Fan Fiction
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What is love? – Chapter 22
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Tina seemed engrossed in the book she was reading.
“What am I supposed to notice?” Bette asked.
Tina slammed the book shut and it cracked like a rifle shot. But she continued sitting in the chair, not meeting Bette’s eyes.
“You certainly noticed when you could make fun of me.” Tina said with clenched jaw.
Bette’s head was spinning, and then it occurred to her. She walked into the bedroom to confirm her suspicion and sure enough—there was a new bedspread. It was the beautiful cream color that Bette loved and was exactly like her old spread, but fit the king-sized bed. It had replaced the double-sized spread that had been perched ridiculously atop their new king-sized bed for the past few weeks.
Bette wanted to start laughing -it was all so silly – but she restrained herself because Tina was upset. When you laugh at someone who is mad, Bette knew, it only makes them madder.
Bette went out into their garden to get some flowers. Tina had red and gold mums, her Southern Cal flowers. She got the clippers from Tina’s potting table outside and cut one of each color.
She knelt down in at the side of Tina’s chair in the living room with the flowers behind her back.
“The bedspread is perfectabsolutely perfect. It’s a wonderful surprise. Thank you.”
Bette pulled the flowers from behind her and presented them. Tina swallowed and tears came to her eyes.
“Tina, you’ve hooked up with an insensitive clod. Please forgive me.”
Tina took the flowers but was quiet. Bette got up, found a vase, put water in it and came back to Tina.
“Here, let’s put the flowers in this.”
Tina put the flowers in the vase. “I’ll get some fern to make this really look pretty,” Tina said.
In a few minutes she returned with the fern, trimmed it and put it in the vase. When she looked at Bette, who was back sitting on the couch, she saw a look of absolute tenderness and love. She sat down with Bette and put her head on Bette’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry. It wasn’t worth getting upset about.”
“How was work today?” Bette asked on a hunch.
“Not good,” Tina chuckled ruefully. “Pretty bad, actually.”
They sat on the couch in each other’s arms as Tina told Bette about her day, her bad day.
Tina was realizing that her “mind” might be right in saying she was passive aggressive, a least a little. She needed to be more open with Bette when she was annoyed or scared. She also had to stop sideswiping her with her annoyance. Tina knew she had to understand that Bette’s long suit was not being super perceptive. Bette needed help with that and Tina would be foolish not to understand and allow for it.
Bette reflected that every day she lengthened her definition of love. A few weeks ago she learned not to tease Tina too hard. Then there was the jealousy thing. Then she learned to insist that Tina share things with her. Today it was being patient while the person you love has to work off some anger from outside the household. Of course, Bette also knew she should have noticed the bedspread. ‘Be more observant,’ Bette told herself.
This “being in love” was clearly going to take more than a couple of weeks to understand. It would take longer, but Bette figured she had a lifetime.
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I definitely love this chapter, as usual.
Bette and Tina are in their run-in time. Each relationship has such a period. It’s quite understandable for two strangers to live together and need to share a lot of things with each other suddenly. But it’s relatively easy to overcome because in the early years of a relationship, their love is more passionate. They are more patient, more understanding, and easier to give in to the other’s requirement.
I hope Bette could be always patient and romantic, but I think it’s almost impossible in reality. Sometimes we need this fairy tale to balance the coldness we get from real life, rite? =)
commitment is a complicated thing, i hope that B&T will be able to work on their insecurities and little problems, so it won’t affect them in a long run…thank you
I love your (for lack of another word) tone. I love the way you state your case – so simply, almost matter-of-fact, yet…not. It’s clear, clean. It’s like a lesson sometimes.
And these are lessons in loving and living together. Thanks for giving us a window into their period of adjustment. Your fic brightens my day and I look forward to it.
Class is dismissed. Now what will they be learning tomorrow? But it is all becoming too much like a lesson in every chapter i’m starting to miss that loving feeling and I assume they still have that.
I still think this chapter is cute despite the little fits. I think Tina is cute with her mood swings and girly-girl-ness… and Bette is cute too for being so understanding and even wanting to over look Tina’s cute nonesense of an argument… how cute.
Great chapter. I love it. Please don’t stop.
Great chapter keep them coming!!!
“bette reflected that every daya she lengthened der defination of love. a few weeks ago she learned not to tease tina too hard. then there was the jealousy thing. then she learned to insist that tina share things with her. today it was being patient while the person you love has to work off sme anger from outside the household.” deep. you go girl. loved this chappy. thanks.
so sweet:)..relationships do takes work..thankie!
I love this story so much!! please keep posting!! I’m still wondering when they moved in together?
What is love? Love is this story! You’re a great writer!
The beginnings of new love. I had to smile with this one. It’s not easy all the time.
Love your What is Love 101 Lesson of the day Observe more. Bette has go to remember that that Tina is use to men ,and that men can notice anything out of place. IWomen goes with the flow. Bette will learn if it takes a life time. Im crazy over baseball.I have over 25,000 cards and a lot of ball that is sign, the most famous is N, ryan, thanks for this post.
Yeah Love is good and bad at the sametime, love can give you nice time and hard time to. Hope Tina can control her self and poor Bette have to do anything to make Tina feel good, love the way Bette patient and so romantic. Ok post soon please, thanks!
What a great chapter! It is love…thanks for the post
i love your stories they are funny and sweet
a lifetime… Wow,love the last phrase. :)
As always…excellent. (no wonder I had to give up?!)
im glad Bette is sure about want to be with Tina lifetime and Tina need to control herself no one is perfect and relationship is that..try to accept your partners imperfection and still be in love..great as always thanks..
absolutely perfect. as always. is tina emotionally stable? i don’t think so!!!! she’s flippin out over a bedspread? DAMN!!!!!!!! but at least she sees that she needs to be a bit more relaxed and patient with bette. i’m sure eventually bette would’ve figured out that it was new spread on the bed. but please post soon, i like this tina emotional, vulnerable, gentle tina, its good for bette.
PEACE.
It is good to see B&T growing i their relationship and seeing the early days. But I am concerned about Tina’s taking pills and her need to do it. Great post and please continue.
I love this story and I am always anxious for the next!