Out of Closet (B&T time-travel romance), Ch. 27, Part 5

Chapter 27, part 5: L is for the way you look at me (Bette needs some comfort…is Tina up to the task?)

(Previously) Tina sat there silently, stroking Bette’s thick curls, whispering sweet nothings into her ear and occasionally kissing her neck and shoulders. After a long while Bette composed herself but continued to hold her arms around Tina’s legs and kept her head on Tina’s lap.

Finally Bette lifted her head and looked at Tina with red puffy eyes. She sat back on the couch and said calmly, “At least it explains some things that I found odd at the time when he visited. Like when mother and he were always going to the library and locking the door, or whispering to each other in the living room and getting silent the minute I would walk in on them.”

“Bette,” Tina asked again, “Are you okay?”

“I’ll be okay, as long as you are here with me to help me get through this,” Bette replied, wiping her tears and taking Tina’s hand. “Anything else you need to tell me?” Bette began trembling, feeling that more tears were coming.

Tina knew that this was the moment that she could be honest and probably lose Bette forever or that she could lie and have more time to spend with this woman that she loved so much…loved beyond words, boundaries or time. The hesitation lasted only a split second and Bette didn’t notice the turmoil that was swirling in Tina’s mind.

Tina took a deep breath and looked into Bette’s eyes, holding her hand really tight…

~~~~~~~~

Place: Los Angeles, CA – Tina’s house

Year: Oct. 30, 2005 – Sunday

Tina took a deep breath and looked into Bette’s eyes, holding her hand really tight. She mustered all the courage she could and said, trying to sound convincing and candid, “No, Bette…there’s nothing else.”

Tina felt really guilty about lying to Bette but she honestly thought that everything that Bette found out so far was as much as she could take in one night. Tina knew that Bette was already overwhelmed and upset with all the information and she felt that she was not really lying, just withholding the news until the time Bette could take it calmly and rationally.