“I
am so happy for you Andrea Summers, I know I do not say this often enough but I
adore you with my entire being and am so glad that you are once again as happy
as I can see you are tonight surrounded by all of these people who I think love
you almost as much as I do. Don’t get me wrong through you and Bette I have come
to be very fond of all the women you hold so close in your heart but biology apart
you are my daughter in every way that counts. I hope that you know that. You never
have to fight for a place in my heart it is yours forever and nothing will ever
change that it is just so, do you understand that?”

The tears
in her eyes said all I needed in response as she placed a kiss on my cheek
before turning her gaze elsewhere, I knew that she understood and returned the
feelings I had but sometimes it was all a bit much for her, she had missed the
bit of her childhood where she should have learnt to deal with emotions a bit
better as her own parents had not shown her and I was maybe not much better but
we knew each other and I understood her enough to know the importance to her of
what I had just said.

————————————–Bette————————————

I
believe unnoticed by Peggy and Andy I had been stood behind them chatting to
Rachel about the amazing meal she had selected for us when by coincidence our
conversation fell silent as Peggy had begun to speak. It felt almost wrong to
listen but with was so rare to hear such emotionally honest and straightforward
talk from my old friend that we could not do anything but just take in the
words that were perhaps meant for Andy only. I watched as Andy merely kissed
Peggy’s cheek sat a while longer and then vacated her seat only to be followed
by her wife. I took Andy’s seat next to Peggy and held her hand in my own.

            “It
meant the world to her Peggy she just struggles to say that sometimes, she will
learn though I think, I did so I say it’s never too late”

She
looked at me and smiled then

            “I
know dear, I know. I just felt tonight of all nights she should be told as
often and as honestly as possible how we all feel for her. We cannot always
assume she knows unless we say it out loud from time to time. I think it is the
one thing we do all do, assume she knows but she never had that in her life,
you see so we must be a little obvious and reassure her from time to time. It’s
why Rachel says it out loud so often as well as her actions where with you, you
just know when Tina looks at you, Andy doubts that, never really had a reason
to trust it as it wasn’t there for so long.”