As Tina closed the door, still with a goofy smile on her face, she propped herself against it, waiting for her legs to regain some of their strength.

Wow! she thought to herself. That was some kiss! she exclaimed, very happy at the mere thought of it.

She had not expected Bette to return it as passionately as she had, but it was there, the longing that Tina had hoped was not buried too deeply.

She had managed to control herself in front of Bette, not showing the extreme state of arousal that that kiss had put her in, but now with Bette gone, she felt free to acknowledge the feelings that were coursing through her body, recognizing them as something that she had not experienced in she didnt know how long.

After her body began to return to its normal self, she pushed herself off of the door that had been supporting her, and tried to determine what she was feeling. It was very odd to be in Bettes home without her, and the lack of Bettes presence was somewhat destabilizing.

She looked around, trying to determine what to do first. She went into the kitchen, filling her coffee cup, and then made her way into the bedroom. She needed to call Chris, but knew that he did not usually get into the office until later in the morning, and so determined that that would have to wait.

As she surveyed the bedroom, her eyes fell onto Bettes closet. Lets see what other new additions to her wardrobe she has made Tina thought to herself.

She turned the light on and smiled to herself. All three sides of the closet were brimming over with clothes, the rods looking ready to snap from the weight at any moment. Bette she chuckled while shaking her head, you and your clothes.

As she continued to look at everything, she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She walked towards the back of the closet, moving the arm of a shirt that was blocking the object in her sight, reached for it and gasped.

Oh baby she cried, her hands shaking as she held the item.

Tina was looking at the picture of the two of them from their commitment ceremony, the picture that had resided on the mantle of the fireplace in their home in LA. It looked so odd here in Bettes closet as she had never seen it anywhere else in the 4 years that they had had it.

She felt the warm tears sliding down her face as the picture blurred in front of her.

You brought this all the way with you, baby? she asked out loud.

She turned to walk out of the closet, the picture frame clutched in her hand, and proceeded to lay down on the bed, her eyes never leaving the photograph.

She brushed her fingers across the glass, reliving that day in her head, allowing the memories to storm her brain.

As the memories flooded her consciousness, her tears increased right along with them until Tina realized that she was sobbing on the bed, the picture never dropping from her hand.

She just laid there in a fetal position, crying her heart out, all the while clutching the picture like it was a lifeline to Bette.

Oh baby was all she could manage to get passed her lips, repeated over and over.

Tina did not know how much time had passed when she finally began to calm down. She continued to lay there, exhausted from the emotional tsunami that had just taken place.

She sat up, using the edge of her t-shirt to wipe the tears from the glass of the frame and walking back to the closet, placed it back exactly where Bette had had it.

Tina knew that when she had left Bette, she had taken no personal mementos from the house that had anything to do with their relationship, and did not realize until just this moment, how much she had missed the memories evoked by things like that picture. She and Bette had created a life together and Tina had walked away from that, with absolutely no physical connection to it.

As she walked into the living room, she sat on the sofa to just think. She knew that she and Bette were starting to make some progress in terms of communication, but also realized how far they had to go. Additionally, she knew that she had to do some serious contemplating to determine what had happened from her side that had helped in getting them to the place where they were now.

She knew that she had hurt Bette terribly in her constant rejections at her attempts at apologies and reconciliations, but she could not change that, nor did she know if she would have, given Bettes affair.

Is that what it had been? thought Tina. An affair?

Who the ***** knows or for that matter, cares? she angrily answered herself.

It was an act that had so deeply and physically harmed Tina, so morbidly felt, that she at the time, had not known if she would be able to continue.

“We have to talk about it if we ever want to regain our physical relationship she knew.

Her desire for Bette had never gone away, maybe subsided for a couple of months, but it had never left her being. Living this closely with Bette again, was a constant reminder of how much her body craved her and how much it had missed her.

How ***** ironic is that? she asked herself. Here it is that I am thinking of her affair, and yet, I am also thinking about how much I want her. Nice.

She sighed and took a sip from her coffee cup. I know that I need to recognize the ***** that I brought to the table, but we have got to talk about what led Bette to another womans bed.

Not an easy task she said out loud, while shaking her head.

Just at that time, she heard the ring of the front doorbell. Placing her cup on the table, she walked to the door, looking through the peephole to see who it was, while a huge smile landed on her face.

She opened the door to someone holding a huge bouquet of flowers in their hands, so big, that she couldnt even see their head, just some legs extending to the floor.

Ms. Kennard? came the voice of the bellman as he poked his head around the arrangement.

Yes she replied.

Can I put these down somewhere for you? he asked, his voice somewhat strained from the weight.

Oh yes, of course Tina quickly replied as she moved to the side to let him in.

Come on in, lets just put them in the kitchen she said, allowing him to follow her.

The bellman gratefully placed them on the kitchen counter with a Wow! Thats one of the biggest arrangements that I have ever delivered, and Ive delivered a lot! he added with a smile.

Tina could not help the ridiculous grin that was on her face. She loved getting flowers and this was by far, the most gorgeous arrangement that she had ever received.

The bellman reached into his pocket, retrieved an envelope and said, Ms. Porter asked that I give this to you.

Tina extended her hand to take the envelope from him and said, Ok, thanks.

With all of his work done, the bellman turned to leave.


Oh wait said Tina, looking around for her purse.

No, no, thats ok. Ms. Porter took care of it he said with a happy smile on his face.

Of course she did thought Tina to herself.

Well, thanks then said Tina as he left.

Sure, and have a great day he added over his shoulder.

Tina went back to the kitchen, looked at the envelope laying on the table that he had given her, while searching for the card on the flowers. Which to open first? she thought to herself.

She opened the envelope that came with the flowers and immediately recognized Bettes hand writing.

T- just wanted to let you know that the saying Out of Sight, Out of Mind has never been more incorrect. I meant every word that I said to you this morning when I was leaving, and I would like to start proving it to you by asking if you would agree to have lunch with me? If that works for you, meet me at the gallery at noonish. I miss you already and hope you know much I love you. B.

Tina reread the note and could not believe how happy it made her. She felt that her facial muscles were going to atrophy from the duress of smiling so much.

She then picked up the second envelope, sliding her finger underneath the sealed flap and pulled out its contents.

As she unfolded a piece of hotel stationary, she saw a set of keys and a note written by Bette that simply said, A set of your own so that you can lock the door behind you.

Oh yeah. She was happy. Elated in fact. The walk to the bedroom to figure out what to wear to lunch did not occur on the floor, as she was riding above it.

Bette she said out loud, Oh Baby…

She wrapped her arms around herself tightly while wishing that they belonged to Bette.