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Angelica’s Fifth Fourth ~ Chapter Eleven
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The Evening After Tina’s Day Indoors with Aunt Grace
The little family wound up sharing a blanket at another beach the night of the day that Tina had spent indoors with Aunt Grace. At dusk, they had played along the shore. Later, Angelica had sat in Tina’s lap and told them a bedtime story the little girl had invented about their day together, filled with flying fish and talking clams and (oddly) an elephant wearing a swim cap.
After their daughter had fallen asleep and they had placed her gently on her own beach blanket, Bette and Tina had sat side by side in companionable silence as they watched the moonlit waves.
“Aunt Grace thinks I should tell you the history of the self-important Porters.” Bette’s gaze had drifted upward to the star-dappled sky.
“Only if you want.”
Bette shifted her body away, unaware she had done so. “I haven’t been hiding it. It’s irrelevant.”
Tina reached over and pulled Bette back. “Is it part of who you are?”
“Probably.”
“Then…”
“Aren’t you sick of Porters?”
“I can’t imagine ever being sick of one particular Porter.” Tina said as she snuggled against Bette’s side.
Bette molded her body to Tina’s. “What I know I learned in bits and pieces over the years, so it may not be complete.”
“It doesn’t have to be perfect,” Tina replied as she squeezed Bette’s arm. As the story unfolded, Tina chose to interrupt Bette rarely but she silently reassured her when she thought it was needed.
“The official history is that the Porters were slaves in Philadelphia that were eventually freed under Pennsylvania law just before the War of 1812. My great grandfather was a prominent businessman in the African-American community and founded a savings and loan in Philadelphia around the beginning of the century. It was one of the first African-American banks in the country. He had a reputation as a good and honest man and the bank was a success. The Porters prospered, and the family was more than well-to-do, maybe wealthy. When my great grandfather died young, my grandfather, only twenty-three, became the bank’s president. The bank continued to do well.” Bette glanced at Tina, checking whether Tina wanted her to continue. “My grandmother was the daughter of a Sacramento businessman who had come East looking for investors. He had brought his wife and daughter on the trip so they could see the big eastern cities.
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loving it…family history and junk food, my two favorite things :)
What a delightful and entertaining chapter. They don’t write lyrics and music like that anymore. PPS.
This is a beautifully written chapter, in such a beautiful place. I wish I could visit such a place, and to live there would be heaven. I have to say, I HAVE to, that I don’t know what is wrong with tina. Why should Bette’s wanting a Slurpee piss her off, and be snarky to Bette? Why does she want Bette to have gained weight so that she can gloat? What is going on there? I was hoping that Tina would be a little more open to what Bette was trying to tell her in regard to career, that she is not happy..but Tina didn’t for a second consider rethinking her own career so that Bette could do what she wants…it was just…”I will continue do what I love, regardless of economic stability, and you doing what you love will just be a big maybe.” It is not only Bette’s responsibility to support the family, am I wrong in thinking that Tina feels that it is? Why doesn’t Bette ask her why this is so. I want to go to this beach, this little beach town, today, and I would love to know Aunt Grace!
I forgot to add that the family history was very interesting but not at all surprising that Melvin’s father was dictating and controlling and contemptuous of women, as Melvin learned well to be just like him. I think it is just odd, but terribly true with alot of people, that a person like Melvin’s father could care so much about who he chose to care about, the people who lost all their money, yet be so cruel to other people, that he would supposedly love. It was also interesting to consider that point of view, of bankers caring about the people who lost everything, at all, let alone sacrificing anything of their own to help them. Not feelings shared by others in that situation, Im sure!
Hi it’s me again, did ya miss me?? I just read the earlier chapter, I had missed it, and I love it , love it, LOVE it. Bette and Freddy were a handful for sure. Bright children will get into trouble!!! The experiments were great..except for the chlorine gas making, of course. I used to mix everything up in the kitchen cupboard, being a mad scientist, but nothing that would explode. Oh yes, the X ray glasses and sea monkeys and all kinds of treasures to be had in the back of the comic books! Wonderful chap, Spumoni, and now I will stop posting, at least until my next attack of thoughts!
That was so lovely especially when Bette sang to Tina. I’m sure Aunt Grace knows who was playing the trumpet. At first I thought it might be Aunt Grace out in the woodshed behind the house so no one would see her. Love the story. thanks for posting.
Yeah, two lovely, enchanted evenings indeed. “I don’t know if Oscar Hammerstein would approve your changes to his lyrics.” “If he had you, those would have been his original lyrics.” Tina pulled Bette’s hand and unfurled the fingers as she pulled it towards her lips. She placed the gentlest kiss on the vulnerable palm. => Awww…simply sweet!!! I really love the way you’re weaving this tale, Spumoni. The backstory on the Porter family saga, a treasure of Bette’s hidden childhood naughtiness and her wonderful, at times moving, trip down memory lane of rides, arcade games and a host of junk food and frozen concoctions with Tina and Angie and of course, a closer look at Bette & Tina’s storied and layered relationship, with glimpses at their past and future. They both have human frailties and they annoy each other and lose their patience with one another every now and then, just like real couples do, but their deep, abiding love for each other and their daughter shines through time and time again. And for this reason, this rabid TiBetter is happy and grateful to you, Spumoni. Write on! :>
Love how your providing Tina as well as the rest of us with a look into the Porter family history. Can’t wait for Bette to try and get into her clothes and Tina can remind her of all the junk food she ate.
I fell behind a couple of chapters but now I have caught up. First of all Bette was a mess especially when visiting Aunt Grace’s place. Sounds like she had some good times there. Tina is really good for Bette. She allows Bette to talk on her terms but also gives that gentle push if need be. I love this story.
I love that Bette shared her family heritage with Tina. This has been a revealing and wonderful vacation for them, thank you. BTW, I hope that Bette hasn’t gained any weight, and that her clothes fit her perfectly just to irritate Tina ;-)
I just love this story. It’s so touching. I love how much Bette has opened up to Tina and Tina can finally understand Bette’s childhood a little better. Just love Aunt Grace too! She’s a hoot! PPS
bette and her junk food cravings! love the history of the porters. now tina has more insight to bette! :)PPS
I understand as I am a junk food junkie too.
I will take a guess that Bette has not gained any weight and that will just make Tina mad because Bette will fit into all her clothes. Love that B opened up to T. Love Aunt Grace. Thanks PPS
Spumoni, I don’t mean to complain but even with my glasses the script is very small and Mozilla no longer has the ability to enlarge the text like I used to…so-called progress…so wondering if u could enlarge or make script bold please? Now to go read. I’ll be back with comment.
but still I’m fatter than bette! damn!!
Hre I was snacking on my own brand of junk food, craisins and Whitikers’ coconut chocolate [a childhood favorite] when u had Tina say about the cooked oreo- Christ that’s disgusting, I laughed and choked at the same time but couldn’t stop laughing…T really is gonna have fun at Bette’s fat-expense but what if Bette just swims it off? They don’t seem to be doing much actual swimmimg tho…. still great holidays treats, I spent holidays living on hotdogs on sticks, candy floss, toffee apples and sweet SLUSHIES PLUS lots of ice-cream at A&P shows around the country. I got everything free and ran wild. My uncle owned a lot of those eateries and rides. In fact, my mom’s brother owns a multimillionaire business in Australia doing that sort of thing. So once a year I indulge but I’m more self-controlled than Bette, now I look for the healthier treats. PPS