Mummy, I’m so happy to see you.  Darling, I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.  When Bette called, I just couldn’t resist.  I had to come and see for myself – the woman who  captured my daughter’s heart  –  the woman who declared to me that she will love and protect you fearlessly…I wanted to come and celebrate your birthday and the birth and development of what will be a beautiful union.  Now dears…please tell me, is it Porter-Peabody or Peabody-Porter…how are you lesbians doing it these days?   Everyone chuckles at Peggy’s delightfully crude humor as she continues.  Dear, you couldn’t have made a better choice.  The gang all thought Peggy was referring to Helena, but she reached for Bette’s hands and said, I’m glad you learned what I have known all of Helena’s life – she is a kind, loving and giving soul.  Bette, love my daughter well, she is deserving of everything that you can give.  Now, will someone bring me a glass of champagne to toast this marvelous evening.

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Now

The day before Helena’s birthday celebration, she had the pleasure of conversation with Tina during an afternoon excursion to the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica.  This encounter made quite an impression – as Tina decided to re-stake her claim to Bette.  It had become very clear to everyone, including Tina, that Bette and Helena had grown very close during the past year.  It was also not lost on Tina that Bette had grown disinterested in her relationships –  meaning she has resolved that chapter of her life.  

After Canada, and Bette’s loss of Angie and Helena’s loss of fortune, their relationship  began.  Arguably, it – the relationship – developed out of a desperate need to connect with someone who had experienced similar loss – moreso than any physical or romantic need.  Helena needed to know that she was more than her family’s wealth, that with or without resources she was worthy of love; and Bette had to simply find Bette – to relinquish the controlling and self destructive behavior that cost her everything.  

Oddley enough, the behavior that tied Helena to her partners and friends was her nurturing nature.  When Bette thought she had lost Angie, Helena’s nurtuting helped revive her and give Bette some sense of self.  Now I’m sure you’re thinking, Helena is not nurturing, but of course she is…she was there for Alice after Dana and for Tina after Bette.  She’s a giver.  And in this instance, who better to share your fears and dreams of parenthood with than Helena, a woman who had also lost her children.