"You know, I’ve been thinking. Ever since he left, I’d done nothing but think. Anyway, I realized I didn’t really waste my time with him." Bette almost fell off the bed when Tina seemed to have read her mind. "I know. Strange as it may seem, I’m glad I went through what I did with him. He was a good decent guy. I couldn’t have done my experiment with a nicer guy," Tina’s voice was still sad, tinged with a healthy dollop of bitterness. "I realized that it was my fault."

"What? No! Tina how could it be your fault? He left you."

"Yeah, but I told you that I don’t think I really loved him. Well, I was attached to him and I was used to him  being around. I liked him. I think I loved him a bit. But not in the way a wife was supposed to love her husband."

"Wife? Husband?"

"He proposed to me."

"Huh?"

"He proposed to me last week. I turned him down. So he left."

Bette scratched her head in confusion. "Well why have you been crying so much?"

"Because I miss having him around." Tina whined.

Bette shook her head. Women! No, ammend that. Straight women! If I had an functioning brain cell in my head, I’d be running screaming out of this situation. Instead, Bette wryly admitted that she had lost all her senses when it came to Tina. For some reason, her legs never got the order to run like the wind. Instead they were encased in cement.

Bette looked at the photos displayed on the lcd screen and sighed. When was she going to snap out of this foolishness and see what was in her future if she kept up on this path? Straight, she nodded at Tina, who looked back at her curiously. Gay, she nodded to herself.

"Anyway, I called you to come so you can copy these files if you want."

"Oh, shucks. I didn’t bring a flash drive."

"It’s okay. You can borrow mine."

Tina fished into her pocket and produced the flash drive. "Ta-da!"

"Hehe. Okay." Bette watched as Tina inserted the flash drive into the port and started copying the files.

When she was done, Tina handed the drive to Bette. "Remember to do a virus scan before copying these on your computer. I haven’t updated the security on this laptop in so long I’m not sure it’s still safe."

Bette nodded and forced a smile. Too late, too late! The usually-ignored voice screamed maniacally. We’ve been infected by the Virus of Loooooove and we are doomed for system failure!

"okay. Sure."

Tina accompanied Bette to the door. Before Bette could turn to leave, she grabbed Bette’s arm, pulled her close, and embraced the stunned woman with all her might. After a moment of panic when she realized she couldn’t breath, Bette melted against Tina’s body and closed her eyes.

"See you soon, Bette." Tina murmured into Bette’s fragrant curly hair.

"See you, Tina." Bette murmured back.

As quickly as she was embraced, she was released. Tina was all smiles as she waved and pushed Bette out of the house. Bette nearly stumbled but quickly recovered. She wanted to tell Tina that she didn’t have to push so hard, but the door had already been shut.

Wondering at Tina’s strange behavior, Bette walked to her car. She pocketed the flash drive and shrugged. "What do I know about straight women? I haven’t been one in decades." Bette drove home, contemplating another trip to the lesbian bars tonight. She was desperate for some action. Even if it wasn’t with Tina. ESPECIALLY if it wasn’t with Tina.

TBC