8
It had been two days since Bette had kissed Tina and disappeared elegantly. Tina hadn't tried to contact her again, the next day she and Bette had met up in the office and pretended nothing had happened for the entire staff. But not for the two of them. Maybe Tina's questioning look had gone unnoticed by many, but not by Bette who had been there trying not to look into her hazel-green eyes. Tina's question was still there.
"How are you?" She really cared, but for Bette having someone who cared about her again made her heart race, made her feel unstable and then that person was Tina. Bette had made a mistake, kissing Tina had been a huge mistake. So she had tried to erase it, like a scribble on a chalkboard, but it wouldn't be that easy. That day Shane started his job as a secretary, Bette wasn't thrilled about it, but she loved the fact that she would at least stop sharing Alice with Tina and her father Tom.
"I just wish Bette was more qualified...this is a serious firm." Tom had told her when he'd given the green light to hire Shane, but Bette had obviously not followed that man's logic much, especially that morning as she walked into his office after Shane had warned her about an emergency meeting.
When Bette walked in the door she found herself facing Tina for the second time since the kiss, but things were becoming more bearable now at least.
"Good morning..." she said in a kind and generic tone as she took the second free chair in front of Tom.
"Hi Bette, good morning to you too."
Tom was looking at his phone for a moment, while Bette from the corner of her eye observed Tina next to her giving a low greeting that was returned in the same way.
"So..." The man began while the two women were trying to give him the proper attention "yesterday I had a meeting with Evans and his father cancelled.. Randal called me, he wasn't happy about it."
Bette sighed but Tina beat her to it "we were swamped with work, besides it wasn't necessary we already have the situation in hand..."
Tom looked at his daughter, an eyebrow raised, he knew Tina well, she talked a lot when she was in the wrong or upset. The man's gaze also passed over Bette who remained calm, when Tom and Tina were in the same room there was no way to escape, they would have fought.
"It doesn't matter what does that mean?"
Then Bette spoke up "there is evidence that Benji's wife took her children with her lover.. it wasn't in the contract." she blurted out.
"So...this is the cheap tactic you're going to use..."
"It's not...."
"Tina please!" Her father admonished her "What were you playing Monopoly at in LA?"
Tina crossed her arms over her chest pouting in a way that Bette could see from behind.
"It's just a tactic." Bette banged her fist on the desk, eliciting a chuckle from Tom "We're both qualified lawyers, we're better than London and you know that...what more do you want? We'll win the case, Benjamin will have the right to see his kids. Gwen wants to take them away from him forever, it's unfair."
Tina remained silent at his side, she had taken the blow from her father, she hated it when her father treated her like a little girl, he had always done it, even when things with Eric were not going well, even when she had returned to the city. Always. Even in Tina's darkest period.
"Then I want you to have a meeting tomorrow, with the other party. You will negotiate, do not let all this come to the courtroom or we will be newspapers, Randal Evans is very well known, he was first a playboy, then the representative of the Anglican Church, he cares about his family as much as his life, he wants his son to come out of this clean and without too much talk." Tom observed his daughter in the last words and then with one hand made a dismissive gesture "do as I say and everything will be fine."
Tina slammed her chair so hard the floor almost broke as she stormed out of the room while Bette and Tom watched her knowing the real reason.
"You're not making her nervous are you?" Tom said almost annoyed.
"That's your job Tom."
Bette quickly left to head to the blonde's office and see the consequences of that little conversation if you could call it that. Knocking she quickly entered
"Are you okay?"
Tina was sitting on the chair, her back to the door, watching the snow fall
"mh..how ironic huh?"
Bette remained silent as she closed the door, waiting for a word. Tina finally turned to her, her gaze determined but cold.
"How are you? That's what everyone wanted to know, don't you think?"
Touchè.
For a moment they looked at each other, until it became too painful for Tina.
"Don't bother answering right.. ?"
"Tina I..."
"no Bette I really don't need this... I'm not a Cinderella abandoned at the ball."
Bette crossed her arms over her chest lingering on the large windows of the blonde's office, she had never been in that office, Tina during their relationship had never had an office of her own, she worked in Tom's or Bette's or wherever she happened to be.
Now it was all so strange, Tina was no longer young and innocent and had her own office and things had changed a lot. But really deep down? Bette couldn't really say that even if she tried.
"I was confused Tina...that's what I know."
Bette couldn't even look at her, where had they gone? How far had they come?
"Well maybe if you looked past your ego, you'd see that I was too...more than you."
Finally at that point Bette fixed her eyes on the blonde. She opened her mouth once without saying anything and then again.
"We don't have to talk about this Bette..."
Was that what was happening? Could Tina still take the words away from Bette? It was so powerful, it invaded the brunette, without thinking, without effort.
"It's complicated."
"We always were."
"Until you gave up."
"That's you, Bette."
"I didn't run across the country."
"I didn't fuck anyone else."
Bette sighed, that was a blow to the heart as always, an open wound, that Tina or whoever tore open every time.
"and then you're the one who kissed me..."
"it was a weakness..."
Tina felt like she was dying and Bette saw it, but she went on, it was up to her to shoot.
"I'll get by with my father, think about a meeting with Pi...counterpart."
Tina corrected herself in time, while she put on her glasses and pretended to immerse herself in the papers on the desk. A clear sign that she was asking Bette to leave her alone and so it happened. Bette stared at her for a second and then muttered a nervous "I'm sorry" as she walked out.
"Fuck Porter, can you let me know when you wake me up at 4 in the morning!"
"You're my secretary I need you Shane..."
"At this hour?"
"Shocking news I don't have hours. Our firm doesn't have them!"
"What do you want?"
"Seven at the office, Tina and I will leave for the Continental office at seven fifteen, no later."
"Yes boss..." Shane stammered before hanging up.
The ride to the Continental was silent, they were very good at ignoring each other by now or at least they knew that it would be a busy morning, even if Bette's strapped jeans had distracted Tina a lot.
Tina had been reading the news on the blog the whole way or so, her sunglasses were dark, Bette never understood what she was really doing, but it didn't bother her anyway.
Bette was nervous, the previous days with Pippa had been almost devastating, few words, most of them half-said, a cold climate, the relationship seemed to be at the end of the line. And to think that until six months ago Bette thought that with Pippa it would be the right time for her.
But most likely their relationship was no longer so rosy, there had been heated arguments, it wasn't just Pippa's jealousy towards Tina, it was everything, Bette's lack of interest in spending evenings under the covers, on the sofa, taking walks in the park. The interest had waned.
And even though Bette was a good lawyer, she knew that a lack of interest wasn't always an explanation for the end of a marriage or a relationship, Bette could only explain it that way, unless she admitted that Tina's return had changed her. That's why she had kissed her, without holding back.
"We're here..."
Tina whispered as Bette was lost in thought. Shocked, she grabbed her bag quickly to get out before Bette was ready. One thing was certain about that day, they both hated the Continental. Tina had grown up with her father and mother's ideas about how the lawyers in that firm were all incompetent and corrupt. If there was one thing Tom couldn't stand, it was corruption, Tina had always known this and had remained faithful to her father's values. The thing that bothered Tina the most besides Gwen was Pippa and that morning it would be two against one, at least that was what was supposed to happen.
Tina and Bette would only face Pippa Pascal, it was a mediation meeting, Gwen and Benjamin would not be present after the recent events. Bette would throw in the card of Gwen's lover present in the girls' lives, at least she thought it could really work.
As they entered the spacious baroque office, Tina and Bette greeted both Pippa and James Cameron professionally. He was the office president's right-hand man, Bette had met him at an informal dinner once at Pippa's house, but nothing more from there. Tina was nervous, but never as much as Bette. Especially when James came out with the classic phrase of a male and sexist lawyer
"Mrs. Porter, have you never cheated? Accidents happen."
That was nonsense. Tina closed her eyes for a second, when she opened them again Pippa was looking at her feeling a mixture of sympathy and envy. Maybe Pippa didn't know that Bette had cheated on Tina, maybe Bette hadn't told her. In fact, most likely it was like that.
"This isn't my life we're talking about."
"No...but our client made a mistake, like billions of people...and her husband, your client, didn't allow her to make amends."
"Make amends..." Tina echoed sarcastically, making the woman turn her eyes to her "Do you really think it takes so little? One makes a mistake and then fixes it right away?"
Bette also looked at Tina, it was true, it wasn't all that easy.
"And why doesn't the lawyer Pascal speak? She's the contact."
Pippa cleared her throat "there are two of you too...you know...unity is strength."
"we've been a team for a long time." Tina replied without realizing the double meaning, without realizing that the person who said it was Bette's current company.
"Ok ok.."
Bette tried to intervene, placing a delicate hand on Tina's elbow who had leaned a little too far on the oak table, then she looked at Pippa, perhaps a sign to stay calm, Tina couldn't decipher well.
"I think we're losing the focal point...James...you know very well that an adulteress with a marriage like the Evans' in the pre-nuptial agreements establish that if there are episodes of betrayal, she must remain hidden for the first three months."
"so?"
"I have pictures of your client, with the third wheel, outside their youngest daughter's school."
"Nonsense."
Bette raised an eyebrow as she opened her black leather bag and slid three photos onto the table. It was the truth.
For a long moment Pippa and James looked at each other and then held the photos in their hands.
"Keep them, I have two copies..." Bette said almost in a whisper, leaning back in her chair.
Tina was more pleased than she was, Pippa and James quickly stood up to go to the door while saying a quick goodbye. Pippa managed to say a quiet "I'll call you later" to Bette before disappearing through the door.
"I'm sorry..."
"For what?"
The silence was almost pleasant.
"For the team's joke."
"You were quick with your response..that was enough."
"Bette..."
"Let's hurry up and get out of this place."
"So you talked to her?"
"talked to who?"
Shane was pacing like a madman, she was on her third coffee of the day and it was only two in the afternoon.
"Pippa..."
"If talking means arguing, then we talked a lot."
"Um Um..."
"What? What?"
Bette was getting nervous, Shane's smirk was unbearable.
"You know what I'm talking about Bette..."
"No Shane and my head, it's pounding like a drum...and I have work to do, we're meeting tomorrow before the trial...so get to the point."
"Bette, it's Tina...you've lost your motivation for Pippa since Tina came back..."
"Absolutely not."
Bette put her glasses back on but Shane stopped her.
"I think so. I mean look at you? What's wrong with you..."
"What's wrong with Pippa? You know Shane, she's not perfect..."
"Neither are you."
"No...but yes. The problems started with Tina...she's jealous of Tina...of our past relationship even though it's over."
"Over."
"Yes...yes...over."
Shane looked at her in silence, sipping her coffee.
"let go.."
Shane raised an eyebrow "I'll leave for you...but Bette...I'm here for you you know?"
"I know, I love you too."
That morning had started badly for Tina, after a week of silence with Bette and the whole trial that was running faster and faster towards the court that morning Tina had arrived in the rain, her clothes soaked, her boots full of water.
"Damn damn! Al! what do we have?"
"I won't say good morning, Pippa Pascal and James Cameron are already here with his crazy wife, Bette is inside with Benji. They're waiting for you."
"fuck!"
"Did you forget Tina?"
Her silence was enough for Alice.
"Ok come here.... Bette didn't call you?"
"Maybe, I can't find the phone."
Alice quickly took off her soaked coat, it was waterproof in London the rains were frequent Tina was used to it.
"I can't do much about your hair...but here's this."
She handed her a white shirt that he took from behind his desk in a small cabinet "I always have a change of clothes if I want to eat spaghetti at lunch."
"Thank God!"
When Tina entered she was greeted by many eyes, she hated those embarrassing situations.She quickly slid into the chair next to Bette, right after Bette, Benji but Tina didn't stop to greet him, she gave a generic good morning.
"your phone?" Bette whispered to her.
"at the bottom of my clothes...my closet has finally arrived."
"Tina...."
"ok let's start..."
Bette narrowed her eyes, but tried to get over her anger.
"Lawyers..." James began "before you begin your accusations on behalf of my client I would like to raise a very important point..."
Bette finally paid attention, tearing her eyes away from Tina, that wet, wild blonde hair, God she was beautiful. At that moment Bette was not thinking about the case, she wanted to ask Tina what had happened, she would surely be cold, she would put her in front of a fireplace, drying her golden hair. She had not even brought an umbrella, so typical of Tina. That time five years ago on Bette's desk, Tina had been caught in a storm and Bette, well, they had made love on the desk, Tina's soaked clothes on the floor. Bette remembered it like it was yesterday.
"Bette are you there?" Benji nudged her.
"excuse me... tell us James..."
"Well I know from some sources that it is illegal to defend someone you have had a relationship with..."
"what does that mean?"
Tina butted in as Bette was already in off mode, her gaze shifting to Pippa, their eyes blazing.
"As far as we know Bette and Benji have had a romantic history..."
"Bette and I went to college together."
"I know differently."
"That's useless, gossip lies."
Tina tried to stay calm as James focused on Bette now "so Bette..."
"I..." Bette really couldn't believe something like this was happening to her.
"We were college classmates... what do you know? I mean... who told you this nonsense."
"It's absurd" Tina began "and then what does it entail? What if it was a relative? The law doesn't forbid it."
"No, but in the case of sentimental relationships, there could be impairment of judgment law 301."
Tina snorted taking a sheet of paper from James's hands, read it thoroughly and then passed it to Bette as she began to speak.
"But who says you didn't make it up to block the advance?"
James remained silent, Gwen watched her ex-husband who was stunned, while Bette stared at the sheet. Tina looked away, clearly. Bette had told Pippa everything thinking it would remain a secret, she was her lover, she was naked in her bed.
Whore.
Tina's blood boiled.
"How could you..." she whispered to Pippa as Bette put a hand on her knee to calm her down, at least she tried.
"It's the power game Tina..."
Bette whispered, looking up at Pippa and James.
"So are we going to court?" James smiled evilly, but Bette had gotten up and behind Benjamin leaving Tina to collect everything.
"You know..." The woman spoke calmly "even without Bette sitting next to me, in court, you will lose... I know what I'm doing, I've been doing it for years, me and Bette.. " she looked at Pippa "we are a proven team... I don't need her by my side to know what she thinks... do you want her out of the courtroom? Fine. But the charges will be heavy."
Before leaving Tina turned one last time "Gwen... get ready, your ex-husband will win." Tina rushed out while yelling at Alice to throw them out quickly.
After asking Shane about Bette he realized that the brunette was in the bathroom, in fact he found her there banging her fists on the sink, she was furious.
"Bette, Bette!" Tina blocked her from behind, her hands were already red "calm down please!"
"no fuck, Tina leave me!"
"I'm not leaving you you'll break your bones, you have to stop!"
Tina yanked her back and Bette wriggled away remaining next to Tina, her head down towards her feet, breathing heavily.
"I know you're angry..."
"you don't know shit."
"well yes...we'll sort everything out ok?"
"oh yes it's what? Your father will kill me!"
"My father will keep quiet...and then we have to think about the case."
"What will we do? If, if I get killed...."
"We'll come up with a tactic and I'll execute it perfectly...you don't need to be there."
Bette stared at her, her eyes lost in those hazel ones, Bette had felt lost many times but had never opened up completely to Tina, she always thought she was too young, unable to keep up with her. Instead she was wrong.
Tina was capable, she had always been capable, the only one to stand up to Bette, the only one to have taken her heart forever. A soft hand slid on the brunette's toned shoulder in a reassuring and circular way, like a tender gesture, but Bette didn't know what was really hidden behind it for her heart, that touch of Tina was almost incendiary.
"Let's go to my father....we'll talk to him."