“Thank God!” Tina called out.

“Something wrong,Tee?” Bette asked looking a bit puzzled.

“No I’m okay,” Tina replied, as she bit her bottom lip. “I’m just ready to get off this airplane.”

A couple minutes later the airplane was taxing down the runway, towards the JFK terminal. As they walked off the plane, walking soon became near running. Tina was to moving rather quickly.

“What’s the rush, Tee? Bette could hardly keep up. “Slow down, will ya.  Where’s the fire?”

Tina grabbed Bette’s hand and said, “B, I’ve got to go.”

“Go where?” Bette asked.

“The bathroom, for God sake!” she said urgently.

“Okay, calm down.  We’ll get you there.”

“Calm down, my a~~!”  She glared at Bette and through clenched teeth muttered, “If these people don’t hurry”  Tina looked like a mad woman running through the terminal.  It was crucial that she make it. And that became apparent when she said two words to Bette, “Prairie Dog!”

Bette started laughing. And by the time they reach the ladies room she was laughing so hard she could barely stand.

“I’ll wait here,” she was saying, as she grabbed her stomach. Bette was trying to control her laughter. She hadn’t laughed this hard in a long time. It felt good.  Several minutes later, Tina strolled out of the ladies room as though nothing had happened.

“Sorry about that.” She couldn’t look directly at Bette.

“Not a problem,” Bette smiled and snickered. They both started laughing.

“Tee, that was the funniest thing I ever seen!”  Bette burst out laughing again. “I can’t wait to tell this one!”

 “Don’t you dare, Bette Porter!”  Tina pleaded. 

 “I’m gonna!” she teased. “You know I will!”

 “Yeah, you will,” Tina agreed.

 Bette felt more at ease as she and Tina just sat a few minutes gathering themselves. It was moments like these she missed. The familiar sounds of Tina’s laughter, the way her eyes would crinkle up just a bit when she smiled. The idiosyncrasies that was a part of them. Bette knew Tina was the only one who ever really got to know all of her. The only person she ever allowed inside. Out of all the people in the world, eight years ago Tina unexpectedly walked into her life. She knew from the first sight of her, that this woman would somehow change her life forever. And she did. To this day though, there was one thing Tina did not know.  She did not know that every time she walked into a room, that when ever she was in Bette’s presence, she left her feeling breathless. No one ever made her feel that way. She thought about the affair, trying to remember how Candice Jewell made her feel. What it was about her that drew her in?   It was Bette’s own weakness. She knew it was all sexual lust. She had lost control of herself, lost sight of all that she shared with Tina. Lust allowed her to become open to emotional harm. And because of it, she had lost a part of Tina, a part she may never be able to get back. Nonetheless, Bette sat there looking at the woman who had her heart in the palm of her hands, hoping that this journey they were taking together would some how rekindle a spark in Tina’s heart. Bette knew her life would never be the same if she were forced to live it without Tina and their daughter.