Parking in front of Bettes Alice saw Shane walking to her truck. Pointing at her, she said,

“Look whos here…”

Waving, Bette got Shanes attention.

“Hey!… just heard your message…hows Tina doing?” Shane asked leaning on the mini.

“She is fine… Bette said jumping out of the car, “…we have a daughter…” she added the words caressing her proud heart.

“A daughter?…wow…cool!” Shane said broadly smiling. Seeing Bettes wounded hand, she added,

“What happened to your hand?”

“Wont say…but Tina spent the night…”Alice teased, winking.

Remembering Alice, Shane turned to look at her, noticing her face.

“What happened to your face?” She asked leaning down on the window.

“Eh?…nothing am fine (checking the time) you know what Bette?… I have to go to work…you mind?”

Shaking the head, Bette said,

“Sure…Ill take a cab…thanks Al…” She added waving at Alice from the porch.

“Ill drive you…” Shane said, moving away from Alices mini.

“Ok.. great then…see you later, ok?…and Bette…Thank you…” Alice added smiling, turning the engine on.

Smiling, Bette nodded, opening the front door. Anxious to change, to go back to the hospital, she walked inside.

“Ok…” Nonchalantly nodded Shane following Bette inside.

Walking to her bedroom, seeing the messed bed, Bette smiled, feeling her body lightly trembling by the memories. Noticing Shanes quietness, knowing that she would be thinking, Bette said, as she was opening the closet to get some clothes,

“I told her…”

“Uhmm” Shane mumbled, not sure what Bette meant but waiting for her to continue.

Placing the clothes on the bed, Bette saw the letter on the nightstand. Taking it, she folded it. Staring at the folded paper, she sighed. Looking up, locking her eyes with Shanes, she said,

“I…I came home…and she was here..I…”

“You dont have to tell me Bette..its not of my business…” Shane said shacking her head.

“I know…but I want to…” Bette said sitting on the bed.

Caressing the piece of paper, she added,

“Telling you makes it more real…I…I still dont know how all this happened…”

“Ok” Shane mumbled, sitting at Bettes side.


***

Watching the baby happily sleeping in her arms, Tina sighed. She was glad to be finally alone with her daughter. She wanted to look at her, to try to find the resemblances, to see her, to get to know her. Holding her tight, she noticed her scent, her delicate, featherness hair, her tiny wrinkled hands. Biting her lower lip, amazed, Tina nodded.

Caressing the babys soft cheek she remembered Bette. Thinking about her, finally being able to put some distance, some time between all the feelings, all the things that happened in the last hours, Tina sighed, smiling.
She sighed by the emotion, by the painful pleasure that knowing that Bette wanted her, loved her, produced her.

Holding Lilys little hand, caressing her tiny finger, Tina remembered Bettes letter, which brought her back the love making. Closing her eyes, Tina could see the look on Bettes eyes as she caressed, kissed her bare belly. How her lips trembled by touching her, how delicate Bette kissed her at first, only to let herself go by the sensuality of their two naked bodies. How Bette finally let herself show all the lust, all the desire she felt for her. Watching Bette bit her lower lip, with her eyes closed as she was caressing Tina, as she was discovering not only Tinas pregnancy by her new body, was still, even hours later, not only arousing Tina, but breaking her heart all over again.

Opening the eyes, seeing their baby, Tina lightly nodded. But then, out of nowhere, she remembered Helena and as if on cue, a knock on the door brought her back to the reality of her life.
Opening the door, behind a giant, beautiful flowers bouquet, Helena walked in all her splendour. Smiling, as if nothing happened, she walked towards Tinas bed, leaving the bouquet on the floor.

“Heeello darling…how you feeling?” She asked leaning down, lightly resting her lips on Tinas.

Surprised not just by the visit but by Helenas mood, Tina awkwardly smiled.

“Is beautiful…” Helena whispered checking the baby out.

“Have you thought about a name already?” She asked sitting on the bed at Tinas side.

“Lily…” Tina said, her heart expanding just by hearing the word.

“Lily?…I dont understand…” Helena said looking up at Tina.

Remembering that Helena, as everybody else was expecting a boy, Tina added,

“Its a girl..”

“It is?…thats fantastic! A girl…”She said, standing up with her arms open.

“So, how was it? …how are you feeling?” She added, pacing the room, checking the curtains.

“I am ok…” Tina whispered.

Watching Helena, hearing her talking, seeing her, noticing her amazing beauty, Tina sighed, realizing that as much as she admire all that, as much as she still could feel her knees weakening by desire, looking at Helenas face, all she could think about was, that it wasnt Bettes.

“So?… how long will you be here? When are you going home?” Helena asked, stopping at Tinas side.

“I..I dont know…maybe tomorrow..or the day after…”

“Good…good…I…I have to go to New York tonight but Ill be here on Sunday”

Realizing what Helena was not saying, Tina shook her head, trying to find the strength

“Helena…I…”

“Yes?” Helena said, locking her eyes with Tinas.

“I told you, I…I..we…I mean…Bette and I…”

“I know..I know…Tina is ok…I know..am not jealous…we havent been exclusive…”

“We havent?” asked Tina, not only hurt but surprised.


***

Leaning at the door, hating to be there listening but feeling unable to move, Bette gulped. She could feel Tinas pain, her surprised. She hated seeing Tina hurt, she hated knowing that Helena was able to hurt Tina, in a way just like she did. She hated knowing that Helena had that power over Tina.

***

“Tina…darling…we never said we were exclusive…. I adoooore you, you know that….” Helena said, sensually caressing Tinas bare arm.

Closing her eyes briefly, gulping, Tina said.

“Yeah…I know…but…this is not what I mean…I…I love Bette…”

“Love?… Whos talking about love?” Asked Helena moving her hand away from Tinas arm.

“I…I am…I love Bette…I dont know whats going to happen, but this is her baby..we have a family… I dont know how this is going to work out…But I want to try it…I love her…and… and she loves me…” Tina added, the last words in a whispered, like a precious secret.

“Oh?… this mean you dont want to see me again?”

Shrugging, not sure how to say it, Tina answered,

“We could still be friends…”

“Tina darling…” Helena said, straightening her perfectly tailored slacks “… weve never been friends… we were lovers, we had fun…”

With each word Helena was saying, Tina was seeing how rejected she was feeling, how unsure she was feeling. Feeling bad for her, but at the same time, relief to have said what she just said about Bette, Tina nodded.

“…am sorry…” She added, seeing Helena slowly heading to the door.


***

Hearing Helenas steps close to the door, Bette walked backwards. Gulping, trying to lick her dry lips, she lightly shook the head to clear her mind. Just as she was doing so she heard Shanes voice,

“Here you are!..I couldnt find the room…”

Noticing the pale look on Bettes face, she added,

“You ok?…is Tina there?”

Nodding, trying to compose, Bette incommodiously smiled. Noticing how difficult it was for Bette, with her wounded hand, to hold the flowers bouquet, Shane added,

Let me carry that.


***

Hearing Bettes voice in the hallway, Helena looked at the door for a second before turning again to look at Tina.

“Ok then…I have to go now, Tina…Congratulations again….you have a beautiful baby..”

Nodding unable to move her eyes from Helenas face, Tina sadly smiled.

Knocking on the door, Shane said from the ajar door,

“Hi” the word barely covering the smile on her face.

“Tee?… she added walking inside. Then, noticing Helena, she said, “Hey, Helena…hi”

Hello..”” Helena said, nodding just as Bette was walking inside.

“Bette…” Helena said, nodding.

“Hello Helena…” Bette answered, trying to smile.

“Congratulations, you have a beautiful baby..” Helena said, then, noticing Bettes flower bouquet, she added “..Nice flowers…”

“Thank you…” Bette said walking towards Tinas bed. Noticing the huge flower bouquet on the floor, she sighed, cursing quietly.


Stopping at Tinas side, she smiled, forgetting about Helena for a second just by seeing Tina holding the baby.

“How you doing?” She shyly asked. Then, remembering the flowers, she placed them on the nightstand.

“OK…”Helena said from the door”.. have to go…bye…”she awkwardly said, realizing no one was playing much attention to her.

Looking up from the baby, Tina said,

“Thank you, Helena”

Looking back, noticing something different in Bettes face, she asked,

“You ok?”

Nodding, Bette leaned down to kiss her briefly on the lips.

“Hey guys…not in front of the baby…” Shane teased.

Looking at Shane, Tina said,

“You want to hold her?”

Nodding, unable to tame the smile on her face, Shane said,

“You sure?”

“Of course…” Tina said handing the baby to Shane.

Noticing how handily Shane was holding the baby, Tina added,

“Besides, I need to do something…”

“You need anything?” Bette asked, looking around, trying to help.

“Yeah…come here..” Tina said taking Bettes hand. Sitting her on the bed, removing a lock of her hair from her beautiful tired face, she opened her mouth to talk but then no words came out. Smiling, realizing that there were no words to explain what she wanted to say, seeing the curious and surprised look on Bettes eyes, she pulled her into a hug.
Hugging her, feeling her arms around her waist, sensing her scent, her body around her, Tina sighed, burying her face on Bettes neck. She wanted to feel it real, to know it was true. She wanted to hug her friend. She loved Bette, her lover, her partner. But she also wanted to acknowledge her friend. Being able to talk with Bette, to know Bette, to laugh with her, to be friends with her was an important part of their relationship. She wanted to show Bette how much she cared for her. But she didnt know how, she didnt know what to say. Hugging her, just felt like the perfect way.

“You ok?” Whispered Bette, tenderly caressing Tinas back.

Feeling Tinas arms hugging her, Bette felt, for the first time in the day, complete. Feeling Tinas body hugging her felt like home. Like she could tell her anything, like the old days, like their first time.
Moving a little, Bette looked at Tina. She wanted to ask her but seeing the look in her eyes, she understood. Nodding, with a smile growing on her face, she slowly moved away from Tinas arms.

“So, hows she doing?” She asked turning to look at Shane.

“Oh!…she ate…”Tina said.

“What?” Asked Bette, turning to look at Tina.

“When?” She added, confused.

“Just when you left…am sorry Bette…I tried to delay it but the nurse didnt let me…” Tina explained, noticing the disappointment painted on Bettes face.

“Is ok” Bette nodded, looking again at Shane and the baby.

“How was it?” she whispered, turning to look at Tina.

“It was …ok…strange…I dont know…” Tina said, unable to move her eyes from Bettes.

“Tina, she looks just like you” Shane said, studying the baby.

“You think?” Tina asked

“Yeah…just like you” Shane mumbled getting lost in Lilys cuteness.

Sitting on the bed, laying at Tinas side, Bette rested the head on the pillow.

“I brought you a few things…didnt know what you would need…and the babys bag too…”

Thanks..” Tina said seeing the bags on the floor by the door.

Noticing the look on Tinas face, knowing what she was thinking, Bette added,

Shane helped me…”

Oh..ok..”

Seeing Shane sitting on the chair, how natural and at ease she looked holding the baby, Bette whispered looking at Tina,

I asked Alice..”

“You did?…and?..” asked Tina, noticing the purple lines under Bettes eyes, her tired face. Unable to stop her hand, she caressed them

“We almost had an accident” Bette chuckled, just before closing her eyes moved by Tinas caresses.

Opening them again, she added,

“She was happy…she wont pay for college thou…”

Smiling, with a slow nod, Tina added, tiredness catching up with her,

“Well have to cover that am afraid…”

Feeling her eyes closing, Tina sighed. Noticing Tina drifting away, Bette smiled. Turning, moving closer, resting her arm on Tinas belly, she sighed, closing her eyes for a second.

Looking up from the baby, noticing the quietness, the silence, Shane looked at the bed. Standing up she realized that both, Bette and Tina were asleep. Smiling, she whispered,

“Its you and me now…and I dont even know your name… am Shane by the way…” she said sitting on the chair again.

Playing with Lilys hand, she added,

“You are beautiful you know?…just like your mom…yes…just like both of your moms…”

Sweetly, tenderly, very slowly she leaned down and very carefully, she kissed the babys cheek just before extending her long legs, leaning back on the chair. With a big smile on her face, she rested the head on the wall and closing her eyes, started cradling the baby.