They spent most of the day helping Zoe. Summer was around the corner and she wanted her garden to be perfect. Tina always loved helping her doing that, its Zoe the one that taught her all she knew about flowers, plants and how to make a house look beautiful.
Tina talked with Zoe about their family. Wendie, her sister was still in Spain working for that PR agency and trying to learn how to dance sevillanas. It was an old joke between them, Wendie, unlike Tina, was not very good at dancing but since she was in love with a Spanish guy and wanted to fit in his family she was trying to learn how to dance. She showed them and tried to teach them last time she visited and theyd still laugh to tears just remembering her unsuccessful attempts.
Shane loved hearing family stories. She didnt have one and because of that found them fascinating . She watched Tina talking with Zoe and even when she was looking much better than a few days before she could tell that she was still in pain. She noticed how Tina looked at the lake, how she stared, how lost she looked when the conversation was getting close to anything Bette related.
Zoe left them with their hands in the mud. She wanted to go visit a friend. It was an excuse , she just wanted to let them talk. She knew they needed to talk , one as much as the other.
Tina was trying hard, the plant wasnt moving and it was getting difficult to remove it. Shane moved close to her and tried to help but they finished on the floor, laughing like teenagers. They broke the plant and fall back on their asses.
The moment they calmed down Shane knew she had to asked Tina about it all.
Hey, T (helping her up)
Uh (still smiling)
You want to talk about it?
Tina looked at Shane in silence, with a cold look that made Shane shiver and the slowly, trying to stop the anger that was rising looked at the lake.
What is there to talk? She cheated on me, she slept with her and only because I found out she told me
Shane saw that she was getting angry, she was staring at the lake, with a cold look in her eyes, trying to keep tears for falling down.
Mmm, ok
She didnt know what to say, she knew that she was in no position to talk, she knew that she, once, was the other woman.
Tina was looking at Shane now, she saw how her face was clouding and the moment she saw it she knew what Shane was thinking.
Its ok, I just need time. Thank you for asking thou
yeah, sure
She was feeling uncomfortable now, didnt want Tina to feel bad and didnt want to go back to thinking about her relationship or whatever it was, with Cheryl.
but you know what cant I stop thinking about? Tina was talking while looking at the sunset, she was enjoying the memories, she was almost lost in her own memory trip.
Uh, what? Shanes asked slowly, almost in a whisper, not sure she wanted to know the answer.
the first week , that first week I spent with Bette
Oh that! Shane loved that story, loved the idea that two people could fall in love right away. Just thinking that itd happen made her wanting to wake up every morning. It was just fate, or karma she repeated to herself, what made her life so messy. She was a romantic but life taught her wrong and after so many bumps she just took the surviving path. One girl after the other was just the easy way to go with her life. Thats why her friends were her most precious possession.
Tina looked at Shane, she knew she loved that story and that knowledge made her smile.
no, well yeah, but not that story
what?
You guys only know part of the story, the easy part. But that sweet moment, the exact moment when I knew she was it. I dont think I have ever told anyone
Shane was nervous, She felt as if it was going to see her friend naked. It was exciting, and scary. She didnt want to push but was dying for Tina to share the memories with her.

I know you all think that the first time I saw Bette was that night at her gallery. Well, it wasnt.
Shanes look didnt stop Tina, only made her smile and mock at her, that sweet mock that she gave Alice when she interrupted her while she was telling this same story to Jenny back at the hotel.

You know I was working at that small studio and my boss, she was a ***** (Shane looked surprised, it was so strange for Tina to say those kind of things about others), well, she wanted so badly to impress that agent that she was trying to go out with, that she was making everybody crazy. She wanted this, and that, she wanted everything! she didnt know what to do to impress him so at the end she decided to buy him some expensive piece of art. She knew nothing about art so she asked her assistance – I was lucky that day- to find her some impressive piece. Well, (Tina laughs while talking, its like rain in the desert for Shanes ears), poor Jonah, he looked everywhere and finally he saw a beautiful painting that he liked so he bought it. Not sure why or how, as am sure that was something Bette didnt use to do (call it fate now). Well, she brought the painting to the studio. I didnt see her then, but I heard about her. Jonah, among others was talking about her, how hot she was, how ***** she wasyou know how guys are (Shane nods, not really knowing or caring but just as to push Tina to go on). So as I was listening to all of the drooling about this woman I got a call from Wendie, she was upset , I dont remember what about now. She told me she was there, at the entrance so I run to check on her. And there, as I was walking down the hall I saw Bette. She was looking for something in her purse. So relax, so lost in her thoughts. She wasnt aware of all the eyes staring at her. Or so I thought because the moment she looked up from her purse her whole body reacted to all that attention. It was like a force of nature. She walked across the entrance like nobody was looking at her, like she didnt care but making sure that everybody was noticing her. Even Wendie noticed her, she even asked me later if I knew who that woman was. She doesnt remember now but I do.Anyway, So When that night at the opening, when we were introduced, I knew it. It just felt so good. She could have done nothing that I was hooked anyway. That first impression at the studio is what drove me back for the earring that morning after the opening. I didnt know why, but wanted to know how that woman could affect so many people, how could she have so much power and at the same time be so sweet and tender. Because, and I know I told you this before, that first time we talked, I knew she was checking me out, I knew she was studying the possibilities and Knowing all that while she was trying, gave me some kind of power that I loved. I loved to know that even when I knew nothing about her Id tell what she was thinking. I loved that Id teased her, because thats what I did (Tina turns , facing Shane with a big smile)-
Dont ever tell Al, Shane. Dont wanna hear all about the earring thing..it was so much the oldest trick in the book (she laughs),
oh well..- thats what I did. I didnt know then that I was falling in love with her,( I know it now),. But that night I just loved the power she gave me. I loved feeling her looking at me, staring at me when she thought I was not noticing it and I loved playing with her, making her wanting me. I flirt with Brad- and you know am not a flirter- . All I did that night was for her to fall for me. I knew the moment I saw her that she liked the hunting and I wanted right there for her to go hunt for me. It was strange because I didnt even know what I was doing or even think about it. I just did it, like a force was guiding me without my knowledge. I didnt think about her as a woman, it was just this amazing person who Id not stop looking at, or thinking about. It was like some big unknown forces were trying to put as together. .

Shane was enjoying every word of the story and when Tina stopped she started wanting more. But Tina stare at the lake in silence, it was getting dark and chilly.
But I guess, at the end ( Tina sighed, putting her cold hands in her jean pockets), as always, I gave up too soon. I knew, and she did too, that after she kissed me I was lost.