Chapter 5

Tina sighed. “I don’t know what we can do about it. They’re your parents.”

“I told them about us,” Bonnie said. “After you left.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t want you to have to deal with coming out right now, in the middle of all the rest of this.”

“I thought I had time,” Bonnie said, and was horrified to find herself choking down a sudden sob. “I thought I could do it when I was ready.”

“You didn’t have to do it now. I was fine.”

“You weren’t and you know it,” Bonnie shot back. “And anyway, I wasn’t fine. I need you here, Tina. I love you. Forever.”

“Babe…”

“Wait. I’m trying to get to this thing I have to say.” Bonnie ran through it quickly in her mind, but it didn’t feel like there was any preparation that would really help. Her heart was pounding. Was that bad? It was terrible to wonder all the time if she was about to die. She wished she could go back to the blissful ignorance she’d lived within all her life.