TINA

“Hey Tina, how was your trip?”

Tina had just arrived at work and was walking toward her office, when Sandi had caught up with her. Tina smiled at the young woman who had always been so nice to her.

“It was…hopeful. How were things around here?”

Sandi got a mischievous look on her face. “Well…everything is as you left it, although…there seems to be some interest in how the ride home went with you and Elaine Brown after you left the bar last week!” Sandi wiggled her eyebrows at Tina, hoping for some good dirt to pass around to all the hungry gossip mongers.

Tina just laughed and shook her head at Sandi. “Sandi, don’t even go there. Elaine gave me a ride home, end of story.” The last thing Tina want was rumors spreading about her and Elaine Brown. Elaine had been so wonderful to her, she wouldn’t even think of betraying that trust, and she knew from Sandi’s question that Elaine hadn’t said anything either.

“Ok fine. I was just checking. It looks like you got some sun in LA, you have a nice healthy glow…it looks good. Hey, I’ll leave you to your stack of mail. Welcome back!”

“Thanks Sandi.” Tina gave Sandi a smile, waved and walked into her office and closed the door. She immediately sat down at her desk and opened up her e-mail. She couldn’t help it, she just wanted to read the letter Bette had sent her one more time. Tina had been so excited, not only because Bette had e-mailed her first, but because of what she wrote. Tina had been honest with Sandi when she said her trip had been hopeful, and Bette’s e-mail was just one more reason for that.

Ok, where was it…

BPorterCAC@aol.com

There it is….

Hi T,

I had the most incredible time with my friends tonight. We laughed, talked, danced, and just enjoyed each others company. It was such a wonderful reminder to me that I truly have a family that loves me for me. Not for what I do for a living, or how much money I make, for what I look like, or for what mistakes I make or don’t make…but for me. It also reminded me that I am not only capable of, but do love my family without those judgments as well.
I love Dana’s sweet innocence and her faith that everything will be all right. I love Shane’s heart, which is as big as the city of LA, and her incredible wisdom that is shared so softly, that if you aren’t paying attention, you will miss it. I love Marina for her loyalty to us all, and for her strong support of us, whether it is quietly in the background, or standing beside us. I love my sister Kit for all that she is in my life, and for the fact that just by being in my life is proof of her unconditional love for me. I love Alice for being our Mother Hen, our comedy relief, but for also being our inner voice, whether I like what that voice has to say or not.:)

And I love you Tina, for the love you give so freely, for the laughter you share with such ease, for your counsel and your support. I have never met a person who understands the concept behind the saying “to have all, you must give all,” more than you do T, and I will love you for the rest of my life.

Thank you for helping me let go of all the pain and…”stuff”…that we are going through, even if for one night, and helping me to see…to feel…and to enjoy all the love I have in my life.

Oh, and thank you again T for our beautiful, beautiful dance.

Always,

Bette “Just a friend” Porter



Tina couldn’t help the tears that filled her eyes and threatened to overflow. She wanted to answer Bette’s e-mail last night when she got home from the airport, but was so overwhelmed by Bette’s words of love for all their family, she couldn’t get her fingers to work on the keyboard. She looked over at the stack of mail on her desk…looked back at the e-mail, smiled and hit the Reply button.

Hi Friend,

I can’t tell you what a nice surprise it was to come home and have your wonderful e-mail waiting for me.

I too am grateful for the love I receive from our family of friends. Sometimes I feel sad when I think back to my life as a straight woman, because even though I had close friends, I don’t think I ever put them in the same category as my family. I notice that a lot of times straight people tend to separate out blood family from friends, and even though they obviously have very close friends whom they love dearly, there is a separateness there. It is not the same as the sense of family I feel in the ***** community. I can’t imagine differentiating between Alice and my sister Kathy. To me they are both sisters, both my family. What an incredible gift that is.

You Bette, are also my family…no matter what happens…whether we live together, or live far apart. You will always be part of my family, and I will love you for the rest of my life.

I want to thank you for the love you shared with me this last week. I know it was painful for us both, and I am sure there is still more pain ahead of us, but I want you to know how grateful I am to have you back in my life. For the last six months, I thought that you were lost to me forever, but now, because of your efforts, I have you back, my beautiful friend. I wanted to thank you as well for having David paint that beautiful painting. Even though it was overwhelming for me, I want you to know that I appreciate the incredible effort you both put into that, just for me. Thank you Bette.

Oh, and thank you Baby, for our beautiful, beautiful dance.

Love,

Tina


~ ~ ~

BETTE

“Hey Bette, good morning. Here’s your coffee and messages.”

Bette smiled. “Thanks James. Anything I need to know about…any fires to put out this morning?”

“Nope. Franklin’s out of town today, so it should be easy sailing.”

Bette raised her free arm in the air. “Woo hoo!! Happy days are here again.” They both laughed at that, as Bette sat down at her desk. She immediately opened her e-mail to see if Tina had answered her yet. Her eyes lit up when she saw Tina’s address in her inbox. She quickly opened the mail.

Hi Friend…




As Bette sat and read Tina’s response, her heart filled with such love, and for the first time in a long time, she knew deep down, that somehow through it all, love would prevail.