“Tee, I’m not suggesting you give anything up, least of all your career. I know how much it means to you.”

“What are you suggesting?”  Tina remained skeptical, but she felt a flicker of hope.

“I just think that – we’re working on us, on our relationship again, and I know I’m not going to make the same mistakes. I’m in it for good.”  Bette kissed her softly

“Me too.”

“And I love our family. I love it more than you could ever know, and I would love to add to it, to enrich it. I have more freedom in my job than you do. It’s not as demanding as working for the CAC. There’s more latitude.” Bette felt emotions rise in her. Feelings of warmth, joy, and pure bliss began to reflect in her eyes, now lined with tears.

“Bette, are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Tina whispered softly and her touched her forehead to Bette’s, afraid she might scare her partner.

“I want to carry our baby, Tee.”  Bette’s voice broke at the mention of their baby, and her tears flowed freely down her cheeks.  

“Bette –“

“I want to do it. I want to feel it, and I only want to do it with you.”

“I would love that.”

“Yeah?”  Bette touched her forehead to Tina’s, and cupped her face. She looked deep into Tina’s hazel eyes, and seeing them full of light and life caused Bette to laugh to through her tears.

“Yeah. I would love to make a baby with you.”

*********************************************************************************************************************

“Can you fucking believe that? ‘Too fucking gay’. What does that mean?” Tina spat out, unable to keep quiet in the passenger seat of Bette’s car as they made their way back home after dropping Kit off.

“I don’t get it.”

“I wish I could explain it to you. Fuck. I can’t believe this. This movie – this movie was going to mean so much to so many gay women.  We were finally going to be represented and –“ Tina threw her hands up in frustration, unable to finish.  She had so much hope for this movie, not just because her reputation and the studio’s reputation was at stake, but also because it meant something. It had a message of tolerance and love: a movie for women to look at and recognize their life and their story.