It was three weeks until Bette’s 40th birthday. Most women approaching this milestone suffered anxiety about getting old and made vain attempts to hold on to their youth, but Bette wasn’t like that. Vanity wasn’t driving any of Bette’s worries. Her only concern with the age was how it would affect her ability to get pregnant and carry the baby to term.

Tina had been thrilled at the suggestion of Harrison Scott to be the donor for their baby. Since they wanted to ask him in person they made arrangements to fly back to Los Angeles on the Peabody jet with the rest of the gang. The pilot was making a quick three day turnaround trip so they could fly right back. Maxine was in Philadelphia with Peter and neither Cole nor Greg were available to keep Angie for the few days so she was left in the care of her trusted nanny Amelia.

***

Los Angeles, CA.

Bette and Tina were having dinner with Harrison at a small American Bistro well-known for their extensive menu options of locally sourced organic foods. Harrison was the epitome of Southern California’s preppy. He was boyishly handsome with understated intelligence. He practiced a healthy lifestyle and exuded a wholesomeness that was very appealing to both Bette and Tina. How could they have overlooked him before?

Harrison smiled broadly and talked animatedly to the two beautiful women sitting in the booth across from him, his long dirty blonde hair occasionally falling in his face when he got excited. His teeth so white they sparkled when light hit them in a certain way; his expressive hazel eyes showing his emotions openly with no hidden agenda.

The first thing Bette and Tina noticed about Harrison after spending the day with him was how much he’d matured over the years since they’ve known him. He still had a witty sense of humor but he was much more discriminating in his conversations. When Bette and Tina approached him, and revealed why they wanted to talk to him, he was first surprised then honored. They spent the next several hours getting to know the man that had agreed to be their sperm donor.

Harrison told them about his family; his belief system, values, and ambitions. He joked that he didn’t have an artistic bone in his body when he reminded Bette how specific she had been about that criteria the last time they’d done a donor search. Thinking back on that time both Bette and Tina realized too how much they themselves had grown as people. There were so many things consuming them back then that really had no relevance now.