Chapter 10: “I’m In Love With A Woman Daddy”

Eric had noticed his daughter had been a little pre occupied since she arrived. He knew there was something a matter and he intended to find out what was up with his little girl. Tina couldn’t get rid of the image of Bette making love to her out of her head. Maybe she was wrong running away from something that felt so right

“Christina you ok?” Tina snaps out of her trance and looks at her father. She was scared that if she told him about her, he’d be disappointed by the fact she was bisexual and that she was in love with a woman

“I need to tell you something” Eric could tell in was something serious by the tone of his daughter’s voice. She always used a deep tone when she needed to say something important “But I’m scared that you’re going to be disappointed by me” they pull outside Eric’s house “Can I tell you inside” Eric nods. They get out of the car and enter the house.

“What is it sweetheart” Tina breathes deeply. ‘Coming out to your father that you’re bisexual is harder than I thought’ thought Tina as she looks at her father

“I’m confused about my feelings for someone” Eric nods understandingly “Whenever I’m near them I feel like I’m going to explode, we have this really deep connection and its scaring me to death and I don’t know about it” Eric looks at his daughter pacing the floor. He had never seen his daughter so worked up about someone before “Should I go to them and tell them how I feel right now or should I just keep my feelings tucked away until the right time, whenever that will be” Tina collapses on the sofa and sighs heavily “I just don’t know what to do” Eric sits down next his daughter and puts a supportive arm around her

“Whoever you’re talking, he’s going to be one lucky guy when you do tell him how you feel” This was the moment Tina had been dreading since arriving in New York. Tina pulls out of her father’s embrace and looks him directly in the face

“That’s the thing dad” Eric looks at Tina with a confused look “I’m in love with a woman not a man” Eric stands up and walks towards the kitchen “I’m bisexual dad” Eric stands in complete silence. He was in shock and the silence was killing Tina “Dad talk to me” Eric turns to his daughter. She was dreading his response

“Is she beautiful?” Tina is shocked but pleased about her father’s response

“She’s out of this world beautiful” Tina blushes fiercely “She’s kind, compassionate, caring, funny, intelligent she’s everything I want in the person I wanna love for the rest of my life” Eric could see Tina really loved the woman she was describing. She had never said anything like that about any of her past boyfriends

“What’s her name” Tina smiles as the image of a smiling Bette appears in her mind

“Her name is Bette, Bette Porter” Eric knows exactly who Tina was talking about. He had been to her gallery once or twice and was amazed by the number of excellent artists she seemed to attract

“The famous gallery curator and owner?” Tina nods with a smile on her face

“One and the same” Eric is gobsmacked, his daughter was in love with Bette Porter “We met through Alice, my housemate, at the opening of a new exhibition at the CAC” Eric was eternally grateful to Alice for helping his baby find love

“I’m so happy for you sweetheart” Eric envelops his daughter in an embrace. Tina welcomed it with open arms “But why did you run from her if you feel this strongly for her?” Tina leaves the embrace again and shrugs

“I was scared but I’m not anymore and I realise that I was shielding myself behind my fear of not being accepted by the people I care about most” Eric embraces his daughter again

“I’ll always love you no matter who you love because it’s who you are” Tina is so relieved to hear those words. Her fear just melts away. She was ready and boy did she know it “Are you going back to LA to be with her” Tina shakes her head

“I’ll go after the party, I came to spend some time with my dad and that’s exactly what I’m gonna do” they laugh. Little did Tina know was the love of her life was booking a ticket to New York at that very minute in time and was going to arrive tomorrow morning. It was going to a party to remember

TBC…