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    Remember Who You Are 43

    It was the morning of their ultrasound appointment and Tina woke up before Bette for once. She glanced the clock, groaning at the fullness of her bladder. She felt like she was in the bathroom a hundred times a day. The other day, Bette joked that Tina was wearing a track in the hard wood floors from the kitchen to the bathroom, which earned her a sour look and a grumpy wife until she was redeemed by bringing an extra large slurpee home and giving a foot massage.

    Tina dragged herself out of bed and into the bathroom, not even wasting time to put on the light or close the door so great was her need to relieve herself. She washed her hands and brushed her teeth then returned to the bedroom.

    It didn’t matter how much noise she made, she realized. Bette barely moved. Tina felt great, she had slept almost fourteen hours, falling asleep at six the night before and now it was nearly eight in the morning. Bette must have had another sleepless night, she was wound up about the ultrasound appointment today. She missed this appointment the last time Tina was pregnant, and Tina had to hear the news of the baby passing alone. Bette was terrified that it would happen again, that today would also bring bad news.

    Tina crawled back in bed. God, Bette looked… amazing really. Her body. Shit and Hell Fire as Boo used to say, although never quite in this context.

    Bette was laying on her back with one arm up around her head, her breathing deep. She wore a thin white tank top that hinted at dark nipples underneath and rose to reveal her belly button nestled in a toned and delicious abdomen.

    Just looking at Bette’s body gave Tina a jolt of desire, her pregnancy hormones kicking into high gear and she lowered her head to place an open mouthed, wet, tongue probing kiss on, around and in Bette’s belly button.

    Bette tasted heavenly, like bergamot citrus with a hint of the body butter she sometimes used at night. And her, just her. The taste of her skin was comforting and familiar at the same time. It haunted Tina when they separated, no woman ever tasted as good as Bette. Her Bette, she thought and the thought made her more possessive as her tongue licked and probed more, her hands lifting the tank higher when her mouth needed more territory to claim, explore.

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    Comments

      • Thank you Cathy. You zeroed in on one my favorite parts – they consider Tina to be one of their own. I imagine this will heal a lot of the guilt she is feeling over Donna’s drug dealing. Glad you along for the ride!

    1. Well. Damn. So much going on in this chapter. Your story should really be a series. It’s a gripping story. My mom grow up on a produce farm near the Cape Fear River. It’s so dangerous her parents told her to never go near the banks. The River was fierce during a hurricane, I can understand the respect the river folks have for it. Tina appears to be the person who has risen over her own adversity. It heartwarming that Tina is considered a Here that. It appears the river gossip knew for a long while Tina was one of their own. Hopefully a new chapter soon.

    2. What a chapter. Lots to comment on. You conjure such a roller coaster of emotions. Your depiction of the powerful love between Bette and Tina at the beginning of the chapter complete with Bette’s fear of losing the baby or possibly harming Tina or the baby in any way is so beautifully written. Tina is so very patient with Bette. But looking back, this section of the chapter very clearly foreshadows events to come.

      Bette wearing the cargo pants is a seemingly simple detail but actually very telling. James has been tutoring Bette. Bette must be prepared for their journey and take all necessary safety measures – she is totally focused on taking care of Tina. Bette’s need to protect Tina and Tina’s gentle patience and understanding of Bette’s fears further reveal how truly connected these two are and further foreshadows the danger to come.

      The visit at Turn Up’s house included even more foreshadowing with the impending storm but also with Rosie being so drawn to Bette and vice versa. Rosie wanting to cuddle and sit on Bette’s lap – something she just doesn’t do – as though the little girl instinctively knows that Bette is good mother material, safe, and filled with love for Tina and their unborn child. Bette is getting a moment to experience the special love of a child. As much as Bette tried to act as Tina’s friend – their love just could not be disguised. The family clearly accepted Bette. I fell in love with Rosie and Jena Beth. Being welcomed back was great for Tina but learning what Donna did to Boo was just so sad. And infuriating. Donna’s maniacal tentacles were everywhere. The visit to see TurnUp is my favorite part of the chapter. Love that Bette sees the beauty and understands Tina’s connection to this place. Love how Tina’s accent very subtly returned. She knows how to use the boat and navigate her way through the back waters to TurnUp’s home. She clearly feels at home on the river even if she is also experiencing some sadness, regret and misplaced guilt. Very beautiful writing.

      However, I must admit that gentle and loving Tina trying to literally and emotionally navigate through the stormy waters, feeling guilty about Donna’s dirty deeds and not going back to see Boo, choosing Eric, telling Bette it is all just too much, and essentially going through a pretty severe personal reckoning while a helpless Bette looks on comes in a pretty close second. Just amazing!

      With all of these red flags – no pun intended – I was still not prepared for the end of the chapter. You did set the stage for us a little with the comment about the life jackets and the flag. Both items, Bette’s resolve, and the river folk search party saved them. Still, as if the emotional stress of the visit, the boat accident, being on the water in an open boat during a storm, almost drowning, and the possible concussion were not enough to cause your readers to worry – Tina is possibly hemorrhaging and may have suffered some type of injury that has endangered their unborn baby girl. Bleeding of any kind is serious but I have to believe you would not go there – right – knowing that neither woman would never ever recover.

      Your writing is amazing and the chapter is quite moving: “Tina’s one of us, we would have searched all night for her. It was your damn flag that led us to you, ya know that?” Slam bam zing woman right to the heart. I love the river aspect of this story and am more convinced than ever that Tina will find Boo. Yes, time has passed but she knows where to look. Maybe Boo has been following Tina from afar? I can really envision that reunion. Tina and Bette and the world of the river folk could easily be a stand alone story. But as much as I want the hunt for Boo and Honey to continue immediately – as well as a potential future exhibition of Jena Beth’s art – Tina and their unborn baby girl are the primary concern.

      One does not really need to state the obvious here – you have us all very nervous and on the collective edges of our seats. Lastly, thank goodness for James and I for one love longer chapters. Well done.

      • Billy
        What a great response. I really love your attention to detail and how you pick up on the threads that are woven throughout the story. I usually write a very rough story with the ending already in mind then go back and build it up from the start. This is no more true than in this chapter.
        I wanted to show Bette’s need to protect and insulate Tina in this chapter, her desire to right the wrongs of the past when she was not where she needed to be for Tina when they lost the first baby. She is determined enough to want to prepare for every eventuality and yet she also knows deep down inside that there is much and more out of her control. Pack the life jacket but the storm could still wreck havoc. Still though, her sheer will to plan ahead for any event saved their lives, I can only imagine if Tina did not have a life vest on and Bette couldn’t find her in the darkness.
        I love the river folk too. We will get to see more of them as Tina get medical attention and hopefully Jena Beth and Rosie play a bigger part. Those are the most fun characters to write about because while they are an exclusive group they really do take things in stride. I also like to write the river scenes from Bette’s perspective, she soaks everything in like a sponge and embraces everything with such an open heart.
        More to come, more to write my dear Billy. I will say this…. Tina has the best caretaker in the world in Bette :)
        Thanks for always commenting and following along…
        Bk

        • Thank you for your kind reply. Tina is a from here river rat to be sure and I believe she will be well taken care of. What a story! Now I have a very vivid imagination and am trying to figure out about how old Boo might be. Late 70s? What if Tina has to stay there for a while and word gets back to Boo that she is there and pregnant? It is safe for Boo to return. Might Boo go to Tina? Hey – a girl can dream.

    3. My dear BK,
      First of all, I 100% agree with all of Billy’s comments. It was so beautiful. I cherished every page as I always do when I read your stories. The way that these two are so present for another just makes my heart want to burst.
      But, even with your comment and all of the heavy foreshadowing, I have to say that I. Am. Terrified. These two have been through so much! So much. And in reading those last few sentences of this chapter my heart absolutely broke for Bette. I can only imagine what must have gone through her mind at the moment when all was revealed. Just sheer despair. I will say that you at least saved us (for now) from her full reaction and of course Tina’s inevitable reaction, thank God, ‘cause I don’t think I could have handled that as well. I will remain haunted by it until you post again.

      Risky

      • I agree ???? with both Billy and RiskyKitty!!!!

        One heck of a chapter! But the end worries me so much, i truly hope they will not lose another child. They don’t deserve that and if they do it will devastate them and will bring both of them immense guilt, Tina because she already felt guilty about everything and Bette because she couldn’t protect Tina and their baby.

        Please don’t let them lose their baby girl ????????????

      • RK
        Girl, I am just trying to keep up with the drama in your story! You have access to fancy planes and the Bette-mobile so I gotta use what is in my arsenal and that is the river itself. Love that you commented on how Bette must be feeling seeing the blood on Tina after everything…. can’t you see her being like
        REALLY? Really? It was a memorable day fo sho. “Sheer despair” is a perfect way to describe how she must have felt in that moment.
        Thank you for your continued comments and for the writing you are doing as well.
        BK

    4. BK, did I already tell you that you are quite the drama queen? I am shocked at your cliffie and still have tears in my eyes. Fittingly to the last scene at the river there’s a thunderstorm over me right now. Did you include some kind of 3D effect to your writing? “When opening page 30 start thunderstorms”. ;-)

      I have to start at the end this time. This is really getting to me. Please let the baby and Tina be okay. Let it be some haemorrhage that could “normally” occur early in a pregnancy. It’s just to much to bear, Tina and Bette would break for good if something would happen to the baby.
      It’s cruel how much Tina has to bear. How can she still hold on after one blow of fate after the other? How does Bette still find enough energy to keep both women upright? How do T + B manage to not give up in despair?
      I’m counting on Tina’s survival instincts, her love for Bette and the baby as well as on Bette’s love and strength to get out of this mess unscathed, maybe with some new friends/family from the river folk.

      “One of their own.” What a beautiful statement. I hope some of them will tell Tina that she was and still is one of them. I’d say she would be elated to know that she has family at the river. Well, she probably already knows after this amazing rescue mission. You picture the river scene with all those boats so vividly. That’s when my tears started. This has solidarity, friendship and family written all over it. How did you come up with the idea of the blue light?
      Great idea with the red flag. With your hints that it would come in usefull later I suspected something more harmless, definitely not a life threatening situation.
      I count on the river people to help Tina. The people from the river will have some more than basic medical knowledge because they won’t have medical care nearby often.

      The visit at the river was something else. I loved how girl scout Bette was prepared for the trip from the cargo pants and matching shirt to the survival kit of granola bars and pocket knife. It’s so Bette to have learned from the first experience of the river. And of course to protect Tina and prevent that something is happending to the baby. But after this night Tina won’t laugh at her quirks anymore. And Jerry will name the pole with the flag after Bette. You introduced another sympathic supporting character with Jerry.

      The same goes for Turnup and his family. I like that contrary to what Tina thought would be Turnups reception, he seemed genuinely happy to see her. Rosie is too cute. Wise as only a child can be. Instantly picking up on Bette’s positve energie, her vibes that are sending out all of her protectiveness towards her unborn child and wife. Maybe that’s why Rosie instinctively takes to Bette and why she immediately knows the answer to the “daddy question”. Best quote of the later chapter: “Rosie […] pointed at Bette and said, “she is, Papa” with conviction.”

      I hope you find some space in your story later on to get back to Jena Beth’s drawing and a possible showing at the Porter Kennard Gallery.

      What else? Well, every paragraph :-) Loved the morning scene with Tina learning about Bette’s fears of doing the wrong thing, of hurting Tina or the baby, had to smile at the ultrasound and Dr. Wilson’s advice to Bette, enjoyed James’s hilarious research and preparation.
      But I am still shocked at the boat accident and your dramatic ending. Please, please post the next part soon.

      Thank you so much for this long chapter. Once again it felt as if I sat on the sideline to watch the scenes play out right before me.

      Have a great Sunday, enjoy your week and stay safe.
      Kiwi

      • KP
        I absolutely LOVE your comments. You see things that sometimes I miss in the story or that were my favorite as well. I love that you feel like you were on the sideline bc when I write I try to picture where is this character, how are they feeling about what is happening, who are they focused on…. anyway, it is very motivating for me to read comments like yours that go deeper into the story. THANK YOU.
        I confess that I do not have a 3D effect in my writing LOL but am immensely happy that the chapter evoked such emotion for so many. I spend an embarrassingly amount of time writing this, and rewriting.
        For so many chapters previous to this one, Tina has alluded to the feeling that she does not belong, anywhere really. She never felt like she was one of the river rats and she never felt like she fit in with the group of friends that followed Eric so it was incredibly gratifying to write that the river folk have their own ideas. Nothing comes easy to them, everything has to be earned and Tina earned every bit of her place in their ranks.
        The blue lights did not come from anywhere really except an overactive imagination. I always liked the candles that medieval cities would light on Christmas Eve to welcome return family members from their travels. They would place them in their windows and a traveler or family member would be guided to the home that way. Honestly, it sprang on the paper when I typed out the scene. If it were a battle, I would imagine the fighters would all hold their sword over their chest when one of their own passed by. Something like that.
        I loved writing Rosie and Jena Beth too. Expect to see more of them in the next chapter.
        Thank you Kiwi for the gift of your comment, keeps me going\
        BK

    5. Well, it looks like I came late to the party….. What a wonderful chapter. There is really a lot of emotional scenes in this chapter. I think your real genius is your ability to express the precise emotion that Tina and Bette are experiencing in each moment. I feel the real desire that Tina has for Bette for sexual encounter and the conflict that Bette is experiencing between desire and real fear of doing something that could cause harm to Tina or the baby. I feel Bette anxiety as she cross examines Dr. Wilson on all the possibilities of Tina’s condition. And yet in reality, she seems to miss the part that Tina should respond to what her body needs – food, sleep, exercise and sex! It takes Tina to point that out to her, that it’s okay. And the sudden memory that they lost their first brings back the guilt that Bette feels that she could have caused that miscarriage by being aloof from Tina and not giving her the loving care and support she needed at the time. And I love that Tina says in essence, that they do not know what the cause was for the miscarriage, but they are different people now and they are going to handle their lives differently. Whatever happens, they will face it together. This is a hidden foreshadowing of the chapter’s end.

      Tina and Jerry were definitely friends. Bette’s wondering how close they were was typically Bette. But by the chapter’s end, Bette is now more than grateful they were friends.

      Now, Turnup knew that Ms Tina was coming. I think that Jerry kept his word and did not call Turnup to tell him Tina was on her way. I think Turnup knew because James has made several scotting trips to the river and Turnup was smart enough to know that Tina would eventually come to see him sooner or later to search for Boo. Someone like James showing up on the river asking questions would have been a big event and they would have talked about this with all their friends and neighbors. So Tina showing up would not have been a total surprise whether Jerry told him or not.

      I really like that Turnup and Jen Beth were very comfortable that Tina and Bette were a couple. Of course Turnup knew that Boo had a relationship with Honey. The fact most of the river knew about Boo and Honey, but ignored it. The reason Boo had to leave was that she had been set up to be dealing with drugs by Donna. I think that the one thing Turnup was really concerned about was that Tina remained with Eric. If that had been the case, you would have seen a very different conversation with Turnip and Jen Beth. Communities like the river are very tight knit. They know their neighbors and their problems and their relationships. They know who the “come heres” and “from heres” are. And for Tina to be declared as being “one of us” is as high an honor as can be bestowed by that community.

      I wonder if Tina has continued to give her Christmas gift to the household at the river. I assure you that the community will have found the originator of that gift. They would have found out quietly and without fanfare. Someone had to obtain the cash. Someone had to put it into envelopes and put it into the mailboxes. And they would have know that every household on the river got one. And someone would have talked at a bar or at the barbershop or the grocery store. I suspect that there are no real secrets on the river. That too could have contributed to the outpouring of help to find the two women lost in a storm on the river.

      The physical state of Tina is concerning. I too hope that they do not lose this child.

      I do find it fascinating that Rosie attaches herself to Bette immediately. It’s really unusual for any child to attach themselves to a complete stranger like that instantaneously. Love to know more about Rosie….

      Thank you for this chapter….. really a wonderful…. I am in awe of your story telling abilities. Drama, romance, mystery….. this has it all.

      • Martha,
        You are never late to the party, you always arrive exactly when you should. Thank you for your insightful and detailed comments, I shall try and answer any questions you posed.
        Yes,yes yes you captured the struggle Bette had with the obvious response of her body to Tina
        and the conflicting concern her brain was feeling about hurting Tina. I agree with you that Bette blames herself for not providing Tina with what she needed in the first pregnancy and resolves to not make the same mistake with this one. But, as she finds in this chapter, no one can control fate or destiny or the current of river in a torrential downpour. You can plan and plan and prepare but in the end nothing is promised.
        Hopefully the next chapter will answer the question of the cash gifts to the community as well as where Rosie’s attachment comes from. In my experience, children who pay attention see where safety is, they find the people that give off a vibe of security. I think Kiwi mentioned it above. My middle daughter is very much this way…. I call her a “Noticer” because she is forever hanging back to observe a new room or situation before deciding on her safe course of action or who to trust.
        So glad you are along for the ride, I look forward to your comments and insight and love that you enjoy reading these chapters as much as I enjoy writing them!

    6. Wow, that was a lot to take in at one time. It was a wonderful chapter, it wasn’t meant for Turnup to give Tina the letter back when Boo left. She wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it still being under Donna’s thumb at the time. I certainly hope she and the baby are going to be okay. It has been a long time between posts so hopefully you will post again soon.

      • OneStorm
        AGREED 100%,
        Tina would not have been in a place to receive that letter. And can you imagine the terrible outcome if Eric caught wind of where Boo was and shared it with Donna? Could have been devastating for Boo and Honey.
        It was a long time in between chapters. I struggled to get this one RIGHT. I tinkered and toyed with it for days. But here we are! Stay tuned my friend, more to come…..

    7. You had me riveted from beginning to end of this chapter. I could feel the protective nature of Bette show throughout. I felt this was foreshadowing of something that might possibly happen to the baby. However, I feel in my heart all will be fine. If nothing, the experience will strengthen an already strong bond between her and Tina. I agree with the others in there’s definitely a stand alone story with Bette/Tina and the river folk. The instant connection between Rosie and Bette. The river people coming together to search for one of their own.

      Tina and Boo will be reunited eventually, of that I’m sure. But, Tina and Bette will have to shift their focus to their unborn child. Or, will they lose the baby and Rosie becomes theirs? Hmmm…….

      Great chapter. I hope you don’t leave us hanging too long. :-)

      • Trece –
        Bette is a warrior in her protectiveness isn’t she? They do have a strong bond and I agree with you that this will only serve to strengthen this bond. They do need to shift focus to the baby and seeing what medical needs Tina now has. I am writing it now, don’t worry. Thank you for commenting, keeps me motivated and I love to see the story through someone else’s eyes!
        BK

    8. Hi BK,

      Another outstanding chapter & update!!!

      Have to agree with the majority of the other comments here. Your level of story telling in excellent & you make us feel like we have a front row seat to all the action and special moments between Tina & Bette. Truly amazing!!!!

      It was a beautiful love making scene to start the chapter – such devotion and tender expressions by Tina to convey her faith in Bette & for their baby.

      Bette being venerable at different times throughout the chapter was awesome as we see inside her heart & her mind. Very well done.

      Just love James & his thoroughness & acting as a kinda of ‘big’ brother in his planning & advice.

      Bette always being the protector & Tina’s rock – super!!!!

      And Dr Wilson giving Bette the go ahead for sex with her wife whenever Tina wanted it & putting Bette’s mind at ease in not harming the baby or Tina – very endearing.

      Loved the tender moments & soft communication between them – pushing themselves to be honest & not hold back on their feelings or emotions as they have done in the past – truly moving forward & trusting the other person.

      Rosie being attracted to Bette just tore to our hearts & served as foreshadowing of what a great mother she will be.

      Gotta get Tina better real quick & NO miscarriage this time around!!!!

      You have done it again – delivered a tremendous chapter that despise it’s length, was over way too soon.

      Congrats my friend on landing another perfect 10!!!!!

      Looking forward to finding out if Boo is still in NO & that Tina recovers quickly.

      Thanks for sharing & inspiring!!!

      Collins

      • Hey Collin! Always nice to hear from you, and see what your thoughts are after reading the latest chapter. I love to get the insight into the story from as many readers as possible. You bring up an interesting point that I had not considered – the vulnerability Bette showed just to Tina this chapter in such contrast to protectiveness she showed to everyone else. So typical Bette, right?
        I don’t know that Boo will make an appearance anytime soon, or at least for a few more chapters – depending on how the chapters evolve. There’s alot to unpack with the pregnancy. I imagine Bette will want to wrap Tina up in bubble wrap when they get home.
        Thanks for you never ending support, very appreciated.

    9. Ohhh the ending . . . . Let me catch my breath 🤯😳
      The ladies plowing down the dirt roads in a Jeep, so appropriate and with Tina driving. Bette understanding that even with vast changes in the landscape, this was still Tina’s domain

      A great laugh when Tina warned Bette that “they” would be better off appearing to be only “friends” and Bette interpreting that to mean she couldn’t be kissing, groping, nor staring at Tina’s boobs” 🤣😜.

      But the whole interaction of little Rosie immediately grabbing Bette’s hand and later crawling into her lap to sleep the sleep of feeling protected. Children K N O W. They are very spritual and recognize, good or bad what kind a heart an adult may have.

      Bette never saw herself as drawing people, the way Tina did, but ‘Lil Rosie saw Bette’s childlike heart and in an instant she had laid her head against Bette’s chest, hearing her heartbeat, and was out like a light. Thrilled that even though Bette didn’t “know” what to do with this bundle, she chose to embrace the child.

      Not surprised that later the child still clung to her. I think the message was, “Bette, you’re gonna be a gr8 Mom!!

      But will she get to be? . . . . A Mom? The trip back to return the boat, but the darkest ranging river-storm really had my heart pounding, missing beats and seeing our girls tossed, battered and alone in the water 😩😟. Bette spring to action and taking care of Tina the best she knew how.

      How very, very sweet when one is seen and kept by the community as “one of their own”. It’s an UNconditional love, pure and simple.

      Nice point when Jerry admitted to Bette that because of the “stupid” flag that she had insisted upon having, he found them having seen the flag above the foliage. They will have a brother-sister bond. Jerry gave Bette the life jackets and flag she demanded, but Bette did NOT take the bucket of worms for fishing 😀☺️😂. Sisters will do just about anything a brother says . . . but we know when to draw the line 🤣🤣🤣

      I like that there wasn’t a crowd around to attend to Tina once they had gotten her to a dry boat and wrapped in a dry blanket because it should have only been Bette to discover that Tina was bleeding, not from the head.

      Geeze. What thoughts must be going through her mind??? Tina is kind of out of it with grief already at the news Turn Up had shared and the letter left to her by Boo, the LAST thing she needs to wonder is if she has lost the baby 😫😫🥺

      • Dumplin T!!! Dumplin in the house! So nice to read your thoughts. You always loop things together in such a great way. Perfect example – Bette not seeing that people are drawn to her yet Rosie goes to her instantly and continues to seek her out throughout the day. I agree with you that children KNOW and Rosie SEES Bette. She sees the gentleness, the love she has for Tina and the safety she offers. For a child who was neglected and who knows what else to see that and act on it is very telling of the energy Bette is putting off. I love that that part resonated with you.
        Jerry and Bette ARE like brother and sister – good thing she didn’t dump that bucket of worms on his head LOL!
        I can’t wait for Tina to hear that she was always considered one of the river rats, all her life she felt out of place when she belonged after all.
        Thanks for commenting and for making me smile with your thoughts!
        BK

    10. OH.MY.GOD !! Tell me you’ve already written next chapter ?!?!

      I sincerely hope the baby is alright for both of their sakes, imagine another miscarriage no no no …

      What a terrific story with its ups and downs, you know how to hold the readers spellbound.

      BRAVO.

      • izzie
        I am working on the next chapter now! I needed to take breather myself after posting that one, so much going on there, right? Whew. I needed a nap. Thanks for commenting! loved hearing from you
        BK

    11. BK,
      You know me . . . That I’m re-reading the chapter just in case I missed something that the other faithful haven’t commented on 😛. And this thought arose.

      Little Rosie is a little “Christina”/Tina if there ever was one!! Her grabbing Bettes hand and latching on to that strong, accepting grip . . . just like grown up Tina. And Ro’s climbing quickly to straddle Bette’s lap facing her then nestling under her chin for pure safety, eyes closing for much needed sleep. How often we’ve seen Tina do the same thing 😍

      Tina saw this and recognzed the present reality that Bette is very much the Boo in her life. But unlike Boo having to leave for her own life’s sake (and for Honey’s), Bette had chosen to stay know matter what. This Tina understood.

      Hmmm wondering if the girls still have the letter with the Honey & Boo’s address 🤔 or was it washed away in the stormy river.

      I like how you described the rescuers saying: “The speed and efficiency of their movements would have impressed The Coast Guard . . . .”

      • DUMPLIN
        Wow you just blew my mind. The climbing into the lap thing was not intentionally written but Holy Safety Net Batman, it all clicks now doesn’t it? Thank you for that.
        I won’t comment on the letter’s viability. LOL.
        Keep your thoughts coming, its a gold mine!
        BK

    12. A sweet thought just occurred to me.

      Rosie’s reaction to Bette in grabbing Bette’s hand and holding on tightly, crawling onto her lap and resting her head on Bettes’ chest to fall asleep once ‘strong arms” embraced her. And later, clinging even more knowing Bette didn’t mind.

      As Rosie looked at all the adults around the table, she pointed to Bette and declared in pure innocence & truth, that Bette was the Papa. That made me surmise that TurnUp is probably an affectionate/caring husband/Dad. Because Bette seemed to have the same traits as her Dad 🥰

      • This makes sense DT. When he first enters the house, her reaction is much stronger than when Jena Beth looks for her earlier and finds her on the dock. She is attached to him more than with anyone else, save the growing attachment to Bette.
        How will Bette ever leave her when it is time to go home?
        Great thought, Dumplin
        BK

        • Agree. But Jena Beth is a Mom and Mom’s teach & warn of danger 😍. Well most of ‘em . . . Donna not included.

          A curious 4-yr-old has no inherent fear of exploring the world or moving about in the familiar one 😀. I figure Rosie was also suppose to have her shoes on, but out the door she running on the wooden dock without them,.

          I’m believing that all will be well for Tina AND their baby girl, but can only imagine how special Josie has become to Bette. Little Jo is a little Tina clone but for the red hair.

    13. Hey, I am systematically going through your stories but just have to stop reading for a minute to tell you I am absolutely loving this one. I love the closeness , love, banter, and devotion Bette and Tina have. How they are so different, with Tina being a River Mouse and Bette with her more privileged upbringing. I love the subtle comedy in your writing especially from Bette, the daredevil swing comment over the river, the Tarzan comment and now the cargo pants!! Fantastic, must continue now ……..

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