Bette rolled her eyes before landing them on Tina’s smile. “Gallery’s do rely on donations, don’t they, Bette?” Leaning her head to the side, Bette said, “Did we ever meet before?” Tina laughed, “Yes, about ten minutes ago in your living room, right in there.”

“No, I mean before, as in, at another time. Now that I see you in this light, you look very familiar.” Tina put her head down. “I don’t think so, not unless you’ve spent a lot of time in North Carolina.”

“Is that where you’re from, North Carolina?”

Mary Kennard pushed her chair from the table. “Tina, be a dear and show your mother where the bathroom is, won’t you?” Tina put her finger up and said, “Excuse me, I’ll be right back,” to Bette who just smiled as she acknowledged Tina’s gesture.

Tina walked in front and said, “It’s right in here…” as her mother grabbed her arm. “Come over here, I need to tell you something.” Tina was confused but followed her mother to the study. “Okay, there is something I think you should know about Bette Porter.” Tina sighed and slapping her hands to her side, said, “Are you serious, Mother? You dragged me away from the table to gossip?”

“Not gossip, Tina, to tell you some cautionary tales about Ms. Porter out there. Now, yes, she’s brilliant and wonderful girl…but Tina, she’s also…”

“A lesbian. Yes, I know that already.”

“So you see that she’s flirting with you?” Tina shrugged, “People flirt with me all the time, Mother, and sometimes right in front of you. You’ve never felt the need to pull me aside and warn me before. Is it really because she’s a woman…”

“No, Tina, not because she’s a woman. You know I don’t care about that stuff, I’m a liberal minded thinker. I pulled you aside because she’s a Porter and there’s a lot you don’t know about the Porter family. Now, it would be rude to stand in their house and dish about their family history, so, Tina, just take my word for it. Okay, humor me? Now where’s the bathroom?”

Tina stopped at the terrace doors when she noticed Bette’s chair was empty. She looked around at all the people standing about, but didn’t see her. Walking to the edge of the terrace, she rested her hands on one of the pillars and blankly stared out into the large field of grass. Just off in the distance, she noticed Bette sitting on one of the lounge chairs by the pool. She put up her hand to wave, and Bette waved back.