“If Tina’s face was a bullseye, you sure did hit the mark!” Alice laughed.

Bette glared at Alice for making jokes and then back at Tina with a sorrowful face.

“I’m so sorry. You just caught me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting to hear her name today or even for a long time to come,” Bette apologized while gently wiping her face with a napkin.
“Shit like this happens. I just don’t want it to happen again?” Tina laughed reaching up and taking Bette’s hand.
“So what happened?’” Tasha asked the question on everyone’s mind, especially Bette’s.
“Nothing much really. She helped me with the bags from The Planet. That was about it. She seemed…I don’t know, content. If that’s a way to describe someone after finding out the way she did. I mean, she was nice,” Tina shrugged her shoulders.
“That’s it? No going postal on you for stealing her woman?”
“I was never her woman, Alice. My heart only belongs to Tina. Always,” Bette defended.
“As cute and and inspiring as that sounds, lets face facts. You cheating on Jodi. And Tina did steal you back.”
“Whatever, Alice,” Bette dismissed walking away from the group and back into the house.
“Thanks Alice,” Tina chastised.
“What? What did I do?”

*****

Tina found Bette leaning against an open front door. Her arms were wrapped around her chest, giving a self hug. Her body language told Tina everything.

“Hey,” Tina greeted softly hugging Bette from behind.

She gave a comforting squeeze.

“Mmm,” Bette responded, “hey.”
“You okay?”Tina asked, her chin on Bette’s shoulder.
“Yeah. Alice just takes it to far sometimes.”
“That’s why you love her.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Bette smirked.

They both stared out at the neighborhood they had called home for eight years. The same families. Some have grown. The same feel. Welcoming.

“She misses her,” Tina said breaking the silence.

Bette remained quiet.

“I know Angie misses her.”
“Would you be okay with Jodi spending time with her?”
“Yeah. I never disliked Jodi as a person. She has so much to offer Angelica and I don’t want to deny our daughter of a relationship that she could learn so much from. Jodi is a very interesting person. She could teach Angelica so many things.”
“Yeah, she is very intelligent. “
“Jodi is more than that,” Tina laughed.
“She will never be more than you,” Bette began facing Tina in their embrace. “You are everything to me.”

Looking into Bette’s eyes, Tina could see the that sparkle she had seen 7 years ago, on their first anniversary. That love had never died.

“I love you, Elizabeth Porter,” Tina stated closing in to Bette’s lips.

The kiss was a simple one. Not ravishing nor sweet. But a reaffirmation of their presence in each other’s lives.

“Momma?” Angelica’s voice carried across the room.

Opening her eyes, Bette saw the three year old standing there with her thumb in her mouth, pulling on her ear.

“The princess is awake,” Tina smiled turning around. “Come here, baby,” she said opening her arms.

Tina picked her up and held Angelica to her chest.

“Have a good nap?” she asked.

Angelica nodded.

“Hungry?”

The little girl nodded again.

“Lets go see if your aunts left anything to eat,” Bette said taking Angelica from Tina.