”I won’t.”  She’d laid the sperm-loaded vial on the bedside table.  ”You look beautiful.  Come here.  I like your nightgown.  It’s new?”

”I don’t know why I bought it.  If this works…”

”Tee, I’m telling you, what’s in that vial is ready.” She’d pointed proudly back to the much heralded sperm.  ”Are you?”

”…I’ll get too big for this.  That was my point.”

”Point taken, as they say in bridge or wherever.”  Then she’d gotten up from the bed, poured us both a glass of wine and while sipping hers,  she’d stared deep in thought out the window at the pool.

Around the room she’d already lit large candles and as she’d walked by me I’d noticed the scent of her favorite perfume.  A fragrance that had married tones of violet, iris, and Bulgarian rose.  It had been designed for Grace Kelly by the Prince of Monaco.

”I’m catching myself wanting everything to be perfect.”

”Babe, I know you have a whole thing about the swi…”

She’d spun around.  ”Swimmers!  Still! You just don’t get it!  I don’t want to carry the baby, but I want to be a part of making it and….”  She’d grown more exasperated, finally begging me to understand, ”I know I can’t make sperm, Tina, so, work with me here.”

”And do what?”

”Fuck!” She’d thrown up her hands.  ”This shouldn’t be about me!”

”Funny how that happens…sometimes.”  I’d sat on the bed and drummed my fingers on the quilt.  ”Bette, what’s wrong?”

”I have to talk to the sperm again, because we’re partners in this.”

”Okay…they’re swimming around right over there, but I’m going to the kitchen while you do that.  Need anything?”

She’d hopped very fast across the room and had caught me.  ”No!  We need you with us.”

”Oh please, no.”

”Tina,” she’d said, kissing my lips softly, ”they have the most amazing tails.  I’m very impressed with this group.”

”You talk to them, then.”

Turning off the bedside light she’d sat me down on the bed.  The room had flickered with candles and blue-toned reflections from the pool.  She’d lifted my nightgown in a whoosh over my head.  ”Come under the covers,” she’d said, while kicking off her pants but leaving on her tank top.