“Bette…Baby, I can’t believe that you’re not coming out again before Thanksgiving. You’ve only been home once since the end of August.”

Tina sighed into the phone, letting Bette know that she was frustrated. It was now the beginning of November, and like Tina had said, Bette had only been able to make it out to Seattle once in the last two months.

“I know I haven’t Tina, but I need to go back up to Chicago and take care of a very important, new artist. For whatever reason, he doesn’t want to deal with Theresa, only me. I’m sorry T, but his work is incredible, and I know that his popularity is going to explode in the next year. To be able to sign him would really be a coup for my gallery…for my business.”

Bette knew that Tina was frustrated, she was too, but Tina needed to understand that she couldn’t just drop everything she had worked so hard to build up, to come out and visit for a long weekend. She certainly couldn’t do that and make all the preparations to move as well. The process of finding the right person to manage the gallery, had proven harder than she originally thought. And, if she were honest with herself, she was having an even harder time with the fact that once she moved, she wouldn’t be able to come to her gallery whenever she wanted…she wouldn’t be able to see Kit, Leslie, or Milaine on a regular basis.

She was trying really hard not to feel any resentment towards Tina, or their situation. But it did bother her every once in a while, that Tina didn’t seem to understand why she couldn’t just hop on a plane whenever to visit. She felt that Tina didn’t realize the disruption that caused. She was already staying up late almost every night, just so they could talk on the phone after the kids went to bed, and with the three hour time difference, that had made for some very late nights for Bette. And even though she knew Tina appreciated her doing that, it was just another adjustment Bette had made in her life, where Tina had not.

Bette closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. “T, it’s not that I don’t want to see you. God…I want to see you all the time, and I would hope that you know that. But we aren’t young anymore, I can’t just pick up and go at the drop of a hat. There are a lot more complexities involved now.”

“Bette, what is so complex about me wanting you home?”

Before Bette could stop herself, all her frustrations and resentments surfaced. “Tina, that is not my home. That is your home, including your bedroom, and bed I might add, that you shared with Dan. That is your home, full of your things, not mine. There is nothing in that home that is mine. My home is still here in New York.”

Tina choked back a sob upon hearing Bette’s words. She had thought that they felt the same way about things, but Bette had just made it abundantly clear that was not the case. It was now obvious that Bette had been holding back certain feelings from her. She knew that they would be making changes around the house when Bette moved, but she had decided to leave things as they were until they had a better idea of when Bette would be arriving. The one time that Bette did come back, she again insisted on staying at the Alexis Hotel, saying she felt uncomfortable sleeping with Tina, not only because of the children, but because she hadn’t met Dan yet, and she didn’t want their first meeting to happen with her walking around in a bathrobe, in his house. Still…with Bette’s words, Tina felt like her heart was being squeezed.

“You’re right Bette. There is nothing in this house that is yours…except your family…and when you are ready, your family will be here waiting for you.” With that, Tina softly laid the handset back in it’s cradle, disconnecting the call.

Bette let the tears that had been threatening during the call fall freely down her cheeks. She knew she had just hurt Tina’s feelings, but the only thing she could think was…’I have a family here in New York with me as well, Tina.’

~ ~ ~

Both women tossed and turned all night, neither getting very much sleep. Bette felt bad about hurting Tina’s feelings, and Tina was hurt that Bette didn’t think of Tina’s home as her own. She hadn’t even given Tina and the kids the opportunity to make it into a home they could all live in together.

Finally, at about 3:30 in the morning, Bette came up with an idea that she thought might solve some of their problems…well, at least it would be a first step, and would help make it a little easier for Bette to think about leaving everything behind. She wasn’t sure how Tina would feel about it. But, she decided to call Tina as soon as it was late enough in Seattle, which meant for now, she could relax and try to get some actual sleep.

Tina woke up to the phone ringing at 7:30. Moaning, she rolled over to answer it, before the ringing woke the children. ‘Who would call at 7:30 on a Saturday morning?’

“Hhmmhello…”

“T?”

Tina opened her eyes, her heart jumping up to her throat at the sound of Bette’s voice. “Yea…hi.”

“I’m sorry I am calling so early on a Saturday, but I really wanted to talk with you…and to be honest, I couldn’t wait any longer.”

Tina scooted herself up, so that she was leaning against the headboard. “That’s Ok…huh, what did you want to talk about?”

“Well, first I wanted to tell you how sorry I am for what I said yesterday.” Bette stopped, taking a deep breath. “Tina, I want you to know that I believe my home is wherever you are. Now, the logistics of making that work on a day to day basis are much more complicated, but the simple fact is, my heart is yours, so wherever you are…is where my home is. I’m sorry Baby…I know I hurt your feelings yesterday. I’m just having a really difficult time thinking about leaving New York, and I let it get the better of me. It’s just hard sometimes…T, I know that you are giving me this incredible opportunity to be a part of your family, but I need you to remember that I am leaving some of my family here, to join you there…and that is…well, I just haven’t been ready to do that yet….and…well, the truth is…sometimes I feel like you don’t understand all the major changes I am having to make for us.”

“Bette…it’s Ok. I understand…I do. I know you think I don’t grasp the enormity of what I am asking of you…but Baby, I really do. And I’m sorry, because it is my fault for not telling you often enough, how grateful I am for everything you are willing to do, so that we can be together all the time.” Tina brought her hand up to rub the sleep out of her eyes. “I just love you so much, I can’t wait for you to be here. I want to wake up next to you every morning. I want our second chance at a home and family to start already.” Tina sighed into the phone, feeling bad for everything that Bette was going through just to be with her, but still wanting her to be right next to her, now. “I guess my patience got the better of me, and I haven’t been as practical about all this, as I know I need to be. Take your time Bette, and then come to me when you’re ready.”

Bette smiled into the phone, thankful that Tina accepted her apology, and for letting Bette know that she did understand the depth of what Bette was going through.

“Thank you, Tina. I want to wake up next to you every morning, as well. And if will make you feel better…every morning when I do wake up alone…I also think about that…what it will be like waking up next to you.”

Tina felt her cheeks warming under her blush. “How did you know that’s what I think about every morning?”

She could hear Bette’s soft, ***** chuckle float through the phone line. “Because, I know that morning is your…ah…your favorite time…so it’s easy to figure out where your mind would be, as you wake up without me there.”

Tina joined Bette with her soft laughter. “Well, you’re right about that.” Relief flowed through her body. They were going to be able to work through all this. They just needed to remember to communicate, and respect where the other person was in their process. Tina raised her eyebrows, deciding to lighten the mood and see if Bette wanted to have some fun. “Hey, since we’re both here…and it is morning…my most favorite time…” Tina lowered her voice to a whisper. “What do you think, Baby? Ya wanna reach across America, and have me for breakfast?”

An arrow of desire shot straight down Bette’s body, causing her to clench her leg muscles together, just as it hit the bulls-eye! “Jesus Tina!” She took a couple of deep breaths, willing her heart, which just went from sixty to a hundred in two seconds flat, to slow back down. After lifting up her head to make sure she was still alone, she whispered back, “You cannot believe the visual I just got from that one sentence. God T…unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about it right now, because Milaine is just in the next room, the door is open and she is awake!”

“Oh…that’s too bad…well, there’s no reason why I can’t enjoy the morning myself, and just let you listen from afar.”

“Tina Kennard, don’t you even think about it!” Bette let out a soft groan, wondering how it was, that she had loss total control of this conversation. “You are such a little *****, and a major tease.” She switched the phone to her other ear, hoping in vain that for some bizarre reason, that would ease the ache in her loins. “God T…as much as I would like to continue this, there is something else I wanted to talk to you about. Can you stop whatever it is that you are doing long enough to pay attention for a moment?”

Tina stifled a giggle. “Ahhh…damn, I was just getting to the good part.” She cleared her throat. “Ok, I’m all yours…go for it.”

“Well, I was thinking last night about your home, and how uncomfortable I am with the idea of just moving in. I mean, I just think that it would be really disruptive to you, and the kids to have me come barging in with all my stuff, laying claim to what has been all of yours for so many years.”

Tina interrupted. “I seriously doubt that anyone is going to feel like you are just barging in, Bette. And even if they do, they will just have to get use to it.”

“Well, that’s just it Tina. They are already going to have to get use to having a new person in the house…and, well…I just really don’t want to live in your and Dan’s house. I have tried to move past this, but I am really having trouble. So, I was thinking that maybe we could do something that would be a fresh start for all of us.”

“What do you mean, Bette?”

“Well, what if we bought a new house? A house that would be new for all of us. That way I’m not stepping on anyone’s toes, and we can all start making new memories together, in a home that is truly ours…not yours, or yours and Dan’s…but ours.” Bette hesitated. “What do you think?”

Tina sat straight up in the bed, her eyes filling with tears. “I think that you just took us from possible phone *****, to buying a home, all in a matter of seconds!”

“Tina…”

“Baby, I think it is a wonderful idea. I just don’t know if I can do that financially. I mean, I haven’t worked since Dani was born, and Dan didn’t want me to have to go back to work, even after the divorce. So, I’m not sure how that would all work.”

Now it was Bette’s turn to interrupt. “Tina, please…I told you before, money is not an issue. I will pay for the house, but both our names will be on the title. You and Dan can do whatever you want with your house. This way, you will be free to keep it, or sell it…whatever you want. Baby, don’t worry about the money part of it. This will be a new home, a new start for us…for all of our family, together. Please Tina…a house where neither one of us has previous memories…a bedroom that is truly OUR bedroom.”

Tina was now laughing through her tears. No words could ever describe the love she felt for this incredible woman on the other end of the phone. “Ok…let’s do it…let’s buy our home Bette…just like when we lived in LA.”

Bette laughed. “Just like LA…only this house will be at least twice the size!”

tbc