“Sure. Just let me know when you have some time. Enjoy your birthday.”

“Thanks. Hey what did you want to tell me? You said you had some news?”

“Yeah. I’ve got some really great news. I told everyone else on the night of Val’s opening but since you didn’t make it to our private gathering I didn’t get a chance to tell you.”

“Yeah sorry about that. So what’s your news?” Just then Tina’s phone rang and she signaled that she had to take the call.

“It’ll keep. I can see you are busy. I’ll call you next week and maybe we can get together for lunch or something.”  Bette said as she walked towards the door.

“Bette wait.” Tina tried to get Bette’s attention but when the brunette opened the door Tina’s assistant was standing right outside just about to knock. She signaled to Tina that she had five minutes before her next meeting.

“Bye Tina.”  Bette said as she hurried along.

“Bette wait.”  Tina tried again, but Bette didn’t hear her as she was already walking down the hall. Tina’s phone was ringing again. She had to get to her meeting. She decided she would try to call Bette later in the evening once she got home but she got busy at work and by the time she got home it was too late to call and so it went for the next several weeks.

***

While everything in Tina’s world was chaotic Bette’s was settling down peaceably. Kit had returned to Chicago. Marcus was back in New York and Peggy found a beachfront mansion that she purchased and moved into.  Bette was focused on her work and preparing for the baby’s arrival. Michael took care of getting Francesca’s things packed and shipped to Los Angeles.

The expectant mother had settled in comfortably at Bette’s house. Now that she knew her baby’s future was secured she began to relax and enjoy the final weeks of pregnancy. The more time she spent with Bette the more she grew to love the woman that would be a mother to her child. Francesca had never known anyone else that would open their heart and their home so freely to someone they hardly knew. She realized that Bette’s main concern was taking good care of her for the baby’s sake but she felt that Bette had genuine affection for her as well.