Tina: Yea, I’d like those things too and my garden. But I don’t want to be too isolated.

Bette: We’ll take our time and find the right place. The baby should be up in another hour or so, what do you want to do when she wakes and later tonight?

Tina: She really loved that ferry boat ride we took past the statue of liberty. You weren’t with us that day so let’s try that again.

Angelica wakes shortly after 3pm. Once everyone is changed the family heads out on the subway to play tourist in their new home town. Angelica loves the subway and Bette is equipped with a camera to take some great photos of the statue. They decide on a light pizza dinner and even find some more dessert before heading back home for the evening. They’d done a great job of wearing the baby out and they put her to bed after a quick change. They both showered and were ready for some time together at about 9pm.

Bette: What time are our brunch reservations?

Tina: I took a noon seating. The gardens open at 10am, so I thought that would give us plenty of time to tour without feeling rushed. My flight isn’t until 8:45 so we should have plenty of time to do everything: the gardens, museum and take the baby to the park.

Bette: Yea, the baby will probably sleep again while we are in the museum.

Tina: Well that means we can really just focus on each other and the art.

Bette: That’s a good plan. We should still eat something light and feed the baby before we leave around 9am. I’ll bring the camera to take photos again. If you want to run before we head out I’ll take care of the baby.

Tina: I think I’ll linger in bed with you tomorrow. I’ll be able to do some running while I’m solo in LA the next couple of weeks. I will pack my bag and take it with us though. That way we won’t have to come back to here before heading out to JFK.

Bette: Yea, in less than two weeks you’ll be a full time New Yorker. How does that feel?

Tina: I’m really excited about that, but mostly I just want to be here settled with the two of you. I feel so blessed that in less than a year we’ve been able to put our love and our family back together.

Bette: Well, the family part has one more step.

Tina: No, babe our family is back. Now we are awaiting a formality. I know it’s an important step, but please don’t ever let someone else say whether or not we are a family; we are.

Bette: Yes, we are and a lovely family at that.

Tina laughs at Bette’s silly attempt at humor.

Bette: I think we should head to Montauk right from the airport when you come back. It will be early in the morning so we’ll avoid the heavy holiday weekend traffic out there. We’ll also have all day Friday to enjoy the area. Just make sure you pack the things you’ll need for the weekend in your roller bag and not on the truck.

Tina: Well if I forget something I’m sure it can be bought on the island. Just might be the excuse I need to shop. I land at about 7:30 in the morning that day.

Bette: We’ll shop if we need to. Angelica will be asleep when we head out to meet you, but she’ll be just about awake by the time we pick you up.

Tina: I’ll try to work on the shopping list before flying out tomorrow.

Bette: Just do it on the flight tomorrow or sometime when you get back. Then just email it to me. I’ll add anything I think you left off.

Tina: You mean just like you like to add things to the shopping cart while we’re in the grocery store?

They chuckle and spend a few moments reminiscing about some of their favorite grocery store moments back in LA.

Tina: I love having a history with you. I’m so glad we didn’t throw it all away.

Bette: We’ll have a chance to add many more chapters to that book.

By now the women are very close and cuddly and ready for night of sweet love making. They take great care with each other and utter lots of sweet things to each other. “I love you. You are my forever. I’m so lucky to have you.” They are both sated and asleep by midnight.