Thanks everybody for reading and thanks Rosi and googoo4u for commenting, it really means a lot. Xo
"Nothing"… This had been Tina's response to Shane's question that night. The blonde woman left the bar, without even bother to warn Alice and the others. Leaving the young brunette behind, she just said she needed some time alone, because she wasn't feeling well. Shane tried more than once to ask her what the problem was, but the producer didn't want to talk about it. The hair dresser knew that something was going on between her two friends but she didn't want to make things worse so she just let her go.
It had been a week now, since that night and no one, Bette included, had seen Tina. They usually saw each other when one of them was going to have Angie, given the parental agreements. But in the last week, every time Bette knocked at the door, the nanny was the one who always welcomed her and the baby. The same happened when it was Bette's time to have Angelica. The nanny was the one to knock at the door. No Tina; it was like she disappeared out of nowhere. Bette tried to ask her where Tina was, but the response was anything but exhaustive. It was like Tina didn't want to be found. And she was succeeding.
It was a Sunday morning when Bette had been finally able to see her again. And it was the day in which Bette fell her world fall apart…
«I'm taking a new job position, I have to move from L.A. » the blonde said to a stunned Bette. Both women sitting on the couch, in the living room, at the house that once was their home.
«Wh- Where? »
«New York » Tina replied, showing no emotion.
«But, Tina, what about Angelica? What about our schedules. I'm here in L.A. and- »
«She's coming with me, we'll deal with that when it's the right time» the blonde cut her off.
«Are you serious? I mean, you can't decide to take a job position in New York and take her away from me, that's not fair Tina. What about: 'I won't take her away from you, Bette. I promise'? Well, it seems like you're doing just that»
«Listen, I'm not taking her away from you. At least I'm having the decency to warn you… unlikely someone else» this was a dig – a bad one, but Tina couldn't help it.
«Wow, thank you, Tina. Really! » She got up from the couch, «At least I am not threating to let someone else - a man, adopt her! I did it because I was fucking afraid of losing my child» she answer back. That's it, they were losing it again. Throwing everything bad they did back in each other's face. « This is just a caprice of yours and I, frankly, don't understand what's getting into you. Your job here was good. We were doing great with the parenting schedules and all this shit, what's the matter with you? »
Tina just stared at her, without uttering a word, then: «That's my decision. I am going to take that job and Angelica is coming with me. Deal with it" she said, as she exited the house. Slamming the door, leaving an even more stunned Bette behind.
Since Tina needed someone else to talk to, the woman went straight to Alice's and decided to share the news with her. Needless to say that the younger woman was totally stunned.
«You're moving to New York? » a shocked Alice asked. «But Tina, you're life and friends are here… Oh, and what about Angelica? »
«She's coming with me» she replied.
«Yeah but, you know, Bette is her other mother and well, you can't just go away and take Angie with you, right? »
«I can and I will…» the blonde uttered, looking down as she was nervously playing with her fingers.
«Are you sure nothing happened between the two of you? » the reporter asked again, «You know you can talk to me» at this, Tina couldn't help but raise an eyebrow that said 'Yeah, right'. «Okay, maybe sometimes… », another eyebrow-lifting, «Okay, pretty often I can be a little too nosey and gossipy, but anyway I'm your friend and I'm here if you need someone to talk to. I swear I won't say anything»
Convinced by her friend's willingness to help, she decided to give up and talk to her what had been happening between her and Bette in the last weeks. She took a deep breath and talked: «I had sex with Bette»
«WHAT?! » Alice yelled almost dropping her cup of coffee.
After regaining from the shock, Alice learnt from Tina all the details of their 'affair'. The older woman told her about the kiss at the SheBar and their 'hot' encounters. Needless to say that Alice didn't kown whether to be happy to hear that or not.
«Oh God, how did that happen? » her jail dropped.
«I don't know, I don't know what the fuck we've been doing. The only thing I know is that I can't do this anymore. Apparently, Bette wants to be with Jodi… she's using me. She kissed me; I don't deny that I wanted it too, but I didn't have anything to lose. She was and is in a relationship with someone. At first it looked like she wanted to be with me, you know it seemed she was going to end it all with Jodi and be with me. But then she told me she couldn't do this to Jodi, because she was becoming the same person who destroyed us. And what about me? I feel like a fucking fool because I believed she was going to leave her… oh and then, remember the night at The Planet? When I rushed into the bathroom and then left? Well, we had… actually she did me in the restroom… »
«Oh my fucking God! »
«Yes, I know… that night, in the restroom, she told me that she couldn't help herself. I told her we can't do this anymore and I don't want to break up her and Jodi, and wanna know what she said? She said 'what if I want to?' - But she's still with Jodi»
«Maybe she's scared? »
«Of course she is, I am scared too… but the thing is, spare me this pull me push me thing. It hurts» she is on the verge to cry. «I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to be her 'Candace', that's not fair. I know I hurt her too, but Jesus I have a heart; I'm not something she can use and throw away whenever she wants to… Fuck, I love her! »
«I know baby, come here» she held a now crying Tina. «Good girl, let it go, I got ya»
As she finally managed to gather herself together, she sniffed «That's why I need to go away. I can't stand the view of them together, neither the fact that one day or another we'll end up in bed again whilst she's still with Jodi. This is an affair… I don't want this. I know we started it together; I am as guilty as her… But I was a fool to believe that it could be that simple»
«So you decide to go to New York» Alice lifted her eyebrows.
«That's the only way to be away from her»
«I know but… Tina you two have a child together, you can't take her away from Bette»
«And what am I supposed to do? This situation is killing me here, I just need some time» she shook her head, «Fuck, I am doing this. It's my decision. I am going to NY and Angie is coming with me. We'll see what to do with the co-parenting thing»
«This is a so fucked up shit, Tina» the blonde woman sighed.
«Mm-mm» the other blonde nodded, sipping some tea.
«And this is not going to be easy… you know Bette, she won't let you do this»