"I know Bette . . and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and for Angie but you and I both know that this was going to happen sooner or later. We never made a permanent arrangement . . ."

Bette didn’t know what to do. She just stood there, helpless and numb, barely listening Tina tried to make her understand. Everything felt like it was falling apart. Worst of all, Bette knew there was nothing she could say to make it all better.

"Besides" Tina cut into Bette’s thoughts, "I’m sure you want your house and your life back"

She couldn’t have been more wrong. The only life Bette wanted was one with Tina and Angie included but she remained silent on that. She could see the pain on the blonde’s face and could easily see that Tina didn’t want to be there anymore. So even though it broke her heart, Bette let her go. She let them both go.

It was a decision that Bette instantly regretted, one that she continued to regret 5 weeks later.

Even as she sat at a table at The Planet, idly stirring her coffee, Bette found herself replaying that last night with Tina at her house. She watched as the brown liquid in her cup swirled around over and over, completely in a daze and lost to her own thoughts.

"Helloooo! Earth to Bette! You in there?"

Bette was brought out of her reverie and blinked to find Alice’s hand waving in front of her face. She sat back in her seat as a table full of her concerned friends stared at her.

Alice shook her head, "What the hell Bette? You’re hardly ever here and when you are here, you’re still not here"

"What are you talking about Al? What does that even mean?" Bette asked slightly irritated.

Alice rolled her eyes, "It means that we’ve seen you a total of four times this month and every time you’ve been completely spaced out"

"Would you prefer it if I didn’t come at all?" Bette teased with raised eyebrow, feeling slightly guilty at having neglected her friends.