safest thing I could share. “Steve came to me in my dreams and I saw a golden light. I know he’s going into it. It made me believe.” It was a combination of a few different scenarios, but all were true.
As I spoke the words, Steve floated into the kitchen and seated himself beside Missy.
“Daisy,” Missy said haltingly. “Can I ask you something? And you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”
“Ask me.” I knew what was coming.
“That day in my shop a couple of weeks ago… the day you slipped up and said you and Steve didn’t have a sex life…”
“Tell her,” Steve said, smiling sadly at me. “Tell her. It’s okay. Let your best friend in on the truth as much as you can.”
Looking down at my hands, I sighed. I didn’t want Missy to be angry at Steve. There were always two sides to every story, and our story was complicated. I searched for a way to soften the blow and couldn’t find one. I was a crappy liar and Missy knew me far too well.
Ripping the Band-Aid off quickly was the way to go.
“Steve was gay,” I said.
Missy’s sharp intake of breath was expected. Her tears were not. “Oh Daisy,” she whispered, reaching for me. “I’m so sorry… for both of you.”
There was a reason I adored this woman with every fiber in my body.
“Me too,” I said, taking her outstretched hand. “We really had a great life together—a platonic, loving life. It kind of messed me up sexually, but I’m working on that. I didn’t understand for a long time, and I don’t think Steve understood, either. I’m not angry with him… or myself. I’ll love him until the day I die… I just…”
“Wish that both of you could have been loved in the way you should have been loved,” she finished for me.
I nodded. “But I wouldn’t have found Gideon if I hadn’t been with Steve.”
I didn’t add that Gideon was the Grim Reaper or that my dead husband heartily approved. That would be a little too much to take in.
“Life is some serious weird, dude,” Missy said, squeezing my hand. “What’s your opinion of Heather and me?”
I raised my brow and grinned. “What’s your opinion?” I countered. “Your opinion far outweighs mine.”
Missy laughed and closed her eyes. “Well, I’ll never be able to bring her home to my parents, but since I never go home anymore…”
“Do you love her?”
“Love is a huge word,” Missy replied. “Huge.”
“Agreed,” I said.
“What I experienced growing up kind of warped the definition for me,” Missy went on. “Do I feel happier with Heather? Yes. Am I attracted to her? Absolutely. Does her well-being consume me? Yep. Can I live openly as a gay woman in a farked-up small Southern town?”
“Are you asking me to answer that last question?” I inquired.
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “The real question is can I keep denying who I am so I’m socially acceptable, or will I continue to pretend and ruin my chance at real happiness… and dare I add love?”
“Look,” I said, glancing over at Steve. “I didn’t realize Steve was gay. If I had we would have figured something out. Being gay isn’t a sin. Not living your truth or finding peace and happiness—that’s the sin.”
“Tell that to my mother,” Missy muttered with a disgusted snort.
“Your mother isn’t living your life for you, thank God. You are… if you choose to. Hiding is no way to live. That I can say with conviction. Look, I’m not exactly the person to go to for relationship advice, but since you asked… I say go for it. Life is short and love is hard to find. Screw people who don’t get it. You don’t like any of those asshats anyway.”
Missy threw her head back and laughed. “You are correct. I don’t. Daisy?”
“What?”
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“Always, my BFF. Always.”
Steve smiled and gently touched Missy’s hand. Missy shuddered then giggled.
“So damn weird,” she said, staring at her hand.
“What’s weird?” I asked, glancing over at Steve, who backed away quickly. He stared at Missy in surprise.
“Another ghost must have walked over my grave,” she said, shrugging. “I felt the chill on my hand. Beeeezarreo.”
With a small nod at Steve, he took the hint and disappeared. “Speaking of beeeezarreo, tell me more about your family’s side job as Soul Keepers.”
“Seriously, dude?” she asked with a laugh.
“Seriously, dude. I find it fascinating.”
“Mmkay,” Missy said, wrinkling her nose in thought. “From what I remember of