It was 6:30pm and Tina decided it was now or never. She had to go home at some point, but had been dreading it. Sandi told her that there were photographers out by the gate…waiting. She still hadn’t been able to reach Bette, and the thought of what Bette must be thinking was driving her crazy. She had talked with her family, one at a time, explaining the situation, and apologized for having her picture plastered all over the papers. They had been wonderful, just wanting to make sure she was Ok. She wasn’t. She needed to talk to Bette.

Even though her and Elaine had done nothing wrong, it didn’t matter to Tina, because she knew exactly how she would feel if she saw pictures of Bette and someone else in the same embraces that Tina and Elaine had been photographed in. She also knew what it felt like to think that someone was lying to you, and had betrayed you. Tina’s e-mail to Bette that morning had been full of forgiveness and hope, and yes, even some flirting. And in their garden, Tina had whispered to Bette to trust her…to keep on loving her and to trust her. And now this. She wished that Bette had called her, so she could explain, but she also remembered how she had felt when she found out about Candace, and at that time, talking to Bette was the last thing she had wanted to do.

She gathered up her stuff and headed out. She had pulled her hair into a ponytail and put a baseball hat on, with her sunglasses ready. When she got to the front door of the studio, she asked Steve, the security guard to please walk her to her car. He nodded his head, “Sure Tina, come on.” Tina was one of the nicest, most down to earth people here, and he wasn’t about to let anyone bother her while she was still on his turf.

She got into her car and started to drive through the parking lot to the entrance gate. ‘Oh my God!’ For a moment she put on her brakes and stopped, just staring. There had to have been at least 20 people with cameras waiting outside the gate. She had no idea if Elaine had already left, and felt a little guilty hoping these people were waiting for her and not Tina.

She drove through the gate, managing to drive past the bulk of people without anyone recognizing her, but right when she thought she was safe, one of the men yelled something and started taking pictures of her through the car window. She sped up and shot out into the street, leaving them running behind her. Tina couldn’t believe that this was happening. She was getting a small glimpse into what the lives of celebrities must be like, and was grateful that she had not chosen a career in front of the cameras. She prayed that no one knew where she lived. She just wanted to get back to her apartment and crawl into bed and wait for Bette to call. ‘Call me…please Bette.’

Tina pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex and groaned. ‘Well, at least there are only two of them.’ Standing quietly waiting for her were two men, both with cameras around their necks. Tina pulled into her spot and got out of the car, walking as fast as she could, ignoring both men’s questions. She made it to the front door of the building before one of the men reached out and grabbed her arm to turn her around. “Ms. Kennard. Can you tell us about your relationship with Elaine Brown? Are you two lovers?”

From behind Tina came a voice full of venom. “Leave her alone, and if you ever touch her like that again, you will be sorry. Now, get the ***** out of here.” Tina turned around and looked into the loving eyes of her rescuer…her beautiful Bette. Before Tina could say anything, Bette ushered her in through the doors and into the elevator. Tina took off her hat and sunglasses and turned to Bette…and started to sob uncontrollably. Bette pulled Tina into her arms and whispered to her over and over, that everything was going to be all right. They didn’t say anything else until they were inside Tina’s apartment.

Tina reached out and hugged Bette again. This time Bette stiffened just a little bit, but still returned the hug. “Bette, I have been trying to reach you all day. I need to tell you…”

“It’s Ok Tina. It’s Ok. I hope you don’t mind me coming up here, but I figured you would need a friend right about now.” Bette took a deep breath and walked over and sat down on the arm of the couch to not only steady herself, but to put some distance between herself and Tina. “I mean now that you and Elaine…well…I just figured with all the publicity…I know what it’s like having people trying to take your picture…that you would probably just need someone to help…I mean…I am sure that it will die down in a week or so, but I thought I could…be here to help you through this, so you two could…I mean…when I told you that I wanted to be in your life in whatever capacity you wanted, I meant it.” Bette stopped for a moment, trying to get some control before she continued, however she couldn’t seem to stop the silent tears from making their way down her cheeks. “So, if you have decided to be with Elaine Brown, I will support you in whatever way I can.”

Tina couldn’t believe her ears. She wanted to interrupt Bette and tell her she had it all wrong. She wanted to rush to her and wipe away her tears, but she was paralyzed by hearing the words coming out of Bette’s mouth, by the gift that Bette thought she was giving Tina. Bette was showing Tina that she loved her unconditionally. She was showing her that she truly was her friend, by stepping out of the way, so that Tina could go in the direction Bette thought she wanted to. The only problem was, Tina didn’t want to go in the direction of Elaine. Tina had been struggling so much with her fear that Bette might want to go back to Candace, but what she just heard, stopped that struggle instantly. But still, this was not the Bette that she had been with six months ago. Had she changed that much?

“So Bette, are you telling me that you are stepping aside? That just like that you are giving another woman your blessing to be with me? I’m sorry, but that just doesn’t sound like the Bette Porter I know.”

Bette tried to give Tina a smile, but she couldn’t even manage that, and felt like she was dying inside. ‘How did I ever think I could do this in person? Why couldn’t I have just called her and told her this over the phone?’

“Tina, how can I promise you one day that I will be the best friend to you in every way I can, and then not want for you the next day what will make you happy? What kind of person would I be if I stood before you asking you to understand why I chose someone else, and then didn’t try to understand you doing the same thing? Don’t get me wrong, my heart is shattered, knowing you want to be with someone else, but in reality Tina, what I really want is for you to be able to fulfill your childhood dream of finding your soul mate, having children and living happily ever after. And if you feel you can get those things with Elaine, then I have to…” Bette couldn’t finish. She shouldn’t have come. This was too hard. She knew she had to be there for Tina, but…she just didn’t understand why Tina had flirted with her in the e-mail just this morning.

Tina could see that the woman she loved, was slowly dying inside. Tina was so touched by what Bette had just said, by her actions. Tina got it that Bette could have called her and talked about this over the phone, that it would have been easier for Bette that way, but she didn’t. This time Bette didn’t take the easy way out. This time she put herself smack dab in the middle of the fire. Tina didn’t have to think twice about it. She walked over and stood right in front of her soul mate and gently wiped the tears from Bette’s face.

“Bette, do you remember back when we were first dating. You had a painting at your gallery by…Monica…shoot, I can’t remember her last name. Anyway, you stood me in front of that painting one night and showed me that by using different stroke techniques, and different colors in just the right angle, that depending on where you stood in front of the painting, you would see something different? Three distinct paintings, all on the same canvas.”

“Yes, I remember. Her name was Monica Sampson. What about it?” Between the constant flow of tears, and Tina’s fingers caressing her face, Bette was having trouble breathing.

“Baby, those pictures you saw of Elaine and I are just like that painting. If you look at them from one direction, that of an outsider who just wants to see what they want to see, you will see two lovers who are having an intimate moment together. But, if you look at it from the other direction, that of someone who is brave enough to see past that urge to instantly judge, you will see the truth behind those pictures. I think Bette, that if you really take the time to look at me in those pictures, you…the person who knows me better than anyone…will see the truth in those pictures.”

Bette wasn’t sure what Tina was talking about. Bette had looked at the pictures this morning and it had ripped her heart out. Of course, she had immediately started crying so she hadn’t lingered on them at the time, but before she had left work that morning, she had put the magazine in her purse. She looked at Tina and then walked over to her purse, pulling the magazine out. “The truth? I don’t understand Tina.”

“Look at those pictures Bette…knowing me as well as you do, really look at them.” Tina knew that she could just tell Bette now that she didn’t want to be with Elaine, and save them both the trouble, but she needed Bette to see it with her own eyes. She needed Bette to both see it, and hear her…so there would be no doubt.

Bette wiped her eyes and looked down at the photos, cringing inside as she saw Elaine kissing Tina’s eyes. She couldn’t deal with that just yet, so she moved her eyes over to the smaller photo instead. Tina and Elaine were sitting at a table, both with food in front of them. Bette couldn’t see too many details in this photo, because it was so much smaller, but when she looked closely at Tina’s face…she saw it…that smile. Tina had a beautiful smile, but like everyone else, she had different smiles for different occasions and for different people. The smile Tina had always given Bette was a smile full of love and humor, but there was always a little *****-flirtiness-lust thrown in. The smile Tina had on her face in the picture, was the smile she gave to friends…warm and loving, but with no sexual connotations. Bette took a deep breath and looked up at Tina for just a moment and looked back down to study the larger picture. In this picture, Tina had her arms around Elaine, but they were not around her waist, they were around her shoulders. Elaine had her hands up, holding Tina’s face, kissing her eyes, but as Bette squinted a bit to try to see closer, she could see that Tina’s mouth was in a frown and her eyebrows were furrowed. Bette took one last look at both pictures, now seeing the truth that Tina was talking about…those pictures did not reflect two lovers having an intimate moment. They were pictures of two friends, one of whom was comforting the other, who was obviously crying.

Bette dropped the magazine onto the couch and looked at Tina, tears flowing again. “Oh God Tina. I thought…” Bette’s voice lowered to a whisper. “I thought you wanted her.”

Tina smiled at Bette and finally said the words she had been wanting to say. “Oh Baby…please know that I don’t want to be with Elaine. She has been a good friend, but that is all. I am in love with only one person, and I think, knowing me as well as you do, you can tell who that is, just by looking at my face.”

They both reacted at the same time and with two quick strides, were in each others arms.