Bette sat up, but didn’t turn on the light.  She patted the area next to her, searching the top of the duvet for her mobile phone and once she found it, flipped it open revealing an indigo light that illuminated the darkness.  Her fingers pressed the buttons and as she did, she thought she could hang up at any time if she really didn’t want to go through with it.

“H’llo,” came the voice thick with sleep.

“Hi,” Bette responded fully alert.

“Bette?” the voice questioned.

“Yeah, hi.”

Bette heard the woman on the other end drop the phone, then heard the sound of it brushing against the sheets, and the click of a lamp probably being turned on before the familiar voice returned.  “Bette, it’s after two-thirty in the morning.  Has something happened?”

She wanted to ask what hadn’t happened.  Her lips trembled and so did her voice when she said, “No, I wanted to hear your voice, Tee. I…I didn’t think.  It’s late, huh?”

Tina was awake now, too.  “Bette, have you been drinking?”

“No.”

“Why are you calling at this hour?”

Bette’s eyes closed and she slid further into bed, turning on her side so that the phone rested against the pillow and her ear lay on top of the phone.  “I was about to go to sleep and I…  I don’t know why I called.  I’m sorry.”  Bette rushed her words and was just about to hang up.

“Wait,” Tina said.  “Bette, you must have something you want to say.  Go ahead.  Please.  What’s on your mind?”

“Well.”  Bette sucked in her lips, pressing them tightly together.  When she felt like she could speak with her usual assurance, she said, “Well, I just wanted to tell you that you’re wrong about me.  I know what you’re thinking and, I would never deny your right to those feelings, but it hurts to know those are the thoughts going through your mind.”

“What are you talking about?”  Tina asked slowly.

Bette turned in bed and lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling as she spoke.  “I know you think I never loved you, but I did and do.  Just like you, I can think of a list of things I didn’t do right, things that would make you think I didn’t care, but I always cared.”