Bette picked up her sat phone to call Katy about their flight details.

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As the plane made its descent to Kabul Airport, Bette and Tina looked out the window. “Spectacular mountain range,” Tina whispered.  Bette was nodding her head.  Neither of them realized how grand the mountain range in that part of the world was.  Bette had been awed by the Himalayas when she’d flown to Nepal, during the year she’d wandered around, but didn’t expect the grand vista she’d seen there probably extended all the way to this part of the world.

Bette’s thoughts went back to the time when she had spent a month in one of the temples at the foot of Mt Everest, and learnt, halfway through, that everything in the world finds peace eventually. And that the mind can recover from anything, any hurt.  In her case, she’d also come to realize that the healing of her heart and soul from hurt lay elsewhere, outside of the mountainside temple.  Over the months that followed, that realization led her back to the path that would return her, eventually, to Tina.

She gave Tina a warm, fond kiss.  The blonde smiled, kissing her back.  “You were thinking about your time in the temple? At the foot of the mountain?,” Tina asked quietly.

Bette nodded, exchanging a knowing look with her.  She turned to gaze again at the mysterious mountains outside their windows.  The emotional and almost psychic connection between her and Tina remained a deep mystery to both, just like the silent mountain range standing resolute outside.  Grand, mysterious, knowing.

The plane descended quickly, after flying past the mountain range.  After it circled the airport, the plane landed smoothly.  “Welcome to Kabul International Airport.  The local time is 9:00 in the morning,” the male purser announced.

They descended the stairs, and boarded a bus that took them to the main terminal.  As they entered the main hall, Bette spotted a sign that was held up by a blonde man in a suit and tie with both their names on it.

The man smiled, as he extended his hand to greet them, “Bette Porter-Kennard?” Bette nodded.  As they shook hands, he turned in surprise at Tina, “I thought you’d be sisters, having the same last name and all …but.."