"Well this woman of yours must be made of some sort kryptonite to tame such a wild woman as you." Tina smiled as she again nudged Justine’s shoulder.

"Yea she was." Justine said with a little touch of sorrow in her voice. "She huhh, she passed away 2 years ago." Justine said and felt Tina beginning to rub her back. It was very warm and encouraging so she decided to tell Tina without her asking. "We were separated at the time, but I still loved her." she said with her trademark one sided smiled now draped in sadness. "Shane she uhh,… she got me to go to AA meetings after you guys moved. That’s where we met, at AA, imagine that. Over the years I was able to get away from alcohol but she just couldn’t break away from it. It’s one of the reasons we separated. And she just umm,…" she had to stop to swallow down the lump breaking through in her voice, "she needed more than I could give her." Justine’s sad glint in her eyes birthed tears that ran down her fce. Tina felt unbelievably sad for her.

"I’m so sorry Jus." Tina was still rubbing Justine’s back when she looked over to her daughter who had found something in the grass and was examining it, Tina knew that look. "Jacky do not eat that." she admonished from the porch. The young toddler looked to her mother and then back again at the object in her hand then back to her mother as she placed it in her mouth. She bit down on it and made a face of disgust before she spit it out onto the ground. She went over to her brother who was now in their sand box trying to bury the now exhausted puppy.

"Aww God," Justine laughed, "you know that’s all your fault right." she said as she wiped the tears away from her face.

"I know, I know, and I’m almost sorry for it." Tina smiled back shaking her head as her genes were never more present in her daughter then at that moment.

"No don’t be. It seems that she’ll be someone to question authority and challenge herself, some very admirable qualities to inherit from their beautiful mother."

TBC……….