Alexa was the real deal, Helena could feel it in the way Alexa relished and explored every curve of her body, she could hear it in the long conversations they’d had about life and love but most of all she could see it when she looked into Alexa’s eyes, she had since that first dinner in England.  They were kindreds; beautiful women who loved beautiful women.  As far as Helena was concerned the more men Alexa chose to talk to at parties the better, it was the flirtatious women she had to worry about.

‘Bette I can assure you that my girlfriend is as lesbian as they come and don’t you think that’s a little insulting to her and to me to suggest that a man could just look at her and she’d run off with him or something?’

‘That’s not what I meant Helena.’

‘Then what exactly did you mean?’ asked Helena, the atmosphere turning frosty.

‘Just that sexuality can be more fluid than you think for a lot of people and sometimes you think that it’s ok for your girlfriend to be flirting with a man because she’s gay but then bam she’s exploring her feelings for men.’

And suddenly Helena knew exactly where this was coming from.

‘Well thanks for the advice Bette but she’s not flirting, she’s just being nice and mixing at a party.’

‘Sorry,’ said Bette, ‘I’m just looking out for you and Alexa, when men start sniffing around things can get complicated….’

‘Oh my god Bette will you drop it? This is ridiculous! You know why we were late today?  Because we were having sex; because Alexa and I both like to fuck women.  Alexa is not Tina, Bette, they may be both blond but that’s as far as it goes,’ said Helena and when she saw the look on Bette’s face wished she hadn’t.

‘Tina and I have been together for years Helena, we share a child and a house and a whole fucking life so don’t you dare fucking try and make what we have sound inferior when the two of you have only been together a few months.’

‘Bette that’s not what I meant, I love you and Tina, you know that but I know how devastating it was for you when Tina left you for Henry and you’ve never talked about it much since..’