“In truth I stopped hating you a few weeks ago. I had to tell Tina about something that had happened to me at college – something that I had deliberately not told her right from the get go. And she was as sweet and kind as you described her as being. It made me think – and it made me realise that there was no point in holding onto this anger that I had for you. I forget who it was who said that holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to suffer. Yes you were horrible to us “

Emma pulled a face “Really horrible “

“Tell me something “
“Of course “
“Do you see me as someone who is good enough for your daughter?”
“God of course. You are an amazing young woman. I was just thinking that anyone would be thrilled to have you as a daughter in law. She worships you and she is always telling me what an amazing person you are. I don’t need convincing – I know that you are someone who loves Tina and is very good for her. You look a stunning couple and you two seem to make one another happy. I want what is best for her and you are the woman who makes her happy. I do like you Bette – I may not show it but I couldn’t be more pleased that you are her partner “

“I did wonder if somehow you thought I wasn’t good enough for her “
“No Bette – you are a wonderful young woman and any mother would be pleased for her to be dating their daughter”

Bette exhaled “For the record – and I hope that today you and I can draw a line under what happened four years ago – for the record “Bette stopped – this wasn’t going to be easy for her to admit “You were right. Totally right – Tina and I were too obsessed with one another and we rarely did anything separate. You were right – we needed to go to separate colleges and find out who we really were. We have our own identify now and both of us are secure enough to be comfortable that we are who we are and that isn’t going to be compromised. We met too soon in retrospect- we both needed to do the wild things at college and it was harder for both of us because we were missing one another. But we met when we did and those years at High School are always going to be a part of our history. But I am fed up with going over old ground – neither of us are who we were when we met. I was shy and utterly scared of all social situations – I am still not party animal but I am more socially capable than I was way back then and Tina isn’t the rebel she used to be. That was more than six years ago – everyone has changed. Tina and I have a great chance of a future – of marriage and kids one day but we have to put the past away where it belongs. No good can come out of going over and over what you said and did. Just like there is no point to Tina and I debating who we dated at college – it gets us exactly nowhere and that is not where I want to go with your daughter.”