“But T, that’s good. I love you with all of my heart. If you can still find it in you to love me then together we can make this better.”

“I love you Bette. I’ve been trying to imagine my future without you but you’ve been a part of me for so long that I just can’t see it.”

“I don’t ever want a life where you’re not at my side, baby” Bette interjected, allowing herself to hope a little that Tina was opening up to her.

“Bette, I’ve always believed that you were faithful to me without question. I’d rather die than take what I promised is yours and share it with someone else. I was yours Bette, yours alone for the rest of our lives. But for some reason you weren’t able to keep your promise to me. You were mine Bette but you’re not mine anymore. Now I have to share you with her and that is something that I can’t get past. God I don’t even know if she’s the only one!”

“She’s the only one” Bette responded desperately, feeling her hope slipping through her fingers.

“How can I be sure Bette?” Tina asked, shaking her head sadly.

“Because I swear to you that she was the only one”

“You swore that you would be faithful me, I can’t believe what you say anymore. I don’t trust you anymore and it kills me.”

“I will earn your trust again. Tina you have to let me try…”

“No Bette. I just…can’t. I’m sorry but there aren’t going to be any tomorrow’s for us. We ended when you chose to sleep with her.”

“Jesus Tina, why are you giving up so damn easily?”

“Why should I fight for a love that you treated with such contempt? This conversation is getting us nowhere, Bette. You betrayed me in the most intimate way and I can’t just erase that from my memory and take you back. You can swear that it will never happen again but it’s only words and my faith in what you say is gone. You took all that I treasured and ruined it. While in my heart I still love you, how can I give myself to someone who treats me like this? It’s over Bette, I need to move on with my life and so do you.” There was a decisiveness in Tina’s words that Bette knew better than to argue with. She was not going to win this battle but sitting there gazing at Tina she silently vowed to win the war.

“O.K. T” Bette relented “If all I have left to offer you is your freedom then it’s yours. If you truly feel that we can never even attempt to repair our love then I won’t stand in your way. If you had the slightest idea of how much this is tearing me up inside, you would never ask me to let you go. I have one small thing to ask of you” Tears filled Bette’s eyes..

“What?” Tina whispered, suddenly fearing of the enormity of Bette’s retreat

“My heart was a gift that I gave to you a long time ago. I’m not asking for it back, just please don’t let it go – I think it might shatter if you do.”

Silently she stood up and let herself out, leaving the apartment and Tina behind. Bette saw that she had touched something deep within Tina with her final words and knew that this was not the end.