9:00am

“Come on Mom, let’s go!” The thirteen year old girl continued to read through the guide to all the art museums and galleries in New York, while waiting for her mother to come out of the bedroom.

“Hold on for one sec Dani. We have all day to shop.”

“But Mom, there are hundreds of galleries here and we only have today….please hurry!”

Tina came out of the bedroom with a look of mock horror on her face. “There is no way we are going to HUNDREDS of galleries today!!”

As Tina walked over to embrace her daughter, they both started giggling. “OK…look. Pick out your top ten and we will hit them all, but I want to try and shop for some clothes as well. Deal?”

Dani beamed up at Tina. “Deal. Now can we go!!”

Tina sighed and put on her favorite walking shoes. “Dani, I am still trying to figure out where your artistic talent comes from. Neither your father or I have a talented bone in our bodies.” She smiled at her daughter. “I’m glad though. I may not have any talent in that way, but I sure enjoy admiring other people’s work.”

“Mom, don’t you think that just a little bit of my interest in art is because for the first five or six years of my life, you were constantly taking me to galleries and museums at home?”

Tina closed her eyes, and for a moment was lost in her memories. “I remember. I just needed to be around beautiful art. It somehow made me feel closer to…” Tina opened her eyes and cleared her throat. “Come on honey. I thought you wanted to conquer the New York art world.”

Dani look at her mother with a puzzled look on her face. “Brought you closer to what Mom?”

“Nothing Honey. I just enjoy being close to beautiful art. Now let’s go!” Dani knew there was something more there, but was so excited about their day, that she let it go.

1:00pm

“Oh my God Dani, my feet are killing me! Can we please stop for lunch?” Mother and daughter had been walking for hours, so far managing to cross five of the galleries off of Dani’s top ten list, as well as pick up some slacks and a new pair of shoes for Tina.

“Mom…can we go to just one more before we stop? It’s just up here on the left. I promise. We will stop after this one.”

Tina blew out a breath. “Oh…to have the stamina of a teenager again!”

“God Mom, you sound like your ancient or something. Your only 45…Eeeeekkkks! That is ancient!!” Dani started laughing and ran ahead several feet, with Tina laughing and chasing after her.

“Watch it!! This ancient mummy of yours has the power to stop this shopping trip at any time she wants!!” Tina slung her arm around Dani and they continued down the street to go look at gallery number six.

“Look Mom, there it is.” Dani looked down at her guide and then back up at the sign. “Kennter Galleries” Dani walked up to the door, and as she put her hand on the handle, she turned to look at her mother, who was just standing there looking up at the sign with tears in her eyes.

“Mom…Mom…what’s wrong?” Dani walked back over to Tina and put her hand on her arm. “Are you Ok?”

Tina looked at Dani and smiled. “Yes Honey, I’m fine. The name of the gallery just reminds me of something from long ago.” In an attempt to ease the worried look on Dani’s face, she reached out and ruffled her hair. “You know…way back in the dark ages, when I was young.”

“Oh, way back then…like before they invented electricity, and the horse and buggy was the most popular form of transportation…those dark ages?!”

“Those would be the ones. Come on smart *****, let’s go see what this Kennter Galleries has to offer.” As they opened the door to the gallery, Tina felt her stomach tighten. She took a deep breath and thought, “Ok, just relax. This could be just a really big coincidence.”

The gallery was beautiful, the artwork exquisite. “Wow…” Dani breathed out. “This is the best gallery by far! Oh my God Mom, look over there.” Dani practically ran over to a wall displaying several stunning paintings.

Tina smiled to herself. She couldn’t help it. She loved the fact that her oldest daughter had taken up her love of the art world, and had the talent to hopefully, one day be a real part of that world. She looked over to her right and saw a beautiful young woman, who looked to be around 20, standing behind a marble and glass countertop, which was used as standing height desk.

The woman looked up at Tina and smiled. “Hi, welcome. May I help you with something, or would you prefer to browse?”

“Thanks, we are just browsing. This place is beautiful. Whoever does your buying has a wonderful eye.”

The young woman smiled. “Thank you. My mother does all of the buying for both galleries, here and in Chicago.”

Her mother…well, Tina thought…that answers that. The name of the gallery is just a coincidence. She looked over at Dani to make sure she was still occupied, and then took a moment to reflect back to a time almost sixteen years earlier. A time in her life that brought both wonderful and painful memories.

Her and Bette had been in their bedroom trying to decide on a last name for their unborn child…their little boy. The lost of that baby still brought sadness to Tina’s heart, even after all these years. They were trying to decide if they should hyphenate his name, or combine their two last names to form a new one. Tina had suggested Kennter, but Bette had just kind of brushed it aside and wanted to talk about it later. It was never brought up, and then Tina had lost the baby. No need to talk about it then.

“Hey Mom, come here. You’ve got to see this sculpture!” Tina was brought out of her memories by her daughter’s enthusiastic summons. She started walking over to Dani, when she heard the young woman pick the phone and start talking.

“MaBe, could you come up front for just a moment. I want to run across the street and get a cup of tea…thanks…do you want me to get you a cup as well?…Ok, I’ll be right back.” The young woman looked over at Tina and smiled and started for the door.

Tina was walking over to Dani, who was so engrossed in the statue in front of her, that she wouldn’t have noticed anything happening around her.

“Milaine, wait. Let me give you some money for the tea.”

Tina let out an involuntary gasp. That voice…it couldn’t be…oh God…please… let it be. She slowly turned around to see the most gorgeous woman she had ever seen; handing money to the young woman she had just called Milaine. The older woman looked up and locked eyes with Tina. The money she was holding fell out of her hand, as her arms dropped to her sides.

Milaine quickly picked the money up off the floor. She looked from her mother, over to Tina, and back to her mother again. She couldn’t help but notice the incredible amount of love she saw in her mother’s eyes. “MaBee, are you all right?” Without taking her eyes off Tina, Bette whispered, “Yes Love, I’m Ok.” Milaine hesitated, but sensed she was in the way. “Ok then. I’ll be right back.” She turned and quickly slipped out the door.

The two women just stared at each other, neither one could move. Tina tried to say something, but any words she had just stuck in her throat. Bette saw that Tina was struggling, so she tried to say something, only to have the same result. Tina tried to hold back the tears she felt forming, but couldn’t stop the one lone tear from slowly making its way down her cheek.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Bette managed to breath out one strangled word…”T”. That was the go ahead they both needed. They walked toward each other, both with their hands raised out in front of themselves, reaching…their eyes still locked on each other. When they reached a point where there was only about a foot of distance between them, they stopped and clasped each other’s hands. They both started talking at the same time. “What are you doing here?” “Bette, how are you? Is this really your gallery?” They both stopped and smiled, not being able to hear what the other had said.

“Mom, where are you. I want to show you this stuff. It’s AMAZING!!”

Bette beamed at Tina. “You have children?” Tina chuckled. “Yes…three.”
“Three! Oh Tina. I am so happy for you. I know how much you wanted a family.”
“Thanks Bette. That’s nice of you to say.” Tina turned and waved at Dani to join her.
“Dani, this is a very good friend of mine, Bette Porter. Bette, this is my eldest daughter, Danielle…Dani for short.”

Bette smiled at the teenager. “Dani, you are as beautiful as your mother. Are you enjoying my gallery?”

Dani’s eyes grew as big as saucers. The woman in front of her seemed to be around her mom’s age. However, where Tina had a casual…what Dani described, as an “urban granola” look…this woman exuded style and class. She was gorgeous, even at this age, so Dani could only imagine what she looked like when she was younger. Of course, to Dani, anyone older than 30, was over the hill. She looked at Bette with a look of awe. “This is your gallery?”

Bette let out a soft laugh. “Yes…” The front door opened and Milaine walked back in with their hot tea. “This is my gallery, but my daughter helps me manage it, when she is not in school.”

Tina looked stunned. “Your daughter?”

Bette smiled at Tina and reached out to touch her arm. “Yes, my daughter.” She understood the confused look on Tina’s face. “It’s a long, but happy story. I hope you will let me share it with you sometime.” She turned and reached out for Milaine’s hand. “Milaine, this is my very good friend, Tina Kenn…wait, Tina, what is your last name now?” “It’s still Kennard.”
Milaine, this is Tina Kennard, and her daughter Dani. T, this is my daughter Milaine Thompson-Porter.”

Tina was confused, but couldn’t wait to hear what had transpired in Bette’s life during the last fifteen years. “Milaine, may I ask how old you are?”

Milaine smiled, not the least bit offended by the question. Who is at that age? “I am 21 and will be starting my last year of college this fall.”

“That’s great. What is your major?”

Bette laughed at Tina and said, “What else…Art History!”