Bette sat in a comfortable armchair as she looked through the room’s window.  25 years ago, the room she and Jodi initially had shared had been in the basement of the lodge.  When one of the team assembling the famous sculpture had stumbled into the room and interrupted an intimate moment, Bette had immediately acquired a normal guest room.  It had overlooked the lake.  She had made certain that her room this time was in a different wing and had the mountain view instead. 

On this day, Bette had lied each time she informed any one who asked that she was going to nap.  What she really wanted was a reprieve from everyone’s expectations and assumptions about what she felt and how she would behave.

Jodi had only allowed a retrospective of her work when it was agreed that it would include a symposium at this center, the location of the sculpture she cherished the most. Since it universally was considered to be her best work, the organizers were able to accede to the sculptor’s requirement.

Bette remembered the last of the many exchanges she and Jodi had had about the sculpture, almost three years earlier, when Jodi had been in remission for two years.

“I know how you feel.  You have made yourself very clear.” Jodi signed calmly.

“That’s it?  ‘I have made myself clear?’   Discussion ended?  This is too important to be so easily dismissed!”

“It has not been dismissed.  I considered what you said.  It did not change my mind.”  Jodi had shrugged, “It’s my retrospective, and I want the symposium to be there.”

Bette had glared at Jodi and stormed off.

Hours later, Bette heard Jodi come into her office.  She petulantly refused to turn around, which meant that Jodi could not communicate with heri.

“Bette?” Jodi asked as she reached out and tugged at the desk chair so that Bette faced her.  “You know it is my best piece.”

Bette pouted, “It is one of your better pieces.”

Jodi laughed, “Clever phraseology.”

“I don’t dispute the work’s importance.”

“Just it’s significance.”

“Because its significance is different for each of us.”