“My mom said I was an ebullient child in the morning, too, Bette. So that’s probably where he gets it from …”

That drew a chuckle from the brunette. “And my dad says he and my mom had always been grateful that I was so calm and even-keeled when I woke, was never a problem whenever they had to wake me earlier than usual, and was easy to see off to school in the morning.”

“So Angie must be your daughter…” Tina gave her wife a fond smile.

Bette returned her smile, appreciating the irony, given the actual gene composition of their children. She reached for the still-drowsy Angie, to relieve Tina so that the blonde could enjoy the rest of the latte in peace.  They exchanged a quick kiss after Angie settled into Bette’s shoulder.  Bette rocked their little girl, enjoying the unique, innocent warmth a sleepy child could impart.  “And TJ must be your son.”

At the mention of his name, TJ stopped hopping up and down, noticing he was the only one down near ground level. Not good! He raised his arms up, eyes pleading with Tina.  “Up, mommy?”

He jumped into Tina’s arms when she bent to sweep him up. He giggled again when Tina kissed both of his plump cheeks.

“They’re both our kids equally, Bette.”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jade calls Tina from hers and Rian’s house in Washington, DC

“Is this a better time to talk?”

Tina laughed lightly as she set the hairbrush down and reapplied lip gloss before stepping back from the mirror. “Better time for me.  But what about you?  What are you doing up so early?“

Her cousin coughed nervously. “Couldn’t sleep.  I ran, worked out, showered, and waited ‘til I thought you’d be awake.”

Jade added quickly, “I’m sorry that I called you during um … an awkward moment … last night. When you and Bette were in the middle of…”

Before Jade could dig herself further into the hole she’d started digging, Tina interrupted her, “Alright, stop right there. Understandable: you thought we were in New York, and were probably thinking that we were having a normal weekday family night there.  Maybe you guessed Bette or myself were putting the kids to sleep, and not yet turning in for the night.  So it would have been a good time to reach us, you’re right. If we’d been in New York.”