The Secrets That We Keep

So much time and space had separated the two lives that Tina
almost did not recognize Bette Porter as she stood before her now saying hello
in a quiet calm whisper.

Both had moved forward with their lives. In fact, they both
had gone on to marry others and have a family after many failures.

Tina had stayed with men after her foray into Hetroville as
Alice had once dubbed it after Henry. Bette true to form had met Shelly who
loved and accepted her for everything she was and was not.

But tonight the marriage of one of their oldest and dearest
friends Shane had placed them in each others orbit again.

It had been painful but funny really that soon after Angie
turned 18 and went away to college that event seemed to be the catalyst of the
final separation of Bette and Tina.

After their only connection left decided to go far away to
college Bette and Tina’s co parenting that had once held them so tightly bound
together seemed to crumble.

Each of them began seeking the company of others and when the
occasional call came requesting the others company more times than not an
excuse was made and future promises to get together was not kept.

Bette was the first of the pair to become involved in a
serious relationship and along with that brought up all the confusing feelings
for Tina. However somehow they managed to travel that minefield and come out on
the other side all the better for it. Tina had always suspected it had
something to do with her beginning to date David about that time in both their
lives. Who knows maybe Bette could finally see they both were happier
individuals apart.

Somewhere along the way from their first meeting to the
bitter end they had managed to bring out these needy, possessive, life altering
characteristics in each other. It was almost like a drug addict who needed a
fix. They were each others fix.

Bette’s marriage and then Tina’s to other partners had
suddenly been the instant cure to their never ending dilemma.

Both women were faithful to their vows and the lives they had
chosen. The birth of Tina’s second child by her now husband David had left
Bette with a lot to deal with but it had forced her to take a long had look at
what she wanted out of life and how lucky she was to have found Shelly and that
event had secured her marriage in her mind making her more determined to make
it work.