Bette was seated at the table, ramrod straight, when I came in. She gave me a nervous smile. I sat across from her, chairs this time, no booth.

She stood as I approached. We sort of nervously each decided at the last minute against giving each other a friendly kiss hello, and instead gave an awkward handshake. A handshake with its accompanying jolt of recognition.

Shane had no reservations. I envied the way she could so easily give Bette a hug. Why wasn’t I able to let go, as she has always been able to do? If anything, Shane is the one with the most insecurities on many issues, but she’s also got the biggest heart and the most capacity to forgive.

Hug ended, Shane took a seat next to Bette.

Miss Personality slumped into a chair at the far end of the table. I motioned for her to sit next to me. She complied, not eagerly, but she did comply.

Alice had yet to arrive. There we sat, the four of us, in perfect politeness. And silence. Much, much silence.

“Do you have something to say?” I prompted Jess.

I got rolled eyes, and something that was a cross between an exhale and a snort. Drama, followed by a very tepid, “Thank you for helping me last night.”

In response, I found myself rolling my eyes. “She’s too big to put back,” I muttered.

That comment at least got Bette to crack a nervous smile, and a huge smile from Shane which I know caused Jess to blush.

Sometimes, you have to use whatever weapons are at your disposal when it comes to parenting. For me, Shane has always been a large part of my arsenal. She and Jess have had a special bond since Jess was a baby.

“So everything turned out okay?” Bette found her voice, I guess.

“Well, Jake came by this morning for his car, along with his mother; she was very apologetic even if he was somewhat scarce.” I shot Jess a look and noted that the blush remained.

“My daughter has discovered the joys of the hangover”

“Which should be enough punishment,” Jess muttered, her eyes looking down. She spoke just loud enough for all of us to hear.

“Oh no darling daughter.” I reached a hand over and tousled her hair. Jess hates that. “Not even close to enough punishment.”

That move got an angry stare. “I’m going to be totally ostracized when I get to school tomorrow and you don’t even care.”

Don’t laugh. Don’t laugh. I keep repeating my mantra, making sure the strict mom-mask remained in place. Shane had a little trouble with the excessive smiling so she hid it by wiping her mouth with her napkin.

For her part, Bette appeared to be seated at the site of a train wreck. I guess teenage memories have dimmed for one Bette Porter. Or perhaps, despite her advocacy of Melvin’s parenting skills, she never was a rebellious teen.

Bette and I didn’t talk about her home life much, at least not about the part when she was growing up, especially after her mother had left the household. I know the thought of being like her mother troubled Bette. Just not enough, I guess.

Damn. Where’s that other mantra, about letting the past stay in the past.

Jess decided by that point that she took the pouty thing to its logical extreme, I guess. “I’m going to the ladies room,” she announced.

“Uh, me, too,” Shane quickly added.

That merited another look from Jess, but it wasn’t something she’d complain about; not in the short term, anyway.

While I was grateful for Shane tagging along with Jess, that did leave the awkward situation of Bette and I sitting alone. Time to eat crow, Kennard.

“Bette”

“Tina”

We spoke at the same time. Now it was my turn to blush.

“Bette,” I motioned for her to let me speak. “I’m sorry about last night. I was very upset, and I know you meant well, but I wasn’t really in a place where I could hear what you’re saying.”

She nodded. “I suppose I didn’t pick the most opportune time to offer parenting tips.”

To that I gave her a small shrug and a smile. “I suppose.” I hope she took that in the light-hearted way I meant it.

“So, she’s” Bette tipped her head towards where Jess had been sitting.

“She’s feisty. She’s humiliated. She’s feeling the effects of last night.” Yup, that’s my daughter. Why go part way when there’s a whole mountain to leap off of. “She’s a teenager. While it’s a little difficult to tell lately, she’s mostly a good kid.”

“I do see that,” Bette agreed. “At least, when she wants to be.”

Now that was something I found myself agreeing with. I suppose in that way she also reminded me of Bette, although now was not the time to make that analogy.

“But the way you deal with her, it’s amazing. You don’t coddle her, you don’t give into her moods.”

“It’s called being a parent, Bette.”

“But, you just, I don’t know. I don’t know that I could”

I found myself bristling at the words, and I guess the reaction showed as Bette’s words dropped off.

“I don’t mean that I’m not” She actually stuttered, searching for a phrase. “I am ready for this.”

The way she phrased things, I’m not sure who she was trying to convince more, me or herself. Then again, I believe I’d have a lot more fear if she was still all bravado and quoting Melvin. Now, she’s seen a tiny portion of my life, and not the usual good bits. If you’re going to bolt, Bette, please do it soon. The way I’m starting to feel about you, I don’t think I could take the alternative.

Rather than reacting, though, I kept my face neutral. I want her to come to her own understanding of just what world she’s asking for entrance to.

“Of course, if you, and Jess, think that maybe.”

Again, I envy Shane.

“It’s been a long time, Bette. We’re different people.”

“But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

Okay, she’s getting to the point where she’s standing up to me a little bit. That is encouraging. It means she’s gaining more confidence in the situation. “No, its not.” I have to admit that I do still find a certain amount of comfort in her confidence. I always had; sometimes, too much so.

“And it means that we get to get to know each other again,” she continued.

“Through dating,” I reminded her. But having her so close was reminding me of how long I’ve been alone, telling myself that I was too old to be concerned with such foolishness, anyway.

Ha!

“Right.” She agreed quickly. I’ve got her backing down again. “Through dating.”

“But you know, Bette?”

“Hmm?”

***** this chaste stuff! If she can do it, so can I. “Sometimes people who are dating do this.”

I leaned forward across the table. Although she was clearly surprised at my actions, she was displaying an equal amount of eagerness.

Our lips met, for the second time in two days.

The first kiss was, well, sweet. Not the second. That one was a kiss, a real reintroduction for the two of us, and enough to convince me that whatever erotic magic Bette once possessed, she’s held onto it.

From somewhere about ten feet behind me I heard a gurgled yell, and the sound of feet running back towards the restroom. It was enough to cause me and Bette to separate, but we continued to look into each other’s eyes. I realized then that we were holding hands.

“Uh, guys, I’ll, uh, check on her.” That would be Shane, making herself scarce for a different reason. Remind me later that I owe you, Shane.

“I guess we embarrassed her,” Bette said, giving me a shy smile.

My response was a small shrug. “When I wear the wrong shade of blue it embarrasses her.”

Bette’s eyes went suddenly wide. “It’s not the ***** thing.”

I shouldn’t have giggled, but I couldn’t help it. “No, Bette, it’s the ‘I’m a teenager and my mom was kissing someone in public thing.’ It doesn’t have anything to do with *****; it’s universal.”

“Should we go check?” Bette gazed back towards the restroom.

Trying to run away so quickly, Porter? I don’t think so. “Shane’s there. She’ll be fine.”

“She hates me.”

I gave Bette’s hand a squeeze. “She needs to find out who you are. And visa versa.”

“When I came here, I thought I knew so much. I thought I knew her. That you’d never change. And now…”

“Now?”

“Now.” It was Bette’s turn to return the squeeze. “Now, I’m realizing just how much of her own person she is.”

“And me?” I couldn’t help it. After all, she did start this conversation?

“You? Now?”

“Yes, me, now.”

“Now” Another smile, but this one had a bit more hunger to it. “Wow.”

(tbc)