Chapter Seven

A/N: A big huge thanks to everyone who's read this…Reviews are very much appreciated!!! Special thanks once again to all my wonderful friends over at I-C…you ladies (and Ice) are the absolute best!!!!!

Betty finished drying the last dish, placing it carefully in the dish drainer. She could hear her father and Hilda in the living room, arguing over which telenovela they were going to watch. She dried her hands on a dish towel and was just about to go in and join them when she heard a soft tapping on the back door. She peered through the window and bit her lip nervously as she stared at Gio. She smoothed her hands down her skirt as she opened the door.

"Gio, hi. Did you want something to eat?" Betty asked, motioning him into the kitchen, "I just put the leftovers in the fridge and…" Gio walked into the kitchen, putting up a hand to stop Betty's rambling.

"No thanks. I'm not hungry. I just came over here to talk to you." Gio said softly. Betty sat down at the kitchen table, Gio moving a chair and sitting near her. They sat looking at one another for a few long moments before Gio cleared his throat.

"How have you been?" Gio asked.

"Not too good." Betty admitted, "I've made a mess of things and I feel awful. I wish there was some magical way to make this easier."

"I know." Gio said simply, "But there are things that need to be said, and decisions to make. About us. About what kind of future both of us want to have." Gio took her hand and looked at her.

"When I first met you, I thought you were the funniest woman down at the Bone Shack. You liked your food, you dressed just the way you wanted, and you lived your life your own way. You made me sit up and take notice of you. Then, when Henry left I wanted you to see me as a friend, but also as more. I couldn't believe when I found myself dating you, looking forward to seeing your face every day. You made me feel like more than just a sandwich maker from Jersey, you made me feel like someone special." Gio said, looking down at their joined hands.

"But I know I'm holding someone else's place. I know the real man in your heart is Henry. I know now that even if he'd never come back to New York that I'm not really the one for you. You need him, just like he needs you. You deserve to have someone to love you the way you need to be loved. I wanted to be that person for you, but I can't see myself there anymore." Gio said his voice breaking. Betty could see the tears in his eyes, Gio desperately willing them not to fall. She squeezed his hand in hers.

"Gio, I've thought for days about what to say to you, how to try to put into words what I'm feeling. I wish I could say I'm confused, but that would be unfair to you. I know how I feel and that makes it so much worse for me now, trying to verbalize things I know you don't want to hear and things that will only hurt you in the long run." Betty said.

"Gio, I don't regret one minute with you. You were there for me when I needed a friend, the one who encouraged me to talk to Daniel about writing freelance for the magazine, and helped me during one of the saddest points in my life. I can't imagine my life without you even now, but I think it's time that we admit that we rushed into this marriage with a lot of emotional baggage on my end and a lot of muddled feelings between both of us." Betty said. She sniffled as she saw Gio's face crumple at her words, his eyes closing in finality.

"I guess I'd always hoped that we loved each other enough that we would be able to work through anything. I don't……want……..to lose you Betty." Gio said brokenly. Betty moved closer to him and put her arm around him.

"Gio, you aren't losing me. At least as a part of your life. I'll always be here for you, no matter what. I just won't be your wife anymore." Betty said, tears falling down her cheeks. Gio pulled her into an embrace, the only sounds in the room the choked sobs of two people holding close, trying for the last time to gain some measure of closure. Hilda and Ignacio stood outside the kitchen, listening to the broken sobs and hiccupping cries of a couple whose life together was ending. Ignacio drew Hilda away from the doorway and motioned for her to follow him. They sat back down together in the living room, talking in quiet whispers.

"Papi, what are we going to do? Betty and Gio are splitting up!" Hilda asked worriedly.

"The only thing we can do Mija. Just be here for her, and give her all the love and support we can." Ignacio said quietly.

"Do you think she'll be all right?" Hilda asked.

"I think she's going to be just fine. All she needs is time. Time will help both her and Gio reconcile the end of this marriage and hopefully bring them closer together in a different kind of relationship." Ignacio whispered.

Gio pulled away from Betty, smoothing back her hair from her face and drying her tears with his thumbs. She pushed her glasses back upon her nose as she wiped her eyes with a tissue.

"I had a talk with Henry." Gio said, looking at Betty.

"You did?" Betty asked incredulously. Gio nodded.

"I told him to take care of you, and if he ever hurts you or leaves you again, he's going to have to deal with me." Gio said.

"Gio….."

"Betty, I know that Henry's the one for you. I know after some time, you and he will get back together. I just wanted to let him know where I stand and that even though we probably won't be married anymore, that I will still look out for you." Gio said, looking at Betty. Betty gave Gio a watery smile as she touched his cheek with her hand.

"You're a good person Gio, and I know the right woman's out there somewhere for you. Don't ever change who you are and you'll meet the right one who'll love you the way you deserve." Betty said.

"Just promise me one thing." Gio said.

"Anything….." Betty agreed.

"Can I keep the Betty Bombshell on the menu?" Gio asked.

Friday found Betty frantically working on Amanda's paperwork since she had called in sick that morning. There were proofs for Daniel to approve, models to check on, and the oh-so-important meeting Daniel had with one of the big executives from on of the top swimsuit designers. Amanda had left a typically disastrous, unorganized mess on her desk for Betty to try and wade through. By six o'clock Betty was brain fried and exhausted from running all over MODE all day trying to straighten out Daniel's schedule.

Daniel finally stopped her to give her his thanks for helping him out. As she shut down her computer and packed her bag to go home for the evening, Daniel noticed that her wedding ring finger was bare of its' rings. He stopped her as she was leaving her office for the evening to find out what had happened.

"Gio and I are separated. I moved back home with my dad, and Gio went back to his mom's in Jersey. Nothing more to it." Betty sighed as they walked towards the elevators.

"Nothing more to it?" Daniel asked, "What about Henry?" Betty looked at the elevator call button as she answered.

"I haven't talked to Henry since Gio and I talked the other night. I don't know what to say to him or even if it's too early to even talk to him. I feel so off….on one hand I know I should feel bad that my marriage is over, but then I feel so happy that I can be with Henry again. Is that really wrong of me??" Betty asked as they got into the elevator car.

"Betty, there's nothing wrong with being happy. I know you feel terrible that you and Gio didn't work out, but that shouldn't negate the fact that you can be with the one you love and that you've now given Gio the chance to find the happiness that you'll have with Henry." Daniel said as the elevator headed for the lobby.

"I know, I know…but I feel so conflicted. I want to see Henry so badly, but I don't want to make him feel like any of this was his fault or to feel sorry for me because Gio and I have split up." Betty said. Daniel stopped her and touched her arm as she approached the revolving doors leading to the outside.

"Betty, give Henry some credit. I know he probably feels like it's his fault that your marriage has ended, but I'm sure he needs to talk to you and spend time with you as much as you need to see him. If you still feel awkward, you guys take Maddie out somewhere together. That way you'll have a little bit of a buffer there in case things get too intense." Daniel said.

"That might be a good idea." Betty said thoughtfully, "Maybe I'll call him this weekend." Daniel smiled at her and squeezed her shoulder as he said goodbye. Betty thought about Daniel's words all the way home on the subway to Queens. After getting home and saying hello to her sister and Justin, she headed to her room. She kicked off her shoes and closed the door as she pulled out her cell phone. She listened as the line rang and she heard a familiar voice.

"Hi, it's me. Can we talk?" Betty said.

TBC…………………………………………..