> Chapter 9
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> Tina was lying on her back, looking at the ceiling. She couldn’t sleep, there was too much going on in her head. She turned her head and looked at Bette, who had her eyes closed, but Tina could tell that she wasn’t sleeping.
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>             "I’m sorry baby," Tina whispered.
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>             "What for?" Bette asked, rolling onto her side and resting her hand onto Tina’s stomach and opened her eyes, looking at Tina.
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>             "Everything," Tina said as tears ran down her face.
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>             "Oh baby, what is it?" Bette said taking Tina into her arms and pulling her close.
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>             "I remember the accident," Tina said her body shaking as she cried into Bette’s arms.
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>             "It wasn’t your fault."
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>             "I was speeding," Tina said. "I was mad at Angie."
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>             "It’s okay," Bette said. Tina closed her eyes and something came to her that wasn’t the accident it was something better than that.
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> *** 
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> Tina picked up her portfolio and walked out into the street. She’d been knocked back for a photographic solo show yet again.  She walked into Hyde Park and found a bench to sit down. She looked down at her photos, it was her black and white set and she wanted the public to see them, but yet another high end gallery had knocked her back. She wanted to cry.
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>             "Can I sit here?" Tina looked up at the woman who stood before her.
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>             "Sure," Tina said.
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>             "You okay?"
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>             "Sorry?" Tina said wiping a tear that escaped her eye.
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>             "Well you look upset," the woman said in a soft tone.
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> Tina smiled. She loved the fact this woman also had an American accent.  
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>             "I’m having a bad day," Tina admitted.
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>             "Bette Porter."
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>             "Tina Kennard."
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>             "American?" Bette asked.
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>             "North Carolina."
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>             "Ahh from the deep South, I’m a Philly girl myself," Bette grinned.  "So why is your day going so badly?"
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>             "It’s not like the East coast is any better," Tina joked then sighed, "I’ve just been knocked back for another solo show by a gallery, it’s hard to be an independent photographer with all these gallery sharks."
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>             "Hmm well I know the feeling, I’m a gallery owner myself," Bette said with a smile.
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>             Tina’s eyes widened, "oh no offense!"
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>             Bette chuckled, "none taken. Can I see your pictures?"
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>             "Sure." Tina thought it wouldn’t hurt for someone to see them. Bette opened the book and looked at the black and white photos of locations around London.
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>             "These are amazing! The gallery that beat you out would’ve had to been one of those modern young people joints that shows splashes of colors and calls it art."
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> Tina nodded, "yeah! God I hate those places! Kids go in there all high and get a trip out of those disgusting supposed works of art!"
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> "Yes! God I rarely find people who actually agree with me!" Bette said, "I think the most natural acts or locations are the best things you can capture in true art."
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> "Oh yes! Like impressionistic art, it captures the real essence of nature but distorts it with fantasy," Tina said.
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> "Ahh my favorite era," Bette said, "you know I could give you your own show."
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>             "What? Are you serious?"
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>             "I own the Bette Porter Gallery in Brick Lane, Whitechapel."
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>             "Wow you mean It?"
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>             "Yes," Bette grinned. "Usually we don’t do it this way but you’re very talented and I’d love to show you photos."
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> "I imagine you don’t, I mean to be successful in Whitechapel you have to show modern art as well as the classics," Tina said.
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> "Well I make up for that modern crap by showing controversial art," Bette said, "I hit different publics. The feminists, trannies, gay men and women, political activists, and peace activists." 
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> "And showing pictures of London is gonna affect which of these publics exactly?" Tina said.
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> Bette leaned in closer with a small smile, "it’ll be your premier as a lesbian artist."
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> Tina snorted, "we’re gonna lie?"
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> Bette smirked, "you don’t know?"
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> "Oh I’m not gay," Tina said.
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> "Heh well my gaydar has never failed before, guess there’s a first time for everything," Bette said leaning back and smiling, "so sorry about that."
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> "It’s alright," Tina said, "I’m not offended or anything, I’m open-minded about those things."
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> "Good cause I’m a lesbian and now I will be your boss," Bette said.
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> "So are we still saying I’m a brand new lesbian photographer?" Tina said with a playful smile.
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> "If you want," Bette said with a smile, "or we could just leave it ambiguous."
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> "Well I can’t thank you enough for giving me this opportunity," Tina said with a grateful bow of her head.
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> "Don’t thank me yet, you have a lot of work ahead of you," Bette said, "to get your own studio and publicity you need to promote different shows in different galleries. I have the connections to help you with that but you need to do all the hard work like the pictures themselves and those long and dreary contract meetings."
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> "I’m ready," Tina said excitedly.
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> "I already have an idea for your first official show after your premier," Bette said standing up, "why don’t we discuss it over lunch?"
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> "Yes," Tina said standing up with a beaming smile, "let me ask you Bette Porter are you in the habit of helping out random strangers you meet in parks?"
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> Bette grinned, "only the pretty ones."
> ***
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>             "Wow," Tina whispered with tears in her eyes.
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>             "What baby?" Bette asked, rubbing her arm.
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>             "I remembered our first meeting."
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>             "Our bench," Bette grinned, "you know we sit on the bench after date nights and hold hands."
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>             Tina smiled, "I would really like to do that again."
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> "Of course, anytime," Bette said.
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> "You showed my first solo show?" Tina asked.
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>             "I did," Bette grinned. "I’ve held three of your solo shows."
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>             "Wow, where else have I had shows?"
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>             "LA, Vancouver, New York, Paris, Rome and Seattle. As well as London many times."
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>             "Wow, I’m a big deal?"
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>             "In the photography world you are. One of your photos sold for £250,000."
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>             "Wow," Tina smiled. "I remembered up to when we left for lunch. What was the idea you had?"
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> Bette smiled, "I really hope you remember that conversation cause it was hilarious. Well I suggested that you capture in real photography the art of making love."
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> "Like a live Kama Sutra?" Tina chuckling.
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> "Oh yes and that is your most famous show, it is still shown even though you did it 20 years ago," Bette said. "I mean you hired models to pose in passionate positions and you showed different scenarios, a straight couple, a gay couple, and a lesbian couple."
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> "That’s just amazing," Tina said with a sigh.
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> "That gallery that beat you out that time is now showing it," Bette said.
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> Tina laughed, "how ironic is that shit?"
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> "You wanna see it?"
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> "Yes I do," Tina said. They remained silent for a minutes then Tina’s brow furrowed.
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> "What is it babe?" Bette said.
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> "I said I wasn’t gay," Tina said.
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> "Oh yeah the first time, that quickly changed," Bette chuckled, "that means my gaydar is absolutely impeccable, never failed."
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> "But that means your the first woman I ever been with," Tina said.
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> "And only my love," Bette said, "I’m the only woman you’ve ever been with."
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> "Ever?" Tina said.
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> "Ever."
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> "What about men?" Tina asked.
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> "I think you’ve been with one man one time," Bette said, "but you never talked about him."
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> Tina smiled, "so you’re my first, last, and forever?"
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> "Yes," Bette said, "and you may not have been my first but you are definitely my last and forever."
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> Tina leaned in and kissed her lips gently.
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>             "Come on baby, time to get some sleep," Bette said pulling Tina close and snuggling, "More memories will come to you. Just take your time baby. Who knows maybe you’ll dream about them tonight."
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>             "I love you so much," Tina said.
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>             "I love you too baby," Bette said. They both shut their eyes and settled in.
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> Angie looked into the bedroom, she couldn’t sleep. She just wanted her mother to know she loved her. She hadn’t heard the story of how her mothers had met before and now she understood clearly. Angie thought she knew her mother but she was so wrong. 
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>             "I love you too mum," Angie said, "and I will show you just how much."