Grinning Tina said, ‘I may still blush but I hardly think I can be called a straight girl after all this time.’

‘True, very true.’

‘So, what happened to us?  Back then.’

‘Maybe we just stopped trying.  I’d rather think we just got too comfortable.  Maybe we didn’t think we had to work at it anymore, that we had things under control.’

‘Everyone seemed to think we had the perfect relationship.  I guess we bought into it too.’

‘Were you unhappy, back then?’

‘I wanted more time together.  We stopped turning the phone off, stopped taking trips together, stopped surprising each other.’

They were both quiet for a while.  Bette remembering all the times she was late or had cancelled their plans; Tina thinking of the times she pretended to be asleep when Bette finally got home and slipped into bed and tried to wake her with a kiss.  The next day they would both act as if nothing had happened.  Bette looked over at Tina and realized Tina was looking at her with tears in her eyes.

‘Tina?  What’s wrong?’

‘I need a break.’

Tina got up and walked toward the house.

‘Are you leaving?’

‘No, just thought we could use something cold to drink.’

‘I’ll help.’

‘No, just give me a minute.’

* * * * *

Bette took off her gloves and sat down wondering what had just happened.  She sat waiting and thinking about all they had said.  Soon she realized Tina had been gone too long.  She walked in the kitchen, but Tina wasn’t there.  Noticing her keys were still on the counter she started down the hall and noticed the door to the guest room was open.  Tina was hanging up the suit that she had left lying across the bed.  She looked so lost and so far away.

‘Tina?’

‘I’m sorry, I just’

‘It’s all right.  Whether we’re together right now or not this is still your home.’

Bette turned and went back to the kitchen.  She got them something to drink and took it outside.  She sat down and waited for Tina.  She was about to think Tina wasn’t coming back when she noticed her standing in the doorway.

‘Join me?’

Tina sat down and looked out at the pool.  Bette felt like she should wait for Tina to speak first.  They sat in silence for a while and finally Tina looked at Bette.