“Oh, there’s nothing very interesting to know. I grew up in a small, conservative town with my mother, father and brother. Everyone knew everyone else’s business. As soon as word got around that little Christine was a *****, things started to get bad. I finally got fed up with them, stupid ignorant *****. So I left and ended up in LA.”

            “How old are you?”

            “Twenty.”

            Tina smiled as she though of all the things this young girl had yet to experience, “You’re still young. I think you’ll find that people here are more open to different lifestyles.”

            “I noticed.” Christine smiled and Tina knew she was thinking about their kiss.

            Their food came and they spent the rest of the meal laughing and flirting. Was this possible? Tina had originally wanted Christine as a way to get back a Bette, but she was really starting to like her! She loved Christine’s sense of humor, her laugh, her smile, her eyes, and her personality. This couldn’t be happening. She’d only just met her yesterday. She didn’t want this poor girl to be a rebound, but it didn’t feel like a rebound. This felt real.

            When they’d finished eating, they stayed and talked for an hour. Christine was very intelligent, and so mature. Tina immensely enjoyed talking to her. Christine’s delicate little watch beeped and she gave it an almost angry look, “Tina, that’s my cue, I’ve got to get to this thing. I wish I didn’t have to go but, listen,” Christine tore a corner of a page out of her note book, scribbled her number on it and pressed it into Tina’s hand, letting her own hand linger much longer then necessary, “Call me, okay? Maybe you could come over to my apartment for dinner and maybe a little something better then my famous pasta”

            Tina stood and walked her outside. She hugged her and gave her a little kiss on the check. Christine in turn planted a sweet tasting kiss on Tina’s lips. Tina melted into the feeling and happily returned the kiss, savoring ever second of it. Christine broke away, smiling at Tina, and said, “Call me soon, okay?” while slowing walking away.

Home – the next day

            Tina paced around her and Bette’s home. She had Christine’s number in her hand and it nearly felt like it was on fire. She should call her, she really should. But she shouldn’t! The memory of the sweet, slightly tangy lip gloss Christine wore left Tina wanting, needing, more. But Bette Bette who she’d promised her life to Bette, her first, her last, her forever Bette who’d cheated on her! Bette who’d made her cry and hurt more then anything had ever hurt her in her life! Bette who’d made her ache more then the miscarriage had!

            But if she did this, she’d be no better the Bette. But what Bette had done was nearly unforgivable. Bette had betrayed her trust, her inner most love. Tina had never been so scared in her life as when she started dating Bette, but she’d taken that chance for love. Her mind screamed at her, “NO! YES! NO! YES! NO! YES!“

            Her mind drifted back to the gala opening at the museum, when she’d seen Bette and Candace together. The happy look on Bette’s face, how close they’d been, the way Bette’s hand lingered as she walked away. She’d looked back over her shoulder at Candace as if to say, “I have to go, I don’t want to.”

            Resolved, Tina picked up the phone and dialed the number. After a few rings, Christine’s voice sounded on the other end of the phone, “Hello?” She said sweetly.

            “Christine? It’s Tina. I I think I want to have some of that famous pasta.”