Mike’s team had worked with her through the night, once it became clear that no other visits to caves would be needed, and the Colonel authorized the unscheduled helicopter flight for the following morning.  The Colonel had also allowed Bette to patch a call to Mike’s contact in the embassy, to pass on a message for her to the resort in the Maldives, to alert the manager there that she and Tina would be able to get there as scheduled. She’d also emailed him to request his help to prepare a surprise for Tina. Lastly, Mike had also asked his contact in the embassy to help Bette secure seats for her’s and Tina’s return flights to Dubai, and to help rebook the flights the couple were scheduled to be on, based on their honeymoon itinerary, to go to the Maldives from Dubai.

Nobody had alerted Tina, or Cheryl, to any of the changes, as Bette wanted to surprise Tina.

So an hour after returning to the US compound, Bette was emerging from the shower in their quarters, excited about surprising the blonde.

She’d run into Tom soon after arriving, and had asked him to keep her return quiet.  “Can you keep Tina out of our quarters for about an hour?  I just want to grab a shower before seeing her,” she asked.  Tom nodded quickly, smiling warmly at the brunette.  He’d grown fond of Tina and was sure the blonde would be stunned to see Bette.  “By the way, we’ll be leaving for the airport in a couple of hours, so I’d be really grateful if you wouldn’t mind arranging for the airport transfer?,” Bette continued, returning Tom’s warm smile as he nodded.

Bette had just pulled on a tank top from her luggage, after drying her hair out, when Tina yanked the door to their quarters open.

The blonde caught her breath as she saw Bette.

Something in the air shifted and the all-too-familiar electricity crackled between them.  Bette. Here.  Safe. She couldn’t believe it.

Tina could hardly breath, and hang on to the door handle, to help her keep her balance, as she slowly pulled the door shut.

She felt just like the way she’d felt when she had been momentarily stunned, upon meeting Bette in the brunette’s LA gallery, what seemed ages ago.  Her heart was pounding, as if returning from a run, and her breath had shortened to quick gasps.  The intense sexual magnetism of the brunette, its effect on Tina undimmed by the years they’d been together, wavy hair framing the supermodel face, fine bone structure highlighted by the aristocratic nose,  high cheek bones, full luscious lips, and that goddess-like body – all were hitting her in that singular way.  Struck senseless, as Aristophanes described a lover’s reaction, upon meeting her love.