“Don’t do this, Sloane,” Harper pleaded.
“All this ‘cause you’re scared to not be the favorite,” Sloane shot, “Pathetic.”
“Sloane, you’re making a scene,” said their dad.
“I am,” asked Sloane, “You think she’s so innocent? All of this is happening because Harper is a lesbian. Abby’s her girlfriend.”
Harper looked at her eldest sister. She then looked around the room aware of all of the eyes that were on her especially her friends and both of her exes. She was breathing heavily as she looked at Abby. Everyone waited to see what she would do next, what she would say.
“I…” said Harper, “I…um…I…”
Rather than say anything at all Harper left the room with tears in her eyes as she ran upstairs. Abby looked at everyone especially Riley who had become a friend to her these past few days. Riley didn’t have to smile or even nod for that matter as Abby knew exactly what to do.
She turned and followed Harper upstairs pretty much confirming to everyone the truth. Connor and her friends especially stood there with stunned looks in their eyes.
Upstairs with her back turned towards Abby and her arms crossed Harper said to her, “You didn’t have to follow me.”
“I know. I wanted to.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean why?”
Harper turned to her and said, “You know why. I froze. My sister outed me and I just stood there. It wasn’t fair to either of us.”
Abby took a step forward, “hey, it doesn’t matter, okay. I just want to take care of you. What can I do?”
“Can you rewind the clock because I would so love that right about now. I’m sorry Abby, what I did…it wasn’t fair to you. You deserved better than that. You know I tried, all I wanted was to be the perfect daughter for them and I…”
“What the hell just happened down there,” Harper’s dad said as he came into the room along with her mom and sister’s. “Do you know we’ve just about sent everyone home? What is this, what’s going on?”
“Should I say it again, Abby,” Sloane asked as she was still steaming.
Harper looked at Abby and took her hand, bringing her in close. “This is my girlfriend, Abby,” she admitted.
“You’re what?” asked her mom.
Jane smiled, “Awe this is so sweet.”
“I don’t…I don’t understand,” said her dad.
“I know,” Harper said, “I know you don’t and that’s my fault. Abby and I have been together for a year and I just…I couldn’t tell you because I didn’t know how. I thought that I could have both. I thought that I could have you and I could have her but I realize now that I can’t. You have always had such high expectations for us that we tried to meet, me more than anyone. I didn’t ask to be gay but I am and I’m proud of that. I’m proud of being with Abby. You know she’s the love of my life.”
“What about Connor,” said her mom, “I thought that you two-,”
Harper shrugged. “I lied. I only went along with it because I thought that’s what you wanted. You wanted us to be this perfect family and so I tried to force myself to be straight. What I um…what happened between me and Riley…what we had was real and I betrayed that. I betrayed her and I betrayed who I really was. Then after Connor I promised myself none of that would ever happen again so when I met Abby, it was like…it was like um…something inside of me clicked and for once in my life I felt whole again.” Harper turned to look at Abby. “I love you, more than anyone or anything else in this world and I can’t lose you, I just can’t.”
Abby looked back at her and rubbed Harper’s back. “It’s like I said downstairs, you won’t lose me, I promise. Baby, I’m proud of you for this you know that. I am so proud.”
Harper laughed as she smiled. “What a way for this to happen hu?”
Abby shrugged, “every story is different. Just don’t shut me out again.”
“I won’t, I promise.”
Abby turned to look at Harper’s parents. “Ted, Tippie, I love your daughter. I love her more than anything. After my um… after my parents died…”
“That part was real?” Sloane asked as she started to ease off a bit.
This time Abby placed her hands in her pants pockets. “Yeah that was…that was real. I came out to my parents when I was fifteen. I understand what Harper’s going through.” She turned to her, “the fear and the confusion because once you say those words there’s no taking them back so I get it. I am sorry, Harper, I am sorry I had to make you chose between you and your family and…”
Harper shook her head, “No don’t. I choose you.” She turned to her parents, “I choose Abby. She is the love of my life and that’s all that matters to me and if you can’t accept that then I understand. I just can’t keep pretending anymore. I have to be who I really am. I have never been more complete without her.” Harper turned and took Abby’s hand, “I love you.”
Abby nodded, “I know, I love you too.”
Without saying a word Harper’s father left the room. Her sisters and her mom all stayed unsure of really what to do. Harper then took a deep breath and stood in front of Abby. The two of them hugged tightly.
She had done it, Harper had told her family the truth. Whatever came after she would handle. She had Abby and that’s all that mattered.
She didn’t want to lose her or push her away again and she wouldn’t, not anymore.