Shane and Dana relaxed and ordered hot beverages to enjoy as their legs recovered from the strenuous training. Shane was still feeling a little nervous about tonight’s date with Tash. She decided to ask Dana for some advice and tips, even though Dana was probably more of an amateur than she was. “Hey Dana … can I ask ya something?” Shane sheepishly asked, proceeding when Dana nodded furiously and waved her hand since she had a mouthful of hot chocolate. “Okay, well, it’s about Tash obviously …” Shane began before being interrupted by Dana. “She’s great Shane, I like her. And well, I’m no sexpert here, but I think she’s into you and wants to sample the ma-Shane if ya know what I mean” Dana winked and wiggled her eyebrows up and down enthusiastically to get her point across. Shane couldn’t help but laugh, she knew what Dana meant, but wondered why she thought that Tash was into her. “How do you know for sure?”.

“Well … I don’t know for sure, but she isn’t running a mile, and she’s not just totally crawling all over you and being in your face. But there is interest there, you’d have to be blind not to see it. Oh Shane … please tell me you’re not blind,” Dana asked dramatically, clutching at Shane’s forearm. “Well I don’t think I am, but … I dunno, I’m used to having women throw themselves at me, for *****, or falling into bed through my charms” Shane reasoned, cringing slightly at her own words. Dana witnessed Shane’s discomfort and pointed it out to her. “There … right there Shane, that’s the proof that you’re human after all” Dana tapped the table with her fingertip, softening her gaze at Shane as she saw her vulnerable side slowly coming out. “What? Where’s the proof?” Shane asked, a little confused. “When you explained what you see women do for you, they crawl all over you or you charm them and they fall for you … you were uncomfortable with hearing yourself say it. Because deep down, right in here …” Dana pointed to her chest, covering her heart with her palm, “I think you know that is not what you want from someone. You’ve grown up, you’ve changed, and I’m really glad that you have” Dana gushed, rubbing Shane’s arm comfortingly.

Shane could feel herself start to get a little emotional about what Dana was saying. She scrunched her toes up tightly in her big ski boots and focussed on stopping the rare tears that threatened to expose her. It worked, and she quickly shook off the emotions and patted Dana’s hand that was still attached to her arm. “Thanks hun, I guess I’m just not used to hearing that about myself, or hearing my own voice telling me these things. You’re right, I’m human … but I’m not sure that I like it just yet. Guess it’ll take some getting used to” Shane confessed before taking a sip of her strong coffee. “You’ll get used to it, I promise. Besides, you’ve got some other great humans to help you through this. Just don’t let Alice catch you getting all ‘girly’ on us now” Dana joked, causing Shane to laugh. She knew Alice so well, and was happy that Dana could still joke about Alice the person even though she was her new girlfriend.

“So anyway, about this date thing with Tash, I’m kinda nervous … it’s been a long time since I’ve done anything like this” Shane confessed, biting her fingernails habitually. “Wow okay, ummm it’s been a little while for me too, I mean Alice doesn’t count cos we knew each other so well when we started seeing each other” recalled Dana, trying to delve into her relationship history for some stories to tell. “I think that when Lara and I started dating, I was nervous as *****, she was always the confident one. I just remember trying to be calm, not spill anything, not say anything stupid and still be cute” she chuckled, remembering how goofy she thought she was at that time.

“I guess what I would suggest to you is … be yourself. Be the YOU that you’re showing me right now Shane. The YOU that Tash has been seeing so far, and has agreed to go out with tonight” Dana imparted wisely upon Shane. “You’re right, it’s just gonna be hard not to slip into my old ways I suppose” Shane worriedly confessed. “Don’t try to think of her as a prospective conquest, which I’m sure you don’t anyway. But I mean … take your time, there’s no rush, let things go at the pace their destined to follow” suggested Dana as she pushed her empty mug forward and stroked her full tummy in satisfaction. Shane sat and listened, amazed at how wise Dana was. She’d always come across as an awkward, slightly neurotic, geeky girl who was kind of naive in the ways of the world. Shane was pleasantly surprised to find that Dana was so smart, and marvelled at how she had managed to keep that part of herself so hidden, not unlike Shane’s own hidden personality traits.

Dana continued with her train of thought, “I do, however, think that you should try and find out what could happen beyond this vacation with her, IF, and only IF the evening is going really well and you’re hitting it off. You don’t want to scare her off by ordering the U-Haul straight away if she is just enjoying her pasta”. Shane laughed softly, knowing that Dana was right, but still fearing the possibility of rejection or rather non-reciprocated feelings. She looked down at her fingers as she spun the espresso cup slowly on the table. Dana noticed Shane’s change in mood, and tried to explain her reasons for bringing this angle up. “For your own sanity it’s best that you find out hun, because it will hurt to put all your new hopes on her when she may not be hanging around, ya know”. “Sure, I know, I just … I didn’t like hearing it. Perhaps its been too perfect so far, perhaps she’s too good to be true and I don’t deserve …” Shane’s words faded out before Dana stopped her.

“Shane, don’t even think that. Everyone deserves happiness. And yes, that does include you. I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t have mentioned it, but you do have to be careful now babe. Before all this, you didn’t care if you saw your conquest again. Now the tables have turned, and we certainly don’t want you to get hurt now do we?” Dana raised her eyebrows in question as she studied Shane for a response. Shane shrugged and whispered “I guess not” before Dana continued. “We’re all here for you, no matter what, you know that. Please don’t think that you must handle things alone to be tough. Human’s are soft, it’s just the way we’re designed”. Success, a smile tugged at Shane’s lips, Dana slid her arm around Shane’s shoulders and gave her a hugging squeeze. “You’ll be okay, we’ve got ya back, you can count on it” she reassured, smiling as Shane leant her head on Dana’s shoulder. This was a connection that Dana had never experienced before with Shane, and she felt in that very moment that she had made a new old friend.

Meanwhile on the powdered slopes of Aspen, Alice, Bette and Tina were enjoying their time negotiating the various conditions of the different runs of the mountain. Alice, ever the competitor, was keen to make bets everytime they prepared to ski down to the base. “Alice you’re gonna run out of money, clothes AND self respect soon if you keep making bets your butt can’t cash” Bette joked, having won the majority of races so far. “Hey, I gotta win sometime, and when I do baby, I am living it up to the maximum!” boasted Alice as she stretched and bounced ready for the start of the next run. Tina giggled, whispering to Bette “You know that if she wins, she will be a nightmare to live with for the next week”. “And this is why she must not win, not on my watch” Bette assured her. Alice stomped her poles into the snow and shuffled her skis “So are we gonna do this thang or waste another run on snow plows?”.

“Maybe we should just let her win so she will shutup about it” Tina suggested, growing weary of the need to go so fast when they could be enjoying a leisurely traversing of the tracks. “If she won, whether we let her or not, we would NEVER hear the end of it” declared Bette, she of course knew Alice like a book, from cover to cover and all her footnotes. “But how about we dictate the terms of the bet, and make sure they’re strictly adhered to or the deal is off … c’mon baby, or she may be grumpy for the rest of the week if she doesn’t win” Tina conceded, wanting her time with Bette to be better spent. Bette noticed the pleading gaze Tina gave her, and coasted over to Alice, lining up alongside her. “Okay Alice, here’s the deal. If you win this race, Tina and I will serve as your chef, servant and entertainment for ONE evening this week. This means we will cook you a nice meal, prepare a nice table and serve you dinner, wine and dessert, then sing karaoke love songs for your enjoyment”.

Tina covered her mouth to try and stifle her laughter, the look on Alice’s face was priceless. This was indeed a very worthy bet as she could see that Dana would enjoy the fruits of her victory as well. “DEAL!” Alice exclaimed, shaking both Bette and Tina’s hand. “Wait a minute …” Alice interrupted, “what about if one of you two wins?”. “Well then, you and Dana do the same for us” Tina chimed in, drawing a nod of approval from Bette. “Okay, I’m sure Dana won’t mind, and well, I’ll do all the work anyway, she can wear the chef’s hat and apron, and nothing else … mmmmmm ok focus Alice focus!” Alice shook the ***** naked Dana thoughts out of her head as she concentrated on the task at hand.

“On your marks … get set … GO!” Bette shouted as the three of them headed down the mountain. Bette smiled as Tina had the same idea as her, slowing down and watching Alice zoom ahead. Alice, being so focussed, didn’t even look back to see how far in front she was, instead concentrating on not falling over and negotiating the terrain. Bette and Tina halted at the top of the final long stretch as they giggled at Alice slaloming off into the distance, hooting and hollering as if the huge crowd at the winter olympics were ringing cow bells and urging her on. Tina held her ski poles in one hand and slid her arm around Bette’s waist as they stood and watched. “Well I hope you brought your singing voice with you baby”, Bette mirrored Tina’s stance, sliding her arm around Tina’s shoulder and moving in closer to her. “Tee, do I ever bring anything closely resembling a singing voice to karaoke?” Bette raised an eyebrow and smiled as Tina started giggling.

Their gaze was captured, Bette holding Tina gently at the back of her neck as she leaned forward and pressed their lips together. Tina moaned quietly, the tingle passing from Bette’s lips to hers as their kiss electrified in that one brief moment. Lips gently parted as Tina lightly slid her fingertips under Bette’s chin and held her intimately, deepening the soft splendour of their kiss. Bette’s body ached to be in contact with Tina’s, throwing her ski poles aside blindly, she pulled Tina carefully to her and embraced her completely. Tina dropped her poles in response and held Bette at her hip, pulling her tighter and connecting their bodies in all the right places. When Tina slowly allowed her tongue to pass Bette’s lips, Bette’s heart jumped in anticipation of the kind of kiss she never thought she would taste again from Tina. Their embrace tightened and they sunk into the familiar but brand new kiss that gave them the go ahead to proceed into this new chapter of their lives together. All of this, communicated without words, yet so clear to them both since they knew each other so well.

“I WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN” came the squeal from Alice as she crossed the imaginary finish line, pumping her fists in the air in triumph. She turned to look for her fellow competitors who were nowhere to be seen. Alice became worried that perhaps something happened to them, her eyes swept across the slope back and forth up to the top of the final straight where she spotted Bette and Tina seemingly trying to climb each other. “Get a rooooooom!” she yelled up to the at first oblivious lovers. Alice’s shrill screaming soon woke them from their bliss and they giggled at their friend waving her arms as she sang “I wonnnn, I wonnnn, I wonnnn”. “I guess we should go down there” Bette whispered as she feathered Tina’s top and bottom lips with light kisses. “Mmmm but it’s sooo nice here” Tina moaned, enjoying Bette’s tender touch. They reluctantly drew apart, picked up their ski poles and headed down to a grinning and gloating Alice.

**********

~tbc~