IS THIS LOVE

CHAPTER 128

Tina looked across at Bette – in all the months they had slept together this was the first night where Bette was snoring. Tina was more amused than anything else – it would be a good retort when Bette started teasing her about how hard she had been to get to bed the day before. Tina yawned and eased out of bed – she needed a drink of water. Better to put on a pair of the pyjamas that Bette had pointed out to her the night before. Carefully negotiating the room in the semi darkness Tina opened the drawer and removed the pyjamas and put them on. Bette was a few inches taller than her but that didn’t really matter in this case. Tina sneaked out of the bedroom and after using the bathroom she crept to the kitchen and opened the door. She blinked as the light shocked her night vision eyes.
“Hello Tina “
“Rosemary – what are you doing up ? Sorry – its your house – none of my business”
“Melvin is snoring “
Tina laughed “So is Bette “
“Brandy does that to both of them -I was very amused that she didn’t tell you”
“Is this a genetic thing ?”
“Would you like some hot chocolate ?”
“Yeah – that would be great – thanks – so tell me about the brandy snores “
“Bette swears she doesn’t snore “ Rosemary said
“She doesn’t – that’s why I have been lying in the dark beside her laughing to myself and coming up with ways to tease her”
“She swears she doesn’t snore but whenever she stays over here and her and her father get wasted on brandy – this is what happens “
“Is it going to last all night ?”
“I don’t stay awake checking but Melvin settles down after a couple of hours. I was going to warn you but it looked like you had plans for her”
Tina chuckled “ You are too damn astute “
Rosemary laughed “Its not something I have made a specialist subject but you two are very easy to read “
“I hope that it’s a good read “
“it’s a lovely read – a romance”
“Happy ending ?”
“Yes”
“Have you been sneaking a few pages ahead ?”
“No – firstly I would never do that and secondly – I don’t need to – I know the characters and I can see that they are both prepared to work hard to make this a very happy ending “
Tina sighed “I hope so – it could be seen as a risk to move in together after less than a year “
“Do you have doubts ?”
“I have worries “
“Do the two of you discuss them ?”
“We do – Bette’s been hard to bring down from cloud 9 that she has been on since I suggested that we share a home. But we do both know that we have to compromise and we have to do things differently because we are now a couple. We are different people – Bette is very precise and writes lists for everything”
“I think the worst type of girlfriend for Bette would have been a woman like her – Bette needs to let herself go and you have certainly done that for her. If she has a flaw – and I am sure you know about several of them. I would say that she can be too serious. “
“She can be serious – maybe because of the gallery”
“The art world can be a little pompous “
“To be fair to Bette we have been to a few shows together and without exception we have ended up outside on the sidewalk laughing our heads off. I do tend to point out the absurdity of it all to her”
“That’s good – we have been to several of her shows and there has not been too many chuckles”
“Bette’s great fun when we are together. I know she can be serious but maybe I am not serious enough – we are good for one another “
“I couldn’t have imagined when your mother and I started to try and get you two together how right for one another you are. “
“I hope you and mom are not planning to claim credit ?”
“We might “
Tina laughed “I will never forget seeing her for the first time at The Paramount”
Rosemary lent back “Tell me all about it “
“You know this story”
“I can always stand to her it again “
“Okay – I was expecting to meet my mother there and I arrived first and got a glass of wine and sat down. Right from when I walked in I had seen this beautiful brunette sitting at the bar. She was the hottest thing in the room “
“You knew she was gay ?”
“Oh good grief yes – Bette couldn’t be straight. It wasn’t wishful thinking on my part. I would have staked any money that I had that Bette was gay. She was always dressed for effect – black trousers, boots and cashmere sweater – she looked like she had stepped from a movie set. I was looking at my phone or my watch or something and when I looked up she was just standing there. It took me a few minutes to understand what she was saying.”
“I imagine that was a fun conversation”
“It was unexpected “
“What did she say ?”
“That our parents were trying to get us together “
Rosemary laughed “I know that I should be ashamed but I look at the two of you and I see how happy you both are. I see how Bette looks at you and she’s in awe of you and she’s crazy for you. I am just thrilled “
Tina smiled “I think we both know that inadvertently our mothers got us together. Even if it was that we bonded over trying to fool the pair of you “
Rosemary laughed “You cannot stop me from being smug. All I have ever wanted was to see Bette the way she is now. I love watching the two of you together. Love certainly strikes in the most unexpected ways “
“Like mom and Helena “
Rosemary sipped her hot chocolate and smiled
“You are right behind them aren’t you ?”
“I agree that I am happy – Bette has given me my life back almost – I had no confidence before but she believes in me and that is just amazing. I would never have thought of taking the risk of a Masters degree if I hadn’t been with Bette. I want to see other people happy so of course I want to see mom happy and Helena makes her happy”
Rosemary gave Tina a look which the blonde read
“I know what you are thinking – of course a beautiful 30 year old lesbian will make an older woman happy. Its not just sex – I thought the same thing as everyone else – that they were just together because of the physical attraction – that they enjoyed shocking people and they would get bored “
“You were calmer than I think Bette would have been if I had taken a younger lover”
“Melvin would have been shocked as well “
Rosemary laughed
“Look- I know my mom – I know that she can be a difficult old bat. But she’s tough because she has to be – she’s tough because life has been hard for her since Kate got sick. But she was different when she was with my other mom and she can be fun and kind and sweet. If Helena brings that side out of my mother then I don’t see that I can have a problem with it. Yes I worry about what is going to happen when they start emerging but even the fact that they want to be more public – then that is a good sign. I don’t know what is going to happen but if I find out that anyone has been a bitch towards her because she’s in love with Helena then they will find out that I can be my mother’s daughter in more ways than one “