After washing up the dirty cups and leaving a fresh glass of cold water with Bette Tina went downstairs to see what her father was doing. He was stirring something in a black pan
“Do you need a food tester ?” Tina asked
“Hello sweetie – yes – I could use your taste buds “
“I knew it was a good idea to leave Bette with her forensic science – my taste buds are at your service”
“Try this – close your eyes”
“Why ? Is it octopus or something ?”
“No – but try it”
“Okay”
Tina closed her eyes and let her father give her what was on the wooden spoon he was holding.
“So  – first reaction ?”
“Meat – not sure what – hang on –  mm  – lamb I think -it’s a little sharp whatever is in the gravy – very sharp”
Tina opened her eyes “ How did I do ?”
“You are my daughter – no doubt about it “
Tina laughed “I hope I damn well am – I don’t think that’s ever been in question”
“You have my features “ Matthew said “ And I know you look like your mom but I see me in you”
“Good – so back to this lamb thing – I think it needs something sweet – that has a bitter after taste”
Matthew put the spoon back and picked up his notebook and wrote a few lines down.
“Thanks – I will consider that”
“So how’s the menu ?”
“Reasonably well – – I want 4 dishes that are always there and then I will rotate another 10 or 12 others depending on the season and what things I can get fresh “
“Try something like apple or pears with that lamb “ Tina suggested
He looked at her “ You know you are going to get lumbered with this taster role don’t you “
“Suits me”
“Where’s Bette – I thought she was with you this weekend ?”
“She’s studying upstairs. I said I would be okay with her working but I got bored”
“You need something to make you think”
“I do – Bette loves what she is doing – and I don’t doubt that a big part of that is the challenge of a new subject – I know what she’s like – she could do anything she turns her mind to. Why else would she pick becoming a criminal investigator when she could have become a accountant or a teacher – she likes the challenge”
“You need a challenge don’t you honey ?”
“I could use figuring something out”
“Sit down – I want to talk to you “
Matthew had thought long and hard about this and he finally knew that it was something that he should put to Tina. If she said no well so be it but he thought it was a great idea and he had discussed it with Pete.
“Sounds serious “
“It might be a solution to you being bored and unchallenged. Tell me straight away if you hate the idea but I think this might work for you and me “
“Sounds interesting”
Tina pulled a stool across and sat down.
“The first time Bette saw this place she said something interesting that really got me thinking. She said that the downstairs space would be ideal for a café. At the moment its just going to be dead space but the more I thought about it  – the more I liked the idea of setting a little café up. Just good coffee, sandwiches and cakes – real simple to start off with and see how it goes from there”
Tina nodded “Seems a good idea “
“I want you to set it up and be the manager “
“What ?”
“I don’t have the time to do this myself – but I do want it to happen. I could get a franchise in but I don’t want that – what I want is my daughter who is intelligent and great with people to run it. I would pay for the builders to do what ever you want with it and you would get a budget to get the equipment and supplies but it would by and large be your venture”
For several minutes Tina didn’t speak. Matthew wondered if she was looking for a way to say no.
“You would have to know about bookkeeping and food hygiene and probably a lot of other  things. I did look at some courses and there are some starting after Christmas. It would be hard work but I know that you are not afraid of that. We can work out what to do with the profits when we make some but until we made a profit I would pay you the going rate”
“Dad “ Tina finally said
“Yes honey ?”
Tina started to cry “I love the idea   – I don’t know what to say “
She jumped off her seat and ran to him – he hugged her “
“I am so lucky – dad – I don’t know what to say “
“Talk to Bette” he said “ it was her idea originally but I don’t know if she was thinking of you when she said it. Pete and I think that it is something that you can really get your teeth into and really make work. There would be a lot for you to do – but I really believe in my little girl”
“Less of the little girl “ Tina said laughing as she rubbed her eyes
“I know you are a beautiful young woman but to me you will always be daddies girl”
“I – I just don’t know what to say dad”
“Just say that  you will consider it – you will think things through and discuss it with Bette. I know that her support means so much to you”
Tina ran her hands through her hair “I don’t know what to say”
“You don’t hate the idea ?”
“No – of course not”
“I did mention it to Kate before all this blew up and she liked the idea”
“I don’t think I will be talking to Kate about it “
“How are things going ?”
“Kate is blaming Emma for me sending her some angry and drunk texts last week. She took it out on Emma and it just devastated her. She was holding up you know – not doing great but she was better than I thought. She was just getting on with things and she said that in a way it was a relief for her that it was out in the open and she didn’t have to wait for the hammer to fall. Kate just went nuts when I had a go at her and she took it out on mom. “
“Divorce is always awful for everyone – I imagine that its hard for Emma because she knew it was coming. Knowing something is going to happen doesn’t make you immune to the pain”
Tina nodded and sat down again “I just don’t know what to do “
“Be there for both of them “
“Bit hard to be there for Kate when she doesn’t seem to want me to be there. She hasn’t called me since I went off on one last week”
“How badly did you go off on one ?”
“I was angry and I had been drinking but Bette took my phone off me before I went too far. I just ranted about how long it took her to come and see me. Even a phone call just after Emma came to see me would have been better than seven freaking hours of going out of my mind. And I m not at my best when I have been woken up – she just kept going on and on about fucking Alex and how much I would just love her”
“When my parents split up and my mother started seeing someone else it was really easy for me and my sister to blame it all on the other man. But she was happier with Colin than she ever was with dad. I am not siding with Kate but it is hard for her in a way”
“I know that but – to hurt mom the way she did and to ignore me for seven hours – how is that hard for her ?”
Matthew nodded “I know – divorce brings out the worst of some people. I guess Kate is suffering from good old guilt.
“Do you know this other woman ?”
“No – I don’t know anything about art. I might be a gay man but we are into sport and musicals not art”
“Would you go if Kate asked you and Pete to dinner ?”
“I have to admit we are curious – aren’t you ?”
“Not at the moment”
“Well I guess its all still fresh and a little too raw I guess”
“I am more worried about Emma”
“it’s a shame it has taken this to get  you and her talking “
“I know – and we did have a conversation last week skirting around what happened. Not totally in the open but we did talk more than we have for months.”
“You and Bette have held a grudge for four years about college “
“Yeah -well can you blame us ?”
“No but its history. Your mom did it for the best of reasons. Yes they are reasons that no one else agreed with but its in the past – no one wins if this continues “
“I am starting to think that – I just think that its going to take a lot for Bette to come round to seeing Emma as anything other than the enemy “
“Then you need to help Bette see your mom differently.. Have they even met up yet ?”
“No”
“Don’t you think that they should – maybe they need to talk separately – but if Bette is a permanent fixture in your life and I from everything I have seen – she is – then she and Emma need to make their peace – for your sake “
Tina sighed “ I know dad  – Bette is just irrational when it comes to Emma”
“I understand why I just think that you two need to move on – you are grown women and you will go crazy if you try to segregate them – that will not be good for you honey”
Tina nodded “ I need to talk more to mom about things – I don’t want a bad relationship with her – I realise that she needs me”
“She always has “ Matthew said “I do know her well you know – after all look at what we have in common. I know that she accepts that she is not the most touchy feely mom but that doesn’t take away from how much she loves you and how proud she is of you”
“Wonder how she would feel about the café idea ?” Tina said
“Try it on her – – she might like the idea of you running your own business”
Tina rubbed her nose “ Can we talk this week – just the two of us over lunch when I have had time to get my head around all of  this ?”
“Of course – bring your questions and we will work our way through them one at a time. We can take the whole afternoon – I think this is something that you can do Tina – I have thought a lot about it and I really think its something you would be great at”
“I can’t cook – well only what Bette has taught me”
“You can brew coffee and you can make sandwiches “
“True “
“Just think about it and talk to Bette “
“I will – and that lamb really needs some work if you are putting it on the menu”
“I know – I want a lamb dish but I don’t think that one is the one”
“No”
Tina looked at him
“I just wish I knew what to do for the best for both of them”
Matthew nodded “My advice is don’t close any doors – you might be angry with Kate – well find her and tell her – I know from you and Bette that she really fucked up telling you – well tell her that, let her explain. And if she was playing with her new toy – tell her how that made you feel. Maybe you are the only possible peace maker between them – but that’s not going to be easy for you. Make your peace with Emma and tell Kate your feelings – and whatever happens between them – you are their daughter – nothing changes that babe “