Chapter 4

Tina met up with her mother and showed her Bette’s letters.

“So what do you think?” Tina asks apprehensively.

“Well, she seems to be a good girl. Great penmanship.” Tina’s mother commented.

“That’s nice but did you see the dates on the letters?” Tina probed.

“Oh you mean the time thing? That’s just details.”

“Details?!” Tina asked perplexed.

“Yes, details. What matters is the person writing it.”

“Two years apart, mom. That can’t just be details.”

“Tina, if there’s a will there’s a way. If you are meant to be then you are meant to be.”

Bette was also visiting her only living parent that day two years prior.

“How have you been, dad?”

“I’m fine. No need to worry about me. I am writing a book by the way.”

“A book. That’s nice.”

“It’s my memoir.”

“I have something for you.”

“For me? Is it something that you made?”

“No, actually it’s from the house I bought. At the lake.”

“Oh yes, I heard some sleazy condo builder bought the house.”

Bette turned her back on her father. He was just too damn hard to please.

“Oh come on, can’t you take a joke for God’s sake!” Melvin tried to make light of things.

“Jokes are half meant, dad. I’m leaving. Have a good night.”

I just met with my dad. We don’t have the greatest relationship. While we’re on the subject I’ll have you know that it was my father who built the lake house with his own bare hands. He built it for my mother. It was one of his ticket into becoming the famous architect that he is now. Unfortunately, the more famous he become, the more he pulled away from my mother. There came a time when my mother was unable to take anymore so one day, she left home. She said goodbye and left my dad and a year after she got sick and died. My dad did not go to the funeral and when I asked him why he said she was dead to him the moment my mother stepped outside of the lake house.

I’m sorry to hear that, Bette. I wish I can be there to hold your hand and get you through this.