***

As the evening is winding down Bette takes the stage and proposes a toast.

Bette: Alice. Dana. I lift my glass to caring… and kindness and trust… and longevity and respect. To all the things that you’ll need to keep your love alive. I wish you… happiness. And I hope that you forever spare… each other pain.

There’s a long pause of absolute silence. Bette smiles then looks down with tears in her eyes. She musters a last smile and looks back up catching Tina’s eye.

Bette: And if you find that is impossible…then I wish you forgiveness.

Bette sighs and takes a sip of her drink. The audience applauds. Bette sets her drink down and steps off the stage, her face showing her pain. Tina watches her steadily. As she is about to walk past her Tina grabs Bette hand and pulls her into a tight hug. The music starts up again. They gaze at each other readjust their hold and start swaying to the slow tune of Rufus and Chaka Khan singing ”Don’t Go To Strangers”.

Build your dreams To the stars above But when you need someone true to love Don’t go to strangers Darling, come home to me

Play with fire till your fingers burn But when there’s no place for you to turn Don’t go to strangers Darling, come home to me

For when you hear a call to follow your heart You’ll follow your heart I know I’ve been through it all and I’m an old pro And I’ll understand if you go

So make your mark for your friends to see But when you need a little more than company Don’t go to strangers Darling, come home to me

So… make your mark for your friends to see But when you need more than company Don’t go to strangers Darling, come home to me

As they finished the dance Tina pulled back and wiped the tears from Bette’s cheeks. She felt the baby kick again. Her little angel had been pretty active all evening making her presence known to her mother. Finally Tina had had enough. She was exhausted. She asked Bette to take her ‘home’.

***

Earlier in the evening Tina had sat alone in a quiet corner contemplating what she would do when Kit found her. The older woman was always a source of comfort to Tina even through the rough times with Bette. They’d talked for a long time and the conversation helped Tina to make some decisions.

She’d inseminated herself for her and Bette to have their dream. This was every bit Bette’s baby as it was hers. They’d conceived of the baby together and had searched for a donor together. If they were husband and wife this would be Bette’s baby. Tina couldn’t deny the other mother’s rightful place in the baby’s life nor did she want to. It didn’t mean they were getting back together but it also didn’t need to be complicated. They didn’t need lawyers or to make up documents. They would work it out on their own. This was their happiness and they would just focus on being good parents. As she’d told Kit it’ll be like a new kind of partnership for them.

The End.