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Life and Love and Why – 25
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This was tedious.
Bette glanced around the table, and found every single member of the Kennard family focused on their plate, as if Tina’s cooking was the most riveting thing in the world. At the head of the table, Mrs. Kennard sat between Cathy and Ned. Beside Cathy was Karen, while Paul sat at the head of the table. Tina sat beside Ned, with Bette between herself and Paul.
As Bette stared with dull incredulity, Ned looked up, glancing at her and meeting her gaze, then gave her a weak smile. Then, also glancing around, his expression went from weary exasperation, to one full of mischief.
Oh no.
Seeming to sense the shift in Ned, Tina also looked up to turn and look at her brother.
Ned cleared his throat.
Tina glanced at where her mother sat, at the plate in front of the older woman, where the potato salad had since been turned into mash.
"Welcome to the family, Bette." Ned said, breaking the silence.
Paul and Karen both looked up, while Tina picked up her glass of wine.
"Ten years late, but you know how repressed us middle class people are," Ned continued, ignoring the way Tina suddenly finished her half-filled glass of wine.
"This is your thing. Don’t get drunk," Cathy muttered to Tina.
"You care why?" Tina retorted, chasing her glass of wine with a glass of water.
Bette watched carefully, knowing Tina could be explosive when she was drunk. Well, drunk and angry.
Cathy fell silent.
"Yeah, thought so," Tina muttered under her breath.
Mrs. Kennard looked up, and turned to Bette, as if not hearing the exchange between her daughters. "I understand you now work for a university."
Bette tore her gaze from Tina, turning to an older version of the blonde. Yeah, this was what Tina would look like, the shades of silver mixing against the woman’s blond hair giving the older woman a dignified look. "California University. I’m a dean."
"Did owning an art gallery not agree with you?"
Well, Tina thought, polite pleasantries was still better than being yelled at.
"No," Bette drew out the answer, "It’s just a steadier paycheck."
"Is money a problem?" Came the inquiry.
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I think Papa Kennard needs to say something to mother Kennard. There will always be this split between the Kennard women. Just glad that Bette is still apart of Tina’s life. Hopefully even more so when they return to LA.
hmm well there you go the underlying reason is revealed. Although I do not condone nor agree with Mrs K’s reason I guess I do understand it. Seeing Tina’s response or lack there of, to her mothers statement “You were supposed to come home” makes me think that that might have been Tina’s plan as well. Then she met Bette and everything changed, finding the love of her life meant that it was impossible for Tina to return. Mrs K knows that and blames bet for being the reason why her daughter will never come home. I understand it but it is stupid,very inmature, and selfish. Great story, love your writing and how your exploring Tina’s background. Thank you.
Excellent update! Hmmmm…would Mrs. K be more forgiving/understanding if Eric took her daughter from her? PPS!
That was excellent. Can Tina go and kill her mother and sister now?
Mother Kennard is one tough customer, hard to imagine that people can be so stubborn and closed minded. Thanks for an excellent update.
Ice ice, baby. Too.cold.
Bette “took” Tina away from Mrs K? So if Tina had settled down with some guy in LA, would Clarissa be viewing it in the same apparently unforgivable light? Cos Tina still wouldn’t have “come home”… Geez. Mrs K’s control issues are apparently boundless. Would everything be made better if the clan Porter/Kennard was to uproot and resettle in NC? I think not, somehow. Thanks for the chapter, tiff. More when you can.
I’ve finally caught up with this story!! It’s great to have one of the site’s legendary fanfic authors back with a new story… thanks so much! And PPS :)
Tiff- I can always count on your stories..ALWAYS! 8 week old baby and as two year old…not much time to read but I just caught up and want to thank you for such a great story…once again.
Wow that was drama. Mom hasn’t changed her mind in ten years.
Just to chime in and thank you for sharing this beautiful story.
Oh damn that was sad, why mrs. kennard keep bring up the drama. Poor B&T, the stress and drama keep coming. Please post more, thanks!
Brilliant! I thought this migh be Mrs K’s reaction.Mrs K will have a slow painful death….life is short, forgiveness is easier for the heart and soul.Tiff, please let it be a short “delay”…Thanks!
THE selfish, possessive old b!!! needs to get over it—how old is christina? she is not some adolescent university student anymore—can’t the woman realise that she is a grandmother? a mother? doesn’t sound like it. Old bat. I would leave and never look back if I was Tina.
Fantastic writing!
I agree with Rau, I’d bolt; c-ya!!!!!!!! Bette must feel like crap after hearing what Tina’s mother accused Bette of doing; converting her daughter to the world of lesbianism. WAKE up, Mrs. K. Tina is her own woman. AWESOME update. I cannot wait to see what happens next and who is going to comfort Bette.
wow what a dinner conversation…i would have to disagree with Mrs Kennard however …the only person Bette stole Tina from was Eric…the Kennard family with the exception of Ned apparently toss Tina out…great writing.
Wow! Trying to catch my breath. Thanks for the post.
Uh, why did Clarissa even bother with this exercise if that’s all she could bring to the table? Seems Pop was viewing the situation with rose colored glasses.
Is Tina’s life harder because she’s with a woman? IMO life is hard regardless of the gender of the person you choose to be with. Tina’s making choices that make her happy – hopefully her own mother can see that and be happy for her, as a mother should. Great chapter, compelling family tension – thank you and post soon
Wow…Tina go after your Mother and challenge her on that statement…don’t leave it there…this is the whole purpose of the dinner…to clear the air once and for all even if the outcome isn’t what Mr. Kennard hoped. Love this story Tiff and you are doing a magnificent job writing it.
Yes – enjoyed the ref to MWAU. Lordy that is one uptight woman, but so accurate that Mrs K would be blaming Bette. I’ve been on the receiveing end – it is easier for her to believe that Tina was dragged away from her and corrupted rather than go willingly. I think this happens a lot in gay relationships when families are told – this tendency to believe it is not voluntary. Nice post. Hoping Bette will keep her class and focus of Tina’s needs here.
that was like many family dinners ive been to. if wishes were fishes. too bad poor dad wants something that he might not get. sad when you might have to make those choices. exceptional as always. thx
“Do you still not realize how much more difficult your life would be with her?” This quote by Tina’s mother is so typical and true. I could never understand though how they couldn’t understand that by disowning their daughter, by saying the things they say, that they are the driving force behind those difficulties. How can they not get that??? Thanks!
Oh mother kennard! A decade is a long time to be holding a grudge when you’re lack of understanding is what drove her away in the first place…. Tiff your writing is excellent can’t for the next chappy
Mrs. Kennard needs top stop thinking of herself and start thinking of her daughter. I just hope she doesn’t find out about the current situation with Bette and Tina. She’ll really rip into Tina if she does.
i really needed a break from doing something tedious, i’m glad your story was up…at least there was no bloodshed…not yet. Bette and Tina are such a powerful team and i’m glad Cathy didn’t say much LOL
Wow! Brilliant update! Can’t wait to see what happens next and how this is going to pan out. Thank you :)
great update. So realistic and painful. Mrs. Kennard cuts to the chase. Bette can never be forgiven for turning Tina. Mrs. K. is one tough (and bigoted) lady.
Erm… Mrs. Kennard? Your daughter has been a lesbian for ten years now (well, ignoring the Henry period). Obviously, the fact that her life is harder is not really a consideration. Why are you asking the questions you should have asked ten years ago NOW? Also, I agree with all the other commenters. Bette didn’t take Tina away, Mrs. Kennard threw her away. And I adored Paul for saying that stuff about Tina’s California vs. Carolina families. That was cute.
I so wish that Bette could have responded to mrs. Kennard that she did not take Tina away from her, Mrs. Kennard did that by denying Tina’s existence in the family. Bette only gave her all the love and support she needed when her mother turned her back on her. That would have been the perfect answer to Mrs. Kennard. The older woman just wants to fight. Is she jealous of their love and family. That they have people that love and respect them and love their child unconditionally. Is that her problem? Please bring on another chapter. We need to know if anyone else answered her. Thanks for posting. Great chapter.
Whoo-hoo! I love your writing. [To the readers…if you haven’t read Tiff’s short story “My weakness and unkindness”…run now and do so!] What a great throwback, Tiff! I chuckled. Wow! You went there with the confrontation…bottom-lined-it! Dialogue was realistic and powerful. I felt I was at sitting at the dining room table listening to the back and forth Q & A. I could feel the anxiety of the scene. Thanks for making Tina and Bette, strong and powerful in their responses. Ok…what’s for dessert? :)
Wow that was stressful! Hopefully someone (B or T) will say that Bette never took Tina away – it was Tina’s mothers choice cast out her own daughter. This is getting really good. Loved the “enough” LOL.
Enjoying this story very much. Shall we see Alpha Bette before Mrs. Kennard actually leaves the room? Your Bette has been very reserved, is the fire coming?