Bette could only nod as she looked at the necklace around Angie’s neck.

“And I know you, mom, kept yours in its own little coin purse in that special pocket in your bag.”

Bette’s eyebrows raised toward Tina.

“I still needed you near me.” Tina shrugged, staring at Bette with a deafening intensity.

“And I always had you with me. Here.” Bette said softly, tapping the center of her chest just above her heart where the ring would fall. She hugged Tina as Tina started kissing Bette lightly.

“Still here guys.”

“Right, sorry.” Bette wiped a tear from her eye with one hand, and held Tina’s hand with the other. “So since these rings were always important to us…”

“And since they really do remind B and me of how so many of our happiest days were with you, us as a family, we want you to have them.” Tina ran her thumb over Bette’s bare ring finger.

“So we had the rings fused together and made into a necklace for you. Do you like it?”

“I do. I love it.” Angie looked at the necklace around her neck in the mirror. She could see her moms standing behind her, their arms around each other, foreheads touching. For a moment it appeared to Angie that their bodies actually molded into the shape of a heart and for the first time that morning she teetered on emotional.

She took a quick step to her moms and wrapped an arm around each of them, burying her head between their necks. “I love you guys.”

“We love you too,” Bette and Tina whispered together.

“Ok, ok let’s not get too emotional. I’m clearly going to have to be the strong one today. Let’s
take a pic.”

“Now?”

“But my makeups not done.”

“We’re not dressed.”

“My eyes are all red.”

Bette and Tina overlapped each other with a dozen excuses, both slightly in shock that their daughter even wanted to take a picture with them, never mind suggest it herself.

“Yes, right now. You both look great!” Angie dipped between her moms. “And happy.”

They both kissed a side of her head.

“Ok moms, ready? Say wedding day!”

“Can we do one more?”

Angie and Tina just looked at each other and rolled their eyes in their same way at Bette’s familiar request.