Tina and Alice finished their breakfast in silence, and as Tina was washing the dishes, backing a still very shock Alice, she whispered,

“Will you come to the doctors with me Al?”
“Sure Tee Alice said, already by her side, caressing her bare arm, comforting her.



Bette was in her office early, as always lately. James was use now to see her walking in early, almost right after him and he always was the first one there.
Watching Bette, through her ajar door, James got lost in her image. She was looking as beautiful as ever, James was sometimes amazed at how beautiful Bette looked. But that knowledge, that realization made him wonder even more.

James was one of the few people who knew about the changes in Bettes life. Bette never talked with him about it but as her assistant, and a very efficient one he just had to do two plus two.

He knew Tina was no longer in the picture, at least not in Bettes picture. He knew, later, but he knew that Bette was seeing, wasnt sure how much, but he knew that she was seeing Candance. It surprised him a lot to find out and finally accept the change.

He liked Tina, he liked Tina a lot. And he liked how Bette was when Tina was there. He knew that, besides himself, Tina was the only one able to tame the beast inside Bette.
But not only that, he liked Tina by herself. She was fun, caring, beautiful, and warm, something not very people around him was. Bette never was, and he was use and ok with it but it was always a good change to talk and interact with somebody as warm and down to earth as Tina. He was used to talk and deal with full of *****, messy and snobbish people all the long so when he talked with Tina on the phone or when she stopped by at the CAC was always a pleasure for him.

Looking at Bette now, James noticed how thin she has become, how beautiful her face was, but then, studying her, he saw it again.
He saw the look in her eyes when she was alone, when she thought no one was looking, when she was lost in her own thoughts.
James knew Bette. He knew that as much as she pretended to be happy, in control and enjoying her life with Candance, nothing was the same. James knew that Tina not being in the picture was killing Bette inside. He could even imagine why and even what happened when they broke up but what he couldn not believe is what was taking Bette so long.

Looking at her boss James only prayed for Bette to realize soon it too and for her to start putting her live in order. He knew, hoped, prayed, that it was not too late to find Tinas path again. If not for her health and sanity, for his own good as he was suffering the working hours Bette was doing, and expecting him to do too.

Bette was killing her days and fooling her soul working like a maniac, trying to find all the answers through her work. She was killing her nights ***** Candance like a maniac too. Never her sexual life has been so active, so rewarded. But deep inside Bette could see, feel, how empty she felt every time she had ***** with Candance. And every time that realization came to her mind she was moved to ***** her again, and again. She was letting her sexual relationship with her guide her life. To her own surprised she invited Candance in right the moment Tina was out. She needed Candance to be there. She just didnt expect for Candance to accepted so easily.

…

As Alice was driving to the doctors, Tina, leaning on the window whispered, drawing with her finger on the glass,

You know Al? Tina said with her usual low tone.
Alice turned to look at Tina, mute, just nodding, encouraging.
I think, I feel that I didnt leave Bette, I escaped