Alice walked up behind Bette and placed a hand on her shoulder. She could swear that Bette Porter jumped at the contact. “Think it’s time to cut off the lattes?”

“Hey, Al.”

Back to the old Porter cool, mask firmly in place.

“What’s up?” Alice seated herself at the table and started nibbling on the banana muffin. Not quite as good as the pear polenta tart, but a whole lot cheaper.

“Just having breakfast.” She held up her cup and motioned for a toast.

Alice returned the gesture, lofting her soy latte. Now, she decided, would have been a good time to pry further, just to see if there might really be something lurking.

“Hey, baby sis!”

Except that Kit had also decided it was a good time to stop by.

“Did you get my picture?”

Bette gave her sister one of the most genuine smiles Alice had seen in a long time, and then reached down for her purse. “As a matter of fact.” She dug out a small black-and-white image and handed it over. “As requested.”

“Oh my God!”

It was as if Bette Porter was beaming. Another sight it seemed long gone.

Alice went over besides Kit. “So this is Tina’s baby?”

“That’s our baby,” Bette confirmed.

“How’s Tina doing?” Alice thought the question innocent enough, but again, there was a flash of something. Besides just the love and the baby glow. Pain? Longing? Maybe even hope?

Damn, when Porter decides to lose control on her emotions she’s still all over the map with things.

“Tina was fine, when I saw her yesterday.”

“So, you and she?” Alice tried one more prodding. This time, not much of a reaction.

“She and I went to the doctor’s, went to the store. We had a relatively normal time of it all.” Bette set her cup down on the saucer. “It was pretty amazing.” Again with the smile. “The baby. All of it.”

Getting anything out of Porter is going to be tough. If there was a time, it’s now past. She’s too quick to lock up her emotions.

Kit was still enthralled with the picture. “This is my niece. She’s going in the office.” With that she took off for the back.

Alice noted how happy Bette was with Kit’s enjoyment of the picture.

Left to themselves, the two sat in comfortable silence for another few minutes.

“How’s Dana?” asked Bette, pulling out of her reverie.

“She’s good.”

Bette kept her gaze on Alice, which caused Alice to blush and look away. “She’s amazing, really. I mean, who knew. We were friends for so long. Who knew we could be more.”

“That’s great.”

And Alice was happy to see that Bette really seemed to mean it. Despite everything that was, or wasn’t, going on with her and Tina, Bette did seem to be happy for this new type of relationship that Alice was developing with Dana.

Not that Alice herself wasn’t pleased. Becoming intimate with Dana had begun the most satisfying relationship she had experienced in several years. Alice was deep within her warm fuzzy thoughts on her Danakins when she noticed another shift in Porter’s demeanor.

Bette was gazing off into the distance, towards the service counter. The mostly friendly but edging towards patronizing smile was gone, replaced with the second broad-genuine smile of the day. Alice followed Bette’s line of sight, and noticed Tina standing at the counter, placing an order.

Without a word, Bette left the table and walked towards her estranged wife, unseen by Tina.

For a moment, Alice thought Bette was going to grab Tina in some sort of hug. Bette just seemed all wound up and ready to spring. Instead she shifted back on her heels and waited for Tina to notice her presence.

It was certainly a change from the months that Tina spent ensconced on her couch, using Alice’s living room as a closet. It seemed then that Tina went outside as little as possible, and most certainly had as little as possible to do with Bette Porter.

Phone calls were ignored, messages deleted, and letters returned unopened. Flowers that would have made most women’s day were instead deposited in Alice’s trashcan.

Now, however, there was Bette and there was Tina. Both within close proximity. Neither screaming, crying, or running for the door.

But that didn’t mean the tension between them was gone. Different, but not gone.

As if she’d been doing it for years, and she probably had, Bette carried a plate and a teapot over to the table for Tina. And Tina didn’t seem to mind Bette’s attention.

“Hi, Al.” Tina pulled out a chair.

Bette hurriedly placed the items on the table, and then held the chair for Tina, helping her to get settled.

Again, it was all so damned civil, Alice almost couldn’t stand it. She’d seen stormy Bette and Tina. She’d seen loving Bette and Tina. In a way, she longed for the old days of boring Bette and Tina. This awkwardly polite, what aren’t we saying, version just didn’t seem quite right.

“I heard about yesterday.”

Alice could have sworn a blush was rising on Tina’s cheeks. Or maybe it was just the heat from the tea she was sipping. Still, another odd reaction. “Oh?”

“The baby. I saw her picture. How come I’m not on the most-favored-aunt list?”

“I gave Kit her picture earlier,” Bette offered as an explanation to Tina.

“Well, Alice, I guess you’re going to have to wait for the full-color shot.”

Alice pretended to pout, but with the current state of her life, found herself unable to even pretend to be sad. “I suppose that will have to do.”

“Remember, the more diapers you change, the higher you go on the list.” Tina broke into a broad smile, and looked at Bette.

In return, Bette gave Tina a wink.

When Tina turned her attentions back to her breakfast, Bette’s gaze remained. Intensified, even.

And here is when it all became evident to Alice what exactly was happening, at least with one half of her second-favorite couple, now on hiatus.

No wonder Porter was both excited and on edge. Alice recalled the prior time she’d seen this sort of reaction. It last occurred was something like eight years ago.

One more look at Porter and yes, it’s most clearly there. She was that her friend, her onetime love, was falling in love again. Again, as before, she was falling in love with the woman who became her wife.

Alice wasn’t sure what might have changed or what was happening. She hoped Bette was aware of this. Even more, she hoped when Tina realized thisWell, for the two of them, she just hoped.

(the end)