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The Thawing of the Ice – Chapter Thirty-Two
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Chapter Thirty-Two
On Monday morning, Bette was sitting at her desk, her hands typing an email when Jackie knocked briefly and her blonde head appeared at the door. Dark brown eyes looked up expectantly.
“Dean Porter, you have a delivery,” said Jackie, a wide grin making her dimples that much more prominent.
“A delivery? I didn’t order anything,” Bette replied.
“I don’t think you ordered these,” Jackie answered. She opened the door fully and a bouquet of fragrant white lilies in a crystal vase appeared. The assistant sat the arrangement down on her boss’s desk before whispering conspiratorially, “They’re from Tina Kennard.”
Bette was so caught up, she didn’t even notice Jackie had walked away until she heard the click of her office door closing. Her dark eyes studied the flowers and she chewed on her lip as she picked out the card.
Bette,
Just a little something to let you know that I’m thinking of you. I love you and I hope the beauty of your day matches the beauty of these flowers.
All my love,
Tina
“Flowers? Tina is sending me flowers?” she asked herself aloud. In their eight years together, it had been pretty well established that Bette bought the flowers and Tina gladly received them. It had been the way in which the art aficionado had expressed her love. She couldn’t remember Tina ever sending her flowers before.
Good manners dictated that she call Tina and thank her, but she found her fingers had a mind of their own.
“Hello?” Helena answered.
“Helena, I need to talk to you. Have lunch with me today?” asked Bette.
The tone of Bette’s voice was off and it sounded an alarm bell in her British friend. “Is everything all right?”
Bette nodded to no one in particular and responded, “I’m fine. I just…I just needed to get your advice. Tina sent me flowers and I’m a little spun up.”
“Tina sent you flowers? She’s bloody serious isn’t she?” Helena replied.
“I believe so. Can you do lunch?”
“I’m sorry Love, I can’t. I’ve got lunch with Jai today. It’s to review my work last week and set the stage for my next job. We don’t meet at the office or anything. We just have lunches and dinners,” there was deep regret in Helena’s voice and she spoke with nervous detail.
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Tina is on a mission and I like it. Bette’s relationship with Helena still scares me in a way that they might have something more than friendship but this gives me much hope. Thanks for the post!
I hope Helena chokes on her friggin’ chocolate chip reciper. Those 2 still freak me out. Kit needs to get on the Tibette-ship quick…and Bette needs to get her head out of her butt and forgive Tina already. As Kit said…they both fucked up that relationship. NOW is the time to make things right. Okay…I”m done venting now…and again…I hope I’m not disappointed at the end of this story! Thanks you.
Am starting to get tired of Bette now, seriously she should just go be with Helena and that cringe worthy relationship they seem to be forming. Let Tina move on and find someone who will love and truly appreciates her, because in this story and the portrayal of Bette, she doesn’t seem to be that person.
FOR ME THIS IS THE BEST CHAPTER SO FAR. I really really liked Bette-Kit talk. deep and realistic. The best dialogue ever. No matter which course you’re taking the story I’ll read it because it’s real and very interesting. So don’t let our chit chat about whit whome Bette will end to lead you of your track. Great job, can’t wait for more and tnx for quick update;))
Very nice chappy! Still rooting for B&H. Who says you can’t fall madly in love more than once in life? I’m living proof. Things happen for a reason.
Superb! I love the way you’re keeping us on our toes, and I’m in for the long haul (disclosure: Tibetter). Excellent chappy – maybe because we had the minimum of BeLena, LOL. I think this is good – T & B need to court each other again. Maybe Tina has realized Bette is scared, and it’s up to Tina to do the wooing (I love that word!). PPS!
Ah yes…MTS…the L-Word version of the Mccoy and Hatfield feud is a brewing. Since there is so much drama going on…you wouldn’t consider writing it with a twist…you know…the “perfect roomate” that goes “psycho”…hence bringing on the true heroine (TK) to save her one love (BP). LOl…yes, I’m a Tibetter…actually a TK-addict. So, I’m cheering for TK to bring her woman home. Staying positive…or at least amused by the Belena vs Tibette crowd. Go…TIBETTE!!!!
Haven’t commented in a while. Love this story. Is Bette’s dream with Helena or Tina. I’m rooting for Helena on this one. Always been a belena fan. But one thing is for sure, who(of all of us reading this fantastic story) wouldn’t want to be the person Bette lives her dream with!!!!
First, MTS, let me say I love this story and your writing. Second, let me just say that I’ve had a bad day and feel the need to vent so here goes. Bette needs to step off with this BS she’s going on and on about she doesn’t know this Tina and she’s afraid to get hurt again. I love Bette and Tina too, but like Kit said the past is the past. Yes, Tina did some fucked up things to her, but if she remembers correctly this all started with HER affair…and I don’t believe that BS excuse Bette gave about eating Tina’s pain and all that crap. Where was she when Tina was on the floor after she lost the baby? She was running out the door with a pat on Tina’s head telling her oh it’ll get better. No wonder they drifted apart..she was always working or fucking around on Tina. Tina stood by her thru the Fay Buckley mess and what thanks did she get? Oh and how is it that Bette is now BFFs with Helena? How can she forgive her when she was the biggest Bitch of all to her and now she’s totally forgiven? Come on…really Bette? Seems to me she’s forgiven Helena a lot quicker then Tina. I mean Tina did go through with the apodtion eventhough she’s not sure they will get back together. I think that really says something. Tina has put her cards on the table and said she knows she fucked up big time and is bending over backwards to right the wrongs she’s done against Bette. Doesn’t Bette think that Tina could say the same about her in regards to trusting her and worrying if Bette will break her heart again? Did Bette forget what all Tina gave up to be with her in the first place? Doesn’t look like Tina’s family is back in her life. I think Bette needs to stop being so dramatic and make a decision one way or the other and she needs to tell Tina Helena is living with her now even if it’s just as a roommate. Tina shouldn’t hear something like that from Alice. I certain Bette would flip if the shoe were on the other foot. ok…I’m done now…whew. Although it doesn’t look like it from my comment, I really am enjoying this story. I love your writing and will continue to read no matter which way you take us. Good story telling is just that. I can’t always have things my way. :) Thanks so much!!
Okay I’m about get to seriously tired of Bette and her damned wishy washy feelings. Where did she put her brain in her feet or her butt. She seems to have forgotten all the ways she has hurt Tina, taking her for granted most of the time were together, treating her like a minTina dless spider, having her pick up her dry cleaning as though Tina was her maid or housekeeper rather than her partner, denigrating her choice of career, etc, ad infinitum. So they hurt each other, way too much but, damn Bette, get over it. Tina is ashow her love
So sorry the damned sensitive keyboard sent my comment in and i wasn’t finished. I was trying to say that Tina is trying to show her forever love. Also some words were put where they didn’t belong, I was trying to type mindless spider. Bette is trying to make up her mind to get into helena’s pants. Retch and heave!!!!!!!!!!! How the hell can she forgive someone that tried with everything she had to deep six her at every chance she got, embarrassed her by flaunting her relationship with her wife, putting her down every chance she got and now she has forgiven all the crap helena dished out and now wants to have an affair with her. What the hell is wrong with Bette. Her loyalties are flagrantly misplaced and why does she have to discuss this with anyone at all. I really do understand her reticience in getting back together too fast but, it seems that Tina is once again the one that is showing more common sense and foegiveness than Bette. Bette, the past is just that, let it go. Get helena the hell out of your house and put Tina and Angie back in it. And Bette tell Tina that helena is renting the spare room before loud mouth Alice tells her first and makes more of it than it really is. Bette get your head out of your ass and pay attention. Thanks for posting.
That would be me, ladydove. I’m not insinuating you feel this way but just because someone looks good doesn’t mean I wanna make them my SO. I was never a big fan of either character. I’ve always felt JB’s looks & intelligence contributed to the Bette character being infallible in a lot of fans minds. Tina was such a doormat and Bette was so self-centered. Tina’s willingness to take whatever Bette dished out & Bette’s woe is me, everything is about me & my feelings attitude made me want to bang my head against the wall. They were both maddening and grated on my nerves at times. I like LuH though, lol. I’m actually all for Bette & Tina exploring other relationships for the time being or better yet being alone & working on themselves. I don’t think that they should jump back into being together when they haven’t delved into their previous issues. Its far too soon. However, this is just too close to home, Bette having feelings for Helena or eventually dating her. There are millions of other people in the world. Why be with the one person that will make things that much more complicated for you now and has in the past? I don’t understand how she can reconcile such a thing. It defies logic. Maybe aliens have taken over both Bette & Helena’s body. I can definitely understand needing a break from the heaviness of their past relationship but Bette would put herself into another realm of drama if she gets into a relationship with Helena. Doesn’t she want to be free of all that? I would think so. If Helena is just a distraction for Bette, unconsciously or not (a very astute observation by sindeelou2), Helena will be hurt and Bette has to figure out what she wants for everyone involved. That’s the fair & right thing to do. Bette surely better have some urgency in telling Tina about she & Helena’s living arrangement because Alice being the one to break the news will cause all hell to break loose.
Ohhhhhh I hope Bette goes for it. Pick Tina! Great chapter, this fic has been such a pleasure to read. Can’t wait for he next chapter :)
seems like tina doesn’t know about helena living with bette now…if she will find out, especially from alice, will all hell break loose? or will tina be rational and understanding? i hope for the latter…as far as bette’s dream, please let it be tina ;)
All things in time. All Bette and Tina things in time.
Bette seems to be subconsciously turning to Helena first when she needs someone or wants to share news. I love it. I swear I hold my breath every single time, because I keep thinking that she’s going to turn to Tina automatically. Perhaps Tina is Bette’s past and Helena is her future. BFS! =) Go Belena!!!!
I love this line from Kit, ” Can you live the rest of your life apart without having her share that dream with you?” Wake up Bette! Time for you to thaw and let yourself and Tina start living your dream.
It’s good that Bette worded her dream, it’ll help her choose which future she wants or at least it’ll set her on the road instead of her stomping in a muddy hole. It was a relief, even if temporary, that she had that conversation with Kit and not with Helena. It’s understandable, for Bette to want to discuss her situation with a close friend but Helena, IMO, isn’t the right one for that specific topic as she’s Tina’s ex too! On the rare occasions where, on the show, Alice talked about “Bette and women” she couldn’t help herself throwing pikes at her, while professing true friendship not only to Bette but to Tina too with whom she didn’t sleep. I, also, find it inappropriate for Bette to discuss Tina with Helena as the latter can’t be neutral, the Tina she knows and how she was with her isn’t the one that Bette knows and lived with, so her inputs will be misleading in either ways. For them to compare notes would be , IMO, gross. My radars caught on the following:— Bette thinking to call and thank Tina for the flowers, out of GOOD MANNERS,— Bette explaining her current PREDICAMENT to Kit,— is still ANGRY with Tina,——– and interestingly, Helena ASSUMED right away that Bette needs to CHEER UP after receiving flowers from Tina,— she also JUDGED/LABELED Tina as being “bloody serious” before asking what Bette thought about that gesture, therefore SUBTLY influencing her to think in a specific way!——- Read you soon.—– PPS: can you tell us how many chapters are left?
Maybe she’ll remain friends w/both women and find another as a life partner? When did Bette become so ambivalent? Tina treated Bette like crap and vice-versa . Helena treated Bette like crap. She has to think that they both treated her poorly. Does Helena buddy up to Bette b/c she’s down on her luck while Bette is successful? If Bette is her buddy does it give Helena a shinier glow? Love your writing. PPVS.
My sympathies are with Tina if this ends up being a TiBette story. Poor Tina is working so hard now just trying to get Bette to give her an answer while Bette is barely showing her the respect, courtesy, and decency that one would show a family pet. I can’t imagine what life for Tina will be like with this Bette for the next twenty years. Tina is setting herself up by groveling for Bette’s attention and if she continues this pursuit with such desperation then she’s opening the door for Bette to continue treating her with complete disregard. Even if Bette takes her back she won’t value and treasure Tina or the love Tina has for her. She will run Tina into the ground as she will constantly try to please Bette and nothing will ever be good enough. Tina will lose herself in Bette’s shadow once again, and I think she deserves better. For me BeLena could never exist in my universe and normally I would be cheering for TiBette. However I really want something better for Tina and I’m dreading that Bette is going to cause her a lot of heartache and heartbreak regardless of how this ends up. She’s got to stop looking at Bette through rose colored glasses. I think Bette’s heart is rotted under that ice and as Helena continues to thaw it the stink is becoming more apparent.
Why does Helena think that Bette needed some cheering up of chocolate chips cookies after Tina sent her some flowers, and Bette got Helena’s attention right away that made her eyes lit up. Instead of praising how sweet tina was, she helped to make Bette feel negative against Tina’s gesture. And yes, Bette thanked Tina, but, that’s because she has good manners. What going on with these two conniving against Tina? Helena’ saying, “She’s bloody serious” is not aproapriate as well. Does Helena assume that she owns Bette now? because she lives w/ Bette and being the first person Bette wanted to consult to with regards to her ex?. I think Helena is playing the friend card but, she have ulterior motive, probably to get into Bette’s pants?…. and Bette, acting as naive or innocent about dealing with Tina, as if she didn’t live with Tina for 8 years….I’m getting tired of this insecure, spineless, frozen hearted and boring Bette. I also find it to be inapropriate that Bettte confides to Helena about Tina. She needed to remind herself that Helena had sex with Tina on many occasions especially when she was pregnant with Angie. That time that Helena was announcing how often she had sex with her ex. That was the most painful part that Helena did to destroy her and now they are playing buddy buddies, living together. How easy for Bette to forget what Helena did to her for such a short time. Tina may have hurt Bette w/ helena as accomplice, but, the cheating happened first, pushing Tina to loose her way. I dont know what MTS have in her mind but I just find it incestous and immoral if Bette ended up in bed w/ Helena….. Tina deserve to be happy as well. Betet says Helena is her distraction, when about Tina? What does she do when she feels lonely?….. Thanks for writing this awesome story:)
I agree with some of the others in that Bette has conveniently suspended disbelief when it comes to forgiving Helenas previously unforgivable transgressions but somehow can’t bring herself to go there with Tina quite yet.This saga is like (appropriately October) the friggen final World series baseball championship playoffs!!!!! Everyone has their team that they are cheering for and you never know for sure how its gonna end up from one chapter to the next.How many hits, homeruns, and strike outs is it going to take and will it really go the full seven games and then have MTS end it when everything is on the line in the bottom of the ninth inning. Or are you going to make us suffer through extra innings too? Forget about baseball fans….. this is our world series of Betteball!!!! Go Tibette!!!!BTW not if you win but how you play the game.
kill us!!! why dont ya….. PLZ make it a TiBette. PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ…. Cant stand the idea of Bette w/o Tina. or vice versa.
As far as rollercoasters go this is a fun one so far. I’m holding out hope that this is a Belena story in the long run. I’m all for Bette &Tina being friends and providing stability for Angleica, but there seems to be a lightness if spirit and happiness whenever Helena and Bette are together. I really hope you explore that relationship further. And if Tina happens to move to Cambodia or Timbuktu or something that would just be icing on the cake for all your Belena fans and followers. PPS
In the last paragraph, Tina was all those things to Bette long before they started having problems and she can be again. Bette needs to remember that. It can be as it once was.
I understand the need to show that Bette had so much in her that was held back by Tina and that she had enough of sobbing and pining for Tina and it is now her time to blossom and live her dream life. However, I have a tough time seeing Bette through just mainly the POV of a person who was so very wronged by Tina from the very beginning of the story. I found Bette at the beginning of this story already a bit in denial. She asked herself what she did to make Tina dislike her so much. That was when Bette first returned Angie after the runaway from Whistler and she actually asked why Tina was so angry with her?? I think if Tina did the same things to Bette I doubt Bette would (also) give her the time of her day to begin with. In fact, this version of Bette would most likely not even want her in her life at all. She would probably have filed sole custody even earlier and stuck with it…..Imagine if Tina cheated on Bette with say someone like Helena, and then decide to file for sole custody, run off with Angie, return Angie to Bette, then one day decide that she had enough of pain so gets on with her life but at the same time become friends with Bette’s ex-lover (sorry but Alice doesn’t quite make the cut, so probably someone like Candace instead), and then go out to try sleep with Helena again, and then one day decide to invite Candace to live with her (and Angie) and maybe even possibly flirt with her or romance her….I wonder how Bette would react?Anyway, I know it’s pointless to hope for any Tibette outcome because this is after all a Bette centric story. Not a Tibette fanfic or a Belena fanfic. It is a Bette centric FF. So…it’s really a story about Bette’s growth and happiness. Although I still feel very sad for Tina because Bette has that adverse reaction towards Tina’s wooing. It’s like “eeks! Are you serious? Please just stay away from me” kinda feeling.”Oh well, I enjoy MTS writing style per se, so I will read until the end and then if it turns out to be a Belena, I would need to borrow Vegas’ knife to stab my eyes to keep them from rolling so much.
Just read all your updates. Love it and Love how Tina is going after Bette. Thank you.
Choose Helena… Man I’m loving this rollercoaster…great writing!!!