It had only taken Tina’s body about five minutes to recognize that for the first time in close to three years, there was someone in bed next to her. As she slowly came out of sleep, she felt the familiar arms that had wrapped themselves around her. She didn’t have to open her eyes to know who they belonged to, because even after 15 years, her body instinctively knew. She laid there, not moving…not wanting Bette to move away from her. ‘When did she come in here?’ Tina smiled. ‘Maybe she was able to let go of some of her guilt. Maybe she…Oh my God, her hip is right on my…’

She knew the moment that Tina had woken up. She could see Tina’s eyes moving back and forth underneath her eyelids. ‘Probably trying to remember where she is,’ Bette thought, with a smile. And then she could tell Tina remembered as soon as she saw the smile cross her face. “Good morning…,” Bette whispered.

Tina opened her eyes and looked up at Bette. Her eyes instantly filled with tears, taking in a sight, that up until a week ago, she thought she would never see again. “Bette…” Tina grabbed onto Bette with both arms, pulling Bette with her, as she moved onto her back, Bette’s head now nestled on Tina’s shoulder, her leg resting in between both of Tina’s. This is the moment that she had been dreaming about for years, but had been consciously thinking about since the day she walked into Bette’s gallery…had walked back into Bette’s life…this moment, right now…waking up with Bette Porter in her arms. Now that it was happening, she couldn’t help the tears from falling.

Bette could feel the tears dripping off of Tina’s cheek. She moved her head enough to look into Tina’s eyes. “Tina…Baby, why are you crying?”

Tina smiled down at Bette through her tears. She tried to tell her how overwhelmed she was, but couldn’t manage to get anything out. Finally, after taking a moment to settle herself, she said in soft, sweet voice, “Because you have just made my wish come true.”

Bette smiled. “Your wish?”

“Yea…my wish.” She squeezed Bette a little tighter. “After the pain of our breakup subsided, every once in a while, when no one was around and I had a quiet moment to myself, I would allow my favorite fantasy to come alive in my mind. That fantasy was that I would wake up next to you again…feeling that sensation that I always had when I was in your arms. That feeling of being totally loved…totally safe. Then I would make a wish that my fantasy would become my reality, even if I could only feel it once more…” Tina’s tears started coming harder. “And now, here I am laying next to you, feeling exactly what I wished for all these years.” Tina reached down and traced her finger along Bette’s cheek. “Thank you Bette.”

Bette had felt her own tears running down her cheek, as she listened to Tina. She too had had fantasies, but had always shoved them back into a box in her mind, not letting them fully play out in her head. She loved Nica so much, that she was determined not to let them out to run their course.

Just then there was a soft knock on the door. Bette leaned up and kissed Tina on the cheek before getting out of bed. “That’s room service. I ordered tea and breakfast, before I knew you were here. Stay put, I’ll be right back.”

Tina however, decided that she didn’t want to push Bette. After last night, she knew that if they were going to reunite, it was going to take one step at a time. And for as wonderful as this was, she knew that Bette wasn’t ready for their intimacy to go any further. The love was still strong, there was no doubt about that, but the events of the last fifteen years were sure to effect how and when they came back together. She got out of bed and quickly put on her clothes from the night before. After hearing the door to the suite close, she stepped out of the bedroom.

Bette looked up at her, questioning. “Tina?”

“Bette…I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you enjoy your breakfast…make your morning call to Milaine, that I know you are dying to make.” Knowing Tina was right about that, both women just nodded and smiled. “I am going to go home, take a shower and change clothes. I’ll come back and pick you up in a couple of hours. What do you say? I think today can be a quiet day. We still need to talk some more about what happened last night, and I know a place that I think will be perfect for that. Ok?”

Bette looked at Tina and sighed. As much as Bette still craved the control that came with running her own business, she had grown to love letting go of all that control in her personal life. That fact that Tina just stepped up and made decisions like she had just done, was a nice relief for her. “That sounds great Tina. Thank you. I will be ready to go, by the time you get back.” Bette walked over and took Tina into her arms. “Thank you so much for staying with me last night. I thought I had pushed you away, and that’s the last thing I want to do. I want to work through this guilt…I just don’t know how.”

Tina reached up and tucked a lock of Bette’s hair behind her ear. “Baby, you didn’t push me away. I’m not leaving this time…not unless you want me to. And if that is what you want, then you are going to have to spell it out to me in plain English…cause nothing short of you demanding my departure is going to get me out of your life this time.” Then very softly, she smiled and whispered, “Got it?”

Bette was so moved by Tina’s words, that she just nodded, and then barley choked out, “Got it.”

Tina let go of Bette. “Ok, well then…eat up Babe, and I’ll be back.” She walked toward the door, realizing the connotations of what she just said, and without turning around, she stretched her arm behind her back and pointed her finger in Bette’s direction. “Don’t even go there Bette!!”

And as the door was closing behind her, she heard what she had hope to hear…Bette’s soft chuckle.