Chapter 10

Tina gave the girls a quick summery of her life and then ran for her wallet to pass around a picture of Ellie.   But feeling uncomfortable in the spotlight, Tina turned the tables and used the opportunity to ask questions of everyone else.   With ease and finesse she had them all sharing bits of themselves and everyone found themselves quite taken by the astute, unpredictable blonde. 

While the conversation raged around her, Bette sat back and just let the indescribable comfort wash over her.  She rarely, if ever, felt more at peace, comfortable. or complete in her entire life.   She knew that Tina Kinnard’s entrance into her life, and now her home and family, however strange the circumstances, was monumental and life altering and left her mesmerized.    As Bette’s mind came back to the present she found herself awed by the grace and charm Tina displayed in her handling of the conversation.   Bette was abruptly torn from her thoughts when Alice jumped up and yelled,

“Hey guys lets go for a swim, who’s in?”

No one responded until Tina stood up, “Hey Alice that sounds like fun.  I’ll go change.”

Well if Bette needed a wakeup call that was it.  “Uh Tina, let me show you where you can change.”

“Great, aren’t you going to join me?  Tina asked while she looked at Bette with a bit of a pout.

While holding the blonde’s gaze Bette began to sputter. 

“Oh um, well I wouldn’t want to be a bad hostess now would I?  Um, maybe a swim would be fun.  Here, you can change in the spare room”

“Great, I’ll just change and meet you outside in a minute, okay?”

“That would be wonderful.”

Bette returned to the pool and found that everyone had sort of spread out. Kit was straightening up.  Shane and Carmen were cuddling on one of the chaises’, and she supposed Alice, Dana and Helena had gone inside to change.  She took the moment to clear her head.  She reached for her wine glass and stood by the pool staring into the distance.

Tina had entered the yard and taken about 2 steps when she looked up and was jolted to a standstill.   Before her she saw in the distance the crimson and yellow of the setting sun and in the forground Bette silhouetted against the sunset.  Clad only in a form fitting bikini with a thoughtful expression she held a statuesque pose.  Bette exuded an ease and a grace Tina could have never before imagined existed.  She took in the beauty without the complications of thought, just basking in the work of art before her.