When Tina emerged, Bette was standing in the propped open door. She was smoking in nothing but her white collared shirt. Tina quickly noticed two things. Bette had not bothered to button most of her buttons and the overwhelming aura of melancholy. She moved closer, not bothering to announce her presents.

Bette heaved a sigh. She leaned back without looking back. She knew Tina would be there to hold her.

Tina resisted the urge to wrap her arms around Bette. Instead, she reached around for the cigarette. “What are we doing?”

Bette couldn’t find enough courage to look at the woman she had once pronounced undying love for. “Hurting each other, again.”

            “Will it ever stop?”

            “If I can’t stop punishing myself, you can’t forgive me but we can’t manage to walk away for each other, then no.”

            Tina threw the butt of the cigarette out the door. She ran her hands down the sleeves of Bette’s white shirt. It never failed to amaze her how expensive fabric could never be as soft as Bette’s skin. “What I need is a BA.”

            Bette turned in confusion. She had the lucidity to do so without breaking contact. “A Bachelors of Arts? You already have one.”

            “No. I have a Bachelors of Science and that’s not what I meant.” Tina pulled them back into the room and closed the door behind them. “I don’t want the rest of hotel to see your ass. I need a Bette Anonymous meeting. Do you think they have one?”

            Bette moved her hand to Tina’s cheek. “God I hope not.”

            Tina laughed. At first, Bette could only feel the vibrations of Tina’s chest against hers but it so became of full fledged bout of hysterics.

            “What’s so funny?”

            Tina just laughed harder. She buried her face into Bette’s neck to try to suppress the sound.

            “Come on you have to tell me.” She gentle forced Tina to look at her. “Please.” Bette’s large brown eyes got impossibly larger.

            “Well,” Tina fought to stop her laughter, “since you asked so nicely. You,” Tina grinned, “and me. We are both bitches.” The laughter crept back up. “You’re a control bitch and me a spiteful one.”

            Bette moved away. “And this is funny?” The frown that Bette had been wearing for the better part of four years settled back into place.

            “Yes.” Tina took Bette’s hand in hers. “We’re perfect for each other.”

            Bette’s frown deepened. “I don’t get it.”

            “The only person that can stand you for prolonged periods of time is me and vice versa. Which is why we keep ending up in these situations.”

            “Does that mean we are doomed to make each other miserable for the rest of our lives?”

            Tina brought her lips to the soft hand she was holding. “There is no one else on earth I would rather have making me miserable.”

            “I still don’t see the humor in all this.”

            “Of course you don’t. Yale graduates are noted the world over for their stunning lack of humor.” Tina giggled.

            “Please have some mercy on me. What exactly are you saying?”

            Tina opened her arms. “Come here,” she demanded. Once Bette was safely wrapped in her arms she explained. “It means if you ever even think about cheating on me again I will tie you to a chair in a sound proof room. In the days I will replay the tapes of Alice’s Dana obsessed ranting and in the nights Jenny reading her stories until you are catatonic.”

            “You wouldn’t.”

            “I would.”

            “Tee?”

            “Ya.”

            “I love you.”

            “I know.”

            “Tee? Do you love me?”

            “I know I’m addicted to you.” Tina grinned.

            “Seriously.”

            “I love you with all my heart.”

            “Tee?”

            “Ya.”

            “You know if you ever even look at a man that I have access to the Jenny’s stories as well.”

            “Was that a joke?”

            “No.”

            “Didn’t think so.”