Bette felt a lone tear make its way to her chest. She gathered Tina close to her and kissed the blonde head. “I have a feeling we’re going to be okay.”

Tina looked up. “You do?”

“Yeah, I really do.” She pushed away the blonde hair and framed Tina’s face with her hands. She leaned her forehead against Tina’s. She gave her a quick kiss on the mouth before the corners of her mouth broke out in a grin.

“Why are you smiling?” Tina asked.

“Why shouldn’t I be smiling?” Bette countered. “I have you in my arms again.”

Tina returned the smile that appeared on Bette’s face. “I’m glad to be in your arms again.”

“Tee?”

“Hmm?”

“I wasn’t really going to call the police on you…it’s just that Franklin was getting on my case and he was going to call the police on you so I told James to tell you that I was going to do it.” Bette recalled watching James tell Tina.

“I thought you really wanted nothing to do with me after James spoke with me.” Tina rested her chin on Bette’s chest. “So, I went to the house with the intent of just packing up some more clothes and one thing lead to another and then I found myself taking pictures from photo albums and calling my cousin to let her know that I was leaving L.A.”

“When I came home that night, I felt a change in the house…like something was missing. I didn’t think anything of the stacked photo albums and frames on the coffee table, but when I saw your closet and saw the empty hangers…I don’t know…and then when I saw the empty drawers, it felt like I was standing on the edge of this precipice, just teetering on the edge of darkness” Bette’s throat tightened, remembering that night. “And then I read your letter. I called Alice, searched for you and I tried to file a missing person report with the police, but they said there’s nothing they can do because you left on your own accord.”

The two women lay silent on the couch, until the grumbling of a hungry stomach caused both to laugh.

“Hungry?” Tina asked.

“Yes, I’m actually hungry.” She looked at her watch. “I can’t believe how late it’s gotten.”

Tina turned to look at the window behind Bette. The sun was starting to set in the horizon. She stood and grabbed Bette’s hand. “Come, I want to watch the sun set with you.”

Bette grabbed Tina’s hand and stood quickly. They walked over to a wooden walkway and passed the dunes just as the sun was starting to sink low in the horizon. The sun filled with pink, magenta, purple and orange.

“It’s beautiful.” Bette said recalling the many sunsets she and Tina saw over the years in California. “I’m not so hungry anymore.”  Bette pulled to Tina to her and wrapped her arms around her.

Tina wrapped her arms around Bette’s waist. “You’re not?” She stood on toes and placed a soft kiss on the brunette’s lips? “What do you want to do then?” Tina smiled, hoping for the answer she wanted to hear.

“I want to make love to you. I want us to make love. I want to engulf you and never let you go.” Bette smiled as she placed small featherlike kisses on Tina’s face.

“Let’s go then.”

tbc