Tina heard Angelica giggling, and knew Bette must be tickling her. Then she heard the zerberts. The sounds of Bette blowing on her tummy. This made Angelica laugh that rolling baby laugh that only Bette could make her do. It made Tina melt to hear them together. To hear how good Bette was with their daughter.

When Bette had Angelica dressed, she turned toward the door and was startled to see Tina leaning against the door jam.

“Wow, T, you scared me. I was just getting Angelica dressed for the day. I hope we didn’t wake you.”

“I heard you two in here. The baby monitor was on.” Tina smiled at Bette.

“Um, so you heard everything?” embarrassed Bette looks at Tina.

Tina walks towards her, and gives her a soft kiss on her lips, “Yes, I heard all of it. I think she should be more like you. You are an amazing woman. And we are very lucky to have you love us like you do. I love you Bette. With everything I am, and will be, I love you.”

After breakfast they decided to go for a drive. They ended up at the beach. With the baby strapped onto her back in a carrier, Bette clasped Tina’s hand in hers and the walked for awhile along the shore line.

“Thank you.” Bette said thoughtfully.

“For what babe?”

“For being at the airport this morning. For listening to me talk endlessly. For being the mother of the child of my heart, and for sharing hers, and your life with me.”

“Babe, we have no life without you. It’s just taken you and I too long to realize that. Too many mistakes and hurts could have been avoided if we had just realized that sooner. But the silver lining to this is, we never have to make those mistakes again. Right?”

“Absolutely.”

They walked a little further before Bette stopped abruptly and turned to Tina. She took both of her hands in her own, and as Tina looked back at her with curiosity Bette pulled a small box from her pocket.

“Tina. I know it is too soon for this and I know neither of us is ready to do this, but I know in my heart the faith I have in us and in our family. I picked this up last week in NewYork, when I was at my lowest point of self-loathing. It gave me hope, and it gave me the strength to continue this journey to find Bette Porter.”