“Where have you been, Elizabeth?”

“You are not going to believe me if I told you.”

“Why don’t you try and let me decide,” Christina smiled.

Bette took a deep breath and said, “I went to the future.”

Christina’s eyes went wide and then a giggle came out, then another and soon Christina was laughing hard, wiping tears with a handkerchief. “You … went … to the … future…” she managed in between the laughter.

Bette nodded, unsure of what to say or do.

“Oh my Lord … I’m going to have my baby.”

“Seriously?” Bette almost panicked but calmed down when she saw Christina smiling.

“No, but if I keep laughing like this, I might,” Christina rubbed her stomach and looked at Bette. “Of all the possible scenarios I’d imagined in my head, that one had never entered my mind. Future?”

Christina began laughing again and Bette finally joined her, realizing how absurd and unbelievable it sounded. After their laughter died out, Bette wiped her tears and smiled fondly at Christina, “Alice…I mean Alicia, my maid, was worried that some madman was after me so she took me far, far away to…uh…to stay with her family. This is where I’ve been all this time. We thought it would be for the best to just disappear for awhile. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you…I didn’t know…”

“Shh…it’s okay, Elizabeth. I’m glad you were safe. When they hunted that bastard down and shot him to death I was so glad to know that they didn’t find your lifeless body. It gave me hope that you were alive and well in some safe place.”

“I thought you were dead. I mourned you every day.”

“The doctor said that I was very lucky,” Christina took out the miniature she had in her breast pocket and showed Bette where it was chipped by a bullet. “You protected me.”

Bette gasped. She knew that miniature so well, Tina’s most beloved treasure. Her hands were shaking as she took it and the tears came out again. Tears for Christina who almost died and for Tina who was left behind so she could have her closure.