“Tina, breathe. Breathe, baby.”

What? What was she talking about? I was breathing.

“Cmon, Tee. Take a deep breath for me.”

It was then that I realized that I wasnt breathing. I was hyperventilating. I was panicking.

“I cant… I cant…”

“Dont talk. Just concentrate on breathing.”

“Is she going to be all right?” the flight attendant asked.

“Can you give me a scotch and a paper bag, if you have one?”

“Sure.”

Her hand was rubbing my back and I wanted her to stop.

“Dont…dont…”

“Baby, dont talk.”

“Dont (grasp for air) touch me.”

I shrugged her hand away off of me and tried to ball up in the compact airplane seat. I wanted to be on the ground. The safe, solid ground.

“Here you go.”

“Tina, baby, drink this.”

She held out the plastic cup with brown liquid. I stared at it.

“Please. Itll help… promise.”

I grabbed the cup and swallowed the liquid in one big gulp. It burned the ***** out of my throat as it went down. I instantly began to cough. I took a deep breath trying to cool off the fire.

“Thats it. Breathe.”

Her hand returned to my back rubbing in a circular motion. I didnt shrug it off. It was calming. I relaxed in her arms and soon fell asleep.

*****

She wanted to carry me over the threshold of the hotel room. I protested as much as I could without laughing. It didnt work. After the bellboy left, Im sure he wondered why we stood outside the room instead of following him in, Bette swept me up in her arms easily. As she stepped through the doorway, I planted a leg swaying kiss.

“Are you trying to make me drop you?” she laughed.

“Maybe,” I smiled.

She set me down wrapping her arms around my waist. With my back to her chest, we stood still looking out at the ocean view. Prior to leaving, the bellboy had opened the french doors to reveal the breathtaking scene. A cool breeze blew directly at us making goosebumps rise on my skin.

“Cold, baby?”

“No,” I yawned.

“But tired,” she filled in for me.

“A little.”

“Do you feel up to taking a shower?”