“Eh…” started Tina but she was interrupted by her daughter who beat her fist against her chest defiantly and declared, “Me Eddy”. “That’s right, you’re AN-GIE” Tina enunciated slowly so her daughter could repeat her own name more clearly.

“No” declared the child furrowing her brow defiantly.  She relaxed and smiled as a thought appeared to occur to her.  She wriggled a little in Alice’s arms and tried again.  “Me Eddy” she repeated, this time looking questioningly at her Ummer.  “That’s right sweetie” Alice encouraged kissing the top of her head and setting her down to play once again.

She stood up to meet Tina’s questioning gaze. “Eddy?”

“What? You told me to lose the abbreviation so Eddy and I talked and E.D became Eadie which to be honest I wasn’t loving so we decided to settle on Eddy” challenged Alice.

“Eddy is a boy’s name, you can’t call her that”

“Don’t be so closed minded Tina, Shane manages well enough don’t you think?”

That was that, try as Tina and Bette might, Alice would not desist from calling their daughter Eddy and for the moment Ummer had stuck as well.  Luckily neither term tended to be used unless they were both together, and when that was the case, Tina was quickly learning what they happened to call each other was the least of her worries.

Even though she knew that the use of the term meant her daughter was there Tina was still surprised to see her.  It was a long time since Bette had stopped for breakfast in The Planet during the week.  Truth be told, the image of her contented daughter holding Alice’s hand and listening closely to what she was saying was just the tonic Tina needed.  She had barely slept as the words from Dana’s letter had echoed around in her head.

“Hi Angelica! What are you doing here?” Tina asked her daughter as she got up out of her seat and lifted the child into her arms.

“Pancakes” replied Angelica with a certainty that made Tina laugh.  “Oh, is Mama B going to get Aunty Kit to get you some pancakes?” Tina asked.

“Well hopefully Aunty Kit will hook us up but we’re really here because she was asking for you and I didn’t really see any good reason not to stop off and let her see you.” Bette answered on behalf of their daughter.