Her Portrait Is Black and White

Night at home

Tina slowly put Xavier to bed and kissed the top of his head. Watching him for a moment. She just took in her son, enjoying a moment with him. She kissed him again and left the room. She walked downstairs and into the kitchen, she knew that Bette was on her was back from her gallery. She had decided that tonight she wanted some alone time with her wife. Just to help Bette relax. Tina had been talking to her doctor and she'd advised that she needed to do more for Bette.
Tina had had a long think. She didn't want her wife to leave her. The last thing she wanted to was to lose Bette. She knew it was possible. Her life had changed so much. In four years, she'd become a wife, a mother, a successful artist and it had all started when she had meet Bette. James had asked her to come and see her work and that had started a rolling forward of success.
Tina moved around the kitchen preparing a meal for her and Bette, she wanted to show. After doing a lot of thinking today she had decided she needed to do more for her wife. The thought of losing her wife was scaring her. She knew she was very wrapped up in herself and she knew she had to give more time to Bette.
Tina put together a lovely meal, and was laying the table when Bette walked in, she was removing her jacket and walking towards her wife,
​"Something smells amazing," Bette remarked as she walked over and kissed Tina hello, "Hey Ti,"
​"Hey, I would love to say it's me but it's the food that smells that good," Tina smiled as she turned and passed her wife a glass of wine,
​"Are you trying to wine and dine me Ti?"
​"No, well yes. But I'm also trying to show you how much I love you and can look after you."
​"I don't need you to look after me," Bette smiled softly.
​"No, I know, you're very strong and loving and everything I've ever wanted but I do think we need to have some Bette time in this house."
​"I thought..."
Tina gently put her finger on her wife's lips.
​"Let me okay?" Tina said softly.
Bette simply nodded at her wife. It was all she could do. Bette took a seat at the table and smiled as Tina moved back into the kitchen and moved around preparing their meal. She felt relaxed.
​"Erm, I just going to check on Xavier," Bette put her wine glass down and smiled at her wife,
​"Okay dinner will be another ten minutes."
Bette headed upstairs smiling, she felt the love of her family.

****

Bette sat back after finishing her dinner, she couldn't believe how amazing it was. She was now nursing a coffee as Tina cleared everything away. She had offered to help but her wife had refused to her let her.
​"You know I could help you," Bette said again,
Tina smiled and shook her head as she closed the dishwasher. She picked up her own soft drink and walked over to her wife, Bette wrapped her arms around Tina and brought her to sit on her knee. Bette reached around putting her glass onto the table and fully wrapped her arms around her wife.
Tina embraced her wife, just taking in Bette's scent. They just sat in silence for a moment.
​"Are you okay?" Bette asked, as she reached up and gently moved her wife's blonde locks out of her face.
​"I'm okay, I am worried." Tina said honestly
​"About?"
​"Losing you," Tina said seriously,
​"I'm not going anywhere,"
​"Bette, lets be realistic for a moment. My mental health issues can sometimes make me very selfish. I'm very aware of that. I was talking to Jill today,"
​"It's good that you're talking to her,"
​"I should also be talking to you, I keep hiding and I can't keep doing that. You're stressed out. I see it. Man, you've single handily brought up Xavier for the first few months of his life because I was lost in a world of my own self-loathing. Its very important to me that you relax and feel valued and loved in our relationship,"
Bette nodded softly as her hands moved along her wife's back.
​"I've never known love like this B, and it scares me. My parents weren't openly affectionate. Well you know, I was lonely then you came into my life and I feel like I've taken advantage for that because sometimes I live in a world of Tina and not our world. I'm sorry."
​"You don't need to be sorry," Bette said,
​"I do, listen babe you're my world. I love you, you've changed my life given me more than I could ever hope for, You even kick started my career. Which frankly has taken off better than I ever thought it would. I want to take the time to rebuild our relationship, give you time and effort as well."
​"Baby," Bette was a little emotional that her wife was thinking like this.
​"Bette I'm in love with you. My worst fear is that you will find someone else or I'm not good enough for you. You're my world, you and Xavier. I'm so selfish sometimes."
Bette gently reached up and pushed away the tears that were now slowly running down Tina's face. Bette kissed her lips.
​"We need to make time for each other. Set time aside for us." Tina said, "I need to make sure you get you time as well as me getting my me time, we need us time too. I want to make sure we make time and effort for us."
​"I agree, why don't we start now we can have a bath together, relaxing, curl up in bed and watch some TV."
​"That sounds perfect. I will run the bath, why don't you go and see Xavier."
​"Okay baby,"
Tina got up and bent over and her wife one last time, she headed upstairs. Bette walked around the house made sure everything was locked up and then followed her wife upstairs.