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An Easter story -
I woke up early today to go for my run. As usual, everyone was still sleeping. What wasnât usual was that when I got back there was a light on in the living room. It was only 5:00, so I thought something might be wrong.
I woke up early today to go for my run. As usual, everyone was still sleeping. What wasnât usual was that when I got back there was a light on in the living room. It was only 5:00, so I thought something might be wrong.
For those of you new to my story, Iâve been happily sequestered at my girlfriendâs familyâs rural vineyard for weeks. I feel like I live here now. I guess I do for the foreseeable future. Theyâve been excessively welcoming to me. Anyway, I went inside to see what was up.
I found her mom in the living room with a collection of hearts and letters she made on her Cricut (a machine that cuts patterns out of flat vinyl sheets). She was putting them on their living room window.
When I walked in she said, âDarn you and your never sleeping in!â
âIâm sorry,â I said reflexively. I grew up with a family that always made me feel guilty for being awake while they were asleep.
She looked at my face and said, âOh Annie, I didnât mean it like that!...
âIâm sorry,â I said reflexively. I grew up with a family that always made me feel guilty for being awake while they were asleep.
She looked at my face and said, âOh Annie, I didnât mean it like that!...
...I just wanted to finish your Easter surprise before you came back. I started as soon as I heard you leave for your run.â
âEaster Surprise?â
âYeah. For you and CeeCee. Iâm sure she told you about how we didnât make her feel really good about coming out.â She looked apologetic.
âEaster Surprise?â
âYeah. For you and CeeCee. Iâm sure she told you about how we didnât make her feel really good about coming out.â She looked apologetic.
When she came out, it involved breaking up with her boyfriend of a few years. He was like a part of the family since he was also her brotherâs best friend. For a year she just didnât date, and lived with her brother, ex, and mom, blaming her and her homosexuality forâŠ
...hurting him to different degrees, as if it was her fault for choosing to be gay over dating such a ânice young man.â Mind you, they arenât bad people, but she had done such a good job of faking happiness with him for fear of upsetting a whole family worth of relationshipsâŠ
...that her announcement was totally unexpected. So, instead of finally feeling free to be herself, she experienced a kind of âsoftâ ostracization. When we started dating, things started to change with her family.
âYeah, she told me about it. Sheâs not mad at you or anything.â
Her mom looked relieved. âThatâs good. She certainly could be. Anyway, with everything going on, I just wanted to do something to make sure CeeCee knows how much I love her and want her to be happyâŠ
Her mom looked relieved. âThatâs good. She certainly could be. Anyway, with everything going on, I just wanted to do something to make sure CeeCee knows how much I love her and want her to be happyâŠ
...and for you to know how welcome you are here. Anyway, now that itâs done it seems kind of corny to me, but I meant well.â
âWhat is it?â I asked. She looked embarrassed, but stepped away from the window and drew back the curtain.
âWhat is it?â I asked. She looked embarrassed, but stepped away from the window and drew back the curtain.
In multi-colored vinyl were the words, âDearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life,â and three rows of seven hearts, using the colors of the rainbow, underneath. It was backwards to me, but meant for the rest of the world to see.
She looked like she wanted to apologize. âI guess it seems silly now that I look at it. I just couldnât think of how to showâŠâ She stopped because I was crying. Not a cute *omg Iâm overcome with emotion* cry, mind you.
This was a full blown *why doesnât my own family try this hard* kind of snotty bawling. The poor woman was caught completely off guard and after a few seconds walked over to hug me. The more I blathered about being the freak of my family andâŠ
...constantly being reminded that I was an outlier, and about how they hadnât made me feel missed as much as I missed them, or at all for that matter, the harder she squeezed me. I donât think she had ANY idea what to say. I tried to make sure she knew how much IâŠ
...appreciated her gesture, and that I didnât think it was silly at all. Finally, after my wave of emotion passed and I felt really stupid for having a breakdown in front of my girlfriendâs mom, she gave me a kiss on the head and saidâŠ
âŠâWeâve been so amazed at how much CeeCee was getting out of being in a relationship with you, I donât think we paid enough attention to what you needed.â We heard some movement in the kitchen. She smiled at me. âSounds like Papi is up. You betterâŠ
...go have coffee with him, or heâll start searching the house for you.â I tried to apologize for my outburst, but she wouldnât hear of it. She just said, âIâm glad you liked your Easter present, Annie.â
