After leaving Candace’s bed she’d gone home to shower and dress for the day but before going to work she’d stopped in at the Planet. It was still under renovation for the transformation into a night club but the coffee shop was open and not surprisingly she found Tina sitting at their regular table surrounded by all their friends.

Tina had found out about the affair several weeks earlier but Bette hadn’t ended it until now. Needless to say she was persona non grata amongst their friends as everyone rallied around Tina.  Bette walked up to the table.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask to join you. I know that you all probably think that I’m a monster. I just – I have something that I need to say to Tina.”

Shane starts to get up asking if they should go but Tina puts a hand on Shane’s arm holding her in place.

“No Shane stay. Bette if you have something to say, say it here.”

Bette looks around feeling uncomfortable with all eyes on her. She braces herself and focuses just on Tina.

“Tina… I didn’t try to… see you, or… call you until now because I wanted to make sure… that I could do what you asked of me.”

Tina doesn’t say anything so Bette continues.

“I promise.” Bette’s voice wavers with the overwhelming realization of how emotionally devastating her selfish actions have been. “I am not going to ever see her again. I am not ever going to speak to her again. I am not ever going to think about her again.”

Tina shows no reaction to Bette’s heartfelt declarations even as tears roll down her cheeks. “I miss you. More than that, I need you. And I don’t think that I can… I don’t think that I can live without you.”

Tina’s silence is increasing Bette’s anxiety as she desperately tries to get through to her wife. “It is completely and totally over.”

Finally Tina speaks. “When did you end it?”

“This morning. I told her that you were the love of my life and that I didn’t know what I was doing and that I must’ve gone temporarily insane.”

“Did you tell her in person, or on the phone?”