Once it was just the two of them in
the house Bette fixed Tina a light lunch and started gathering up the laundry.
Just as she was folding up the last load Tina slowly walked into the living
room.

“Bette I’m sorry you got stuck with
taking care of me. In a day or two I’m sure I will be much better if you wanted
to make plans to go home I will be alright.”

“Tina it’s not a problem taking
care of you. But I don’t think a day or two is going to mean you are completely
healed. Please I don’t mind really I don’t…let me take care of you, you would
do it for me if I needed you Tina.”

“Ok Bette but please understand I am
use to taking care of myself. I have been doing it for many years now.”

“What do you mean Tina?”

“Bette surely you realize Henry and
I didn’t have the fairytale life.”

“Tina it may not have been a
fairytale but I’m sure at some point he cared for you when you were ill.”

“No Bette he didn’t. Sick or not I
had wifely duties and Angie to see too. He said that we were adults and adults
had responsibilities that never stopped.”

“I’m sorry that things were so hard
for you Tina. I’m sorry that you were unhappy for such a long time. But can I
ask you something? You don’t have to answer it if you don’t want too.”

“I didn’t divorce him because in
the beginning I thought it was me that caused him to treat me the way he did.
However as time went on and the punishments got more severe I became afraid to
divorce him Bette. He said he would take Angie and I believed him.”

“I’m sorry…you could have reached
out to me you know. I would have helped you and Angie.”

“Bette you dropped off the face of
the earth. I searched for you a couple of times but never found out where you
had gone.”

“You could have ask some of our
friends I’m sure they would have been only to happy to help the both of you.”

“Bette I had no friends. After you
left I was not allowed to talk to any of my old friends.”

“What about your family Tina. It
seems they accepted you back into their good graces with Henry by your side.”

“Bette, I let him even control the
amount of contact I had with my family. Hell most of the time I was glad it was
that way. Look Bette I don’t want to talk about it any more.”

“I’m tired so I’m going to lay down
awhile and I’m sure you have other things to keep you busy besides talking to
me.”

“I didn’t mean to bring up painful
memories for you Tina and yes I have things to keep me busy. Have a good nap
Tina.” She said as she quietly closed the bedroom door.

When Tina awoke from her nap she
immediately noticed how quiet the house was. Slowly getting out of bed she went
in search of her house guest. Shuffling painfully to the bathroom first she
knocked on the door calling out Bette’s name.

Not getting an answer she made it
into the living room before exhaustion set in and she had to sit down for a few
moments. Rested somewhat from her recent exertion she made her way into the
kitchen still not finding Bette. Then something just told her to look outside
in the back yard and what she saw took her breath away.

There stood Bette deep in thought
but what amazed her most was the paint brush in her hand and the sexy, ripped
jeans and faded T shirt she was wearing. Both pieces of clothing seemed to have
molded to the shape of her body and she looked more relaxed than Tina could
ever recall seeing her in the past.

When did she start painting again?
Tina wondered to herself. Opening the door Bette was pulled from her thoughts
and immediately began to cover up the canvas she was working on. Quickly
cleaning the brush in her hand and laying it aside she apologized to Tina for
not knowing she had awoke and needed something. She urged Tina to get back in
bed assuring her she would be in to fix her some dinner and give her the
prescribed night time meds shortly.