Previously…

I leaned my back against the wall of the corridor and closed my eyes, trying to absorb all that had just happened. In the past hour, I had gone through every single emotion known to man: residual anger from Bette’s betrayal, twisting pain in my stomach when I heard the news from Alice, fear, worry, anxiety, confusion, heart-break, sadness, hope, and – finally – love.

“She’s gonna be okay,” I whispered to myself, smiling.

With a light heart and a bounce in my step, I headed to the lobby to find the girls and tell them the good news.

* * * * * * * * * *

I stepped into the bright lights of the waiting area and searched for the group of women that Bette and I called family. ‘Bette and I,’ I thought to myself. ‘It’s been so long since I’ve even thought of that.’ But it was still there and it had always been there. I was given a second chance, and I wasn’t going to let her go this time.

“Tina, over here!” I heard from the corner of the lobby.

Kit, Shane, Alice, and Dana were huddled together with a box of Kleenex between them. I could tell that Bette’s accident had really shaken them to the core, and my heart went out to them. I was so glad I could give them good news. I walked up to the group and, looking at Kit, broke into a huge smile.

“She’s awake,” I told them simply.

“Oh my God!” Kit exclaimed, pulling me to her and holding me tightly.

The other girls joined in the group hug, and we cried tears of joy together. It was then that I realized how tight this group of friends really was, and that Bette was the glue that held them all together. My mind started reeling at what life would be like for these women had we lost Bette, and what life would have been like for me.

“T?” Alice asked, concerned as she watched me. “Are you okay?”

“What?” I said, snapping back from my reverie.

“Oh, um, yeah, Alice. I’m alright.”

“What’s wrong, TK?” she said softly, putting an arm around me to shield me from the rest of the group while they continued their celebration.

“I just, I guess I just realized that we could have, I mean, she could have –” I struggled to say.

“Don’t even think it, T,” Alice interrupted me. “She’s okay now. She’s gonna be okay.”

“I know, I just…”

“Tina, look at me.” Alice cupped my face in her hands and forced me to lock eyes with her. “I know I shouldn’t be saying this, I promised Bette I would never tell you. But the whole time you were gone, all she ever thought about was you. She even had this big plan to go up to San Marino to try to get you back, but every time she got in the car to go she chickened out. I know she hurt you, and I know it’s hard to forgive, but she needs you now. Knowing that you’re here probably snapped her out of this thing.”

My eyes watered as Alice told me about the past six months of Bette’s life. While it pained me to hear, I knew that the time we spent apart really was good for us. It helped me become stronger and more independent, and it distanced me from Bette’s betrayal so that I could be here now. Now, my Bette needed me, and I wouldn’t let her down.

“She never stopped loving you, Tina,” Alice finished quietly.

“I know,” I whispered, tears streaming down my face. “I never stopped loving her, either. I tried to tell myself I hated her, but I couldn’t do it.”

“Come here,” Alice said, wrapping me in a tight hug. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I spun around quickly and saw Dr. Taylor standing behind me. He had a smile on his face, and I knew he was bringing more good news.

“Tina,” he began, “she really is going to be okay. Her tests went smoothly, she passed with flying colors. I don’t know how this happened, I’ve never seen anyone recover from a coma so quickly, but she has.”

“So, can we see her yet?” Shane asked impatiently.

I realized then that the girls still hadn’t been able to see her yet, and I pleaded silently that Dr. Taylor would let up and allow them back to visit Bette. After all, they were her family, too.

“I’m not sure,” he stammered.

“Please,” I begged softly. “We all need to be together.”

“Okay,” he relented after a moment of thought. “Go on back there.”

He winked at me and smiled again, and I patted his arm lightly in appreciation. The girls all looked at me to set the lead, so I waved for them to follow me and started towards the hallway to Bette’s room.

When we arrived, I took a deep breath and opened the door. Propped up with pillows, her face still bruised and bandaged, was my beautiful Bette with a bright smile on her face. I slowly walked through the door and our eyes met. I headed to her bedside, grabbed her hand, and smiled back at her.

“You came back,” she said softly, her eyes still locked on mine.

“I promised I would,” I told her, stroking her cheek lovingly. “And I brought some visitors.”

The rest of the family entered the room and gathered around Bette’s bed. They all felt the need to put a hand on her somehow, her legs, her arms, just to feel that it was really real. She really was alive and awake and on her way to recovering. Everyone started to tear up, but this time they cried tears of joy. We had all been given a second chance with Bette.

“T,” Bette whispered softly, pulling me closer to her.

I bent down slowly and put my ear to her lips. Softly, sweetly, but with much effort, Bette’s mouth formed the words I’d been longing to hear for months. Those three little words that conveyed so much feeling, passion and depth, and assured me that we really did get the chance to start over.

“I love you.”

For the hundredth time in one day, my eyes filled with tears. I pulled away from her and looked into her eyes, noticing that hers had also watered up. I felt a heart-wrenching need to protect her and comfort her, to shield her from pain and to stop the tears that stained her face. Although I hadn’t taken this particular role in our relationship too often over the past eight years, I knew it was now my turn to be strong, to be the protector, to be everything she had always been for me. I pushed her tears away with my thumb and kissed her lips softly.

“I love you, too,” I whispered back. “Always.”

(TBC…)