The lights were soft, just a couple of candles lighting the room. Tina, already in bed was watching Bette changing. Removing her pants Bette looked at Tina in the small mirror in the closet. Noticing the lazy, lusty look in her eyes draw a smile on Bettes face. So lost was Tina in Bettes image that she didnt notce Bettes stare. Taking a t-shirt from the top drawer Bette turned around facing Tina.

“So you liked the place?” She asked, walking to the window, opening it as the day was very hot.

“Yeah, I loved it, I think it will be awesome Tina said, rising a little, placing another pillow behind her back.

“Yeah I think so too, and the outside, you should hear what Helen has in mind, the yard in front of the building is gonna look incredible, if we find the money is going to be spectacular Bette was talking from the bahroom as she was brushing her teeth.

Tina, smiling was nodding, perfectly imagining Bette with her mouth full of bubbles, talking.

Bette walked back to the room, stopping in the middle to look at Tina who was bending down, trying to get something from the floor.

“What you looking for?” Bette asked, moving closer.

You answered Tina, turning to look at Bette, with her diary in her hand.

Me? Asked Bette, confused, sitting on the bed.

Ive been reading your diary smiled Tina, showing Bette the small book.

Still? Asked Bette, removing the sheets to get in.

Yesterday, I couldnt sleep Tina said.

Why didnt you wake me? Asked Bette, placing her left leg on the sheet while her right one was under it.

Babe, you were so peacefully sleeping.. so I took your diary and read itit was almost as good as having you awake with me Tina whispered, sneaking down, laying, looking up at Bette who was still sitting.

What did you read? Asked Bette, leaning down, removing a lock of hair from Tinas face.

Rome smiled Tina, closing her eyes briefly.

Wow chuckled Bette, closing her eyes too.

Tina, seeing the look on Bettes face, the smile growing on her lips, move closer and caressing Bettes bare leg that was over the sheet, said, whispering,

“Will you read it to me?

Tinas words opened Bette eyes that were closed, moved by her the feeling of Tinas touch on her leg.

“You want me to read the Rome part to you? (seeing Tinas nodding) again? Asked Bette, loving the look on Tinas face how her eyes were closing with anticipation.

Yeah, I love it

Ok smiled Bette, moving closer to Tina so shed place her head on Bettes flat belly.

Let me see Bette said, opening the book.

ok

We are finally here. Tina is sleeping, her back to me, still mad at me probably (Tina chuckled when Bette read that)and I cant say anything because she is right, all I hope is that, as always tomorrow she will be her usual funny, happy self if not am in big trouble we have four days ahead of us in one of the most romantic cities in the world, I just hope we are going to be able to get the best from it

This is not good. I woke up to find Tina already awake. She was in the shower when I opened my eyes, trying to find her in bed. Is not a good sign when Tina wakes up earlier. She loves to sleep, and the only time she sleeps bad is when she is mad at me, not even work can make her sleepless. Only I, must be a curse. She came out of the bathroom already dress, looked at me cocking an eyebrow, as if my being in bed was a capital mistake. She didnt say anything, I was removing the sheets, still awakening, ready to jump out of the bed to follow her wherever she wanted to go, when my cell sounded. Never a good sign. Playing the innocent I looked at her, moving to answer the damn phone. She followed my pace, and rolling her eyes, said, not in the sweetes tone,

Ill be downstairs having breakfast

I nodded, whispering will be there in just a minute but my words never got to her as she was out of the room in a blink.

As promisse I joined her for breakfast in speed time. She was happily talking with a small boy on the line for the orange juice. She didnt see me arriving so I took the time to observe her


Gio whispered Tina, interrupting Bettes reading.


the boy couldnt be more than seven, he was very skinny and had the most beautiful dark eyes. He spoke in Italian but as always with Tina and kids, it doesnt mater that she had no idea what he was saying. He was having a blast, seeing the look on Tinas face as he was telling her something about his amico and cane which later on I found out was talking about a dog her had. Tina,smiling was talking in English, just saying a few words in Italian, making the boy giggle with her accent while loving the attention Tina was giving him. It was his time with the orange juice when he moved apart, letting Tina go first, bowing theatrically offering her his turn. Tina chuckled at the little Casanova, and bowing too, winking at him, I heard how she whispered, showing all her charm, moito gentile which only made him prouder. She poured some juice in her glass and then filled his, making him to smile again. They quietly walked back to their tables, like old friends but then Tina saw me and the happy look vanished from her face. Little Casanova, stopped at his table and seeing Tina walking a bit further to ours, waved, saying bye with the cuttes accent. Tina smiled widely at him before sitting down, looking at me, with a softer look.
The Vatican, nothing better to feel you the weight of history, so beautiful, so impressive. I loved seeing it with Tina, even when we didnt talk that much. We walked the streets, it was cold and then waiting for a street light to turn green (something stupid in Rome as Italians dont know the meaning of traffic rules, streets are in total caos, no one follow the signs, the cars, the bikes, the buses, even the pedestrians, everybody do as please, which at the end has its charm, if you are lucky enough to be alive to think about it. Well, it was then, waiting for the light to turn green when the storm started, and it wasnt just the rain what it started falling down. Tina finally started talking, but with my luck I didnt hear what she said. As I didnt say anything, she thought I had nothing to say, which only made everything even worse. Tina, turning to look at me opened her mouth to say something else but then, noticing my clueless, os as she thought, my I dont care what you think kind of face turned again and without even looking at the traffic, she crossed the street. Cars were passing by and she was almost hit by one, but as she was running away furiously she didnt even noticed. The moment I saw her running away from me I knew it. Something was wrong, something bigger than I thought was going on, something I had no idea what it was, was pushing Tina away from me. As an impulse, without much thinking I run after her. We run the crazy messy streets. Cars, lights, beautiful corners, amazing buildings were vanishing as I was hardly following her steps. Close to Piazza Navona, on a small savy street I finally found her. She was using an old wood big door as a shelter, as the rain was falling hard, making imposible to be outside without drawning. I walked towards her slowly, very slowly, trying to think about an explanation, what to ask, what to say. She didnt see me till I was at her side, soaking. With the saddest look in her eyes she just said,

You shouldnt have come all the way to Italy to break up with me

Her words as an iron arrow shattered my mind, my senses, I had no idea what she was talking about, I was not only clueless but speechless, and once again, timming played against me. Tina, seeing, feeling my silence thought that once again, I had noting to say, so, as always, she was the one to talk first,..

I..I , I dont understand why you came, I never thought you could do something like this..II never imagine we could end this way

She was sobbing, trying not to but her lips were trembling as well as her shoulders. She was wearing a beautiful black coat, the one I love, the one that falls over her body like a glove. She had her hands in the coat pockets and was unable to look at me which only made me want her even more. In my confusion, my fear, under the heavy rain I moved closer and trying not to rise my voice, asked,

“Tee..what are you talking about?”

As if my voice were full of fire she rose her head, looking at me. She was quietly crying, waiting for me to go on.

“Bug, I dont want to brake up with you, is that why you are so mad at me?

Tinas look was showing her confusion but at the same time Id see fear and doubts, and that bit of anger that I know she has but never shows up, thou never is a word with short memory.

Bette, are you playing with me?, why are you here? What do you want from me?, why did you come with me if you had so much work?

Her words, the tone in her voice finally broke the thick walls that were covering my tiny brain, the light appeared in my head while it was raining like ***** outside.

“Youyou you really believe Id want to break up with you?

Tina, looking at me in the eyes, step down, moving closer, letting the rain drops clean the anger from her face, showing all the fear, the pain.

“I ..I heard you on the phone she said in a whispered, looking down.

“What? I asked, hating being so confuse, dying to touch her beautiful face, but afraid to move, feeling her tense body.

“I heard you talking with Alice, telling her about the boring trip ahead of you, how much you hate making up very move, how much you hate visiting, how much you hate wandering around

I had to stop her, coul not stand hearing another world, hating fate for playing with us.

“Bug..Tee..dont you know me by now? You really believe I could say that about you?

I guess Tina saw the pain in my voice, my heart was broken just by thinking that Tina could imagine such thing about me, that she could believe Id do, say such thing referring to her.

“I.. you she started saying but I interrupted her, had to, this time taking her bare cold hands in mines, pulling her closer.

“I was talking about the board, they want me to go to San Francisco for a week at the end of the month, they want me to charm some rich couple so wed borrow their collection

What? She said, her eyes full of tears as if no one before those were ever there. Her lips were trembling again, her soaking hair framing her beautiful face under the rain.

Tee, dont you know that all I want is to be with you? ,.. to touch you? To listen to you? …dont you know by now how much I like walking with you, seeing, discovering new things with you?

I.. I..I thought you didnt want to come here, thatthat you just agree because you always wanted to come to Italy..II hated you because all I wanted was to see Rome with you..

I was nodding, feeling my eyes full of tears, falling down, mixing with the rain drops that were keeping me standing, unable to move, looking at Tina in the eyes, feeling her pain in her hands, in the way she held mines, in the way she leaned her body, how her right hip held her whole body, she was defeat, but happy, her body finally given up all the tension. I saw it in her eyes, all the love I have been missing this past days, since we left LA. Placing my arms around her waist, hugging her, under the heavy rain, before both of us drawn, I said, feeling every word, meaning every feeling I was trying to express with all my self,

I love you, I dont care if we are in Rome, Paris, LA or the supermarket, all I need is to know that you are with me to see the beauty around us. I love Italy because you are here. ..

I wanted to say more, but my body had enough and all I was able to do was kissing her. Kissing her in that savy, very Italian, beautiful small street just a few meters from the Piazza Navona where I fell in love with her again, looking at her, seeing the pain in her eyes, the fear in her shoulders, the hurt love in every word she said to me. I fell in love again having her in my arms, feeling her body hugging mine.


So..is this what you wanted me to read? asked Bette, looking down at Tina who, nodding was cleaning a tear from her cheek.

Yeah She mumbled.

What? Why you crying now? Asked Bette sweetly.

Because I love happy endings, because as painful as it is sometimes, with each new day I see it said Tina, finally looking up at Bette.

What you see? Asked Bette, confused, caressing Tinas soft cheek.

That no matter how much we ***** it up, how much fate plays with us, how much we forget and confuse ourselves, at the end we always find the road back to each other..

Bette, feeling the tears camping in her eyes, unable to say anything, nodding, leaned down, placing slowly her lips on Tinas, kissing her kindly, tenderly. Loving the soft feeling of her lips on hers, her body relaxing on hers