Her Portrait Is Black and White

Rest and Relax

Tina slowly opened her eyes and saw that it was still dark outside, she also knew she needed the bathroom, she unwrapped her body from Bette's and headed towards the bathroom, using it and then washing her hand. She went down stairs and got a fresh bottle of water, drinking about half it before heading back upstairs, she was still weak and knew she would fall back to sleep quickly. When she got back into the bedroom Bette was sitting up,

"Are you okay?" Bette asked

"Yeah, sorry I needed the bathroom and water," Tina put the bottle onto the bedside table, before getting back into bed.

Bette opened her arms and let her wife slip back into them. Bette kissed the top of her wife's head as Tina curled into her wife. Her eyes closed.

"How are you feeling?" Bette asked softly, as she ran her hand up and down her wife's back.

"I'm weak baby, had to use the hand rail to get back up the stairs."

"We are going to get you healthy, you're going to have to sleep and eat right,"

"Painting,"

"Don't' push yourself, I'm not going to stop you doing anything. But you have to eat three balanced meals a day, drink plenty of water and plenty of sleep."

"I'm sorry I've scared you so much," Tina whispered, her body relaxing into Bette.

"I was so scared, seeing you have seizure after seizure, your mind and body was shutting down. I don't want that to happen again. I want you healthy."

"I want to be healthy for you, for us, for me."

"You have to do this for you." Bette kissed Tina's temple.

"I will. I love you B,"

"I love you too,"

Tina yawned and drifted back off to sleep. Bette held her, listening to her breathing slowly changing to her full sleep breathing. Bette lay back and closed her own eyes.

***

"How are things?" Alice asked down the phone as Bette moved around the kitchen putting a salad together for her and Tina to eat for lunch, she was following a sheet that the hospital had given them

"Good, Ti is resting while I make lunch,"

"You're cooking?"

"No I'm making a cold chicken salad I can cook you know?"

"You've never cooked for us," Alice laughed.

"That's because I don't need you being a critic."

"You are right. How is Tina?"

"She's okay, she's not painted today. She drew for a little bit but she got tired and took a nap. She's finally listening to her body. I think the medication that the hospital gave us is making her rest."

"Will she get better?"

"Yes," Bette said, "We need to get her eating right and at the right times, she needs to get more than three hours sleep."

"Sorry, what?"

"Three hours sleep."

"Your woman was living off three hours sleep."

"Yeah, and I didn't even notice."

"How does anyone live off that amount of sleep." Alice was confused.

"I'm not sure. she wakes every few hours even with the medication the only difference now is that she's sleeping again with a few minutes." Bette said as she chopped the cooked chicken into strips.

"We need to look after her," Alice said suddenly,

Bette smiled at her friends words.

"We do,"

"If you need anything please let us know."

"I can't get groceries delivered up here, I've made a click and collect order could you pick it up for us,"

"Sure, send me the details and Tasha and I will go and get it and bring it up."

"Thanks Alice. It means a lot."

"Seeing Tina the way we did the other night it scared the crap out of us all. She's a remarkable woman and I know she makes you happy. Seeing the fear on your face..."

"I know Alice, I know. she's doing okay I promise, if you could pick up our groceries up you can see her if she's awake."

"That would be good, right send me the details. I've gotta go,"

"Bye Alice," Bette hung up her phone and finished making the salad, covering in it and put it into the fridge.

She went over to the sofa where her wife was sleeping, currently hugging a pillow, Bette sat on the coffee table and looked at her woman. just taking a moment to take her in.

Tina opened her eyes and looked at her wife. she smiled slowly

"Hey,"

"Hey, lunch is ready."

Tina slowly sat up and pushed her hair out of her face. Bette got up and took her wife's face into her hands and kissed her slowly. before pulling back.

"Would you like some lunch?"

"Yes, please," Tina said softly. She went to get up but she was still weak she didn't she sat back down.

"Stay there baby," Bette said, "I will bring it too you,"

"Thank you." Tina smiled as she curled back into the sofa, wrapping herself in her favourite blanket. She could feel her eyes closing again. Her body was telling her rest.

"Baby you need to eat and take your medication before you sleep again."

Tina opened her eyes and nodded.

Bette kissed her softly as she passed her a bowl of Chicken salad.

"Thank you," Tina smiled.

"It's okay, Alice is going to bring our groceries tomorrow,"

"That's nice of her," Tina started to eat

"Yeah, she was scared by seeing you so ill,"

"I didn't mean to scare anyone."

"I know love, we're just happy you're okay. I'm overjoyed your okay."

Tina smiled as she finished her dinner and took her medication before curling up on the sofa. Bette sat with her, with Tina's head in her lap. Bette gently playing with Tina's hair as Tina went back to sleep. Bette knowing from what the doctors said that this would be there life for the next few days. While her body recovered from the seizures she had. Bette picked up her iPad and did some work from it as her wife's slept.