Title:BELIEVING IN LOVE - Chapter 19 Author: Gumby [ Send a Private Message ]
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Copyright: Gumby Content Rating: PG Disclaimer: The story is mine as well as a few of the characters, but the rest belong to IC and Showtime. Author's Note:
Hey everyone,
I'm posting quicker than I thought I would which is shocking! I have some painting left to do for those that know I've been trying to get that done, but I couldn't just leave everyone hanging!
I am very excited as I post this because I see my good friend Galaxy Any Size has posted a story that we've discussed for a while now, which warmed my heart!
Proofie - thanks for rocking you devil you!
To everyone that supports this story, I just want to say thanks so much! I will be writing the sequel to On Center Stage soon, just need to wrap this one up in traditional "Gumby" style, not that I know what that means but I have a few PM's that say I have one..LOL!
Summary: Tina confronts Megan about her recent discoveries to determine Megan's true agenda. Total Views: 3048 times.
The sound of stiletto heels meeting the expensive marble flooring in the gallery hallway provided enough of a warning that someone was approaching where Megan sat, deep in thought. Once the sound broke into Megan's thoughts, she wiped the tears from her eyes and turned her back to the door to buy some additional time to compose herself.
Hearing her visitor clearing her throat to announce her arrival, Megan turned around surprised to be standing face to face with Tina Kennard-Porter.
"Oh," Megan was thrown off her game for a brief moment but recovered remarkably. "I thought you might be Bette or Jordon. Bette's not here, she left not too long ago."
"I know," Tina said calmly. "I watched her leave."
"Why would you do that and then creep into the gallery?" Megan challenged folding her arms across her chest defensively.
"I hardly would say I crept given I have the keys and the code," Tina countered. "Anyway, it was you I wanted to talk to and I didn't see a need to involve Bette in the discussion."
Megan hardly knew Tina, but there was no mistaking she had an agenda and Megan's job was merely to listen while Tina revealed it. She pulled up a stool and kicked a rolling one that Bette used throughout the day in Tina's direction.
"Have a seat."
Megan's eyes diverted from Tina's to the file folder in Tina's hand with Megan's name written neatly on it. Her curiosity was peaked, yet she wanted to remain on equal footing with Tina, and decided to listen carefully to what was said before making assumptions and revealing something she was not prepared to do.
"Thanks," Tina sat down on the stool and crossed one shapely leg over the other.
Tina laid the file on her lap without opening it and stared at Megan for a brief moment. She could feel her emotions welling up and fought to swallow the lump in her throat.
"Care to share what's on your mind?" Megan asked, nervous being alone with Tina for the first time. She knew her interaction with Tina was a large key to the future turning out as she had hoped, yet she hadn't done her homework to know much about Tina.
"You actually," Tina said in a steady voice. "I suppose I should start with apologizing to you."
"I haven't thought about the other day at breakfast since I walked out of the restaurant," Megan shot back surprised at Tina's apology for what Megan considered her blatant behavior.
"I'm not apologizing for that," Tina said simply, working to control her emotions. "I stand by what most would call woman's intuition regarding you wanting something from my wife."
Tina's statement was followed by silence so she continued to talk.
"What has bothered me is that I've been unable to figure out just what that is."
Megan swallowed hard trying to avoid Tina's piercing blue eyes that seemed to stare right through her.
"I came here tonight to give you a chance to tell me what exactly that is," Tina announced the agenda item for the discussion. "My apology is for invading your privacy and having someone on my staff create this file for me based on what Bette shared with me last night."
Once again silence fell between the two women and Tina began to tap her fingers against the file in her lap. Megan was speechless knowing exactly what news Tina was referring to, but not understanding exactly how much Tina knew.
"Nothing?" Tina urged Megan to open up. "I didn't come here to fight with you Megan."
"What did you come here to do armed with that file then?"
"Talk," Tina said simply in an understanding voice. "I said I was sorry about invading your privacy, but I won't apologize for protecting the people that mean the most to me. I'm not wrong that you want something from Bette am I?"
"No," Megan shook her head and wiped a tear away that had barely fallen on her cheek. "But you already know that if you have my life neatly tucked in a file there under your hands."
"What I don't understand," Tina's voice had an underlying softness to it. "Is what exactly it is you want? I don't think it's Bette anymore."
"No," Megan admitted once more.
"But I'm not wrong that you presented it that way," Tina continued to talk in a manner which seemed as if she were asking questions rather than making statements. "Why would you pretend to want to be with my wife when that isn't the case?"
"A test," Megan simply answered picking imaginary lint off her thigh.
"Were you testing Bette," Tina paused for effect. "Or were you testing me?"
"Both."
"Did we pass?"
"With flying colors as they say," Megan offered a small smile as she began to relax and study Tina as she interacted with her.
"What was the test?"
"How strong your relationship was."
"I see," Tina continued to drum her fingers against the folder in her lap. "Can you tell me why?"
"You're very intelligent Tina," Megan said with a small chuckle at the irony of the situation. "You should already know."
Megan's statement was met with silence from Tina's direction so she continued to talk having gained control of the floor.
"I suppose I should be cursing myself that I didn't follow my own words of wisdom about planning too long before the rug gets ripped out from underneath your feet."
Tina arched her eyebrow in question as Megan continued to talk.
"I'm not ready to talk about what is going on with me and surely, I would have discussed it with Bette first, but here you are already armed with the answers you're asking me about. You can draw your own conclusions from it if you read between the lines."
"Why not just talk to me about it and save me from the potential of making incorrect assumptions before I talk to Bette myself?"
"Are we just talking?"
"Just talking," Tina confirmed. "I'll hold my questions until the end."
"Oh no," Megan laughed. "Feel free to interrupt me because ultimately, as an artist, I hardly ever involve others in my life and I've grown to hate the sound of my own voice these days. I find I'm talking more now than I ever have in the past."
"Pick a point to start then," Tina agreed eager to know more of Megan's agenda. "I'll agree to interrupt you when I have a question."
"Fair enough," Megan took a sip of water and stared at Tina finding compassion in her eyes. "As you know, I met Bette years ago, even before she knew you. She owned her first gallery and I was a sculptor she wanted for a showing."
Tina nodded her head in agreement with the facts as they were relayed.
"My choice was between Bette and this other woman, to this day I can't remember her name, and I was so struck by Bette that there was no question that I'd offer her the show."
"You slept with her," Tina said more as a statement than an accusation.
"I did," Megan nodded. "It wasn't a relationship, but as far as meaningless sex goes, she was the most gentle and kind person I've ever met. Even when we both knew our intimate relationship was nothing more than just sex for sex's sake, at that point nobody ever touched me so gently and genuinely cared for me in every way. She has this amazing way of drawing you into all that is Bette Porter without you even knowing it's happening. To be there just makes you feel...." Megan paused choosing her words carefully. "Like you are the only woman in the world that matters."
Tina smiled at the description of Bette causing Megan to chuckle at her last statement.
"You know that already about her or you wouldn't be with her all these years."
"I do," Tina agreed wanting Megan to continue her story.
"I never forgot that," Megan began again. "I've always been fond of Bette and followed her career. I considered her a friend."
Tina stopped drumming her fingers and offered a small smile as consolation while Megan continued to talk.
"But years had passed and we lost touch," Megan took another sip of water and began to play with the label on the bottle as she spoke. "Then I moved to the South of Italy to become 'inspired' once more. I met another American there and for the first time in my life, I believed in love at first sight."
