Out of Closet (B&T time-travel romance), Ch. 9

Chapter 9: Longing and letting go…again (Bette opens up to Alicia and Tina tries to get a closure)

Place: Orange County, CA

Year: 1885

(Previously) “Christina, you are my best friend, I can’t possibly be angry with you, no matter what you have to tell me,” Elizabeth said with assurance and smiled, encouraging Christina to continue.

“Well, you might get angry after you hear me out,” Christina was hesitant to continue but after seeing Elizabeth’s genuine smile, she took a deep breath and said, “I feel this unexplainable and puzzling connection with you, which is turning into something more…like an attraction. I don’t know how to explain it or even what it is, but I feel this overwhelming desire to touch you and to feel the warmth and softness of your skin.”

Christina stopped unable to look at Elizabeth’s face, fearing the outburst of anger or worse, that Elizabeth would leave and their friendship would end. She wasn’t prepared for what came next. She heard her friend’s soft and happy laughter and felt a touch of Elizabeth’s hand on hers.

Christina slowly raised her eyes to meet Elizabeth’s and what she saw in them immediately put her at ease. “Oh Christina, I was trying to get the courage to tell you for so long…” Elizabeth said with a shy but excited smile, “That I feel absolutely the same, from the moment I saw you in my studio.”

Christina smiled in return, her emotions subsiding under Elizabeth’s gentle touch but quickly the smile disappeared, replaced by confusion and worries, “What does it all mean? This attraction, where did it come from? We are both women, I’m married and have a child on a way, what is happening?” 

“I have no idea, but I can tell you that I have never felt like this before and I decided to set these feelings free and go with the flow…”

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“What do you mean?” Christina asked, getting a little nervous again, “When you said go with the flow, I mean?”

“Well, there’s obviously something going on between us. Some kind of connection…the moment I saw you I couldn’t take my eyes off of you. I thought at first that it was only because there is so much goodness in you, so much loveliness that anyone could feel attracted to you, and I was so happy that we became friends,” Elizabeth replied, anxiously trying to put her fragmented and confused thoughts into words, to explain to Christina something that she couldn’t completely understand herself.