Dad’s been stuck to me like glue, I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to risk him seeing my phone. I’m going mad without you, and I know this can’t be easy for you either. Can we meet at 4pm? There’s an ice cream place around the corner X
JADE
OMG you don’t know how good it feels to hear from you! Yes, I’ll make 4pm work! Gelato, it’s a date! X
Jade breathed a heavy sigh of relief just knowing she’d get to see April again. The past few days had been busy with work, but the nights were long and filled with spiraling thoughts. She’d never experienced anything like it before. She wasnota fan.
When she rushed into the ice cream parlor, she knew she was late. She had been held up with a patient, but she knew April would understand. Her partner was nothing if not understanding.
She spotted her sitting in the back with two cups of ice cream in front of her. A pale brown creamy dessert in front of herself, and what was obviously cookies and cream sat at the chair opposite her for Jade.
“I’m so sorry I’m late, I got held up with a patient. They tweaked their Achilles and needed more help than expected.” Jade said as she sat down. “Oh, you’re a lifesaver, I’ve been dying for this since you messaged earlier.” She added with a smile as she reached for her spoon, but her arm hovered over the small wooden spoon when she looked up to see April.
Jade noticed the worried look on April’s face and her defeated demeanor.
Jade looked around and ensured nobody was near them before leaning in and speaking so quietly she wasn’t sure April heard her. “Babe, what’s wrong? What’s happened?”
April lifted a small spoonful of her ice cream and sat it back in the tub before she could bring it up to her mouth. She let go of the spoon but refused to look up to meet Jade’s gaze.
“Dad knows.”
Jade held her breath and waited. It wasn’t what she’d expected to hear, not by a long shot. But she knew that she had to becareful with how she responded to this, given April’s Dad clearly hadn’t taken it well.
They sat in silence for the next ten minutes. Jade was aching to reach out and offer the comfort that her partner so clearly was in desperate need of. It took all her will power to control her hands and keep them on her side of their table. They were in public, and she had to keep reminding herself of that.
“He,” April finally whispered. “He said...” she tried again.
Jade’s heart broke at the torment playing out over April’s beautiful face.
“I need some air,” April leapt up and left.
Jade took a few seconds to catch up to what had happened and followed April out onto the street. “April, talk to me, what happened?”
April kept walking toward her hotel, making it into the reception area before Jade caught up with her. April headed to a small room to the right of the desk which was a library available to guests. Luckily, it was empty, and with only one entrance, they could ensure they were alone.
April told Jade what had happened the few days prior in her hotel room.
“He didn’t say anything as my dad,” April began, with a lump in her throat. “He discussed the whole thing as my manager and how best to handle my image to avoid any huge impact on my career.”
“I guess that was to be expected though, wasn’t it?” Jade asked gently.
“Yeah, I know. I mean, I thought he would have at least saidsomethingabout it. I don’t even know if he’s told Mom about the‘rumors’,” she made air quote gestures with her hands.
“If you haven’t heard anything from her about it, then I think it’s safe to assume that he hasn’t. Which is good, that means he must be ok with it.” Jade suggested.
“Maybe as my dad, butnotas my manager.” April scoffed and then described the proposed plan that included Simon.
Jade took a step back from April. Her face felt like it was contorting in a mixture of hurt, fear, disgust, shock, and a million other emotions all at once.
“I hope you told him no. Please, April, tell me you told him no.” Jade closed her eyes to fight the tears she could feel burning as she waited on her partner’s response.
“I did, but he said he’s not going to let this go.” April’s body crumpled. Her shoulders dropped, her hands raised to cover her face, but Jade just stood there. Helpless to offer her any comfort.
“Do you remember what I said on our first date, when you asked me if it was ok that you’d said ‘them’ when talking about me to Dani because you weren’t out to her then?” Jade asked gently, hoping not to cause any further hurt to her partner.
“You said,” April choked down a sob and slowly dropped her hands low enough for her tear-filled eyes to meet Jade’s, “you said that you didn’t mind what I had to tell people, as long as...” she trailed off, tears running down her face.
“As long as you don’t outright lie,” Jade finished for her in a whisper.
