Her Portrait Is Black and White

Just a day

For the first time in a long time as a family they had gone for a walk, Tina slowly pushing Xavier in his stroller, Bette walking beside them as they went to the far end of the vast estate that Tina owned. There was a stream at the far end and they found a spot and sat down, both just taking in the nature around them. They took Xavier from the stroller, allowing him to move around the grass and explore. Never really letting him get to far away from either of them.

"You should have brought your camera down here," Bette says as she moves Xavier setting him on a new path.

"I didn't even bring my phone B, I love the smell, sounds and light of mother nature,"

"Hippy," Bette laughed.

"I don't know what you mean," Tina smiled as she sat on the grass and soon had Xavier crawling onto her. He was getting more and more active as the days went on.

"You are very relaxed," Bette remarked as she sat beside her wife and helped her son by giving him a light tap on the ass to get over Tina's leg.

"I'm happy here, with my family. Away from the stresses of the world."  Tina said softly. "My mind is empty and free here."

Bette nodded understanding her wife's need to sometimes just forget that the outside world was real.

They sat in silence, the only real sounds was the stream and Xavier's movements. Tina lay down and looked at the sky as her son sat on her stomach and took his cup from her mama. He happily drank his juice while jumping on his mothers stomach. Tina smiled. Laughed with him. She felt free. Tina turned her head and looked at her wife.

"I love you," She said suddenly.

Bette smiled broadly at the remark. It seemed very sudden. She always loved to hear it. Falling in love with Tina had been life changing for Bette in so many ways.

"I love you too," Bette replied softly moving and kissing her wife's soft lips.

Xavier wasn't impressed and made a grip for Bette's hair. They broke apart laughing

"What little man?" Bette used her small person voice and her son just smiled at her like he had succeeded in a challenge. "He has the Kennard lopsided killer smile,"

"He does, he will be a heart breaker." Tina smiled. Gently running her fingers along her sons back as he bounced on her stomach.

Bette looked at her family, these two people that had changed her world completely. She could have lost so much thanks to outsiders interfering in the life she wanted. She was just glad that this was the family she had ended up with.

"We will have to head back soon,"

"You got a meeting?"

"Nope, but little man will want feeding. You need food before your meds, I'm hungry."

"We could do that box that arrived this morning,"

"What box?" Bette asked as she picked her son up and kissed him before gently putting him back into his stroller.

"I ordered a 'create your own meal' box from that Mexican place in LA that you love."

"Wow,"

"It comes with everything you need, the meat, the veg everything, we can do that."

"That actually sounds fun." Bette smiled.

"Well we can get little dude feed, bathed and bed and then we can do that. Spend some real time together."

"You saying this isn't real time?" Bette responded smiling

"It's not adult time is it?" Tina said as she slowly got up and dusted off the grass and dirt from her clothes.

"Adult time," Bette raised an eyebrow and made her wife laugh.

"You Ms Porter sometimes have a very one track mind."

"Honey you should know that after all this time," Bette smiled as she took control of pushing Xavier's stroller.

"I do, wouldn't want you any other way either." Tina linked her arm through Bette's as they slowly made their way back up the property back towards the house.

***

Tina laid out the food from the food box as Bette put their son to bed, they had both bathed him and now Bette was reading to him and putting him to bed. Tina started cropping the chicken for them cook. Her phone rang, and she clicked loudspeak.

"Hello,"

"Is this Ms Tina Kennard,"

"Yes speaking,"

"Hello my name is Janet Holden and I work for the White House,"

"Sorry what?" Tina put the knife down and moved to her macbook which was open on the account and googled the name and saw she was the Art designer for the White House.

"Sorry I know it's a shock, I'm Janet Holden and I'm the head Art designer for the White House,"

"Erm why are you calling me?" Tina said bluntly not sure what was happening.

"I saw the number on your website and decided to reach out to you. The President is looking for four pieces of modern art to hang in the renovated ball room of the White House. He saw your website by accident and loved a few of your pieces, he would like to commission you to do a one off special."

As Janet was speaking Bette came down the stairs she had heard most of the conversation, she was grinning.

"erm I'd be honour, what sort of piece would he be looking for?"

"He would like a large-scale piece. He loved 'moonlight' and would like a piece of that nature. We have to send you over a contact as well as a number of other documents. You will need to sign. If you wish to do this."

"I would be honoured and I'd love to do it"

"Where would you like me to send the documents too,"

Tina gave Janet her email address,

"Thank you, Ms Kennard, would you be able to do something like 'moonlight'? "

"Yes, erm, I'm sure I can, maybe with fresher colours."

"That would be perfect, you will be paid a commission when I send the files over and you please send your rates, and I mean you're real rates we've had some people send us some right odd figures and when we check..."

"Yeah I can do that no problem."

"Thank you Ms Kennard I will be in touch."

"Erm thank you," Tina whispered as the phone line went dead.

"A commission from the White House Ti,"

Tina looked at her wife, completely in shock. She heard her MacBook bing and looked and there was an official email from the White House.  This was really happening. Tina was going to be paid to paint for the White House.

"You will need to get a contract drawn up,"

"I know B, the lawyer in me has kicked in." Tina laughed

Bette walked over and wrapped her arms around her wife,

"I'm so proud of you right now,"

"I'm in shock," Tina replied before kissing her wife.

"Ohhhh a trip to Washington,"

"We may have to go a couple of times. You will be with me right?" Tina said her anxiety spiking at the thought of doing any of this alone.

"Yes, Ti, yes every step of the way."

The stood in silence for a few moment before Bette let of her wife,

"Right before we look at the pages and pages of stuff you need to sign, food, meds, bath and then read okay woman," Bette laughed.

Tina just nodded still in shock that she was being asked to do this. That she Tina Kennard would have a piece hanging in the White House.