“Rosanna loved you both and was happy to have reconciled with you.  I loved your daughter and I made her happy.  She made me happy as well.  She also understood what Tina meant and could mean to me again.  She explicitly wrote in her will that should her widow find happiness again …including but not limited to Christina Marie Kennard, the protections above named extend to her widow’s future partner.”

            Tina, Fred and Catherine stared at her in shock. 

            Oliver entered carrying the bucket of champagne, while Julianne carried the tray with the glasses. They set them on the coffee table dividing the lines.

            “Would you like us to pour, Madam?” Oliver asked. 

            Bette looked to Fred.

            “I’d be happy to do the honors” Fred responded immediately.

            Bette nodded and Julianne and Oliver retreated. Julianne and Oliver became allies that day. Anyone who upset Bette and Tina were personas non-gratis in their book.

            “I would very much like you and Catherine to be a part of Rowan’s life.” Bette said as Fred opened the champagne. She deliberately softened her tone.  She felt Rosanna’s presence and remembered no matter how hard a blow Rosanna delivered to an adversary she always did it with grace and minimal humiliation. She would extend that courtesy to her parents. She fully understood Rosanna’s insistence that Bette understand the protections she had put in place and how to leverage them should they ever become necessary. 

            Rosanna had been cut off from the family fortune when she came out and her paternal grandfather had once made a hostile bid to take over her agency when she first started out.  Rosanna was able to fend him off and learned how important it was to protect herself financially.  It earned her grandfather’s respect and he reinstated her fortune and made her a part of the family board. Still she kept her own finance’s separate and untouchable. 

            “Bette I heard everything you said tonight. We know Ro loved you. We know you loved her. It’s just hard seeing someone else in the place she used to be.  I never expected to bury my only child.”  The tears were evident in his voice, though he kept them from his face. “It’s not fair.” He said fiercely.

             Rowan picking up on the tone began to cry.

            Catherine picked him up immediately and looked at Fred in wonder.  “Just like his Mama always sensitive to others feelings.”

            “He has her eyes too.” Fred said softly his rough exterior melting.

            “He has your eyes.” Catherine smiled. “Just like she did.”

            In that moment Bette and Tina understood that Fred and Catherine would do nothing to jeopardize their continued relationship with their grandson.   

“Bette, Tina” Catherine spoke. “We would very much like to be a part of our grandchildren’s lives. We have always considered Angelica our granddaughter and hope that we still can.”

            “Where is that Jelly?” Fred grumbled.

            “At school, she should be here in about an hour.” Tina interjected.  Rowan was one thing Angelica was another. Bette squeezed her hand and Tina forced herself to calm down. It had been quite an eventful afternoon.  So this is how old money did battle.  She cast a side-glance at Bette surprised at how well she handled herself. Tina was impressed. She was also shocked at how wealthy Bette, and Angelica and Rowan were.  She was also very proud of Bette in battle mode. She was sexier than ever.