”You little slyboots!” breaking loose, she cries out.

I wriggle out when she makes an attempt to capture me. I then try to get away, with her and the dogs racing after me. I run for my life, turning back to see if Tina is any closer, and she is! I add more speed and then turn back again only to find Tina slowing down gradually. Ha! Now who’s lacking physical training? She couldn’t even catch up with me.

It’s just that I’m such a walking disaster, you guys. Because when I turn to look straight ahead, I don’t have any time to notice a tussock of thick grass, so I stumble over it and plop right into a pond. Yep, right into a damn pond. Where it came from, I have no idea.

When I emerge to the surface and straighten up, I stand in the water miserably and watch as Tina laughs her ass off. The dogs bark and bark mockingly as if saying ’looooooser’. Some people with children stop to chuckle at me. But the laughter around me finally gets to my senses and infects me. An amused titter escapes my lips first, then it grows out into full-on giggles.

Well, if I’m born such a klutz, then why not take as much fun out of it as possible. The water is actually quite warm. Time to party!

”Bette, come on,” Tina calls out with a big grin as I balance my body on the surface, floating on my back and watching the passing clouds. My heart feels joy, my soul revels in peace.

”Hey T, come here! The water is heavenly!”

”You kidding, right?” she laughs out loud incredulously. ”Bette, seriously, get out of the water before you get caught.”

”By frogs?” I jest, coming out of the pond.

Tina holds out her hand to help me climb up the ground. I don’t immediately release her hand, instead I pull Tina into a tight hug, much to her discontent.

”Aaaarghh, you’re wet!” she cries out, trying to disengage herself from my grip.

”I am,” I say with a wicked smile, having both meanings of the word in mind.

”I just knew you’d do something like this!” she grumbles when I let her go.

”Awww, lookie here, now you’re wet too,” I tease her and pull on her damp T-shirt.

”It was bad, Bette.”

I smirk before uttering in a low singsong voice, ”You made me wet, Bette, it was bad. You’re bad for making me wet.”

She rolls her eyes. ”Genius.”

”I tell you what,” wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I walk her down the alley, ”we’re going to my place now. I’m taking a shower, you’re taking a shower. Or bath, however you’d like it. Then–”

”Bette, I’m–”

”THEN!” I shush her. ”Then we’re having hot flavoured tea or sweet milky coffee, however you’d like it. If you’re hungry, we could order takeout. I personally am, so we’re ordering takeout. Or we could cook something together. Then we’re watching an interesting movie. Some comedy. I’m in the mood for a good comedy. How about that?”

”I don’t–”

”This is my idea of a peaceful, enjoyable day off. What’s yours?”

”I agree, but–”

”And I would really, really love to spend it with you. I want to talk more, share life stories with you, we could play Truth or Dare.”

Tina chuckles and lowers her head. We stop walking as I maneuver right in front of her. I eye her in anticipation as she ponders over my offer.

”What about the dogs?” she wonders.

I squat down to the dogs and pat them. ”You guys wanna see where aunt Bette lives? I promise lots of yummy goodies,” I cajole sweetly. The pups wag their tails and bounce all over the place as if understanding what I’m saying. I rise and look at Tina with a soft smile. ”They said they’re ready to go, but mummy has the final say.”

She purses her lips as something seems to be still raising her doubts. I’m about to ask what are they, when…

”Let’s go.”

Bye, I’m in love.