Previously~~~~~~~~~~~~

The caramel beauty squinted into a pair of soft blue eyes and curiously asked, Aunt Karen?

In the flesh, Karen replied

Bette couldnt help but take in the jeans that were fraying around the ankles, the Birkenstocks, and the lavender tank top her mothers sister was wearing. What happened to the power suits and the heels? What happened to the woman she remembered?

II didnt recognize you., Bette stammered.

Yeah, I guess we should have warned you that Id be suit-less today. Its so good to see you, kiddo., she said.

Bette shot Tina a look that spoke volumes with no words.

Whos your friend?, asked Karen.

Ohthis is my ummthis is Tina. My roommate from school., said Bette.

Tina and Karen exchanged pleasantries and the three women stood making small talk until the bags arrived. When they made it to Karens late model dark blue Volvo, Bette was more than surprised when she went to place her suitcase in the trunk and came across the familiar yellow equal sign with a blue background that was posted on her aunts bumper. It was a bumper sticker for the HRC or Human Rights Campaign: the largest national *****, *****, bisexual and transgender advocacy organization in the country.

What the ***** is she doing with an HRC bumper sticker on her car?, Bette wondered.

Tinas soft amber orbs met Bettes curious dark brown pools and both women knew they were wondering the same thing. Bette decided to casually mention the bumper sticker on their ride to hospital, but her plans were foiled when Karen started discussing the gravity of her fathers medical condition. The bronzed beauty forgot all about the bumper sticker and she began to mentally prepare for what shed find when they reached UCSD Medical Center.
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The ride to the UCSD Medical Center was relatively short and as the three women walked slowly towards the hospitals entrance, Karen Jennings wracked her brain to find something to break the sad silence that had settled around them. They were walking in a disjointed line with Bette in the middle and her girlfriend and aunt on either side of her, when Karen finally spoke.

The strawberry blonde squinted behind her dark sunglasses and turned her head slightly towards her sisters child. So Bette, I hear things are going pretty well for you at UCLA., said Karen with a smile.

Bette nodded. Yeah. Things are working out well so far.

And is this boyfriend of yours treating you right?, asked Karen.

The caramel-skinned young womans feet stopped moving and she turned slightly to face her aunt. What?, she asked, her brow now furrowed in confusion.

Your boyfriend. Your father told me you had a boyfriend., said Karen.

Tina couldnt witness the puzzlement on her girlfriends face, but she could practically see the synapses trying to fire in Bettes flustered mind. She stood at Bettes left side, chewing on her lower lip and hoping that the woman to her right was able to snap out of her trance and keep up their heterosexual faade.

Bettes eyes darted from side to side as she struggled to pull it together. With the worry and guilt of her grandfathers illness bearing down on her, the young womans brain had simply short-circuited. Shed forgotten all about her pretend boyfriend. Luckily, Tinas memory was working just fine and she used it to rescue her girlfriend.

She placed a warm hand on Bettes shoulder and said, Bette, how could you possibly forget about Damon. Im surprised youve gone this long without talking about him.

Tina looked up to meet Karens soft blue eyes. Shes always talking about Damon. I usually cant go more than a few hours without hearing about him.

Karen smiled. Is that so? My little Bette is stuck on this guy, huh?

Yes, she is. Just be happy you dont have to live with her., said Tina.

Bette feigned a look of annoyance and silently thanked both her lover and the good Lord above for getting her out of a potentially messy situation. The dark-haired beauty rolled her eyes, glanced sideways into her girlfriends soft amber orbs, and slipped back into her heterosexual character.

Here you go. Tinas always on my case about Damon. As I always say, dont hate the player, hate the game., said Bette.

Karen chuckled at this and the trio resumed their walk. Are you all pretty serious?, she asked.



For a moment, Bette thought her aunt was referring to Tina and fought the urge to respond with, Yeah. I love, T. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. Instead, the caramel beauty swallowed over the lump in her throat and replied, Well, were just taking it one day at a time right now. Im too young to get so serious.

That last sentence stung Tinas heart and she winced at her lovers words. I hope shes just saying that. I hope she doesnt mean that about me., she thought.

Well, I think thats for the best. Youre young. You have plenty of time to settle down. Enjoy your youth. I missed out on mine. I dated your uncle Joseph in college and then we got married. I never did a lot of dating. Never got to know what I really wanted. Make sure you take your time with this young man., said Karen.

Bette responded in a childish, sing-songy voice Yes, Aunt Karen.

Im serious., said Karen, reaching for the front door of the building.

For the second time since they started their trek, Bette Porter stopped walking. She couldnt take another step without knowing the answer to the question that had been troubling her since Melvins phone call. Wait, she called out.

Karen backed away from the door and was met with the sadness in her nieces soft brown eyes. Instinctively, she reached out and placed a supportive hand on Bettes shoulder. What is it, Sweetie?, she asked, her voice soft and loving.

Isis my mom here?, asked Bette.

Karen forced a smile and silently cursed her wayward older sister. What is Janice doing to this girl? How am I supposed to handle this?, she asked herself.
The loving aunt took a deep breath and pulled off her dark shades, staring into dark brown pools. There were gentle creases etched into the soft skin around the attorneys sapphire eyes. Worry lines stretched across Karens tanned forehead; a few of those lines drawn in by her sisters careless attitude. Well Sweetheart, she wasnt here when I left to pick you up.

The dark-haired beauty exhaled at this news and felt some of the tension in her neck begin to unwind and release itself from the taut muscles around her shoulders.

Karen swallowed hard and continued. Bette, Ill be honest with you. I havent talked to your mother in years. Mom told me that she called her about Dad, but Janice never said she was coming out here. Mom didnt know what Janice was going to do, so she wasnt factored into this decision. Today is really about me, you, and Mom saying goodbye to your grandpa.

Bette nodded slowly, her dark eyes studying the pavement at her feet. Oh. Okay.

Are you okay Bette?, asked Karen.

Melvins youngest daughter looked up into a pair of warm blue eyes and said, Yeah. Im okay.

Karen frowned slightly before convincing herself that her niece was indeed alright and leading the way into the UCSD medical center.

Tina Kennard knew otherwise. Her lovers posture and the demure tone of her voice let Tina know that Bette was not okay. She could feel her girlfriends sorrow and apprehension and wanted to pull her bronzed soul mate into her arms and soothe her fears. But she didnt think that was appropriate. The intimacy she and Bette shared was hard to miss and the sun-kissed blonde knew that the true nature of their relationship might be revealed if she were to embrace her lover in the manner she so desired.

As they stood in the elevator, slowly approaching the 6th floor of the hospital, Bette felt the weight of her current situation begin to bear down on her. Cold slivers of ice seemed to form in her blood and she could hear her heart pounding loudly in her ears. She blinked in slow motion and goose bumps stood at attention on her tanned arms as the figures of her aunt and girlfriend became blurry behind the tears standing in her eyes. Before she knew it, the elevator dinged. The sound echoing in her mind as the doors slowly opened and a sign reading Neurology – Sixth Floor glared at her, shattering any illusion the brunette might have been holding on to as to the real reason for their visit.

Tina and Karen stepped out onto the shining, tiled floor of the hallway while Bette remained locked in place. Every sense was heightened. She could hear the gentle beeping of life-saving machines, hushed sound of white rubber shoes on the freshly cleaned linoleum floor, and the heart-wrenching moans of patients fighting for their lives. The scent of unappetizing hospital food and the sterile, antiseptic smell of the building charged into her nostrils. The bronzed beauty tried to move, but her feet seemed to be planted firmly on the floor of the vessel that had carried her up six floors.

Tina turned around and looked into the tear-filled, dark-brown eyes of her soul-mate and knew that her touch was needed. As Karen looked on, the sun-kissed blonde walked to Bettes side and cautiously slid her arm around her lovers shoulders before guiding the broken young woman out of the elevator. A head of dark curls was bent down at the floor and Tina felt her own heart breaking at her girlfriends pain.

She looked up at Karen and quietly said, Is there a restroom around here? I think Bette needs a minute to get herself together.

Karen nodded sympathetically and pulled a few strands of her long, strawberry blonde locks behind her ear as she pointed down the hall toward the restroom. Yeah, there is. Its just down the hall there. When you get out,, Dads in room 628.

Okay. Well be there soon. Come on, Bette. Lets go take a break., said Tina.

Karens sad blue eyes stared intently after her sisters only child and the young woman whose tanned arm rested comfortingly across her nieces shoulder as the two made their way down the hall. She noticed the gentleness between the two roommates and how Bette leaned against the blonde woman at her side for support. She recognized the intimacy between the two young lovers and her lips curved into a small smile as her nieces sudden memory loss concerning her boyfriend suddenly made sense. Karen watched the two until they disappeared into the restroom and then made her way down to her fathers room.

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Tina guided her girlfriend into the single-use bathroom and let the love of her life come undone in her arms. Bette sobbed into her lovers shoulder, Tinas arms wrapped around her slender frame.

I cant do this, T., she whispered, between sobs.

Yes you can, babe.

No, T. I cant. Its too much., said Bette, her voice wilted and heavy with emotions.

Tina gently stroked her girlfriends dark locks as she whispered, Shhhcalm down.

Bette struggled to get her bearings as tears coursed down her flushed cheeks and her body shook with heartfelt emotion. TI cant do thisits just too much., she whispered, before her throat closed due to the pressure of her tears.

Bette, you have to do this. If you dont say good-bye to your grandfather youll regret it for the rest of your life. You have to do this, babe. Ill be right by your side. Ill hold your hand if you want me to. Whatever you need me to do, you just ask. Ill do anything for you, Bette.

The dark-haired beauty continued to cry as she pulled back and looked into a pair of amber eyes that were bursting with love and comfort. T.thats just it. I need you with me. I need you to hold me and tell me its going to be okay. And.you cant do that here. I need you T and I cant have you with my family around.

Now Tina wanted to cry. She struggled to contain the liquid sympathy that threatened to spill over her eyelids. Bette, you can do this. Even though I cant hold you like you want me to, Ill still be there.

Bette shook her head slowly and wiped at her tears. Its not the same. Its not the same, T. I hate this. Is this how its gonna be? Hiding out all the time? Walking around on egg shells around everybody. My life is falling apart and I need you, T. I need my partner in all this and we have to pretend like were just friends.

Tina stared into her lovers dark brown eyes, the word partner resounding loudly in her mind. The usage of the term seemed to bring with it a promise of longevity, a life shared together, children, a home, a family. Feelings of love surged through the blondes heart and she didnt want to interpret Bettes referring to her as her partner as anything more than it was intended to be. She couldnt stop the question that spilled gently over her soft pink lips. Your partner?, she asked.

Bette realized what shed said and let her conscious thoughts submit to her subconscious longing. She smiled weakly and gazed intently into her lovers curious amber pools. Yeah, T. You are my partner. I feel almost like the word girlfriend isnt enough to convey what you really are to me. I know were young, T. I know that were probably too young for me to even think what Im thinking, but I know what I feel.

I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want us to live together, to raise children together, to grow old together. I know that I want you to be my wife someday. I know that you mean the world to me. That you really are the half of me Ive been searching for my whole life. You are.youre my family, Tina. And I dont know how I would make it through this without you by my side. I just wish that I could walk into the room with your hand in mine and feel your arms around my waist as I say goodbye to my grandfather. I wish you could hold me and wipe away my tears and tell me that you love me.

Wanting to at least partially meet her lovers needs, Tina slid arms around her girlfriends waist and pulled her close. I love you, Bette. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You are my partner and Im not going anywhere. Well get through this and we have the rest of our lives to be out and open. We are family. You and me. And no matter what happens when we leave this little room, our family is going to be just fine. Even if your mom is sitting there in your grandfathers room or your dad realizes what we really mean to each other. Even when you watch your grandpa leave this earth. Through all of that, we will be okay. You trust me?

Bette swallowed with difficulty and replied. I trust you, T.

Good. You know what?, asked Tina.

What?

I cant believe we are having this conversation in the bathroom., said Tina with a smile.

A grin slid easily across a pair of caramel colored cheeks. Me either, T.

They shared of a moment of silence and mutual adoration before Tina hugged her lover tightly and whispered, So, you think youre ready now?

Bette exhaled and answered, Yeah. I think so. Let me wash my face real quick.

The partners separated and Bette doused her face in cold water, drying her moist skin with a paper towel her girlfriend handed to her. Hey T?, she said.

Yeah, babe?

Bette smiled, Thanks for looking out for me. I needed a minute to collect myself. I just felt like the world was closing in on me. I was freaking out. Thinking about my grandfather and my mom and having to pretend like were just roommates.it all started closing in on me. I couldnt even move off that elevator.

Tina just grinned and shook her head. You dont need to thank me, babe. Youd do the same for me

In a heartbeat, T. Quicker than you could bat an eye., said Bette.

The grieving caramel beauty pulled the love of her life into her arms and held on tightly before kissing her girlfriends soft lips, conveying her love in this simple display of affection. Bettes eyes watered and her lips trembled as she whispered, I guess its show time, huh?

Yeah, I guess so. I love you, Bette., said Tina.

I love you, too, Bette replied.

Were family babe. Well get through this just fine., said Tina.

Bette nodded, exhaling deeply as she did so. Walking side by side, they made their way to room 628 and as this chapter of her life came to a close, Bette prayed that her partner was right and that they would make it through this tempest of life with their relationship intact and enough strength to weather the next storm.

TBC (To Be Continued)