“To be honest with you, I honestly didn’t think you’d say yes to a Soul Food restaurant.” Tina smiled as she ran her hand up and down her protruding belly.

“I had the idea to shoot it down completely but you won me over by saying it was all organically produced, plus you played the pregnancy card.” She added the last bit before drinking her water with a smile directed towards Tina.

“I’m serious I would’ve bitten you if you hadn’t stopped soon.”  Tina said placing her card and wallet back into her purse.

Bette shook her head and stood up offering her hand to help Tina out of her seat, “Shall we?”

……………………………………….

“Well lets see, you’ve already met and wooed Kit.” Bette said with her head pointed towards the sky as they walked towards Tina house.

“Wooed?”

“Yes, my sister is… not the easiest person to get along with , but some how you’ve managed to get under her skin and charm her. She is constantly singing your praises.”

“You mean your other patients don’t hang out with your sister?” Tina asked with slight nudge to Bette’s arm as they strolled down the street.

Bette smiled at the almost absurd question and answered truthfully, “I don’t think my other patients know that Kit is my sister.”

“They don’t see the picture on your desk?”

“Oh no they see it, some even comment on it, but they never put it together or ask me what type of relationship I have with her.” Bette didn’t want to tell Tina that she often thought that they never really saw her as a human just a temporary, prolific fixture during their pregnancy. And in the beginning that was how Bette liked it, she provided a service that ended in a short period of time and they moved on in their lives, her life and humanity never came up because it was never about the patient. But lately she saw them all as one big blur in her daily movements and the days seem like one long night. That afternoon in her living room with Tina was the first time that she allowed herself to enjoy the serenity of the setting of the sun and the company of someone else other than her normal set of friends. In the end she didn’t feel obligated to jump into her work once she got  home. In fact that day was the first day in a long line of days that she hadn’t gone into her home office at all.