“Happy birthday baby”

“Thanks, mom”

Angelica had been excited about turning 16 for what seemed like forever. “Finally!” she thought. “Sweet sixteen, wahoo!”

“So, how long have you been awake?”

“What do you mean? I’ve just got up”

Tina gave her daughter a knowing look. Angelica knew there was no point arguing.

“Since 6″ Angelica said with a guilty, slightly embarrassed look.

Tina chuckled and Angelica found a sudden interest in the floor. Tina noticed her daughter’s embarrassment and pulled Angelica into a loving hug.

“Don’t be embarrassed Ange. I remember being so excited for my 16th birthday that I didn’t get a wink of sleep the night before” Tina said consoling Angelica.

“You were once 16?” Angelica joked.

“Oh ho! You made a joke. Very good” Tina said sarcastically, faking a laugh.

Angelica smiled. She knew that her mom didn’t take her seriously and knew how to take a joke.

“Sit down and I’ll bring you your breakfast”

Angelica sat down and noticed the maple syrup that sat in the middle of the table.”Oh yes!” she thought “Pancakes! I love birthdays”.
Tina saw her daughter’s huge smile as she approached the table and couldn’t help but smile as well.

“I love you! You’re the best mom in the world!” Angelica exclaimed.

Tina laughed. “Don’t let your other mom hear you say that”

“Too late”

Both Tina and Angelica spun round and saw Bette stood at the French doors with her arms folded.

“Quick, run for it. I’ll cover for you” whispered Tina in Angelica’s ear but loud enough for her wife to hear. Angelica smiled. She loved her mom’s sense of humour.

“Ha ha. Very funny” said Bette making her way over to Tina and Angelica. When she reached Angelica she leant over and kissed her forehead. “Happy bithday sweetheart. So, what’s this about you not loving me?”

“Aww, you know I love you, but you know what would make me love you even more?”

Tina and Bette looked at each, knowing what it was Angelica was about to say, but shrugging at the question anyway.

“Presents!” shouted Angelica.

Tina and Bette laughed. “Oh no, Bette I knew we forgot something!” said Tina trying to hide her smile.

“Guess Angelica will just have to not love us” Bette said pulling a fake frown.

“Very funny but you guys are seriously bad liars. When it comes to presents you can’t pull the wool over my eyes”.

Tina laughed with Bette breaking out her charming smile.
“Well, since there’s no fooling you you better follow us into the living room” said Bette still smiling. Angelica squealed with excitement and clapped her hands.

“Yay!” cried Angelica running into the living room.

Bette and Tina loved to see their daughter so happy and followed her holding each other’s hands. They had had sixteen amazing years with their daughter and had loved every minute they spent with her. Before they reached th living room, where Angelica was ripping open her presents, Bette stopped and turned to Tina.

“Thank you for giving me such a wonderful daughter”

Tina smiled and looked into her wife’s eyes. Bette put in a confident, take no ***** exterior but now and again her sensitivity shone through. Tina always felt priveleged to see this side of Bette. She pulled Bette closer and leaned in for a kiss. It was a tender, sweet kiss of love and commitment. The couple had had their problems but after their reconciliation and the birth of Angelica everything was going great.

“Hey! Where are you guys?” came a shout from the living room.

Bette and Tina pulled away from each other, smiled and walked into the living room, which was strewn with wrapping paper.

“Angelica, could you have made any more mess?” Tina asked, slightly annoyed, losing grip of Bette’s hand to start clearing up.

“Possibly, it’s hard to say” Angelica replied with a cheeky smile. “Not a bad haul, huh? Thanks you guys. I love you”

Tina stopped cleaning and smiled at Bette, who was smiling as well.
“We love you too. You better start getting ready for school so I can drop you off on my way to work” said Bette.

“See, I was thinking about this and I thought, because I’m 16, I should take the day off school” Angelica said hopefully.

Bette raised her eyebrow. “Oh, is that what you thought? Well, you have a point, maybe you should have the day off”.

“Really?” Angelica said surprised at her mother’s reply.

“No. Now go get ready” said Bette chuckling at Angelica’s look of disappointment.

“Mean” scowled Angelica as she passed Bette on the way to her room, completely forgetting about the now cold pancakes.

“I love you too honey” Bette said. She then made her way over to Tina, who had resumed cleaning up after Angelica, knelt down beside her and started to help.

“If this is how she gets over a few small presents who knows what she’ll be like tonight for the big surprise” Tina said queitly in Bette’s ear.




Having gotten dressed, Angelica made her way back out to the living room. Her moms were sat talking having cleared away the mess she had made. On hearing Angelica enter the room Bette and Tina stopped talking.

“Ready to go?” Bette asked draining the last of the orange juice from her glass.

“Yep”

“Okay then. See you later T” Bette leaned over and gave Tina a quick kiss.

“Bye. Have a good day. Both of you”

Angelica turned and smiled at her mom before walking through the door.


TBC