“None of it’s true, Julie. He has no idea who you really are. He’s only ever cared about himself.” His lips found hers, and he kissed her again and again, as though he needed the reassurance of knowing he could.
“I have to tell you…”
“I already know about the baby.”
Her breath caught as the fear of losing him left her staggered. Over the past forty-eight hours, she accepted that Lance would always be a part of her past and her future would never be certain. There was so little people could actually control in life, but she knew she wanted a future with Patrick, if he’d have her.
She wiped her eyes, a smear of makeup coming away with her spent tears. “Are you mad?”
He looked at her, his eyes a tumultuous storm of emotion she couldn’t decipher. “This baby’s a part of you.”
A shaky smile trembled to her lips as she understood he’d already accepted the situation. No matter what her future held, she was keeping the baby.
“Life’s always gonna have surprises, Jules. Every relationship faces complications. The good ones belong to the couples that figure out how to work through those challenges together. If you let me help you, I’d be honored. But I also know you’re strong enough to handle this or any obstacle on your own.”
She looked up at him with glassy eyes, her words wedged tightly in her throat. He’d known for less than a day, but he’d worked it all out and come to terms with it, no backlash or put-downs necessary. Was this what a healthy relationship felt like?
“I love you, Pat.”
How could she not? He was the most understanding person she’d ever met. She was beyond lucky for having found him again.
“You’re the best man I know.”
He kissed her and the chill in her bones thawed. She laughed against his lips, in awe that this was where they were and everything might, for once, turn out okay. Then the door opened.
“Julie?”
Pat broke the kiss and they turned, finding her mother and father gaping at them. “Mom.”
“What are you doing? Where’s Josephine?” She turned her disapproving scowl on Pat. “How dare you!”
“Mom, wait, you don’t understand.”
“You’re engaged to someone else, and he’s engaged to your sister! What could I possibly be missing?”
“You don’t know the whole story—”
“I’m not engaged to Jo. We’re just friends,” Pat burst. “She didn’t want you to fix her up, so she pretended we were engaged.”
Her mother scoffed, her denial quickly morphing to fury. “She’s shameless!”
Pat was through with the lies and wanted everything out in the open. “I’m in love with your daughter, Julie.”
Her mother looked to be having some sort of episode, clearly appalled by such a scandal. “You’re too late.”
“No, Mom. Lance and I are through.”
Her mother’s face paled. “Through? You promised to marry him. There is no through. You’ve already lived under his roof, in his bed… In God’s eyes, you’re as good as married.”
“I’m sorry you see it that way. But I’ve made up my mind.”
Pat’s hand closed over hers and squeezed tightly. She felt his support as she stood her ground.
The door opened again, and Jo rushed out. She looked like she’d been hoping to intercept but was a minute too late. “Oh, good, you’re all here.” She looked at her sister and Pat and made an apologetic shrug.
“You lied to me in my own home,” their mother sneered, turning her scorn on Jo. “What did I ever do to raise such a hateful—”
“That’s it!” Jo snapped. “What have I ever done that was so hateful other than try to be myself? It’s you who hates me, Mom. You take issue with everything I do, from the way I dress and wear my hair, to the way I run my life. It’s no wonder I moved away. My life is peaceful in Philly. I don’t have to constantly worry about what others might think. As a matter of fact, I don’t give a shit what anyone thinks anymore. I thought I did. That’s why I made Pat lie for me. But you know what? It’s too hard pretending to be someone I’m not.”
Julie let go of Pat’s hand and moved to her sister’s side, then laced her fingers with hers. Pat followed, taking Jo’s other hand, forming a wall of support around her.
Jo looked at her parents and said, “I’m gay. I like women. So, please stop trying to fix me up with your friends’ sons, and please start accepting me for who I am.”
“Oh! You’re just hateful!” their mother screamed, releasing a diatribe of insults and painful truths neither Julie nor Jo were prepared to hear.
It was the first time Julie saw her sister flinch. Each awful insult screamed from their mother’s mouth pelted them like buckshot, leaving all of them injured in the end.