– 

“Do you miss Eric?”

Tina shook her head quite abruptly as if stunned.  “What?”

“I said do you miss Eric.” Bette repeated.

“Why…” a flustered Tina remarked, “why would you ask such a thing?”

“Is it off the table?” the other woman challenged although immediately followed with relief to the rather defensive posture.  “Tina – I just want to know.”

They looked at one another and neither woman could read the other’s expression.  After a few seconds of silent contemplation, Tina answered.

“I was with him for two years.”

They had been dating for eighty three and a half days. 

“We were practically living together.”

They saw each other two or three times a week, overnight and toiletry bags were still the norm if one spent the night.

“My parents like him.”

Bette had yet to meet said parents and did not necessarily expect to.  The closest she got was a picture – an old one at that – housed in a plain yet elegant silver frame.  It was displayed on a corner shelf in the living room of Tina’s apartment.

“Everyone I’m friends with at work knows him.”

So far, she’d only been introduced to Fran.  An administrative assistant Tina shared with someone in her department.  Their interaction mostly via phone.

“He accompanied me to my cousin’s wedding last July.”

No ‘plus guest’ events for them yet. 

“I…” Tina hesitated.

Why did she bother to ask?  Bette scolded herself and now just didn’t want to know.  Almost meekly, the one who initiated the conversation admitted “I got it.”

Tina stepped closer.  She placed her hand to rest on the middle of Bette’s chest.

“What do you get Bette?”

“I just … I know what you’re saying.”

Bette looked at a button on Tina’s sweater.  Crossing their arms she touched it lightly before putting her hands on Tina’s hips.  Looking up to meet the blonde’s eyes her lips moved as if to form a smile.  To this, the shorter woman sighed pensively.

“Sometimes I do,” she confessed.  “I miss him because he was a part of my life and we were friends before…”

Bette leaned forward to lay a small kiss on Tina’s lips.  It wasn’t meant to be dramatic or completely empty.  It was brief yet sincere.

A kiss that created a distraction while looking for proof. 

But confirmation was not required.  Tina didn’t need to be reminded of who she was with and all they were about if only Bette would give her a chance to say it.

“Tina?” her voice was soft.  Intimately so.

“Yes Bette?” Tina whispered back.

The brunette leaned onto her girlfriend’s forehead gently with her own.  Her hands moved to the small of her back to delicately caress with light fingers.  Saying with her touch it was fine that she missed him.  They had obviously shared much and Bette acknowledged their own relationship was still taking form.  She was comfortable with this truth and knew in time their history would gain prominence and strength.

“I’ll ask you again another time okay?”

“Okay Bette.”

They stood as they were for a while.  Swaying slightly as if dancing in time with music only the couple could hear.  After another minute, the taller woman pulled her companion closer.  

Bette said softly, “Tina?”

“Hmmm?”

If not for the subdued lighting Tina would have seen the woman she held noticeably flush.  She did however notice the almost imperceptible twitch of her chin.  A slight hesitation in the fluid sway they had mastered in those minutes of the shared embrace.

The gallery owner straightened to confidently yet humbly say, “If it were completely up to me….” 

It was Tina’s turn to press her lips onto Bette’s to distract and now offer proof. With a kiss that was just as brief and equally powerful.  Confirming it was in fact up to her companion because there was no chance she herself would end this before it had a chance to blossom and thrive.

Tina’s arms rested loosely on the taller woman’s shoulders while in turn Bette embraced her at the waist.  They looked at each other with happy and knowing eyes.

“Bette?”

“Yes Tina?” 

“Ask me again okay?”

So she could tell Bette how much their now meant versus her yesterday.  So Tina could admit to never wanting to miss Bette.  Ever.

Bette slowly nodded in agreement.  Indeed she would ask later.  Although it really no longer mattered.

–