When Bette pulled into the driveway she noticed the house was well lit and the warmth it recently lacked had returned. She had been waiting all day to come home and find Tina there even though they weren’t together. Bette had been feeling very hopefull ever since she went with Tina to the doctors. She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. “Here we go” she said as she got out of her car. Bette walked into the front door and found Tina curled up on the couch sleeping. She smiled and put her things down quietly trying not to wake her. She grabbed a blanket and walked over to the couch and lightly layed it over Tina. This caused her to stir, she streached a little then yawned. “I guess I was tired” she said opening her eyes. Bette stepped back and smiled at her.

Tina: “Oh ***** what time is it.?” she said quickly sitting up.

Bette: “About 6:30.” looking down at her watch.

Tina: “***** im late. I have to go.” she jumped up and began to gather her things. “I have to meet Helena, she was flying in tonight”

Bette: “Oh, ok. Well drive carefully.” she said with a dejected voice.

Tina: “Remind me to get that invitation for you, for tomorrow.” she said as she walked out the door.

Bette took a deep breath and went to change her clothes. She called Alice because she didn’t feel like being alone and she actually felt like talking about everything. Alice had been waiting for the invitation for a long time and gladly agreed to meet up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bette was walking up to Milk right on time, she was always punctual. Alice on the other hand was always early so she was waiting at the door.

Bette: “Hey stranger” she said giving Alice a hug.

Alice: “Hey yourself” she said returning the hug.

Bette: “I figured George would be here too” she said looking around

Alice: “Oh im sure she is already here, this place is like her second home.” she said rolling her eyes.

Bette: “Ah well at least she’s getting comfortable.” she laughed.

Bette and Alice walked thorugh the sea of women and then through the doors. Just as Alice suspected she spotted George with drink in hand getting down on the dance floor. “See, what did I tell you?” she said pointing in her direction. They stopped to observe her dancing with a random girl. “She’s like an out of control teen” Alice said looking back at Bette. “Maybe we should send her to Sally Jesse” Bette replied. They made their way to a table and sat down. They sat for a while chatting and watching George for they’re added enjoyment. George continued to dance then started to make her way towards the bar. She spotted Alice and Bette at a table and made her way over to them.

George: “Word em up.” she said ploping down on the stool across from them.

Bette: “Having fun?”

George: “Indeed I am.” she said raising her glass.

Bette: “Thats good” she laughed. “I’ve gotta use the restroom, be right back” she said getting up from her stool.

Alice: “So im going to get you something to wear for Tina’s thing tomorrow”

George: “Why? I’ve got something to wear.”

Alice: “I’ve seen your closet. You have nothing.”

Bette walked back over and sat down.

Bette: “What are you guys arguing about now?”

Alice: “Miss Georgia here is protesting my fashion sence. She needs my help for tomorrow.”

Bette: “What are you doing tomorrow?”

George: “Tina is getting an award tomorrow” she said trying to fill Bette in, thinking maybe it wasn’t a good idea from the looks she was now reciving from Alice.

Bette saw Alice’s face and then George quicly turned away.

Bette: “It’s ok guys, I know, im going.” she said.

Alice and George almost fell off their chairs. “You are?!” they said in unison.

Bette: “Yes, I am. Tina invited me. You two aren’t very good detectives. I know you guys have been watching us like hawks. FYI, Tina moved back into the house.”

Alice’s jaw dropped and all she could muster were random noises rather than words.

George: “Your shitting me!” she yelled then crouched down as to not bring anymore attention to them.

Bette: “Yes she moved back in but don’t get ahead of yourselves, she had no other place to go besides it’s still her house.”

Alice: “That’s bullshit, she could have stayed with either one of us for as long as she needed.” she quicky looked at George. “I told you she’s been acting different with Helena didn’t I?”

George: “You did, you did indeed. At first I thaught you were just a little insane but now yes, yes I see.”

Bette: “You guys need to lay off the “Harnmless drugs” and get more fresh air. I would love to believe that Tina wanted to be with me again but I just can’t make that assumption yet.”

Alice: “Think what you may but I know whats going on. I have a gift. What are you doing here you should be at home working the Porter magic.”

Bette: “Wouldn’t do any good, she isn’t there. She went to meet Helena.”

As soon as Bette said her name Alice and George both made the same disturbed face.

Alice: I hate her.

George: “I detest her”

Bette: “You guys are sweet, maybe I will go home. Goodnight ladies.”

Alice: “Yeah, bye”

George: “Peace”

Alice and George also decided to call it quits. They were content with themselves and struted out the door.

Alice: “I’ll be at your place around two-ish with your outfit so why don’t you do me a favor and make sure your sober by then. We’ve got work to do”

George rolled her eyes and said “I love when you get that crazy look in your eye” then she jumped on her skateboard and rode off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Bette woke up early the next morning to a quiet house. “I guess she stayed with Helena last night” she sighed as she got up off the couch. She started to walk towards the kitchen and noticed Tina sitting outside by the pool. Bette walked over to the door and out onto the porch.

Bette: “Hey, good morning” she said slightly startling Tina.

Tina: “Oh, hey. I didn’t hear you get up”

Bette: “I didn’t even know you were here. I figured you were with Helena.”

Tina: “I was for a little bit but then I decided to come home. I was tired. I got home around 8:00.”

Bette walked over onto the step and sat down. She looked up letting the warm morning sun touch her face. Recently every time she talked to Tina she started to get butterflys in her stomach.

Bette: “I was out with Alice and your sister. She seems to be adjusting well to L.A.”

Tina: “Yeah, she’s something else. She’s a good kid, im glad she’s here, she’s been a big help.”

Bette: “Yeah.” she said looking up at Tina

Tina: “Yeah” she said making eye contact with Bette.

They stared into each others eyes for what seemed like forever. Bette saw all of the pain she caused Tina. Tina saw all of the months of self loathing on Bette’s face. Tina wasn’t sure if what she was doing was right but she couldn’t stop herself. Bette saw Tina starting to lean in and instinctivly leaned in as well. Their lips were only inches apart when they both stopped and looked at each other. Bette searched Tina’s eyes for forgivness. She wasn’t sure what she saw but she knew the pain was starting to go away.

Bette: “Tina..I” is all she got out before she realized Tina’s lips were against hers. The warmth of her lovers lips instantly started to melt her frozen heart.

Tina slowly pulled away and opened her eyes. Before she could say anything her cell phone started to ring. She didn’t know what to do so she jumped up and ran into the house to answer it. Bette didn’t know what to think of the situation. She got up and made her way into the house. Tina was standing in the kitchen talking on the phone. Bette gestured to Tina that she was going to take a shower.

Tina:(to the person on the phone) “Hey can you hold on a second?” she covered the reciever. “Hey, you ok”

Bette: “Yeah, im just going to take a shower.”

Tina: “Your still coming tonight right?”

Bette: “Yeah of course”

Tina: “Ok, good. The invitation is on your nightstand.” she said then went back to her phone.