Bette sat in the booth in shock. She did not know what to say to the information Tina had just dropped on her. As her mind raced to form a response to Tina’s words every muscle in her body tensed and told her to run but she had not drove that afternoon and she couldn’t do that.

So in the calmest voice she could manage she said, “I think it is time to go Tina. Would you please take me back to my car?”

Reaching in her pocket she threw some bills on the table for their lunch and a few dollars extra for a service tip.

Once in the car Tina was met by a wall of silence from Bette. Having shared everything she intended to with Bette today she was at a loss for something further to add or an opening to start a conversation with Bette again on a lighter note. She wanted to comfort her but was afraid to attempt it. She knew she had just dropped a huge bomb on her today and knowing Bette as well as, she did her mind was telling her that Bette was processing the new information but the slightest response from her at could provoke a reaction of epic proportions. And that is exactly what Tina wanted to avoid because then all communication might stop between them…forever.

Try as hard as she might she could not read an outward response from watching Bette as she drove. So keeping her eyes on the road she tried to focus on the positive of here and now…Bette had not blown up in anger…she had not ran away…these were good things.

When they got back to Tina’s home Bette laid her hand on Tina’s thanked her and said good bye swiftly getting out of the car. Tina watched in her mirrors from the drivers seat as Bette pulled away from the curb and wondered if she would ever hear from her ex lover again.

It just didn’t make sense did Bette not want to be a part of Angie’s life?

Tina could understand her being angry at her for keeping this knowledge from her for so many years. But even in her anger she had been non responsive and her body language had not given Tina a clue to the emotions that Tina was certain she was feeling at this point.