“Yes.” replied Tina, quietly.

“But you still don’t know whether you want her to come and see you?”

“No, and I said I would give her an answer by tonight.”

“You gave yourself a deadline?” asked Kate, incredulously

“I didn’t know what else to do. I know I’ve backed myself into a corner but I want her here. I want her to prove to me that she’s the woman I always thought she was. I want her to make it right.” replied Tina with a slight anger in her voice.

Kate merely smiled in reply and went back to eating her lunch letting Tina take in the importance of her own words. After they had both finished their meals and the waiter had cleared their plates Tina looked up to see that Kate still had that smile on her face but still wasn’t committing herself to a verbal reply.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“What else is there to say? I think you’ve made up your mind” said Kate in response.

“I haven’t, not yet anyway.”

“OK, but I’m not sure I really believe that.”

Tina called the waiter over so that she could pay for their meals. Once this was dealt with she turned to Kate before looking away again, not being able to look her in the eye before speaking her next words.

“I just feel this overwhelming sense that I have to protect myself”

“From the woman you love. That’s crazy Tina. You said you wanted my advice, so here it is. Ask her to visit, not for her, not to assuage her guilt, but for you. You need to see her so that you can get yourself out of this situation that’s been created whereby you love her, need her, want her but there’s something ugly standing in the way of all of those beautiful things that you could have together. How can you expect to get rid of that while being on the other side of the world from each other?”

“Tell me how you really feel, why don’t you.” laughed Tina.

“Yeah, sorry about that.” chuckled Kate.

“Shall we get out of here? I think I have a phone call to make.”

“Sure thing boss.” said Kate as they made their move to leave.