Bette cleared her throat. “Can I make you some tea?”

Tina nodded in response.  Bette got up and made Tina her favorite green tea.  Tina drank in silence. When she finished, she turned to Bette and gave her a half smile, even though her eyes were filled with tears.

“I’m going to call home,” Tina said softly.

“Do you want me to leave?” Bette asked.

“No. I mean unless you have somewhere else to be.”

Bette put her hand on top of Tina’s. “This is the only place I want to be.”

Tina got up and picked up the cordless phone as she made her way into the bedroom, so she could have a little privacy when she spoke to her mother.

“Hello?” Her mother’s voice had changed since the last time Tina spoke to her. Now she sounded older and sadness poured out of every syllable.

“Hi mom”

“Christina,” she said low, as if not expecting to hear her voice.

There was an awkward silence, neither knowing what to say to each other. The circumstances bringing them together after 8 years of separation were probably the worst they could be.

“Was it sudden?” Tina asked.

“He hadn’t been feeling well but it still came very suddenly.”

Tina twirled a piece of her hair around her finger. “And how are you holding up?”

Mrs. Kennard wiped away a stray tear. “I’m trying to keep myself together. It’s a lot to deal with. We’re having a ceremony tomorrow afternoon. It’d it’d be nice if you came.”

Flying out to North Carolina was something Tina thought she’d never do again. “Ok mom. I’ll be there in the morning.”

“Alright. I’ll see you then. Goodbye”

Tina hung up the phone and laid down. Her head sunk into the pillow as she stared up at the ceiling, thinking about how her father was now up above.  Bette knocked on the door, bringing her out of her thoughts.

“Come in”

Bette opened the door slowly and stuck her head in. “I just wanted to see if you were ok.”

 ”I will be.”

“If you need me I’ll be living room,” Bette said as she started to close the door.

“Bette wait.” She stopped and turned her head back to Tina.

“Can you stay with me?”

Bette smiled. She closed the door and got in bed with Tina.  Tina moved closer to Bette and held her tightly. “Bette, I know I’ve been a real ***** today. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. My mind is telling me all these ridiculous things, but it’s my heart that’s speaking the truth. Please don’t hate me and my stupidity”

Bette pushed one of Tina’s stray golden locks behind her ear. “I could never hate you. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Tina kissed Bette’s awaiting lips. “I know we still have a lot to talk about but right now I have other things to deal with. Do you think you could come back home with me for 2 days?”

“Wherever you are is where I’ll be.”

Tina started to cry on hearing those words. She couldn’t understand why she doubted Bette and trusted Helena, but now on top of that she had to deal with the pain from loosing the man who was her rock growing up.  Now Bette was her rock, and she was hoping that maybe something good would come out of this tragedy.

TBC…