Bette’s eyes reflected the hatred she felt inside for Tina. Tina looked away for a second and Bette began to chuckle.

“Tina you know what ….it does not matter anymore…hell I stopped loving you the minute I chose to let someone else touch me and someone else and someone else and someone else.” Bette kept repeating that last phrase until her voice was no more that a whisper and finally drifted off into silence.

The tone of Bette’s responses was turning hurtful and sarcastic Tina knew it was time to end this conversation. The increase in anxiety and restlessness that Bette was exhibiting verified the need to increase her dosage of Acamprosate.

“Bette its getting late and I really need to get home why don’t we continue this conversation tomorrow during a session but in the mean time I will write up an order to increase your medications. I think that will help relieve some of your anxiety and then maybe you can get some rest.”

“Fuck you Tina…just get out.” Bette lay down on the bed and turned her back as Tina quietly closed the door to her room.”

Tucking Angelica into her own bed later that night Tina took her glass of wine to the back patio. While looking up at all the stars in the sky she silently prayed for Bette to forgive her. If there was one thing she had learned in all of her personal trials it was forgiveness was the first step in healing and to begin that process Bette needed to find it in her heart to forgive Tina for leaving her all those years ago.