Till We Meet Again | A Bette-Tina Beginning Chapter 26

Bette POV

Tina was here, she was in my arms. How did we get here? I must be dreaming; my mental faculties are on an early Spring vacation. It was barely March in fact, and strangely enough, the weather had cleared up and flowers were in full bloom. All the colors with which I could paint a rich canvas were back in my life. I could hardly feel the pain in my leg. Even people did not bother me like before … And did I mention that Tina was in my arms?

Some would call me mad, totally insane, for setting myself up for this kind of hurt, but I didn’t care. I had already fallen for Tina long ago—would it hurt less to never act on these feelings? Would the pain of living apart be less than the pain we would cause everyone by starting this supposedly ‘illicit’ relationship? Were we desecrating the purity of our love by embarking on this course? Was our love even true if it did not involve a great sacrifice? Strangely enough, these questions didn’t plague me. And I doubt that they plagued her.

It didn’t feel illicit or wrong for even a second. Yes, it felt right, as correct as the laws of physics. I no longer cared about the consequences of our actions, no longer dwelled about doing the ‘right’ thing for nothing could feel more right than this. I was convinced that our love was not just another affair—it was the only relationship that mattered, and everything else had to be an illusion.

For if this was wrong, why does the air feel clearer and purer than before? Why would the blue skies shower their approval on us with soft rays of light every morning? Why would the days seem brighter instead of longer; why would the short nights seem so long without her? Why were we so incomplete on our own and yet so complete together?

It was true love and it was right. We didn’t have a care for the world. Together, we dreamed up our own world—a world in which there was space for only Bette, only Tina. Only her and only me. And no one else but us.

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Bette: “No, you hang up first.”

Tina: “No, you. Why should I be the one to always hang up first?”

Bette: “Ok, lets hang up together on a count to 3 …”

Tina: “Alright, deal … 1…2…3”

They both waited for the telltale click that never came.

Bette: “Ha! You didn’t hang up either! Cheater!”

Gosh, we are so cute, it’s sickening!

Tina: “What? If I am a cheater, you are a … giant cheater!”

Bette: “Hey, you started it!”

Tina: “You are the one who stalked me around asking me out for coffee!”

Bette: “You ran after me on the Platform! You could have hurt yourself! What kind of idiot runs down an escalator going up and that too in high heels?! You could have just called! But no, you preferred the melodrama. And that ear-shattering scream…I bet even the extraterrestrial life form in another galaxy heard you; and if there is no life in other galaxies, well, I am sure you have made them come to life. I am lame, not deaf Tina! Were you out of your mind?”

Tina: “Are you done ranting and raving like a lunatic? Yes, Bette Porter, you drive me out of my mind.”

Her voice was low and sultry. No one would miss exactly what she meant.

Bette: “That is either too corny or too sexy. But you can never be too sexy so definitely corny. Don’t think you are off the hook because you are not. And don’t ask me to repeat what I just said, because I don’t remember.”

It’s either too late in the night or Bette has lost her mental faculties like she said.

Tina: “No, I am not trying to GET OFF the hook … but maybe you. You do drive me crazy Bette. And I can’t wait to be punished.”

Again, she purred into the phone, breathing a little heavily.

Bette: “Erm…I…I do? Punished?”

Yes, Bette Porter was speechless.

Tina: “I wish you were here, I would tell you how much … No, I would show you …” She squirmed and reached under her lacey black negligee to feel her pools of wetness, courtesy Bette.

Bette: “You are pulling my leg, right? Don’t because it is already in a bad state. By driving you crazy, you mean to say that I irritate you, right?”

Tina: “I don’t think irritate is the right word baby …Titillate maybe? Stimulate even.”

Why isn’t Bette reacting? Does she not want this as much as I do?

Bette: “Uh… I see, you mean I provoke you. Well, I am supposed to say thought-provoking things. I am a professor after all.”

Tina: “Bette, you can’t possibly be that dense. You know what I am saying to you.”

She is purposely avoiding any discussion about sex. Why?

Bette: “Of course T. You mean to say that I am intelligent and have a lot of intriguing, mind-boggling things to say that engages your mind, and makes you think. I get it.”

Tina: “Yes … certainly mind-boggling and also mood-ruining. Anyway Bette, it’s past midnight… I have school early in the morning.”

Maybe I need to be direct and blunt and we need to talk about this in person. We need to talk about our future.

Bette: “Don’t go.”

Do you hear yourself Porter? When did you get so whiny and needy?

Tina: “Don’t be silly. We do have to go to work. We need to make a living to survive. What did you say that one time? Love doesn’t pay the bills.”

Bette: “No, but having a rich wife or husband certainly does.”

See, problem-solved.

Tina: “Bette!”

Bette: “Just kidding. Can you meet me in the morning? Else I don’t know how I’ll get through the day without seeing you.”

Tina: “Someone is needy … Bette, you don’t have classes till noon, why don’t you get some sleep or spend more time in the studio if you can’t sleep?”

Bette: “You don’t want to see me in the morning?” She pouted.

Tina: No, stop pouting. It’s not going to work. We have a field-trip today and leave really early. I won’t be able to see you baby. Not till tonight.

Bette: “WHAT? And you are telling me now? Where are you going?”

Tina: “Sorry, it completely slipped my mind. I’ve been busy running after random people at the train station.”

Bette: “Don’t remind me… I am still mad about it.”

Tina: “Uh-huh, you didn’t seem so mad when you were kissing me for the whole world to see. The station agent had to break us apart and threaten to fine you!”

Bette: “Fine us. Why would I be mad about some beautiful woman throwing herself at me? As long as it is for free, I would take it.”

Tina: “Bette! You are so cheap … Hmm, well at least you think I’m beautiful.”

Bette: “You have some good traits, few and far between.”

I am kidding, you are perfect Tina.

Tina: “Ha! Porter…I can count all your good traits on my one hand.”

You may not be perfect but you are perfect for me.

Bette: “Haven’t learned to count beyond 5? I guess that’s why it’s called elementary education.” She actually dared to snicker!

Tina: “That’s it, I am hanging up now!”

Bette: “Nooooo…wait wait…”

Tina: “Make it fast Porter. I can only count to 5.”

The infamous eye-roll.

Bette: “You drive me crazy too T. I want you so much. I can hardly wait.”

Her mouth went dry and she swallowed hard.

Before Tina could respond, Bette had hung up.

She groaned. It was going to be another long and sleepless night.

“Fuck you Bette!”

TBC …