“I’m sorry,” Tina said, releasing Bette’s hand at the same time. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

Bette let her hand fall against her side, confusion all over her face. “Why?”

Tina struggled to keep the tears at bay. “I saw you, and everything just fits. And I told myself, I want to be yours again.”

As the enormity of the words had sunk in, Tina could see Bette tense up. Her shoulders were squared, the vein on her forehead pounding incessantly. It was not a good sign.

“I know I have no right. Not anymore. All I ask is to be in your life again,” Tina pleaded.

“What?” Bette’s raised voice shocked both of them. “What does that mean?”

The blonde rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know.”

She sat back on her chair. “Then I have no idea either.”

Tina knew she had to try harder. “Maybe we can be friends? For the sake of Angelica?”

For long moments, Bette stared at the woman sitting across her. “Playing the trump card, are we?”

“Whatever it takes to have you back in my life again,” Tina claimed as she locked gaze with her ex.

“You think you can just waltz in here and I’ll accept you back in my life again?” Bette flattened her hand on the table. “What does Henry have to say about this?”

She flinched at the tone of Bette’s voice. “We broke up. I couldn’t keep using him.”

“Like you used me?” Bette’s reply felt like a slap to her face.

“I was too afraid, too confused to do the right thing. Not anymore,” Tina knew her ex wasn’t being stubborn on purpose.

“But now you do,” Bette said skeptically.

The nod was barely noticeable, but it was there. “I was having doubts as to whether I should quit working to get ready for pregnancy. When the time came, I just tried to push it aside. I focused on how happy you were, ignoring the red flags inside me.”

Bette chose not to reply. She wanted to hear out the rest of Tina’s story.

“Everything just began to steamroll from there. The harder you worked, the more I resented you,” Tina sniffed. “I was afraid you’d be disappointed in me if I told you I want to go back to work.”