Chapter 19

The next morning Angie arrived at
the hospital at 6:30 am with two cups of coffee in her hands. When she entered
the room she was elated at the scene before her. Bette was standing at her
mother’s bedside gently washing her wide awake mom’s face while her Aunt Kasey
softly continued to sleep in a near by chair.

Standing in the doorway unnoticed
for a few minutes she could over hear bits and pieces of conversation between
the two women. Tina was telling Bette the events that led up to her hospital
stay and Bette was shushing her mother telling her it didn’t matter she was
just glad that she was safe now.

As tears leaked from her mother’s
swollen, green and yellow skin toned eyes she watched in fascination as Bette
tenderly used the pads of her thumbs to wipe away her mother’s tears and
assured her she was just as beautiful as ever.

Angie glanced around nervously
taking in the intimate scene and saw that apparently she was not the only one
who felt like they were witnessing something that was only meant to be shared
between the two ex lovers her Aunt Kasey also pretending to continue to sleep
to give them a few more moments of privacy.

Shuffling her feet she made her
presence in the doorway known when Bette turned in her direction she said a cheerful
good morning to both of them before setting one of the large coffees down on
the bedside table.

“Bette I brought coffee. Mom how
are you feeling today?”

“Hey Boo.” Her mother said softly
trying to offer a small smile in her direction.

“Where’s Maggie?”

“I left her sleeping that woman is
grumpy as all hell if she doesn’t get her sleep out.” Angie replied with a
small chuckle.

“Bette has Dr. Tate made his
morning rounds yet?”

“No Angie we are expecting him just
any time. By the way thanks for the coffee.”

The sound of movement in the chair
behind them caused all three women to look in that direction just in time to
see her Aunt Kasey stretch and her eyes open.

As Bette stepped away from Tina’s
bedside she set her coffee down and went into the bathroom to leave the wet
cloth. Angie noticed as she picked up the other coffee to hand to her Aunt
Kasey her mom picked up Bette’s and took a small sip.