“I love you”

Tina lifted her head to meet Bette’s still shining eyes, “I know you do. I wish I could stay right here.”

“I don’t mind if you do”, Bette said with a smile gracing her face.

“I know Baby but Dr. Wilson let me visit you with the condition that I go home for no less than eight hours. If I don’t comply with said orders and Alice finds out she has threatened to break limbs.”

“You saw Dr. Wilson?”

“Yes I did. She said the baby and I are going well but apparently I need to get more rest. The last few days have been pretty rough on us”, Tina sad this patting her protruding belly with loving care. “Tell me what you’re thinking?”

Bette looked lost and said, “I’m sorry.”

“Babe you have nothing to apologize for. Don’t worry yourself over nothing.”

“It’s not nothing”, Bette stated adamantly.

“For now it is. At least until you’re able to go home. I don’t want anything else keeping you here any longer than you have to be.”

Bette nodded with understanding then said, “Tell me about the baby.”

“Are you sure you want to know?”

“Yes I’m absolutely positive I have never been surer.”

“Well it was right before Provocations. You had had that break down in the show asking me to try again. I started thinking about it and I decided that was what I wanted. I wanted to try again. I went to Dr. Wilson and we did it”, Tina told the story without looking at Bette. Her head cradled in Bette’s shoulder with Bette’s chin resting against it.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You were going through so much with everything going on. And after that ***** Faye Buckley tore you apart I didn’t think you could handle another miscarriage.”

“You were worried about me?” Bette paused then a disturbing thought hit her like a fist to the gut, “you were already pregnant the night of that God Forsaken Show and I tried to” her voice trailed off. Then with despair in her voice she said, “I AM the biggest ***** ***** in the universe.”

“Bette, please don’t go there. I don’t want to go there”, Tina pleaded.

“But we have to talk about this.”

Not right now, Bette.”

At first she had a look of defiance because she knew full well this had to be worked out. The look on Tina’s face stopped her. She was imploring her with her eye not to delve any deeper. Bette saw this then her features softened, “Okay, Baby not right now.”

A comfortable silence fell between them. There was no more need to talk tonight. While Tina lay against the warmth that was Bette she began to drift into sleep. Bette sensed Tina’s breathe become steady and gently roused her wife, “T? Baby you have to wake up. You need to go home so you can take care of you and our baby girl.”

“I don’t want to leave you.”

“You aren’t leaving me, T. You’re coming home.”

Tina raised her head to see Bette smiling and confirmed, “Yes I am. I love you, Bette Porter.” Then she lay back down still hesitant to leave.

With the blanket folder over Bette had been holding Tina’s injured right hand still feeling immensely guilty. She was gingerly fingering the edges when something caught her eye. Slowly and carefully she turned the encased arm to get a better look, “T, is that a picture of a?” Tina pulled her arm away lightened fast yelling, “AH, I AM  SO GOING TO KILL ALICE!” Bette was now laughing out loud. She just couldn’t help herself. It was the first genuine laugh she’d had in months and it felt good, “God, I love Alice.”