Chapter 18

The Waiting Was the Hardest Part

“I told them.”Her parents.

Michelle and Val were sitting in a small caféa few blocks from the library,each with a salad and a ginger ale.

“When?”

“When they were here.”

“And?”

“They didn’t freak out quite the way I thought they would but they weren’t happy.I was the one who was going to have the fancy wedding with the handsome lawyer.I think that’s what they cared about.Not having me do the fancy-wedding thing and worrying about what people would say about themat their club.It was so trivial.Disappointment.That’s what they were.Are.‘We’re very disappointed in you Michelle.’”

“Did you mention me?”

“Not directly.But that was only because I didn’t think there was an‘us’while they were here.I told them,though,that I was attracted to butches.”

“How did you put it?”Val felt bad about pushing Michelle on this but wanted to know.