Is this love
Chapter 30

Bette looked around the large banqueting hall that was the venue for the library benefit. Normally Bette looked forward to the whole evening – the previous year the whole night had gone on until 2 in the morning and she’d woken up with a vast hangover. But for some reason tonight’s event did not appeal to her the way that it usually did. As she walked down the room she recognised a lot of people and she nodded her greeting to several.
Her parents were already there – her dad in his best dinner jacket and her mother looking beautiful in a dark blue dress.
“Hey there “ Bette greeted them with a smile – they did look great.
“Bette – darling “ Rosemary got up to greet her daughter with a hug
“How are you – it seems so long since we saw you “
“I have been busy with work “ Bette explained – omitting the fact that she had been much busier
exploring the lips and body of one T. Kennard.
“You do look like you haven’t been sleeping” Melvin commented. Bette did her best not to blush – she was saved by the arrival of Emma Kennard who looked dazzling in a black dress that really showed off what a good looking woman she still was.
“Emma – thank you for coming – this means so much to me “
“Rosemary – any cause that you support is always one that I will do anything I can for “
Rosemary and Emma embraced – Bette smiled to herself – how much would they both give to know how close their daughters were becoming ? Bette alternated between wanting to sing it from the roof tops and knowing that by respecting Tina’s wishes their whole relationship stood a better chance of eventually becoming common knowledge.
“Hello Emma “
“Melvin – I never thought I would see you in a dinner jacket – it suits you – you look devastatingly handsome “
“Thank you”
Emma sat down beside Rosemary and looked at Bette ~
“Hello Bette “
“Emma –its nice to see you again – you look very nice “

“Thank you Bette – you too “
“Well well –look at all of us so smart in our finery “ James arrived with Helena who as always simply out shone every other woman in the room. The pearls she was wearing around her neck were alone worth more than the whole benefit would raise. Bette mused that her best friend was just incapable of not looking as rich as she was. Helena did not do dressing down. Even James was looking good in a smart dinner jacket and flamboyant red bowtie.
“I love this night of the year “ Rosemary said “Thank you so much for coming Helena – you too James – I am sure you see enough of Bette at work – has she been working you as hard as she has been working herself ?”
Bette raised one warning eyebrow at James – he had already been put on a warning about what punishment she would inflict on him if her dropped her in it. She didn’t think he would – why would he give away the most valuable piece of information he held about his boss ?
“Yes – Bette is working very hard – I do not know how she does it “
He replied sitting down “Hello Mr Porter – how are you Sir ?”
“James – please call me Melvin – you seen many games this season ?”
Bette always thought it was amusing that the camp as a fairy on the top of a Christmas tree James should share with her straighter than straight father a love of football, baseball and motor-racing. They tended to survive the library benefit by getting drunk on whiskey and talking about sport . Helena sat beside Bette and looked at her friend
“Where’s ?” she asked raising an eyebrow
“Home “ Bette replied
“You are missing her ?” Helena asked quietly
Bette nodded “Like crazy “
“Emma this is Helena Peabody –she’s Bette’s best friend and that is James Green who is Bette’s assistant at her gallery – Helena, James -this is Emma Kennard who was at college with Melvin and I “
“Hello “ James shook Emma’s hand “I believe we have met at Bette’s gallery “
“Have we ? “ Emma said “I don’t recall “
“It was a few weeks ago – never mind”
James looked at Helena who was grinning – this was going to be a minefield what with his desire to tease Bette while at the same time not giving Emma and Rosemary the slightest clue that their daughters were very hot and heavy for one another.
“Its nice to see you “ Helena said to Emma – she was also aware that Bette and Tina didn’t want to go public about their relationship yet which made things awkward for her as she had shown in the department store that she knew Tina. The last thing that Helena wanted was to be dragged into the older women’s conspiracy
“Hello “Emma said
Helena braced herself for a question about Tina or the grant proposal but James rescued her
“I will go and get everyone a drink – do you want to help Helena ?”
“Yes I will – and as my mother was unable to attend and she always has a wild time here I have been given the cash to pay for everyone’s drinks for the whole evening – I think that calls for champagne – come on James. Its about time you had a lesson in champagne buying “
James and Helena walked off. Emma regarded Bette
“Have you known Helena long ?”
“Helena is my best friend – we have known one another since college – like you and my mom and dad “
Bette replied “Being an only child Helena is like a sister to me”
Bette was wondering if Emma would mention Tina. Tina – Bette was so wrapped in how she felt about the blonde that she was aching at her absence. She looked at her watch – it was only 8pm –there was no way she could get away with leaving the event much before 10:30pm. She took her mobile out and looked at it – nothing from Tina. Bette glanced around and sent Tina a text
If I escape can I come over and see you ?
She hit send and slipped her phone back into her jacket that was resting the back of her chair. Bette slipped into chatting to her father until Helena and James came back carrying three two bottles of champagne and a tray of glasses.
“Courtesy of my mother “ Helena declared
“God bless Peggy “ Rosemary said laughing
“Do you know Peggy ?” Emma asked
“Peggy ? oh yes – she’s a dear friend. Obviously with our daughters being close we have become good friends with Peggy – we spent a week on her yacht for our last wedding anniversary. She’s just crazy but so sweet “
“I’d say that was a reasonable description of the old trout “ Helena agreed
“Sadly the yacht is in dry dock because she took it out during a storm in the Caribbean and its mast snapped – mad old trout “
“I hear she’s a character “ Emma said
“Insane you mean – no offence Helena “
“None taken Mr P – she is – how shall I describe this in the nicest way as she is my mother “