“Wait?…What?”  Megan asked quickly shaking her head in disbelief of what she was hearing “Father in law?…And who is Bette?”

Tina jerked her hand away from Megan’s as her anger began to surface

“Damn it..Just stop!..How dare you ask me who Bette was!  You know she was my fiancé and the love of my life and losing her a year ago today has been the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with ..You and Crystal know how much I have mourned her and how I would sit every day at that well wishing..” she paused and gasped still looking at Megan “…That…..uh that..No….Could it be?” She trails off going silent leaving Megan totally confused

Megan furrowed her brow “What the hell are you talking about?”

Tina quickly shook her head “Nothing..I…uh…Guess I’m just really confused” she said quickly as everything was suddenly coming back to her and remembering the woman she met briefly at the grief center telling her about the wishing well and what it would do.  And now she needed to try seeking the woman out if it at all possible..It would be her only option to find answers at this point. She was overwhelmed knowing that Bette was alive and that she must have inhabited her own version of herself…But how? Tears suddenly began to spill out and down her cheek at the thought of seeing Bette again and taking the risk of her not even knowing who she was or maybe had a life with someone else wrenched at her gut

Megan sighed knowing that her cousin was definitely not herself but to be so adamant about what she was saying made Megan wonder if Tina was really telling the truth. At least what was true for her anyway

“Tina?” Megan called to her softly watching Tina turn to her with tears streaming down her face “You are telling the truth aren’t you?”

Tina closed her eyes causing a few tears to trickle down her face

“Yes” Tina answered softly as someone she never thought she would ever see again walked into the room and smiled at her

“Mom” it barely registered above a whisper as her mother approached her bedside with Megan closely watching Tina’s expression

“Tina baby..You are awake” she says happily leaning down and giving Tina a soft kiss on top of her head careful not to touch the bump on her forehead which had now taken on a nice red and purplish color “Are you in pain?”

Tina shook her head staring at her mother. But it wasn’t her mother.  She was having trouble grasping this concept as she quickly sighed “I’m ok”

“Why are you crying then?” she asked as her father stepped inside the room along with a young woman she didn’t recognize

“I’m just uh..just overwhelmed” and she really was as the young woman walked up beside her Mom looking a little bit like Tina herself

“Jesus..That’s a nasty bump sis…You could use this write your next best seller”

“Sis?…Best seller?” She asks looking confusingly at the young woman who rolls her eyes

“Don’t act like you forgot your adorable little sister or the fact you are more famous the JK Rowling” she says sarcastically

“Bridget that’s enough” her Dads voice firmly commanded from behind “Tina doesn’t need you aggravating her “ he scolded giving Tina  a warm smile

Sister? Tina thought..But that would mean that the baby her mother lost during childbirth when she was seven was actually alive here.

“I….” Tina began as her eyes fixed on the person that was standing in the doorway holding a small bouquet of flowers. She lost her breath as the person smiled and waved

“I’m sorry to interrupt but my father Melvin Porter wanted me to bring these to Ms. Kennard since I was coming this way” she announced with Denise waving her in

“Oh..Come in…How very thoughtful and we are so grateful to your father for helping Tina. Please give him our sincere thanks” Denise says appreciatively

She nods “I will tell him…And actually.. I volunteered when he told me who he was bringing these to…I couldn’t resist a chance to meet my favorite author in person” she confesses shifting her gaze to Tina. “Hi..I’m Bette Porter”

****