With her hand still gently cradling the back of her lover’s head, Bette’s left thumb loving traced across her girlfriend’s lower lip. Her eyes watered and she felt edgy, yet satiated.

“I missed you so much, T.”

Tina trembled. “I love you so much.” She held Bette’s cheeks in her hands and gently kissed her lover’s lips once more. “Do you know how much you mean to me, Bette?”

Bette smiled in spite of the tears now slipping from her dark brown eyes. “I have some idea. Being here, being home makes everything better. Can we go snuggle?”

Tina chuckled softly, her thumbs wiping away Bette’s tears. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. Let’s get your bag.”

Bette gestured toward the backpack on her back. “This is it, T. I didn’t need much. I’m not going to let you out of my sight for the next few days. All I have is underwear, a t-shirt, a pair of jeans and my toothbrush.”

Tina kissed her again, smiling broadly. “I cannot wait to get you home and in my arms.” And she meant those words with every fiber of her being. She craved the feel of Bette’s skin against her own. The need hit her suddenly and with force. With a gentle tug she pulled on her girlfriend’s hand and they started toward the exit.

“Let’s go, Babe. Alice is waiting for us,” she said.

Suddenly, Bette’s steps felt heavier. Lifting each foot felt like moving through water. Tina turned toward her, confusion in her soft hazel eyes. There was a gentle rumble in Bette’s ears now. It started as a hum, growing in intensity. She dropped Tina’s hand and cradled her ears, her eyes closing against the sound.

Tina watched Bette recoil and her heart began to race. Something was terribly wrong. “Bette, what’s wrong?”

Bette struggled to be heard above the sound in her head. “T! It hurts!” she yelled. A trickle of blood slipped from her right nostril.

Instinct drove Tina’s next steps. She wrapped her arm around her lover’s back, holding her upright. She tried not to panic, wanting to be brave and strong for the both of them.

Dana appeared then, having been sent inside by Alice to find their friends. She’d been tired of circling LAX and too cheap to park. The tennis player raced over to Bette, helping Tina guide her toward the sliding exit doors.

“Tina, what’s wrong with Bette?” she asked.

Tina’s eyes were wide and dancing with fear, they relayed her uncertainty.

Bette whimpered, the hum growing louder in her ears. There was a blinding whiteness around her now, She could see it peeking in beneath her closed eyelids. Blood dripped from both nostrils. Her belly hurt and she bent at the waist, struggling to remain upright as she leaned against Tina and Dana.

“Tina! Make it stop!” she yelled. “It hurts so bad, T!”

There was pain in Tina’s gaze, her grip tightening around Bette.

“We’re almost there guys. Bette, hold on just a little longer. Alice is right outside. We’ll get you to a hospital,” said Dana.

All Bette could hear was the deafening hum. Her head was throbbing in pain, feeling like it would split open at any minute. Cramps rippled through her abdomen and her eyes were clamped down tightly, her hands still on her ears trying desperately to blunt the sound.

They finally made it to the sliding glass doors. As they crossed the threshold, the hum grew louder, the pain in her heard became unbearable, blood poured from her nose and Bette began to collapse, her legs weak and shaky.

“Bette, Baby hold on,” Tina cried. This couldn’t be happening. Bette was finally in her arms and now this. What was happening? Why was Bette in so much pain? Why was her nose bleeding?

The hum hit a fevered pitch, the brightness hiding behind Bette’s eyes reached a brilliant zenith. “Make it stop!” she yelled. And then that was it. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed, falling to the pavement just outside of the sliding glass doors.

The End

This concludes “The Roommates – Pride & Prejudice”. These characters will continue on in a new addition entitled, “The Roommates – Fast Forward to 2019”.