“Hey Tina how’s it going?”

“Things are alright on this end Kit. But you know I can’t talk about Bette with you.”

“Yeah, I know but can you at least tell me if she is getting better.”

“Kit really I can’t. I hope you understand.”

“Tina she is my sister. Please just something to keep the hope alive. Know what I mean?”

Realizing she was not going to get anything out of Tina she suddenly changed the subject.

“Hey how is that niece of mine doing? I bet she is really getting big.”

“Angie is just fine Kit and yes she is growing very quickly. It just seems like yesterday she was still in diapers. Actually she is the reason I called…you see I have decided not to tell Bette about Angie…I really don’t think she could handle it now or anytime in the near future. I don’t want to see her fall again Kit.”

“Tina you can’t expect me to keep something like this hid from my baby sis. You either tell her during her recovery or I will tell her when she comes home.”

“Whatever Kit I really have to go. Bye”

“Bye Tina.”

Kit knew she was pushing the issue with Tina but she felt strongly that she had the right to know her own child that she had helped to dream into existence and gladly agreed to parent.

4 Months Later

A month ago Bette had earned enough privileges to go on some outings away from the hospital. It felt great to be allowed the little freedoms once again. Bette only had 2 months left on her sentence here and she hoped that once discharged she would be able to remain drug and alcohol free. Physically she felt better than she had in a long time but she was uncertain of maintaining the progress she had made here once she returned to L.A. but she had no where else to go upon release.

Her reputation in the art world was destroyed and she was too old to start rebuilding it even if she could gain the trust of her colleagues once again. She knew upon her discharge she would have to find employment to support herself and was not sure she wanted to live in California any longer. She felt the need to talk to someone here before she left. But Bette had long since stopped the private sessions with Tina and no further contact had been continued between the two.