Alice had been a regular in the coffee shop. Tina at that time had been attracted to her. The cute blonde always ordered a cup of coffee and a croissant, while she read a magazine or newspaper or sometimes she would be writing furiously on a notepad. She was Tina’s favorite plus she was a good tipper.

Then one day out of the blue, she asked Tina out on a date.

Tina was placing the coffee cup on the table together with the blonde’s croissant. Suddenly looking up the blonde blurted out. “Would like to go on a date with me?”

Tina had been stunned by the bluntness of the question.

“What” she asked dumbly.

“You heard me” Alice had said smiling.

And the rest was history, Tina thought. She smiled at the memory of her Alice when they had tried to consummate their relationship only to realize they were better off as friends. Alice was the one who’d convinced her to go to college and get a degree in journalism and now they worked together under the thumb of the evil Peggy Peabody.

Tina got up from the couch and retrieved the portrait and handkerchief given to her. She couldn’t help but admire the beauty of one Bette Porter. She wanted to know this woman’s story. What made her that brave? Tina wondered if she was a coward for leaving North Carolina like a dog with his tail between his legs. Alice always told her she was better off In L.A., so her father had actually done her a favor by sending her away.

She felt the connection once again as if Bette was calling out to her. Bette’s eyes looked as if they were beckoning to Tina.

Tina sat back down on the sofa. She wondered what it must have felt like to be kissed by the beautiful brunette and what her arms felt like when wrapped around you. Dragging her fingers over the name embroidered into the cloth, she started to get sleepy.

The events of the day were catching up to her. Bette was her last thought has she drifted off to sleep.

***************

She awoke to sound of marching and the uncomfortable feeling of lying on the hard, cold floor.