AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“She hasn’t been cleared to return,” Karen chimed in from the kitchen where she made extra coffee. “So she can’t simply just walk back in and go.”
Sharon huffed. “She’s the Sheriff. Of course she can.”
Bridget was about to speak and remind her mother that wasn’t how it worked, but Karen did it for her. “No, she can’t. She has to go through several clearances in order to come off of leave, and those things take time. I imagine she’ll be back to light duty in the next two to four weeks. Wouldn’t you agree, Bridget?”
“Yeah.” Impressed that Karen knew that much about her job and how it worked, Bridget raised an eyebrow at her. “I need to pass a basic physical exam, be cleared by the doctor, but also pass a psychological exam, too. They’re not exactly easy to set up since I have to find providers with the proper certs, and out here, those are few and far between.”
Sharon frowned. “I just don’t understand why you can’t go back to work.”
Karen handed the coffee over and dropped into a seat next to Bridget. “Because that’s simply not how it works in law enforcement. There are a lot of rules and regulations that must be followed.”
Bridget’s lips parted, but she didn’t say anything. It had never occurred to her that the rules her parents had set for her growing up—those strict, insane rules she hated—gave her the leg up on navigating the LEO world and figuring out the nuances of each regulation, the ones she could bend and the ones that were hard and fast, never to be moved.Huh,she thought before being dragged back to the conversation at hand.
“When will you go home?” Sharon probed. “I can’t imagine they want you here much longer with everyone coming to town.”
Was her mother really so obtuse that she couldn’t even say wedding? Bridget was about to answer again, but Karen interrupted. “She’s welcome to stay here as long as she needs for recovery. We have plenty of room for her.”
“Thank you,” Bridget replied. “I think I should be home soon, now that I’m mastering crutches up and down stairs. It was hit and miss there for a while. I still can’t drive, though, so some things aren’t easy.”
“I’m sure you can find rides to all your appointments.” Sharon blazed right by the fact that normal people would rely on their parents for that, and with the way she made the statement, Bridget was pretty sure that she and Edward weren’t going to be an option. Even though it could potentially give them more control over her life.
“Right, I probably can,” Bridget answered. “But I think I’ll stay here until after thewedding.”
Emphasizing the last word brought a thrill of joy to her that she couldn’t resist. She’d forgotten how fun it could be to poke at her parents’ conservative and bigoted nature some days. Sharon bristled, sitting up straight as she drank her coffee and said nothing in response.
“Theweddingshould be beautiful,” Bridget continued. “I’ve been helping make the favors and helping wherever else I can, being so confined to the house, that is. Eli and Sarah have been doing most of the heavy lifting.”
Sharon set her mug down heavily on the table, clenching her jaw so tightly Bridget worried she was going to bust a tooth. Edward stared at her with wide eyes as if he had no idea where the conversation was going.
Bridget lifted her chin as if she was staring down at them, daring them to say something in front of Karen. She probably shouldn’t try to get too much of a rise out of them, but still, it was so easy to poke at them.
“Were you invited?” Bridget asked, waiting for an answer.
“That’s a rude question to ask,” Sharon responded.
“So that would be a no,” Bridget surmised. “Doesn’t surprise me too much, I guess. I was surprised to find my own invitation locked away in my mailbox and to have it reiterated when I arrived here, but I’m quite looking forward to attending my first lesbian wedding.”
“It’s just not right,” Sharon murmured, risking a glance to Karen.
Karen cocked her head to the side. “I’ll not have you saying that in this house. This is where my daughter lives, with her partner and soon-to-be wife. If you want to disrespect them at your house, feel free. You won’t do it here.”
Sharon’s lips thinned so much they were barely noticeable. “I won’t stay quiet about it.”
“Then you can kindly leave, but I have a feeling Bridget had something she wanted to tell you.” Karen sat back, crossing her arms and giving Bridget a firm look.
“I…” Bridget trailed off, flicking her gaze from Karen to her parents. “I did. You know, I did want to say something. I tried to say it last time you were here and gave up, because you two just don’t seem to listen to me.”
“We do not—”
Karen interrupted. “Sharon, in order to listen, you have to shut up.”
Bridget gaped at her. She’d never have that kind of courage. At Karen’s nod, Bridget decided she had to continue. “Right, so um…I thought I should tell you before it happens that at my first lesbian wedding I plan on bringing my girlfriend with me. You haven’t met her, which is perfectly fine by me, but she’s going to be there, and anyone in town will know that I have a girlfriend, because I’m not hiding it anymore.”
Sharon paled. Edward looked like he was going to blow a gasket, but neither of them said anything.
Karen leaned in, opening her body language to each of them. “I know this isn’t easy for you to understand or believe or love through, but I want to encourage you both to do just that. Bridget is an amazing young woman, and I have watched her grow and learn through these years. She’s really come into her own these last few years, and she needs support and love right now. If you start yelling or saying things that are unkind, I’ll remove you from this house. Do you understand?”
They both looked at her like she had ten heads. Bridget clenched her jaw, her stomach swirling with fear. She’d done it. She’d said the words she’d been trying to say for ages, the ones she had hidden for even longer, and she didn’t feel any different than before. She’d known how they would react, that it wouldn’t be good, but it was probably better this way than the alternative.
