“That is not for you or Angus to decide” Tina began pacing “It’s a lie”

“It’ll drive her to drink again Tina” Bette told her getting frustrated that Tina was not seeing things from her point of view.

“No” Tina countered “Knowing that her family covered for someone else’s lie will drive her to drink”

“That’s why it’s important that she doesn’t find out” Bette stood up to face Tina, her frustration starting to show “Why can’t you understand?”

“Tell me something” Tina stood directly in front of her “If I hadn’t confronted you about Candace, would you have told me about the affair?” she wanted to look into Bette’s eyes as she answered.

Bette had expected the affair come up at some point after what they had seen earlier that day.  She moved away from her partner to think of how to reply without ending up in the dog house.  Tina looked on waiting for her to answer the question.  Bette let out a breath and carefully said

“No” the disappointed look on Tina’s face made her stomach drop “but I would’ve ended it with her and stayed with you.”  In desperation she added “I would’ve done anything to spare you that kind of pain.”

“Bullshit!” Tina was angry “You’re a fucking coward Bette!”  She walked up to her and got in her face “You are afraid of being a disappointment and a failure” Tina wiped the tears that she couldn’t hold back “You’d rather play me for a fool” then added “to you ignorance is bliss.”

“I do not nor would I ever think of you as fool” she stood toe to toe with Tina “Yes, I’m afraid being a disappointment and failure” she took a second then added “to you.  I’m afraid of being a failure to you.  The look in your eyes that night” she winced from the memory “I don’t ever want to go through that again” a lone tear fell.

“Don’t you understand that by not addressing your unhappiness you took away my chance to fix what ever was wrong with us” she shook her head “and if I had not found out and you ended things with her as you’ve said, would that have made our problems go away?  Can you guarantee that you wouldn’t be tempted to do it again because you got away with it the first time?”