Paris: I’m just not ready for a step-mom just yet.

Bette: Well, Paris, guess what? You won’t get a say in the matter. You can express your opinion, but if it does not line up with what Mary wants, it will cause problems between you two. So, if you have objections, it needs to be based on some harm that will come to Mary, not your own unwillingness to adjust to the situation.  And you best have some good evidence that harm will occur as result of the relationship. Not some gut feeling or whatever.

Paris: Yeah, you’re right. I need to think about this and get use to the fact that she’s not just my mother but she’s someone who has needs and feelings and maybe wants someone more permanent in her life.

Bette: Believe me Paris, you know that I am going to go through these very same feelings when Angie and Daniel start to get serious about someone too. Gives you that “I’m being replaced” feeling in your life. But it’s not true. We will never be replaced in Mom’s life. She is just adding someone to her life which gives her life more meaning. And who cannot blame anyone for that. And once you look at it that way, you can start to find a place in your life for this new person as well.

Tina: Oh, Bette. That was a nice way to summarize this situation.

Jeanette: Paris are you ready to retire for the night? I think I am.

Paris:  Yes, I am. Thanks Bette and Tina for the lovely dinner and evening. And if we don’t see you tomorrow, we will be here on Thanksgiving and I will be in touch this week.

Bette:  I will contact Joyce Wischnia and have her draw up the transfer contracts and the lease agreements on the Porter name. We will want to send these to our estate planners as well. If there are any tax consequences, we will have to take care of that as well.

Paris: Oh yeah. Forgot about that.

They hugged and each other and wished each other a good night. Paris and Jeanette walk around to the backdoor to enter that way as Bette and Tina pick up the empty cups and bottles to take to the kitchen. Tina set the coffee pot for the next morning and stared over at the cabana and noticed that it appeared dark.

Tina: We need to leave the kitchen door unlocked incase James or Lisa need something from the kitchen.

Bette: Okay.  Let’s go to bed. I’m sleepy. We only had half a nap.

Tina:  Yes, and we have guest, so no over sleeping tomorrow.

Bette: Right… Come on sweetheart. I could use a little snuggling.

The went upstairs and headed for their room. They went through their normal nightly routines and then went to bed. Bette hugged Tina close and kissed her and then released her to get comfortable. She then put her arm across her waist as she slept on her side. They then said good night and fell asleep rather quickly.