Chapter 11

Tina felt weak. Her knees gave way when she felt Alice’s embrace. She fell to the ground. The joy, the sadness, the anxousness, the every single emotion she was feeling was too much for her body. It couldn’t take it anymore.

“MOM!”

Spencer fell to the ground to meet with her mother. She looked into her mother’s eyes and saw something she’d never seen before. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she knew it was caused by these new people. She quickly stood up.

“How do you know my mom?”

She asked Dana. Dana walked closer carefully.

“Honey, we used to be friends awhile ago.”

“Oh you mean when she was with Bette?”

Dana and Alice look sharply at Ashley.

“She was what?”

Ashley asked Dana.

“Honey, this is Tina, Tina Kennard.”

“Should I know who thi- Tina?! The TINA!?”

“Yes.”

“You mean the one that walked out on my mother?!”

“Honey, there is so much to that…”

“Walked out on your mother. How about your mother. Freakin’ cheater!”

“Excuse me, but you don’t know shit about my mom; don’t presume things!”

“I’m not. Only stating a fact.”

“Will you two give it a rest! You don’t know anything you are talking about and Tina doesn’t look good. I think she needs to go to the hospital!”

At the word hospital Tina snapped out of her daze. She began shaking her head.

“Uh uh, no hospitals. No fucking way!”

Spencer looked at her mother. The color still wasn’t there, but at least she’d stepped back into reality.

“Mom are you okay?”

Tina ran her fingers through Spencer’s hair.

“Yah baby I’m okay.”

“You scared me.”

“I know baby, I’m sorry.”

Tina turned to Alice and Dana who were just standing there looking like they’d just seen a ghost.

“Hi Dane, and Al.”

Dana couldn’t take it anymore. She flung her arms around Tina’s neck.

“God, I’ve missed you Tina.”

“Me too Dana, me too.”

Dana pulled back and wiped the tears out of her eyes. She laughed a little, and looked to Alice who still had a shocked look on her face. Tina giggled a little.

“Hey Al.”

Alice just stood there shaking her head. Tina put her hands out on Alice’s shoulders and pulled her into a hug.

“Ugh, I’ve missed you Al.”

“We’ve missed you too Tk. Where have you been?”

“New York.”

“You’ve been in NYC this whole time? That’s crazy because Bette goes there all the time…”

“Alice don’t.”

Dana piped in trying not to ruin the moment between the friends.

“What? I’m just saying.”

“Alice, I don’t want to talk about Bette. She’s apart of my past and I don’t want to go back there.”

Tina’s voice was strong with convictions, but her feelings said another thing. She knew if she would have ran into Bette instead of Alice and Dana she would have broken down into her arms and taken her back if she wanted her. She would do anything for Bette, and that’s why she had to move clear across the country away from Bette so she could learn to be her own person.