“What’s wrong Tee?” Bette asked softly after a few minutes, and when Tina opened her eyes to look at her, Bette raised an eyebrow. Inviting. Tell me the eyebrow said, talk to me. She put her glass down and reached for Tina’s foot to offer a massage. Tina closed her eyes again and sighed, enjoying the touch of Bette’s strong hands, the hot water and the scent of the bath.

“It’s Eric”, she finally said, her eyes still closed. “Fucking perfect smile, white teeth, straight America, tiresome Eric…”

Bette paused for the slightest nanosecond but long enough for Tina to notice, she opened her eyes to study her wife, her head tilting to the side as they looked at each other. Bette waited, knowing there was more coming.

“Bette…?”

“Yes, Tee?”

“Do you remember the night we met?”

Surprised, Bette answered immediately. “Darling, I remember every second of the night we met. I remember my heart stopped when I first looked into your eyes. I remember how your hand felt so perfect in mine and that I never wanted to let it go. I knew I was holding it too long, but I didn’t care. I remember that. And I remember wanting to know everything about you, everything. What your favorite color was, did you sleep in the nude or in pajamas, did you sing in the shower. I wanted to know why you stiffened when Eric placed his hand on your back and, more importantly, why he didn’t seem to notice. I wanted to know if you shaved, what color your nipples were. I wanted to know how to make you laugh, what made you cry…. Do I remember that night? Baby, that night changed me”.

“You noticed that I stiffened when he put his hand on my back? You saw that? I never knew that…”

“I did. And your eyes narrowed, just a little. I saw that too. I was glad when you stayed with me and he went to talk to Catherine Opie, you seemed to relax a little…and that was enormously important to me although I didn’t know why. I just knew for a few glorious moments I had you to myself…”