Bette ran her fingers through Helena’s long hair, brushing it from her face. Smiling, she said, “I think my daughter’s in love with you.”

“Oh?” Helena answered, her eyes widening. “How does that make you feel?”

“Well,” Bette replied, gently patting Helena’s behind, “I think I need to explain to her that I saw the Lion Queen first.”

Helena laughed.

“Bette, I have a confession to make,” Helena said, stroking Bette’s arm.

“What’s that?” Bette said, her mind slightly fearful.

“You know how Mummy said that it was her leg that slid against yours at dinner last night?”

“Yes,” Bette said, quietly.

“I think she set us up, Bette.”

“What do you mean?”

Helena took a deep breath and exhaled.

“Bette, since we met up last week, when I found Angelica in the toystore window, and we went afterwards for ice cream. Well,” Helena hesitated, “I’ve been unable to think about anything but you.”

Helena searched Bette’s eyes.

“Go on,” Bette implored.

“I mean, I told Mummy a couple of days later what happened. How kind you were. How my heart … I don’t know how to explain it.”

Helena rolled away from Bette and looked at the ceiling, as if she may find the words to continue there.

Bette propped her head up on her elbow and stared into Helena’s face.

Helena turned and looked at Bette, then again fixed her gaze above her.

Bette traced her finger over Helena’s face, her eyebrows, her hairline, her cheeks, her lips.

“Your mother is something else, Helena,” Bette whispered. “ You’re something else.” She caressed Helena’s neck and shoulder tenderly. “You told your mother you wanted to see me again and you suspect she intervened?” Bette surmised.

Helena turned to look at Bette in the eyes. “Well, that’s making it pretty simple, but yes.”

“I suspect you’re right,” Bette said, her hand slowly caressing Helena’s breast and down the side of her torso. “Helena, last night, before you came into the restaurant, your mother said something to me.”

Helena looked with even more anticipation into Bette’s eyes. “What did she say?” Helena inquired quietly.

“She said, let’s see if I can remember correctly…her exact words,” Bette began slowly. “Oh…I believe it was: ‘My dear, there are many things I wanted to give to my daughter over the years. Some were simple. Some were, or still seem to be, impossible.’”

“She said that?” Helena said, almost with disbelief.

“Yes, she did. Helena, I think your mother loves you with an incredible love. And she would do anything, give you anything she possibly could, to make you truly happy, if she only knew what it was and if she could,” Bette concluded softly. She returned to stroking Helena’s hair with her hand.

“So maybe I am right, that Mummy brushed her leg against yours hoping you would think it was mine. That you would see I was flirting with you.”

Bette grinned. “So you were flirting with me!”

“Yes. I admit it.” Helena said. “I told you I knew what I wanted.”

Bette smiled.

“Bette, why did you get so upset earlier? When Alice was here?”

The smile left her faced and Bette shook her head. “I don’t know. I think because I felt like you were saying that you thought I was gonna be an easy lay because I’d had a lot to drink. I don’t fucking know. Suddenly, it just didn’t feel very romantic…the way it was being described.”

“I think I understand, Darling.” Helena reached up and wrapped her hand around the back of Bette’s neck. She pulled her down and kissed her lips softly. “Does it feel romantic now?”

“Mmm. I don’t know. Can’t you do a little better?” Bette jested.

“Careful, Darling. Or I’ll send in Alice’s monkey to take over.”

“No thank you. That’s ancient history,” Bette quipped.