The night before she had tried to talk Tina out of letting Henry adopt her. She was unsuccessful.

When Tina and Henry walked out of the courtroom holding Angelica, Bette tried to say good-bye.

“Henry take OUR daughter to the car. I’ll be there in a minute,” Tina said to her newly husband, as she looked on at her family.

When Tina turned to Bette, Bette didn’t see the woman she loved for eight years. She saw a cruel and hateful woman.

“Bette, I hope you took a long and hard look. That is the last time you will she Angelica,” Tina said firmly.

“Don’t do this Tee. You are only hurting Angelica,” Bette pleaded.

“Hurting her? You are the fucking reason she has that cast on her arm. You are the fucking reason we almost lost HER. Your fault Bette. I will never forgive you for this. NEVER! All you had to do Bette was accept joint custody. But no you went for full custody and when you saw that wouldn’t work you went for the knock-out punch. So blame your FUCKING self for this SHIT!”

“Tina, I thought I was doing what was best for Angelica,” a tearful and hurt Bette said.

“Well what is best for her now, are me and Henry and little Mikey. You are no longer apart of OUR, and what I mean by OUR, me and Henry, daughter’s life. We’re moving and there will be no forwarding address for you.”

Tina turned quickly and left. When Bette tried to go after her, Kit and Shane grabbed her.

“Baby girl, it’s over. You tried your best,” Kit said as she tried to comfort her sister.

Kit and Shane had gotten Bette out of jail several times for the last few months. Bette had got arrested for trespassing on Henry property trying to see Angelica.

Just as Bette shifted in her chair Candace began to stir.

“Baby………baby……..are you………..here?” Candace said with all her might.

Bette jumped up and stood over her.

“Yes………Dacy……..I’m here. Baby I’m always here.”

Candace flickered her eyes open. Once she was able to focus and saw her partner she smiled.

“How after all this time, I can still smell and feel your present?” Candace whispered in pain.

Bette witness how hard it was for her to speak. She reached over Candace to push the button that helps stop the pain. Candace tried to grab Bette hand to stop her but the pain was so unbearable when she made a move.

“Bette wait…….don’t please.”

Bette looked at Candace in confusion. Why was she trying to stop her? Didn’t she want the pain to stop?

“That stuff makes me sleep,” she whispered.

“Dacy, you need to be comfortable. I hate to see you in so much pain.”

“I need to tell you something. Something that I had known for awhile and something you need to know.”

Bette removed her hand from the button and sat at Candace’s side.

“Ok, baby, but please keep it short. I can‘t stand to see you this way.”

Candace swallowed hard and blinked away the tears that were now creeping down her face.

“Sweetheart I found her.”

“Found who?” Bette said in a whisper.

Candace felt herself slipping away. Slipping to a place she has gone to many times this week. Slipping to a place with no pain. No hatred. She had to tell Bette what she knew before it was impossible to leave this place she was looking forward to.

“I found Angelica.”

TBC