Bette, Kirsten, and Angelica sat on a medium sized beach blanket with a few snacks and bottle of juice in the middle. Bette had pored over her cookbooks, she still had a food fetish, at least cooking food, and made some smores, pastries, and trail mix for eating. Kirsten sat between them, angelica listening to her music…leaning back on the tree behind them, trying to look cool. Bette was close to Kirsten, her hand sometimes touching K’s knee. Kirsten fiddling with grass, noting the domesticity of the situation she was in…taking it all inside her…feeling it out…seeing how it made her feel. It was good. It felt not ‘right’ but ‘ok’, like it was a context she could get used to. she even found herself caring for Angelica’s wellbeing….not the everyday well-being but if Bette’s daughter was ‘happy’. She had sensed a certain melancholy air about her while they talked at the table, waiting for Bette to get ready. As for her new lover…Bette was like most people in a  new relationship…fresh-looking all of a sudden, giggles like a little girl, highly sexual, too enraptured to notice the flaws. Kirsten didn’t think Bette was in love though, she knew that Bette needed someone in her life, she was that type of person….Kirsten couldn’t just ‘replace’ Tina overnight. No siree. she was tihnking all this when a huge blast blasted the sky…the fireworks had begun…and it was wonderful.

 After Angelica went in her room and closed the door, a leave me alone closing..Bette and Kirsten went back to her apartment. Bette promised to spend the weekend with just angelica, at Kirsten’s urging. It was important that Bette’s daughter feel loved in a showing way, she knew her mom loved her, but seh needed to be shown regularly, really shown. Bette understood this, knew Kirsten wa snot pushing her away…and to be honest she needed to breath, get fresh air. Being with Kirsten was like getting drunk every night, blurred hazy buzzed high felt ***** good. But angelica was more important….Bette just got a little annoyed that Kirsten pointed it out, suggested it to her. Bette wanted to say that she herself was going to spend time with Angie, at no one’s urging. Nothing more was said though. Walking on the sidewalk, Kirsten linked her arm through Bette’s..nobody said anything as there were nothing to say. It was one of those moments…where the silences are comfortable enough for the two of them to shut just the ***** up.