Ten Years After – Volume 2 – The Move

 Preface

In January, 2019, Bette and Tina Kennard-Porter decided that they wanted to take their professional and personal lives into a different direction. They had been living in New York City for a decade with their children Angie and Daniel. This is the continuation of the story Ten Years After – Volume 1 – The Reunion.

In The Reunion, Bette and Tina have a vacation week with her friends and family in celebration of their decision to move from New York to the Los Angeles area after a 10-year absence. Much has occurred to each of the friends over the past decade. Bette and Tina adopted a son, Daniel to be a sibling to their daughter Angie. During the decade, Bette found that the mother she believed was dead was very much alive and living in Phoenix, Arizona. She was living under the name Mary Patricia Southerland. And she found she had a younger sister, Paris Annette Southerland. They had reunited some 8 years ago and Paris became the manager of Wentworth-Porter Gallery of Los Angeles.

Two years ago, Bette bought the partnership interest of Kelley Fremont Wentworth Morgan of Wentworth- Porter Gallery of Los Angeles and changed the name to Porter Gallery of Los Angeles. Bette then brought in her sister Paris, and her long-time friend, James Preston in as partners of the business. Paris and James ran the gallery with very little input for Bette. James married Lisa Goodroe five years ago and had two children – a boy, Jason and a girl, Elizabeth whom they called Lillabette. Paris plans to marry her girlfriend Jeanette Miller on Thanksgiving weekend.

Shane had met and married Bobbie Grayson and had assumed the other parent role of her son Jordan. Shay, Shane’s brother had come to live with Shane with the death of their father. Shane and Bobbie run a chain of hair salons based in Los Angeles.

Alice Pieszecki married Lynn Cooper about 8 years ago. They have adopted two little girls, Dana Lynn and Allyson Lenora.  These girls are now ages 3 and 5 years old. Alice is a freelance writer and Lynn is an accountant for a large publication firm.

After Bette and Tina moved to New York, Kit and Sonny Benson established a sound and loving relationship.  They were married about a year later.  Sonny has been working as a female impersonator and disk jockey. He has worked in the film industry with a few walk-on roles for films and some television shows. He has assisted Kit in managing The Planet and work for a while at The Hit Club. Kit and Helena have agreed to sell their interest in The Planet and in The Hit Club and dissolve their partnership. Kit and Sonny are preparing for their retirement years.

Helena married Dylan some 11 years ago. Helena and Dylan have turned their interest to real estate and business investments concentrating on the tourist industry.

Peggy Peabody married Marilyn Stockman some twelve years ago. With Marilyn coming into Peggy’s life, the relationship between Helena and her mother vastly improved. Marilyn also influenced Peggy to forgive Dylan and accept her as her daughter-in-law and Helena’s partner. Peggy died almost two years ago and left Helena most of her estate. Marilyn, Helena and Dylan continue to have a good relationship. Marilyn has decided to sell the apartment she shared with Peggy and find a smaller apartment in New York City. She also wants to purchase a home near her sons so that she can be more involved in their families.

In the end of The Reunion, Kit tells Bette and Tina that she has been notified that the balance of the estate of Melvin Porter will be distributed in October.  The question for the group is what about Paris? How do they make sure Paris gets her fair percentage of the estate without paying additional taxes for it happen? Bette and Kit agree that Paris should have a portion of the estate and will proceed to get the advice and facts as quickly as they can.

The other unusual event is that Bette and Tina are experiencing an elevation in their sexual attraction for each other. This began when they arrived in California. Why has this happened?

On to Ten Years After – Volume 2 – The Move….