Her Portrait Is Black and White

Sleeplessness

Tina sat on the window seat, she looked out over the hills behind her house, she could see the storm that was heading their way, the sky lighting up behind the hills. Tina sat with her chin resting on her knees. Her hands wrapped around her knees.

Bette opened her eyes and saw Tina, she sat up and looked at the time, it was half past four in the morning and it looked like Tina hadn't gone to sleep yet. Bette slipped out of bed and walked over to her wife, she reached out and gently touched her hand,

Tina turned slowly and looked at her wife, she moved her fingers and gently touched Bette's

"Have you slept yet?" Bette asked,

"No," Tina said honestly. "You were asleep after I'd had my shower."

"You could have just got into bed,"

"My mind..." Tina stopped she looked back out of the window. Doing the gala and writing her very honest speech had made her think about some things she hadn't thought about for a while.

"You can't switch off tonight?"

"No, I think the gala has opened some wounds, I shouldn't have done it."

"Yes, yes you should. You've help so many people, you've raised nearly a million dollars and you're a remarkable woman,"

"But I've risked my good mental health to do it,"

"I will always protect you. I love you so much Tina. I love the woman you, this brave amazing person who I know has a daily battle with your mental health. I don't love you less. I love you more. You're my best friend, my lover, my wife. You're my world." Bette said slowly.

"Seeing and reading some of the stories at the gala, learning that everyone's mental health issues are different...I've let you and kids down..."

"No you haven't. we are so proud of you," Bette knew they had had this conversation before. She knew that Tina sometimes felt like she had let so many people, but she loved her completely and she wanted to make sure that she always knew it.

Tina moved her foot slightly and looked back out at the sky as the lightening lit up the sky again.

"That storm is heading our way," Tina whispered.

"We will be fine," Bette rubbed her wife's shin. "Ti,"

Tina looked at her wife, Bette reached out and gently pushed a lose hair out of her wife's face. Her fingers grazing her face.

"Whatever is going on your mind, please remember we all love you,"

"I'm scared,"

"What off?"

"Katherine,"

"She's nothing to me,"

Tina fake laughed.

"Bette, I googled her, she seems to get what she wants. She wants you. she's fucking hot as well from the photos that came up. I've seen her art but never seen her. I was shocked at how pretty she is. You could have ended up with her."

"I wouldn't have, you see there is more to a person than there looks, there is personality to take into account and trust me my love her personality is vile."

"She would have given you art shows..." Tina drifted off and Bette knew she wasn't really listening to her.

"Ti," Bette said softly finally getting her wife's attention. "Do you trust me?" Bette asked softly,