“Which one have you got there?” Bette asked, referring to the letter Tina held in her left hand while she gripped the sofa with her right. She held her breath praying that Tina will follow her lead.

Tina looked down at the letter in her hand and sighed, as though trying to interpret its text.

“You sent it when you were away on that first trip after we started dating.” She replied

“Rome” Bette smiled faintly as she remembered “I was so scared that, while I was away, you’d come to the realization that you’d made this huge mistake leaving Eric to be with me. I was so sure that I’d come back only to have you dump my *****.” The smile was short lived as the irony struck her.

“In a million years I couldn’t have done that to you. I counted the hours down until your plane landed at LAX. I refused to let you out of my sight for three days after you got back. We’d only been dating for a month before you left but I was so wrapped up in you. Did you have any idea how in love with you I was then?” Tina kept her eyes firmly on the letter, too afraid to look up after making such a grand admission.

“Do you have any idea how in love with you I am right now?” Bette responded, willing Tina to look at her. While it was nothing but the absolute truth Bette regretted her words, fearing that they would push Tina too far.

Tina said nothing, she was busy fighting back the tears. She took a deep breath before looking up at Bette.

“How did we end up here?” The question was as much rhetorical as it was directed at Bette. Tina stopped fighting and let her tears fall uncensored. “I mean how did we start out in a place that was so perfect and end up in this living *****?”

Bette closed the gap between them and stood at Tina’s side. She offered her hand. After a brief hesitation Tina took it, allowing Bette to guide her off the couch and into her arms. Tina allowed herself to succumb to her grief knowing that in Bette’s embrace she was home.

“Baby I am so sorry” Bette’s voice broke, with the weight of emotion. Tina felt Bette’s tears hit her bare shoulder as they held on to one another, each afraid of what would happen when they let go.

TBC