“I didn’t put any cold in yet!” Tina yelped.

But Bette sat in the scalding water, taking Tina’s face in her hands. “This isn’t make believe Tina. We haven’t been making believe at all.”

“What have we been doing then Bette?”

Bette leaned towards Tina and bit her lower lip, the sweat that was already forming on her own upper lip touching saltily against Tina’s teeth. “I love you.”

Tina pulled back, staring at her. “Do we love each other?”

“Oh we do.”

“If this is love, I don’t think I ever loved Eric.”

Bette reared out of the bath and took Tina in to her hot wet slippery arms.

“This is love T, and I’ve never done it before either baby.”

They hugged each other tightly, Bette suddenly pulling back and staring at Tina intently. “We’re not making believe at all T.” She started to laugh. “We’re making love. Don’t you see? We’re making ***** love! Two ***** virgins.”

Tina found herself laughing too, her face wet with steam and tears.

When they finally fell back in to the bedroom, after spending hours in the bath they were both as wrinkled as prunes.

“I want to grow old with you T.” She kissed Tina’s creased hands. ” This is what you’ll be like old. I’d love to know you old.”

“I wish we could just shut out the whole world.” Tina pressed her crinkly thumb to Bette’s lips and watched her lovers eyes.

Bette dipped her face so that the thumb traced her nose and forehead, tangling in to her wet curls. She pressed her face to Tina’s belly. “You are my world T. I don’t care where the ***** I go or where we are. Where are we?”

Tina smiled. “In your bed.”

“Can we stay here forever?”

                                                                         *

The ringing of Tina’s cell phone brought the idyll to an end and reality finally started to set in.

“Where the *****, are you Tina? Eric screamed. “I come home and your nowhere to be found.”

“Calm down Eric, I’m in San Francisco it was a last minute business trip, I’ll be home first thing in the morning.” Tina lied, thinking on her feet.

“That’s just ***** great Tina. What am I supposed to do now?”

“I’m sure you’ll find something to do Eric.” She replied sarcastically, hanging up the phone.

“Looks like the world is finally catching up with us.” Bette said.

Tina shrugged. “It was inevitable I guess.”

Bette held Tina’s gaze and stared deep in to her eyes.

“I wish you could stay.”

She nodded desperately wishing she could, but she knew she had to get back to Eric and sort out their marriage or lack of one before she and Bette could spend the rest of their lives together. They had already spent hours discussing what they were going to do in the future and both of them knew a short separation was the only solution. Tina was going to tell Eric she wanted a divorce and Bette was going to end her relationship with Alice.

“I really don’t want you to leave T.” She said stroking her hand down Tina’s leg.

“What, you think I want to go?”

Bette took her in her arms and gently cradled her.

She breathed Bette’s special smell and felt content once more.

“You’re shaking T.”

“I’ve gone all cold.” Tina smiled and snuggled closer.

“It wont be long before were together, I promise.”

“I know.”

Bette laughed softly. “Just think of all that wonderfully tasty soup I’ll be cooking for you.”

“Yeah.” Tina laughed too. “It’ll give you time to stock up on cans.”

“Hey T, you do know this has been the best time of my life don’t you?”

Tina reached out and touched her cheek lightly.

“I know that, Bette, mine too.”

They made love deep in to the night, only this time it was more tender and more caring than either of them had expected. They slept wrapped in the protection of each, others arms, both eagerly anticipating the moment that they could be, together forever.