“This … doesn’t look very promising. I feel like we’re on completely different pages. There are other ways to go about things if you’re only looking for games that will get you one thing and one thing alone.”

Helena rested her head on the mattress at the claim, but she wasn’t only after sex. Had she been after that with other women? Yes. Only that? Unfortunately. But something about Bette changed her intentions for the first time in a long time.

With a heavy breath in, Helena tried at explaining herself: “I’m used to things one way … but a girl can change. So … I’d like to be on the same page with you. No lies.”

Bette wondered about the sentence made of two words, but before she could inquire, Helena was speaking again.

“I’ll see you at Herald’s on … how is Saturday?”

Bette put her free hand on her hip bone, and nodded in the silence of her too-spacious kitchen. “Okay. This Saturday at seven. Is that alright?”

“Better than alright,” Helena teased, but this time sensually.

Although Bette had felt she and Helena were too different to get along properly, the moment brought a sincere smile to her lips as she wondered what Helena was doing at that very moment. “Okay. I’ll see you there.”

“Bye!” Helena smiled before hearing the same from Bette and hanging up to dance over her bed at the exuberance of her victory.

As Bette smiled with her phrase of farewell, she hung up her phone as well to glance at her kitchen table stacked with boxes.

While there had been a time when Bette wanted wild nights out and music ringing in her ears while she kissed a daring woman, she sighed at the difference in her present desires. She thought that her perfect date would be simple and affectionate – a woman offering to help her unpack her things, and wrap an arm around her back while they watched something on the TV. When she wondered why she hadn’t asked for that, Bette realized she was more interested in that person wanting the very same thing.

Glancing over at her phone, Bette let out a breath of laughter at the thought of the very extravagant Helena settling down on the couch for a quiet night in.