Laughing, he was about to kick it again towards Bette, but another tow-headed child, younger than him, a little girl with cute pig tails ran towards him, and attempted to kick it from him.  The other kids soon crowded around them, shrieking.   A couple of women, presumably the mothers, entered the grove, jogging in, followed by a couple of men, more relaxed, presumably the fathers.  They all began to shout rapidly in French, trying to get control of the kids, who were now running around, chasing each other.

Bette and Tina observed the antics of the kids, hands entwined with each other.  The impish little boy had picked up the ball, and had turned toward Bette.  Bette winked at him, motioning him to kick the ball again toward her.  He did, and it careened closer to Tina, who alertly tapped it sideways toward Bette.  Bette smiled at her, holding the ball for a second with the elegant edge of her open toe sandal.  She turned to the boy, just as a blonde woman, came up next to the boy exclaiming.  She turned toward Bette, “Pardon mademoiselle,” she began apologetically.  Bette had smoothly kicked the ball softly towards the boy as she spoke.

“Non..non..,” Bette responded, and smiled warmly at the woman.  The woman smiled back, and pulled the boy along with her, as they turned to join the rest of their raucous group, as it was exiting the grove.  The boy turned  to look back at Bette, as he grasped his mother’s hand.  Bette blew him an air kiss, and gave him a small wave goodbye.

Tina surveyed the exchange between Bette and the boy.  “No one’s spared your charms, huh Bette?,” Tina asked laughing slightly.  “That boy probably has a crush on you now.”

Bette smiled back at Tina, “You know I love kids, Tina. I told you that back in LA, when we first met.”

They were tracing the low relief carvings depicting children in the triangular tympani.  They were now alone in the grove.  It was quiet around them, and the only breaks in the silence came from the classical music piped into the grove, and the chirping of birds.

Tina asked Bette, in a quiet voice, “Bette do you remember the pregnancy tests we bought a few days after the insemination?”