It was a clear full moon night. The table was set with candles. Tina helped June to set the table, with candles and flowers. It looked beautiful and Tina enjoyed every minute she spent helping June with it.

They talked about Jack, her talent and her work. It was obvious to Tina how proud June was of Jack. She told Tina about her other grandkids. Jacks brother, Matt and Susan, Matt and Jacks cousin.
Knowing about Matt took Tina by surprise and it didnt go unnoticed to June who smiling told her about the adventurous young men. Tina knew that Jack was an orphan and that she spent her childhood in boarding schools in Europe. June explained to Tina that as she was her guardian she always thought Europe was the best place for her to grow up. She didnt want for Jack or Matt to grow up under the spot light. June was very much aware of her fame and loathed it. She wanted for Jack and Matt to have the best and most regular childhood.

Tina nodded, knowing how much Jack loved her childhood. But it was confusing her to know that Matt was part of that period of time. June explained to Tina that Matt was seven years younger than Jack. Was a baby when their parents die so he spent the first years of his childhood with June in that same old beautiful house, miles, continents, away from Jack. Matt later on became a doctor and to Tinas astonishment, lived in San Francisco.
Tina wanted to know more about Matt, the mysterious brother but didnt want to ask June so she changed the subject, making a note to herself to ask Jack about him, later.

Tina and Jack cooked dinner while June, Bette and Alice talked. Shane was teasing Dana with Junes golf clubs. They were hitting balls and to Danas surprise Shane was much better than her at it.

While helping Jack with the cooking Tina remembered the walk. She smiled, it was already a sweet memory but she was still feeling empty and lost. She wanted Bette and wanted to be able to show her and tell her that. She promised herself that during that night she was going to do it. One way or another she was going to find out.


They enjoyed a long delicious dinner. Topics were easy and they all laughed at Alices silly comments and to Danas nave questions.

After dinner they all had a couple of drinks. Soft music was in the background. June, at Alices insistence told them some old Hollywood stories, pointing the spicy anecdotes. They all loved them and when June said that she was going to bed, as it was late for her, all the girls pouted. June laughed looking at them and to Alice and Danas joy June kissed them all goodbye.

To Alices suggestion, after Junes departure, they al headed to the beach. They made a fire and to no ones surprise but Danas, Alice brought up some joints. After a while they were pretty stone and with the drinks they already had in their bodies, the atmosphere was quite comical.

Dana was in loving mood, caressing Alices arm and making cute faces to her. Alice, on the other hand was looking at the full moon, telling all kind of stories. She was trying to lecture her friends about the power of the moon, about tides, love, and most important, *****!.
She was talking about how animals make out because of the tides, hence, because of the moon, she said.
Turtles!, she was finding the word quite interesting and funny to pronounce, T-u-r-t-l-e-SSS, she was enjoying the soft touch of each letter on her tongue.
As Alice was enjoying the sound of that word in her mouth Dana was all over her, trying to get her attention, was clumsily kissing her on the neck, on her collar bone playing with her hair

Shane, as always, was looking at her friends, quiet. Jack was playing her guitar, while Bette was trying not to laugh at Danas ***** attempts.
Tina was looking at Bette, Jack and Shane. She was playing with the sand, trying, unsuccessfully to build a castle.

Suddenly Alice stood up, pointing the moon, making Dana to fall on her face as she was kissing Alices shoulders. Tina saw Alice walking around the fire, declaiming the joys of animal *****, T-U-R-T-L-E-S above all she said gesturing, opening her arms, almost losing her balance, getting close to the water. As Alice was getting her feet wet Tina had an idea.

Standing up she started to undress. She took off her sleeveless t-shirt and shaking her hips let her short skirt to loose down to the floor.
Shane, chuckling, was enjoying Tinas clumsy striptease.
Jack and Bette, at the same time looked at Tina realizing what she was doing. Before Bette could say anything, Jack, without thinking too much, in a record speed, removed her t- shirt and shorts following Tina into the water.

Tinas laugh was clearing up Bettes drunkenness. She was looking at Jack throwing water to Tina who was jumping as the waves were hitting her.

Tina was not aware of her looks. Even in the dark, just by the moon and fire light, Bette could see that Tinas bra was leaving very little to imagination. It wasnt helping that Tina was whispering into Jacks ear, making fun of her, slapping water at her.

Alice, looking at Tina and Jack, was still telling the story of tides and love connections. Dana, seeing in her drunkenness that she was getting nothing from Alice moved closer to Shane, smiling at her, caressing her arm, telling her, that after all, she really loved her.
Shane was smiling at Dana, nodding, but was really focusing on Tina and Jack, while trying to check Bettes reactions.

Tina was laughing and making silly faces, she was getting herself get loose. She was calling Bette, waving at her but Alices declamations were not letting Bette hear Tinas call.

As Bette was not reacting to her call, Tina decided to make it easier for her to get in the water with her. She took her bra off, jumping with it on her hand, waving to her.

Bette looking at Tina, was getting angry at her. Seeing the way Jack was talking with her, laughing with her, looking at her now that she was top less was filling, the now much more clear Bettes head, with jealousy, anger and hopeless thoughts.

She didnt want to make a scene there, she knew, still could see, that Tina was drunk but nonetheless she was hating each and every second of that moment. Without saying a word, she stood up and started walking towards the house.

Tina seeing Bette walking back to the house walked out of the water. She didnt know what was going on but was about to find out.