The next morning, Bette appeared at the doorsteps of Tina’s place looking worse for the wear. She knocked on the door hesitantly, holding her breath when she heard noises getting near. Her hands smoothed the T-shirt and cotton pants ensemble.

She immediately squared her shoulders and straightened her posture as the door opened. Bette came face to face with Tina. “Hi.”

“Angie’s still asleep,” Tina offered as greeting. She closed the door and followed the woman into the living room. “Coffee?”

“I’d like some tea if you have any,” Bette avoided looking at Tina.

The woman returned shortly and handed her a steaming mug. Neither said a word, savoring the warm liquid and the ensuing silence.

They moved in unison when the baby monitor indicated Angelica was awake. Once she realized who was at the door, Angelica clambered for her Mama B. She played with curly bangs as Bette led her to the living room, leaving Tina to trail them behind.

“Mama!” Angie repeated even when they had sat in front of the couch. Her tiny hands were all over freshly scrubbed face, her excited chatter once again providing buffer between her mothers.

Angie began digging through her box of toys, dropping them haphazardly onto her mothers’ laps. She turned around and flashed the two women a cheeky grin, then returned her attention to the puzzle in front of her.

“Her fever seems to have gone down,” Bette said softly. Her eyes strained to stay on Angelica.

Tina curled her lip in mild annoyance. “Still a little warm to the touch, but at least she’s not as cranky.”

Yeah, her crankiness transferred to you, Bette mused. Neither spoke for a long time. Even Angelica stayed relatively quiet. The family used the silence to adjust its dynamics, the tension in the air retreating to the shadows with each tick of the clock.

“Having you here helps,” Tina relented. The words were at the tip of her tongue, but none came out. It irked her that they continued to skirt around the issue.

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” Bette readily admitted, fidgeting with the toy blocks on her lap.

They lapsed into another long bout of silence after that, neither ready to acknowledge last night’s conversation. Frustrated, Tina scooted closer to her daughter and joined in the play.