Blood is thicker than water?

“Are you sure you are okay with being alone? I can stay if you’d like?” Trinity asked carefully and quietly. As if saying one wrong word would break her.

“It’s fine,” Lola replied curtly before opening the car door.

Trinity looks like she wants to fight her but acquiesced.

“Call me if you need anything at all.”

“I will,” Lola responded sadly. “I love you.”

She shut the car door before she got a response.

Walking with heavy feet she arrived at her front door and even that felt like work.

She waved off her girlfriend, who was patiently waiting in the driveway and went inside.

Emotionally drained and exhausted, she shut the door. Tears streamed down her face but she took no notice of them.

She headed towards her fridge and grabs ice cream.

Her phone began ringing, no doubt her mother, but she let it ring

until it stopped. Her mom called again. And again. And again. Until eventually, she just turned off her phone.

She grabbed a spoon from her cabinet and jumped onto the couch. Stuffing ice cream into her mouth.

She hadn't expected better. But she had hoped. That perhaps just

once they wouldn't be that awful. That maybe they wouldn't be that judgemental and cruel. But they were. She shouldn't have hoped for better. At least not from them. But that didn't stop it from hurting. It didn't stop her from feeling like a wounded animal.

“So they were completely okay with everything?” Trinity asked, “They were fine with it. No issues at all.”

“I mean they let me come back again,” Lola told her with a smile.

“I’m glad everything was taken so well, babe. Now let us go inside before we’re late,” Trinity chastely kissed Lola on the cheek, and Lola's smile grew even bigger.

They got out of the car and ambled towards the front door. Lola’s one hand holding a cake she'd promised to bring and the other holding Trinity's hand.

The door opened and out came Lola’s grandmother Jenny.

"Hi, darling! Come in, come in. Take off your coat. I’ll take that cake," she said joyfully, pulling Lola in. Trinity walked in behind them.

"Hi, Gran. Good to see you." Lola said but Jenny didn’t take any notice as she was already gossiping away.

 Trinity and she shared a look as Jenny began chattering away about all the things going on with people in the family.

"And your second cousin, Sarah, she just got engaged to a lovely man. They're thinking of a marriage in the fall."

"Sounds lovely, Gran.”

“Oh, did I mention to you about what’s happening with Darlene? Just the craziest story.”

“What happened, Gran?”

“Well-” her Gran began but she was cut off as Debbie, her daughter, and Lola’s mom, joined the conversation.

“Mom, I don’t think Lola wants to hear about that.”

“Nonsense, she loves my gossip,” Jenny replied winking at Lola. Lola smiled back.

The girls were herded into the living room and Lola immediately began making the rounds and saying hi to each and every person in her family. Trinity following her with a smile and a small wave.

The family didn't even look at Trinity. And were incredibly off with Lola as well. Each time the girls walked away, everyone would immediately begin gossiping.

They finally sat down after a few brief conversations.

“What would you like to drink?” Her mother asked.

“Water for me and Trinity…” Lola looked over at her.

“A glass of red, please.”

Her mother nodded without a look towards Trinity and headed back to the kitchen.

Trinity frowned a little and Lola sighed.

“Don’t worry once they get used to it. They’ll be a bit more normal. I promise you,” Lola whispered in Trinity’s ear and Trinity gave Lola a small smile.

“It’s okay. It is a big change for them. It is understandable.”

“They will get better. I promise you,” Lola told her earnestly and Trinity laughed.

“Babe, I can handle it. I love you and I’m willing to put up with angry families for you,” They both giggled.

“Here,” Her mom called and the girls looked up to see Lola’s mom with white wine but also a random man.

She walked over to them and handed Lola the glass of wine but not before saying, “Oh, by the way, love. This is Daniel. Your Gran met him at the hospital.”

The girls stared at Daniel. He smiled and sat down… right in between them.

“Lovely to meet you. I’m Daniel. Lola right?” He put his hand out to shake hers. And adding to the list of people who had ignored Trinity.

Confused Lola lifted her hand to shake his.

He began talking away and Lola responded curtly. After another few minutes of him speaking so highly of himself. Lola found an out.

“Excuse me for a minute will you?” She asked him and he smiled at her with perfectly white teeth.

“Of course,” He laughed before he responded, “I’ll be waiting, darling.”

Lola tried not to punch him and she stalked over to her parents.

“Why is Daniel here.” She asked. Cutting to the chase.

The conversation dwindled out.

“What a lovely man-” Her gran began.

“That doesn’t tell me why he’s here.”

Her family all looked at each other then back at Lola.

“We bought him here for you, babe. A lovely man with a steady career and a good future. I mean he’s single, studying medicine, and interested. What a dreamboat!” Her mother smiled at her as if what she was saying made perfect sense. As if she wasn’t breaking her heart.

“I’m in a relationship already,” Lola told them but her father continued.

“Love, come now. Think of the future. Of what you really want.”

“She is what I really want,” Lola replied raising her voice and looking over to Trinity. Everyone else in the room was now quieting down to listen in.

Her father ignored Lola and her mom continued telling her more about Daniel but Lola didn’t hear it. Too lost in her mind and her hurt to care what they had to say.

It was always this way with them. Lure you in with kind words and sweet talk. Then just as you get comfortable they would remind you what bad people they are.

No matter how much she hoped, they would never change.

“How could you do this? I’m in a relationship,” Lola cut them off abruptly.

Her mom smiled saccharine-sweet before delivering another blow, “Darling, this is just a phase. You’ll get over it soon enough. You just haven’t met the right person,” she paused, “the right man. Once you do – all the pieces will fall into place.”

Time froze for a moment. Lola studied her parent’s faces looking for humor in their eyes. Waiting for the ‘just kidding’ so they could laugh it off. There wasn’t any. They were dead serious.

“No.”

“Honey…” her mom began but she didn’t get the chance to finish.

“No, this isn’t a phase and this won’t change. I’m gay,” Her words slowed and she sounded like she was explaining something to a child, “I like women and I will one day marry a woman. Whether you accept it or not. This is a part of me.”

“Darling, these sorts of,” her mom looked at Trinity with disgust, “confusions will go away soon. We’re just trying to speed up the process.”

“Mom, you can’t change these feelings. They’re incorrigible. I love her,” she locked eyes with Trinity who was smiling sadly, tears in both of their eyes. “I have no shame loving her nor do I have shame in being a lesbian. This isn’t a 'confusion', this is me. If you don’t accept that, it won’t change the facts. It won’t change me.”

Her father laughed, “Come off it, Lola. We gave you the attention you wanted when you, “he put up air quotes, “‘came out’ and we even let you bring her here. Stop it now.”

He said her with such venom and disgust. Like Trinity wasn’t anything but loving and kind and accepting. Unlike her family.

“Accept me or I go.”

“What?” Her mother asked incredulously.

“Accept me, Trinity, everything I am or I go.”

The room fell silent and her mother looked away. Lola waited for someone to say something but everyone kept quiet.

“Well,” She laughed coldly, “there is my answer then.”

She strode over to Trinity and grabbed her hand. Trinity stood up and they both walked out of the room and house. Together.