“I know your hiding places.” Tina said, quite satisfied with herself. She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair with a knowing grin.

“You do not!”

“I’m afraid so. And I haven’t seen any boxes or bags stuffed on the third shelf of the linen closet behind Angie’s old baby blankets, in the living room behind the bookshelf, or in the bedroom under your side of the bed,” Tina said smugly.

Bette’s mouth dropped open, and she laughed. “You got me. Those are most of my hiding places.”

“Most of them?”

“It might surprise you to know that there are things that not even you know about me.”

Tina felt her smile waver and drop. Bette noticed it too. But then she changed the subject and Tina went along with the banter. When Bette left the room Tina put her reading glasses back on and looked at all the assorted bills with a sigh. Bette was right, there were things Tina didn’t know. There were also things Bette didn’t know, that Tina was choosing to keep from her for the time being. “After Christmas,” Tina murmured. “I’ll explain everything, and we’ll deal with it then.”

She just hoped that it was the right choice.

***

Bette was riding home in a taxi, looking with pride at the gift in her lap. She’d really outdone herself this time. Tina had said not to break the bank and Bette hadn’t, not exactly. She felt that Tina deserved something extra special, though. With Christmas just two days away, she had begun to despair of finding Tina the perfect present. Finally she had found what she was looking for. Now she could relax. Everything was as it should be. If only this cab would hurry up and get her home. She wrinkled her nose in distaste. This taxi smelled horrible, they were at a red light, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could stand the smell. Trying to be all zen and ignore it wasn’t going to work.

“I’ll get out here,” she said to the cabbie. “How much?”