“It would have been easier if the baddie had been Emma not Kate – not easy when you feel sorry for someone you are trying to loath”
Bette was going to try and deny that she loathed Emma but this was her father and she knew he would see right through her
“Yeah – that’s right. At some point Tina is going to suggest we all have dinner and try and bury the hatchet “
“And there is only one place you want to bury any hatchet ?” Melvin said smiling at his daughter’s discomfort
“Yes – for sure”
“I did warn you that blood is thicker than water – she’s her mom Bette and regardless of how much she loves you and how much she resents Emma for what happened – well she is her mother – you cannot mess with that”
“I know that Ti is in shock and she is struggling with trying to figure out what to do with what is happening and its so much for her to come to terms with – but – it hasn’t changed anything for me – I still hold Emma 100% responsible for what happened before college and I will never trust her”
“I can really understand how you feel and I know you do not forgive and forget easily but Bette – she is her mother. You love Tina right “
Bette nodded “ So you have to find a way to exist alongside Emma – Tina Is not going to cut either of them out of her life for good. “
“She is so pissed with Kate at the moment and if Kate tries for more money and there is a court case  – she would be livid. You really don’t want to cross Tina”
“I have crossed her mother often enough when we were under graduates and I know exactly what that is like – and I am sure Tina’s rages can be like a firework display and at the moment she is angry with Kate right “
“Yeah – not helped by Kate not ringing her since it all came out”
Melvin raised an eyebrow “ Really ?”
Bette nodded “Tina was really upset when she came back from seeing Emma and after a few glasses of wine and a couple of double scotches – well she fired off some texts to Kate that were pretty rambling and angry – she hasn’t had anything back since then”
“And is she upset ?”
“She is upset and hiding it in anger – which I can see because that’s so me. For years at college when I got upset I would get mad at Emma “
Melvin sipped his beer “So you have a bust up with a girl or mess up a run and you blame Emma Kennard ?”
“Pretty much “
“Not wise “
“I know that as well but you know what dad  – this is of her making – she didn’t reason with us or talk it through she just steamrollered it through”
The waitress approached them with their burgers and fries – Melvin waited until she had delivered everything and ate a couple of fries while thinking things through
“Bette – since when does what is happening with Emma and Kate and Tina have to come back to what happened before college.? Yes I know it was a bad time for everyone but for your sake and the sake of that girl of yours – you have to make peace with what happened. This is poison Bette and if you keep on like this you will spoil what you have with that girl – and that will be something that you cannot blame on Emma Kennard “
“You think I should just act like nothing happened ?”
“No – because stuff did happen – and yes it was a mess – and yes before you accuse me – I was at fault along with Rosie and Kate and Matthew – we all let it happen  – you cannot take it out on one of the parents and not all of us. We could and should have stopped Emma but we didn’t – but darling –  its over – it is the past and no one died . You survived and came out with a First  – Tina survived Harvard and you two are back in New York and from what I saw the two of you have a really good chance of making something very special happen between you. All that can stop that great future is you not being able to let go of the past “
Bette was silent for a few minutes – Melvin half expected her to storm out but she sat eating her burger and not looking him in the eye
“You work with people you don’t like and that is being a professional – you think those teams we watch on the big screen every week are all best pals ? Of course they aren’t. But they work together for the good of the team – well in this case  lets call it Team Tina – you love Tina and so do Kate and Emma. That is what the three of you should care about. Being nice to family members you don’t like is called being grown up – you know the tensions in my family – the way that dad treated your mom – I hated that and I wish I had punched him in the face for his rudeness but I didn’t for your sake because he adored you and it would have been wrong to stop you seeing your grandfather. I know its difficult darling but this is what you have to do -let the past stay in the past. You cannot right what happened – you can only live with it and move on. “
Bette was silent for a few more minutes “Its not easy  “ she said quietly
“I know that but for now -forget about what happened before college – this is more pressing and if Tina asks you to have a meal with Emma – well use that opportunity to show Emma just how mature you are and more important – just how much you love Tina.”
“I hate it when you are right “
“it’s a nice change – I am usually in the wrong with you and your mother”
Bette sipped her beer
“Did you know ?”
“About Kate ?”
Bette nodded
“Kate told your mom the first time they met up to talk about the two of you – I think she had been dropping hints before that – you know how perceptive she is “
“Don’t I just – I will never forget building myself up to tell her that I was gay and that I loved Tina and she knew – she bloody knew –  so nothing surprises me about her”
Melvin laughed
“So did she tell you ?”
“Yes – even after 27 years of being with her we still don’t keep secrets”
“Were you shocked ?”
Melvin chewed his burger thoughtfully “ Yes and no – yes I am always surprised when this happens to a couple who have been married as long as they have. Always makes me wonder – why now ? Is it the first time its happened or is this a bad habit that got out of control “
“Do you think this has happened before ? That is something that Tina is asking herself- she is doubting everything she thought she knew about her parents marriage. Not made better by Kate vanishing”
“She knows that Tina is cross “
“And you think that silence is going to make things easier.? Tina is just getting more upset and more angry. She is needs to face Tina – because she is acting like she is ashamed of what she has done. So – do you know if this is the first time Kate has strayed ?”
“I don’t know and I don’t think your mom knows either – I have not heard anything. I really did think that regardless of all the rows and the fact that Emma could be difficult – I always got the impression that  Kate wasn’t going anywhere. You can never really understand other people’s relationships – this just shows it in Technicolor “
“Tina says that Emma is like a balloon with all the air just let out of it – she’s flat and not the woman that Tina is so used to “
“Emma didn’t get to where she is today without being tough but Kate has always been her rock – this is hard for her. Emma never liked failing at anything and she will feel like this is a failure”
Bette shook her head “I just don’t know what to say to Tina sometimes. Kate has always been great with me and been so supportive of us but dad “ Bette shook her head “  If you could have seen what a mess she made of telling Tina about why she had left her mom. I wanted to slap her  – to yell at her that she was doing absolutely everything wrong”
“That has shocked Rosie because Kate had made so much of not hurting Tina any more than she had to.”
“Has mom talked to her ?”
“After she spoke to Tina she called your mom”
“Did she realise how much she has messed up ?”
Melvin shrugged “I didn’t ask your mom – she will tell me if and when she wants to. I don’t think Rosie is too happy about how she dealt with it. Your mother was adamant that they should have told Tina together – with you and her dad there to be Tina’s support – to be Team Tina. Why Kate went against that and insisted that she would tell Tina on her own – only she knows”
“I hope she knows that she couldn’t have made  bigger ass of it “ Bette said “I knew she was screwing it up and I knew that I was the one who would be picking up the pieces. It breaks my heart to see her so lost”
“Its good that she has you and that she can rely on you”
“She can – I just want to make some of the pain go away “
“If you want to do that – then I suggest you make sure that if you and Emma cross paths you consider Tina “
Bette nodded “Its Thanksgiving in two weeks”
“I know – your mother has asked what you plan to do ?”
“I don’t imagine for a second that Tina will leave Emma on her own”
“You can all come to our place” Melvin suggested “ Its might be good for everyone”
“Emma told Tina that she was planning to go away for a few weeks – get her head together. She hasn’t gone yet because of work – she has a couple of high profile cases in various stages of progress. She might take herself off and go on holiday “
“Would that be the best thing for her – maybe she needs her family  – her daughter”
“I kind of understand what she is thinking when I am feeling at my most lost and unhappy – that’s when I take myself off and clear my head. I can understand that”
“If I tell you that you do have several Emma type traits would I get in trouble ?”
“Yes “ Bette said smiling “I do admire her for what she has done professionally – totally amazing. But I do think that as a mom “ Bette sighed and shook her head
“Do not think for a second that she doesn’t love Tina – she does. I know what you will say – that she showed it in a funny way and all that but that doesn’t take away from how much she worships Tina. You two have one very special person in common – Tina. Whether you like it or not that makes a bond between you, Kate and Emma.. You have to be the bigger person and rise above all of what happened in the past.  Whatever you learnt from your mom and I – I would hope that it would be that there have to be times when you have to behave with dignity and show how classy you are. Your mother is always and has always been a classy lady – I see that in you “
“Thank you dad “ Bette said
“So I know you are still sore about the past – I get that and I know exactly why that is.
But – you have to find it in yourself to rise above the past and be what Tina needs and what Tina is going to need is that you and Emma can be in the same room as one another. You cannot refuse to be in the same room as her – how is that going to make Tina feel ? What about Christmas and New Year and Easter and birthday’s ? – its not feasible for you to not see Emma “
Bette rubbed her face “I know you are right but damn dad – its not going to be easy”
“Life isn’t easy honey but you are so like your mom – remember what we said about how charming she is – you have that same charm”
“I don’t think charm will work with Emma”
“No but you can be polite and show that you love her daughter. The best response to everything that she has ever said about you and Tina is to love Tina – love her and show that love. You don’t have to do anything un-natural. When you came to lunch the other Sunday – that was obvious that you adore her and she feels the same. That really is all you have to do Bette but what is NOT an option is continuing this feud with Tina’s mom”