Their friends fell back into silence, contemplating the couple and their baby.  They were in awe of their commitment to rebuilding the house to their exacting standards, and of their commitment to one another.  They were all excited to see the house.

Kit finally stood up, “Well…we’re ready to eat now, at least!”  Shane, Carmen, Alice, Dana, and Helena stood up altogether, to follow Kit into the kitchen to help her set the dining table up.

Tina stayed behind, continuing to massage Bette’s feet.  She looked at her partner with worry.

“Bette are you sure it’s ok to be pushing yourself this hard?,” she asked quietly.

She began to kiss Bette’s toes, then the soles of her feet. Bette regarded her with a surge of love and affection. 

“Come here, T,” Bette asked quietly, holding Angelica up, so that the blonde could get Angelica.

Tina lay carefully on Bette, relaxing her head into the special nook on the brunette’s chest, to the side of Bette’s neck and below her clavicle.  She cradled Angelica on her own chest.

Bette embraced them both.

“You’re right, T,” she said, “Maybe I should have spaced out the installations more.  But I guess the delays in the construction pushed all the schedules back, and since we committed ourselves to this party…” her voice trailed off.

“I need you to be careful, Bette,” Tina answered quietly.  “We, Angelica and I, need you to stick around, baby.”

They were both tearing up, Bette slightly from exhaustion, Tina, from worry.

“I’m sorry, T,” Bette nodded, wiping her tears, then Tina’s.  “I’ll try to do better, baby.”  She kissed Tina’s upturned lips.

Kit had walked over, about to call them to the table.  Seeing the warm and intimate family scene play out on the couch, however, she decided to tiptoe out, and announce quietly to the girls that Bette and Tina would probably join them later, as they were enjoying a quiet moment on the couch.  The girls nodded, exchanging glances.

“They’re the best couple I know, gay or straight,” Dana said, as she kissed Alice quickly.  Alice nodded in agreement.

“They should just get married,” she and Shane said the shared thought out loud together.   They all laughed.

Bette had admitted to Tina by the third night of that hectic week that it  had been absolute chaos in the house as the lighting features went up.