Clara was the one who had prayed for me the most, because she’d genuinely thought that would help. That if she just prayed her hardest, surely that would help me with my struggle with same-gender attraction.
“Oak?”
I snapped my attention to Aunt Regan. Their hair was shaved on the sides, the top had at least three colors in it. I smiled weakly. “I love you, Aunt Regan, you know that, right?”
The confusion and worry on their face was hard to see. “Of course I know that. Ditto, kiddo.”
They came around the counter and hugged me close. I didn’t care about the flour on their apron as I soaked in the hug that was pure love. No condemnation, no false anything in sight.
“It’s Clara’s birthday soon,” I explained when I pulled away from the hug and wiped my eyes with one hand.
They followed my eyeline to the calendar and winced. “I’m so sorry.”
I knew they didn’t mean the calendar being there. I nodded. “It’s… well, not fine, but you know.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“It helps, being here. Knowing that I don’t have to be afraid that someone’s gonna come and kidnap me to take me somewhere to be ‘fixed.’” I gestured at them and then vaguely across the road. “And to see happy queer people everywhere. It’s the first time ever that I’ve had older role models who are queer, too.”
They nodded seriously. “That’s very important to have. I’m glad I can provide some of that for you.”
I grinned a bit wetly. “And hugs.”
“And hugs,” they repeated, grinning back. “And Unicorn Farts.”
I chuckled. “That’s not my favorite cupcake, but don’t tell Uncle Teague or Charlie. That’s their Special Thing.”
They shook their head, making the braids I hadn’t noticed before dance. “Oh I know. So how about a Vampire’s Bite?”
I let out a happy sound. “Yes, please. Plus the pretzels.”
“Already boxed. Let me get the cupcake for you.”
Soon enough, I was balancing my box of pretzels, a small pastry box on top of it, and the lamp on the way to my car. I found myself smiling.
Despite everything, I had things to smile about. Whether it was family, friends, a new lamp, or a chocolatey cupcake with strawberry filling and a frosting in black and red that got everywhere when you tried to eat it, I’d take it.
Chapter 3
Law
As soon as Nic’s name popped up on my caller ID, I clicked my computer into unavailable mode, locked it, and stood from my desk, making my way to the break room. The fact that I had to be in the office at all irked me, and I’d been fighting to be able to work at least part-time from home, but since I was about to put in my notice, I wasn’t going to worry about it anymore.
“Good morning. I was going to call you today,” I greeted as I pushed open the door. Carl shot me a disdainful look as though I was interrupting his break, but I just rolled my eyes. It wasn’t like he owned the room.
“I couldn’t wait. Are you serious?”
I chuckled. “Of course.”
“But are you sure?” She huffed out, like I was being unreasonable or something. I didn’t understand where it was coming from.
“Yes. I wouldn’t have told Charlie if I wasn’t. You know I would never get his hopes up like that.”
“I know.” She blew out a breath. Then after a second of silence, “And Caitlyn agrees?”
I squinted even though Nic couldn’t see. “Yes. She’s fine with it. Happy even, since we’ll be closer. And you know she never really got along with my mother, even though Mom thought having a doctor daughter-in-law was something to be proud of. At least, until she realized I was the parent who did most of the work, and she decided Cait was shirking responsibility or something.”
“With good reason,” Nic ground out. Talk about someone who never got along with our mother, Nic had a contentious relationship from the moment they met. Not that Nic cared one iota. She’d never tried to make Ruth Caldwell happy and couldn’t give a flying fuck what Mom thought.
