“I do, I do, I do.  Bette  …   none of us can stand to sit by and watch what has happened to you guys over the last year. Neither one of you has moved on in any way. You haven’t dated other people. You haven’t made a clean break from each other either. What are you gonna’ do, live in limbo forever?”

As they arrive at the Porter Gallery, “No Alice, I’ve made a decision.”

“Well, what kind of decision? What are you gonna do Bette? Are you gonna try to get back together with Tina? Oh God, you are not going to give her an ultimatum are you?

I don’t think that is a good idea. You know how she hates being backed into a corner.”

Bette and Alice are unloading Bette’s bags from the back of Alice’s car and Bette has absolutely ignored Alice’s rapid fire questioning. Bette takes her bags into the gallery and comes back outside to thank Alice. Alice looks like a lost puppy waiting on Bette to answer her questions. “Well  …….”

“Well nothing Alice. I love you and I cannot thank you enough for picking me up a the airport.” Bette hugs her and thanks her again and turns to walk away. Alice is left to wonder exactly what Bette has in mind.

James greets her as she walks through the gallery. “How was your trip?”

“James, remind me to never have Alice pick me up at the airport.”

“Noted!  So, any new artists you would like to show?”

“I met this lovely young Italian artist. Very abstract. Her work is magnificent. Stark and striking, it reminds you to think. Think abstractly. She was absolutely magnificent James. I will be talking to her soon.”

“Very cool. So, every thing is good here. Kristin is out for the afternoon. Bette, she is doing such a good job.”

Bette nods in agreement but really has no idea what James just said to her. Her thoughts are not on her gallery.

“James, could you bring my car around. I need to get home and get out of these God forsaken cloths.”

James turns to retrieve Bette’s car from the back lot and bring it around front for her. Bette has a glazed over, far away look. Partly the result of exhaustion and partly out of a need for resolution. James helps her to put her bags in her car and she drives home. The home that she and Tina once shared. Bette was lonely and she was going to be alone again tonight. She wanted Tina’s arms around her so badly. She wanted to fall asleep next to her love but, she hadn’t done that for nearly a year and there was no indication that that would be changing any time soon.