“Okay, Daddy.  I’ll be there.”

“Goodbye, Bette.”

When she hung up, James looked at her and said, “I’ll cancel your afternoon appointments.”

“Thank you.  Hmm.”  She looked at her watch.  “I don’t have much time with the traffic.”

“Do you want me to call for a car?”

“No, I’ll make it if I leave now.”  She glanced up at James as she gathered items from her desk.  “Funny, my Dad will probably beat me to LAX and he’s barely out of Seattle.”

_____

Bette was early, so she stood in the garden admiring the lush, tropical landscaping.  She was ecstatic about seeing her father.  She hadn’t told him about what had been happening the last few weeks and was looking forward to talking it all out with him.  Bette was well aware that her father hadn’t been pleased about the baby they had planned and he was always reserved with Tina, but she believed that he did care about Bette’s happiness and would be supportive of her during this difficult time.  He was old school and set in his ways, but he loved her and she knew it.  There were times when he upset her, caused her frustration because he could be narrow in his thinking, but she worshiped him.  She shook her head as she thought about her sister whose relationship with their father was strained at best.  It was too bad that Kit couldn’t see past their father’s formality to the depth of love he had for his daughters.

Bette glanced around the garden, her eyes falling on the beautiful tropical jasmine and hibiscus flowers that emitted a pungently sweet fragrance throughout the space.  The sound of birds chirping happily wasn’t distracting, but pleasant.  Bette noted that there were no birds to be seen, so the chirping was no doubt a nature sounds recording piped in through hidden speakers.  She was bent over a small pond, looking at the waterlillies when she heard her father’s voice thanking one of the staff for directing him to her location.  Sparing a glance at her watch, Bette smiled knowing that it was just like her father to arrive precisely when he planned—12:45.  Melvin’s daughter smiled broadly as she watched her father approach before breaking into a stride and meeting him halfway with arms extended.