CHAPTER 1

The sun beamed in brightly through the windows of the West Hollywood house.  Bette stirred just a little as the bright rays assaulted her sleepy eyelids.  She nuzzled Tina’s neck, burying her face in Tina’s golden tresses to shield her eyes.  She drew in a long, deep breath, fully taking in the smell of Tina’s shampoo, and the traces of perfume still lingering on Tina’s neck.  These familiar scents overwhelmed Bette, and she didn’t know how much longer she was going to be able to hold out. 

Bette let out a deep sigh, knowing full well there was nothing she could do.  She resented the presence of her own tank top and cream-colored drawstring pants, and Tina’s blue pajamas with the white stripes.  The offending layers of fabric were the last things keeping her from feeling Tina’s soft skin against her own.  But, Tina was still recovering from her c-section, and Dr. Wilson had been very clear that sex was absolutely out of the question.  She had already waited this long to have her wife back, and a little while longer wouldn’t kill her.  Or so she hoped.

Still, Bette knew just how lucky she was.  Her mind drifted back over the last several months, as she snuggled closer, pressing her body tightly into Tina, who was still sound asleep, safe in Bette’s arms.  Tina let out a soft moan, but otherwise did not stir.

Four months ago, Bette was a wreck.  Tina was gone, and Bette found out that Tina was pregnant with the child they had wanted for so long.  To add insult to injury, Tina had started dating Bette’s nemesis, Helena Peabody.  Despite the success of the Provocations exhibit, Franklin had continued to make her life at the CAC a living hell, even bringing Helena onto the CAC Board.  Nothing was going right for Bette.  She had become self-destructive, watching her friends leave her, taking Tina’s side.  She tried to find comfort in alcohol, cigarettes, and even a one night stand, with no success.  Without Tina, Bette was no one. 

Bette quickly recognized that she had no choice but to do everything in her power to win her family back.  She gave up the cigarettes again, stopped trying to drown her sorrows with booze, and started seeing the therapist, Dan Foxworthy, on her own.  She finally pulled herself together, and started showing Tina that she had changed.  She wanted to be part of the baby’s life, even if Tee would never forgive her for breaking everything that meant anything to her.  No one was sorrier than Bette for what she had done, and Tina was starting to understand.  She told Bette it was their baby, and that they could work on being parents together.