Bette led Tina through the doors of the banquet hall, threading their fingers together.  She glanced over at the blonde and saw a completely confident woman.  No fear.  No hesitation.  She grinned proudly, loving her even more.

“Ready for this baby?” Bette asked with a grin.

“Lead on love,” came the equally poised reply.

The pair walked the rest of the way in silence, enjoying the quiet before the excitement of the evening took over.  They could hear the sounds of glasses clinking, people talking, and music in the background as the double doors opened.  Tina gasped as they walked through the entrance and into the enormous room.

The banquet hall was setup like an art gallery with large-scale art adorning the walls and sculpted pieces scattered throughout the floor.  Each large dining table was set with the finest linen tablecloths and silver with exquisite centerpieces on each.  The head table was the grandest of all with crystal wine glasses and bottles of Cristal for every two chairs. 

The lighting was intimate with candles lit throughout the hall and at each table.  Spotlights however, illuminated the art in order to accent every detail.  The wait staff was walking around with platters full of exotic appetizers, offering them to the near 200 guests while they surveyed the art.

Photographers wandered the room as well, snapping photos to document the evening.  One of them spotted the beautiful couple out of the corner of his eye and immediately shouted out Bette’s name and made his way over. 

A hushed murmur ran throughout the crowd as they took in the vision that was Bette Porter and Tina Kennard.  While unfamiliar with the blonde, it was obvious that the pair was an exceptional one.  The brunette looked at Tina with poignantly obvious affection as the blonde took in her surroundings.

The quiet of the guests was thwarted by a swarm of frenzied photographers, snapping multiple photos of the pair as they made their way inside.  Tina gripped Bette’s arm, feeling a little overwhelmed by the constant flashes and interrogating journalists as they questioned Bette about her gallery, her latest show with Jodi Lerner, and of course, the blonde who had stolen her heart.

Bette answered each question with absolute poise, amazing the woman standing next to her.  Tina had never felt more proud, and she could do nothing other than smile from ear to ear as the brunette held her close and introduced Tina as her girlfriend.