“She just wanted to make me feel ignorant… your mother and I.” He laughs at the memory. “We had some heavy arguments – smartest woman I ever met – but she was never condescending.” Again Bette sensed the melancholy in Melvin’s voice when talking about Maxine Porter. It gave her the opening to venture into a conversation that her father always avoided having with her.

“Daddy, if you loved her so much then why did you let her leave. Why didn’t you try to salvage the marriage?”

“You wouldn’t understand.” He answered tersely.

“Give me a chance.” Bette asked pleadingly taking the seat next to him.

Turning to face his daughter, he said “You would have had to have experienced that bond of marriage to appreciate how much I hurt your mother.”

Her father’s comment pierced her heart. “I think I might be able to understand that, Daddy” she answers but the words are wasted on Melvin. He was a bigoted son of a bitch. In all the years they were together he never acknowledged her same-sex relationship with Tina as a marriage. Bette saved them both the awkwardness of continuing the conversation feeling even more dejected by his callousness.

“OK then. Are you ready for lunch? I made a reservation at a restaurant called Angelina Osteria. They have really great …”

Melvin interrupts his daughter before she can even finish the thought. “I’m not going.”

“What do you mean you’re not going? Allyn is waiting for us.” Bette says gathering her purse and cell phone.

“I’ve changed my mind. The woman is insufferable. I don’t want to be in her company.”

“Well, I’m sorry Daddy but she and I are having lunch. What do you want to do?”

“Just get me car to bring me back to the hotel.”

“Fine. I’ll ask James to take care of it.”

“What about dinner?”

“What about it?” Bette asked. She had planned to have dinner with her father but considering his behavior she wasn’t sure that she wanted his company.”

“I’d like to eat at the hotel tonight. That is if you don’t mind.” Melvin had a way of making demands but still giving the impression that he was giving you a choice.”