Love, Loss and Living

The News Part 5

Tina walked into Dana's for the second time this visit.  She couldn't believe what Shane had done on the spur of the moment.  I guess being a millionaire allows for spontaneous purchases, she smiled to herself.  She loved how Shane designed the place.  It had hints of the Planet, Kit's Bar and Grille, back in its day.  Tina especially loved the memory wall Shane had put together.  Seeing the love on the gang's faces before life started pushing its way into their happiness.  There was a glaring empty spot in the middle of the display.  Shane off handedly had said that the picture she originally placed there didn't work with the wall and she hadn't had time to replace it.  Tina then looked at all the pictures closely and it was obvious to her that it had been a picture of she and Bette. 

"Tina," Shane called from across the room. 

"Hey Shane," Tina said as she walked up and gave her old friend a hug.  I forgot to thank you for looking out for our kid.  Not once, but twice.  Angie hasn't stopped talking about getting a car now that she has a drivers license." 

"Ya know I love your kid.  I was glad I could help take her to get her license.  I wouldn't have been fair to her to have to skip her test because of what was going on with Bette." Shane paused, "you guys have done a great job with her."

"Thanks, we're both proud of her." Tina paused, "So, I have this meeting later with an acquaintance of yours, Lisa Wright." Tina said with an inquiring tone. 

"Yeah, I figured she would contact you.  Isn't it crazy, Lez Girls coming up now, such rotten timing."  Shane said as she took a sip of her coffee.  "Bette didn't take it well at all.  I thought for sure she was going to go all controlling Bette on us to try to block it, but she didn't do anything.  Sometimes I don't recognize her anymore."  Shane said shaking her head before taking another drink. "So what is the meeting about?"

"I'm not really sure, I thought it a good idea to talk to her to find out what direction they were going with the class. I get the relevance and interest, but it's about Bette and I at the core. I just don't want there to be trouble for myself or for that matter Bette. With her running for Mayor, it could become more mud to sling her way. There is just so much to dredge up. I don't want my family to suffer any more hurt from that period of our life.  I want to protect my family as much as I can."

While listening to Tina, Shane recalled a recent conversation she had with Bette about the movie. She had pretty much come to terms with the potential fall out from the USC class.  The election was a few weeks away and she was hoping the information would not start coming out until after the election. Bette was in a bad place when she showed up at Shane's door. It was clear Bette had been crying. When they sat out on the balcony looking across the Los Angeles skyline, Bette told her that Tina had gotten engaged to Carrie. Shane just let Bette talk it out.  It finally came out after several hits from the Marijuana and a couple glasses of Scotch.  Something that everyone knew but had never been said out loud.  Bette was still in love with Tina. She talked about the women, Felicity, all just people filling an emptiness that never seemed to go away. The roll on the floor laugh they had about what had been called the meat tag, that Bette had on her since the divorce.  Something Bette had tried to discourage with polite declines from the never ending proposals of dates, dances, drinks and of course sex from women whenever she went out.  Both laughed how it had gotten worst since the campaign and how ridiculous it was at Shane's birthday party at Dana's.  The resignation in her voice when she said that it was finally over and how she did not see herself ever having something like that with anyone ever again.  Shane recalled, watching Bette and seeing before her eyes, the beginning of her closest friend putting a wall back up around her heart.   There had only been one person who was able to bring down that emotional wall that had been in place since Bette's childhood and that person was the one who caused the wall to go back up.  Shane feared this wall would keep Bette from ever allowing anyone in again.  In the morning Bette was gone and both knew they would never talk about what was said on the night Bette let Tina Kennard go.