The Adventures Of Bette Porter And Sissee Gardner After Yale (Part 2, Chapter 8)

PART TWO: MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIFORNIA

Chapter 8

I had just asked Bette if she has ever loved a woman…….

She nodded with a smile, “Sure, when I was eight years old, I was crazy about little Maggie McKellor. When we played house I told her I was the daddy and she was the mommy and I was supposed to kiss her hello and goodbye.

“Then, when I was 14 I fell in love with my biology teacher,” she continued. “She so inspired me to be a good student I got straight A’s in all of my classes for three years. She moved away at the end of my junior year and I was devastated. She didn’t even know I was in love with her but I thought my heart would break when she left. My grades took a nose dive when I was a senior and everyone thought it was because I had discovered boys.

“Then at Yale….well, there were all those guys again and my secret interest in you. It all sustained me for the duration. Then when I graduated and came west, I saw it was more open out here, especially in the Venice area so I’ve been with several women. Some were only one night stands from having too much to drink but others were dates, repeated dates but nothing serious. There’s no one who has swept me off my feet or that I’ve had any real strong feelings for.” She locked her eyes into mine. “So you see Sissee…I warn you…..I’m looking. I’m searching…”

I looked away. I picked up the Parliaments and lit one up, inhaling, exhaling, thinking so deep into the recesses of my mind that there were cobwebs there. Things were not clear. The choices were blurry. I was very much attracted to this beautiful woman and I remembered how good she made me once feel but I also liked men. Yes, there were those crushes I had on women that never went anywhere but all of my relationships have been with guys.

Bette interrupted my thoughts by asking, “Do you still want me to travel with you?”

I looked at her intently, feeling my eyes go at half-mast, my pulse quicken. My thoughts came fast. This was a side of Bette Porter I had never seen before. She always seemed arrogant and self-confident. There was no cockiness now, however. She was sweet and sincere and her opening up gave me a glimpse of someone who had more than just a pretty face and beautiful body. I even sensed that way down deep she was a very lonely person and my heart suddenly reached out to her,