As Kerry was standing in Romano's office hearing him talking about Kim like she was some kind of pervert, like she was doing something wrong by being out, openly gay, it should have scared her to pieces. It should have made her even more secure about her decision not to tell anyone about her and Kim, make her decision to stay in the closet 100%. But it didn't.
In fact, it just made her pissed off, and not the kind of pissed off Romano usually made her whenever he made a sexist joke, or discriminated against the women in the workplace, no. This time what he was saying actually made her sick to her stomach. She wasn't sure she could take it anymore.
She looked over at Kim, she looked so hurt, so fragile. She had never seen her that fragile before, and she had never before this moment realized how hard this must be for her. She had only been thinking of herself, how her life would be different, how hard it was her. She had never once stopped to consider what Kim might be putting herself into, what Kim was sacrificing by keeping her secret.
It shouldn't have to be this way, it shouldn't have to come down to either or. Kerry loved her job, for the past five years County had been her life, but she realized now that she had been hiding, hiding in her work, hiding from what had been haunting her for her whole life. Hiding from love.
Kim had made her happy, happier than she could ever remember being. She didn't have to hide when she was with Kim, she could finally be open, and true. She didn't have to pretend that she was something she was not, that she was perfect. She had never been in love before, she had tried, but it wasn't love. It was trying to forget what she really felt; it was trying to pretend that a man was what she wanted. It was why she had gotten divorced; she was sick of pretending that she loved him, sick of pretending she could be what he wanted her to be.
Everything was different now; it had been different for quite some time, ever since Kim opened her eyes. Ever since Kim helped her see what was true, what was real, ever since Kim had showed her what love was really about. Acceptance, patience, sacrifices. Maybe it was about time that Kerry gave something back. Stopped taking, and started giving.
"Kerry, do you have anything to say on behalf of Doctor Legaspi?"
It would have been easy to say no, looked away and gone back into hiding. Gone back to pretending that Kim was just a casual friend, a co-worker, but that was not the way it was. Kim was more than that. She was so much more than that.
"Actually, Robert. I do"
She looked over at Kim, and tried to force a smile. It was harder than she expected it to be, but she knew she had to do it. If there was supposed to be any chance that she might not loose Kim, she would have to stand up now, no matter how petrified she was, because she was. She was terrified to the depth of her bones.
"Yes, Dr. Weaver... We're waiting..."
She took a deep breath, calmed down and began what she knew might possibly change everything.
"Dr. Legaspi isn't capable of those things you are accusing her of. When she tells me that nothing happened with that girl, I believe her. Why? Because I believe in her; she is an amazing doctor, and that girl was confused. Dr. Legaspi was trying to help."
She could feel the confidence coming over her. It was about time she stood up to Robert and his homophobic attitude anyway.
"Dr. Legaspi is not only a great doctor, she is a great human being, and I am proud to call her…"
She stopped, looked at Kim, smiled, and knowing she was ready. Kim smiled back for the first time that day; Kerry could see some hope in her eyes, some hope for the future.
"Call her what, ? Your friend, your coworker?"
"My girlfriend, Robert."
Kim grabbed Kerry's hand, and Kerry could feel her squeezing it. Somehow it was the best feeling she had ever felt. It felt secure.
"Yeah, that's right. Dr. Legaspi and I happen to be in a relationship, and the truth is that I love her. So, I am telling you to back off because if you are following through on this, and making this a bigger deal than what it is, because Kim is lesbian, I am telling you, Robert, I will tell this to anyone who wants to listen, especially the news. And if that's what happens, I am sure that it won't be Dr. Legaspi that is out of a job."
Kerry took a deep breath, there it was. She was out; at least to Romano. But she didn't care, she seriously didn't care. She wasn't even sure what she was afraid of anymore. Just feeling Kim's hand in her own, she knew everything was going to be alright.