Bette took advantage in the gym grabbing a basketball. She hadn’t touched a basketball since her college days when she used to be a regular on the court. ‘Why did I give up being an athlete?’ She thought as she made a shot and missed. She almost laughed. She was never mean to player in the WNBA. She made a few more shots playing a lonely game of ‘HORSE’ before putting the ball back.

            She walked the empty passageways stopping at the room at the end of the hall. She went in and sat at one of the tables. She felt at home in this room. She stood went to one of easels where the paints were calling her. Bette hadn’t painting anything in a very long time but this was the real reason she never pursued athletics. Well that and the fact she was a terrible shot. Picking up different colors and brushes a picture slowly came to form. She was lost in her thoughts when a young boy came in, “hi.”

            Bette was startled by the voice but recovered quickly turning, “Well, hello there.”

            “Who are you?” he asked.

            “My name is Bette.”                             

            “I’m Michael.”

            “Did you paint that?” he said pointing at the canvas.

            “Yes I did”, Bette told the boy smiling.

            “I wish I could paint like that.”

            “You know what Michael I think you can paint like this. Come over here and I’ll help you out.”

            “Okay.”

            Bette smiled at him and they began to paint. She taught him what each brush was meant to do then demonstrated it for him. Mike eager to learn imitated her movement. After a few minutes of one on one tutoring more children came into the room. They were excited to see a new face and the paintings Mike had done with her help. They gathered around Bette as she had them each take a piece of paper and paints.      She showed them each brush and asked Mike to be her assistant. He excitedly showed the classroom full of children each brush stroke he learned. The rest of the kids quickly copied him. When they finished a picture she hung them on the walls around the room.

            Tina had finished with Oscar and bid him goodbye. She hadn’t seen Bette since they left each other in the morning. She wondered where Bette had run off to. She looked in the gym only to see a pick up game and no Bette in sight. Suddenly a thought hit her and she knew exactly where Bette was. Tina climbed the stairs to the second floor of the Center. As she walked through the hall she looked in on all the kids and their activities. They all looked happy using the new equipment.

            Finally Tina came to the room at the end of the hall. She looked in the small window of the closed door to see excited children gathered around a smiling Bette Porter. All the children were clamoring to get her attention as she took each picture showing great pride. The empty walls were now covered by newly painted pictures including one of a familiar face. It was her own bright smiling face looking down cradling baby Angelica. The shading was subtle and articulate showing the tiniest details. Tina couldn’t believe finger paints could create such a master piece.

            Tina slowly opened the door not wanting to interrupt the children’s excitement. Since the kids were all standing around Bette holding out their paintings the desk were empty. Tina sat at one of them content with watching the woman she loved gather all the pictures and giving great praise to each artist.

            For a long while no one noticed the visitor in the classroom until one small girl yelled, Ms. Tina.” Bette looked up over the children making eye contact. They smiled at each other happy to be in love all over again. Every day Tina sees Bette she sees something new.