‘I don’t know what you’ve heard about Katharine Alexa, but she was a shallow little witch and she hurt Helena badly.  You need to talk to Helena about how you feel.’

‘I know,’ admitted Alexa.  ‘I love her so much Tina and I want to be with her. I just need to do this job thing my way, that’s all.  I need to feel like I have control of something.’

‘She’ll understand, believe me even Bette gets the message when you sit down and really hammer it home.  Besides Helena loves you, she just goes about showing it the wrong way sometimes.’

Helena walked onto the terrace, ending her eavesdropping.  Tina stood up and joined Bette.  ‘Why don’t we give the two of you some space?’

Alexa nodded and thanked Tina as Helena sat closely beside her.

Helena started.  ‘You know I’ve spent most of my life despising my mother for using her power and money to make the world fit her anyway she wanted and I’ve spent years trying to prove myself in the business in my own right, show that I’m good enough daughter or no daughter and yet I still did what I did tonight.’

Alexa turned to her.  ‘I know you were just trying to help me Helena, I was grateful for the introduction it’s just….’

Helena put a hand to her lips.  ‘Hush..you don’t have to explain, I heard what you said to Tina.  I understand, from now on I’ll only get involved in your career if you ask me alright?’

Alexa smiled and hugged Helena, feeling guilty at walking out on her and for talking with Tina.  ‘Want to go back inside?’ asked Alexa.

‘You know what, let’s just sit here a while,’ suggested Helena and put her arm around her.

‘Can I tell you something Alexa?’

‘Anything, you know that,’ Alexa assured her.

‘Just because I’m older and I’ve had more experienced with women doesn’t mean I know how to make a relationship work any better than you do.  I get scared too and I fuck up a whole lot.’

Alexa looked surprised at Helena but let her talk.  ‘My nearest reference range was my relationship with Katharine and what I knew was it made her happy when I took her out every night or spent money on her so I’ve kind of been doing the same with you.’  She paused.  ‘Do you know how I felt most of the time when I was with Katharine?  Tired and sort of empty, we never spent any real time together alone or at home, we were always sort of between events.  She constantly needed to be impressed with this kind of thing to keep her interested.’

Alexa nodded in understanding.  ‘Helena all I want is to be with you, that’s always going to be enough for me, whatever we’re doing,’ explained Alexa sweetly.  ‘So if this isn’t your average week, what is?’

Helena laughed, feeling freer than she had in a long time.  ‘Well…usually Hayley has a poker night at her place one night and then maybe the Planet on a weekend or I go over to Bette and Tina’s for dinner, sometimes Alice and Shane make me go to watch some awful rock chick band but the rest of the time it’s just work then the couch, my tivo and my ocean view, pretty boring huh?’

Alexa kissed her softly.  ‘Actually it sounds perfect, I want us to share our real lives not some pretence!  So how about this week we just do what you usually would okay?  Although I’ll warn you I do tend to steal the remote control!’

 ‘You screw with my CSI timer and we are so over!’ warned Helena.

They both laughed and Alexa watched the sparkle in Helena’s eyes, she seemed somehow more relaxed than she’d ever seen her after her admission.  Alexa longed to feel her arms around her, to fully make up for their mini lover’s tiff, cement their new understanding.  Suddenly she resented their public surroundings and the constricting couture.  ‘What are you thinking?’ asked Helena curiously, noticing the change in Alexa’s expression.

‘Honestly?  That I wish I could make love to you right now,’ she admitted.

Helena’s lips formed a sultry pout.  ‘Don’t do that sweetheart, it’s not fair to put these thoughts in my head and then make me sit through a whole dinner with my mother before we get to leave.’

Alexa shrugged, embracing her growing confidence with her sexuality.  ‘I can’t help the fact that I want you.’

NEXT TIME: Peggy causes tensions between the girls……………..