Tina opened the front door and watched as Bette just dragged herself into the house and dropped down onto the couch. Tina went and got her a glass of water. Bette took it and took a few small sips before she just let it sit in her hands. Tina sat on the coffee table across from her, just watching the weight of the world drag on Bette’s face.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked softly.

“I thought”, Bette looked up and away from Tina biting her knuckle as she spoke, “I thought I could fix it. I wanted to fix it. But now…” she sighed, “now everything is out of my hands.” Bette put the water down on the table next to Tina. Tina grabbed her hand before she could pull back, and began kneading her forearm. Bette felt herself leaning forward, she dropped her head and buried her face in Tina’s lap moving her head back and forth into Tina’s stomach. Tina wrapped her arms around Bette’s neck and felt her body being pulled forward as Bette pressed herself harder into her stomach.

As good as Bette felt in between her legs, and as much as Tina wanted this to go further, she couldn’t. She couldn’t see herself making love to Bette when she seemed so fragile and easily broken. Right when she felt the warmth of Bette’s lips press into her stomach through her shirt, she had to stifle a moan and pull Bette’s head back. She looked up into Tina’s eyes and saw the worry in her face. Tina stroked the hair away from her face and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

“Let me make you some dinner. Then we’ll go to bed.”

“Ok.” Bette stood up with Tina’s help and found herself in Tina’s arms. The hug was so warm and protecting, something Bette wasn’t use to receiving.

　

………………

　

Tina was in the kitchen cooking some fish and vegetables. She wanted it to be light because they were heading to bed soon. The small radio on the counter was playing some old girl group music. Tina was in her own world again, winding her body to the music, swaying her hips to the drums, swinging her head from side to side moving with the rhythm as she moved about the kitchen. She moved fluidly throughout, everything was exactly where her subconscious remembered. Bette stood at the doorway and just watched. Tina was always so sinuous in her movement but it was almost lost in Bette’s mind until now. She spun from the refrigerator to the counter with a bowl in her hand as she sang to herself. She spun again and stopped abruptly when she saw Bette smiling at her.