Tina looked at Bette as her smiling started building and then she started laughing, she was laughing so hard she had to drop her arm from around Bette’s waist. The mere thought of her complaining or bragging about bills seemed to tickle Tina pink. Tina tried to compose herself but it was all to funny to her, “Why didn’t y’all tell me about that earlier? I would’ve had to put her in her place.” Tina said after she wiped the tears away from her face. Bette was smiling but she didn’t know why it was so funny.

“The only thing she paid was the utilities.” Tina said still smiling trying hard not to laugh, “How much energy could two people who are hardly at home really use each month? I paid the storage and the property tax. At the most she paid for half of the mortgage for like seven or eight months before I paid the whole thing off. And she was going around complaining about bills? Ahhh, shit, that’s funny as hell!”

Tina settled down and put her arm back around Bette’s waist and they continued their walk in silence. Bette was still wondering why Tina still hadn’t told her of her plans to move into her new place once they got back home.

“I thought I was just being silly in the beginning, wanting to have separate houses. I thought that maybe I was just being scared of seeing you in a different way and it scared the hell out of me. I thought all those reasons I gave you were nothing more than excuses for what I really wanted.” Tina spoke answering Bette’s thoughts before she could voice them.

“And your only conclusion was to move when we got back?”

“Yes. I really weighed the validity of them and they’re not excuses they are justified reasons.”

Bette nodded her head and continued listening to Tina as it seemed she put a lot of thought into this move. “I was hoping that maybe you had changed your mind and wanted to just stay with me anyway.”

“I wanted to . Believe me I really did, I just don’t want to rush into what we already have. I haven’t been by myself for a long time and I just want to be with me for a little while. I kinda like knowing that I can work late without having to worry about you being home alone and waiting for me to get there. Or surprising you with dinner cooked at your place, or dealing with the dilemma of sleeping at your place or mine. I like the idea of all those little things that make the bigger picture so complete.”