***

Bored by the fact that Bette was still asleep and her book had got predictable Tina got up, took a shower, got dressed and went out of the apartment in search of coffee from their favourite coffee shop. Returning to the apartment carrying a cardboard tray of coffee she tapped at the door of her mother’s room.
“Yes “
Tina walked in – Emma was still in bed – dressing in a white tee-shirt, Kate was missing – presumably in the shower. The curtains were still drawn so maybe they hadn’t seen the weather.
“Morning – coffee ?”
“Oh God that’s brilliant – thank you Tina “
“Have you seen the weather ?”
“Why ?”
“Tropical storm battering the coast – no one allowed on the beach – everyone advised to stay in the hotel”
“Really – open the curtains “
Tina put the coffee down and opened the curtains. Emma looked at the weather
“Oh shit – that looks bad “
“I went and stood at the front doors of the complex and its really bad. Apparently the wind is gale force – something like 90 miles an hour – the barista said that the forecast is for it to get to 100 this afternoon”
“How long is this going to last ?”
“It should die down by the end of tomorrow”
Emma accepted her coffee from Tina and took a sip
“Oh that coffee is delicious – thank you Tina”
“You can give me the money for it if you are feeling appreciative”
Emma laughed “Fair enough – remind me later “
Tina smiled as her other mother came from the bathroom wrapped in a white hotel towel
“Hello Ti”
“Hi mom – coffee for you “
“Thank you sweetie – God look at that weather “
“Tropical storm “ Tina explained
“We are going to be land locked in here for a couple of days “ Emma said
“Oh God “ Kate said “This is going to be a whole other thing “
Kate knew her family very well – and there was only one thing worse than her wife having nothing to do -and that was her wife AND her daughter having nothing to do for 48 hours.
“So is there any scotch in that coffee ?” Kate asked
“What do you mean by that ?” Emma asked
“You two do not do boredom “
“We have plenty of books and I am sure there are some movies on the TV “
“The reception on the TV is not that good” Tina said
Kate picked up the coffee and took a drink of it. This was going to be too much like all the times when they had been stuck in the apartment because of heavy snow.
“We are going to all play nice aren’t we ?” Kate said looking at her wife and daughter
“What do you mean by that ?” Emma asked
“What it sounded like – if we start playing games this is not going to get out of hand”
“I am sure Tina has learnt her lesson “
“I am not only talking to Tina”
“Meaning ?”
Tina smiled – well this might be fun after all
“You don’t take well to losing at things like scrabble “
“There is no way Bette is going to beat me at Scrabble “ Emma said
“Remember we are all Kennard’s and she is a Porter “ Tina muttered loud enough for Emma to hear her.
“Melvin used to beat me at Scrabble “ Emma said to Tina
“You were college students and you played Scrabble ?” Tina said – there might be some fun to be had by teaming up with Bette against her folks  – that could be a really good laugh
Kate looked between her wife and daughter
“I mean this – there will be implications if the two of you show yourselves up. If we end up playing any games – you will both show dignity at all times”
“But “ Emma started
“Dignity “ Kate said firmly “I mean it – I will not be happy with anyone who acts like a 8 year old during the long summer holidays . And as you both know – I have punishments that neither of you will like. Are the restaurants all open ?”
“Yes – lots of people in them – same with the shops”
“Well we cannot spend all the time shopping “
“We will go down to breakfast in 30 minutes – is Bette awake ?”
“No  – and I will tell you now that Bette is not going to deal with being able to going out to run”
“The gym will be there for her if she wants to run “
Tina smiled “ We could see how far we can all go on the treadmill “
“No chance – at least in all other sports we might have some chance against her. Go and wake her up “
Tina picked up the two coffee for her and Bette and headed out of the room. Kate walked over to the window and looked out
“That looks one mean storm  – I hope no one is out there and no one is hurt “
“We don’t get many tropical storms in New York” Emma said
“We get enough storms – do you remember us in Florida the year before Tina was born?”
“I do – we had a great time “
“We could do the same again”
“You bought a bottle of tequila and we got drunk and we had the longest and laziest sex ever “ Emma said smiling
“You remember ?” Kate asked teasing
“Of course I do “
Kate sat on the bed and kissed Emma “ Good days “
“They were – we can start getting back to those days now that Tina is growing up”
“How do you think she is doing since the melt down ?” Kate asked
“She is trying so hard “
“She is – I think that threat of stopping the sleep-overs really freaked her”
“I went for the one thing that I know she would hate to lose – she knows that it’s a real privilege for us to allow them to sleep together.”
“She had a bad day and I do think that it was just that – a bad day. She has grown up Emma “
Emma lent back on her pillows and sighed “I know and I do think that maybe we reaped what we sowed. We are insanely competitive – you are as much as me. We have taught her that by what we have said and how we act”
“She has seen a lot of tantrums from both of us – like you when you lose an important case “
Emma nodded “ I know and I am not proud of that. At least Bette is a good influence on her “
“Bette has her own demons “ Kate said “I had a long talk to her a couple of days ago and I know that she feels that she has just come in out of the dark for so long. She is looking forward to going back to school and being out – she is very certain about that”
“I am sure that it will be less of a drama than it would have been in our day. By the time they are ready to settle down I am sure that they will be able to get married – legally and with less hassle than we had “
“To one another ?” Kate asked raising her eyebrow
“Of course not “
“You do seem certain of that “
“Tell me you really don’t believe all this romantic nonsense like they do ?”
“I am just saying that nothing is impossible. They are very good together “
“And Tina cannot deal with how clever and talented Bette is – they are not going to last if she has that attitude and I don’t think they should stay together if that is how Tina feels”
“So Bette is TOO good for her ?”
“Of course not but they are 17 and they cannot possibly know now that they are meant to be together as life partners”
“And we couldn’t possibly have known 12 months ago that our daughter who was being difficult for the sheer hell of it – we couldn’t have dreamt that she would be 4th in her new school and in a steady and faithful relationship with Melvin and Rosemary Porter’s daughter who is beautiful and very talented. So to answer your question – no I don’t know that they are going to end up as married to one another and we have Porter-Kennard grandchildren. The odds are with you and they will both find someone else BUT – and this is a big but – there is always the chance that they will. Do not alienate her by being so negative about them “
“I am hardly being negative  – I am being realistic “
“I agree with you Emma – you know I do – but honestly – none of us know what is going to happen in the future. So our best approach has got to be to support them in any way that we can now and see what twists fate has in storm for them – and us “