James: Her mother?

Ann: Yes James her mother. Where does she live? What does she do?

James: Her mother…

James eyed filled with tears. Ann was sorry she ever asked now.

Ann: Oh I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean, forget it, James I didn’t mean to impose—

James: No, no it’s just that (sniffles) .. she’s gone. My brother- her husband and she were on their way back from the theatre and there was a horrible accident they were killed instantly.

James was crying now. Ann got up and handed him a tissue. She too was wiping her own tears.

Ann: So Tina was left with you? I can’t imagine how she took it.

James: Tina doesn’t know anything about her parents. She was only four and half months old at the time. I was the only family left, even if there was anyone else my brother wrote in his will that he wanted me to take Tina in. As far as Tina knows I’m her father and I’d like to keep it that way. James firmly said. When it came to Tina he was very protective.

Ann: No worries, James, my lips are sealed. Thank you for telling me this and I’m very sorry if I’ve upset you, it’s just that Bette has questioned me why Tina didn’t know if she had a mother or not.

James: Oh I see. Little girls and their little inquisitive minds, he smiled whilst shaking his head.

Ann: Well now that that’s out of the way. James? She cocked an eyebrow and smiled. You’ve been working for me for over a month now I haven’t seen a Mrs. Cook auditioning? What’s up with that?

James burst out into laughter.

James: Dearest Ann, my employer, Bette’s mother– I’m gay.

Little did they know that Tina had heard the last thing that James had said. She had walked to her daddy’s office and saw it empty so she padded towards Ann’s, she knew she’d find him there; he usually was there if she didn’t find him in his office. She held a painting of a man that resembled James, a woman that resembled Ann, and two little girls, of course one resembling Bette and the other she, they were all holding hands in front of what seemed to look like the gallery. She was going to show her daddy her masterpiece that Bette and her had painted together. Seeing that the two adults looked busy she trudged over back to Bette in their playroom.

Tina: Bette what’s gay? She questioned scrunching her eyes together, wondering why her daddy had said that word while smiling widely.

Bette: huh?  Um… she shrugged her shoulders.

Bette: Oh, Bette clearly recalling something. I know! I know! It’s happy! I remember my mom’s English friends say that word. They say their gay and it means their happy!

Tina: Oh I see. Tina had her hands in her pockets. She then lifted her head and looked straight at Bette smiling. Bette?

Bette: What?

Tina:  I think I’m gay! Tina clapped. You want to know why?

Bette: Why? Bette smiled.

Tina: Because you, silly! She walked over to her easel that was next to Bette’s and placed the painting that she had in her hand onto the easel. She then picked up her paint brush and painted the words G. A .Y.  In the corner, and drew a heart symbol around both her and Bette’s initials.