“I know.” Tina acknowledged hugging the older woman.

“Well we better get going. Everyone is waiting for us.” Joyce said releasing her hold on Tina.
Joyce Wischnia was the family lawyer and a very trusted friend. Since Tina’s parents were deceased Joyce had become somewhat of a mother figure to the young heiress whom she cared for very much. She didn’t always approve of Tina’s life choices but she looked out for her well-being as best she could and did all possible to protect her; mostly from herself. Tina was sometimes too trusting for her own good and more often than not people took advantage of her altruism.

Joyce wasn’t given to premonitions but she had a bad feeling that she just couldn’t shake. She’d only met Jodi Lerner briefly a couple of times and she seemed genuine enough but there was something about her that lacked trust. As Joyce prepared to escort Tina down the aisle for the third time to hand her off in marriage she hoped that it was just maternal anxiety and protectiveness that she was experiencing.

***

“Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to join Tina Kennard and Jodi Lerner …”

Tina Kennard and Jodi Lerner met just over a year ago when Tina attended the artist’s exhibit at a West Hollywood art gallery owned and operated by Kennard Incorporated. As the CEO she tried to maintain an interest in all facets of the multinational company but her main focus was on the art galleries and movie studios. Jodi’s unique style impressed her so much that she commissioned the artist to do a private piece for her new home; an eight room beachfront mansion in Malibu, California. They spent most of the evening talking and subsequent evenings discussing art and Tina’s private collection. Their business relationship soon became a friendship and then a romantic interest that blossomed into a full blown love affair.

Although Tina was a private person for the most part being with Jodi Lerner put her in the public spotlight as Jodi made it a point to flaunt their relationship at every opportunity. Within months they were being touted as Southern California’s hottest new lesbian couple. Jodi was Tina’s first female lover and though she’d had crushes on women before she’d never acted on them. She’d fought the feelings all her adult life but when she met Jodi there was something about her that made Tina throw caution to the wind. Jodi was well-known in West Hollywood as a player. Tina didn’t really expect their romance to be anything more than a fling so she was completely caught off guard when Jodi promised monogamy and proposed marriage. Tina believed that it could only be true love that would make Jodi want to change her ways and settle down. Since she loved Jodi and had no qualms about taking a woman as her life-partner she readily accepted.