"No, it’s not that.  It’s just…"

"Are you not ready to move in with my daughter, Bette?"  Katherine’s voice became strained with emotion, "I’ll be honest, Tina has been a bit concerned about the fact that you’ve avoided the conversation.  I told her not to worry about it but now I’m not sure I was giving her the right…"

Bette pulled the light blue box from her pocket and placed it in the middle of the table.  Katherine stopped mid sentence and looked to the box,

"Is that?"

"It is."

"And this is why you wanted to have lunch with me today?"

Bette nodded silently.

Mrs. Kennard’s eyes watered and she brought her hand to her mouth, "I’ve fucked this up, haven’t I?"

Bette, surprised by the salty language, smiled and laughed with a sigh,

 "You didn’t fuck things up.  I’m just surprised, that’s all.  Tina said this morning that there’s something she had wanted to talk about. It probably had to do with this."

"Did she know we were meeting today?"

"No."

"So she has no idea about the…?"  Katherine motioned to the box.

"Well, I wasn’t sure; however, based on what you’re saying now, she doubts I want to move in with her."  Bette’s somber mood was more than apparent, "How could she think I wouldn’t want to live with her?"

"Please don’t think like that, Bette.  Tina’s just a little confused.  I know my daughter and I know for a fact that she has never loved anyone as much as she loves you.  A love that strong can bring about feelings of insecurity."

"But she has no reason to be insecure."

"You’re right. She doesn’t.  And in her heart she knows that.  Oh Bette, she’s going to be so happy."

Bette took the box and opened it slowly,

"I walked by this setting practically every day for the past 6 months.  I finally worked up the nerve to go in and speak with the jeweler.  I’ve wanted this from the very beginning.  I just wasn’t sure about Tina or what she wanted.  An engagement ring seems too… traditional but I couldn’t imagine proposing without giving her something."

"Bette, it’s beautiful"

"You think?"

"My God, yes."

Bette closed the box and held it tightly in her hand.  "I love your daughter, Katherine.  And I do want to live with her.  I just…I had a plan and…"

"Bette, plans are just that – plans.  You can’t get caught up in what you perceive to be the correct order of things."

Bette nodded, "You’re right."

"I give you my blessing.  I just wish Jimmy…"

"He knows.  I asked him before he passed.  He…Oh, Katherine, please don’t cry,"  Bette walked around the table and kneeled in front of Katherine as tears slipped down the elder woman’s face.

"You’re already a part of this family, Bette.  Tina is going to be so happy."

"I hope so."

"I know so."