“But you’re notjustone. And being an accountant is really fucking hard. I have a friend who was trying to get his CPA after getting a finance degree, and he couldn’t do it. It was too hard.”
“It’s complicated. Laws change a lot, and the government doesn’t make it easy.”
“Do you like it?”
“I like what I do now. I was a CPA on my own for about ten years before I took this job. I worked as an accountant in a tax firm before that, liking it enough, but I wanted to branch out on my own, so I did. Then, I took this job.”
“What made you take it?”
“Well, my wife died, and I needed a fresh start. I closed up my office and interviewed around for a few months before I found this place. They were looking for someone with experience, and I had it. It’s worked well so far.”
“How long has it been?” Sharon asked.
“Five years,” she replied. “I’m finally ready to try again, but it’s complicated because I’m not sure many people would want to give someone like me a try at a relationship. I have a lot of baggage.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” Sharon offered. “I can listen tonight if that’s what you need.”
“No, I… I’d rather talk about you or maybe us. I don’t know if there can be an us… I’m not exactly great at talking myself up, am I?” She laughed.
“I like it. You’re humble. Humble is good.”
“Humble can make it really hard to meet someone when you’re trying to make an impression.”
“I don’t think it’s about someone being impressive to me,” Sharon said. “I think it should be about you liking what the other person brings to the table. I mean, look at me – I’m not exactly impressive. I work in a café, and I had to go into debt to pay for this event. I have a decent apartment, which I could lose if I don’t get enough hours, and I have no prospects for the job I really want.”
“You got laid off. It happens. You’re doing the best you can.”
“You’re doing the bestyoucan, too, Debra. We all are.”
“You asked me earlier if I wanted to look at the things in the den. Did you actuallywantto do that, or was it because you thought you had to?”
“I wanted to,” Sharon replied.
“For a night with me?”
Sharon laughed and said, “Yes. Why is that so hard to believe? I think you’re hot.”
Debra laughed back and said, “I amnothot.”
“Those blue eyes of yours disagree. Plus, I can tell that you have a little butch swagger in there. You just don’t show it off.”
“You’re looking for a butch?”
“I happen to like butch women, yes, but I like all types of people. I should be clear about that since it was a problem in a past relationship.”
“What was?”
“I’m pan,” Sharon told her.
“Great.”
“Great?”
“Yeah. I’m a lesbian, and I’ve never been attracted to a man, but it’s all on a spectrum, right? Everyone is whoever they are. I don’t have any right to even have a say or a problem with that.”
“Don’t you, though? If you’re with them?”
“No,” she stated. “If your ex had a problem with your sexuality, then fuck them. You deserve better. The only thing I care about is that the woman I’m with wants to be with me. I want to fall in love again, if I’m lucky, and be with only her. I don’t care what her sexuality is. And I mean that in a good way; not in a way like I’d be dismissive of it or something.”
