Angie:  So, you love Mama and you love Carrie more? And you have decided that you want to be with Carrie for the rest of your life and not with me and Mama?  I just don’t get it.  What did we do wrong that makes Carrie a better choice? Or what does Carrie do that Mama doesn’t do?  Mama is the kindest, and the most generous person I know. If she thought you wanted it and it was in her ability, she would give you the moon, the earth and the sun. She does that for me. Of course, she doesn’t want me to be spoiled so she has some limits. She always explains her decisions and she listens to what I have to say. We don’t always agree, but she always has my best interest at heart. She’s smart and she’s elegant and powerful when she needs to be. But she is also sweet and a serious romantic and truly beautiful even if she is my mom.

Tina:  How do you know she is a serious romantic?

Angie:  She makes sure that we have flowers on special occasions like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. She has prepared me candlelight dinners for my birthday. When we go for walks on the beach, she tells me stories about how you and her met and the dinner you prepared when you got pregnant and how you had music and candles and a third-place setting on the table. She said that she came in from the worst day at work and was fuming and yelling about her day and how disappointed she was that you had invited a dinner guest without telling her.  And she told me how embarrassed and upset with herself she was when she found out that the place setting was for your unborn child and how she had been behaving since she got home. She thought that was one of the most romantic gestures she had ever experienced.  She was so happy that you two were going to have a baby.

Tina:  Yes, we both were very happy.  And you are right, Bette is a serious romantic. She always has been.

Tina:  Angie, I want you to know that Carrie and I are going to buy a house here in Silver Lakes to spend time in while I am on hiatus.  I am hoping to spend a lot of time with you during those periods we are here.  I want to be as much a part of your life as we can during those periods. My marriage to Carrie will not keep me from spending as much time as I can with you.  Of course, I know that next year is your senior year and there will be lots of activities which you will be involved in which will limit our time together. Maybe you might want to consider moving in with me during the hiatus period next year so we can be with each other.

Angie:  Mama T.  You have Carrie.  Mama B has no one but me. I will gladly visit you for dinners, for weekends and maybe holidays, but I will not move in with you and Carrie and leave Mama B alone.  I can’t do that to her.

Tina was surprised by the response.  She wanted to argue with her child, but she realized that would not be wise. She could see that Angie was determined not to upset Bette. And she could hear the not-so-subtle message that Tina had chosen to leave Bette, and Angie would not make the same choice.

Tina bowed her head in disappointment, but she understood.

Tina:  I understand…. Come give me hug and maybe we can have breakfast or lunch tomorrow?

Angie:  Yeah, sure. Send me a text. I love you, Mom.

Tina:  I love you too kiddo.  I love you too.

Tina walked out of the room.  She had tears in her eyes.  She knew that Angie had grown closer to Bette and had distanced herself somewhat from Tina.  Tina knew that this was not the result of anything that Bette had said or done but simply the product of the fact that three years ago, she decided to leave their home and never returned except as a visitor. And when she leaned against the door, she realized that she had chosen to end her relationship of 19 years with the love of her life and became the part-time mom of a teenager who would soon be an adult with the divorce two years ago. And she had now chosen to replace them with Carrie. Tina thought for a moment.  Is this really what I want?