Tina answered with a slight difficulty of choosing her tone. “She swore that she didn’t cheat on me. There was not even any touching.” Alice made a face, clearly she was thinking of the stuff they could have done in that cell. “What is it? Did they undress and ***** together?” Tina asked blankly and broke down crying. Alice tried to comfort her friend by caressing her back. She stood up to get them both coffee, allowing Tina a moment to relax. Alice also needed some time to think. She needed to decide what to say because what she would say probably

affect Tina’s actions.

Alice returned to the table with coffee mugs. Tina took a sip and continued: “I appreciate that she came clean. She started crying after we made love last night. At first I thought it was about the pressure of this exhibit. But she started to talk about us, how she missed the touch of me. The feel of me. She talked about the baby, how she was hurting  also Then after a while she started to apologize, she said she didn’t deserve me.” Tina took another sip and looked up to see Alice‘s expression. “and she told the whole story. The whole ‘censored’ version of course.”

“I – I really don’t know what to say Tee.” Alice answered honestly. “Which never happens with me as you know” she joked to lighten the mood. Tina smiled a little.  “I don’t know what came over Bette with the kiss or the other thing but she should be sincere with her confession last night. After all, she told you herself. It could have been worse.”

“Don’t I know it?” Tina cut in. “But she was mine, her everything belonged to me. I can’t stand the idea of that ***** woman kissing my Bette’s lips. I’m so mad!!! The worse part is I will never know if Bette would go all the way without a confession. Could she cheat on me?”

Alice needed to say the right words. She needed to say “No Tina, of course not!!!” She needed to believe that too. After all, Bette was a good and decent friend; a friend she admired. But still, she had to be honest with her other best friend. “I don’t know that Tina. There’s no way we can know about that. Even Bette probably cannot know at this point. We know that this exhibit took a lot out of her. And she must have suffered for the baby more than she showed us. You should both be strong.”