Bette saw the second bouquet on her plate.  She looked at Tina, who smiled widely.

Wordlessly, she pulled at the ribbons, and opened the second scroll, and read out: 

Being Her Friend

(continued)

Being her friend, I only covet art,

               A white pure flame to search me as I trace

In crooked letters from a throbbing heart,

              The hymn to beauty written on her face.

–   John Masefield

Bette unscrolled the first one, which she still had in her hand, and read it again, then continued on to the second scroll.

“The words on the second scroll are ones I would say to you, T,” she said softly.

Tina tilted her head, thinking for a moment, then nodded her head slowly.  Yes, yes I can see why Bette would think that way.

Bette continued, “I could feel you looking for me, while I was away, running from (pause) I don’t know what.  So you are the white pure flame to search me, as I sought to trace (pause) something, something I’d felt I lost.”

She laid the bouquet softly back on her plate, as she pulled Tina’s hand to her mouth, kissing the blonde’s fingers one by one, saying, “And of course mine is the throbbing heart singing the hymn to beauty written on your face.”

Tina smiled, teary also, “Oh, Bette, who’s the romantic now?”

After what seemed an eternity gazing at one another, Bette broke off her gaze to look around for the champagne that she spied earlier, as they walked to the table.  She raised an eyebrow to Tina, as if to ask if she should open it?  Tina opened her palm, to invite Bette to do so.

Bette expertly popped the cork, and they laughed lightly as she struggled to pour each of them a glass while avoiding spilling anything on the well-prepared table.

Bette asked, in a teasing voice, “So I’m guessing this is the barely legal Tina special that we have before us?”

All the food had been arranged in a trolley next to the chair Tina was sitting on.

With a flourish, Tina lifted the dome of the plate nearest to her.  “We begin with oysters with a touch of a white wine  reduction and lemon wedges,” she announced in a formal voice.