[Tina sat in her car outside Alices apartment. What went wrong? Why did Bette act that way? I thought we were getting somewhere, I just dont understand. Playing with the keys she had in her pocket, I guess I wont need this one after all. Tina continued to sit there with tears falling down her face. Get it together Kennard, this was an all or nothing plan. Tina began to look around the parking lot, Alices car is gone. (Pause) Good, I just want to be alone.]

[Bette continued to stand by the water a few more minutes as she watched the rose, a symbol of their past, float away. Im sorry Tina, I had to do this. Bette turned and walked toward her car.]

[Tina sat there on Alices couch in the dark, much like she did that night 3 months ago. I cant do this anymore. Tina got up and went to the bedroom where she sat and looked at the picture, their picture that was sitting on the nightstand. Im sorry if I hurt you Bette. You were my world and I had to tell you. (Pause) Im sorry if you cant forgive me. I was forced to do just that in order to be with you. (Pause) How dare you Tina was interrupted as a knock came from the living room door.]

Tina: (Upset and frustrated, she opens the door)Alice, tonight isnt a good night to forget your keys.

Tina: (Shocked that it isnt Alice on the other side of the door)BETTE!

Bette: (Tearful)Tina, Im sorry I acted like such an *****. (Pause) You had every right to do what you did and I have no right to get upset. (Pause) Can you ever forgive me?

Tina: (Grabbing Bettes hand and pulling her in for a long and emotional hug)Oh Bette, Im sorry I hurt you, that was never my intention.

Bette: (Slow to break the hug)Tina, I never should have drove you into the arms of another. Im sorry I broke my promise, our promise. Can you forgive me?

[Tina closes the door and the outside world. Right now was their time. Time to mend what was broken.]

Tina: (Taking Bettes hand and leading her to the couch)Bette, we still have a lot to work through, and I can guarantee it isnt going to be easy. If youre willing, Im willing.

Bette: (Tearful yet smiling)Im willing to do anything you ask. I just need you in my life.

Tina: Bette, I need a couple of things from you before we go any further.

Bette: Anything Tina, (sighing)anything.

(Pause)

Tina: Bette, I need you to promise me that you will never go outside our marriage again and that you wont be so careless with my heart.

Bette: (Kneeling in front of Tina)T., I cant guarantee the future, however, I can promise you that I will guard your heart with my life. Ive learned a very hard lesson, one that made me realize that you dont know what youve got until its gone. I love you Tina, Im so very much in love with you. My future only exists with you in it and I will never step outside of us again. Im working so hard on opening up the communication lines. Im working on my control and I know together well make it.

Tina: (Tears in her eyes)One last thing Bette, (pause)I want to give us another go but I need us to go slow

Bette: (Cutting in) (Softly)Just like in the beginning?

Tina: (Shyly smiling)Yeah, just like in the beginning.

Bette: I can do that. That will give me more time to get you to fall head over heals in love with me.

Tina: (Playfully)Bette, Im already in love with you.

Bette: (Equally playful)Not the NEW me, the better me, a better us.

(Pause)

Tina: Bette, take me home.

Bette: (Surprised)Excuse me!

Tina: I cant promise anything will happen anytime soon but I want to fall asleep in your arms tonight, I need to.

Bette: Tina, I wont push you. You can set the pace. (Pause) I want nothing more than to fall asleep with you in my arms and wake up next to you. Even if its just for one night.

Tina: (Letting out a sigh of relief)Thank you Bette. (Pause) I need to pack a bag, Ill be right back.

[Tina walks into the bedroom leaving the door open.]

Bette: (Whispering)No, thank you Tina.

[Bette wipes her eyes, then walks toward the bedroom. As she leans on the doorframe she notices the picture of them sitting on Tinas nightstand.]

Bette: (Walking over to the bed)Tina, when did you get this(pointing to the picture).

Tina: (Turning from the closet to see what Bette was talking about)Oh, Alice brought that, although Im not sure when.

Bette: What do you mean?

Tina: (Sitting on the bed next to Bette holding the picture)I found it this afternoon wrapped in this T-shirt at the back of my drawer.

Bette: (Smiling and remembering her own picture discovery)Oh, Alice(whispering)thank you.

Tina: I always loved this picture.

Bette: Im glad you have it then.

Tina: Im almost ready to go, I just need to write Alice a note telling her where Im at so that she doesnt worry.

Bette: (With a sense of calmness in her voice)Ok T. Do you want to take both cars or just one?

Tina: Lets take your car. Why dont you go ahead and bring the car up.

Bette: Ok, Ill be waiting outside.

Tina: Ok, Ill be right out.

[Tina grabbed her bag, kissed the picture and placed it back on the nightstand and headed into the living room to write Alice a note.]


Dearest Alice,

I want to thank you for the picture. I dont know when you hid it nor your exact reason for doing so but Im deeply grateful you did. It must have been fate for me to find it today of all days. Seeing it gave me the strength to go through with the meeting.

It was very hard seeing Bette tonight. She looked so beautiful yet so frail. I trusted what you said and followed my heart. I just want to thank you.

We had a long and often painful talk but one that was overdue. Bette said some things that I desperately needed to hear. Some very painful and hard to digest, while others were music to my ears. I told Bette everything and thought my fear of losing her had come true. For a while I thought I lost her. Again, you were right, Bette has changed. It was obvious tonight. I dont know what I would do without you Al.

I told you tonight was a turning point and in fact it has been. She still loves me Alice! I could feel it in her words. I have missed that terribly. I dont know where we will go from here and how long that bumpy road will be but I have to take it. I need her, I want her, and she is my life.

Thank you for all your support and help, but most of all thanks for your friendship. Tonight Im going home, I dont know if Ill be back but I pray I dont. Here is your extra key, I wont need it anymore. Ive only taken a few necessities, Ill be back soon for my car.

Wish us luck Al., I love you dearly.
All my love,
TK

[Tina placed the note, along with the key on the table and said goodbye. Bette was waiting for Tina in the car.]

Bette: Did you get everything you need?

Tina: Everything I need is right here. (She is referring to Bette but didnt say it in so many words)Sorry it took so long, I had to write Alice a note.

Bette: No problem. (Questioning)Are you sure you want to come home?

Tina: (Assured)I want to go home Bette, our home.

[With that said, Bette left the parking lot and headed for home.]

Bette: Tina, theres something I want to tell you.

Tina: (Unsure how to prepare for what Bette had to say)Im listening.

Bette: T., I wasnt sure how tonight was going to turn out. These past few months have been pure *****. I had to try and get by without you and it wasnt easy. In fact, it was harder than I could have ever imagined. (Pause)I was prepared to say goodbye if that was what you wanted.

Tina: (Now uneasy)You were ready to give up?

Bette: ***** NO! I dont ever want to give you up, give us up. However, I wasnt going to stand in the way of your happiness. (Pause)Tina, I came to the pier tonight, to our spot, to either fight for us or say goodbye. Regardless of whatever was to happen and no matter how hard it would have been, I wouldnt look back.

Tina: (Softly)You remembered that was our spot?

Bette: (A bit thrown)Of course I did, I was nervous as ***** as to why you choose our spot in the first place. I was so scared everything was going to turn out differently. I couldnt understand why you would ruin our spot. Then I thought maybe you didnt remember or maybe it no longer held a special meaning to you.

Tina: Im sorry that I scared you. I guess you had every reason to think what you thought. I will always hold that spot in a special place. (Pause)Ill never forget your proposal that night on that bench. You took my breath away! I actually thought I had died and gone to heaven. (Pause)I will always cherish those memories Bette. I spent a lot of time at that pier these past few months, thinking, soul searching, and I could never shake the feeling that you were there.

Bette: Im sorry T., I wish I had been.

Tina: You were there with me each time I went. It took several trips before I could sit on our bench. Once I finally did, I felt you. I felt you inside of me. I felt your presence in each memory I relived. (Pause)Bette your spirit was always there, maybe thats why I kept returning. All I know is that it was the one place I felt safe and secure.

Bette: (With tears running down her cheeks)Tina, I dont know what to say.

Tina: Its ok babe, I understand what you mean.

(Pause)

Bette: Tina, I brought a rose tonight and kept it in my jacket. That rose symbolized our past and us. If we decided that we could work through our problems and get back on track, I was going to give you the rose. If we agreed that we could no longer journey down that road together then I was going to set you free by placing the rose in the ocean and say goodbye.

[Bette pulled off the road into a dimly lit parking lot.]

Bette: (Turning to Tina)I kissed the rose and placed it into the ocean and said goodbye.

Tina: (Her eyes full of tears)Bette, I dont understand.

Bette: Tina, I had to say goodbye to us, the old us. I want a fresh start, a new start, and a lasting start with you. No looking back.

[Bette reaches for the back seat floor board and pulls out 2 dozen red and yellow long stem roses that she had picked up on her way to Alices.]

Bette: (Handing the flowers to Tina)I want a lifetime with you Tina Kennard and a single rose just wouldnt do. One represents love, the other friendship.

Tina: (Tears running down her cheeks)I love you.

[Tina leans in and gently presses her lips to Bettes but only for a second. That was all Bette needed.]

Tina: (Softly)I love you Bette.

Bette: (Sighing)I love you too Tina.