“You okay?” Tina said walking over to Bette’s resting form on the bed. She had been crying non-stop for the past hour since she found out the news of what happened. Tina took care of Angelica and put her to sleep so that Bette could have her space.

“I just need a hug T,” Bette responded her voice raw from the crying.

Tina sighed and crawled around Bette to pull her into a hug. Bette immediately cried into Tina’s bosom as Tina pulled her close, kissing her gently on the forehead. They lay together for a moment letting Bette’s tears dry out before she sat up.

“Yeah baby?” Tina said looking up at her.

“She was my mentor ya know?” Bette said looking at Tina with those sad eyes.

Tina looked down solemnly then looked back up into Bette’s chocolate eyes.

“She’s the person who made me the confident woman I am today, she showed me the beauty of art, she helped me whenever I was down,” Bette said, “she made me come to terms with who I am. She held me when I cried and she encouraged me to never give up.”

Tina smiled and said, “so she made you the woman you are today.”

Bette smiled for the first time since the news and said, “she was like a mother to me.”

“I know how that feels, when I lost my mother I was so lost,” Tina said, “Eric tried to make me feel better, but I didn’t recover until I met you.”

“And I’ll be okay as long as I have you,” Bette said leaning down and kissing Tina on the lips.

“Tell me about Mrs. Peterson babe, maybe that’ll make you feel better,” Tina said.

Bette sighed and laid down next to Tina, “well Mrs. Peterson was my very first art teacher. My mother had just left and I was thinking of quitting because she was the only person who encouraged me.”

“And Mrs. Peterson encouraged you to stay,” Tina said smiling.

“Not only that, she gave me that motherly love and nurture that I needed with my dad distancing herself from everyone and Kit being a raging alcoholic.”

“How many years did you study with her?” Tina asked.

“Ten years,” Bette said, “when I discovered I was gay, I felt like I was the worst person in the world but Mrs. Peterson said, ‘be proud of who you are. Never hide from the world what you feel in your heart and your soul. If you love yourself other people will love you.’”

“Like I love you,” Tina said caressing Bette’s cheek.

Bette’s eyes welled up with tears again and said grabbed Tina’s hand to give it a kiss.

“Even after I got my degree and opened my own gallery and everything,” Bette said, “I always kept in touch with Mrs. Peterson. She considered me her daughter, her intellectual equal. She would ask for my opinion and my help, and I would go to her for advice and encouragement.”

“Did you ever talk to her about me? And Angie?” Tina asked.

“Baby, you are my world,” Bette said, “and Angie too. I can’t talk about my life without talking about you guys.”

Tina smiled and caressed Bette’s face, “I’m sorry for your loss baby. I wish I would have had the chance to meet her.”

“I wish you would have too, I wanted to plan a trip to Chicago so you guys could meet her but…” Bette trailed off as tears took over again, “I didn’t get the chance.”

“Baby, did you ever tell her how much she meant to you?” Tina asked wiping away the stray tears.

“Yes, always,” Bette said, “each and every time.”

“Then that should be a comfort,” Tina said, “it’s not about how you say goodbye. It’s the hello that matters. My pen pal from Wales told me that when my mother died.”

Bette smiled and leaned forward to capture Tina’s lips. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

“You’ll go with me to the funeral?” Bette asked.

“Of course baby,” Tina said smiling and kissing Bette’s lips again.

“I am the product of her hard work and passion,” Bette said an overwhelming feeling of peace filling her body, “she will live through me, and every exhibit, every work that I do, will be for her.”