Fan Fiction
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Love’s Recovery
Tina leaned back in her chair, amazed at the artwork in front of her. The promotional material for her upcoming production was finally finished.
“You are amazing.” Tina smiled at the Art Director standing in front of her beaming with each compliment.
“Not to mention on time and under budget.”
“That’s why if I wasn’t married to Bette I’d tell you I love you,” Tina laughed as a soft knock broke into the conversation. “Come on in, Janie!”
Tina’s office door opened slowly, and instead of her young and bubbly assistant, Tina’s eyes focused on Maxine Porter. Tina’s smile disappeared and the Art Director, who instantly recognized the palpable tension between Tina and Maxine, quickly gathered up her sketches and final product before politely excusing herself.
“What are you doing here?” Tina’s tone was hard, unforgiving. “Come to sell me lakefront property in the Sahara for your next trick?”
“May I come in?” Maxine refused to bite on the obvious anger Tina was displaying. “I suppose I deserved that but I’m only asking for five minutes.”
“But not really, Maxine,” Tina shot back. “You aren’t asking me for just five minutes of my time, you are asking me to betray my wife and have a conversation that she asked me not to have. Bette and I don’t want you to come around us or Angelica.”
“If after five minutes,” Maxine pleaded with sadness in her eyes that Tina had seen in Bette’s many times, “you still want me to leave, then I will. I’m begging you for five minutes to just hear my side.”
“There are sides?” Tina arched her eyebrow in challenge as she sat on the corner of her desk with her arms folded over her chest defensively. “And which side would it be this time? More of the story you used to worm you way into my home, or the truth for a change?”
“I deceived you,” Maxine inched further into the office as she spoke. “I came to apologize for that.”
“Why did you deceive me?” Tina had sat up most of the night trying to determine the motivation Maxine had for approaching things as she did. “Surely you knew that eventually you would meet Bette, and once you involved yourself in our lives through lies, you should have known the game would be up.”
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Oh my gosh I love this story! I may be in the minority, but Bette needs to hear Maxine out. I know it will be hard for her…but she knows the woman is alive now. She can’t make that go away. Thank you so much for this story! :)
Well, whatever it was that made you post twice in the same day, I sure as hell don’t mind! Great update G! Your still “Da Bomb”!
I too hope that Bette will come around and listen to what Maxine has to say. Thanks for the double post! PPS!!
tina is in a such a predicament…i hope she’ll find a way to talk to bette and not make her partner mad…can’t wait to see how you’re going to solve this
I love double posts! I think Bette will need to listen to her mom if she wants to ever move on and let the past go. Now that she know Maxine is alive, the questions will circle in her mind continuously. Thanks for the post!
Wauw. A double post! I love this story. Thank you.
Great story. Looking forward to more.
Remember that line I said you would need to walk? Well, walk it you did, and without a wobble in sight!! My heart aches for them all. I can see how some would think that Maxine doesn’t deserve to be in Bette’s life, but after hearing why she did what she did, I hope Bette will be able to see through her anger and pain and to once again know her mother’s love. So good Gumby…so good. Thanks!!
I just got caught up on the last 2 chapters. This is so well written! You have really captured Bette’s personality. I could just picture that conversation she was having with Tina. The dialogue was perfect.Tina is in a really tough spot here. I’m really concerned that Bette is going to find that card Maxine handed her before Tina gets the chance to tell Bette that she spoke with her. If that were to happen Bette would feel terribly betrayed. I love this story. Please post again soon.
Thanks Gumby and Proofie for the update. Man, this is such a difficult situation for the Porter/Porter/Kennard household. I do hope that Bette will listen to Kit and Maxine before she makes her final decision about sending Maxine away or allowing her to be a part of her family’s life.
Bette will not be happy to hear that Tina talked to Maxine… Knowing Bette she will be angry with Tina but I think once she calms down she will eventually want to hear her mothers side as to why she left…Great story Gumby thanks for sharing PPS ;)
Tina is now in a difficult position. Some day Bette will understand.Great story.
That was just amazing and how great it was to get another update. I feel Bette should hear Maxine out. Great story. Love it. Thank you.
Thanks for posting. This story is wonderful =) I am with Vegas513 : Bette needs to hear all the story from Maxie POV… i know she’s hurting but she have to know that Maxine was cut out of her daughters’ life by Melvin and couldn’t react. Bette needs to know that her father was a bastard! PPS
Fantastic chapter and Maxine’s story does hurt to know that she went thru hell with Melvin, which I don’t doubt at all. And if Bette has any sense at all, she will know her father lied to her and Kit when they were children and kept the info from them. Then Kit adds to the lie by not telling Bette that Maxine is alive and doing well and wants to see her. Kit always had a problem with Maxine because she was not Kit’s mother. Well, Maxine couldn’t help that and now I wonder how Melvin treated Kit’s mother as well. It would appear that Melvin chose to be abusive to the women in his life without any remorse whatsoever. Whether Bette understands it or not he was abusive to her, Kit and Tina as well as their mothers. Bette would never stand up to him and let him abuse her and Tina for far too long. I would have taken a club to him if he disrespected my wife in that manner. But Bette needs to see and talk to her mother and in the least she needs to hear the story that Tina just heard. I don’t doubt Maxines’ story at all and I applaud her for thinking first of her child and not selfishly for herself as some people would do. So far everyone but Tina has tried to make the decision for Bette that she didn’t need to know her mother. That is a fallacy, she does so need to hear what Maxine has to say. This was a fantastic chapter and you have done a marvelous job in bringing out the truth, no matter how hurtful. The woman went thru a lot with that bastard of a husband and he got away with it all because of the power he wielded. Hope he is burning and turning on a pit in the deepest part of the fifth level of hell. Thanks for posting.
Hi Gumby, That was completely awesome.Finally the true tale of Maxine’s absence from Bette and Kit’s lives was explained.It was good that Tina opened her heart and mind to Maxine long enough to hear this story.the diffiuclt thing is what to do next. Yes, Bette needs to hear this but what is the best way to get her to just listen to Maxine without blowing her top and seeing this as a betrayal from Tina.I do hope that Tina. Maxie and Kit can find a way to reunite mother and daughter.This is an important bond and one that Bette misses. It is a connection to her history and past.I can’t wait to read more.This is such an amazingly well written and beautifully emotive tale.Thank you so much for sharing it with me.Your Loyal Fan.
Tina needs to talk to Kit first and get her on board since she can confirm most of Maxine’s story. She can also go and talk to the woman that befriended Maxine when she was down and out. Bette will NEVER have closure or peace until she hears Maxine out. As children we often don’t understand the sacrifices or parents make for us. And Daddy’s girls are usually the last to come sit at our mothers table. But when we do we are in awe of the woman that sit before us. PPS :o).