close and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “When can I see you again?”
Despite the fear swirling through my stomach, I smiled. Something to look forward to, to keep my mind off... “I don’t know when I can get away. I’ll have to text you,” I said.
“Okay.”
I took a deep breath and walked out of the room, with Nora behind me. Mary sat cross-legged in Ray’s chair, waiting for us like a sentinel on duty. I wasn’t about to give her the satisfaction of being ashamed. “Hello, Mary.”
“Well, this explains a lot.”
Nora took my hand.
“Dad found out, didn’t he? That’s why he kicked you out.”
“My mother told him,” I said.
“Holy shit. Brenda knows? I bet that was a scene.”
“Could you not act so thrilled?” Nora said.
Mary’s head jerked back, and her smile slipped. “I’m not thrilled. I’m glad to finally, after all these years, understand what the hell happened. I can’t believe you managed to keep it secret.”
“I know you don’t like me,” I said, “but I’m begging you not to tell anyone. To give me a chance to do it.”
“Tell anyone? Tell them what?”
“That I’m gay.”
“Wait, you’re gay? This isn’t just revisiting a teenage experiment?”
“I’m bisexual, and gay people pretend to be straight all the time,” Nora said.
“You’re gay, and you’re bisexual?” Mary stood. “Wow. I can’t even wrap my head around this.”
“You promise to keep it to yourself,” Nora said.
“Yeah, sure. What would I have to gain by telling anyone?”
I almost laughed at Mary’s complete self-involvement but knew better. “Thank you.” I turned to Nora. “I’ll text you.”
“Okay.”
She squeezed my hand and gave me a brief smile. I leaned down and gave her a lingering, soft kiss. “Love you,” I whispered. When we pulled apart, we saw Kim and her daughter, Erin, framed in the screen door.
I jerked back in surprise. “Shit.”
Kim’s mouth gaped in slack-jawed astonishment, and Erin looked at us with an expression of wonder—and relief?
“Kim, what are you doing here?” Nora asked.
“I brought Erin. Like we talked about.”
“Like you talked about?” I asked.
“Well, yeah, but we didn’t say when, or where,” Nora said.
“I’m sorry, I just figured you would be up and about with the sale tomorrow and all.” Her astonished gaze shifted to me.
Mary had the good grace to get up and excuse herself. “I’m going next door to Emmadean’s.” She left through the kitchen.
“Come on in, I guess,” Nora said.
As they walked in, I turned to Nora and whispered, “What’s going on? Why is she bringing Erin here?”
Kim inhaled. “I suppose this is a safe space.”
Nora sighed and put her hand to her forehead. Kim continued.
“Sophie, Erin is...”
“Mom.”
“What? Nora knows, and I’m pretty sure Mrs. Wyatt isn’t going to tell considering we just saw them kissing.”
I looked away and pushed my hair behind my ear. “Oh my God,” I said softly.
“I’m as shocked as you are,” Kim said. “After meeting Alima and realizing about Nora, I just assumed the big fallout was because it was one-sided. It explained so much. I had no idea it wasn’t. I mean, knock me over with a feather.”
I looked at Erin Stopper. She was a sweet girl, quiet and respectful, with big blue eyes framed with a pair of black cat eyeglasses. She was awkward in the way fifteen-year-old girls used to be before the beauty industry and society and the Kardashians came along and convinced children they should look and dress like adults. She wore clothes a size too big and frequently changed her hair and her look. Most of Lynchfield chalked her oddness up to her being a geek girl, in love with science and gaming and being the smartest girl in her grade. I guess she had been testing out identities and trying to hide from scrutiny at the same time. It made sense now.
I’d known Erin her entire life. I’d rocked her to sleep when I volunteered in the church nursery, taught her in vacation bible school and Sunday school, and babysat her periodically on Saturdays when Kim and Joe both had to work. Though she and Logan were a couple of years apart and they’d always gotten along well, they weren’t exactly what you would call close friends. I wondered if Logan knew she was gay.
“Come here, Erin,” I said.
She stopped in front of me. There were four thin braids on one side of her head, one dark purple, but it barely stood out against her dark hair. “Can I hug you?”
She nodded, and I pulled her into my arms.