Tina turned away from her.

Did it, you can tell me about it in the morning, you know you smell like cigarettes, in fact the whole place smells like cigarettes.

Tina turned and faced Helena.

I told you Bettes here. Her girlfriend smokes. Bette lost her keys. She had nowhere else to go at this time of night. So I suggested they stay here. We talked about you and her, on the plane coming home, about, how it was time you two, became friends and so I thought, why not? Besides I didnt have a choice. I was being polite.

Tina sat up.
I dont ***** believe this, you cant just bring her back here.

Well Im sorry, but I did. Theyre sleeping in one of the guest bedrooms.

They? Who are they?

Bette and her girlfriend Rachel.

Girlfriend?

You know she has a girlfriend Tina.

You mean to tell me, now, right now, they are sleeping in my ***** guest room?

Look Tina. Helena yawned. Its Two am, lets go to sleep, I have another early meeting in the morning.

I cannot ***** believe this. Tina fumed.

Please Tina Im tired, she has to go to work early too, you more than likely wont even see her, shell be gone before you get up. The only reason I told you, was in case you started wandering around naked, and you might bump in to her. Now that would have been embarrassing.

Oh, that was very considerate of you.

Or you could have bumped in to her girlfriend, that would have been even worse. Helena chuckled.

You really shouldnt have done this Helena.

Look Tina, what else could I have done? I was on the same flight. She only lives down the road. Its been ten years Tina. I thought we had moved on. I thought I was doing the right thing?

She could have gone to a hotel.

So, suddenly youre awake now?

You really shouldnt have done this Helena. She repeated.

Oh come on its no big deal its just a bed for the night. Helena was getting a little agitated with Tina at this point, and couldnt figure out why she was making such a big fuss over this.

Besides I dont have anything for breakfast.

Well . . .

Oh my God. Said Tina.

They can eat cereal, we have cereal. Helena said.

I need a pee, what if I bump in to them? And what about Ellie, shes in the next room? Shes down there, next to her. What if they decide to make love?

Tina its three o clock in the morning. Helena pleaded. Go to sleep please.

How can I go to ***** sleep, knowing shes down the hall, in the next room to my daughter, with another ***** woman, in my house. I should go down there and throw her out, wake her up and tell her this is not your time, you belong in the past, go back to the past Bette, for all our sakes go back to the past.

Tina lay there awake. She could tell by Helenas breathing that she had fallen asleep.

She closed her eyes and thought of how Bettes body used to lie next to hers. Bettes body had always been kind of restless, and too hot, as they lay together. She began to wonder if her legs, were now laid over her girlfriends, like they used to do with her own.
I can hear her breathing, she thought. Is her arm flung over Rachel now as she used to fling her arm over mine? She is Ten years away from me, and it is someone else, someone who I dont even know, who is laid with her in bed.

There was a photograph at the side of Tinas bed, a photograph of Tina, Helena, and Ellie in a beautiful silver frame, but as she looked at it tonight, they all looked separate, like they were nothing to do with each other. Tina picked it up and put it face down.

TBC>>>>>>>