ONE AND ONLY

CHAPTER 74

Emma had spent a  less than productive couple of hours just looking at holidays on the internet. She knew it had been a spontaneous idea but the more she thought about it  – the more she loved the idea. So she had hunted round the internet and after printing lots of possible villas off and leaving them on Kate’s desk she headed out of the office. She wanted to see Rosemary and talk to her – only Rosemary knew how Emma was feeling about the sudden discussion about a relationship that that almost destroyed everything for them both.
After asking to see Rosemary Porter at the reception desk of the library Emma was guided to the rear of the library to a non-public area. Rosemary had her own small office which in keeping with her personality was neat and tidy and full of books and files. Rosemary had been working on a computer when Emma was announced.
“Emma – hello – thank you Mandy – take a seat “
Emma sat down and looked at Rosemary. She looked tired – the strain of the last few days had obviously taken it toll on her. They waited until they were alone – even for a few minutes once they were left alone neither spoke.
“How are you doing ? How are things with Melvin ?”
“He is okay – we are probably going to be fine. He just needs some time to get his head around the past coming back to haunt all of us”
“I think we had all been kidding ourselves if we had thought that this wouldn’t happen. If it hadn’t been Melvin it might have been Kate “
“It was lovely of Kate to come and see me – I know it cannot be easy “
“She is one hell of a woman. “
“She always has been – how is Bette ?”
“Well I love her being with us as much as Tina because she always cooks for us. It was the most delicious scrambled eggs this morning. They might say that Tina does the cooking but its Bette “
“She loves cooking “
“She is very good at it “
“So they are okay ?”

Emma nodded “Yes – I know she is worried about you and her dad but she thinks its just because you did not tell him that they were dating”
“Good – I lay awake last night and tried to imagine what it would be like if they knew”
Emma shook her head “Don’t – it would serve no one for them to find out. Its got nothing to do with their relationship. They are happy and they are very good for one another. Its bad enough that this has come up again and hurt Kate – the last thing I want is for my arrogance when I was 21 to hurt Tina”
Rosemary nodded “Yes –  I feel the same way about Bette. Melvin will get over it and I do think that he is more hurt about me not saying anything to him”
“But he knew ?”
“He knew – he hasn’t said how soon it took him to cotton on to what was happening between them but he’s smart like we all are. I made a judgement call and I was wrong “
“Did you think that he wouldn’t like that she is gay or that he wouldn’t like who she had fallen for ?”
Rosemary lent back and sighed
“I thought that he would be not as supportive as we have been about it. I know Bette and I know that her father’s disapproval would utterly devastate her. And yes – Tina being your daughter was a part of my thinking. I hated the idea that Bette was suddenly so happy and much more assured and Melvin’s opinion could change all of that. I see her now and she is just a totally different girl and she really has become a young woman and that makes me so happy. She’s always been isolated and a loner – its been hard to try and persuade her to make friends. She must have been the only 7 year old who did not want to go to parties of the kids in her class at school. She’s shy – painfully shy”
“She is certainly out of her shell as well as out of the closet “ Emma said smiling
“The way she has changed in the last few months has been wonderful. I always knew she was special and she could be anything she wanted to be  – and finally she is starting to see that. I took a risk that either he wouldn’t find out or when he did it wouldn’t matter”
“He did seem very bothered by the fact that you didn’t tell him – much more than blaming Bette”
“I can imagine that Bette feels bad but she has not reason to. All she did was fall in love “
“I cannot believe how little it bothers me that my 17 year old is sleeping with her girlfriend in my apartment “
Rosemary laughed “It will be a real statement of progress when they sleep at our place”
“Do you think it will happen ?”
“Well its a test of how tolerant Melvin is – he did say this morning that he did want to spend time with both of them. It bothers him that Tina is only seeing a grumpy side to his personality.”
Emma lent back “God Rosie – why the hell did we do it ? If I had known all the pain it would cause”
“I think foresight is one thing but this is something else. This would require a crystal ball as powered by the Hadron Collider. Come on Emma – we were 21 and it lasted for six weeks. I think we were stupid and probably a little arrogant to think we would have deceived Kate and Melvin but it would take an imagination the strength of JK Rowling to think that we would both have daughters who would not meet up until they were 17 and they would both be gay and they would fall in love with one another”
Emma smiled “Yeah but although that is true – do you think that I have not berated myself for it all over again ?”
“Like I have you mean ?” Rosemary laughed “I know its insane Emma but as I said – it was 6 weeks when we were 21 and our partners both forgave us and I haven’t been unfaithful to him since. And he knows that “
Emma rubbed her face “This is going to take all of us working on our relationship. I do like him you know. “
Rosemary smiled “I think the two of you are more alike than either of you would like to admit. One of the main similarities is how much you both utterly worship your daughters and how you both are wrapped round their fingers “
“I am not wrapped round Tina’s finger “ Emma objected then stopped for a few minutes and considered the matter “Okay so that was a total lie – I am “
Rosemary laughed “ See”
Emma exhaled “This is so ancient Rosie – there is no reason that this will screw up our lives “
“I think that Melvin does know that and this is just his ego that has been bruised by remembering what had happened. We will work through things – Melvin and I are happy and we do have something that neither of us would walk away from and I know from what Kate has said that she feels the same about the two of you”
Emma smiled – while she knew that her and Kate had a solid enough foundation to survive this blimp it was always nice to know that Kate had told Emma as much.
“I hope so – what I did want to ask you was – well I suddenly decided this morning that what we need is a holiday. So I have spent a couple of hours looking up villas in Florida “
“Sounds lovely – it would be good if I could talk Melvin into a holiday “
“It crossed my mind that we could all go away together but I am not sure if that would work”
Rosemary smiled “That would be lovely but I don’t think it would work at the moment do you ?”
Emma nodded in agreement “I know – but it is something that we could work towards. But for now – well how do you think it would go down if we took Bette away with us ?”
“Really – that would be lovely”
“It would be good for us “
“We would pay for Bette “
“No “ Emma said “If she comes with us – I pay for her flights and accommodation. You two can give her spending money but this is my treat for my family and I know that Tina would have a miserable time if she had to leave Bette behind. Plus if they are amusing one another then Kate and I can spend some time together without having to keep a 17 year old out of mischief. I am sure they would rather be swimming and shopping. Plus your daughter is much more mature than Tina – she would make sure she didn’t come to any harm”
Rosemary thought about it for a few seconds
“It would be wonderful if I could take Melvin away as well”
Emma grinned “ Sounds like that is a win – win situation. “
“So it would be okay with you and Melvin ?”
“Of course “
“We would make sure they were okay “
“I know that “ Rosemary smiled “ I can see how lovely Tina is – she is a credit to the pair of you”
Emma smiled “The more I think about it -the more I want to do this. I don’t take enough leave – neither does Kate. Sometimes I do think its amazing that Tina has turned out as well as she had. She teases us that we were all expecting her to date some lanky unsuitable lad who we all hated.  When I look at who she is in love with instead – the shy, beautiful and utterly lovely Bette Porter – well – there is no way we are not going to encourage them to be together . There is also an air of the inevitable about it – they are in love and I love seeing her so happy”
Emma stood up “I do feel bad that all of this has started up Rosie “
Rosemary stood up and walked round the table to face Emma
“I was a big girl Emma – you didn’t force me into doing anything. I slept with you because I wanted to. I know that we should  not have done it – not when we were both in relationships and we should have known we would have no chance of getting away with it. I don’t regret it happening  – I do regret the hurt it caused people and you are right – we cannot let this hurt our daughters “