…-*The Accident*-…

Bette slept soundly that night. She was filled with promise and hope. Who knows, this blond, hazel eyed woman (here’s for you Jack1) may be the answer to wash away and heal her loneliness. The following morning she showered, dressed, had her coffee and drove to her gallery with a smile on her face as bright as the day’s sun. Bette felt exhilarated and pumped for the days events. That was until she reached her gallery’s front door where a dirty blond woman sat holding flowers. The smile slid from Bette’s face as molasses would if spread on a plate then held on an angle. She parked her vehicle then got out, walking slowly to the doors. Her anger towards Alice had subsided leaving sadness in its wake.
“Bette…?” Choked the blond as she held out the bouquet in front of her. Bette stood a foot away and just stared into Alice’s eyes. The arm holding the bouquet fell to Alice’s side as she began to cry. Bette slowly approached her and wrapped her arms around Alice’s shoulders. Alice dropped the bouquet gripped Bette’s back.
“It’s okay,” Bette spoke soothingly. “Come on, let’s go inside.” Alice pulled away, and wiped her tear stained cheek with the palm of her hand.
“Yeah, okay.” She said as Bette led her inside. They wandered in silence to Bette’s office where the taller brunette sat Alice down on the couch and got her a glass of water. As she returned she sat beside her distressed friend. They seemed to sit in silence for what seemed an eternity before either of them spoke.
“Bette, I am so sorry…….. for everything that happened.” immediately hiccupped. Bette nodded her head solemnly.
“Why did you sleep with someone else,” Bette wondered aloud. “Was it something I did?” Alice instantly shook her head.
“God no! It was nothing you did I swear, it was just me…,” Alice replied. “I know what you want Bette, you want that whole relationship for ever and ever thing….. I don’t want that… I guess doing what I did was my only way out…. I mean, how can you tell your best friend ‘Oh by the way I don’t want to be with you’ I couldn’t do it B.” Alice sobbed. Bette reached across and rubbed her back as she let it all out.
“You know you could have and I would have understood,” Bette stated softly. “ It really hurt me what you did, but I’m not mad at you now…. I have to admit I was at first but now I kind of understand.” Bette tilted her head to see Alice’s face.
“Not a whole lot of good came out of this one of Alice’s fuck ups huh…. I only hurt you and made me look like a fucking ass.” At this statement Bette just smiled.
“ I wouldn’t go that far….. I met someone yesterday…..and I have a date tomorrow with her.” Bette smiled. Alice looked up at Bette and raised her eyebrows.
“Where’d you meet?” She asked as she wiped her face again with a tissue and leaned back.
“At a park, in the middle of the night.” Bette smiled as she reminisced.
“Wait…. what?! You met in the middle of the night at a park?! Is she like, normal or a total creeper?! Do you even know??!?!?!” Alice exclaimed only to hear Bette’s laughter.
“We went for coffee Alice, I saw her face, I know who she is…. She’s beautiful….,” Bette went on. “I think she’s the one Al.” Alice’s jaw looked like it was about to rest on the floor before she smiled widely and grabbed Bette around the shoulders, bringing her in for a tight hug.
“You’re serious…. You’re serious!!! Oh my god that’s so good,” Alice immediately let go of Bette. “You’re serious..” Bette nodded and held on to Alice’s elbows.
“I’m serious.” Bette stated. They sat on Bette’s white leather couch and conversed. Alice crying a few more times of course. But after it was all said and done, Bette found herself holding Alice even more dear than before since had it not been for her mistake, she wouldn’t have seen Tina. And even though Alice didn’t know it, Bette secretly thanked her many, many, times over. It wasn’t ten minutes before Alice left that her office phone rang. She reached for it with a light and rested it between her ear and her shoulder as she adjusted her glasses and looked over a few sketches for the dinner lay out.
“Bette Porter Gallery, Bette speaking, how may I help you?” She spoke professionally only to hear a sigh on the other end of the line.
“Hello Miss. Porter…. Tina Kennard calling in regards to the Amelia Nolan painting entitled ‘Showers in June’…. I would like to purchase it and was wondering the price…” Bette felt her stomach do flips and her heart rate began to speed up.
“I see… well Miss. Kennard I believe we can figure out a price for it together if you care to stop by at a point in time today…” Secretly Bette was hoping Tina would take her up on the offer since she didn’t believe she could wait another day without seeing the blond’s beautiful face.
“Hmm… well I don’t know if I can do it today Bette, I’ll have to check my schedule…” The brunette’s heart dropped and again that feeling of over whelming loneliness crept upon her. Then she heard a strong knock on the door.
“Would you be able to hold on a minute Miss. Kennard, there seems to be someone at my door.” Tina could hear the frustration in Bette’s voice as she spoke and smiled.
“Of course not, take your time.” Bette got up from behind her desk walked briskly to the door and wrenched it open.
“James I said not…..” Bette’s voice caught in her throat as she saw a tall blond standing before her, cell phone in hand and a bag that cleverly was labeled ‘Take Out’.
“Tina… What are you…”
“I was in the area and I thought that I didn’t want to have lunch alone, and since you say you often don’t eat lunch because you don’t have to time… I thought I’d pull you away from your work for a half n hour or so to feed you since you really should eat you know.” Tina finished and walked passed Bette and into her office. Bette’s smile was non-erasable. Bette quickly went over to her desk and hung up the phone seeing as she could just talk to Tina freely since she was standing almost directly in front of her in a royal blue dress in the middle of her office looking more edible than the food she had been so kind to bring.
“Shall we sit?” Tina asked while motioning to the couch.
“I don’t see why not,” Bette grinned while walking over and taking a seat beside Tina. “So what did you bring…?” Bette asked while leaning back.
“I got us two salads, one has a raspberry vinaigrette and has roasted almond slivers and purple onion and…. mandarin oranges and the other is just a Greek salad…. Which one would you like?” She asked as she pulled them from the bag.
“I’ll have the Greek, I saw you talk of the raspberry one with love in your eyes so I’ll be nice.” Bette said as Tina handed over her salad. Tina smiled softly.
“I have to admit I like the raspberry one.” They sat and ate in peace, exchanging glances every now and again, both feeling comfortable with the silence until after they were done. Again, Bette hand the opportunity to reach across and run her thumb over Tina’s lip since a little bit of the vinaigrette had found it’s way to the corner of her mouth.
“I have to say, I don’t eat salad often but wherever you got that, you have to tell me because that was amazing.” Tina smiled slyly.
“I don’t think so Miss. Porter, I need an excuse to keep bringing you lunch so I am not sharing my secret.” Tina stated jokingly. Bette’s face softened.
“You never need an excuse to be here with me.” Bette said softly. At that time Bette noticed a flicker of desire in Tina’s eyes that she hadn’t been blessed with seeing before now. Bette was unsure of what to do at first but then, deciding to go out on a limb came to the conclusion of kissing her. She let her hand reach and rest upon the blond’s neck and brought herself forward, inching toward her goal, but before she did she needed Tina to confirm what she was about to do was alright.
“I hope you don’t mind Tina, if I kiss you….” Tina softly shook her head giving Bette the signal that it was indeed alright. Bette inched closer to the point where she felt Tina’s soft breathing tickle her lips, Tina leaned forward and captured Bette’s lips. She couldn’t help but let out a quiet moan of excitement as they melted into one and other. Bette pulled Tina’s body closer, needing to feel like this was still reality and she was not caught in a dream. Tina’s soft lips on her own was enough to send her to heaven. And as they slowly pulled apart both felt out of breath and in a state of euphoria. Bette gazed into Tina’s eyes and smiled as she pulled Tina close again into an embrace. Tina clung to Bette’s body. They stay in this position for a long time before Tina realized she had to get back to work at the production studio and that Bette should probably get back to working herself. Bette cleaned up the containers and cans of pop before escorting Tina to the front door of the gallery. Tina turned to Bette and smiled.
“You have my cell number right?” Tina asked softly.
“I do, will you call me tonight?” Bette asked eagerly.
“I will….” Tina answered her. Bette leaned forward and gave Tina a soft kiss on the cheek and in return Tina kissed her lips softly.
“Thank you for lunch T…”
“You’re welcome.” Tina said before she smiled and walked out of the gallery with a pair of brown eyes following her movement.

Bette sighed in contentment as she walked back to her office, she sat down on the couch which they had just inhabited and smiled as she spoke softly to herself.
“Yes… Definitely the one.”

…-*To Be Continued*-…