CHAPTER FIFTEEN

I step out onto the balcony and am immediately greeted by the afternoon sun. I lean over, looking down at my friends, and my lover surrounding the pool. Dana protesting that the water will be too cold, that she cant catch a cold, Alice pushing her in anyway. Shane relaxing on a sun lounger talking to T. I look at her and my heart aches because the smile on Tinas face has remained there for so long, and for once I have something to do with it. These people are my life, minus Kit of course. I have everything I could ever want and Im still finding it impossible to understand why I nearly ruined all of that.
Tina looks up her eyes finding mine. She blocks out the sun with one hand and waves at me with her other. Come down baby Marina made cocktails I smile and wave back at her.
Im coming
We know Bette we heard you I pretend I dont know what Alice is talking about and walk away from the balcony.
Alice I swear I am going to drown you if… I chuckle to myself Tinas words faintly ringing in my ears as I walk along the hallway to the stairs.
Jenny, you cant ignore me forever
Im…Im not ignoring you Marina. Its just a little awkward even you have to see that I stop by the opened bedroom door.
I dont feel awkward around you. I dont want you to feel awkward around me
Dont…dont do that
Dont do what? Marina asks veining innocence.
Dont look at me like that
I cant help it Jenny She whispers, and in the years that I have known Marina I have never heard her whisper in the pleading way she just has. Its always seductive and erotic with her. I walk down the stairs feeling a little guilty about listening in on their conversation. I dont know who I feel more sorry for, Marina or Jenny. I dont think Marina ever imagined that shed develop feelings for Jenny that went beyond lust, and I dont think Jenny ever thought that Marina would either. After my experiences my advice for them would be to go for it, to ***** the worries and the insecurities because that is exactly what turns you into what I had become.
I walk outside a light breeze dancing across my body. Dana is in the pool with Tina and Alice trying to shield herself from Alices splashing. I sit down on the pool side, dipping my feet into the warm water. Shane joins me. Its awesome here Shane comments, scanning the sky. I nod kicking my feet in the water. Watching as Tina and Dana force Alice underneath the mini waterfall.
Yeah it is
Youre not regretting bringing us along?
Nope. You guys are my family, I wouldnt want this to be any other way Shane smiles.
I knew that youd get her back. Tina without the Bette, Bette without the Tina. Not working
Those weeks without her, I have never felt so incomplete. ***** up really puts things into perspective
Everybody screws up sometimes. Whats important is you fixed things, both of you did
And Im going to keep on fixing things. I mean Ive been in love with Tina for seven years, how could I not have known that this was exactly what she needed? Look at that smile. I havent seen her smile like that in so long
And its funny because she said exactly the same thing to me before you came down here I smile at Shane, playfully nudging her shoulder with mine.
Ive booked us in for a moonlight cruise tomorrow. So there should be plenty of eye candy for you to pick from. That is unless you like the look of the maid?
Why settle for one?
Baby what are you doing just sitting there come in, swim with me Tina swims up to me resting her hands against my kneese. Shane winks at me as I ease myself into the warm water. My hands circle her waist and hers encircle my neck. When you said you were going to spoil me you really meant it
Only the best for my baby
Well this time next year Im taking you on holiday It makes me happy to hear her talking about next year. Theres been days when I havent dared to imagine next week with T.
Ill look forward to it She brushes her damp forehead against mine, her eyes smiling more brightly than her lips.
Dana you nearly blinded me, its only fair if I get to dunk you under the water as well
Dana backs away. Tina did it aswell
This is Tinas honeymoon Dana
She should get two dunks for that Tina suggests. Dana grimaces holding her hands up.
Your right T. Tsk, tsk Miss Fairbanks Tina and Bette are kind enough to invite you here and you repay them by trying to drown Tina? Alice advances on Dana like shes a hunter and Danas the prey. Big fish, little fish.
Tina tell her Dana whines. Tina shrugs in my arms. Bette?
Alice I think that maybe you need to go under, its been a while Shane teases standing up from the pool side. She gives Alice maybe a second to react before she jumps into the pool. Splashing all of us, most of all Alice.
Why is everybody always picking on me?