“You look a thousand miles away. At least act like your paying attention!” her mother spoke through her.

“How can I, when you haven’t allowed me a moment to myself. The only thing I hear is this same boring, tiresome speech about bullshit that he can’t see through to the end.” Tina said as she straightened and smiled at her stepfather as though she “admired” him.

“This is politics Christina. You say what you have to, to get what you need. And don’t use that type of language with me, I’m still your mother.”

Tina took a long blink to compose herself and decided then and there she’d definitely ask her mother about Bette as soon as they were clear of these humans.

………………………

　

The woman sat on the bed and watched as Phaedra moved about the hut throwing things into a bag hanging from her arm. She was babbling incoherently to herself and truth be told she was now scared of the woman she’d shared her life with for so long.

“Will you please stop for a second!?” she finally yelled. She’d gained a moment of clarity from Phaedra and they locked eyes. “What are you doing?”

“I’m packing.”

“Why?”

“Because I had a vision this morning that if I stayed here no one would survive. Besides,” she turned her head and began looking around the room again, “It’s not supposed to happen here anyway.”

“What are you talking about? What’s not supposed to happen here?”

“Baby,… don’t.” Phaedra gave her the look she knew meant no non-sense was going to be tolerated right now. The woman shook her head in disbelief. She still didn’t want to believe what she already knew deep down to be true. Phaedra nodded her head as she dropped the bag and went over to her. She dropped down to her knees in front of her and pulled her closer, placing herself between the woman’s thighs. She laid her head on the woman’s stomach and felt her wrap her arms around her neck. “It’s suppose to happen this way.” she whispered to her.

“I’m not ready to let you go.”

　

…………………………