“Next month is when we start interviews for school, Tina, I just wanted to have a weekend with my family.”

“And we love you for that.”  Tina stood on her tiptoes to place a gentle and calming kiss on Bette’s lips.  “But at some point we need help with cleaning the house, cooking a balanced dinner for Angie at a decent hour, and not to mention we can’t use The Planet as daycare with no activities for Angie other than the amusement her Earth Mother brings her.”

“You’re right,” Bette conceded, crinkling her nose at the taste of Tina’s coffee, the miniscule sip she dared to take.  “Alice is not a daycare worker, I doubt she could even color inside the lines.”

“Auntie Alice is a good colorer,” Angelica defended her Earth Mother as Tina buttoned her jeans. 

“I’m sure she is, Boo.” Bette placed the mug of coffee down as she slipped into her blazer for the day.  They both looked in the direction of the table as one of their phones began to vibrate.  Bette reached for hers, but seeing the look on Tina’s face made her immediately pull her hand back and slip it into the pocket of her pants.  “What do we need to do?”

“Let’s start with getting someone in here to clean, cook, and grocery shop,” Tina suggested waiting for a reaction from Bette that would border on a meltdown.

“And how would one find such a person at a reasonable price?”  Tina’s head shot up at Bette’s calmness and logical question.

“An agency?”  Tina couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face.  “An ad in a local paper maybe?”

“With specific characteristics we are looking for, references, insurance papers,” Bette ticked off her fingers one by one as she continued to talk.

“Insurance papers?” Tina arched her eyebrow in question but careful enough not to show her humor with Bette’s demands.

“I’m not about to get sued if she trips over… ,” Bette stopped not remembering the offensive toy that she tripped on earlier in the morning.  She picked Angie up and kissed her nose playfully.  “What was the name of your hamster?”

“Jillie,” Angelica proudly announced.

“If someone trips over Jillie and they aren’t insured, they will be living in our house and we’ll be working for them.”

                                                            #

Kit dialed the number she had tucked in her purse so deep that it took her several moments to find it among the papers and cosmetics scattered in her large bag. 

When the phone was answered, Kit spared the pleasantries and cut to the chase.

“So I got the impression you’re wanting to see Bette?”

“You got the correct impression,” Maxine said as she put her paintbrush down and stepped back to look at her work.  “Kit, I’m not trying to make Bette’s life hard or even assume that I have a place.  I just want a chance, all I’m asking for is a chance with Bette.”

“It isn’t up to me whether you get that chance or not, Maxine.”

“And you?”  Maxine pushed.  “Do I get a chance with you?”

“I’m not your daughter,” Kit said.

“You are to me,” Maxine insisted.  “I love you as if I had given birth to you myself.”

“But you didn’t,” Kit said, blinking back tears.  “I’d like to talk to you about how you plan on reentering her life.  I’m trying to avoid you being a bull in a China shop, Maxine.  Bette is fragile…”

“She’s not weak, Kit.”

“Fragile and weak are not the same thing,” Kit pointed out.  “Just tell me when you plan on doing it?”

“Next week,” Maxine said, uncertain herself of the answer despite blurting it out.  “I’m going to do this next week.”