“You look well loved.”

“Thoroughly,” Tina corrected her, “I am thoroughly and completely loved to the point of being incapable of thought.”

“I love you,” Bette said as she licked her way up Tina’s body and covered Tina’s body with her own.  She nuzzled Tina’s neck, silently enjoying a moment that only the two of them would ever share.  When Tina’s fingers found Bette’s back, she chuckled when Bette flinched.  “Sensitive already are we?”

“Hmmm…”  It wasn’t much of an answer, but enough of one to urge Tina to continue.

“Always a woman of so many words,” Tina teased, “your interviews with Art World should be fascinating to read in the upcoming edition.”

“I can’t wait.”  Bette’s sarcasm was lost as she moved her hips against Tina’s body slowly, her desire building as Tina’s fingers deepened their touch.

“If you’re excited about that, you should just wait to see the interview questions Alice is going to ask you.”

Bette grunted in response.

“I can see it now,” Tina swung her leg around to flip them over, assuming a dominant position.  “How does one fuck someone senseless?”

“How does one, Tina, I would have no idea,” Bette said hiding her smile.

“Well it’s a good thing what goes around comes around,” Tina said as she began to disappear under the covers.

“Thank god for small favors,” Bette chuckled as she spread her legs, inviting Tina to have her way.

                                                            #

Maxine sat down on the couch, a glass of seltzer water in her hand, brought over by her only true friend.  She had known the modest storeowner from the day she had arrived in town, battered and alone after years of living with Melvin.

“When was this one?”

“Right after Melvin’s funeral,” Maxine said, sipping the seltzer and looking over at a picture of Bette outside of The Planet.  “Kit hosted it at her restaurant to make it more intimate.”

“Tina looks amazing.”

“She was in her 8^th month of pregnancy,” Maxine casually commented, as if it were the most natural thing that she would know that fact.  “She was so beautiful.  I heard that she sat with Bette almost every night when Melvin was dying to take care of her.”

“Maybe she was making amends with Melvin too.”

“Nobody does,” Maxine said sadly. 

“Which is why you never tried?”

“I escaped,” Maxine said quickly, “There was no way that someone could get me to go back.  Not after what he had done.  When I realized through the program that I had to get well before I could be the mother that I wanted to…”

Her friend picked up another picture of Bette, this time with Angelica, walking into The Planet.

“She might understand that you needed to get well…”

“Kit didn’t,” Maxine said quietly, “Kit, of all people, should have.  She lost her son because of her drug habit.”

“Don’t you think Bette will recognize how hard you worked to get well?  Being in a miserable marriage caused your drug habit, but your strength fought it.  Not too many people can say that.”

“I should have gone back after program.  I should have fought for both Bette and Kit.”

“You’re going back now, it’s never too late.”

“It might not be enough,” Maxine said regrettably.  “I left her there with Melvin and years passed.  Bette adored him, probably even more so now that he’s gone.  People only remember the good of someone when they die, when they aren’t there to remind them of the horrible things they were capable of.”

“But surely she can see how much you love her, how much you mean to her.  You said it yourself, even Kit said she would try if it were her son.”

“I just hope Bette sees it that way, that she can relate because she is a mom herself,” Maxine grabbed a close-up picture of Angelica laughing.  “A mother’s love never dies, and all I want is a chance to prove that to both my daughters and granddaughter.”

Maxine placed the picture of Angelica in the scrapbook, making a production out of securing it to the page.  She placed her fingers to her own lips, gently kissing them, and placing them on the photo of Angelica before her.

“I’ll find a way sooner rather than later,” Maxine whispered as she gently closed the scrapbook before her.