“Oooo, you like this picking me up thing, huh?” Helena spoke seductively, licking Bette’s ear lightly. If they weren’t going to spend the entire day holed up, than they would spend it driving each other crazy—so went their unspoken agreement for Bette’s birthday. “Ok, ok” She conceded. “Gender is fluid and I shouldn’t be so stereotypical.”

“exactly.” Bette smirked as Helena’s hand reached down to fondle her ass. “Babe, we’re out in public.” She wiggled her hips as she walked just to entice Helena further.

“Fair game.” Helena laughed.

Bette only dropped Helena long enough to make the arrangements for their day in the ocean. The infected were far from the water line, and the beach on either end was protected by surveillance stations.

“Maybe we should get the baby…” Bette suggested carefully. “I know this is supposed to be our day…”

Helena shot her a guilty look. “I was just thinking that.” She said with a smile. “Oh god, we’re pathetic, aren’t we?”

“Very.” Bette laughed. “Guys!” She shouted to the guards on either side of them, then jogged over. Helena watched her for a while—truth be told, it was far too endearing that she wanted to have family time. Bette’s co-parenting role was fast becoming one of her sexiest traits, as far as Helena was concerned.

“She’s coming.” Bette said happily. “Wait…what are we going to swim in?”

Helena shrugged and took off her shirt. “Who cares.”

“Helena!” Bette chased after the quickly undressing woman. “We can’t skinny dip with our daughter and our friends…that’s…that’s…” She watched as Helena’s chiseled back and broad shoulders came into view.

“European? Nudist? Don’t be a prude!” Helena shouted from the water. “And come in here, the water’s perfect!”

Alice and Lara arrived soon after with Caiohme, but both opted to go into the water with their clothes on. “Hey naked ladies” Alice yelled at Helena and Bette as they swam up. Caiohme laughed and splashed her mothers as they greeted her.

“Oh who gives a damn.” Helena laughed. “I had no idea how much I’d missed swimming. This is so fucking freeing after so many months stuck indoors.” She lifted Caiohme out of her diaper and dipped her into the water.

“Well, just in case…” Alice jogged back onto the beach and reached into Caiohme’s day bag for extra shorts and shirts for Helena and Bette. “In case you’re worried, you know, about the male guards and their binoculars…” She gestured toward the surveillance stations.

“Oh fine.” Helena took the offered clothes and leapt back into the water, “Americans and their issues with nudity.” She said cheerfully floating on her back. Bette took their daughter and practiced dousing her with water. “Don’t get it in her eyes, it’ll sting.”

“I know, I know.” Bette said impatiently. “I just want her to enjoy the water and become a good swimmer, and maybe join a swim team…or…just become a good swimmer!” She directed her plans at Caiohme, bouncing her up and down.

“Hey, so what happened to your big dirty day together?” Lara laughed, watching Bette and the little girl.

“Bette wanted family time. That includes you guys, though I don’t think she was willing to admit that much.” Helena smiled at the two women, swimming around them. They watched the birthday girl and the smallest member of their group, floating on sparkling blue waves.

“I think we need to get to Mexico soon.” Bette said at one point.  She and Caiohme were in their own world, swimming around happily, watching how the water changed color and moved. “We need to be by the ocean again. And we need to live in an open area, and just…live…freely, you know? It’s time to take that chance.”

Alice nodded, and looked around. “Well, let’s get rid of the monsters at our gates first…”

“We’ll do it.” Bette said, still addressing Caiohme primarily. “Helena and I will deal with it.”

“We will?” Helena wrinkled her nose at her friends. “All by ourselves?”

“Yep.” Bette said. “All by ourselves.” She could picture it clearly. 

Bette knew that everything was going to work out in the end.