“Yeah, ok, that sounds good.”

Tina still seemed a little put off by something.

This was going nowhere, Bette decided.  And she had to wake early the next morning.  “Ok. I’ll head to bed now, got an early flight back.”

“You sure no one else is in that bed you’re heading to?”

“T!”

“Just teasing, baby.”

“Can’t wait to see you.”

“Same here.”

Bette blew her an air kiss, then closed the session.

What was going on with them?!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On Christmas Eve, Tina found she could head home early.  Finally! A few hours with Bette, maybe they could talk about the increasing tension between them.

As she was thinking about it, turning the key to their apartment, she heard laughter and voices.

“Bette? “ she called out.

“Over here, T,” she heard Bette respond.

Tina spied a nice-looking cashmere coat hanging in the coat closet.  Not Bette’s and not hers.  Who’s?

She saw a knock-out blonde relaxed against an arm of one end of the sofa while Bette was lounging on the other end.  Bette was laughing at something the blonde was saying.

“Hi T, this is Sarah, Sarah Perkins, the girl I told you about in Dubai.”

Tina turned, and said, a touch frostily, “Hi, I’m Tina.  I’m with Bette.”  She went over to Bette to give her a quick kiss.

Bette accepted the kiss, but drew her head back with a small smile, her eyebrows arched, questioning.

Tina stood uncertainly by the sofa, and Bette said, “we were just drinking this fine Chateauneuf that Sarah brought… would you like a glass?  It will transport you, T”

“Yeah, why not?”

She walked around the sofa, as Bette drew her feet back to lean over to the low slung table to pour Tina a glass.  Sarah was watching them from the top of her glass, following their interaction with interest.

Tina sat next to Bette, then turned and decided to lean back on the brunette.  Surprised, Bette, opened her arms, holding on to her glass, and let Tina relax into her.    Oh, that feels good, she thought as she let her arms fall naturally across Tina’s chest, enveloping her in a warm hug.  I have really, really missed her.

Tina was smiling.  Lying here, against Bette, is just the most natural thing in the world for me.  Why have I been fighting it?