[Bettes pacing back and forth around the house. Come on Tina, its been over an hour, where are you at? The foods going to get cold. Bette notices lights pulling into the driveway. Trying to seem calm, Bette goes out by the pool and starts to set everything up. Bette stops dead in her tracks when she hears the doorbell. What the f*ck, why is Tina ringing the doorbell?]

Bette: (Answering the door)Why are you ringing the bell?

Tina: (Handing Bette flowers that were hidden behind her back)This is a date isnt it?

Bette: (Smiling at Tinas gesture)Yes! Im sorry I was just starting to get worried.

Tina: Thats ok. I had to stop and get you some flowers. I couldnt show up empty handed.

Bette: (Chuckling)I thought you were into practical gift giving? Im usually the one buying the flowers.

Tina: I felt I should surprise you.

Bette: (Pulling Tina into the house)Surprise me! Why?

Tina: (Shyly looking down)For running out on you this morning. But Im not going anywhere tonight!

Bette: Oh really! So its safe to say Ill wake up to your beautiful face in the morning?

Tina: Oh yeah, and all day tomorrow if you let me. I want to spend the rest of this weekend with youin your arms.

Bette: (Pulling Tina into a warm, passionate kiss)I could think of nothing better.

(Pause)

Tina: Sowhats for dinner?

Bette: Its such a beautiful night that I thought we could eat out by the pool.

Tina: (Toying with Bette)Sounds romantic! Are you trying to charm me Bette Porter?

Bette: (Flustered like she had just been caught doing something she shouldnt be)No, not at all. I just wanted to spend some quiet time with you. I thought maybe we could talk.

Tina: (Leaning in to kiss Bette on the cheek)Sure babe! Whatever you want.

Bette: (Leading Tina outside)Lets eat before it gets cold.

[Bette went all out tonight in setting a romantic ambiance. The table was lit by candle light, soft music was playing in the background and a bottle of wine was on the table. The table was set so extravagantly that you would have sworn you were at a five star restaurant. There were rose pedals sprinkled on and around the table and even in the pool.]

Tina: (Overwhelmed by Bettes work)Oh Bette, everything looks so beautiful!

Bette: I promised you a date, but didnt want to share you tonight so I decided to bring the date atmosphere here to our home.

Tina: (Giving Bette a hug)I still think youre trying to charm me!

Bette: Really, my intentions are to shower you with love and attention, nothing else.

Tina: (Rubbing Bettes arm)Bette, just relax, Im only joking. Everything is beautifulyou are beautifulI love you so much. Now lets eat Im starving!

[The two ate their dinner in a relatively quiet setting.]

Tina: (Rubbing her stomach)Dinner was delicious babe.

Bette: Im glad you enjoyed it.

Tina: I still cant believe you put flowers in the pool.

Bette: I thought maybe later we could take a swim.

Tina: I wish you would have told me, I would have brought my suit.

Bette: (Shyly)You dont need a suit.

Tina: (shocked)Bette! Are you being frisky?

Bette: No, I meant you could swim in some shorts and a t-shirt.

Tina: Well now thats not very romantic.

Bette: MAYBE we can come to some kind of compromise.

Tina: (Trying to be sly)Maybe we CAN come to an agreement.

Bette: (Being serious)Before we get all wet and lovey, I want to talk to you.

Tina: Ok, what do you want to talk about?

Bette: Im not sure how to bring this up or really how to start this.

Tina: (Grabbing Bettes hand)Just take your time babe, Im here all night.

[Bette sat there a few seconds trying to form the words to express her fears to Tina. Then Bette got up and walked around the pool trying to hide her tears. At one point, Tina noticed Bette grabbing at her neck for her necklace. This simple gesture brought tears to Tinas eyes.]

Tina: (Getting up and walking over to Bette and placing her hands on Bettes shoulders)Babe, please talk to me. I dont know whats bothering you but I know we can handle it.

Bette: (Turning to Tina with tears in her eyes)II took offI took off my necklace today and gave it to Kit.

Tina: (Knowing exactly what she was talking about, but pretending she doesnt)What necklace babe?

Bette: (Looking down)The necklace with our rings on it.

Tina: (Trying to supportive)Bette, its ok. Talk to me.

Bette: (Walking over to the pool and sitting down to put her feet in the water)I never should have given Kit those rings. I have to get them back.

Tina: (Now sitting next to Bette by the pool)Why did you give them to Kit in the first place? (Oh *****! Way to go Kennard, make her think you want her to still be wearing them.)

Bette: During our lunch today we started talking. She said it was time to let go of the past and focus on the future.

Tina: (Placing her hand on Bettes)I agree Bette.

Bette: She also said in order to let go of the past I needed to let go of the rings. (Pause) She thought maybe you resented or rather were reminded of our past because of those rings. Tina, Im not sure if I would have made it those 4 months without them. It was all I had left of youof us.

Tina: Bette, maybe Kit was right about some of it, but not necessarily all of it.

Bette: What do you mean?

Tina: It touched my heart that night on the pier when I saw you had our rings around your neck. It touched me even more when you told me why you wore them, So we would always be near your heart. It gave me hope to know that you didnt lose hope. That simple gesture proved to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that you still loved me. (Pause) But Bette, Im here now. Im all yours! Im never leaving you or us again. I tried to live without you, I tried to move on, but I couldnt. I tried to hate you but the more I tried the harder it became. Once I got over being hurt and humiliated, my love for you outshined everything else. I tried to ignore it because I was afraid but the hole in my heart kept growing without you not because of you. Bette, you are my life, my love, and no amount of flowers, apologies, I love yous, or rings will ever change that. You dont need those rings to have me. Bette, just open your eyes to what your heart is saying and youll find me. Those rings are the past babe, our past, but we dont have to hold on to the past in order to have our future, we just have to remember it.

Bette: (Softly crying)Youre right Tina. I love you so much, Ive just been afraid youd leave and Id lose you again.

Tina: Babe, Im not leaving, not this time. Bette Porter, get used to it, Im sticking around. Those first 7 years were a trial run, from here on out its the real deal. Can you handle that?

Bette: Id love nothing more!

Tina: (Mischievously)SOOO, how about that swim?

[Tina leans over and pushes Bette in the water. Afterward she is laughing her ***** off at how easy it was to catch Bette so off guard.]

Bette: (Laughing)Tina Kennard! I cant believe you did that!

Tina: You looked like you needed cooled off after such an intense talk.

Bette: I think you could use some cooling off!

Tina: No way Bette! Youre not pulling me in.

Bette: (Slyly)Well, if you wont come to the water I guess the water will have to come to you!

[Bette began splashing Tina and Tina was so thrown by Bettes playfulness that she didnt react fast enough. Since she was soaking wet, Tina decided to join Bette in the pool.]

Bette: (Moving toward Tina in the pool)I thought youd never join me.

Tina: Funny, I dont think I had a choice!

Bette: (Laughing)No, I guess you didnt but neither did I.

[With that said Bette grabbed Tina and dunked her under the water.]

Tina: (Shocked at Bettes actions)Bette, where did that come from?

Bette: I dont know, I guess the old saying is true, Paybacks are *****!

Tina: (Moving towards Bette)They sure are.

[Tina tried to grab Bette to dunk, but they just danced around the pool until Bette pulls Tina into a deep and passionate kiss.]

Tina: (Breaking off the kiss)What was that for?

Bette: I just needed to do that. Im sorry

[Tina didnt let Bette finish her sentence before planting a kiss on her. That was the first real assertion Bette had made towards Tina and Tina couldnt pass it up.]

Tina: I love you so much Bette, I cant wait anymore. I need youI want you.

Bette: I want you so much Tina.

[Tina pulled Bette closer, goose bumps appeared on her arms as a chill ran down her body. Oh God, this is it! Finally, Bettes going to allow this to happen. Bette whispers into Tinas ear, I need you TinaI want to feel youto taste you. You have no idea how much I ached for you. Bette slowly started kissing down Tinas neck while pulling at Tinas soaked, clingy shirt. Finally able to remove the shirt, Bette started kissing down Tinas neck onto her collarbone. Bette slowly undoes Tinas bra exposing her erect nipples.]

Tina: (With her eyes starting to roll back in her head)Oh yes Bette! Please take me. I want you so badIm throbbing and aching for your touch.

[Bette takes Tinas left nipple into her hand caressing then kissingsuckingbiting. With her free hand, Bette slowly yet strategically moves down Tinas stomach. Breathing has become erratic and difficult for both. Bettes fingertips move past Tinas waistband, now down past the tip of Tinas panties.

Tina: (Rather breathy)Oh God Bette!

Bette: (Breathing very heavily)Oh T!

[Bette moves back and forth from Tinas left breast to her right breast while Tina braces herself along the side of the pool. She has a death grip along the edges as Bette moves further down her body. Tina feels Bette touching her slightly above the hair line. Just as Bette starts to cup Tinas *****, Tina literally jumps from the arousal and excitement.]

Bette: (Looking into Tinas eyes)I want to make love to you.

Tina: (Tears start to form in Tinas eyes. This is want Ive been wantingwaiting for.)I want that so much Bette, but I cantnot this way.

Bette: (Mortified and putting a little distance between herself and Tina)What! I thought you wanted this? You kept approaching me but I was scaredscared of losing you. But after tonight, after what you said, I dont have to be scared anymore.

Tina: (Softly sobbing)Im sorry Bette. I do want you! But you were right, it has to be right. I dont want our first time, our new first time to be based on a heated moment. I want everything to be right, permanent and forever. Im sorry I just cant.

Bette: (Pulling Tina into a hug)Hey, hey, its ok. I understand. (Pulling Tina back to look into her eyes)We both want the same thing. We just need to figure out how to make that happen.

Tina: Bette, I have wanted this for awhile. I didnt want to push you because you didnt seem ready. I know you said you would take your time and give me all the time in the world. I thank you for that. Babe, I need you in my life, all of you for all of me. I dont want to rush things because I dont want us to fall back into our old patterns, but we cant keep hitting this same wall. We need to take a step forward, progress our situation into a foreseeable timeline.

Bette: T., why dont you move back home, for good? If youre not completely comfortable sharing a bed full time we can work something out. I justI just need you here.

Tina: A timeline is good. (Pause) Bette, give me two weeks and Ill have your answer. I need two weeks to get everything tied up and secured and then we can have this talk again.

Bette: (Softly)Ok Tina, two weeks. I canwe can make it two weeks.

[They embraced for a long hug. I pray the Manolis can have it done in two weeks. They originally said 7-8 days, I hope they were right.]

Bette: Lets get out of the pool, dry off, change into something warm and comfy and curl up to watch a movie.

Tina: That sounds great.

[Before the movie ended, both women were asleep on the couch, Tina in Bettes arms. They stayed this way the entire night because they were woke up by Tinas cell phone ringing.]

Tina: (Jumping to answer the phone)Hello.

Kit: Hey Tina, mission accomplished! Manolis said your design would be ready for pick up in 6 days.

[Tina decided to go outside by the pool while Bette was in the bathroom.]

Tina: (Excited)Thats great news. You didnt peek did you?

Kit: (Caught in the act)Ok, ok, I tried to convince them to tell me what the Kennard/Porter design entailed, but they just smiled and said, Ms. Kennard said no one but herself was to see the design. She specifically mentioned not to say anything to Kit Porter or Alice Pieszecki.

Tina: (Laughing)Your impersonation is pretty good!

Kit: Very funny Tina. I cant believe you told them that. How did they know I would even ask to see it?

Tina: I called them yesterday after I left your place just to warn them.

Kit: So, how did it go last night?

Tina: Im still here!

Kit: Never mind!

Tina: Lets just say 6 days is great news!

Kit: (Laughing)Ill let you go then, call me if you need anything else.

Tina: Ok, bye Kit.

Bette: (Standing in the doorway as Tina turned around)Why is Kit calling you so early?