“Well, honey, you do you. Whatever makes you happy. If you’re into girls or boys or both, it’s cool with me.”
“I love you, Frankie.” She threw her arms around me and gave me a fierce hug.
“Why so emo? Did you think I wouldn’t be okay with it?”
She shrugged, her ponytail swinging between her shoulders like a metronome. “I don’t know…”
“Whatever makes you happy and doesn’t hurt you.” I took her by the shoulders and kissed her on her cheeks. “Life is too short to live with regrets and what might’ve-beens.”
Later that evening,as I waited for Aaron by the therapist’s office, those words replayed in my head. Being with Aaron again wasn’t the simple decision people thought. I’d fought with myself, but in the end, I couldn’t live with the what-ifs and maybes. I had to take that risk.
At five minutes to seven, I saw Aaron approach in my car and park across the street. The doctor had agreed to change our hours to a late appointment to accommodate Aaron’s new job.
“Hey.”
“Hi. How was work?”
“Okay.” He dipped his head and kissed me, his mouth sticky and sweet-tasting.
“Mmm, what were you eating? You taste delicious.” Holding him by the nape of his neck, I dived in for more, sucking and nibbling at his lips.
“Cut it out,” he said, pulling away. “Marie in the office made strawberry shortcake and gave me a piece.”
“Oh?” I hooked my arm through his, and we walked inside the building. I pressed the buzzer to let us in. “Maybe she likes you.”
“Don’t be stupid. She has a boyfriend.”
He pushed open the door and held it for me. “Although she keeps trying to fix me up with her girlfriends.”
I stopped short in front of the door to the doctor’s office. “Well, you got a boyfriend, so forget about it.”
His mouth tightened, and he pulled open the door to the office. “Let’s go inside.”
“Hello, you two. Dr. Morrell will be with you in a few minutes. She’s finishing up some notes.” The receptionist smiled at us and went back to her computer screen.
“Thanks,” I answered and took a seat. Aaron took the one next to me, and I continued our conversation. “You still haven’t told them you’re gay?”
Looking like he’d rather be anywhere but there with me, Aaron shook his head. “Uh, no. It’s not the place to be gay.”
“I didn’t know there were places to be gay or not gay. I’ve always been myself. Everywhere.”
“You always could,” he shot back, defeated and weary-looking. “I didn’t have the choice growing up, and now I can’t. Not yet.”
“Frankie? Aaron?” Dr. Morrell stood before us. “Should we take this into the office?”
The quiet preciseness of her voice embarrassed me. “I’m sorry.” I had no desire to air my personal life in the waiting room. “Yeah. We’re ready.” I stood, and with Aaron trailing behind, we followed her to the back, to her small office, and sat while she closed the door.
“So,” she said, smiling at us both from behind her desk. “Tell me about the job, Aaron. I overheard you telling Frankie you haven’t told them you’re gay. Are you afraid? Is that why? Have they said things?”
Elbows braced on his knees, Aaron shot me an uneasy, troubling glance before responding. “Uh, I don’t know if afraid is the right word. But yeah, they’ve said stuff.”
“Like what?” She raised her brows, and I leaned forward to hear.
“Well, uh, like yesterday. This gay couple came in, and Lennie said he didn’t understand gay marriage—he called it the ‘gay thing’—like why gay people needed to get married. And then he talked about them shoving their lifestyle in everyone’s face.”
“And how did that make you feel?”
“Pissed off. Annoyed. Hurt.” Aaron scratched his head. “I dunno. I told him off, kind of.”
