Bette woke to find Tina snuggled under her. Although the feeling was new it was one she knew she could grow to enjoy. Looking at Tina asleep in her underwear was something that Bette was indeed going to miss while she was in Cuba. Just as suddenly as the thought of seeing Alicia hit her Tina opened her eyes to see Bette’s flowing hair in the sunlight. She reached out and began to caress Bette’s back. Bette in response bent her head back and rolled herself back down to face Tina.


“I see you’re awake now.”


“Well the beauty in the sunlight pierced through my dreams. I had to wake up and see if it was real.”


“Was it?”


“No. It’s better than a dream. Can’t do this in a dream…” Tina rose to kiss Bette and start the day off right. Bette broke from the embrace and told Tina to get her clothes on because today they were going to get their things again and move into Carmen’s house for a little while. The thought of having to move her things again made Tina let out an obvious disapproving sigh, to which Bette responded.


“I know baby, but hey, look at it this way, I’m moving in too. So it’s not just your ***** anymore it’s our *****.” she said while flashing her usual charming smile and bending down to kiss a smiling Tina.


“Baby you get dressed and I’ll start breakfast.”Bette said as she walked out the room and into Carmen’s room. It was apparent that Carmen had already left for work early in the morning leaving the young lovers to their peaceful (and very much needed) sleep. Bette was looking in the refrigerator when she felt Tina’s arms wrap around here waist and jerk her back into her hips.


“What cha’ lookin’ for?”


“Eggs, orange juice, life , anything that doesn’t say “Huong Tra take-out” on it. Jesus Christ this milk is as old as Methuselah.”


“I got an idea for breakfast” Tina said while licking her teeth at the idea of “having” Bette in the kitchen, “guaranteed chef’s favorite.” she said while pinning Bette against the refrigerator and giving her slow sensual kisses.


“I don’t think so Ms. Kennard, we need to get an early jump on things, because I need a shower, shampoo, and some down time. I don’t think making love to you, again, and falling into a deep coma like sleep is on this morning’s activities” Bette said hesitantly pulling Tina off of her seating her in a chair at the table. “Now you sit here and watch me cook you some…eggs and…toast.” Bette said finding the closest thing to breakfast food.



Bette and Tina were sitting down eating when Bette heard her cell phone going off in the bedroom, she of course recognized the ringtone as her father’s ringtone. Bette answered it right in time.


“Hello daddy?”


“Bette are you still at Carmen’s?”


“How did you know I was at Carmen’s ?”


“Because you only trust her enough to go there. How’s Tina holding up?”


“She’s alright I guess. She really hasn’t shown any signs of anguish about the situation, ya know?”


“Yeah, well, just wait. You have to be very careful with her, Bette the smallest thing is going to set her off. You may not see it coming but it will inevitably hit her.”


“What do I do?”


“Do what you’ve been doing, be there for her. Now, how long are you two staying at Carmen’s and when are you guys coming to get your stuff? Because I know you’re dying without your shampoo, I know Tina is bad without her music.”


“I’m staying here until I leave for Cuba. And how long Tina stays is entirely up to her, Daddy.”


“I understand.”


“Is her father alright, how’s… Vanessa?”


“He’s alright I told him not to worry that my baby would take care of his little girl. And well Vanessa… She’s just the same as usual, just in her own little world according to David.”


“Well she brought this all on herself and the consequences are hers alone to deal with. Will you tell Charles that Tina’s fine, for me?”


“I will. So you’re coming today to get your things, I won’t be here and Jesse is at school so feel free to come over at any time today Baby. I gotta go get ready for work but I’ll talk to you later, ok. Love you, Baby.”


“I love you too, Daddy.”


“Mmmk, bye.”


“Bye.” and with that Bette turned to see Tina leaning in the door way watching Bette close the phone. Bette stood in fear of Tina’s next reaction.


“How’s… Vanessa?”


“I just wanted to…”


“I can’t believe you even care about her?”


“I just wanted to see if she was…”


“Maybe I should go over there and let her hit on me some more you’d like that wouldn’t you?, maybe I should just leave here and make your life a whole lot easier?, maybe your life wouldn’t be so fucked up if the fat, fucked up girl from California hadn’t ruined your life?…”


“TINA! It’s not every ***** day I move away from my home to be with the woman I love. And to have you flip out on me right now is not something that I need. I was just making sure Vanessa was alright, the last time WE saw her you’d knocked her the ***** out. So please don’t try to make this about my father calling or anything and please just tell me the truth about what your feeling.” Bette said in the calmest voice she could muster.


It was then that Tina approached Bette looking into her eyes. Never breaking contact that she sat on the bed and motioned for Bette to join her.


“The last time I saw my mother was when I was 9yrs. old. That woman you saw me hit was not my mother. The woman I knew as mother died when I was 9 yrs old. The woman you saw me hit was someone I’ve never known before. The way she looked at me to tell me that Charles was not my father is a look that is seared into my soul.”


“Baby,…what happened in that room when I left, what happened that made you…like this?”Bette asked frightened of Tina’s calm tone and demeanor.


“She told me” tears began to run down her face “that I was a product of rape, and that Charles is…not… my father. Now all of that was not her fault, maybe it was, I don’t know. But when she told me “What the ***** do you want me to say? That I hated you, that I didn’t feel like I did when I held Moira, is that what you want to hear? YES It’s all true ok. That man took something from and left me like this. He took all I had in this world, and to have a piece of him inside of me, connected to me forever was the worst feeling in the world I don’t think I can ever describe what I felt when you entered my life.” Vanessa’s voice echoed in Tina’s head as she told Bette what she said word for word, “she died to me, I don’t know who that is and I hope I never see her again.”


“Tina..” was all Bette could say as the pain for her girlfriend overwhelmed her and brought her to tears.


“Bette , please don’t cry. Eventually I’m going to deal with her just not this summer, probably not this year either. I just want to spend as much time with you as I possibly can. I can’t let this summer or you be in my life with this kind of pain, so please… just tell me you love me and make this the best summer of my life.” Tina said while smiling at Bette, taking her face in between her hands and wiping the tears away from her face with her thumbs. She then gently stroked the hair away from Bette’s face looking for a reaction.  


“Now that I can promise.”







TBC…………………………………………………………………………..