Some kind of wonderful

Chapter 4

Tina really couldn’t believe how great Bette looked – she looked so much more mature than all the memories Tina had of her. She really did look like an adult – Tina knew they were both adults – she didn’t always feel like she was a full fledged one.
“Its great to see you “ Bette said again
“It is –  did I make it in time ? I was terrified I was going to be late”
Bette turned and looked at the clock and looked back at Tina
“You were right on time”
“Have you been waiting long ?”
“About four years “ Bette replied
Tina smiled again “That’s not what I mean and you know that but thanks for saying it”
Bette was still taking in the fact that Tina really was standing in front of her. All 5ft 6in of her former High School sweetheart. She looked taller than Bette remembered which caused her to look down at her shoes – high heels – well Tina always could carry off higher heels than Bette had been able to.
“What do you want to do ?” Bette asked.
Tina held her hands up “ I don’t know – what do you want to do ?”
Bette’s honest answer would have been to take Tina back to Morningside Heights and get to know one another in the way that they would both enjoy. She looked at the blonde
“After the nerves I have shred in the last few hours – I really could do with a beer “
“That sounds like a great idea – is there somewhere here ? I don’t know “
“There is – trains to Harvard were obviously more reliable than trains to Yale. Shall we go and have a beer ?”
“Yes – that would be great “
They walked along in relative silence. Tina was still in awe of how grown up Bette now looked- she didn’t think she had physically changed in four years – Bette most certainly had. Tina stole a look at the brunette –  she still moved so poetically – with such grace.
“Are you still a runner ?” Tina asked
“Yeah – ran for the cross country team at Yale”
“So do you still hate racing ?”
Bette smiled – yes – she had once been non-competitive. That did date things – she looked at Tina
“Lets just say I have changed a lot in that respect “
Tina laughed “ Really ?”
Bette nodded “I stopped pretending that I didn’t care whether I won or lost. I tried it for a while at college but no-one bought it. I am competitive “
Tina shook her head “ Well- that is interesting”
“I have even threw a few tantrums at losing “ Bette added just to see if she could make Tina laugh. It worked
“Oh that is great – that is classic “
“Not proud of myself but yeah – I am one competitive bitch now “
“Well there is no harm in that I guess “
“So if you want a game of tennis “
Tina looked at Bette and suddenly “got “ the joke. She laughed
“Oh God – you remembered that ?”
“Yes “
Bette opened the door to the tavern and they went inside. It was much cooler than the rest of the Central Station – several people sat around drinking cold glasses of beer. Suddenly Tina was very thirsty – she looked at Bette
“I didn’t know this place existed “
“I once spent  four hours in here one winter when I was trying to get back to Connecticut. By the time my train was called I was as high as a kite”
“Four hours would do that to most people”
“It was very cold and by the time I staggered out of here I was feeling no cold – or pain. Just a beer ?”
“Yeah”
Bette walked over to  the bar and looked at the menu  -they had some great beers on tap in here. Nothing too strong or things might get as giddy as she had been two winters ago. But it would be hard for them –  Bette thought Tina looked just gorgeous and she had noticed the revealing open buttons on her blouse. Tina had always been much more open about her sex appeal. She had known that Bette desired her and there were times when she had shamelessly played her. Bette smiled as she watched their beers being filled – well there was something else that had most certainly changed. if anything happened between them Tina would find out just how much Bette had changed.
Bette paid for the two beers and walked across to join Tina who had claimed a booth by the window – the blonde hadn’t lost her love of people watching. Bette put the glass of beer in front of Tina and sat down and exhaled. Well so far so good – they had both showed up and things were okay so far. It had only been ten minutes but – it was a start.
Tina looked at Bette and smiled
“This is really happening”
“Yeah – I don’t know about you but I have thought about  this day a lot”
Tina nodded “Me too – I felt physically sick when I woke up this morning”
Well that was good to know Bette thought – it was reassuring that Tina had felt the same enormous butterflies in her stomach that she also had.
Bette knew that if they were going to get anything from this meeting -well they both had to be prepared to open up. Bette wasn’t that good at that – she still had an automatic defence mechanism in operation when it came to her heart. And it worked too well given that Tina was still the only woman she had fallen in love with.
“I went running – I went twice as far as usual “
“That hasn’t changed “
“No”
Bette picked up her glass and took a drink of the beer – it tasted great. Really refreshing and it took away the dryness in her throat. Tina was watching her trying to take in all the details  – she was wearing a ring on her middle finger of her right hand. That was new, as was the expensive looking watch on her wrist – for some reason Tina never associated jewellery with Bette. It hasn’t been something that she had been that interested in.
“So “ Tina said “I guess one hell of a lot has happened in the last four years for both of us”
“It couldn’t fail to happen”
“Congratulations on your First “
Bette looked surprised “How do you know that ? – or has my mother been ringing everyone in her contact book “
“I looked it up “
“I know all the degree results go online but I didn’t know when – so its up on the website”
“It is and I did Google your name last week – I hope that’s not too stalkerish “
“No – of course not. It didn’t occur to me – how did you do ?”
“Upper second “
“That’s excellent “
Tina nodded “I was happy with. I was never going to get a First – I am not that devoted to my studies but it was great and I am happy with it “
Bette wondered how Emma felt about her daughter getting a upper second while Bette had landed a First ? Probably still not enough for her to think that Bette was smarter than Tina.
“So what are your plans with this shiny First class degree ?” Tina smiled and picked up her beer- that was a great drink. She sipped more of it and looked at Bette.
Bette smiled “ I start a post graduate course in October”
“In what ?”
Bette grinned – if Tina thought that Bette had changed just because she was now more competitive –  well she ain’t seen nothing yet – this was going to floor her.
“I am going to be a forensic investigator for the NYPD “
Tina put her glass down slowly and regarded Bette who was grinning like a Cheshire cat
“CSI Porter ?” Tina said finally
“Yes – total change of direction for me but I passed a lot of exams that they set as a pre-entrance requirement and with a First from Yale – I got in – they only recruit 7 trainees every year “
“Gee – this is huge – have you done any work yet ?”
“Cleaned a lot of test tubes and done some mucky work”
“Wow – this is amazing “
“I am really excited – it will be grunt work at first but I like a challenge and learning a whole load of new skills is something that really appeals to me”
“I am very happy for you “ Tina said honestly
“What about you ? What are your plans ?”
“Pressure from mom to do a post graduate in Law and join the family firm”
Bette couldn’t think of anything that the 18 year old Tina would have hated more than becoming a law – she wondered if the blonde had changed that much
“And what do you think about that ?” Bette said with caution.
“I would rather chew my own leg off than be a lawyer in the family firm”
“So that hasn’t changed ?”
“MY mother is still an interfering bitch if that’s what you mean “ Tina fired at Bette. Still angry at how her mother had spoken to her earlier. Bette raised an eyebrow at her. Tina chuckled
“Sorry – she was less than amused at me doing something so childish as to meet you today “
“Do you think its childish ?”
“No – nothing on this earth would have kept me from being here today. I had to see you – I had to find out what you are doing and what has happened in your life and how you have changed “ Tina said quickly
Bette looked out at some tourists who were making lots of noise. She looked back at Tina and smiled
“Me too. I have gone through so many scenarios about what would happen  -that you wouldn’t show or you would be so different that we couldn’t find anything to talk about and all that sort of stuff. I am so glad that we are here and we can sit here drinking beer and chatting -that means a lot to me “
Tina laughed “You know what is so nuts in all of this “
“What ?”
“That it never once occurred to me that you would be full of doubts or that you would look at the calendar and think about how many days until we were due to meet up. Never once – but you have had the same fears and doubts and dreams as me haven’t you ?”
“I think your doubts and fears were probably different to mine just because we are very different people – we were when we were 17 and we are now I guess. But yes I had doubts and fears as well and I knew that you would as well. After six months of spending too long wondering what you were thinking and feeling I gave up on that and just concentrated on how I was feeling about this event that seemed so far away but it crept closer and closer and its here. You and I are sitting together “
“I was never going to miss this Bette – I made you a promise and I never thought about ducking it “
“Neither did I “ Bette said honestly
They both fell silent for a few minutes  – this was one hell of a lot to take in. Tina was still so impressed with how mature Bette now was and more than anything Tina knew that Bette now believed in herself. The 17 year old Bette Porter had just lacked self belief and that was what four years at Yale had given her –  she probably could do just about anything she set her mind to. Tina didn’t feel that she had bloomed in the same way in the same time period.