The Secret of You and Me - Melissa Lenhardt Page 0,115
over towards Nora, who was hanging back by the dance hall, waiting. “You’ve been seeing her this week, haven’t you?”
“How did you know?”
She smiled up at me, a little sadly. “You’ve been happier than I’ve ever seen you. You were singing in the car this morning on our way to your meeting. I can’t remember the last time you did that.”
“Well, I don’t listen to Kidz Bop anymore, do I?” I brushed her hair from her face. “Logan, you make me happier than anyone else.”
“I’m not jealous, Mom. I’m sad because I’m going to miss you.”
“Miss me? I’m not going anywhere.”
“Yes, you are. I don’t want you to stay here for me. I want you to be you.”
I pulled Logan into a hug. “Hearing you say those words is the best gift I’ve ever been given.”
“I meant it when I said I would always support you.”
“Yes, you did.” I squeezed her, then held her at arm’s length, my eyes burning with unshed tears. “But, I’m not just staying for you. I want to be here and experience all your lasts with you. I can’t do that from a thousand miles away. I don’t want you to have to live with your father. I don’t think he’s going to take this well.”
“Obviously.” Logan glanced at Nora, who was still lurking. “Is she ever going to come over here?”
“Probably not until we ask her.” I leaned forward and whispered, “She never makes the first move.”
“Too far, Mom.”
“Sorry.”
“I like who you’ve been this week.”
“Guess what? I’ve liked me, too. Thanks for going with me this morning.”
“Yeah, of course. Whatever you need to not want to drink, Mom.”
“I always want to drink, but I’ve got other, more pleasant things to think about. Like you, and how proud I am of you.”
“And Nora.”
“Yes. And Nora.”
“You should tell people.”
“Tell people what?”
“The truth. I’d much rather have a happy lesbian mother than an unhappy straight one.”
“Are you sure? People will talk.”
Logan motioned for Nora.
“Sneaking around might play well in a romance novel, Mom, but in real life, it’s tacky. You need to control the narrative.”
“Control the narrative? Where’d you come up with that?”
“I overheard Dad and his millennials talking strategy.”
I hugged Logan. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.”
thirty-three
nora
I walked over to the mother and daughter a little hesitantly. They talked in low voices, and Logan gave a brief nod before I got within earshot.
“What happened? Is everything okay?”
Sophie was glowing. She grasped my cheeks and kissed me. Right in front of her daughter. When we pulled apart, I looked at Logan, who was trying very hard to be nonchalant about seeing her mother kiss another woman. “Come inside. There’s a surprise.”
“What kind of surprise?”
“A birthday cake for me, and a present for you.”
“Me?”
Holding both our hands, she led Logan and me inside and left us near the front of the stage.
“Do you know what’s going on?”
Logan was studying me with a hostile expression. “Do you love my mother as much as she thinks you do?”
“Your mother is the love of my life.”
“She better be.”
“What is she about to do?”
One corner of Logan’s mouth turned up into a smirk. “Nervous?”
“A little, yeah.”
Across the room, Sophie was talking to Avery, Charlie and Mark. Their body language was tense, with Avery playing peacekeeper. Mark went off to the bar, and Avery led Charlie to the stage, whispering in his ear the whole time.
“Did you start a rumor about Alima and me?” I asked.
Logan’s face turned beet red. “Yeah. I blamed you for my mom’s drinking and being in such a shitty mood. And Joaquin was making such an idiot of himself about Alima.”
“How is Joaquin?”
“I don’t know. We broke up.”
“Sorry to hear that.”
Logan shrugged. “I’ll get over it. I’m sorry I started the rumor. It was stupid and immature. That was before Mom told me about...you know, being gay.”
“It’s different when it’s someone you love, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
Charlie took the mike, and the crowd started clapping. “Thank you!” Charlie said. “Thank you all for coming and being so generous with your donations. For those of you who didn’t donate—” he glanced at me “—there’s still time to redeem yourself.” The crowd laughed at the lame joke, and Charlie went on with a shortened stump speech about conservative values, yada, yada, yada. Watching Sophie cross the room to join us, it was easy to tune him out. She was clutching her stomach and gave us a nervous smile. I suddenly knew what she was going to do.