The temporary furnished apartment in Murray Hill was nothing like home, but it would do. Tina stood in the living room, surrounded by their suitcases and the overwhelming reality of what they’d just done. Through the narrow window, she could see a slice of the East River and the constant stream of yellow cabs below. The sounds of the city – sirens, car horns, and the general hum of eight million people living their lives – filtered up from the street.

“Mom, look!” Carson called from the small bedroom. “I can see the top of that really tall building from my window!”

Tina joined him, peering out at the Chrysler Building glinting in the afternoon sun. “That’s pretty cool, isn’t it?”

“Do you think Bette can see it from her office?”

The question hit her like it always did – the constant reminder that everything they were doing revolved around one person who didn’t even know they were here. “I don’t know, baby. We’ll have to ask her.”

“When are we going to call her?”

Tina had been avoiding this question for the entire plane ride. “Soon. But first, we need to get settled. You start school on Monday, and I start work at the hospital on Tuesday.”

Carson flopped dramatically onto the small bed. “But I want to see her now.”

“I know you do. But Carson, we need to be prepared that Bette might be… surprised to see us. She might need some time to get used to the idea that we’re here.”

“Why would she need time? She loves us.”

The innocent confidence in his voice made Tina’s chest ache. “Sometimes grown-ups are more complicated than kids, sweetheart.”

That evening, after they’d unpacked the essentials and ordered Chinese takeout from the restaurant downstairs, Tina sat on the small couch with her laptop, researching everything she could about Bette’s life in New York. It felt slightly stalkerish, but she needed to know what she was walking into.

Porter & Associates had grown significantly since Bette had joined the firm straight out of Columbia Law School. The website showed her as a senior partner specializing in family law and divorce cases, with an impressive list of high-profile clients. There were photos from charity galas and legal conferences, and in every single one, Bette looked polished, successful, and completely in control.