Tina Kennard and Bette Porter were sitting at The Planet, waiting for Alice and Dana to arrive. Carmen and Shane were already there.

“So,” Shane said and looked at Bette. “You taking care of my sister?”

“She is,” Tina beamed. Bette nodded, smiling at her girlfriends’ radiant happiness.

“I am,” she confirmed. She looked lovingly at Tina and put a protective arm around her shoulder. “She’s mine and I’m hers. If anyone ever tries to hurt her, it will be the last thing they did.”

“I’ve always known you were protective, Bette,” Carmen said. “With Nicole, you just didn’t have the chance to show it. I mean, with her, you had to neglect so many parts of yourself. I’m so glad it’s over between the two of, I’m so happy you found Tina.”

“I am, too,” Bette agreed. “I love her very much and she lets me be who I am.”

“That Nicole gal,” Shane said, taking a sip from her hot coffee. “She tried to hit on me the other day. It’s really a shame she’s such a bitch – I mean… she’s hot.”

“And that’s where it ends,” Bette said. “I want someone that is genuine and kind, someone I can talk to.”

“So, say Nicole had this amazing personality, you wouldn’t have left her and we wouldn’t have been together?” Tina asked, fully realising the danger of this question. She just had to know.

“Tee, her personality is why it was over. It’s why I sent her away – with your much appreciated help. And don’t even go and think ‘what if’… what’s done is done and we can’t change it. We are meant to be together and nothing could change that. I would have left Nicole eventually, because she’s never been the one for me in the first place. I thought she was for a long time, but her actions made me see different. She didn’t care about me, Tina. I am more sure that you absolutely and unconditionally love me than I am sure I’m breathing at this very moment.”

“Still here,” Shane waved. She couldn’t help to smile at her sisters’ girlfriends’ words, tough. They were beautiful, heartfelt and true. That last word was the most important one.

“Did you tell Bette how badly I wanted to meet her?” The skinny woman asked. She wasn’t sure if Bette knew about her slight crush on their then new neighbour.