Bette looked down at the face looking up at hers. She was half on her side, hand on Tina’s bare flat belly and propped up on her elbow…looking at this angel who had come to grace her life. They did not talk, they hardly ate…they just went to bed. It seemed necessary almost, necessary to consummate what they understood so far. So they were going to be together, Bette had no doubt about that. But she also had no doubt that they were going to need to sit down and have a long, serious, and effective conversation. No butting in, blocking out, or walking away. Honest. But at that moment talking was on the last thing on Bette’s mind. She leaned down and breathed in Tina’s neck, her jaw, her breath…opened her mouth and felt the shock of Tina’s tongue slide onto hers. She stroked T’s stomach and chest, caressing her nipples and the underside of her breasts. It felt so good to touch someone again, to feel intimate with another human being. It had been too long. Bette leaned down more, opening her mouth and feeling Tina fill it…they kissed forever. Bette had Tina’s taste in her mouth, she warmed into it, reveling in it. Meanwhile Tina’s hands were doing work of their own. Bette felt them…they felt so warm…felt them move all over her body. Those hands stroked her shoulders, arms, played with her hair…held her hips. Bette broke the kiss and bent down to kiss those eyebrows, looking down and holding Tina’s thigh with her hand…she whispered in her lover’s ear..”put your legs around me…”. Tina’s eyes shone, they were wet with happiness. Tina moved her legs so they were wrapped around Bette’s hips. Bette leaned forward and pressed…a gasp escaped her and she felt waves and waves of butterflies flow through her stomach and chest. Tina traced Bette’s jaw with her fingers, slipping them into Bette’s mouth..moving her hips and pressing Bette’s lower back with her other hand. Bette kissed Tina’s fingers, tasting the salt..whispering incoherently how much she loved her. Tina gasped loudly and melted when her Bette reached down and touched that spot between her legs….

            In the morning they were almost shy with each other. Bette was snuggled in the crook of Tina’s neck. Looking down she saw all those marks she made on Tina’s breasts, chest, and neck, with some even on her shoulders. Bette couldn’t help it, it had made Tina feel good and vis versa. Bette touched Tina’s fingers, who caressed her forearm in return. “G’morning Bette…”  Bette smiled..”morning”. It wasn’t quite awkwardness that prevented them from talking all that much that morning. It was more the realization that this was it. They had sealed the fact that they were a couple. Not just any couple but a lesbian couple and all that entailed that. Bette had her father in mind and Tina her own family. Both had different upbringings but their families had one thing in common…homophobia. Bette’s mom was Jewish, even though she and now Bette was non-practicing…that side of her family were definitely conservative. Her father’s side were very conservative, they admired Bush’s vision for freedom and his firmness. On Tina’s side, both mother and father were from the 50′s…suburban and catholic. Neither Bette nor Tina were religious but both remembered that tradition was respected in their families. How were they going to react now that each slept with each other. Christmas was going to be awkward.

            Bette got dressed quickly, she never really got used to standing naked in front of another person. Tina did the same. Bette went to the kitchen and put the kettle on. After a few minutes Tina came out in her clothes…Bette asked her if she was going to shower. “Yea I will at my place, my work stuff is there and I need to get ready”. Bette was kind of disappointed, but nodded…saying she needed to do the same thing. Bette almost panicked, she could feel themselves distancing. The awkwardness the morning after…..she took a deep breath and moved in closer. She brushed back Tina’s bangs, smiling…Tina leaned forward and kissed Bette tenderly. She whispered they would see each other soon. “To talk?” Bette asked. Tina half-smiled making her way to the door, she turned around and gave Bette a wink.

“We’ll talk”.

TBC