Tina leaned on the French-door frame and watched as a flickering flare brightened and looked to grow warmer in contrast to the fading dark blues of evening, sliding into night time blacks.

Cupping her glass of red wine a little more in her palm to keep it warm in the light, late summer breeze that circled in her back garden, she sighed and adjusted her stance. The mummer of conversations hummed behind her, the music playing; tinkling along and matching the rhythm of the slight sway of the plants and leaves in the trees that seem to coincide with night fall. She often watched the curious contrast of light and movement, the whisper of the wind that seems to lift as light fades, an exchange of animation, a shifting of life almost.

As she took a sip of wine meditating pleasantly, she half closed her eyes around the warm lips lightly placed on her neck. Her internal hum began, matching unconsciously her musing, sensitivity deepening in the nighttimes shade.

“Where are you…..may I softly join….?” Bette’s almost whisper made her smile.

Tina could feel Bette smile into the nape of her neck as she pushed back and pulled her arm around her waist.

They stood silently for a time, Bette’s head on her shoulder watching through her lovers eyes.

“Its getting darker already, I miss the long light evenings……although, look how beautiful it is tonight, the garden looks really good now hey…”

Bette squeezed Tina a little tighter charmed by her observations. “All your hard work today is rewarded then, toiling in the garden for hours ….neglecting your lover……”

“O, poor baby, did I make you feel second best ?” Tina tuned as her intonation raised with her mockery.

“Why yes, why should vegetation get such focus of attention, and not just you, our daughter too could barely lift her eyes to my occasional inquiries ?!” Bette played with Tina’s fingers on her hips to hide the depth of her smile.

“Envy is not a colour that suits you babe, I have always said its so…..though I must confess that such small tortures that you do admit too, warm me so ?! ” Tina pulled her hand gently away to cup Bette’s face and tilt it upwards to meet the arch of her eyebrow.