http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZl53bwHuaE

The world was different with the renewed love Tina had confessed. Everything changed as she hung up the phone, and in the most wonderful, all-encompassing way. Tears clouded her vision, and she allowed for them to overtake her.

It had been surreal, to hear Tina’s regret at long last – to hear she had been hurt with reason, and awfully. Her pain was acknowledged. Tina took all the blame for the state they were in, although Bette wouldn’t have it. She knew it was as easily her own fault. Leaning against the wall with Tina’s earrings still in her hand, she brought the other hand up to her face and slid down to the floor. Resting her head back, she cried for the content that forced its way back into her life; she never thought she would feel quite that way again.

After trying to quiet herself in the devastatingly silent house, she tried to sort her thoughts. Tina had been there – had walked in her house again after all of this time. She thought in depth of what that meant to her, all the while tears finding their way down to her chin. She hated how passionately she had needed Tina all of this time, how connected she had been all the while Tina was with a man. She had hated every moment, as if she could keep track of each. Now that would change.

Tina wanted her again – said she had never lost that connect between them. She had merely been too weak to be honest with herself. Mistakes can be hard to confront. All of these things meant everything to Bette, and were the break of her emotional composure. She cried with happiness, her eyes eventually sore with irritation.

The comfort came days after, when they could at last speak to each other. They laid together in bed, in Bette’s house, for no reason other than their weaknesses and the raging emotions that threatened to take their balance. It was comforting, lying together as their conversation had progressed into all the things they never said, but finally could.

“I’m so sorry,” Tina whispered, shifting to turn on her stomach. She breathed into the comforter.

Bette could see her shame and her guilt, having confessed she felt undeserving of love. It was the first time Bette could see her struggle with her thoughts, so outcast by her relationship with a man. It reminded Bette of her horrible exclusion from everyone after the affair, and in that sense she understood the absolute loneliness. She swallowed down her desire to cry, and smoothed her hand over Tina’s back while she sobbed. “For breaking into my house?” Bette teased softly, inching over, closer to Tina’s surrendered form.