Chapter 9 – Tinseltown Holiday – Part 3

Angie might have been growing up but Christmas morning still meant presents the moment the first rays of sunlight lit up her room. The morning had been a lot of fun. She had gotten Buddy to bite Shane’s toes and drag her out of bed. Daisy contributed by licking Shane’s bewildered face. Bette took care of the dogs and fixed some hot chocolate and a plate of Christmas cookies. Angie knew there would be gift exchanges throughout the day but she was more than ready to get the show on the road.

Wanting to reinforce her daughter’s love of astrophysics, Bette and had gotten Angie a Celestron NexStar telescope. Their back yard and neighborhood offered a great celestial view and Angie would be able to study deep-sky targets including galaxies, nebulas, the craters of the moon, and planets of the solar system, or the “faint fuzzies” as she called them. Angie was thrilled. The gift had been a major success. Shane had gotten Angie a special edition Nintendo Switch, four controls, and two popular games that had been recommended by the sales clerk. Shane said it was a win-win gift for all of them. Angie and Bette and Shane were all speechless when they opened their joint gift from Maya: four tickets for the Janet Jackson and her Black Diamond Tour at the Staple Center. Shane loved the black Theory sunyata silk button up shirt from Angie that had been selected with her mother’s help. Bette had gotten Shane a one-year membership for boxing, kick boxing, and cardio classes at BoxUnion, one of the best women’s establishments in Los Angeles. Shane’s present for Bette? Apple AirPods for her daily walks and runs. Shane had gotten the same for Maya and Tina and Alice.

Bette loved her Picasso desk calendar and the hand carved ornament stocking stuffer which she immediately added to the tree. She told Angie there was a second gift for her but that they were waiting until her Mama Tee had arrived. The group Face Timed with Maya and teased her about what they were going to do with the fourth concert ticket. Bette called James and Julie. Angie would call Sally and Kate and Sam with her Mama Tee and Aunt Helena and Aunt Dylan and Jang Yin and Wilson while she was at her Grandma Peggy’s. Soon enough Bette and Angie and Shane all headed out with plans to regroup back at the house by early afternoon.

“My lovely Bette, the gift of presence is truly worth its weight in gold. I have enjoyed our time together so very much. As always.” Peggy reached for Bette’s hand. “I love you dear heart. Now, tell me. How are you doing? Really. No need to maintain that brave face with me.” Bette shook her head and squeezed Peggy’s hand. “It’s not easy. You know this. So many memories. Kit used to say that there was no need to put big pressure on ourselves this time of year and the best presents were simple ones given with love. She was right. Oh, I miss her, Peggy. God how I miss her.” Peggy slowly nodded. “I know, you do. I do know. As you know, my Marilyn loved the holidays and she would have totally approved of our little excursion. Given you two big thumbs up. She would have also echoed Kit’s sentiment to be sure. Marilyn used to say: ‘Whether a pair of fluffy socks or simply a note in a card with beautiful words, keep it simple and remind yourself about the value of a simple act of kindness.’” Peggy sighed. “And she was right. I will remember this little trip of ours forever. And what am I doing? Hosting an over the top holiday party that would have those beautiful blue eyes rolling.” Bette laughed. “Now, Peggy. Marilyn loved your holiday parties and it most certainly will not be over the top. You, my sweet, are not capable of over the top. Tastefully festive.”

Peggy laughed as the two continued their drive home from Joshua Tree. Peggy to make arrangements for her party and the arrival of Helena and Dylan and Wilson and Jang Yin. Bette to greet her beloved daughter and Shane and Maya and Buddy. Bette and Angie would soon visit Kit and place flowers on her memorial at Forest Lawn and walk the hills where they had scattered some of her ashes. Nothing could ever make up for the loss of Kit but this ritual with Angie always managed to ease the pain and bring Bette a sense of peace. The clock was now ticking until Angie left the nest and went off to the college. Spending some quality time alone with her baby girl was also a major blessing.

Chapter 7 – Tinseltown Holiday – Part I

It’s coming on Christmas
They’re cutting down trees
They’re putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh, I wish I had a river
I could skate away on….
But it don’t snow here
It stays pretty green
I’m going to make a lot of money
Then I’m going to quit this crazy scene…
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
Oh, I wish I had a river
I could skate away on…
-Joni Mitchell –The next two weeks were very busy for Tina. She was working extra hours in preparation for the one-month holiday production hiatus. Her days were spent juggling one episode in principle photography, another in post-production, two scripts in rewrite, and yet another awaiting her final approval. With nothing in pre-production due to the holiday this was actually a fairly light load. However, issues with storyboarding, props, costuming, budgeting for special effects, and hiring a new director added to her daily schedule. The busier the better as Tina remained preoccupied with thoughts of Bette.

There was a time when Tina loved the holidays. She could not wait for the season to begin and found she was sad when it was over. This Yuletide she found herself listening to the 24/7 Christmas Music Radio Station at work and watching Countdown to Christmas on Hallmark when trying to unwind at her apartment. But beyond that she would be lying if she said she had any Christmas spirit. In fact, that part of her that began celebrating at Thanksgiving and continued through the New Year, was now neatly packed away with the no longer used ornaments and decorations. Carrie had talked her into a table top tree the previous year but Tina wanted absolutely nothing this season.

Tina’s growing preoccupation for maudlin Christmas songs resulted in Sally begging for mercy and telling her boss that she wished SHE had a river she could skate away on. “Tina, and I say this with all due deference in my position as your loyal employee as well as an expression of love as your friend: Joni Mitchell would not mind one bit if you took a little break with, oh I don’t know, maybe a little ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.’” Tina stared blankly at Sally. Nothing would shake her doldrums. Tina’s end of year reflection? Professionally? She was thriving. On the top of her game. Couldn’t be better. Personally? There was a wedding on the horizon. But God help her she was beyond confused. Beyond miserable. Tina’s confession to Peggy had brought all of her regrets and insecurities front and center.

Bette smiled and thanked the waitress who methodically placed the iced tea, bread sticks and menus on the table. She had selected a quiet window booth with a view of the street in the trendy Italian restaurant. As much as she had wanted to try a glass of their house red wine, she had a lot on her mind and needed a clear head. Bette was looking forward to having lunch with her oldest friend but Angie’s call an hour earlier had really thrown her. She needed a moment to process and collect her thoughts.

Over the past two plus decades Bette had experienced a vast array of emotions when it came to Tina from unconditional and eternal love to longing to lust to joy to pride to jealousy to frustration to disappointment to fear to sadness to regret to shame. And more. Bette had felt lonely when Tina stayed in Toronto for weeks at a time. She had felt totally confused when Tina asked for the separation. Tina filing for divorce on top of Kit’s accident led to feelings of abandonment and betrayal. Not attending Kit’s funeral generated a sense of utter disbelief and Tina’s engagement to Carrie led Bette down a rabbit hole of complete emotional numbness. And the loss of the election? The culminating event in a series of events that had resulted in a complete meltdown of sorts. The double dipper drop in a roller coaster ride of emotions. Still. Never once in their entire history had Bette felt… felt what? Anger. That was it. Anger….until now. And Bette of all people knew anger was a wasted emotion.

Angie lettered in field hockey and her team was in the regional tournament which was being played in two weeks, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. She had been named first team midfielder for their region. The midfielder must be able to challenge the opposition goal and score. The ideal midfielder must be able to dribble, pass, shoot, attack, and defend. In short, a midfielder had to be able to do everything the other position players must do, all the while repeatedly running up and down the pitch. For this reason, the midfielder was considered the most challenging position. The midfielder also had to be able to defend and, above all, the midfielder ran continually, requiring superb stamina. Bette was proud of Angie. Her stick speed, ball control, and passing skills were stellar.

Chapter 5: October Surprise 

 The next few months went by in a blur. By September everyone had hit the ground running. It was now October and Angie was super swamped with school and other activities which pleased the young girl immensely. Angie was very much Bette and Tina’s daughter; in fact, the busier she was the better.

Angie and Jordi still saw each other outside of school and in drama club, debate, and field hockey, but their romantic relationship had run its course. Both teenagers were beginning to look towards the future. Jordi was very interested in theater and stage production. Angie was interested in science and literature and art. The summer conference had solidified her plan to pursue a degree in astrophysics which further narrowed down her college selection process.

Angie also loved tagging along on hikes with her mom and Buddy as well as Maya and her dog Molly. The teenager enjoyed listening to her mother and Maya discussing their favorite novels. It was the day she had enthusiastically entered into their friendly debate about stream of consciousness narratives and William Faulkner’s “As I Lay Dying” that Angie realized her mother’s love of American Literature had indeed been passed on to her. “Did you know Faulkner wrote all 59 chapters in four-hour bursts over the course of just six weeks?” Angie confidently added to the mix. Bette beamed with pride. Maya shook her head having been mightily impressed. Angie’s face lit up. She smiled her biggest Porter-Kennard smile reminding Bette so much of Tina that she paused on the trail just taking in the site of her beautiful daughter. On that very hike on that very day, Angie decided on a double major and added American Literature.

The teenager was also content at home with her mother and Shane and Buddy and often Maya who was now an official member of the family. Maya and Bette had gotten very close which made Angie happy. She held out hope for a romance between the two as she thought Maya and her mom were a good fit. Of course, Angie wanted her parents to get back together. Mama Tee was the perfect person for her mother. She was her other half. And of course, Angie loved her Mama Tee. That was a given. She spoke to Tina every day but had finally accepted that Carrie was a fait accompli. If Mama Tee was really going to marry Carrie, then it was time for Mama B to find someone. And that someone in Angie’s mind was Maya.