After she had left Emma regarded her daughter “Every time I see her she impresses me more and more – and in case you are blind and dumb – she loves you one hell of a lot”
“I know “Tina sighed “I love her too”
There was a long silence
“I am sorry you had to find out sweetheart”
“Well I didn’t exactly find out did I? I was bloody well told. It’s not as if I was digging for dirt on you and this emerged.”
“I just don’t know what she was thinking “
“She was steamed to her eyeballs “Tina said “I mean I am not an idiot – I have seen you both pretty high on wine and scotch and champagne and every alcoholic drink in the book but I don’t think I have seen her that stoked up. I hope she woke up the next day feeling as shitty as she made me feel”
“Oh Tina – I would give anything for you not know”
“Well I do – and so does Bette – as she says – it is up to us what happens next. I hope Melvin is going to be okay – I know that Bette is really worried about him”
Emma sighed “At the time he was devastated – he loved her so much – he still does “
Bette had said that she didn’t want to know the details of the affair – but Tina didn’t have her lover’s restraint – she did want to know – at least the outline of what happened
“Bette doesn’t want to know how it happened “Tina began
“But you do “Emma said
“I don’t want graphic details but – let’s just say I have no notion of how it could have happened “
“Do you remember the other week when you had the hangover from hell?”
“Yes”
“Well I remember telling you how attractive Rosie was – she still is of course “
Tina nodded
“She had a sex appeal that was rare – she could just look at you and you did what she wanted. She wasn’t a tart – she did adore him but she still had this pull on men and women as well. On the course she was the heartbreaker – she walked into a lecture and sat beside you and it made your day. I shared a house with her and we were the best of friends. In those days it was frowned on to have mixed sex houses and apartments – so there was Rosie, Kate, another woman called Mary and me in one house and we were all the best of friends” Emma sighed remembering those days “ I had been trying to get Kate to go out with me. She didn’t want to know because I had a reputation -a justified reputation. But she agreed – mainly I think because Rosie put in a good word for me – she said I had changed and I wasn’t a hound. Except I was – we had been together about three months and Kate was struggling with her course work so she was spending more time in the library and less time with me. I didn’t take that as maturely as I should have. I started to feel neglected and I was spending more time with Rosemary who was sweet and funny and flirtatious “
“So there was a lot of flirting?”
“There was – one night we had both passed an important paper and Kate hadn’t so she was sulking or studying in the library or something and after just a couple of glasses of wine one night she asked me if she could kiss me”
“How old were you?” Tina asked
“20 “
“No 20 year old is going to say no to that offer “
“I didn’t – mainly because yes I was 20 and she was a very beautiful woman. So I said yes “
“I don’t think you need to draw me a map “Tina said
“It was both of us. I did tell Bette that nothing happened that we both didn’t want to happen. I slept with her because she wanted to as much as I wanted to. There was no cohesion on my part – and she will say the same thing “
“Did it go on for a long time?”
“Long enough for when it came out what was happening between us for there to be lot of pain for all four of us. I know I hurt Kate and Melvin but it hurt her and me”
Tina put her hand on her mother’s “And now it is hurting all of you again – god that woman is a stupid bitch “
“I don’t know why she has done it other than to hurt everyone – including you and Bette. This isn’t something that you and Bette should have to face. Not only because you are our children but because you are a couple. I hope to God nothing happens because of this that hurts the two of you”
“Shane – wise Shane made the point to me that if this had come out when we were first dating – yeah – I think it would have scuppered us. We weren’t adults – we weren’t adults regardless of the fact that we were lovers. I don’t think Bette would have been able to deal with it”
“And you would have?” Emma doubted if either young woman would have been able to cope with this ancient piece of news when they were 17.
Tina picked her beer up and sighed “Probably not – she was more grown up than me and she wouldn’t have been able to take it in her stride like she is now.”
“She didn’t look too good when she left”
Tina shook her head “Bette is an introvert – a beautiful, incredibly smart and sexy introvert. She processes things different to how I do. And it was one of the things about her that I had to come to terms with first when we started dating and it was one the first things I had to get my head around again when we got back together. She just processes things differently and she likes her own company”
“You are not an introvert “
“Oh good grief no – I am loud and chatty and a gossip and silence is something that makes me jumpy. It is just how she and I are. She has got used to me having the radio, the TV and my computer on at the same time and I have to get used to the times when she just doesn’t speak because she’s run out of things she wants to say. She is never going to be as outgoing as I am – and I don’t care. I love her for who she is – and she is amazing and she has the kindest heart of anyone I know “
Emma smiled “Seems you two have been growing up a lot when I haven’t been looking “
“We have worked stuff out – stuff that we had to work out when we got back together again. This has been a lot for her and she was my rock last night. I was in pieces when she got back – and she didn’t blunder in – she was patient and sweet and she saved me last night. If I have to save her –I will. When she is ready she will let it all out like I did – and when she is ready I will catch her”
“That is what love is “
Tina nodded “It is – I think she needs to be on her own at the moment – I respect that. I didn’t understand that when we started out as 17 year olds. She had 100 weird little quirks – like how she washed up and how she folded things up”
“I remember being told by Rosemary that she was OCD “
“I don’t think she was ever OCD. It was her way of dealing with her surroundings – the less stressed she is – the less she lets her quirks come out. At the moment she is fine but I know the signs. I know her – this is bothering her but more what Kate did than what the two of you did when you were both 20 and not married and under-graduates”
“I am not sure many daughters would let their mother’s off like this “
“I would hate for things that I did when I was 20 to come back and haunt me. And I agree with Bette – the criminal in this case is not you or Rosie – its Kate. What the stupid bitch thought she would achieve. What did she expect me to say? Well that’s okay mom – I fully understand you cheating on Emma now? no fecking way “
“Bette’s description was that you went into orbit”
“Oh I did – I was shocked and hurting but most of all – I was angry”
“And when you are really angry you are like a bear with a tooth ache “
“And a hangover “ Tina smiled “ You two know my temper well enough “
“It’s not as bad as it used to be – I think Bette’s Zen like personality had rounded off some of the wilder edges “
“My temper is mild compared to when Bette goes up – but she doesn’t get angry that often. I went off like a 4th of July rocket. I lost control – maybe that was why I was so upset because when Bette got back from your shopping trip and she got it out of me –I started to see it for what it was – something that happened a lifetime ago. Something that didn’t concern Bette and I – something that didn’t change how much I love Melvin and Rosemary – or how much I love my mom “
Emma rubbed her eyes – she had feared the absolute worse when Bette had told them that they knew but then Bette had been her calm self and now Tina was here and she was making jokes about it and praising her beloved Bette and cursing the source of the news – Kate. Tina got up and went across and hugged her mom
“Its okay mom – really – it’s no big deal. If Melvin forgave you then why should Bette and I open up some ancient feud? I am not that naïve to think that any of my parents –or Bette’s parents for that matter have only had sex with their current partner – this is the real world for God’s sake”
“Thank you honey – thank you for understanding “
“I am concerned about Melvin “Tina admitted
“We have talked it over recently – it shouldn’t have happened but it did. In the long run it didn’t hurt their relationship – they are devoted to one another “
“And what did it do to you and Kate?”
“She said it was over and forgotten. I believed her – the way she has told you – I don’t know”
“Do you not think she was just crazy angry because of finding out you had reported her to the other partners?”
“Well that is all that I can think – why else come over and tell you other than mean spirited spite. God I could slap her “
“There is only one response mom – and as Bette says that’s not to let it damage me and you, me and Bette, you and Bette and my relationship with her folks – that’s what we have to do”
Emma shook her head “Its high minded and she is right “
“But “Tina said
“But do you really think I am going to let her get away with hurting my daughter?”
Tina looked at her mother and smiled – yes she really was THIS mother’s daughter.
“I promise you that anything you do will be more than fine by me”