“But why?” Debra asked. “We don’t want to change partners.”
“Because it’s important to the process,” Nia answered. “So, the game today will be–”
“It’s not agame, Nia!” Gage said loudly. “It’s our lives. I get that you have this whole thing planned out, and you have to in order for it to work, but it worked. I’m good. I found Carrie, and I’d much rather spend the day today figuring out how we’re going to make it work when we’re long-distance and tonight making love for maybe the last time in a while, because it’s not like either of us is rich and can just fly back and forth whenever to see each other. I don’t want some game or to be paired up with anyone else.”
“How many of you feel the same way as Gage?” Nia asked the group.
“Me,” Carrie replied. “I don’t want to be paired up with anyone else. Gage and I have a lot of talking to do.”
“Same,” Sharon added. “We will be long-distance, too, and while we don’t have to say goodbye right away because she’s going to stay with me for the week, we’ll be in different places after that, and I don’t want to spend our last day here with someone else. If I knew this would happen, I would’ve suggested we just leave with Kristina and Jennifer.”
“Me too,” Debra shared. “You managed to figure us all out, Nia. I’ll respect your rules, but I don’t want to spend my last day with someone who’s not Sharon.”
Nia smiled and said, “Good.”
“Good?” Gage checked. “What does that mean?”
“Well, it means thatyouare not just here for sex with anyone anymore. You’re here for Carrie.” Nia then turned to Carrie. “And it means that you’ve found that thing in Gage that most people miss, and that you’ve…” Nia winked.
“Okay,” Carrie said. “Move on.”
“For you, Sharon, it means that you explored what you needed to explore to help deal with some of the things you’vebeen trying to handle for a while now, mostly on your own. I’m guessing Debra helped you with that. And, Debra, you are–”
“Healing,” Debra finished. “Proactively, this time.”
“Yes,” Nia confirmed. “So, since my work here is done, I’ll leave you to enjoy your days. Iwouldrecommend packing at some point in order for you to be able to enjoy your evenings and nights and not have to worry about anything at the last minute before we have to leave for the airport.”
“Wait a minute… That was a test, the whole switching partners thing?” Gage asked.
“Yes, your final one. This whole week has been a test,” Nia said.
“Did we pass?” Sharon asked.
“I’d say you did,” Nia said. “Before we can let someone else in and really love them, we have to know and love ourselves, or it won’t work. Most people forget that. They spend their time searching for someone tomakethem happy, but that rarely works. It’s not about finding someone to make you happy. It’s about being happy with who you are and finding the person who loves that happiness in you; someone who’s willing and able to be there for the sadness, too, and everything in between. Finding someone like that could be incredibly difficult, and that is where I come in for some people. Debra has been worried that she’d spend her life alone after the death of her wife because she couldn’t see that another woman would want to be with her due to the baggage, as she calls it, but Sharon has spent this past year of her life soul-searching after losing a job, and she knows what she wants in a partner and is self-assured enough not to make Debra feel bad about talking about her wife or bringing her up during their relationship. To Sharon, it doesn’t matter in a good way. She wants the Debra she’s sitting next to right now, and she understands that Debra’s relationship with her wife helped form her into this woman now.”
“I do,” Sharon stated and smiled at Debra.
“God, don’t do me,” Gage said and laughed a little. “I’m a mess.”
“No, you’re not,” Nia replied. “You’re not. You grew up fast, Gage, and you didn’t have a lot of time to focus on a relationship because you were also dealing with a loss of two very important people on top of a sister who doesn’t like that you’re a lesbian. That’s the three closest people in your life. And you’ve been busy building a business on top of that. Sex became your outlet, and sex is fun, so it’s a pretty hard thing to give up when you’re used to getting it frequently and don’t have any consequences to deal with that are associated with it. When you came here, you were looking for an excuse to find someone, but you had a hard time admitting it to yourself, so sex was a distraction for you when you first got here. You needed Carrie, who would give you a hard time and who wouldn’t let you off the hook when you said things like what you just said to me. You’re not a mess. You’re a work in progress, like the rest of us. Carrie understands that about people and gets that it applies to her, too. She sees beneath the surface of what you try to project, and you give her something she’s never had before.”
“Ido?” Gage asked and looked at Carrie.
“You’re basically everything I said I was looking for on my application form.” Carrie smiled at her. “You’re smart and funny, you’re so sweet, and you were so very patient with me. I wanted someone… well, with a little experience because I had none and thought I might need some help.”
“You don’t,” Gage stated.
Carrie laughed and said, “You’re also gorgeous and a little shy at times, even though you don’t show that to other people. You want the same things I want, and you make me feel safe. I put all that on my application. There’s more, but that’s for us to talk about later.” She winked at Gage.
“So, in the end, you all found each other,” Nia added.
“You brought us together,” Debra reminded.
“You brought yourselves together. All I did was host the event. You filled out the application, the questionnaires, answered my call, and then actually showed up. Sometimes, people don’t. You also had to open up to others, which isn’t easy. You respected the rules of the event, for the most part. I’m guessing some of the card questions were skipped, but they’re not really meant to be used for the full thirty minutes anyway.”
“What? You told us every night–”
“Gage, they were there to stop you all from jumping the gun and going straight to the sex part of the week. If you skipped them and just slept with someone, they’re probably not the right someone for you. Ideally, you’d want to get to know the other person to see if you’re compatible, and they’re meant as icebreakers. You can talk about other things, too, but some people have a hard time warming up or making small talk. The cards are tools. That’s all.”
