The Three Tina’s - A to Z Challenge - The Letter T

Blogging from A to Z Challenge
April 2016
This month I will be participating in the “Blogging from A-Z Challenge” 
What is it?

Blogging every day.  It begins on April First with a topic themed on something with the letter A, then on April second another topic with the letter B as the theme, and so on until I finish on April thirtieth with the theme based on the letter Z.   The theme of the day is the letter scheduled for that day.

This is a fictional  piece inspired by Bella my twelve-year-old  granddaughter and her two friends Bella B and Bella S.  They are affectionately known as the Bella's.  I wondered what their future might be.  Of course in accordance with the challenge, I did change the names to fit the letter of the day.

The Three Tina's

The three of us met in first grade, forty some years ago.   After the teacher finished roll call she remarked, "Oh my, we have the three Tina's."  We all looked at each other and smiled.
I believe it was at that moment that we became a trio.
The name stuck.   The Three Tina's.
Over time, the group name was shortened and our other friends just referred to us as "The Tina's"
For instance, I was recently having a conversation with my sister.   We were discussing my daughter's upcoming wedding.
"Are you inviting The Tina's?" she asked.
After that first year of school, we were never in the same class again.
But, all throughout our grammar and junior high school years we were inseparable.  At times, though, it seemed that our individuality became blurred.
Things changed dramatically when we entered high school.
We began to head down different paths.
Tina B who was the smartest of the Tina's and a real beauty was on the advanced placement track and quite popular.   She suddenly wanted everyone to call her Christina.  Well, that was her real name.  It didn't seem to bother Tina S but I felt a little hurt.
Tina S was the athlete.  She was short and stocky, but quick and strong.
Me?  I guess you could call me the middle child of the Tina's.  I was an average student, so-so when it came to sports, and a little socially inept.  I was one of the contributors to the high school newspaper, though and always had my journal handy.
We would still get together every once in a while for a beach day or a sleep over.
But even those times became less and less.
One of the things we solemnly swore, back in 6th grade, was that we would all go to prom together.
Surprisingly, Christina remembered our promise and insisted that we stick to it.
I had a steady boyfriend by then.  Christina was trying to decide who she was going to choose to go with.  She had several invitations.
About a month before the prom Tina S still did not have a date, though.
Christina and I kind of talked Christina's cousin Bob into asking Tina S.
And we all did go to the prom together.
I thought about all of those times as I stood in the back of the church.
I watched Chistina and Tina S, their heads together, chatting away.  Christina, recently divorced from husband number two, still thin and beautiful was smartly dressed in a pale blue silk dress.
Tina S, chunky now, in black slacks and a sparkly top, was sitting next to Dawn, her partner of many years.
My son took my arm.
"It's time to go now, Mom.  I believe everyone is seated."
As we slowly walked down the aisle, Christina and Tina S, caught my eye and we smiled at each other.

I always had another Linda in my class.  It was the most popular name the year I was born. My mother decided spelling it with a "y" instead of an "i" would make it a little different.  
I'm kind of glad that she did.
My  granddaughter's name, Isabella, was also the most popular name the year she was born. 

What about you? Are you happy with your name?