Paula glanced between them. “I didn’t realize you two were…”
“We met when Eve found the kittens,” Josie told her. If she’d noticed Paula’s hesitance over their relationship, she didn’t show it. “And then she saved my bar onDo Over.”
“I think I saw that one, now that you mention it,” Paula said. “What a story.”
“It is.” Josie glanced adoringly at her girlfriend before turning to Jules. “Hey, where’s Sophie? We wanted to congratulate her too.”
“I think she left already,” Jules said, stomach clenching again in fear that Josie would accidentally out her to her mom.
“Oh, bummer.” Josie’s brows knitted slightly. No doubt, she noticed the incongruity of Jules not knowing where Sophie was, that they weren’t spending this important evening together. “Sorry we missed her. Well, we won’t keep you. I’m sure you’ve got important celebrating to do.”
“Thanks for coming out tonight to support me,” Jules told them. “I really appreciate it.”
“We wouldn’t have missed it,” Eve said with a warm smile.
Jules might never get over how much quieter and more reserved she was in person than she appeared on her TV show. “Thank you.”
“It was our absolute pleasure,” Josie gushed, giving her another impromptu hug, as bubbly as Eve was reserved. “And you were so good, likeseriouslyso good. I’m going to rave aboutIt’s in Her Kissto everyone who comes in the bar. I’ll send all the lesbians your way. We’re all so excited to see good LGBT rep on stage.”
Jules blushed. “I am too.”
With a wave, Josie and Eve were on their way, and Jules was alone on the sidewalk with her mom. Dampness had started to seep through her boots from the slushy mess on the sidewalk. She looked at her mom, who was scrolling through the pictures she’d taken on her phone.
“Ready?” Jules asked.
“Sure am.”
Together, they started walking toward the restaurant, and Jules wished she was in more of a mood to celebrate. Her feet were heavy, and not just from her soggy boots. She was exhausted. The combination of nerves, the performance, her upset stomach, and her worry over Sophie had left her completely drained.
“Josie and Eve seem nice,” her mom commented.
“They’re the best,” Jules agreed.
Paula gave her a questioning look, and Jules sent up a silent prayer that she wouldn’t ask, not tonight. Jules wanted desperately to tell hereverything, and she would—very soon—but she didn’t have the energy for it tonight.
“Sure you’re up for dinner?” her mom asked instead.
“No,” she answered with a small laugh. “But I’m going to come and have some soup and maybe a celebratory flute of champagne, and then I’m going to bed. Tomorrow, we have a production meeting at ten, and then performances at one and seven thirty.”
“And I have tickets to both,” Paula said, hooking her elbow through Jules’s. “I can’t wait to see you perform again. I don’t even have words for how proud I am of you.”
“Thanks, Mami.” She leaned into her mom as they walked, taking comfort in her presence, the kind of comfort no one but her mom could ever provide. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Me too, sweetie. Me too.”
And so Jules hauled her weary self into the restaurant and enjoyed a celebratory dinner with her family, all the while wishing her dad—and Sophie—could have been here with them, although for very different reasons. She enjoyed a few sips of champagne and a bowl of soup that didn’t make her want to throw up, and then she hugged and thanked everyone for coming, and begged off early to sleep.
And boy, did she sleep. She crashed so hard that night, she felt hungover when she woke the next morning. Her eyes were puffy, her brain deliriously sluggish and sore. She stumbled out of bed and managed to fix herself some coffee, which helped to bring her back to her senses. Since her stomach was still off, she ate a banana for breakfast, deciding to ease herself slowly back onto solid food lest she get sick again on what was already going to be a busy and exhausting day.
She glanced at the clock. It was just past eight, and she had to be at the theater at ten. That didn’t leave much time for anything else, but she was desperate to see Sophie and apologize for last night. She picked up her phone and dialed.
Sophie answered on the second ring. “Good morning.”
“Morning.” Jules felt a huge smile spread across her face at the sound of her voice.
“Feeling better today?”
“Definitely better,” she said. “But still not a hundred percent.”
