“You don’t have to yell Chrissy. This will just take some time to deal with. We will love you no matter what,” her father said.

Her mother lifted her head off the table and scowled. “No we won’t! Get out! I want you and your so called lover out of my house!”

“Ma, it’s Christmas Eve, you can’t kick them out,” Chris said in their defense.

“Like ***** I can!” She went over to her daughter and literally picked her up out of her seat. She pushed her aside and went to do the same to Bette.

“Don’t put your hands on me! Or Tina for that matter!” Bette snapped.

Mrs. Kennard looked shocked that this woman who was a guest in her home would talk to her that way. “This is the woman you claim to love? A woman who has no respect for others?” She said to Tina.

“She has respect for me; too bad I can’t say the same for you!”

“Pack your bags and get out!” she screamed again.

Tina grabbed a hold of Bette’s hand and rushed up the stairs to her bedroom. As Tina was shoving her clothes back in her bag all she could so was curse. “That ***** *****! I hate her! ***** nerve of her to treat you like that. Godamn piece of *****! That’s all she is, a piece of *****!”

Bette put her hands on Tina’s shoulders. “Calm down. She’s still your mother and she loves you.”

“Oh what do you know, you’re mother was never around.” Tina regretted saying that once it left her mouth. She saw the tears well up in Bette’s eyes and she felt even worse. “Oh my God Bette I didn’t mean that. I’m so sorry; I just got so caught up. Please forgive me.”

“It’s fine. Can we leave now?”

Tina knew Bette wasn’t okay, but they had to get out of the house right away. “Yeah, let’s go.” They went back downstairs and all conversation stopped with just their presence.

“Don’t stop talking. Just because we’re lesbians doesn’t mean we’re deaf or know where we’re not welcomed. We’re leaving now and I’m never coming back. So here’s how you can remember me.” Tina pulled Bette in for a kiss and let it last longer than it should have. Gasps were heard and that satisfied Tina. She slammed the door behind her and they started to walk down the street.

After walking quickly in silence for 10 minutes, Bette stopped, but Tina kept on walking. “T, where are you going?”

“I don’t know and I don’t care, as long as it’s far away from them!”

“We need to find a place to stay the night.”

Tina stopped and sat down. She pulled her legs into her chest and sobbed. Bette went over to her and wrapped her arms around her. “Everything is going to be ok T. They’ll come around. At least we have each other.”

Tina wiped away her tears and said, “Will really we have each other forever?”

“Forever and for always T. Just you and me.”

“You really mean that?” Tina muffled.

“Yes. You’re the only one for me. I love you”

Tina leaned in to kiss Bette. It was amazing how hearing those words completely changed her outlook on things. They got up and continued walking. All the hotels and inns they came across were booked. Feeling like they had no other options, they went to the local movie theatre, which Tina claimed never closed even on holidays.

They bought tickets for Titanic. After watching the 3 hour and 14 minute movie for the first time, they decided they might as well just stay in the theatre all night since no one would come in to check. Eventually they fell asleep and woke up at 8 that morning, just in time to see Rose tell Jack ‘she’ll never let go,’ but of course she does.

They left the theatre and got a cab to the airport. Spending Christmas day on a plane wasn’t the original plan, but seeing how it was the first one they’d spend together, it was more important than they will ever know.

TBC