As they pulled up the valet at Milk, Bette gave herself one last look in the mirror.  “It’s showtime”, she said to her reflection as a smirk crossed her face.  

Relationships and Bette were two words that were not synonymous with each other.  Bette was not against being in a relationship, but as soon as she began dating someone she easily found fault in them and was quick to get out.  Her inability to see past the idiosyncrasies of others was her nemesis.  Perhaps she was destined to be alone her whole life.  She tried to accept others for their faults and hoped that someone one day would be able to do the same for her, but deep down knew that would never happen.  Settling wasn’t an option.  She refused to stay in a relationship just because it was a relationship.  And this mindset has led to where she was now… on another date that would certainly end within a 12 hour window.  

Helena came rushing down to find Tina in the corner of the bar.

“That woman is amazing!!  I cannot even begin to tell you what a perfect business match we are.  Her knowledge of the business is great and backed with my money, we are destined for success”, Helena gloated.

Tina, who was working on her fifth vodka tonic, smiled and leaned back against the bar.  “That’s amazing! Great …. so good” she managed to say, obviously feeling the effects of the alcohol.

“Oh boy”, Helena thought to herself.  “So you having a good time down here then?”, she asked Tina hesitantly, fulling expecting another drunken brush off in response.

“It’s fine”, Tina replied.  “Holding down the fort”.  

It was true that Tina felt better than she had in weeks while standing alone at the bar.  She had worked up enough courage after her second drink to actually take in her surroundings and analyze the situation.  Her first lesbian bar experience was just plain strange.  Sure, it was full of women, assumingly gay.  But there seemed to be a number of males in the bar and a few females who were just plain straight.  “At least I have company”, Tina thought.

Tina had not felt attraction to anyone, just a weird feeling of acceptance.  Come as you are. She liked that.  “This is not as bad as I thought it would be”, Tina stated.

Helena laughed.  “Of course it isn’t!  Oh Tina, I see someone I know.  Come with me.  I want to say hello”, she said, grabbing Tina by the arm and dragging her across the room.  Tina held tightly to her drink and passively was led across the dance floor, through a maze of people, and finally in front of a table of four women.

“Helena!”, Shane shouted.  “Whoa!  What’s up!  Good to see you out!”

“Hey Shane”, Helena replied. 

As Helena engaged in conversation with the short-haired brunette, Tina continued to sip her drink and take in her surroundings. She was still looking around when suddenly a tall, dark-haired woman brushed up against her.

“Excuse me.  Coming through”.

Tina felt like a deer in headlights.  As much as she wanted to move to the side to let the woman pass, she couldn’t budge.  As much as she wanted to respond back, her lips wouldn’t move.  

The brunette slipped past Tina and sat down at the table with Shane and the other women.  As she sat down, she looked up at the blonde who was obviously rude and intoxicated.  The woman was looking back at her, drink in hand and mouth slightly agape.  Bette smiled and held up her glass in a toast.  “Back up plan”, she thought as she took a sip of her drink and slid closer to her date.