“Sit down, Shane!” Helena said, “Everyone’s here!”

Shane watched as Helena reached for Bette’s hand.  She saw the look in Bette’s eyes as Helena caressed her skin.

She knew that look in her friend.

That look was love.  And it was clearly reciprocated.

Shane pulled up a chair and smiled, watching her two best friends move on from the relationship that they had and into new, fresh ones.

**

In a few days, Bette and Helena found themselves house-sitting for Peggy.  Well, actually, Peggy entrusted Helena with the keys, and Helena begged Bette to stay with her.

“The house is huge!  And scary!  I don’t want to be alone, Bette!” Helena begged.

Bette couldn’t say no.

The warm July air caused Bette and Helena to take a dip into Peggy’s Olympic-sized pool.

Helena leaned against the edge of the pool, allowing her body to float in front of her and only the ends of hair to reach the water.

“Do you miss your mother, Bette?”

Helena asked the question, but she wasn’t sure if she could pay attention to the answer, because her mind was only on how sexy Bette looked in her white bikini.  White meshed with Bette’s skin so well.

Bette stepped into the pool, perching herself on the opposite side of Helena.

“Sometimes I do.  Especially when I’m around Peggy.”

“How’s that?”

Bette looked toward the sky, “Peggy is like a surrogate mom.  She encourages me, she’s proud of me, she’s wonderful—but she’s not my mother.  I want to know what it feels like to be loved and encouraged by the woman who I was a part of for 9 months.”

“I can understand.” Helena swam to Bette and stood by her side, “When do you not miss her?”

“When I realize I didn’t really need her.  I had a normal childhood, my sister tried to teach me everything about being a woman.  I survived with no ill effects.”

“Except abandonment and trust issues.”

“Hey, I’m trying, okay?”

“I know you are.” Helena kissed Bette on the lips, “And thank you for trying.”

“You’re welcome.”  Bette could tell something was changing in Helena’s eyes, “What’s wrong?”