"I want to know what was promised…"

"Uh, uh , no talking from you." she said pinching Bette’s lips together despite the smile that was trying to break through.

The car took them directly to Tina’s aunt’s house. They pulled up and the smell of barbecue hit them and the laughter and talking could be heard all the way up front. Tina walked up the porch and through the house stopping a few times to say hello to a few family members wanting hugs and to chat. She politley told each one of them she’d be back after talking to her mother first. They proceeded towards the kitchen and Tina could hear her mother with her sisters chatting away as they walked in.

"This must be where all the desserts are." Tina said announcing their arrival.

"There’s my babies." she said jumping up and hugging them tight as usual.

"Lillian get yo big butt out the way I wanna get some of this suga here." she said hip checking her sister away from Tina and Bette takingthem both into another hug, "How y’all doin’ baby?" she asked backing away but still keeping their hands in hers.

"We’re good but we can’t stay to long though. I’ve got to get back to work and Bette is in the middle of a big project."

"Well I’ll say…" she said making a face and smiling at them, "Look at y’all big time workaholics. I remeber when there was time when I couldn’t get y’all to leave, now look at ya."

Bette still had yet to say much, she still felt a bit overwhelmed by Tina’s family at times, their warmth and open tenderness was not somethng that was constant in her family. She was always deemed as a quiet girl, who seemed friendly once you got to know her.

"Ya know yo brother’s are here?" Tina’s mom said checking a peach cobbler still in the oven.

"Which one? " She asked excitedly squeezing Bette’s hand.

"All of ‘em." she said without looking up. And before Bette knew what was happening, she was being dragged out the back door to the rest of the family gathering.