Moving towards the wide glass windows, Bette smiled. Placing the hand on the glass she let herself get lost in the memories.

“Its beautiful?” Lee said, looking at Bette, seeing how lost she was in her own world, not even seeing the incredible view, the city under her feet.

Looking through the glass, noticing the tiny bright lights in the horizon, Bette sighed. So many memories, so many feelings were coming back that she felt her lungs closing briefly.

“Yeah…I know…I used to hate it” Bette suddenly said.

Noticing Lees silence, the look on her face, Bette felt the need to explain herself.

“I wasnt very happy when I lived here, my mother just died, my sister left and I didnt get along with my dad…”

“Mmm” Mumbled Lee, giving Bette time to continue talking.

Turning to look at the view, caressing the dirty glass, Bette added,

“But then, years later I came back…”

“To live?” asked Lee, moving closer.

“No.. no… of course not” Bette said, opening the glass door to walk outside.

Sitting on the porchs roof, she added,

“I used to came here with Tina”

“Oh” Lee said sitting down, unable to move here eyes from Bettes face. Noticing all the emotions she was trying to hide, to cover.

“I…I told her about my mother…I.. I wanted her to understand me, to know me…I told her about my father, my sister…I knew she would like it here and then….I dont know why we kept coming…she liked it here… we always ended here…” Drifting away, Bette felt tears coming to her eyes, her lungs closing. Shaking her head, she tried to forget, to erase the feeling.

“… she loved it here…” Bette whispered, remembering the times, the nights they spent on that roof, watching the stars, talking to each other, sharing secrets, making memories.

Sighing, Bette added,

“She thought it was beautiful…”

Seeing Bette fighting the memories, how her finger was caressing the candle, Lee slightly nodded. Moving a little closer, sweetly, very slowly, as a whisper, as a secret, Lee added,

“You are beautiful”

Nodding, Bette didnt say anything, didnt react, so lost she was in the memories. Then, realizing what she just heard, she turned to look at Lee.

“What?” she asked, not only confused, but suddenly scared.

Taking Bettes hand in hers, Lee caressed it.

“YOU are beautiful”

“What?” asked Bette again, moving her hand away from Lees.

“What are you saying?…you…you are not even *****…” she said, her voice low, breaking a little, confusion all over her face.

Trying to think, to understand, Bette wanted to stop time. What was going on?. Lee wasnt *****, she didnt even think about Lee being *****. Afraid to look at her, scared, feeling trapped, Bette looked at the horizon, trying to see, to escape.

“Yes I am” whispered Lee looking at her hands resting over the legs.

Looking at Lee, Bette saw her for the first time. Reading the look on her face, Bette suddenly understood, realized. She remembered the looks, the light subtle gestures. Gulping, she whispered,

“You are?.. since when?…I mean…nobody told me you were…are…”


***

Bette picked Tina up for their date at the beach just on time. The moment Tina jumped in the car she noticed the joy drawn on Bettes face.

“You ready?” asked a festive Bette, smiling at Tina.

“Yeah, sure…” Tina said, trying to subtly check Bette up.

Smiling, Bette drove away, letting the fresh morning wind caress their faces.


The time they spent in the car moved faster that Tina could have imagined. They talked about nothing and everything. They made jokes, teased each other and then listened to some music. Bette drove to a small remote beach she knew from when she was a teenager. After parking the car, Bette took the bags, letting Tina carried the beverages.

They walked down a sinuous path to the beach were not many people were enjoying the day. Following Bettes steps, Tina admire Bettes walk, her hips moving, how her white slacks danced following her legs. It was perfectly tailored, leaving very little to imagination, showing Tina how perfectly shaped Bettes body was.

Walking to the farthest end of the beach, Bette put their bags on the ground.

“Here we are” she said sitting down smiling at Tina.

“Yes” Tina shyly said, suddenly feeling like a teenager on her first date all over again.

“You want to go for a swim?” asked Bette noticing the look on Tinas face.

Removing her tank top, she added,

“The water is great here…will be fun”

“Ok” mumbled Tina, feeling her hands trembling as she was removing the floral dress she was wearing.

“Wow!” said Bette, unable to move her eyes from Tina.

“What?” asked a surprised Tina, turning to look at Bette

“That looks great on you” Bette whispered, moving closer.

“Oh…thanks” shyly said Tina, blushing widely.

Getting rid of her sandals, Bette took Tinas hand.

“Come on…” she said, pulling Tina towards the water.


After a long time swimming and laughing they walked back to their towels giggling like teenagers. Walking towards their things, Tina took another look at Bettes body. She was impressed not just by her beautiful body but by the colour of her skin, by how soft it looked. She had to stop herself not to caress it, feeling her hands aching with desire.

Lying on her stomach at Tinas side, Bette bent her arm to rest the head so she could look at Tina. Sighing deeply, unaware of how her bikini was covering her body as a second skin, Tina lied on her back, loving, feeling the sun warming every one of her pores.

Feeling Bettes stare, Tina opened one eye. Lightly turning her head, she looked at Bette with a funny look on her face.

“What?” she asked, wickedly smiling.

“Nothing…” said Bette, shrugging with a deep sigh.

Rolling over, facing Bette, Tina asked again, amused by Bettes peculiar look.

“Whaat?”

Looking down, unable to hold Tinas stare, Bette rested the head on her hands, hiding. But then, sighing deeply, she looked up again to look at the horizon. Resting her chin on her hands, biting her lower lip, she said,

“You have no idea how beautiful you are, have you?”

What?” asked Tina, unable to stop the blush covering her face.

Turning to look at Tina, Bette moved closer. Whispering she added,

“It makes you even more beautiful not knowing how beautiful you are”

Shyly smiling, not knowing what to say, Tina moved a little closer, just enough for Bette to kiss her sweetly. Placing her hand on Tinas waist, Bette pushed her to roll over. Moving closer, much closer, she started drawing on Tinas still wet belly. Moving her finger slowly, feeling Tinas skin trembling under her touch, Bette smiled.

“I love this…and this…and this scar…so *****…” she whispered sweetly kissing Tinas appendix scar.

Closing her eyes, Tina bit her lower lip, unable to believe what she was feeling, how Bettes touch was burning her inside, how her slow deep voice was weakening her knees.
Was then, Tina could tell now, when she knew, realized, that she was lost. That Bettes touch was not only melting her inside but awakening her senses. Feeling Bettes sweet playful caresses, Tina knew that Bette could do whatever she wanted to do with her, she knew that there was nothing she could do against it as the desire, the lust she was feeling was bigger than any doubt, any problem they could face.


***

“what you mean you are *****…you werent… in London” Bette said, trying to understand, to find an exit.

“I wasnt…” Lee said shaking her head.

“I mean…I was…I just didnt know back then…I…I wasnt happy…all of a sudden I was a big success…everybody wanted something from me, I was part of everybodys wishes…I…I was lost…I wasnt happy…I moved back to Berlin…”

“The papers said that you vanished…” Bette added, looking at Lee.

“I…I did…sort of…I needed to find myself…I went back home…and I did…I…I changed a lot…not just physically…but…”

Nodding, Bette was starting to understand but then she remembered what Lee just told her. Looking at her she understood what Lee didnt tell with words, what her eyes were suggesting, offering her.

“But….” she started saying, not knowing what to say. Watching her there, seated at her side, Bette admired her sweet face. Her beautiful dark eyes, the lovely shape of her face, her sensual lips, her tiny, beautifully shape body, her long legs. But noticing all that, watching her, Bette shook her head.

“What?” Lee asked seeing Bettes gesture.

“I cant” Bette said.

Noticing Lees questioning look, Bette added,

“Im sorry…I…you are beautiful…nice…funny…I admire you…I really do…I love your work…but…”

Nodding, taking Bettes hand, Lee smiled, sadly.

“You are not her…” Bette whispered. The words escaping her lips as a hidden gift.

“I dont know…I dont know what it is…I guess is just.. I love Tina…”

“But you are not with her…” Lee whispered, dying to know why Bette wasnt with Tina, dying to ask, but instead, she sighed.

“I know…but that doesnt make me love her less…” Bette whispered seeing the view, hearing Tinas laughter, seeing her smile, feeling her sweet touch.

Nodding, wanting to hate Bette, wanting to feel embarrassed by what she just confessed, Lee nodded, feeling jealous and happy. Loving the look on Bettes face, she whispered,

“She is very lucky…”

Nodding, looking up, getting lost in the view, Bette whispered,

“No..I am”

***

Remembering the day, the beach, Bettes sweetness, the look on her eyes, Tina felt her eyes watering. Sobbing, unable to stop, she sat on the bed. She didnt know what was going on with her, why she was feeling like that. Why, all of a sudden she was feeling lost and lonely. Hugging the pillow, she tried to calm herself, hoping for Helena not to hear her sobs. Breathing deeply, she walked to the bathroom to wash her face. On her way back to bed, caressing her belly she took her cell from the nightstand.

Without much thinking, she opened the text messages window,

“Are you awake?… Can I call you?” she wrote, sending the message immediately.