Chapter 5

The scent of freshly baked scones drifted through Jonathon and Donna Kennard’s house as Donna removed them from the oven. She was scurrying about the kitchen when she heard the front door open.

“Jackie is that you?” Donna called out to her youngest daughter.

“Who else would it be?” Jackie called back as she ushered her two children inside the house and dragged suitcases for each of them behind her. “What was so urgent that I had to rush over here?”

“They’ll be here soon.”

“Their plane doesn’t land for another hour and a half Mom. That doesn’t include the drive home.”

“I need some help with the snacks.”

“Mom,” Jackie looked at the table as she walked into the kitchen with her children in tow. “It’s Tina and her friend. Why does it look like you’re feeding an army?”

“Hey Guys!” Donna exclaimed as she bent down and kissed each of her grandchildren on the head and hugged them. “I just want everything to be perfect for when Tina comes home.”

Donna Kennard stood up and faced her daughter with a worried look on her face.

“Do I look ok?”

“You look like you normally do,” Jackie said as she surveyed her mother’s outfit.

“Is it too much?”

“No,” Jackie snickered. “I think it’s just who you are.”

Donna smoothed out her sweatshirt which had a hand embroidered teddy bear on it holding two smaller teddy bears. The stitching read ‘Grandma’s give good bear hugs’ in a contrasting color so it stood out as much as possible. Jackie tugged slightly on Donna’s pants, which easily moved down due to their elastic waist.

“I don’t know why you insist on pulling them up so high.”

“They’re comfortable that way,” Donna said in her defense.

“But that makes them floods.”

“Thank you for your help,” Donna said as she busied herself rearranging the homemade banana bread on a platter in the middle of the table. She couldn’t resist pulling her pants back up to their comfortable place on her waist moments after they were pulled down. Once again she proudly displayed socks, which matched her sweatshirt in color, and her penny loafers with an actual shiny penny in each of them.

“You look fine,” Jackie said as she wrapped her arms around her mother from behind.

“I need Kevin to help your Dad hang some pictures up in the hallway before they get here.”

Kevin was Jackie’s husband of 7 years and the father of her two children. Their eldest looked just like a Kennard while their youngest resembled Kevin’s side of the family a great deal.

“Justin,” Jackie addressed her oldest child. “Take Amanda downstairs and watch a video ok?”

“I don’t want to go downstairs with her!”

“She’s your sister,” Jackie said sternly. “Now please just do what I asked while Dad and I help Grandma and Papa.”

Justin knew now was not the time to push his mother as she seemed on edge. He silently took his sister’s hand, acting the part of a 6 year old, guiding his 4-year-old sister down the stairs and out of sight.

“Kevin will be here in a minute. What do you need from me?”

“I’m so nervous,” Donna admitted as she laid her hand on her chest to feel her heart beating quickly.

“It’s just Tina.”

“She hasn’t been here in over 3 years Jackie,” Donna said. “I want her to feel like this is her home still.”

“Her home is in California now.”

“She looks the same, it’s like she hasn’t aged.”

“You know this how?”

“She sent me this picture of her and Bette a few weeks ago,” Jackie pulled the photograph off the counter where it was proudly perched in a frame that randomly scattered sayings about daughters and mothers over its wooden surface.

“She does look the same,” Jackie said staring at her older sister and Bette. “What do we know about Tina’s friend?”

“Her name is Bette and the correct term is partner.”

“And you know this how?” Jackie said shocked at her mother’s use of homosexual vernacular.

“You know my friend Mildred?” Donna asked. “We’re on the church’s tossed salad committee for the funerals…”

“What is the tossed salad committee?”

“When someone dies we take turns providing a tossed salad for the luncheon after,” Donna said as if Jackie should be aware of her mother’s commitments.

Jackie just nodded her head as she stared at the picture looking into Bette’s eyes.

“Anyway, Mildred’s niece is a lesbian, so she lent me a book that her sister picked up at the big bookstore in town to familiarize herself with her daughter’s life as much as possible.”

“Oh dear God,” Jackie rolled her eyes. “I didn’t know we had to study Tina’s alternative lifestyle before they got here.”

“I support Tina the same way I support you and James.”

“I hope my life never requires you to buy a book,” Jackie said as she laid the picture back where her mother had retrieved it. “She’s cute.”

“Cute?” Donna turned and arched a perfectly drawn on eyebrow. “She’s beautiful. I showed Mildred’s niece that picture and she was very drawn to Bette.”

“Well she doesn’t look like she’d ever wear flannel.”

“That’s a common misconception,” Donna corrected her daughter. “Not every lesbian does. Bette and Tina would be considered what they call femme or lipstick lesbians.”

Jackie chuckled at the last part of her mother’s sentence given that she whispered it as if the words themselves were bad in nature. She grabbed at a cookie causing her mother to smack at her hand to drop it back on the platter.

“Not until Tina gets here,” Donna scolded.

“Is there going to be a quiz on Tina’s lifestyle when we recap the weekend?”

“Poke fun at your old mother all you want to, but I want Tina to know we’re trying.”

“Oh,” Jackie raised her hand in a motion resembling an excited child in school. “My dog ate my lesbian homework. Actually, her doggie girlfriend did. So, can I be excused from the assignment?”

“You’re just wrong,” Donna shook her head at Jackie who had begun to laugh loudly.

Kevin walked in behind them with a few tools and his wife’s purse, which was left in the car.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to leave your purse in the car?” Kevin looked at Jackie and then kissed Donna on the cheek. “Someone will break into the Taurus to get it one of these days.”

“Maybe we could get a new car then,” Jackie teased her husband. “Don’t reach for a cookie, it’ll cost you your hand.”

“Kevin?” Jonathon’s voice echoed into the kitchen as he made his way in there to get the tools needed to hang the handful of pictures Donna bought earlier in the day. “Did you bring my hammer back?”

“I did Dad,” Kevin hugged Jonathon as he handed him the new tool he had borrowed a few weeks earlier.

“Let’s get these pictures hung before Mom has a heart attack.”

“Who in the hell is coming over?” James asked as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed a cookie.

“No swearing in my house James,” Donna warned.

“I said hell Mom, nothing too major about that.”

“I don’t like that word.”

“I’ve said worse,” James said shoving the cookie in his mouth whole.

“Not in my presence,” Donna shot back. “You may be grown but you’re still my son and I’ll take a scrub brush and soap to your mouth.”

“James,” Jonathon called out for his youngest child. “Come over here and help us hang these.”

James walked through the kitchen and into the hallway to begin helping his father and brother-in-law.

“Who’s picking them up at the airport?” James called back to his mother.

“You and Kevin should.”

“I thought they were renting a car?” Jackie asked.

“I told Tina to cancel it.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s not proper that we just leave them to get here,” Donna said. “I think they’d appreciate not having to drive.”

“James,” Jonathon said to grab his son’s attention. “Use the level to make sure the picture is straight.”

“Why did you buy these pictures?” Jackie asked as her eyes traveled over each of them.

“It doesn’t matter,” Donna walked over to supervise the project. “Jonathon you need to change before they get here.”

“What’s wrong with this?”

“What blind troll handed it to you and told you it matched Dad?” Jackie asked smiling.

“I like this outfit.”

“You’re changing,” Donna interjected. “I laid an outfit on the bed for you.”

Jonathon shook his head mumbling incoherent words about his independence. Donna checked her watch once more and nudged James pointing at it on her wrist.

“You and Kevin need to get going to pick your sister up.”

“Fine,” James said taking a deep breath in. “Are you sure you want us to go?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because now Dad has to hang these by himself.”

“He’ll be fine, now please get going and bring Tina and Bette directly back here.”

James and Kevin put their tools down and headed for the car to pick their guests up and bring them back per the strict orders they just received.

Bette nudged Tina to wake her as the plane began it’s descent into North Carolina. Tina smiled at Bette and stretched as much as the confining chair would allow, given that she was strapped in.

“Did you get work done Babe?” Tina asked in a sleepy voice.

“Some,” Bette looked out the window. “Wow it looks nice.”

Tina smiled and played with Bette’s hand inconspicuously. She watched for any reaction from Bette and when none came, she pulled her hand away and began to tap her fingers on her thighs nervously.

“What’s wrong?” Bette asked.

“Just nervous.”

“Why?”

“This means a lot to me Babe,” Tina said seriously.

“I’m here.”

“I know.”

“Then what is it?” Bette pushed.

“I want you to love them,” Tina admitted. “We’re only here a weekend, which means what I want is highly unlikely, but I just want you to love them like I do.”

Bette’s smile was one of understanding as she touched her hand to Tina’s thigh.

“I’ll do the best I can.”

The conversation was interrupted as the pilot informed the cabin they would be landing in a few short minutes and that the flight crew would be walking around preparing for arrival. Once again, the fasten seat belt lights flashed and the announcement was concluded with a request for tray tables to be returned to their upright position.

As the wheels of the plane touched ground, Bette frantically packed her paperwork up and returned it into her laptop case in anticipation of exiting the plane as quickly as she could. She caught a glimpse of Tina out of the corner of her eye and smiled. Tina seemed like a child waiting for Santa Clause to arrive on Christmas Eve. She was jittery with excitement, which she hardly contained as she squirmed in her seat.

The fasten seat belt sign was turned off and the plane came to a complete stop. Tina shot up out of her seat and opened the overhead bin to grab her carry-on bag.

“Hurry Babe,” Tina said smiling. “I can’t wait.”

Bette smiled at her, truly enjoying the excitement pouring out of Tina as she longed to see her family. Bette gathered her belongings and made her way to the aisle behind Tina waiting for the line to begin progressing off the plane.

“I can’t wait to see them.”

“Are you sure we shouldn’t have rented a car?” Bette asked skeptical of their decision.

“I’m sure,” Tina smiled. “It means a lot to Mom to have someone here to take us home.”

“When are we checking in at our hotel?”

“After you meet my family and we spend some time with them,” Tina began to walk forward pleased that the line was finally moving, single file, off the plane. “We’ll grab Dad’s car so we can go back early in the morning for breakfast.”

Bette leaned over as the line came to a halt once more and took a deep breath near Tina’s ear.

“How early Babe?”

Tina smiled as shivers made their way down to the base of her spine.

“Not too early I hope,” Bette said in a seductive voice.

“No, not too early,” Tina agreed breathless due to the close proximity of Bette’s mouth to her ear. She shivered once more as she felt the cool air that Bette had exhaled on her ear.

They made their way off the plane as Tina’s eyes combed the airport looking for members of her family. James, although her little brother, was over 6 feet tall and easily spotted. Tina broke out into a slight run as Bette scrambled to catch up to her.

Tina dropped her bag as she held her arms up high to hug her brother. He picked her up easily off the ground and twirled her around as he administered his best bear hug possible.

“I…can’t…breathe,” Tina gasped as James set her back on her feet and kissed her cheek.

“Hey Tina,” Kevin kissed her cheek as well and allowed his eyes to travel past Tina to the brunette that was approaching them.

Tina’s eyes followed where Kevin was looking and she turned around to see Bette walking up to them with a hesitant smile on her face.

“You must be Bette,” James held his hand out to shake hers in a genuine effort.

Bette grabbed it smiling and shook it, constantly maintaining eye contact with Tina’s brother.

“This is my brother James,” Tina said. “This is my brother-in-law Kevin. Guys, this is my partner Bette Porter.”

“Nice to meet you,” Bette said as she now shook Kevin’s hand.

“Here let me grab that for you,” Kevin offered taking Bette’s bags from her and hoisting them on his shoulder.

“Thanks.”

“You ready Big Sis?” James grabbed Tina’s bags and allowed Kevin to pass before them with Bette by his side.

“Always.”

The traffic in the airport made it impossible for the four of them to walk side by side. The natural split in the group was Kevin and Bette walking ahead of James and Tina. Tina took the sights in as she relished being at home for the next few days.

“So what’s new Tina?” James said without genuinely being interested in any answer that Tina supplied. His eyes were glued to the sway of Bette’s hips, the confidence in which she walked, and the way she flung her hair back off her shoulders and switched her purse from one shoulder to another.

“Nothing too much if Mom’s been keeping you up to date,” Tina began to talk before noticing her lack of a captive audience. “Work has been crazy and we’re getting sued over a script I approved for development.”

Tina looked up to see her brother’s gaze on her girlfriend’s body as if he were an animal in heat.

“I recently did a naked photo shoot for a popular lesbian magazine and sent it out to all your friends,” Tina said smiling.

“Uh-huh,” James nodded not paying the least bit attention to his sister’s ramblings.

“James,” Tina smacked his arm breaking his concentration. “Do you know how strange it is for my brother to be checking out my partner?”

“What?”

“She’s a lesbian,” Tina smiled. “She’s not into men. Keep it up and she’s liable to castrate you and I won’t step in and save you.”

“Not even if I whine?”

“Especially if you whine!”

“I’m sorry, but she’s not your everyday lesbian,” James said still riveted to Bette’s movements.

“No, she’s stunning and all mine,” Tina said laughing.

“Fuck me,” James mumbled as Bette turned around to look at how far back Tina was from her and Kevin. She smiled at Tina and winked causing Tina to smile back as they exited the comfort of the air-conditioned airport and into the Southern humidity.

“Not likely,” Tina said laughing at her little brother. “Now stop it, it’s weird!”

“Nuh-uh,” James shot back at Tina with a smile on his face.

“Uh-huh.”

“Nuh-uh,” James said as he nudged Tina to the side causing her to break out into laughter.

“Pervert,” Tina chuckled at her brother as his smile beamed from ear to ear.

“Turd.”

They approached Jonathon’s Cadillac as Kevin pushed the fancy key fob to unlock the doors.

“Are they always like this?” Bette asked Kevin as she watched Tina and James approaching the car laughing.

“Oh that?” Kevin smiled. “No they aren’t always like that.”

“Oh thank God,” Bette let out a sigh of relief.

“That’s actually pretty tame!” Kevin said as he navigated Bette’s luggage to the trunk of the car leaving a stunned Bette standing there alone.

Bette got in the car as Tina finally made her way to the other side and stopped laughing long enough to get in and smile at her.

“So what do you think?” Tina asked eagerly as Bette blew her hair back from her face.

“I think it’s hotter then hell and my hair is not likely to survive this weekend.”

“About James and Kevin,” Tina corrected her.

“They seem nice.”

“James has a crush on you already.”

“He does not,” Bette dismissed Tina’s teasing.

“I know my brother,” Tina broke out laughing. “I had to tell him how wrong it was to check you out since you’re my girlfriend.”

Bette’s scowl directed at Tina was answer enough on her feelings about any attraction her brother may or may not have had upon first meeting her.

“I think it’s going so well,” Tina said excited to be heading to see her parents.

“We just got here Tina.”

The car doors opened and James and Kevin entered the car and started it quickly wanting to get back home as quick as possible.

“Where’s Jackie?”

“At Mom and Dad’s house helping get things ready for you and Bette,” Kevin answered as he merged onto the freeway and accelerated to keep with the flow of traffic.

The car ride was mostly filled with banter back and forth between James and Tina. Often, they threw in memories of teasing Jackie from their childhood causing them both to break out into fits of laughter.

Bette felt the butterflies in her stomach as Kevin made a left hand turn onto a residential street. Tina sensed her tension and reached down to hold her hand. Bette squeezed Tina’s back and then placed her own in her lap for the final minutes of the journey.

Before Kevin could even place the car in park, Tina opened the door and got out staring at the house before her. It hadn’t changed much in the years she had been absent from the area. The door opened and Donna Kennard came trotting out to see her daughter.

“I’ve missed you Baby,” Donna hugged Tina tight in her arms swaying back and forth. Her hands smoothed Tina’s hair in back as Tina hung on and allowed her own body to sway in time with her mother’s.

It wasn’t until she let go of Tina that Donna opened her eyes and watched as Bette stood behind them smiling at the scene before her.

“You must be Bette,” Donna smiled as she quickly made her way over to where Bette was standing.

Bette greeted her with a genuine smile and held her hand out to greet Tina’s mother. Donna made a point to push Bette’s hand out of the way and embrace her in a full bear hug.

“Oh, we’re huggers Darlin’,” Donna said as she rubbed Bette’s back quickly.

Bette’s eyes were as wide as they could possibly be as she stared at Tina. Tina smiled as Bette’s hands made their way to Donna’s back and patted it hesitantly.