“I don’t know.” replied Bette quietly, hoping that Tina wasn’t pulling away from her.

There was silence on the line while both women thought about the tacit meaning of what they were discussing, both knowing that if they admitted the meaning of true love then there would be no going back for either of them. Eventually it was Tina that broke the silence.

“There’s a lot of things we don’t know right now, isn’t there?”

“I know one thing.” replied Bette

“What’s that?”

“I know that I love you.”

“You always were quite the charmer, weren’t you?”

“I try, and admit it, it worked on you.” said Bette, laughing.

“Works on me Bette, that’s definitely in the present tense.” replied Tina who was also laughing at her own inability to resist Bette’s charm.

“Let me come over there, to see you, talk to you.” said Bette, suddenly turning serious.

“Bette, baby, you went back to work. I wanted you to go back so that you would have something else to focus on than us.”

“I only went back for you, because you wanted me to. Even when I’m there I only think about you, about what I can do to make things right. Please T, I can’t put things right without seeing you.”

“OK, I know I’m going to regret starting this topic of conversation but, hypothetically, how would you swing it with Franklin?”

“I would say that there was a really important exhibit that I absolutely had to go and see in London and it would be crucial to the CAC that I procure said exhibit for the gallery.”

“You’ve thought this through, haven’t you?”

“I thought it best to have a plan of action, yes. So will you let me?” asked Bette.

“Bette, even if you’re not at work I still would be and I really want to make a good impression with this project, which, as you know, means long hours. I don’t know if I would be able to dedicate the time to you that I know that you would want, that would be fair to the both of us.”

“I’ll take whatever time you would be able to give.”

“Can I think about it? I mean really think hard about it and call you tomorrow. I’ll give an answer tomorrow. Will that do for now?”

“Thank you, for at least considering it. I want to see you T, so much.”

“I know, and if I’m being honest I want to see you too Bette. I hate myself for it but I miss you.”

“I miss you too.” replied Bette

“I’ll call you tomorrow then.”

“OK, I’ll be waiting. Bye T.”

“Bye Bette”

Tina hung up the phone and took a deep breath. She knew that over the next twenty four hours she was going to make a decision that could potentially affect the rest of her life. She knew that if she agreed to Bette coming to London then it was tantamount to letting Bette back into her life. All she had to do now was decide whether that was what she really wanted.