Tina thought for a moment and then said with a smile, “Before you there was nothing but emptiness. Not being in love with you…I can’t even remember what it’s like.”

“Tee,” Bette said playfully and sprinkled some water on Tina’s face.

“Tee? Where did this come from?” Tina asked surprisingly.

“Well, I noticed that you call Alice as Al sometimes and Dana is Dane so I thought I might as well have my own personal short name for you. I won’t use it if you don’t like it.”

“Let’s see… it started as Christina when I was little, then Tina, and now Tee, I got shortened in a matter of seconds…I love it,” Tina laughed and kissed Bette again.

“Okay, Tee it is then,” Bette replied happily.

“Seriously, the difference before you love somebody and after…hmm, it is really difficult to define love,” Tina said thoughtfully. “I was always mad at my older sister when she kept telling me that when I fell in love I would know. And it’s true…somehow you know, your heart knows and your body knows.”

“Does it affect your love when the person you love doesn’t return your feelings?” Bette asked again, knowing that she was speaking about herself. She knew that she cared for Tina so much and she felt their connection but she didn’t know if it was love or just a longing for love…or maybe just a physical attraction.

Tina sensed immediately what Bette was thinking as if she was in tune with her feelings and she replied softly, “I feel that I can have anything and anyone but until I have your love I will always want to have something more. Does it make any sense?”

“Does it mean that you won’t give up on us?”

“Never,” Tina replied, giving Bette another soft kiss. They stay there silently, holding each other. The candles were flickering in the dark and the soft instrumentals of ‘Enigma’ filled the bathroom with the soothing melodies of love and lust.

“Let’s get out of here before we turn into prunes,” Tina finally said, getting out of the bath tub and putting a towel around her. She handed Bette another soft white towel and help her to dry off.