“Is that it?” Bette asked softly. “Do you want children and do you feel you’re trapped because I’m too young and have just graduated?”

Tina shook her head and hugged Bette tightly. “No, that’s not it. It’s not that I want children, I was just using it as a… I don’t know, just to point out that I feel so at home here in New Haven and maybe I’m a bit scared to start all over again.”

“If you’re not coming with me, I’m not going to New York,” Bette said, her voice muffled as her head was resting on Tina’s shoulder. “I don’t want to be away from you.”

“No, Bette, you can’t do that. I can’t ask that from you. We’re both adults here and you have to see that this is the best way. I mean, what if you don’t like the job at all? Then you could come back to New Haven and immediately come live here again, we wouldn’t have to look for a new place. But don’t you dare come back if you actually enjoy your job and life in New York,” Tina said warningly, knowing exactly what Bette was like.
“So you want me to become one of those workaholics with no life apart from the job?” Bette asked jokingly. She held Tina at arm’s length. “I really don’t know if this is a good idea, Tina. We’re in such a good relationship, you complete me, support me, make me who I am. I can’t live without you.”

Tina swallowed. “I feel the same way. But if I’d die tomorrow, you’d have to go on as well. And I just don’t ever want us to get to a point where we start blaming each other for missed chances in life. This is something you have to do, this is such a huge step towards your dream and I can’t deny you that.”

“But what is your plan exactly? Do you want us to be in a long-term relationship forever? If you don’t want to make the move now, you won’t want to do it later on either, will you?”

Tina sighed. “I’m not sure. I don’t know exactly. I just know that you have to take this chance and I want to stay here. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I think that my job, friends, colleagues are more important than you are. Just… just do this. We can see each other during the weekends. I can drive up to New York or you can come to New Haven.”

“We’ll see each other every weekend in the beginning. Then there will be this time where one of us will have too much work, something to do. And then there will be more weekends we spend apart than together and we’ll end up growing apart.”

“That won’t happen, not to us. You have to realise how much I love you and I also know how much you love me. Look, let’s just do this. Let’s try this for… three months. After three months, we’ll know if our love was strong enough – which I’m sure it is. Of course I can’t tell you to do anything and it’s your choice, but you have to think about where this would take you in life, you have to leave me out of this decision.”

Finally, Bette gave in. “Okay. Three months. And we’ll see each other during the weekends?”

“We will.”

“You’re sure about this?”

“Really sure. Now come here.”

Tina wrapped her arms around Bette’s waist, their lips quickly finding each other. They kissed softly, tenderly and slowly, as if to confirm that this was the right thing to do for now. Soon enough, Tina’s hands had found their way under Bette’s shirt and Bette’s had done the same.