I OWN NOTHING IN REGARDS TO THE L WORD.
CHAPTER 1
Bette continued to sit by her bed, still holding her hand hoping to pass her strength and love to the beautiful young woman lying in the hospital bed. The sterile room was becoming a second home to Bette and the rest of her friends. Her eyes becoming heavy, and the fight to keep them open was a losing battle as Bette allowed her body to rest. She thought to herself I'll only close my eyes for a few minute.
Before Bette even had time to realise the light of a morning which had already broken. As soon as she opened her eyes and looked at the beauty lying in the bed next to her, and immediately knew something was wrong. The hand she had been holding was once warm but now it was cold. She couldn't recognise the body lying in that room with her.
"No, you said you wouldn't leave." Bette cried as she stood away from the bed.
"Miss is everything okay?" A nurse heard the commotion as she was passing by the room.
"she's gone. Oh God she actually gone" Bette slumped back in the chair, automatically taking hold of the hand, the delicate small hand, her tears flowing freely, the pain clear for all to see.
The nurse and doctor entered the small uninviting room, going about their duties like robots, saying all the right things, making sure not to upset the grieving stranger sitting in the chair.
"Miss, can we call someone for you?" the nurses voice was soft and calming, a script she obviously had spoken may times.
Bette raised her head to look at the young woman standing in front of her. "My sister Kit Porter. She on the contact list"
The nurse took the name and walked away silently from the room. Bette couldn't leave her on her own, so she continued to sit in the chair with her hands cradling her head.
Time had become non existent, not noticing her older sister entering the room. "Baby girl, oh baby girl come here" Bette didn't need to think, her body leapt from the chair into the safe embrace of her older sister.
"She left us Kit. She actually left us." Bette muffled a response, feeling the security of her family.
"Oh Bette, I'm so sorry you were here on your own. Where are the girls?" Kit looked around the room expecting to see the whole gang. The past few days the close knit of friends had not left the small, they had not wanted to leave anyone alone.
"I sent them home late last night, they were so tired. They were coming back early this morning." Bette let go of Kit and moved back to her seat next to the bed.
"Should I give them a call?" Kit knew she would have to be the strong Porter this time, death was always weakness for Bette, a weakness Bette was not ashamed of.
"Yeah, if you don't mind. I'll stay here. I don't want her to be on her own." Bette continued to stare at the lifeless body, like it held a answer to an unanswerable question.
Kit walked over to Bette and placed a kiss on the top of Bette's head before leaving the room.
Once the room was empty Bette wanted to release all her emotions before the whole gang arrived. Her body shook, her tear flowed, her weeping echoed in the room. It was the sudden noise of the familiar laugh that brought her out of her trance of her emotion.
"Ha ha ha Stop it, Henry. I said stop it."
As soon as Tina entered the room she saw her distraught ex-wife sitting trembling.
"Oh Bette, when?"
"Last night"
"Oh Bette" Tina released her hand from Henry and went straight to Bette. Taking Bette in her arms, running her hand through Bette's hair as a way of calming them both. Henry looked on at the intimate act, unsure what to do. Tina allowed her own emotion to run free, the security of Bette arms allowed her to feel free. The two woman stood holding each other, helping one another with the great loss of their dear friend Dana.
"I'll wait outside" Henry spoke quietly, uncomfortable with the familiarisation between his girlfriend and her ex-wife. There was no answer to his statement, so he decided to leave the room, allowing the friends to grieve together.
After a few moment Bette and Tina broke from their embrace, their hands however kept hold of each other. The two woman continued to hold one another hands until Kit entered the room.
"I've spoken to everyone except Alice, I really think we should go over there. Shane, Jenny and Helena are already on their way over. Are you okay to go Bette?"
"Oh course." Bette continued to stare at her beloved friend, her eyes filled with so much pain. Tina had seen Bette like this before when her farther passed away, however this time Bette seemed hurt on a higher level. Emotionally drained and self blame for sending her friends home for a much needed rest in the middle of the night.
"I really think we should go now Bette." Hearing Kits voice pulled Bette from her thoughts and her anger. Knowing that Kit didn't want to miss Alice on the journey away from the hospital, Bette immediately exited the room in silence.
"Bette, one minute" Tina quickly followed Bette from the room. "I need to just arrange the kids collections with Henry, I'll just be a second." Tina quickly walked over to Henry, wanting to quickly arrange the child care for the next few hours as she knew she needed to be with her family and friends for the time being.
Bette couldn't take her eyes of the new scene in front of her, seeing Henry comfort and hold Tina while arranging care for her child was too much for Bette. Her family was being taken care of by a stranger, a man. More pain washed over her already weak body, her legs became weak and she felt herself slipping, that was until her older sister took her by the waist and directed Bette to her car.
The two Porters sat in silence in the car waiting for Tina's arrival. Kit knew Bette was struggling with everything, but she also knew her sister was a very proud.
"Sorry guys. Henry's going to look after Angelica for the night so we can stay with Alice through the night. I think she might need us." Tina could see the further pain on Bette already fragile face, so Tina decided that she would leave the conversation there.
The three very silent friends headed on to their journey a journey individually they were all dreading.
TBC