“Of course, I understand,” Tina said, with a reassuring nod. “So, what were you doing?”

“I’m a match for you—is that how you say it,” Shane finally said, looking to Bette for guidance. “Yes, you’re correct, it seems that Shane, here—is a match for you. We’ll just take this one step at a time…”

“Take what one step…and what are you talking about, she’s a match—oh, honey, I’m so sorry but, that’s impossible.”

“That’s what I said, too,” Shane added. “But, I am, I matched. Right?”

Bette looked back at Tina, “She really did. I swear to god, I was just as shocked as I’m sure you are now, but Dana and Alice, they were tested too, they didn’t match, and then Shane…”

“They all went to get tested—for me?”

“Yes, of course for you,” said Bette. “We’d do anything for you, don’t you know that?”

Tina pushed her chair out from the table and walked off toward the bathroom. Hearing the door shut, Shane said, “What is that? Is she mad?”

“Of course not,” Bette said, excusing herself from the table and knocking on the bathroom door.

“Tina. Tina, please let me in.”

Bette rested her head against the door and whispered, “Please, Tina,” as the door flew open. Tina reached out and grabbing Bette’s arm, pulled her into the bathroom before slamming the door shut behind her. “Don’t do this, don’t be upset, this is a beautiful thing!”

Tina pushed her against the sink. “Bette, you shouldn’t have done this.” When Bette tried to interrupt, Tina said, “Let me say this! You shouldn’t have done this—that girl, she’s in for a world of pain, pain for nothing. My body will just reject…”

“No, no, your body won’t reject her, if that’s what you’re afraid of, it won’t happen, it can’t happen.”

“It’s easy for you to think that because you haven’t been through what I have. My sister, do you know what she went through, the recovery alone—It broke my heart, I can’t ask that of Shane, she doesn’t even know me.”

Bette pulled away and walking to the toilet, dropped the seat and sat down. She pushed the hair away from her face, and paced herself. “Okay, I’m about to tell you something that you’re probably not going to believe…I don’t even believe it!”

Tina leaned against the wall and threw her hands up. “Let me guess, Shane is a long lost relative and there is no way my body can reject her because we’re a perfect match.”

When she didn’t say anything, Tina dropped to her knees and searched Bette’s eyes. “What are you trying to tell me?”

Bette winced under the pressure and taking a deep breath, said, “Well, it’s funny that you chose those specific words, because…”

Tina flew out of the bathroom, causing Shane to drop her spoon. “What did I do?”

Resting her hands on the table, Tina said, “No, you did nothing wrong, I just, I want to hear it from you.”

Shane took a gulp and looked at Bette, who was now standing behind Tina with her arms folded. “Look, I don’t know. I went to get tested, and I matched. That’s really all I know.”

“Okay,” Tina said, and turning to Bette, continued, “I think we all had a pretty big day, so, I’m going to lay down for a minute. Alone; Bette, seriously, alone.”

Bette nodded and stepping out of the way, allowed Tina to pass. They watched her walk into the bedroom and when the door shut, Bette looked over at Shane who was staring at her. “Well, what do you want to do now,” she asked. “I have no idea,” replied Bette. “I should probably go in there.”

“Oh, I’d leave her alone for now.”

“You think?”

“Yeah, definitely.”

She slowly walked over and took a seat at the table. Shane eventually followed her lead and sitting down, rested her folded arms in front of her. Bette looked at her face intently; inspecting her eyes, her nose, her mouth. “You don’t look like my mother at all.”

“No?”

“No,” Bette scoffed. “You don’t have any of her traits.” Bette’s eyes made their way up to the ceiling, and her mind began to wander.

“Well, maybe I look like my father.”

“Hmm, maybe.”