“Oh my god, Tina” she said aloud. Bette spent the next twenty minutes wearing out the thread on the carpet, during that time she formulated a plan, one which she would need help pulling off. Grabbing her cell she called the only person she knew that knew someone, who knew someone, who could probably give Bette what she needed.

“Alice I need your help”

“No can do, I am just getting ready, I have a date”

“Wow, you have a date, how much is she charging”

“Funny Porter, but I gotta go”

“Wait Al, I take it you have seen the painting”

“Yeah”

“And you know what it says”

“Yeah”

“Why didn’t she say anything”

“Because she’s as stubborn as you are blind”

“I am not blind”

“Whatever, I gotta go”

“Wait, Please Al, I need your help” Bette explained in a little over 5 minutes, exactly her what she had concocted.

“Fuck, Porter I’m good but what do you want me to do, move Christmas till I don’t know, June”

“We have 3 days Al to pull this off, are you going to help me or not”

“Ok, ok. but only because you asked me so nicely” Al paused for a second , “Not”

“Ok, ok, I’m sorry, my New Years resolution will be, be nicer to Al” Bette said safe in the knowledge that she had not once got past the 2^nd January with any previous resolutions.

Over the next three days Bette and her band of merry elves as she had affectionately christened Al, Helena and Shane barely had time to scratch their asses, they each had their missions as dished out by Ms Porter, the hardest part being keeping the whole thing from Tina, that and finding someone who was available on Christmas Eve who didn’t get their license from some dodgy web site.

The exhausted four flopped on the loungers out on Helena’s deck facing her private part of the beach, each feeling a sense of accomplishment as they languidly perused over their combined efforts. All that was missing was the Vicar of Dibley as Bette had dubbed the officiator, and Tina herself. The former was due in just over an hour however Bette still had no idea how she was going to convince Tina to spend Christmas Eve at Helena’s and she only had the drive home to come up with something.

The electronic buzzer startled the ladies, Helena rose to answer it

“Hey Hel, is Bette still here” Tina asked.

Bette, Al and Shane all jumped up at the sound of Tina’s voice and scattered in all different directions without a destination in mind.

“What shall I say” Helena asked Bette

Bette stopped pacing, she needed a second to think.

“Helena you there” Tina was growing impatient, she was already pissed that Bette had left supposedly to give Helena her gift and left it on the kitchen table, all calls on her cell had gone unanswered.

“I’ll go, you lot wait here, can you buzz her in Helena” Bette said, then made her way to the front door.

“You left this” Tina pressed the gift into Bette’s tummy “And why didn’t you answer your phone”

Bette blew out her cheeks, this wasn’t exactly going to plan, but at least Tina was here, “Yes” was all she said in response.

“What”

“My answer is yes” Bette dragged Tina inside and closed the door “Well actually my answer is yes and in about an hour”

“Have you been drinking, your not making any sense Bette”

Bette quickly scanned the room, and located her purse, she quickly retrieved her glasses putting them on with her back to Tina, taking a deep breath she turned “My answer is yes, I want to marry you”

“Oh you do” Tina questioned closing the gap between them.

“I do” Bette replied “Do you?”

“I do” Tina wrapped her arms round Bette’s neck “If I’m not mistaken this is the part where you kiss me”

“I’m sure we have to wait for permission” Bette replied grinning.

“Oh for fucks sake Porter, kiss the woman” Al shouted from the doorway