“Baby we’re going to try and make this as quick and painless as possible.” Bette said closing the door to the truck Carmen lent her for the day. Bette opened the door hoping that no one was home and as she hoped the house was empty. Tina headed towards “her” room to get her things again. The thought of having to move again was almost overwhelming, she sat on the bed for several minutes.



Before Bette’s voice broke her concentration, the only thought running through her head was her “father” . She thought about whether or not she should tell him about her state-of-mind, she decided that she should at the very least write him a letter explaining her actions following her take off with Bette. Tina laid down on the floor to write this: 

                  Dear Charles,

I hope that in this letter you find comfort in the fact that despite the fucked up way I’ve found my origin in life, I’m fine. If you didn’t know it before I hope you know now that I am a *****. This isn’t exactly how I intended to tell you. But Bette and I are in love and I can’t allow my family torture to ruin what happiness I ‘ve found this summer. So, this is what I’ve decided, I’m going to stay out here this summer with Bette, at Carmen’s house. And I will deal Vanessa in another millennium, but definitely not this summer. And as for the relationship between you and me, I don’t know. I just hope you know that I’m in no way angry with you. Through my meditation, I’ve found peace with you. At first I was really upset because you let me believe that I was something that I’m not, and I hated you for that. But I’ve come to the realization that you did all of that out of love for me. And there is no way that I can hate or be mad at someone who genuinely loves me. So in case you thought I didn’t anymore, I still do, Love You. 


                                     Love always, 
                                           Your Chrissy Angel




Bette walked into the room to find Tina sobbingly sealing a letter and addressing it to her father. “Can you make sure Melvin gets this to my dad?” she asked realizing Bette was watching her from the doorway.


 ”Sure. Sweetie are you ok I mean we can call your dad and…”


“No,” Tina interrupted ” it’s better this way. I don’t think seeing him while I’m like this is key to my acceptance of what I am, ya know?”


Seeing that Tina wasn’t ready for a meeting with her father just yet she just nodded her head, walked over to knelt Tina, and bent down to kiss her tears away.


“So, baby what have you packed so far?”


“Uhh, nothing really yet. I just started to write this letter. What about you?”


“Oh me, I’m done. I just needed a few things. Let me just help then ok?”


“Sure. I’m just goin leave this in Melvin’s room.” with that being said Tina walked out, and started heading for Melvin’s room before she turned around to tell Bette. 


“Just don’t pack my top drawer. Underwear in all.” she said kissing a smiling Bette. Tina came back into the room to see Bette looking at her extensive CD collection. Bette was amazed at the similarity of their collections, except hers had a bit more Latin music, and Tina’s had more rock than hers did.


“What you doin babe?”


“Just looking at what music makes you happy, what makes you sad, and what makes you” she kisses Tina “hot.”


“Donny Hathaway?”


“Donny is a classic if listen you can really hear his pain in his music. I believe it was my unbelievably hot girlfriend’s mother who said that music possessed a piece of someone’s heart and if you listened hard enough you could see the story in the music.”


“Ah yes, what a wise woman.” Bette said smiling not knowing what was about to happen next.


“Tell me about her.” Tina asked hoping that their new love was stable enough to ask Bette such a personal question. And she hoped that she wasn’t opening any old wounds for her. Bette just looked into Tina’s eyes with shock and little disbelief. In her mind she gauged whether or not she was ready to talk to Tina about her mother. She was. Bette took Tina by the hand and she sat her down on the bed next to her.


“My mother was the sweetest woman I’ve ever known. She was the type of mom that all your friends wish they had. She would sometimes take me outta school early so we could have girls-day-out and we’d shop and eat ice cream. But her favorite thing in the world were birthdays. I remember when I was 5yrs. old and we were having a party and she got me presents, cake, candy, a pinata, and the whole family was there, it was the best birthday I’ve ever had. And later that night we, just me and her, spent the night outside next to the river. She was not only sweet but also kind hearted. She volunteered, she took care of the sick and elderly people of our church.” when Bette had mentioned the word church Tina winced a little, but Bette didn’t notice. In Tina’s head she was remembering a conversation she had with Bette where she said she was not a religious person, anymore. Bette continued.


“There were days when it was just us in the house and we would go to the river and sit and talk for hours, about everything and nothing. She’d stroke my hair and tell me stories about Cuba and stories about me and Mel when we were babies. We’d reminisce about everything and she always knew how to make me laugh and I her. There’s plenty of times when I look in the mirror and see only her, not me or my father just her and it scares me.” she said fighting back the tears but with an obviously broken voice. Tina in response rubbed the nape of Bette’s neck.


“So baby what happened to her?”


“It was raining and my father wasn’t home yet from the bar. And Jesse had a fever of 102 and he wanted some ice cream. So naturally my mother got up and was driving into town when a car full of drunk teenagers rammed into the side of her car pinning her between a building and leaving her trapped in the car. She died 3 days later from her internal injuries. When they did an autopsy they had found cancer in her left breast, it was inoperable and it had spread to her lungs already. So when the people at the church had said “at least she didn’t have to suffer through her cancer.” that’s when I denounced the church.” Bette said with a cold and focused stare onto the floor. Tina felt this overwhelming pain radiating from Bette and in every word that fell from her lips.



“For a long time Mel blamed Jesse for Momma’s death, and after she died my dad as you already know shut down and left us, emotionally anyway. I don’t know baby, maybe that’s why I understand what you’re going through. I know what it’s like to want closure from something and not being ready to get it. That’s why I’m all for patience and time. I don’t want you to rush in accepting your situation, there’s always time, ya know?” Bette said as Tina lovingly wiped away the tears fighting their way out. Tina in response could only do as Bette did and just hold her, until she felt a little bit safer.


Back at Carmen’s House


“Damn, ladies that’s all y’all got? I thought y’all were gettin whole couches and *****. You sure that’s enough, you know I want y’all to be as comfortable as possible.” Carmen said while helping Tina unload the truck.


“Yeah, that’s it. I think I can I survive on this.” Tina said smiling at Carmen with a slight laugh.


Bette came outside where Tina and Carmen were sitting on the porch laughing and gossiping. “Carmen, I see you’re cooking your Southern Girl dish, what’s the occasion?”


“Oh yeah Mommy, I called Shane and told her we were having dinner here tonight, so my love could meet this beauty my cousin discovered this summer.” Carmen said playfully swaying towards Tina.





TBC……………………………………………………………….