“Ok, well, I think we have everything covered, now we just have to let it bake for about 45 minutes.” Bette said as she was putting the dish of chicken into the oven. 

“Wow, you really can cook.  I am impressed.”

“Yea, well…it is not as bad as I thought it was.” Bette said with a smile… “I was pretty pathetic until Chrissy was old enough to actually eat real food.  Then I felt like I needed to get my act together, so Kit helped me, we started out with small things and then well, it just progressed from there.  It is actually quite fun now that I’ve got the hang of it.”

Tina smiled at Bette, “Yea, it really is…God, you have changed so much”

“You have no idea.”

“I would like to…”

Bette took a deep breath “What do you say we take a bottle of wine out to the patio, we can talk a bit, maybe catch up some while we wait for the chicken to be done.”

“I would really like that.” Tina said gently

Bette retrieved the wine and glasses and the two women headed out to the patio, they chose two loungers and sat back, sipping their wine, enjoying the peaceful ambience.  They basked in the quietness of the setting sun.

“The garden looks good.”

“Yea, I don’t really have your green thumb, but I try.”

Tina turned to face Bette, “So…tell me about yourself Ms. Porter.” Tina said with a smile.

Bette grinned back, “Where should I start?”

“Ummmm…how about from the beginning?”

Bette exhaled deeply…“Ok…here goes.  Well, after you left, things weren’t so pretty for me…As you could probably imagine.  Anyways, the girls were kind enough to pick me up off my ass and clean me up.  I finally went back to work but wasn’t happy anymore.  I didn’t like what I was doing.  The board knew this and well…I just felt like a change was necessary so, they bought me out of my contract.  They were more generous than I thought they would be.  With the money I got from the buyout, I started up the Porter gallery…I have been there ever since.”

“Yea, Chrissy mentioned that you had your own gallery.”

“Yea, I really love it, it is so much nicer than working at the CAC and it gives me so much more freedom and I have so much time to spend with Chrissy.”

“That is so great.  I am glad you have more time to spend with your daughter.”

“Yea it is, so you milked her for information did you?” Bette said, raising her eyebrow

“Yea, don’t worry…she didn’t give me much.”

“What did she tell you?”

“Well, wouldn’t you like to know…Tina said coyly…Just kidding, she didn’t tell me much.  Just that you have your own gallery, she gave me a bit of an update on the girls, and ummm…Tina cleared her voice… she might have mentioned that you are single.”

“Yea, that’s my girl… Bette said, rolling her eyes… So what about you?”

Tina looks at Bette reluctantly, “Oh come on, apparently you know all about me.  I have had a pathetic personal life for the last 12 years.  She looks at Tina… Oh don’t act surprised.  Chrissy has been the only fulfilling thing in my life.  She is actually the one who pushed me to date women.  I think she could tell that I wasn’t ummm…personally fulfilled…so come on, spill it.”

Tina looked pensively for a moment, and then she began, “Well alright, I guess it is only fair.  After I left, I was in an odd state I guess you could say.  I was sorta lost in my life.  Anyways, I got in contact with the studio and they were glad to hire me back, even more when they heard that I wanted a position outside of LA.  I guess I just couldn’t stay here.  I was feeling so many different things…I couldn’t move on with my life being surrounded by so many memories.  So, I left…I got on a plane and…you didn’t come after me.”

“I didn’t know you wanted me to.” Bette replied in shock.

Tina continued, “Well, it doesn’t matter now.  Anyways, I have been in Manhattan ever since.  Working for Alphaville.  It has been great….really good for me.  It was good to get back into the business.  Anyways, as you know, I had Lizzy.  It was at that time that I hired Annie.  She has been with us ever since.  She is great with Lizzy.  She is sorta like a big sister to her.  Taking a deep breath…As for my personal life well, it has been nearly as disastrous as yours sounds.  She gave a small laugh.  I was in a relationship for about a year but…that’s it…Nothing too spectacular.”

“And now?”

“Now…Now, I am free as a bird.” Tina said with a smirk.

“So, were you planning on meeting up with us when you got here?  I mean, were you planning on seeing me…and the girls?”

“Honestly?  I don’t really know what I was thinking, or planning.  I got the offer and I took it.  Then I just sorta immersed myself in work and actually getting here that I didn’t really give myself time to think too much about what I would do when I got here.  I just thought that Lizzy would love it here.  I always loved California.  I guess I missed the coast.  I think she already loves it.  From all the things she told me about camp, I think she will fit in great here.  I was really glad when she told me about Chrissy…this was obviously before I knew that she was your daughter.  But anyways, I was afraid that she wouldn’t fit in, that she wouldn’t have many friends.  In New York, she had such a difficult time making good friends.  She is such a great girl but sometimes she can be a bit introverted.”

“Oh, don’t worry, Chrissy will change that.  She is sooo outgoing.”

“She definitely seems like a Porter, that’s for sure.  She seems sweet.  She had such great things to say about you, and about the girls.  From what little interaction I have had with her, it is like she really understands you.  She knows who you are deep down inside and she understands your feelings.  That is pretty intense for a 10 year old.”