Tina took a deep breath. “I’m really sorry I disappeared like that, Bette. I know I said I’d call. I just… look, when you made that confession the other day, I was really confused. Confused because I had doubted about my feelings for you as well. I mean, obviously I knew I could fall for a woman, but I just… I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t sure if I really had romantic feelings for you or if I felt so connected with you, so comfortable with you because of what you have done for me, because of how you have taken care of me. I had this suspicion there might have been something more going on from your part, but I wasn’t really sure. I thought that maybe I was just seeing things, that it wasn’t real… and I got these mixed feelings. You were still my best friend, but I couldn’t say that friendship was the only thing I felt. To call it love was so huge. When you’d touch me or look at me, it made me feel so alive and… utterly confused. Was this right? To fall in love with you? Was I even in love? What if it was some silly crush? What if you didn’t feel the same way? I’d have my heart broken again and I couldn’t take that, I really couldn’t. Then you told me how much you loved me and it overwhelmed me, the strength of your feelings really overwhelmed me. I had to get out of there and think, so I went to Helena’s, hoping for some advice. She told me to get my act together and tell you I was in love with you, but I couldn’t because I wasn’t sure of that. But every night, I missed you next to me. I couldn’t sleep without you. And I missed talking to you, or watching a movie cuddled up close to you. I missed your laughter, I missed your tears when something really sad happened in a movie, your vulnerability… your comforting hug. I longed to feel your body next to me. And then I… well, I decided that I really didn’t matter what it was that I felt. I also realised why I didn’t know if I was in love with you or not – I don’t know what it feels like, I haven’t ever been before… I had some boyfriends before Eric, but it wasn’t serious. I just genuinely liked them. Eric was kind to me, a gentleman and handsome, he took care of me and I thought I was in love, because I should have been, it would be normal… then came Rachel. She was just pure lust and desire, I realise now. It was the life she brought, the change. But I didn’t love her, and even if I had, after the way she treated me… and I felt so different with you. You made me feel so special, so valuable, like I really mattered to you. You made me feel like I could fight the world and win. You made me feel… loved. And Bette Porter, I am sure that I want to be with you, that I want to have you in my life forever.”

One of those famous silences fell again. Bette was still angry for Tina worrying her so much and causing her so much pain, but when she looked into those eyes… “Just one thing, Tina… what if things go wrong? How can we be sure this will work out?”

“We can’t be… not until we tried. But I believe in it. I believe in you and me.”

It was then that they shared their first loving, passionate, wildly arousing kiss of many more to come.

THE END