“Yeah, Tim.  It is so totally fucked up.” 

Bette remained rooted to that spot, but Tim and Tina weren’t talking.  They were both lost in their own thoughts–quiet, thinking, reflecting, and remembering. Bette shook her head in anguish.  She was so sad—sad because her partner felt so little worth in their relationship, sad for the way she had acted all along with Tina, and sad with the realization that Tina’s truth was something very different from Bette’s.  But with that sadness was, perhaps an unhealthy dose of anger.  It infuriated her that Tina dismissed Bette’s feelings–to say that she wasn’t capable of love when Bette knew that her love was strong pained her.  If her lover really believed this, was there any hope for them?

Tina sucked in air through her nose and cleared her throat.  “But Tim, this isn’t why I’m here.  Maybe we should have met somewhere else.  Looking out and seeing our front yard, the herb garden we planted, it’s too sad.  I felt such happiness here once.”

“Do you want to go for a walk and talk about the Center?”

“No, I need to get going anyway.  I’m really happy to get your support.  To have a bona fide former Olympic swim team member and university coach coming in twice a week to help the at-risk kids who come to the Center is ideal.”

“It’s a great opportunity for me, too, Tina.  Getting these kids while they’re young and training them is going to be fun.  Who knows, I might be working with a little five year old Greg Lougainis.”

Bette could hear Tim and Tina stand and move toward the front door.  “Thanks so much.  You’ll find that working with these kids can be very healing.  It’s good for what’s in here and in here.”  Bette guessed that Tina had pointed to her head and her heart.

“Just get the paperwork to me and I’ll be there with my trunks and whistle.”

“Thank you, Tim.  Thank you so much.”

Bette stepped behind the trunk of a tall Palm tree and hid from view, awkwardly holding her two grocery bags.  She watched Tina walk down the three steps leading to the sidewalk from Tim’s home and stood stock-still as Tina headed toward her silver Mini Cooper down the street.