"I want you to come home."

"Let’s make that the goal shall we?"

"No, Tina, I want you to come home now.  I need you and I need my daughter.  I need my family."

"Bette, I’m afraid.  We have nothing in reserve.  We’re on the buffers."

"Krishnamurti once said, ‘There is no security except insecurity.’  We have insecurity in bucketloads, so I guess by his lights that makes us really secure."  Bette smiled warmly.  "Tina, please come home and let’s just take it a day at a time.  No promises, no dramas, no expectations.  Let’s be kind to one another and love our daughter, together."

"Will you talk to me?"

"Every day."

"I mean really talk, Bette.  Tell me what’s going on.  Let me in on your deepest thoughts."

"Every day."

Tina let Bette take her hands across the table.

"Will you listen to me?"

"Every day."

"I mean really listen, Bette.  Hear my ideas and suggestions as well as my uncertainties and fears?"

"Every day."

Bette stood and drew Tina to her feet.

"Will you love me?"

"Every day."

"I mean really love me, Bette.  Love me happy, love me sad, love me irritable, love me bad-tempered, love me infuriating, love me stubborn, love me tired, love me when you are tired."

"All of these, T.  All of these, every day."

Bette guided Tina around the table until they were facing one another, hands clasped, fingers interlaced.

"I think that’s the end, Bette."
"And I think, Tina, that this is just the beginning."
"You know what you just did?"
"What’s that, Tina?  What did I just do?"
"You just made some vows."
"I did?"
"Mmmhmm.  And you know what else Bette?"
"No, but I think you might be going to tell me, Tina."
"I will too, Bette."
"You will what, Tina?"
"Every day.  I will talk to you, listen to you and love you every day."
"You will, Tina?"
"Yes, I will Bette."
"Then I think, Tina, you just made some vows as well."

And with this gentle exchange, the two women slipped into a loving embrace, lightly holding each other in their arms.

"I love you, Tina."
"I love you, Bette."
"You know, I think actually the middle is the only place to be."
"I’ve always been in the middle, Bette."
"Well then you will help me find my way."
"Yes, Bette, I will – you’ve already helped me find mine."
"Let’s go and tell our daughter the good news!"

The two people who had entered this ordinary, every day establishment marooned and isolated on the islands of their errors, one hour later, now left as fellow castaways, for ever destined to be swept up onto each other’s shores and every day the sun would rise and every day the sun would set and in between they would talk, listen and love.  Every day.