“Yes, I do,” Tina replied after a short pause. She really did believe in destiny and soulmates. Otherwise life and love didn’t make much sense. The trick was to find your soulmate, to know she’s the one and work hard to keep their love alive.

“Then you have to believe that you two were meant to be together. She will be back, Tina.”

“I hope so.”

The day went by but Tina couldn’t remember a thing about it. The girls were coming and going but someone always was in the house with her. Tina mostly stayed in the bedroom because she didn’t want her misery affecting anyone else.

Kit cooked dinner but Tina wasn’t hungry. She just curled up on the bed, hugging Bette’s pillow and cried herself to sleep. Her dreams were empty and she woke up at dawn restless, watching the sun rising through the half open shutters. Tina used to love early mornings, curled up next to Bette, watching her sleep. Now alone in their bed she wondered where Bette was and what she was doing, trying not to think about her life without the woman she loved.

Meanwhile, in another dimension

Place: Orange County, CA

Year: April 20, 1886

Porter Mansion

Bette held Christina in her arms until she stopped sobbing. They sat down on the ground in the shadow of the big tree. “What happened to you, Elizabeth? I gave up. I thought I will never see you again.”

“It’s a long and unbelievable story,” Bette smiled, not sure how much to reveal. She was thinking about this moment for so long but when it actually happened she was lost for words. So much had changed since her disappearance six months ago but as soon as she saw Christina, Bette knew where her heart was.

“You look different,” Christina smiled, looking at Bette with familiar hazel eyes.

“How so?” Bette smiled back. It was always so easy with Christina, so comfortable and that had not changed.

“Your beauty matured like a good wine and you seem to glow somehow,” Christina looked Bette up and down and nodded, “Yes, I see a definite glow.”

“Well, thank you.”