“Yeah.  We actually loved it.  Why did you never let us see it before?”

Tina raised her eyebrows.

“Well, other than the obvious reason.  But it was a good tape.  Zoe and I wanted to ask you and mama if we could use it at your anniversary party.”

Tina shook her head.  “No way.”

“Mom come on!  Please?  I swear to edit out all the embarrassing parts.  Mama would love it.”

Tina shook her head again.  “No, Dakota.  That’s a very personal tape.”

“It may be personal but it’s beautiful.  Besides, when you think about it, it’s not all that personal.”

Tina sighed.  “Ok.”

“Don’t tell mama.  It’s a surprise!  Thanks, mom.”

Tina rolled her eyes while Dakota lunged at her with a hug.

“Are you going to finish your story?”

“Is it too late?”  Tina looked at her watch.  It was after ten.”

“No.  Just a little longer.”

Tina smiled.  She liked spending time alone with her oldest daughter.  Times like this were so rare anymore.  Most of the time she felt like Dakota was in a different world and the only person she trusted to enter that world was her mama.  Tina liked this connection.  “So where was I then?”

“Mama left you a message that cut out.”

***

Tina stared at the answering machine as if she could will it to play another message from Bette.  It simply sat there motionless and silent.  Tina couldn’t move, her body frozen in uncertainty.  The phone rang and she jumped.  Instinctively she reached for the phone but then held back.  The machine picked up.

Tina’s heart rate suddenly increased and she felt flushed all over her body. 

“Hi Tina it’s Bette.  I’m sorry.  Your machine cut me off and I wasn’t going to call you back but then I thought better of that idea.  What I really wanted to say -”

“Hi Bette, it’s Tina.  I’m here.”

Bette was surprised enough to hear Tina’s voice that she was struck speechless for a second then she stammered.  Two firsts for her.  “Hi, um, I didn’t know you were home.”

“What did you really want to say?”  Tina interrupted her again.

“What?”

“Before I picked up you said, ‘What I really wanted to say.’  I want to hear the rest of your thought.”  Tina’s boldness surprised herself.

Bette was silent for a few seconds.  Tina could hear her breathing and chills ran up her spine.  She shook the feeling off and concentrated on Bette being on the other end of the line.  She wouldn’t let herself think about the kiss earlier or how she wished she could climb through the phone to do it again.

Bette cleared her throat.  “What I really wanted to say was… was I’d give anything to get to know you better.  I can’t get you out of my mind.  My skin is crawling with you.  You’re all over me and through me.  I can’t think, eat or sleep without you invading me.  I promised myself I wouldn’t be honest with you but right now I don’t care if I scare you away.  When I heard your voice again, I came undone.”

Tina was frozen again.  She wanted to cry and laugh at the same time.  She gripped the chair in front of her tightly for fear of falling over.  “Was that it?”

Bette let out a small, frustrated laugh.  “Yes, that was it.  I’d apologize but I’m not sorry.  I’ll let you go now.”

“No wait.”

Silence.

“Yes?”  Bette finally asked after more quiet on the line.

“It’s just… thank you.”  Tina took a deep breath.  “And I’d like to see you again.  Is that possible?”

“Very possible.”  Tina thought she could almost hear Bette smiling on the phone.  “You know where to find me.”

***

Tina leaned back on the couch and stopped talking.

“Then what?”

“I hung up the phone and went straight to her gallery to see her.”

Dakota smiled.  “So romantic, mom!”

“There’s hope for even you.”  Tina teased.

“Not if I don’t get out of here soon.”

Dakota stood up and stretched. 

“Tell Julianne I said hello.”

“Thanks for everything, mom.  Maybe we can talk again sometime.”

“I’m counting on it.”   Tina winked and closed the door behind her daughter.  She sighed and headed to the bedroom after turning off the lights.  She crawled into bed quietly to not wake Bette.

“How’d it go?”  Bette mumbled sleepily.

“Good.”

“I told you.”

Tina kissed Bette on the cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”