George finished shopping with her mom and dropped her off at her hotel. She went home to take a nap but couldn’t sleep. George opened her eyes and huffed with defete. Any other time she felt content being alone with her thaughts but the only thing she could think about was Holly ever since her mom mentioned running into her. She got up and grabbed her keys and headed out the door. George tried to reach Tina on her cell but she didn’t answer so she decided to go over to see Bette at the CAC.

Bette was sitting in her desk half asleep when George got there. “Wake up!” she said walking through the door. “What’s up?” Bette said shaking herself out of a daze. “Nothin” said George as she ploped down in a chair across from the desk.

Bette: “Are you ok?” she said with concern

George: “Yeah….my mom’s just draining me” she said leaning her head back on her chair.

Bette: “Yeah, she’s a character. I had an interesting talk with her at Milk”

George: “Oh yeah? What about?” she said leaning up with interest.

Bette: “She’s not crazy you know.”

George: “She is in her own right.”

Bette: “Well isn’t everyone. She pretends to forget things, she remebered me.”

George: “I don’t think thats it. She has a selective memory. She doesn’t know how to deal with things so she ignore’s them then eventually forgets. I bet she does remember you, she probably just didn’t care back then. Mom and Tina’s relationship is a sad story. Has she ever really told you about growing up?”

Bette: “No, not really.”

George: “Well I guess it isn’t really my place to tell you about it. What I will tell you is that mom hasn’t always been so happy go lucky. After my parents divorced she remarried shortly after that. He was an alcoholic and abusive. She was too hopped up on pills and alcohol to care about what was going on with us and by the time she got clean we were already grown” she paused taking a deep breath. “Like the time she walked in on my girlfriend and I kissing…all she did was say. “I baught pop tarts today” then walked out. We never spoke about it again.”

Bette: “Well it’s not too late you know, talk to her”

George: “I like the relationship we have now. We get together and have fun, and we don’t get too personal about me. It’s more comfortable for her and I have to admit, if I don’t have to have thoes convorsations it’s fine with me.”

Bette: “Your impossible”

George: “I know” she smiled. “Alright, im gonna get going. You know how I don’t like to stay in one place too long.” she said standing up to streach.

Bette: “Yeah maybe I should try and make it look like im working a little”

George finished streaching and turned towards the door.

Bette: “Be good Georgia” she said flashing a soft smile

George tuned her head around and simply replied “always” as she flashed the peace sign and disappeared around the corner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tina was sitting on the deck with a head full of thaughts when she heard a knock. She got up and walked over to open the front door.

Tina: “Mom, hi. I thaught you were shopping with George.” she said moving aside to let her mom in.

Kathy: “I was, we’re done, you know how she hates shopping. So are you busy?”

Tina: “No, I was just sitting outside. What’s going on?” she said looking at her mom with confusion.

Kathy: “I’ve put it off long enough. We need to talk.”

Tina: “Ok…let’s talk.” she said walking back out onto the deck.

Kathy: “Tina I didn’t come here just for George’s birthday.” she said sitting across from Tina. “Im so proud of you girls. I know I wasn’t there in the past espically for you. I missed out on so much of your life, your doing so well here. You have a wonderfull home.”

Tina was too shocked and confused to speak, all she could muster was “thank you”

Kathy: “I would do anything if you would allow me into your life now”

Tina: “All you have to do is ask” she said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Kathy: “Hey! Don’t start that! If you start crying, i’ll start.”

Tina: “Sorry” she laughed as she wiped the tears away.

Kathy: “So, who is this Helena? She was holding your hand. I thaught you were with Bette”

Tina was somehow relieved about the question, for some reason she really wanted her mom’s advice. Maybe it was the surprise that she really was interested and wanted to talk about it. They had never had any talk’s before. Tina started to feel like she was in junior high and running to her mom for advice.

Tina: “I am…and im not.” she said taking a deep breath. “Im so confused right now”

Kathy: “What are you confused about?”

Tina: “I don’t even know where to begin”

Kathy: “Sadly you have to start from the begining. Remember I don’t really know anything about your relationship with Bette.”

Tina: “Well, as you know we’ve were togehter for seven years” Tina began to ramble about how they met and how much in love they were. She paused a few times remembering all of the beautiful aspects of their relationship that she had forgotten, allowing her tears to fall. She then explained the breakup, the aftermath and the current situation, even what had happend with Helena earleyer in the day. What she did leave out was the fact that she was currently pregnant.

Kathy: “Im really sorry I couldn’t be there for you through any of this.” she said sadly. “I knew there was something about that woman I didn’t like. These things are hard to deal with but you are strong, your stronger than you know. Bette really does love you, I can see it in the way she looks at you. I hardly know her and I can see how sorry she is. You need to fix what went wrong, or at least try. I have a feeling your relationship is worth saving. Don’t let your pride get in the way, Tina. If you still love her, and I can tell you do, you can forgive her and move on.”

Tina felt comfort in her mom’s words. She felt as if a weight had been lifted off her sholders. She was surprised how smoothly everything came out, for the both of them. Tina was actually feeling a connection with her mom for the first time in a long time. She smiled and leaned in to hug her. When they pulled apart they heard the front door open.

Kathy: “I think Bette is home. Why don’t you go say hi.” she said pushing her towards the door. “Im gonna get out of here, think aabout hwat I said.

Tina looked at her mom with thanking eyes and watched her walk around the side of the house then she headed inside. Bette was standing inside leafing through the mail, looking incredibly tired. She looked up when she heard Tina walk into the room.

Bette: “Hey” she said looking up at her. She noticed Tina looked more relaxed than she had in a while. “What’s up?” she said tossing the mail on the counter.

Tina didn’t say anything, she walked over and slowly took Bette’s face in her hands. They were inches apart, Bette wasn’t sure what was going on, she didn’t move, she just stared into Tina’s eyes trying to figure out what was going threw her mind. She wanted desperatly to kiss her and hold her forever. Tina continued to look deep into Bette’s eyes, she was seeing the love that her mom spoke of. She saw all of the regret, the self loathing and the begging of forgivness. Finally Tina leaned in and softly kissed Bette and insted of pulling back she deepened the kiss, she felt her barriers slowly breaking down. When she eventually pulled away she noticed the tears in Bette’s eyes. In words of comfort Tina said “Im ready to get through this…for you, for me…for us” as she placed Bette’s hands on her pregnant stomach.