Carson returned to the table, oblivious to the emotional conversation that had just taken place. “Are we still talking about grown-up stuff?”

“We are,” Bette said, and Tina noticed her voice was slightly unsteady. “But I think we’re done for now.”

“Good, because I want to show you my dinosaur pictures from school.”

As Carson pulled out his folder of drawings, Tina watched Bette’s face soften as she looked at his artwork. There was genuine affection there, real warmth, and Tina felt a flicker of hope despite the careful boundaries that had just been established.

“This one’s a Utahraptor,” Carson explained proudly. “They hunted in packs.”

“Just like families,” Bette said quietly, glancing at Tina.

“Exactly like families.”

As they prepared to leave, Bette turned to Carson. “Would you like to go to the Natural History Museum sometime? I could show you the dinosaur exhibits.”

“Really? That sounds awesome!”

“If your mom thinks it’s okay.”

“More than okay,” Tina said.

As they walked out onto the street, the evening air crisp with the promise of autumn, Tina felt something she hadn’t expected – not disappointment at the boundaries, but relief. They had a starting point. Bette was willing to try, even if she couldn’t trust completely yet.

“Thank you,” she said to Bette as they paused on the sidewalk. “For being honest about what you need.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“I meant what I said in there. I’m not going anywhere, and I’m not expecting anything you can’t give.”

Bette nodded, then surprised them both by hugging Carson goodbye – a real hug this time, not the careful embrace she’d given Tina.

“Take care of your mom, okay?”

“I always do.”

As Bette walked away, disappearing into the crowd of pedestrians, Carson slipped his hand into Tina’s.

“That went pretty well, right?” he asked.

“Yeah, baby. I think it did.”

And it had. Not in the way Tina had dreamed, not with declarations of love or promises of forever. But Bette had shown up. She was willing to try friendship, willing to let them into her life in small, careful increments.

It wasn’t everything Tina wanted. But it was a beginning. And sometimes, that’s all love needs to grow – the space to prove itself worthy of trust, one day at a time.