Painting and planting clues took Bette’s mind of some impending issues but that was all finished and the end of July was rapidly approaching. Bette knew she couldn’t put it off any longer and she went in search of her mother. She purposely put it off because she didn’t want to dig up any skeletons but she needed to know the truth.

Bette found her mother in her bedroom, crocheting. Maxine lifted her head as Bette walked in and smiled, “Elizabeth.”

“Mother, can we talk for a moment?”

“Of course, my dear. Is there something wrong?”

Bette sat down on the sofa and sighed. “What I’m about to say might come as a shock to you but I want you to listen.”

Maxine frowned but nodded in agreement.

“Mother, I know about your affair with George Carter.”

Maxine gasped and her eyes clouded with fear for a moment. Bette let the words sink in and continued gently, “I’m not accusing you or blaming you. It is what it is.”

“How…how do you know?” Maxine asked quietly.

Bette was glad her mother didn’t argue or tried to deny it but she wasn’t about to bring up her time travel so she used the only plausible explanation. “I…read your diary.” It was the truth, after all.

“Elizabeth, this is such a personal, private thing and I would think I taught you better,” Maxine replied with a hint of anger.

“Yes, you did, mother, and I am sorry. It happened by accident but I know. I also think that he is my real father. Is that true?”

Maxine closed her eyes and sighed. “It wasn’t something that I planned. It was as shocking to me as it was to you. I wish I could say I regret it but I have you and that is enough.” Maxine reached out and touched Bette’s cheek. “Nobody knows. Nobody suspected a thing. Even Melvin. When you got older, it was obvious that you looked a little different with darker skin and big brown eyes. I always thought that some day Melvin will figure this out and will start asking questions but he just said that you probably got your looks from one of his distant ancestors from Spain. I’m just glad that now he will never know the truth.”