It had been a week since Erin had come out to Jamie.

Whilst, she felt so much weight off of her chest with him knowing, Erin had so much anxiety towards telling the rest of the family. However, she couldn't keep living like she had something to hide, almost as if she was living a lie. She was so over not being able to just freely be herself, love without the fear of what the people closest to her will think or do. But still, she was just plain terrified.

Erin was now sitting on the couch in her apartment, attempting to chill out with a glass of wine after work, yet she can't help but contemplate how the hell she's going to tell her family that she's gay.

She didn't want some big gesture.

She didn't want it to be this huge deal, even though it obviously would be.

I wish we lived in a world where we didn't have to come out, Erin thought.

Maybe I won't plan it.

I'll just say it.

Yeah, I'll just rip it off like a lesbian band-aid.

She smiled. This was really happening. She was ready to be out and proud. She was ready to be herself.

Just as Erin thought these things, she heard a knock on her door.

"It's 9pm, what the fuck is someone doing knocking at my door at this hour?" Erin whispered under her breath.

Cautiously, she made her was to the door and opened it.

Oh my god!

"SURPRISE MOM!" Nicky sung, excitedly. It had been 15 months since she had left to live and work in San Francisco. She was loving it, but Nicky would be lying to herself if she said she didn't miss New York and her family. The family who she had seen once a week for dinner at the minimum since the day she was born. It was strange.

"Nicky?! Oh my God, what are you doing here?" Erin grinned, tears forming in her eyes as she pulled her daughter into the apartment and hugged her tightly, but lovingly.

"Do I really need an excuse to come and see my Mom? Kidding. I haven't used my two weeks annual leave and I have a month to use it so I figured I'd surprise you, so I hope you don't mind me crashing here for the next two weeks. If not, it's fine. I can go stay with Uncle Danny and Maria, or Uncle Jamie," She rambled.

Erin softened. Nicky really thought there would be any chance that she wouldn't let her daughter stay with her.

"Nic, shhhh. Of course, you can stay here. You'll always have a room here, my girl."

Nicky, let out a soft sigh. Thank goodness.

The pair spent the next hour or so catching up on each other's lives. Of course, they'd facetime quite frequently, but they didn't always have the chance to have a long, meaningful conversation.

No time like the present, I guess.

And just like that, Erin was about to tell her daughter.

"Nicky, there's actually something I did want to talk to you about. Well more tell you actually," she started.

She raised a brow, "Mom? Is everything okay? You're not sick or anything are you?"

"Oh, baby. No! I'm not sick. It's nothing life threatening, I promise. Okay, maybe life changing, but no it's nothing like that," Erin quickly breathed.

"Oh good."

Well, here goes nothing. "Actually, um…. I say life changing, but really, nothing is changing. It's just me finally being able to be myself. Nicky, I'm gay. Well, lesbian. I know it's kind of late in life, but-"

Erin was cut off when she was enveloped into a supportive hug. And, that when the tears started.

"Mom, I love you. Thank you for telling me, I'll be here to support you no matter what."

Honestly, this news didn't come as a huge shock to Nicky. Looking back now, Erin hadn't really had much interest in other men since she left Jack.

They hugged each other tightly, both happily crying. They stayed like this for a fair while, until they both decided to head off to sleep for the night.

As each day went by, Erin only got more nervous. Of course, she had her beautiful daughter, and her wonderful little brother to help her through it, but it was still hard. Whilst, they may be able to listen and support her, they couldn't fully understand what she was going through.

Eddie, current time.

She didn't want to make a big deal out of coming out. Obviously, it is a big deal to show the world who you really are, but she didn't want it to be some huge gesture.

At the end of the day, she didn't really care what everyone else thought or how they would react, because that's on them. Her mother, Lena, knows. Most of her relatives that she's on speaking terms with know. Her work partner, and best friend know. They are the only people that really matter, if she's really being honest.

Pulling her phone off the side-table, as she was sat on her couch, she opened Instagram.

Stuff it, Eddie thought.

She went through her gallery, finding a photo from last years' pride march, where her and Jamie were patrolling that day. It was a nice photo of her that Jamie had taken. She was in her uniform, wearing in rainbow embroidered bracelet, with an amazing amount of pride flags in the background as people walked in the parade.

I put the bi in bad bitch [pride flag emoji, along with a blue, pink, and purple heart emoji], she captioned it.

So much weight was off of her chest. It was as if she had exhaled an excessive amount of air that she didn't even realise she was holding in.

Hey everyone! I'm so sorry for not updating for basically 3 months. Anyways, this was really just a little filler to set the scene. I'm already working on the next couple chapters so hopefully I've have those out soon! – nel