Bette looked outside the window and sighed. The snow was really coming down hard in the New York sky and she wondered, for the hundredth time, if the plane would be able to take off in time, if at all. She’d had a long day, she was tired and hungry and not in the best of mood. «Miss, do you think we’ll be able to take off in this shitty weather?», she asked one of the flight attendants. «I don’t know. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see».


«What a fucking brilliant answer», Bette muttered under her breath. She glanced at her watch and then closed her eyes, thinking about the hot California sun.


«Excuse me, miss ?».


«Miss, excuse me ?». Bette opened her eyes and found herself face to face with a pretty blond woman. «Yeah?», she said in a rather cool tone. Pretty or not, she wasn’t in the mood to make conversation with a stranger. A stranger who was obviously as straight as they come.


«You’re sitting in my seat», the woman said.


«So ? Can’t you take this one?», Bette said, looking at the empty seat beside her.


«I prefer a window seat. Look, if you’re going to be difficult about this, I’ll get a flight attendant and she’ll..», but Bette cut her of. «Jesus, OK, OK, here’s your precious seat». Bette stood up and gave her seat up. The blond woman sat down and buckled her seat belt.


«Do you think we’ll be able to take off in this storm?», the woman asked.


Bette rolled up her eyes. «What do I look like ? The fucking weatherman ?»


«You don’t have to be so rude, I was just asking a question»


«Look, you look like a very nice girl, very sweet, but I’m tired, I had a shitty day and I just want to go home»


«I’m sorry… I don’t like to fly and I get nervous when the weather is bad. I can’t wait to be back in sunny California».


Bette uttered a silent thank you when the woman stopped talking. She felt a slight headache coming on and she couldn’t wait for the plane to take off so she could have a drink.


«Ladies and gentlemen, could I have you attention please. Because of the storm, we won’t be able to take off for probably another hour or two. We ask that you leave the plane and we’ll notify you as soon as we are clear for take off. We are really sorry for the delays»


«Shit». Bette stood up and left the plane, heading for the airport bar. She ordered a glass of red wine and sat at one of the tables in the back. She was deep in her thoughts when she noticed the blond woman that was sitting beside her on the plane. She had just came into the bar and looked like she had been crying. Her eyes were red and swollen.


Even if the woman had annoyed the hell out of Bette earlier, she couldn’t stand the sight of a pretty woman in distress. Even a straight one… She waved to the woman and invited her to her table.


«Do you want to join me ? I promise not to give you a hard time…», Bette said, offering the woman a weak smile.


«Thanks, that’s really nice of you». The woman sat down and bit her lips.


«Is everything all right ? You look like you just lost your best friend…»


The woman looked up to Bette and she saw tears in her beautiful eyes. «I just called my fiancé and we had a fight. It’s nothing really… My name is Tina, by the way». Tina smiled and extended her hand to Bette. She took it and marvelled at Tina’s soft and warm skin. «I’m Bette. It’s nice to meet you. Do you want something to drink?»


«I better not… I’m already a nervous wreck without one».


Bette couldn’t help but stare at Tina. She had noticed how pretty she was on the plane, but now Bette found her to be quite attractive. She had golden shoulder-length hair, a nice smile and a sweet and innocent look about her that made you want to protect her. And under those clothes, Bette was willing to bet that Tina was a real knock-out.


«Stop that Bette, for God’s sake! Are you that desperate that you’re fantasizing about straight women ?», Bette thought. «So, why did you have a fight with your fiancé or is it not of my fucking business?»


Tina smiled and decided that she liked that woman. «It’s nothing. I think I overreacted because of the weather and our flight being delayed»


«When are you getting married?»


«In a month. Are you married, Bette ?»


«No, I’m not». For some reason, Bette didn’t tell Tina she was a lesbian and that struck her as odd because she was usually so forthcoming with her sexuality. Even with strangers. She wasn’t ashamed of who she was and she wasn’t about to let anyone tell her that her lifestyle was wrong. But this time, she didn’t share that information with Tina.


«Can I tell you a secret Bette ?»


«Your secret’s safe with me Tina»


Tina bit her lips and looked around, to make sure nobody overheard their conversation. «I don’t know if I want to go through with it…»


«With what?»

Tina turned red. «The…the wedding»


«Wow… Maybe it’s just cold feet. Have you talked to your fiancé about it ?»


Tina shook her head no. «I don’t want to hurt him. He loves me so much»


«And what about you Tina ? Do you love him ?»


Bette could see tears in Tina’s eyes but most of all, she could see fear and loneliness… «I thought I did, but recently… something’s changed». She paused, obvioulsy uncomfortable. «This is crazy, I can’t tell you, it’s too personal, but I don’t know who to turn to»


Bette gave her a reassuring smile. «You can talk to me, I’m a perfect stranger that you won’t probably never see again after tonight. So there’s nothing to be embarrassed about»


Tina stayed silent for a few seconds more and then she took a deep breath. «I—I have feelings for… women». Tina said that so quietly that Bette wasn’t sure she had understood right. Her heart started racing. «Did you say you had feelings for women? Women in general, or one in particular?». Bette was now very interested.


«There’s nobody special… Actually, I’ve felt like this for a very long time, but I didn’t want to admit it to myself. I don’t want to be different, I don’t want to be… a freak»


Bette froze. «You think that gay people are freaks ?»


«No…no I don’t, but others think that. My friends, my family, they would turn their back on me if I tried to talk to them about what I was feeling. When I met my boyfriend, I thought I could get rid of this attraction, but with the wedding coming up… I don’t know, what if this all a fantasy and I call off the wedding for nothing? I’m so confused».


Tina turned to Bette and was suddenly struck by how gorgeous this woman was. She was drawn to her big brown eyes and she looked so hot in her pin-striped business suit and silken white blouse. For a second, she wondered what it would be like to kiss those desirable and sexy lips. Her mouth went dry… Unable to deal with this thought, Tina stood up so quickly that she almost knocked her chair over. «I—I have to go to the bathroom… Excuse me»


Bette stood up and asked if she was all right. «Do you want me to go with you?». Tina shook her head no and disappeared into the crowd.