Tina:  So, what are we going to do now?

Bette:  We are going to put everything in motion to make sure that Mary, Kit, Paris, you and I get our distributions from the estate.  Once that is complete, I think we investigate Melvin Porter and what he knew or did not know about Mary and Paris. I think we have to know. His actions made a big impact on all our lives and I think we need to know what they were. All we have now is the results. We need to confirm or deny this hypothesis.

Tina:  But even if we know what he did, we will never know his motivations.

Bette:  We will be able to make an educated guess and that’s more than what we have now. A single action is hard to figure what the motivation is. But a series of actions form a pattern and narrows the possible motivations because they are aimed at a specific goal or goals. And the goals and the motivations are always related. At this point, we do not have evidence that Melvin paid for Paris’s education. Maybe the whole thing was not something of Melvin’s doing?  That leaves the will which is our only concreate piece of evidence that he knew about both of them. The how and why of how he found this information is unknown. What he did with this information besides include them in his will is unknown. The only thing that I know is that he kept this information from me and from Paris. And I would like to understand why as best as I can.

Tina:  Yes, I would like to know as well. I would like to know why he decided to include me in the will. Melvin obviously had a lot of secrets. Maybe this investigation can give all of us some answers. When do we start?

Bette:  Right after everyone has possession of their distribution. I want nothing to disturb everyone getting their fair share of this estate on a timely basis. And I want no one to get the impression that I am contesting Melvin’s intentions particularly now that I know that Paris is included. I want to protect Paris, Kit, Mary and you from anything getting in way or delaying those distributions.

Tina:  That is another reason why I love you so much. You really do want to protect your family, don’t you?

Bette:  It’s just a part of my nature to protect those I love. You’re the same way. And I love you for it!

Bette:  Now you want to tell me why I had to get Angie out of the luggage store?

Tina:  Daniel picked out a leather back pack that he wants to give to Angie for her birthday. It’s really nice. Daniel has really good taste.  I saw a matching purse that I wanted to purchase and so that you and I would not be at her celebration empty handed. It would have blown our cover that we are giving her a car.  Therefore, we needed her out of there.

Bette:  That’s a good reason.  And thank you for getting to the shoe store when you did. I thought I was going to have to buy her a pair shoes and I really did not want to. Shopping in New York was the perfect reason not to buy them.

Tina:  What excuse were you using not to buy them.

Bette:  My excuse was that you were supervising her wardrobe for the fall and you had to be present to win!

Tina laughed:  Cleaver Porter, really cleaver.

Bette:  Yeah, but it wasn’t working. She was pretty insistent that she NEEDED those shoes.

Tina:  Well, she got that from you!

Bette:  Noooo…not me!  I would never say something like that! ……Well, maybe, I would but not in front of the kids!

Tina was laughing:  I love you, Bette Porter. Now kiss me and let’s go to sleep.

Bette:  Okay.  I love you Christina Mallory Kennard Porter more than you know.

Tina:  Okay, now let me hold you and let’s get some sleep.

They kiss with affection and tenderness.  Bette turned over and allowed Tina to spoon into her back. Tina got as close as she could get and put her arm around Bette’s waist.

Tina:  Goodnight, Sweetheart.

Bette:  Goodnight, T…