They had been sitting in therapy for less than five minutes and Tina had pulled out the big guns.  She had no intentions of dancing around what she wanted to know.  Bette winced.  She felt on the spot and looked to Suzanne for guidance, but was offered none. 

“Well?”

Cocking her head, Bette stared at her partner pleadingly.  “Tee, I want to be with you.  She means nothing to me.”

“’We only talked’ or ‘there was more’–two choices, Bette.  Just tell me the truth.  Tell me the truth.”

Bette’s upper lip twitched nervously.  It would have been easy to keep up the ruse if Bette hadn’t confided in her psychiatrist.  She couldn’t lie knowing that at least one other person in the room did know the truth.  Logically, she explained, “Tina, you were at Tim’s and I heard you denigrate me.  You might not have seen it that way, but to disparage me that way hurt more than I can say.  What if you overheard me telling someone that you weren’t capable of love? I have feelings, too,” she accused.

“Bette, c’mon.”

“I left with her.  I did take her hand.   That’s true.  We came back to our place.”

Tina nodded in confirmation. “Then?  You did more than talk, didn’t you?”

A tear flowed down Bette’s cheek.  “She kissed me, but I swear, I didn’t kiss her back.  She only kissed me.”

“And what did you do?”

“Nothing.  She kissed me, but… I froze and did nothing.”

Tina’s eyes narrowed in loathing.  “What are you, ***** Swiss?  What?  You remained neutral against her attack?”

Bette rolled her eyes and that sent Tina over the edge.  She uncrossed her legs and stood, taking long strides to the door.  “I’m gone.  This was a huge mistake.” 

Bette was right behind her and made a quick sprint to the door, blocking Tina’s exit.  “No.  No, you don’t.  Tina, I didn’t know how to tell you.  That’s why I’m here, getting help in expressing myself and not acting out when I should be talking.  I lied to you because I knew how you’d react.  It didn’t do me any good.  You still left.  You still didn’t trust me.”