Bette looks back at Tina. “I love you, T.” Her voice trembles. “I love you, and I need you more than the next influx of oxygen into my lungs.”

Tina shakes her head, tears spilling faster. “Baby…”

Bette releases Tina’s hands and gently cups her face again, wiping away her tears with both thumbs. “And I promise you something…… I promise that I will do my damnedest to wake up every single morning asking myself what I can do to make you happy.”

Tina laughs softly through her tears.

Bette smiles. “I’m serious. Every morning, I’m going to ask myself, ‘What the hell does Bette Porter need to do today, specifically, to put a smile on her beautiful woman’s face?’”

Tina laughs harder, wiping at her cheeks.

“And some days,” Bette continues, smiling, “I’m probably going to get it wrong… but I promise I’ll keep trying. Because making you happy, making sure you know how loved you are, is something I want to spend the rest of my life doing.” She takes a breath and glances over her shoulder toward Angie and Mickey. “Now, I should probably mention that I don’t come into this arrangement empty-handed.”

Tina smiles.

Bette gestures toward Mickey. “I bring with me a beautiful baby boy who absolutely adores you.”

Mickey hears the word baby and immediately perks up. “Me!”

Bette laughs. “Yes, you, handsome.”

Tina smiles at him through her tears.

“And,” Bette continues, turning back toward Tina, “I also bring some other baggage.”

Tina gives a small, knowing eye roll when Bette alludes to her ex-wife.

Bette catches the expression and chuckles. “Yeah. Exactly.”

Tina laughs.

Bette’s smile grows tender again.  She takes Tina’s hand and kisses her knuckles. “You are the woman I want beside me when I wake up in the morning. You’re the woman I want sitting across from me at dinner when we’re old and gray, still arguing about something ridiculous.”

Bette’s expression softens again. “I want all of it with you, Tina. The good days, the bad days, the ordinary days. I want to raise our children with you. I want to grow old with you.”

Tina closes her eyes briefly as another tear rolls down her cheek.

Bette takes a small step backward and glances toward the children.