Bette glanced behind her at the restaurant, where friends were seated at a table, laughing at Lara's account of Alice's latest run-in with a traffic enforcer, and smiled. Through thick and thin, her friends could be counted on. She made her way to the garden, hoping for some peace and quiet. Once far from the crowds, she then drew out her cellphone, dialing a very familiar number.

The answer came on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"T."

Pause.

"Tina?" Bette asked, wondering if she'd somehow magically dialled the wrong number.

"Bette. Hi." Tina hesitated. Had she not been clear about her "very busy" workload?

"I wish you were here," Bette told Tina, finally breaking the silence.

"Oh, honey, I know." Tina replied.

"Can't you be here?" Bette insisted.

"I promise I'll hijack you into telling me all about it when you get back from your vacation." Tina reassured her. "But right now I'm really swamped at work."

At Tina's end of the line, Bette could hear wry laughter. "Helena's there?"

"She's here, yes." Tina replied. "Mocking me. Hold on." Tina didn't even cover the mouthpiece, as Bette could hear the next few lines exchanged:

"Go. Away." Tina told the British woman.

"But it's funny!" Was the protest.

"Go." Tina hissed, and Bette guessed Helena obeyed, because she was soon back on the line. "Hi."

"Come on." Bette immediately resumed her earlier plea. "Helena and Angelica are coming in two days, can't you come with them?"

"Bette, I told you, I have things to finish. And I have an appointment in two days, so..."

"It's not like you're going to another continent," Bette pointed out.

"I know, but I already had stuff planned out." Tina said.

Bette narrowed her eyes, something about Tina's tone telling her that something was off, but chose to ignore it.

"But if I somehow magically clear up my workload, I will try to be there." Tina assured her. "How's that?"

"It helps a little," Bette admitted, amused that Tina would use the same 'magical' adjective, as she had earlier.

"Well, it's all I can do." Tina replied. "Call me when you get back."

"First thing." Bette promised.

"Okay. 'Bye, B."

"'Bye, T." Bette hung up, and considered calling back, just to establish Angelica was coming, when Julia came up from behind her.

"Who was that?" Julia inquired.

"Tina." Bette smiled at her fiancee. "Are you having fun?"

"Your friends are more insane than mine." Julia told her.

"That doesn't surprise me," Bette replied, grinning. She walked closer to Julia, and gave her a soft kiss. "What brings you out here?"

"We need to talk." Julia declared.

Bette froze, then shook her head. "No, we don't."

"Bette."

"You just said the four most cruel words strung together." Bette pointed out. "I don't think I like what that means."

"Bette." Julia said firmly. "If you don't want to talk, can you at least listen to me?"

Bette begrudgingly complied, sitting down on a nearby bench.

Julia looked at her, at those warm brown eyes, and found it increasingly difficult to do or say anything.

So she looked away. "I can't marry you."

Bette stared at her, not responding verbally.

Julia turned to her. "Bette?"

"You're kidding, right?" Bette asked hopefully.

"No, I'm pretty serious," Julia replied.

"No, see, you've got to be kidding," Bette returned. "You didn't just say you can't marry me."

"But I did."

"And you're lying." Bette argued. "Because I can't accept that we've been going out for two years for you to suddenly decide we can't get married. On the weekend of our wedding."

Julia frowned at Bette. "Do you even know why I'm doing this?"