Bette sat there knowing that what she had said was wrong…”T..really..I am

sorry…”
“It’s ok….I have regretted a few things that I have said in my past too….I

feel really bad about telling Eric that I didn’t care whether he died or not.. I

guess sometimes, we say things when we are angry that we didn’t want to say…
and….” Tina sighed..”sometimes we do things that shouldn’t have been

done…regretting them later, too…”
“Yeah..I know what you mean.. I got really carried away with the whole *****

thing…and I am truly sorry..I just can’t say it enough….I just want to be able

to talk to you and carry on a civil conversation without yelling, screaming or

either of us getting angry..”
“And I totally agree with you…but right now, I have to get some sleep…just let

me sleep a few hours, then you can wake me up for a talk…k?”
“Ok..” said Bette as she tucked Tina in…’u have hurt me but i love you soo

much…why?’she thought..
She watched Tina settle in and finally fall into a deep slumber…Tina hadn’t

slept so she decided to go on to bed, not waking her for a talk…’we can do that

tomorrow’…after setting the alarm clock, she crawled into bed and fell

asleep….
The next morning came early. The alarm clock chimed, and Bette hit it with her

hand just before crawling out of bed…’gotta wake Tina’ she thought as she walked

slowly into the living room, not quite awake yet…
No Tina…but the air was full of all the great breakfast smells…”Ummm” said

Bette as she walked into the kitchen..”What smells so good?” she asked..
Tina was at the stove cooking breakfast…”Uhm, well I have eggs,toast, and fresh

squeezed orange juice…”
“Yummy…May I?” asked Bette as she went to grab a piece of toast…
“Yes…I can’t eat all of this myself…I was gonna fix u up with breakfast in

bed…you woke up too early…”
“Well, that’s really sweet…thank you…” said Bette as she sat down at the

table…
Tina grabbed the plate of eggs…and walked to the table…sitting down across

from Bette…”Here ya go..” she said as she slid the plate to Bette..
“Thanks..but I thought you were going to eat, too..”
“I am…see….I have my own fork…and you have your own fork….” said Tina

smiling at Bette..the smile that Bette could never refuse
“Oh…ok..so we are sharing?” asked Bette
“If that’s ok…”
“No..that’s great…I always loved sharing with you…..I just never liked the

thought of sharing you…”
“Don’t start…”
“Start what? I am not starting anything…just making a commment…”
“Bette, I was wondering…” started Tina…
“Yea?” asked Bette as she took a fork full of eggs and shoved them into her

mouth..chewing them lightly…then swallowing…
“Um…well, I know that I really don’t have a right to ask you for anything…”
“Come on, Tina…spit it out already…”
“I…can you take today off? I mean, if you can’t, then I will understand…it is

on such short notice…*****…I shouldn’t have even asked…”
“Tina…god…stop…you didn’t even give me time to answer…
“Well, I really shouldn’t have asked…you have been so busy with the new show and

all…”
“Tina..I would love to take the day off, and spend it with you..I have something

to show u anyway…but, I thought u were starting back at the center this

morning?”
“I already called and told them that I needed one more day…to get everything in

order….”
“Oh..ok..” said Bette…
“And I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of calling James, too…I was

hoping that you would say yes…”
“No..No…that’s okay..yea thats good…” said Bette. “Let’s finish our breakfast

and we can head out…what I want to show you is very important to me…”
“Ok…” said Tina..
They sat and finished eating…then got ready and left….
In the car…

“Where are we going?” asked Tina..
Bette laughed….” I can’t tell you that…It wouldn’t be a surprise anymore…”
“Damn…u mean you wouldn’t tell a lonely litte ol white girl where u were taking

her?…”
“Enough, T….I’m not spilling…”
“*****…u aren’t taking me somewhere to kill me then are you? gonna dump my body

off in the woods? You know, dumping a body in the dead of summer in the

woods..they are sure to find me…I mean, smell me…” laughed Tina..
Bette laughed…”No…I am not going to kill u….although, a month and a half

ago, I did want to strangle you…It’s somewhere very special to me…and I want

you to be a part of it…”
“A part of your life? as in….”
“Don’t jump, T…I am sorry, but I can’t jump right back into that….You are my

best friend, and I want it to stay that way for now…I just can’t handle ‘me and

you’ right now…it’s too soon..”
“Ok..I will take what I can get…and just for the record…..I am sooo very

sorry..I never, ever meant to hurt you..and I intend to spend the rest of my life

making it up to you…”
Just as the conversation ended, Bette pulled into the driveway of a deselate

building….”Ummmm…you brought me to an old building…I’m not exactly sure why

though…” said Tina as Bette rolled to a stop…
“Come on…” said Bette as she stepped out of the car and closed her door…she

walked over to the front door…as Tina followed…Bette pulled out the key and

stuck it in the lock…”You have a key to this old creepy place?” asked Tina…
“Geez..do you ever shut up?” asked Bette as she turned the lock and opened the

door…
“Welcome to my new gallery…minus some very intense pieces of art…” said Bette

with a huge smile….
“OMG, Bette…you finally did it…you finally got your own gallery…I am so

proud of you…OMG..this is wonderful, Bab…I mean Bette…” said Tina as she

pulled Bette into a hug….They slowly pulled away from eachother and looked into

the other’s eyes….for a few seconds….”Ummm, it even has an up-stairs…” said

Bette as she pulled away from Tina and pointed up….”Come on..I’ll show you…”
They walked all around the pre-gallery, and Bette told Tina what every inch of it

was going to look like, where her office was, and everything…
“When will u start working on it?”
“Well, I thought at first, that I would hire someone to do the work, but then I

decided that I would do it myself…with the help of someone else….”
“Oh yea, who?” asked Tina as she walked aroung looking…
“Ummm.well, you…If you can find the time…”
“Oh yea…I would love to help you…it may really help me…take my mind off of

things for a while…when can we get started?” asked Tina excitedly…
“Well, I guess the present is as good as any…” said Bette smiling…
“Great…now tell me again how you want everything…”

Bette and Tina worked all day in the pre-Bette Porter Gallery…They had the best

time with eachother…talking, working, and joking around….
Later that night, when they arrived home…Tina was getting ready to shower…but

before she got there, she stopped at the bedroom door noticing Bette sitting on

the bed with her head in her hands….
“Bette…I just wanted you to know…that I had a wonderful time today…a better

time with you, than we have had in a long, long time….and I want to say thank

you for allowing me to share this wonderful new thing with u…”
“I am glad that you accepted it…are you going to shower?”
“Yes…I sweated more than I wanted too today….”
“I gotcha…i understand….well, go ahead and shower…I’ll get us something to

drink while you do that…I’ll be in the den..”
“Ok…” said Tina secretly wishing that Bette would join her in the shower,

although realizing that what she had done may have ruined her whole life with

Bette…

tbc…