Her Portrait Is Black and White

Movement Forward

Bette walked around the gallery slowly moving the fames of the photos. Tina had sat and framed each photo into a black frame, they had taken the final photo in the same spot in the studio as others, with Tina topless, Bette's arms around her and Xavier covering his mother and smiling at the camera. It had captured the family happy.

Bette took the labels she was carrying and started to name all the pictures, with the names that Tina had chosen. Today was a big deal, they were opening at Porter LA with the photos and Bette was loving being back in the gallery. She was in her true element and Tina had noticed she was sat off to one side, writing a newsletter for her website. She kept looking up over her Mac book and looked at her wife, watching as she spoke to supplies and to James. Tina took a deep breath.

"B," Bette was lost in making sure that one of the earliest photos taken was straight. "babe," Tina said, this time making Bette look at her,

"Everything okay?" Bette asked, walking over to her wife, who was using James's desk.

Tina smiled that her wife's first reaction was that she was not okay.

"I'm fine, Xavier is still sleeping," He was in his stroller beside Tina sleeping peacefully.

"I'm just making sure," Bette was concerned. She knew how much Tina hated the fusing but today she seemed very calm.

"We need to talk," Tina said softly,

"You want to cancel the show?"

"Stop jumping to conclusions." Tina laughed. Reaching out she took her wife's hand. Tina knew her own hands were shaking.

"What's the matter?" Bette sat onto the desk and looked at her wife, concern etched on her face.

"You're going to get worry lines if you keep looking at me like that B," Tina smiled,

"Like what?"

"Like the weight of the world is about to come crashing down on us, it's not. I'm okay, but watching you today. I have realised you need to be here more,"

"I run everything from home,"

"I know but it's not the same. You need to spend a couple of days a week here. You need to be back in the thick of it, talking to clients in person, charming them with that Porter charm. We both know it Bette. You need to be Bette Porter the gallery owner. Not just Bette Porter, the wife, mother and carer of someone with a mental illness. You need to be you more."

"I can..."

"Bette," Tina kissed her wife's knuckles, a rare show of affection in public. Tina was usually very reserved.

"Mmm,"

"You're a remarkable woman who has galleries all over the world and you need to be Bette Porter the gallery owner. As I need to be Tina Kennard the artists as well as Tina Kennard the wife, mother and mental health suffer."

"Don't say that."

"I have mental health issues and they aren't going to get easier I'm going to have terrible days and good days. I just want you to be you again. You're not to be my carer all the time. You're my wife and I want you to blossom as much as possible and if that means that a couple of days a week or a few days a week you are here while Xavier and I are at home then so be it."

"If and I mean if I do this, I want you to promise me something." Bette said seriously.

"Anything," Tina said honestly.