Fan Fiction
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HOPE ALONE – Chapter 18
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Tina shook her head, watching Bette dish out healthy portions of salmon on the two plates that were on the table. When Bette looked up and her eyes met Tina’s gaze, Tina felt a familiar ache come over her body as candlelight danced off Bette’s expressive eyes.
“Dig in,” Bette said as she sat back down next to Tina.
Tina placed the first piece of salmon in her mouth hesitantly. She smiled as a burst of flavor hit her taste buds and the piece of fish, which was extremely tender, fell apart in her mouth.
“This is delicious,” Tina moaned as she swallowed and closed her eyes to savor the flavor. “How often do you cook this to have mastered it?”
“Actually this particular dish I don’t cook that often,” Bette said with a smile as she watched Tina enjoy the meal. “If Angie is here, as you know, the menu is usually pizza, chicken, or my favorite mac and cheese.”
“I am so tired of mac and cheese,” Tina agreed chuckling. “I swear she’d eat that everyday if we let her. She must be a creature of habit.”
“Aren’t we all to a certain extent?”
“I used to think that,” Tina said carefully. “But I have to admit you’re making me rethink that notion.”
“Why am I making you rethink that?”
“Because this is all surreal,” Tina admitted. “I feel like I’m in a dream.”
“Why is that?” Bette pushed curious as to Tina’s thought process.
“Honestly?”
“Always,” Bette said as she placed another piece of salmon in her mouth. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“All of this,” Tina waved her fork around to illustrate to Bette she meant the entire scene before them. “The putting work aside to make time for us, the cooking, right down to you asking me about my work seems like a dream given it was all that I wanted in our relationship.”
“I don’t think that’s all you wanted in our relationship,” Bette smiled as she stabbed her fork into her vegetables and placed them in her mouth.
“No I suppose it wasn’t,” Tina agreed with a smile as she worked to keep the conversation light. “It was part of it though.”
“What else did you want Tina?”
Tina had inadvertently led the conversation in the exact place she had been nervous about it drifting toward. She silently cursed herself as she looked at Bette, who was staring intently into Tina’s eyes, waiting for her answer.
The candlelight danced off Bette’s soft skin, casting a glow on one side of her face. Tina couldn’t help but notice Bette’s beauty as she stared at her, waiting for Tina’s response.
“If we both knew that answer I wouldn’t have made the mistakes I did,” Tina said sadly.
Bette reached her hand across the table and placed it onto Tina’s, rubbing her thumb over Tina’s smooth skin.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Bette offered a small smile. “We both made mistakes, but the important part is that we don’t make them again.”
“Is that what this is?” Tina asked hesitantly.
“This meaning what?”
“These changes you’ve made,” Tina asked again turning her hand to gently hold Bette’s in her own.
“No,” Bette admitted softly. “Maybe the changes are because I lost you, maybe some of them came from having Angie in my life, or maybe we get smarter as we get older. I’m smart enough to know that I couldn’t pull a façade off long-term. “
“So what you see is what you get basically?”
“More or less,” Bette squeezed Tina’s hand. “I want you to want me back because you love me, for who I am, not because I can put forth an effort only when it counts.”
Tina tilted her head, regarding Bette and the new side she was currently seeing, as she silently chastised herself for missing the gradual changes Bette had made in her life since they had parted. She nodded slightly before turning her attention back to her plate, a smile gradually crossing her face.
“What?” Bette asked, noticing the smile.
“Just…,” Tina began, meeting Bette’s eyes. “I think I could get used to this.”
“Well then,” Bette replied, reaching for her wine glass and lifting it. “Here’s to finding out.”
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I am definitely enjoying this story. Looking forward to more.
GUMBY!!! You have to post more for the love of god!!! Oh…and here’s to finding out more!! LOL!! Great update! Waiting…impatiently!
Love this update. Keep them talking…go Bette..don’t stop now. PPS!!! :)
Old(er) dogs can learn new tricks if it means enough to them.
Lovely …
Gumby I love this chapter, please give us more of dinners and times likes these. Awww, they love each other so much, please let them show it more. Thank you so much for this lovely story. Happy you completed the painting. PPS
Fantastic!! Thanks!
Aww, I really hope Tina dumps this Kate flirtation. Its fine if she is really moving on.. but Bette is putting forth everything she ever wanted. She owes it to herself..and everyone else involved to see if they can be better than they were. Kate has nothing to offer but sex.
I could get used to this also. Bette cooking and putting her family first. Love this thanks
“Here’s to finding out”, indeed! Love this story more with each chapter. As much as I like your Kate, how could anyone resist your Bette? I’m hoping the end of the painting facilitates additional writing time… please. Your awards truly well-deserved. Congrats on both!
Kate can take a hike while Tina walks back into Bette’s strong arms, PPS!
Ooohh, can we please get a kiss, just like the show :)? Painting is a pain, I’m glad you are all finished. Thanks for the update.
Gumby, awesome update. I’m all for finding out. What a perfect dinner, so far, now how about after dinner. Tina needs to let Kate go.
Gumby pleaseeeeeeeeee dont leave me hangin.
Hello Gumby, I have been a silent reader of this story well since you first started it and I must say you are absolutely brilliant. I love how you have both Bette and Tina evolving, learning from their pasts and learning to move on… to let go of the hurt and pain… the mistakes and the turmoil and finally forgive each other. I love how you layer this story with the emotional complexities that comes with being in love and not being able to really show it for fear of losing that which you love the most. Your ability to portray these rich emotions and evoke them in your readers is just a stroke of brilliance, you paint with words a literary masterpiece that is so rich and so full of love and I cannot wait to see where you take us with this journey. I’m sorry I haven’t commented until this point, you absolutely Rock. Sincerely, JC
I will toast to that too. Getting to know one another again and to work through all the pain and most of all the love. What an awesome chapter.
AAAWWWWWWWWW, Gumpy, this is the perfect bedtime story, thank you. Md
Wonderful, nice rhytmn here.
Hey Gumby, All that paintin’ made ya sick, huh? LOL! I hope you feel better soon so that you can post another chappie so that we can find out where this is heading. PS.
This is so good and love to see they like this, now let see they get back together, and goodbye kate. Please post more, thanks!
My god where’s the rest,another brilliant chapter. Please post again soon.
let’s go find out together…. please post soon.
Its so good to know that Bette dresses appropriately for this occasion! Great chapter. And I agree with Panda – you really should post more often! LOL x
” I took the opportunity to get the painting done!” … Read that and thought -wow-Gumby is so artistic… and then read on and lol’d at myself. ” I am now done, the entire house is freshly painted! ” Which is also artistic, and quite an achievement. So’s the story. Thanks G!
I hope Bette and Tina keep talking and working toward one another. Kate needs to step off though maybe Tina is picking up on the fact that Kate isn’t really into going as slow as she claimed. I can’t wait for more!
Awesome! but I have to say it – fuck kate, just fuck her, using this term porter style;-)
Oh how romantic and charming. The realitiy of every day does trump the grand gesture. Thanks I love this story. It pulls my heart in all sorts of directions. Thanks for writing. I’m glad the painting is done and you’re able to sit in the charmingly fresh surroundings to compose.
SEE YA kate!!! what fantastic chapter so sweet… PPS :)
I know it’s 5 pages long but it still feels way too short. Can’t seem to get enough. Hope you’ll post soon.
Everytime I see this story has posted, I get so excited! These characters are well-written, multi-dimensional, and simply brilliant. Excellent chapter!
Gumby, you really have a gift. Nothing over the top, just a straight forward conversation that said soooo much about Bette and Tina. Waiting for your next update…trying to be patient.
Hey Gumby, nice to see you posting again! Love the story!! Keep it coming…
great chapter…i think Tina does see Bette for who she is and loves her for that, even on the show…i hope Kate will get her answer now LOL
i’m sorry…Kate who?
Fantastic update and story. Looking forward to more. Thanks.
great!!!!