“I was just wondering if…” Tina paused, biting her lip, regretting now that she had thought about asking Bette this question at all.

But ever since their visit to the duplex, when Bette had repeated that she’d wanted Tina’s name on the property, a few questions remained unsettled for her.  She’d discussed some of her anxieties with Dan, who she resumed seeing two weeks after Bette and Tina had reunited and returned to New York. Dan had encouraged her to suggest to Bette that they resume seeing him, as a couple.  He’d also wanted to check-in with Bette, just to see how she might be doing herself.

“What were you wondering, T?”

“I was wondering if you’d used them before.  (Pause)  On someone else. Or if someone else had used them on you,” she gulped.

Bette had been drifting off, but then began to process Tina’s question.  Her eyes flew open.  She rolled slowly to her right, until she was lying on her back.  Tina had adjusted to let her roll, and was now lying on her front.  Tina supported her upper body with her two arms anchored on either side of Bette’s head.

Bette was looking at her straight in the eye, confused.

“You’re asking me if I had sex with anyone else while I was gone?”

Bette was silent for a few minutes while their gazes locked into each other. Tina thought she knew the answer, but…

“What do you think, T? Do you think I had or could have had sex with anyone else?”

“Honestly, no.  I don’t think so.  But I’m not blind Bette.  I’ve seen how women look at you.  I’ve seen how men look at you, too.”

“And Shane said…”

“Shane,” Bette smiled, and shook her head.

“She said that those beauty queens, or princesses, or whatever.  Anyway, there were beautiful women who were hitting on you,” Tina continued, her voice faltering.  Actually, Shane had said they were all over Bette, the whole time Shane had been there.  And Bette had stayed back at the resort, since she’d booked herself for almost a three week stay.  Although Shane had said Bette had deflected their interests, maybe one of them broke through?…”

“No, T.  There was no one else.  I haven’t slept with anyone else since… well, LA, actually.  You’ve been the only one I’ve kissed…”