Bette sat up on the bed, her eyes red and swollen from crying. It had been several hours since Tina had walked out on her. ‘How could I have let this happen?’ Bette heard the phone ring, ‘let it be T.’

Bette: Hello?
Alice: What is going on Bette? Tina is hysterical, I finally got her to fall asleep, what did you do?
Bette: Alice, look I would rather not discuss this with you.
Alice: Look, Bette, you know I love you, but I also love Tina, and I hate to see her this upset.
Bette:( tears filled her eyes) I hate it to Alice. I have to go. Tell her I love her please.
Alice: Ofcourse, I will and I will take care of her for you.
Bette: Thank you Alice.

Bette got up and walked into the kitchen, the house was so quiet, eerily quiet. Bette turned on the cd player in the kitchen, Bette began to sob when she heard the words of Lucinda Williams singing:

“Not a day goes by I don’t think about you You left your mark on me it’s permanent a tattoo,
Pierce the skin and the blood runs through
Oh my baby
The way you move it’s right in time
The way you move it’s right in time
It’s right in time with me.
I stand over the stove in the kitchen
Watch the water boil and listen
Turn off the television
Oh my baby
The way you move it’s right in time
The way you move it’s right in time
It’s right in time with me.”

Bette turned up the music and poured herself a drink, she sat on the couch, her legs curled underneath her. She thought about calling Kit. How could she face anyone though? Especially her sister, she ridiculed Kit so much for her mistakes, and here she is making her own horrible mistake. ‘I can’t do this alone’

Bette reached for the phone, she dialed Kit’s number,a very sleepy voice answered,

Kit: Hello
Bette: Kit, I am sorry for waking you, but something horrible has happened, I have done something so horrible, can you come over?
Kit: (she had never heard her little sister so upset, so scared) Ofcourse, I will be right there.
Bette: Thank you Kit.

Kit hated to wake Ivan up, she went to the couch where Ivan was sleeping.

“Ivan, sorry to wake you up, but something is wrong with Bette, could you drop me off at her place?”

Ivan smiled, “Ofcourse, let me just go and wash my face, and we are off, and you can call if you need me to pick you up.”

Kit smiled at Ivan.

Meanwhile, after another stiff drink, Bette was listening to another song, making her even more then upset.

‘I think they wrote this song just for me’ she thought as she listened to the words of Joan Armatrading

“I’m not the sort of person who falls in and quickly out of love
But to you I give my attention right from the start.
I have a lover who loves me how could I break such a heart?
Yet you still get my attention
Why do you come here when you know I have troubles enough?
Why do you call when you know I can’t get to the phone?
And make me lie when I don’t want to.
And make someone some kind of unknowing fool?Make me stay when I should not?
If you are so strong then reslove the weakness in me
Why do you come here and pretend to be passing by?
I need to see you-I need to hold you tightly
Feeling guilty
And I am worried, waking from tormented sleep cause this old love has me bound
but this new love cuts so deep
If I choose now i am bound to lose out”

Bette thought about the words as she poured another drink. ‘Do I love Candace? No I love Tina, I ran to Candace, I was scared, things between T. and I have changed so much.’

The knock on the door brought Bette out of her thoughts, she got up and answered the door to her sister. Kit immediatley could tell that Bette had been drinking. She hugged her sister, and closed the door behind them.

They sat on the couch, and Bette began to fill her glass

Kit took her glass, “I think you have had enough, now tell me what is going on?” Kit had an idea, but thought Bette needed to say it on her own.

“I…I, I cheated on Tina, and she found out tonight, we had a ‘Heated’ discussion and she left,I know she is at Alice’s sleeping.”

Kit exhaled, “Who with Bette? The carpenter?”
Bette nodded. “What should I do?” Kit pulled her sister in her arms, ran her fingers through her hair, “Baby girl, you are going to have to figure out what you want to do. You have to find answers because when Tina does come to talk to you she will want to know WHY and you have to know the answers, Bette. It is time for you to soul search”

Bette nodded in agreement.


TBC