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A Storm is Brewing Chapter 2
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”You’re lucky you caught me. I was just headed out to meet James.”
”Yeah, I am glad I caught you too, before you head out to cause some trouble with James,” she said with a laughing smile. ”I’ve heard about your missions.”
Bette’s poker face broke into a rising smile, ”I don’t know what you are talking about. James and I are just going to discuss some art work.” Bette said as she reached out her hand for the folder Dani was carrying. Bette walked to the front of the car, opened the folder and began signing papers as she flipped them over one by one. ”You did good work here,” Bette said as she closed the folder and handed it back to Dani.
”Thanks,” Dani said stepping back from the car as Bette moved towards the door. ”I think we have some good candidates for this year’s Kit Porter Endowment and the other grants. We have begun our investigations into the applicants and so far the assessments look positive,” Dani smiled. ”Oh and I scheduled you for a meeting with the Gala Committee later this week. They want to talk about who the Honorees are going to be this year.”
”Okay, sounds good. I am probably going to be caught up with James for the rest of the day, and…” Bette paused for a long minute, deliberating in her head her next ask of Dani.
”Is there something else you need from me?” Dani gave Bette an inquiring look.
Bette paused, ”No,” she said as she slid behind the wheel and shut the door of her car. Bette waved at Dani as she started the car. Bette pulled on to highway 5 as she continued to deliberate how to get information from Kelly Wentworth. Laura and Kelly were close, if anyone knew about her work, it would be Kelly. There would be a price to pay for any information Kelly would give her, Bette furrowed her brows. The question was, how high a price was Bette willing to pay.
Bette and Kelly Wentworth went way back. They had been roommates during her Freshman and part of her Sophomore year at Yale. Bette was away from home, away from her controlling father and was now embracing being a lesbian. During this time, she fell for her bisexual friend, Kelly. After Kelly rejected her advances, Bette grew depressed to the brink of suicide. By the time Kelly and Bette paths crossed again, Bette was reconciling with Tina for the second time. Bette never bothered to tell Tina about Jenny’s accusations of Bette having an affair with Kelly while they were business partners establishing a new Gallery in Los Angeles. After Jenny’s death, the accusations seemed trivial and unimportant because they were not true. Years later, when Kelly made accusations of inappropriate sexual advances by Bette in New York, Bette’s and Tina’s marriage was already in trouble. Kelly’s attack on Bette’s personal reputation was an effort to lower her in the estimation of the Art Community and it had almost worked. Kelly used Bette’s old reputation as a player amongst the Lesbian Community to support her flagrant accusations of sexual harassment. Peggy Peabody got involved when the slanderous remarks began to bleed into Bette’s reputation on a global scale. With Peggy’s help, she was able to exit out of their partnership with little publicity and her reputation intact. Bette and her estranged wife had become so acrimonious that Bette didn’t care to share about the legal battle that occurred when Bette sued Kelly for slander. Tina had thought the money came from the sell of Bette’s part in the New York Gallery and Bette didn’t bother to correct her. Tina was so disconnected from their relationship by this time that she never knew about the impact the entire situation had on Bette personally and professionally. Did Bette really want to open this can of worms again? Why was she hesitating to tell Tina about what happened in New York? In Los Angeles? Bette sighed to herself, she probably should have told Tina about what happened with Kelly when they reconciled. Is she keeping secrets again to control Tina? All these thoughts went through Bette’s head as she drove to the LA Peabody to meet James.
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Thank you for the chapter!
Yeah, Bette definitely should told to Tina all about Kelly earlier, but we all know that Bette sometimes can be a coward and can’t tell her partner the truth.
Now i’m interesting what the bond between Bette’s investigation and Tina’s scrip and how COVID are linking with all of that.
In TLW, the Kelly event was a non-event….. Bette did nothing wrong. She responded appropriately and sent Kelly on her way as soon as she cleaned -up the broken glass and split drink. Then Jenny and her vile recording and her blackmailing scheme made it into something which it really wasn’t. And in this story, Kelly spread false rumors about Bette and then is sued for slander which results in Bette getting out of the partnership with Kelly and getting compensated for Kelly’s slander. Now how is it that Tina does not know this is going on? During such times, Bette would have been having multiple meeting with lawyers and would have been preparing paperwork for such a lawsuit. It would have taken time and resources to put together. Why would Bette purposely hide such an event? Why would Tina not at least question what was going on? And how could Bette put on a law suit without Tina’s help?
My next question is how does Kelly know Laura? Kelly is bi-sexual and is a roommate to Bette during freshman and part of sophomore year and then disappears from Bette’s life until almost 20 years later. Bette meets Laura during the preparation of her thesis for her master which is approximately 4 years later. Laura is at least two maybe three years older than Bette and is in the same school of arts at Yale. Bette only meets Laura because she is assigned as her graduate assistant to get her through her thesis. I never got the impression that Kelly had an interest in art or art studies at Yale…. So Kelly and Laura’s friendship? How does that happen? And how does Bette know that they were friends?
I find this quest for the painting to be very interesting and a backdrop of the impending Covid crisis drama. It think this part could be an extremely good story. If these two are in the midst of reconciling, it would strengthen their relationship and bonding to work as team. But if they still have skeletons in the closet which keep popping out from time to time….. well, there is going to be trouble. And as much as these two have been through over the past 25 years, it would seem to me that they would have clean that closet out before trying to make a go of it one more time. After all, these are now middle age women with a child who is on the verge of adulthood. I hope this will not be a problem…. but it looks like it will be just more drama… and for me, that will be disappointing.
Thanks for the chapter….. keep it coming….
Hey Martha
As usual you put interesting question on the table. Chapter 1 gives the background of the relationship between Kelly and Laura which leads to an introduction to Bette.
I would agree with you on the notion skeletons would have been discussed, but given that our girls were at odds with each other it is not a far reach that Tina may not have known what was going on in NY if Bette did not mention it. An Executive Producer’s hours are unpredictable able at best and for the story’s sake, Bette did not tell her what was going on. As far as Jenny and her accusation are concerned, I agree they were nonsense and Bette thought the same.
Love your perspective. This will be slow to unravel like the last story, hang in there things will be more clear as we go along.
K
Thanks for posting, each post leaves me wanting more.
The story has the potential to be a long and interesting one.
Please post again soon.
Very good chapter which leads to a lot of questions.
What relationship did Laura and Kelly had ? Why did Laura never contacted Bette again when she was known in the art world? Is it really a good idea to contact Kelly who could sow discord in the couple ?
The subject of this story is really interesting, a few weeks ago I saw a TV show about this shocking part of History that has been repeated over the past decades …
Please post soon again !
Hey SK,
Great update & lots more to think about.
As I’ve mentioned to you before, this storyline with the stolen art work is very interesting & suspenseful – great topic & it looks like it will eventually involve both Bette & Tina.
Bette’s got a lot of baggage to unpack with Tina & the sooner she does it the better. The ability to be open has always been an issue with Bette & she should now tell Tina everything – no more not discussing issues.
But I know you will navigate the waters with them & guide them to a good place.
Covid is the curve ball that could definitely change their perceptive & their lives. Waiting to see how it impacts them.
Looking forward to where this is going & what will be discovered next!!
Take care!!
Hey SK,
Great chapter!
Kelly, when will she disappear from Bette’s life? She caused enough problems in the past but is maybe the one who can answer some questions and shine a light about this, but at what price? Bette should talk to Tina about what happened in the past and yes maybe she should have done that when it all started but i can see why she didn’t do it. I hope Tina will not get mad or react totally out of proportion but can see why it was a no issue for Bette at the time because let’s be honest, nothing happened and it was Jenny’s disturbed mind who thought different. But if Bette opens up, let her talk about everything, nothing holding back.
Covid, i am sick of it but i am afraid it will still impact us for a long time even when everyone is vaccinated. Brave of you to bring it in this story!
Looking forward to the next chapter!