Chapter 30

Shane slowed her swing down by dragging her feet until she came to a complete stop. As the dust settled around them, she turned and faced Angelica who hadn’t participated in the sheer joy of swinging without a care in the world.

“So now what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know,” Angelica mumbled back as she avoided Shane’s gaze. “Why aren’t you on my side?”

Shane chuckled and lit another cigarette shaking her head at her niece to indicate she wasn’t going to take sides in the battle that ensued between Angelica and her mothers.

“It feels like nobody is on my side.”

“It isn’t about sides PJ,” Shane said quietly. “It’s about you getting what you needed to find some closure. Your moms trusted you, so now you need to trust them that they made some decisions to rectify the mistakes from the past and now are amazing moms to you and supportive friends to one another.”

“I’m sorry I asked to know anything,” Angelica said sadly. “It’s so f’d up Aunt Shane!”

“It was,” Shane said carefully. “I guess I should also do my adult duty and tell you no swearing.”

“I didn’t!”

“You came close,” Shane chuckled at the rebellious side of her niece. “Aren’t you glad that things turned out the way they did given what you know?”

“Whatever,” Angelica muttered.

“Not whatever,” Shane retorted. “They’ve worked hard to be as close as they are. It’s a good thing PJ.”

“So what am I supposed to do with that?”

“Check your ‘tude and go home,” Shane flicked the ashes off her cigarette. “Understand that they’re good moms and leave the rest alone.”

“Do you know how badly I was teased for my mom’s being lesbians?”

“But they’ll still be lesbians even if they were together,” Shane pointed out lost in Angelica’s logic.

“Yes but I’m the only one that has lesbian moms and parents that aren’t together. At least if they were together that would take one thing that’s different from my friends away.”

“Why is it so important to you to be the same as everyone else? Don’t you like being unique?”

“No,” Angelica said with tears in her eyes. “I don’t like being the only one that’s biracial, the daughter of lesbians, and the only one that doesn’t have their parents together! At this point I would have been happier if Mom would have stayed with her boyfriend! At least one of the things that gets me teased would have been gone and I wouldn’t have lesbians for parents!”

“Oh, don’t talk crazy now!” Shane said smiling at Angelica. “I know you want your Mom to be happy and Henry didn’t make her happy Honey. I can say having seen Tina both with Bette and with Henry that she was much happier with Bette. I think even you see that because that’s been your claim all along, that Bette makes Tina happy and vice versa and that’s why you want them back together.”

“Oh you don’t need to worry Aunt Shane. I don’t want them together anymore only so they can hurt each other. I’m fine that my Mom doesn’t date and I could care less how many people want to date my Mama B. I’m done wanting them together.”

Shane noticed the anger in Angelica’s voice, but knew by the time they got home she would have had some time to calm down.

“What do you say we head home since tomorrow is an early day?”

“I don’t want to go home,” Angelica pouted.

“I think your moms want to talk to you.”

“And if I don’t want to talk to them?”

“I don’t know that you have an option,” Shane simply said. “Can I give ya a suggestion though?”

“What?”

“I know you’re upset and I understand that it will take time for you to calm down and think about what was said. But when you get home, I’d just lay low since your Mama B and Mom are likely upset too.”

“What about? They caused this!”

“No,” Shane corrected her. “You wanted answers and you’ve got them. What you do with them is up to you, but they’re upset you ran out of the house without talking to them.”

“All of a sudden they want to talk? I’ve begged for years to know this and now they want to talk about everything even though I don’t anymore? I just want them to leave me alone.”

“Don’t shoot yourself in the foot on this one Angelica,” Shane warned. “I’d be very careful about what you say to your Mama B especially, she wasn’t very happy. She was worried about you.”

“Whatever, I’m sure she’s not as worried as she claimed to be.”

“Don’t bet on it,” Shane said as she got up from the swing and started to walk to the car signaling the conversation was over and it was time to go home. “I bet she’s still pacing the floors.”

Tina looked down at her lap to see Bette’s hands resting there. They were slowly inching up from Tina’s thighs to where she desired Bette’s touch the most.

“Babe,” Tina said breathlessly. “As much as I like…”

Her words were lost when Bette sucked her earlobe into her mouth and began to run her tongue over it lightly. Bette’s nose was near Tina’s ear, and with each breath she took, the cool air from her nose tickled Tina’s skin.

“Oh,” Tina moaned in response.

Bette interpreted that as encouragement to continue her exploration of Tina’s body. She nuzzled into her neck as Tina relinquished control and leaned further back into her arms. Bette’s hands moved up to cup Tina’s breasts through the material of her shirt. Her hands remaining outside of Tina’s shirt didn’t last long, her desire started to overwhelm her, pushing Bette to snake her hands into Tina’s shirt. She pulled the cups of Tina’s bra down below her breasts to expose Tina’s nipples and massaged them harder.

“God I love touching you,” Bette said in a breathless tone right into Tina’s ear. The combination of Bette’s touch, the sound of her voice so close in Tina’s ear, and Tina’s need for comfort by being close to Bette made it impossible for Tina to resist.

“Bette,” Tina’s one word answer was all that she could muster as she bit down on her lower lip.

“I love your body’s reaction to me,” Bette said smiling as her lips rested on Tina’s cheek. Bette kissed her way to Tina’s neck area causing Tina’s eyes to roll back into her head. Bette sucked lightly on her neck so that she didn’t leave a mark but could enjoy Tina’s response to her mouth. Her fingers began to roll Tina’s hardened nipples as she continued to explore Tina’s neck causing her to gasp.

Tina was struggling with a dilemma, she was deciding between remaining facing forward or allowing herself to turn to face her lover. In order to turn, she’d have to break contact between her nipples and Bette’s fingers, something she didn’t want to do. Finally, as Bette’s fingers began to tug at her sensitive nubs, Tina leaned forward and out of reach of Bette’s trained fingers.

“Playing hard to get?” Bette smiled as she asked her question in a husky tone.

Tina turned around and swung one leg over Bette’s lap to assume one of her favorite positions to make love, she was straddling Bette’s lap. Tina answered Bette’s question by simply grasping the back of Bette’s neck and pulling her forward until her mouth could adequately devour Bette’s. Tina broke the kiss to replenish her air supply as well as discard her shirt and bra, throwing them on the floor next to the couch.

Bette wasted no time in dipping her head to Tina’s breast. Both nipples were hardened, crying out for Bette’s mouth to pay homage to them. She arched her back so that Bette could take more of her breast into her mouth. Tina didn’t need to ask Bette twice for what she desired, Bette sucked hard on one of Tina’s nipples. She changed her technique to keep Tina anticipating her next move. Bette stopped sucking and lightly flicked Tina’s nipple with her tongue. She then tugged lightly on it using her teeth. Tina’s response was a moan as she used one of her hands to snake it through Bette’s hair to hold her closer to her breast.

“Oh God,” Tina said as her head fell back and her mouth remained open gasping for air. Bette knew Tina was enjoying the ability to be vocally expressive, unlike their previous encounter where they both were aware of Angelica’s presence in the house. This time was different, they both knew she wasn’t within earshot, and wanted to take advantage of their freedom to express their love.

“She’s not here,” Bette said as she pulled back to switch breasts. “You can be as loud as you want Babe.”

Bette was determined to produce the reaction in Tina she wanted to hear the most. She sucked on Tina’s other nipple while her hands searched for Tina’s zipper and button on her pants to continue her exploration. Tina kissed the top of Bette’s head lovingly, breathing deep to take in the scent of Bette’s skin, her hair, and her arousal.

Tina leaned back to break the connection between her nipple and Bette’s mouth so that Bette could see where her hands were and accelerate her discovery of Tina’s moist curls between her legs.

“Fuck,” Tina breathed heavy as her breasts rose and fell quicker due to her breathing.

Bette’s response didn’t come in words, it came in her frenzied hands struggling to undo Tina’s pants quickly. She bit down on her lower lip and blinked repeatedly to attempt to slow her hands and gain the needed dexterity to remove Tina’s pants. Tina began to try to rip at Bette’s shirt to get it off her body. For Bette, that wasn’t a priority, yet Tina wasn’t close to giving up on what she desired.

“I need to see your body Babe,” Tina pleaded with Bette.

Bette attempted to slow her breathing as she looked at the picture ahead of her. Tina’s lips were swollen, parted, her breathing shallow due to her arousal. Her eyes were glazed over with desire as she struggled to keep them opened to look at her lover during this intimate moment. Tina smiled at her and grabbed the bottom of Bette’s shirt, dragging it over her head. She allowed her finger to trace the outline of Bette’s bra, feeling the smoothness of her skin with each pass. She reached behind Bette and unfastened it quickly discarding it on the floor near where her own was laying.

Tina wasted no time in using her own hands on Bette’s breasts to please her just as Bette did to her moments ago. Bette moaned as she thrust her tongue inside Tina’s mouth, desperate to push Tina closer to her orgasm. Bette’s kissing became more assertive as Tina rubbed her palms over Bette’s hardened nipples.

“Babe,” Tina said as she pulled back to look at Bette. “We have no idea when she’s coming home. If we don’t stop this now I’m not responsible for my actions.”

Bette’s answer was a low moan, almost a growl, as she crushed her lips against Tina’s once more. She fumbled with Tina’s jeans, separating the fabric once held together with her zipper so a good portion of Tina’s skin was exposed. Her fingers played in the newly exposed area, she used her nails to skim the fine hair that now stood up at attention, and urged Tina to lift up momentarily. Tina lifted up slightly so Bette could pull her jeans partially down her hips giving her enough room to slowly dip her fingers inside Tina’s pants.

“Fuck,” Tina threw her head back the moment Bette’s fingertips made contact with her drenched center. She pushed her fingers down through Tina’s wet hair, searching for entrance into her lover.

“Fuck!” Bette jumped, quickly removing her hand from Tina’s center, but holding her with her other arm so she didn’t fall over.

“What…” Tina was lost at the sudden disappearance of Bette’s fingers.

“Headlights!”

Tina looked out the window and saw Shane’s car in the driveway.

“Oh no,” Tina got up and buttoned her pants up and quickly zipped them up. She bent down and threw her bra under the couch along with Bette’s since there was no time to fumble to put them back on.

“Nice fucking timing,” Bette said in pure frustration. She threw on her shirt and worked to control her erratic breathing.

“Wash your hand!”

“What?” Bette was confused.

“Wash,” Tina pointed to the sink in the kitchen.

“Oh,” Bette ran into the kitchen and scrubbed her hands with soap while she waited for the water to turn warm to rinse them. Tina ran her fingers through her hair and worked to control her breathing.

“Oh my God we look like it’s about 10 degrees below zero in here,” Tina said looking down at her chest and seeing her nipples as her t-shirt clung to them.

Bette was frustrated, Tina could see it in every inch of her beautiful body, the tension from a release that didn’t happen.

Angelica opened the door and walked in, making eye contact with Tina first, and seeing something in her eyes she hadn’t seen before. She inched closer to Shane in confusion instead of making her way inside.

“It’s ok,” Shane whispered as she nudged Angelica further into the room. “Hey Bette.”

“Hi Shane,” Bette said from the kitchen. Angelica knew exactly the look Bette had in her eyes, she was on edge, Angelica knew it well. “Angelica, thanks for joining us again.”

“I want to go to bed,” Angelica began her decent down the hallway to her room when Bette’s hand darted out and stopped her forward progress.

“I’m aware that you’d like to do that, but you won’t.”

” Why?”

“Because I said,” Bette said in a tone that alerted Tina that her frustration was inching toward a dangerous level. “Sit down on the couch.”

Angelica knew that she didn’t have a choice. She rolled her eyes as she faced away from Bette, but Tina saw the disrespectful gesture and spoke up.

“Don’t go there Angelica.”

Her warning was met with silence as Angelica plopped down on the couch.

“Thanks for bringing her home Shane,” Tina said smiling at their friend.

“No problem,” Shane smiled back. “See ya later PJ, remember what I said.”

“Aren’t you going to thank your Aunt for picking you up?” Bette prodded.

“Thanks Aunt Shane.”

Shane quickly exited and began her journey to her own house to rest after a long and exhausting night.

“Now that we’re alone,” Bette started to address Angelica. “I have a few things I want to say.”

Her statement was met with silence from Angelica who worked to avoid all eye contact with both Bette and Tina.

“Give me the respect as your mother of looking at me when I’m talking to you.”

Tina saw the tension in Bette’s shoulders and the tone she was speaking in. Tina knew part of it was her disappointment in Angelica for walking out and her reaction to the previous conversation, the other was her frustration of earlier events between them being interrupted.

Angelica met Bette’s gaze with a matching intensity to her mother’s.

“I understand that you’re upset Angelica,” Bette began the lecture without hesitation. “I frankly think you brought it on yourself begging for all this information when I warned you it was better left unsaid.”

“Well you..” Angelica started to interrupt.

“This is a time where you be quiet Angie and just listen. Your job right now is to soak in as much as I am going to say quietly. When I want to hear from you I’ll let you know,” Bette said forcefully. “I’m going to say this but one time and one time only Angelica. You ever pull a stunt like walking out of this house again like you did and you’ll need more then just Shane to save you. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Do you care to tell me what’s going through your mind?” Bette asked in haste.

“Actually no,” Angelica said quietly. “I’d like to go to bed if I can?”

“Think hard about what happened tonight Angelica, because with your attitude, I don’t want to hear one more question come out of that mouth of yours!”

“Bette,” Tina scowled in her direction. “Why don’t we put this off until tomorrow?”

“I don’t have any other questions anyway. All that matters to me is that you just leave it alone now.”

“Leave what alone?” Tina questioned.

“Each other!”

Angelica got up and ran toward her bedroom feeling as if her dream would never be realized, but thankful that they hadn’t reconciled in order to spare everyone pain.

Kristen felt a nudge but refused to open her eyes as a means to avoid the headache she was sure she had.

“Are you nudging me?”

“I’ve been for a few minutes now,” Alice answered without slurring.

“Why?”

“Because I’m up and I just can’t get what you told me out of my mind.”

“What’s that?” Kristen said as she struggled to get comfortable in Alice’s bed.

“About Bette and Tina being together,” Alice said as if Kristen should have been able to read her mind.

“You should be more concerned that we’re laying in this bed together and I hardly know you,” Kristen said feeling her embarrassment creeping up her cheeks in the form of a blush.

“We’re more alike then you think.”

“Really?” Kristen challenged.

“Absolutely, I’ve been where you are.”

“Where is that?”

“Coping with the loss of Bette,” Alice said sympathetically as she propped herself up on her elbow to face Kristen. Kristen opened her eyes and merely moved her head to make eye contact with Alice rather then turn in the bed.

“Didn’t I know this is how it would be when I started it with her?”

“Doesn’t mean you didn’t fall for her,” Alice pointed out. “It’s almost impossible not to when she shows you attention.”

“How long were you together?”

“Bette and I were together for an amazing 6 weeks before she dumped me,” Alice smiled. “I know it’s not anywhere near your relationship, but it still hurt when she broke it off. I have to say, I was shocked you left her for New York.”

“What was I supposed to do Al?” Kristen asked. “Stay here and play second fiddle to Tina?”

“I guess not,” Alice said feeling sorry for Kristen. “I know my niece didn’t help much either.”

“She wasn’t that bad, I could have dealt with that. It was knowing that Bette’s heart was with Tina and I obviously was right.”

“How long have they been back together?” Alice asked in wonderment.

“That I don’t know, I never got around to asking. Al, you have to promise me you won’t say anything!”

“Kristen, I’ll try my best, but it’s like an addiction.”

“What is?”

“Sharing my wealth of information with those that aren’t aware of the current events in West Hollywood.”

“Gossiping you mean?” Kristen pointed out in a questionable tone.

“You say tomato, I say….”

“Tomatoe,” Kristen finished shaking her head. “No way Al, let them tell everyone when they’re ready.”

“That can take weeks, months even!” Alice sounded horrified. “I can’t wait that long!”

“You have to!”

“Let’s not talk crazy here Kristen,” Alice said trying to sound innocent. “There has to be a way to get one of them to talk.”

“Stop it Al!”

“We need to target Tina, she’s the weaker of the two.”

“Al,” Kristen warned.

“Although, Bette is more unpredictable and less able to control her emotions at times. We might want to target her instead of TK.”

“Target them for what?” Kristen sounded annoyed.

“Hello?” Alice said mocking Kristen. “It’s like I’m talking to myself. I’m talking about getting one of them to confide the secret with the group so we can all be on the same page and I won’t have to hold what has to be the juiciest piece of gossip I’ve had this year!”

“Can’t you just let it go?” Kristen said feeling her head pounding. “I should have never said anything.”

“Well, you were hammered. You can’t be responsible for that.”

“I think Bette would have a differing opinion. And besides, what’s your excuse now? You aren’t drunk!”

“I’m weak, it’s the reporter in me honestly.”

“Uh-huh,” Kristen chuckled at Alice’s playfulness. “Seriously Al, you promised not to say anything!”

“I’m trying Kristen, believe me!”

“Try harder!” Kristen got up to use Alice’s bathroom hoping that the movement of her body wouldn’t prompt her to be ill from her alcohol consumption.

“There has to be a way and I think I got it!” Alice whispered to herself as a sly smile crossed her face. “I can’t wait to see how happy Angelica is tomorrow at breakfast!”

Bette stood near Tina’s door as they talked in hushed tones.

“I wish you didn’t have to leave,” Tina said as she glanced back to ensure Angelica hadn’t come out of her room.

“I know, me too,” Bette said sadly. “I’ll call you when I’m home and settled.”

“Promise?”

“Absolutely.”

“I hate you driving so late at night,” Tina said worrying.

“I’ll manage, it’s not that far.”

“I feel badly,” Tina said semi-chuckling.

“Why is that?”

“I feel like I left you on edge. I can see it in your posture and your tone with Angelica.”

“Angelica is responsible for me being angry with her, I was already upset with her for running out angry like that and involving everyone under the sun in our problems.”

“I know how private you can be,” Tina said carefully.

“Do you blame me?”

“No, not at all,” Tina countered.

Her response was met with silent smile from Bette. Tina allowed her eyes to travel the length of Bette’s body and smiled in appreciation.

“You really like these jeans that much on me eh?” Bette asked seeing the journey Tina’s eyes took of her body.

“Absolutely.”

“Well maybe I’ll have to claim them as my own then.”

“I’ll make ya a deal,” Tina said smiling and inching closer to Bette to talk quietly. “You can keep those jeans if you call me the second you get home.”

“I can do that.”

“There’s more,” Tina smiled.

“What’s that?”

“I’ll tell you exactly how I would snake my hands down into them if I were laying in your bed.”

“Uh-huh,” Bette was mesmerized.

“Do you remember the first time we had phone sex?” Tina asked smiling.

“You’re going to test my memory now?!”

“I was in my office and you were traveling for the gallery,” Tina said smiling as she recalled every detail. “I was so angry that you were traveling back to back and we hadn’t seen each other in weeks.”

“You were on edge huh?”

“I can’t believe you don’t remember this!”

“New York,” Bette said smiling. “It was after work for me because I was in my hotel after a long day while you were reading the script Alphaville was sued over.”

“Thank God for the time difference,” Tina said smiling that Bette indeed remembered.

“You were wearing, well you told me you were wearing a pair of black dress pants with my favorite pair of heels. You had a buttoned down shirt on, but sadly I can’t remember what color you said it was.”

“That’s ok it was so many years ago,” Tina said in shock that Bette remembered. “I’m shocked you remember what you have so far.”

“If you remember I do too.”

“I know, it’s just…” Tina’s voice trailed off.

“What?”

“I guess I don’t expect you to.”

“I’m not an insensitive bitch Tina, if it means anything to you it means everything to me.”

“Bette,” Tina said breathing a little heavier.

“What?”

“Get home now so you can call me.”

“Call you?”

“On my cell, let’s replay some of that memory,” Tina said smiling.