Tina groaned. “I barely remember how to skate, Angie. Your mom is much more athletic than me. I’ll probably slip and fall more than you will!”

“That means she can help us both. Right, mom?” Angie looked at Bette, who smiled at Angie and glanced quickly at Tina.

“Sure. I can help you both. If you want to come with us, Tina. It’s not that hard.”

Tina looked down at her plate as if she was thinking it over, then she finally answered.

“Okay. I’ll come along. It should be fun.”

“Yes!” Angie said, happy that the first part of the plan was working.

*

Angie watched her moms skating together a few feet in front of her with a smile. Her mom Tina had been totally awkward on the ice at first but had managed to get the hang of it. She had almost quit a few times after she skated against traffic and fell on her butt in front of everyone, but Angie and Bette had pursuaded her to keep trying. Now Tina was moving across the ice and without clutching at Bette, and looking over at Bette occassionally and smiling. They had laughed together some today, which Angie thought was a good sign. Her mother Bette had been pretty awkward at first herself, but as the day went on, Angie saw both of them slowly relax and act the way they used to together. She had even heard Bette teasing Tina a little bit, and Tina teasing Bette right back.

Bette looked over her shoulder and smiled at Angie and reached her hand backwards. Angie took it, and took Tina’s hand too, and the three off them glided across the ice together. Angie tried to seal every moment into her memory for later because she was so happy.

After they were done skating, they stopped and ate lunch, and then were talking about finding a tree when Tina’s phone rang. Angie had a bad feeling as she watched her mom take the call.

Tina talked… and talked… and talked. Angie snuck a glance at Bette, who seemed to look less and less happy as the call went on. Finally Tina hung up with a sigh. “Sorry, I had to take that,” she said.