Chapter 24
Victor came home later that night tired, cranky, and ready to sleep. He shuffled into the kitchen and found Tanya sitting at the table going over this month's bills. "Oh man, my day was a nightmare. Are there no quality waitresses in the world anymore?"
Tanya angled her head in Victor's direction, but her eyes never left the checkbook. "Bad day?"
"The worst day of my life. I fired Brittney because she was rude to the customers and we were getting complaints. Now, I think I'd beg Brittney to come back if I knew where she was. Sarah, the new waitress is just fine with the customers…when she's not breaking dishes and mixing up the orders."
"I'm sorry Victor." Tanya mumbled and Victor sat across from her at the table.
"Yeah well…" Victor sighed. There was nothing he could do about it now. "So, how's Rae doing?"
This time, Tanya looked up from the checkbook and Victor had a sinking feeling that some bad news was coming his way. "Well…something happened today."
"What? What is it? Did something happen at school?" Victor asked quickly, panicking.
"No." Tanya shook her head slowly. "It's about Chelsea. Raven and Chelsea are a couple again."
"What? When did this happen?"
"Today. Chelsea wrote Raven a very lovely letter, apologizing for hurting our daughter and promising never to do it again."
"And that makes it all okay? One letter?" Victor said, a little shocked that he was so angry at Chelsea.
"No. There was other stuff."
"Like what?"
"Well, Raven told me that Chelsea made her a few c.d.'s, sent over some rather large bouquets of flowers, a box of candy, and wrote quite a few apology letters, including the one today."
Victor frowned, losing himself in thought.
"And then there's the sky message--"
"What?" Victor nearly shouted in surprise. Chelsea had really gone over the top.
Tanya sighed,resting her chin on her hand. "Raven thinks Chelsea changed. That she won't hurt her again."
"What do you think?"
"I…I think Chelsea deserves another chance. That's not easy for me to say, because she hurt our baby, but she's really making an effort Victor. And I think she really can change." Tanya said, getting up and gathering all of the bills. She walked over to the drawer they kept that stuff in and put all the paper away.
Victor exhaled deeply, leaning back against the chair and rubbing his face with his hands. This was all happening so quickly…suddenly, he wished he was back at work with the horrible waitress. Broken glass he could clean up, this whole situation was one hell of a mess.
"What's on your mind?" Tanya inquired, tired of just watching Victor rub his face.
Victor shrugged. He was tired and upset from before, now he felt even worse. He didn't need this right now.
So, he snapped.
"I don't know. I don't know what to do with this whole thing. I didn't like it from the start. Raven and Chelsea going out…It's just wrong--"
"Victor calm down--"
"What happened to Raven? Where did she go? Where did our baby go? She's gone Tanya. And she left this stranger in her place."
"Victor--"
"I was never okay with Raven dating boys. What father is? But girls Tanya? Girls! When did that happen? All of a sudden our daughter's a lesbian? It's not right."
"Victor--" Tanya warned a little louder, but it didn't stop his rant.
Victor stood up, beginning to pace. "No. It's not right and it's not natural. And God forgive me for saying this, but I was relieved when Chelsea broke it off."
Tanya looked at her husband as if he were a lunatic. Where was all of this coming from? She was about to grab him and shake him when a very loud voice sounded off from behind her.
"So, is that what you think of me?"
Victor stopped his rant and Tanya turned around to see a very hurt Raven standing in the kitchen doorway. Raven hustled in to the kitchen, stopping just a few feet of her parents.
"Rae, sweetie--" Victor began but Raven cut him off.
"You think it's wrong? Unnatural? What about me being happy dad? Remember when you said you wanted me to be happy?"
"Try to understand--"
"Understand what? That my father would rather see me miserable if it meant not being a lesbian?" Tears burned Raven's eyes. How could her own parent think this way?
"No!" Victor shouted, shaking his head. "It's just so sudden! How could you possibly go from liking guys to liking girls in a matter of months!"
"One girl dad. One. Chelsea. She is the only girl that I'll ever love."
"Okay, I think we all need to just calm down here." Tanya said, but nobody listened.
"You can't love Chelsea. You're young, you don't know what love is yet."
"I do know."
"No you don't. Love…love grows over time, it doesn't just pop out of nowhere--"
"It didn't! I have loved Chelsea for quite some time now! I was in love with her before she knew she was in love with me. I know love. It's hard and it hurts and you think it'll kill you, but then you realize how wonderful and special it is, and how happy you are to show it. It takes time and patience and you have to work at it, but it's all worth it. I know what love is. Don't tell me I don't."
Both Victor and Tanya stared at Raven as hot tears coursed down her cheeks.
"How could you do this to me?"
"Raven, I--"
"You said you'd accept it! You said you would try…where did all that go?"
"Raven, please, calm down. You too Victor." Tanya pleaded to no avail.
"I am trying! You-you think it's easy for me? Easy for your mother?"
"Leave me out of this."
Raven sighed, wiping her tears. "I-I know it isn't easy for you, but do you think it's easy for me? Huh? Having to deal with all of this? There's you…Mr. and Mrs. Daniels, the whole school and everyone else in San Francisco. And later on, wherever we go, there are going to be people who think it's 'wrong and unnatural.' All you and Mom have to do is be there for me Daddy. Me and Chelsea have to go through everything else."
Tanya looked at Victor who seemed to be battling within himself. Victor looked at Raven but didn't say anything. Raven sighed, biting her lip and shaking her head.
"If you can't accept me for who I am…" Raven didn't know how to finish the sentence, because she didn't know what she would do if her father couldn't get over this.
Tanya put a comforting hand on Raven's shoulder, but she shrugged it off. Then, she stormed out of the kitchen. Tanya turned to Victor. "What in God's name were you thinking?"
"I don't know."
"You're tired Victor. Go to bed." Tanya said shortly and then walked out of the kitchen.
"Ta-Tanya. Tanya wait." Victor called to her, but she didn't turn around. Sitting back down and putting his face in his hands, Victor cursed himself over and over again. Why couldn't he accept it? He didn't know, but seeing the pain in his daughter's eyes was enough to make him think about it.
Tanya gently knocked on Raven's bedroom door. "Rae, sweetie, can I come in?"
A muffled "yeah" came from the inside and Tanya opened the door. Raven was sitting Indian-style on her bed, hugging a pillow. She wasn't crying, but she looked heart-breakingly sad. Tanya cautiously made her way to Raven's bed and sat down on the edge by her daughter, smiling a little and pushing a stray hair out of Raven's eyes.
"How are you doing?"
"Not so good."
"Yeah." Tanya exhaled. After a beat she said, "Your father had a rough day at work. He was tired. I don't think he knew exactly what he was saying."
"Yes he did. He thought all those things from the start. He just couldn't hold them in anymore."
"Give your dad some time Raven. It's hard for him. Harder than it is for me."
"Do you think that way too? You think it's 'unnatural?'"
"No honey. But your father and I are different people."
Raven nodded, understanding. "I just…want him to see things like I see them."
"I'm sure your father wants to. And he will honey. We just have to give him some time, that's all."
Raven sighed and nodded. She didn't expect her parents to be okay with it all of a sudden, but she certainly didn't know her father felt like that. It shocked and hurt her. Why did things have to go bad the second she thought things were looking up? She tossed the pillow aside and hugged her mother. "Thanks Mom."
"Anytime baby girl. Don't worry, it'll all be okay."
"I hope so."
They broke apart and Tanya stood up. "Well, it's late. You should try to get some sleep."
"All right. Night."
Tanya kissed Raven on the forehead and said, "Good night" before leaving. Raven lay down on her bed and closed her eyes, blowing out tense, nervous air.
"Why can't I have just one day of happiness? Just one day?"
Suddenly, the phone rang.
Rolling her eyes, sitting up and grabbing the phone, Raven sighed loudly before saying, "Hello?"
"Raven." It was Chelsea.
Raven felt her heart swell as she sat back down on the bed. "Oh hey. What's going on?"
"Nothing much. I just wanted to call you."
"Oh."
"Something wrong?" Chelsea asked, trying to sound concerned, but Raven could tell she was afraid of Raven having second thoughts.
"It's just…nothing. Never mind." Raven knew the last thing Chelsea needed was to know that Victor didn't want them together from the start.
"You know you can tell me anything."
"I know. It's just a small problem, nothing I can't handle. You don't have to worry about it."
"Are you sure?"
Raven smiled a little. "I'm sure."
There was silence on the other end; Raven figured Chelsea was probably debating whether she should keep asking or move on.
She chose to move on. "So, I was thinking we could go out tomorrow, my treat."
"Oh really? Where to?"
"You pick. Anything you want."
"Hmm…I'll have to think about it."
"Well, no rush. Whatever you want to do is fine."
"I think I just want to spend some time alone with you."
"I'm up for that." Chelsea replied with a hint of mischief in her voice. "But where?"
"Well, Mom has a study group and Dad's working overtime at the restaurant, so they won't be home for a while. And I think I can get Cory over to William's house…for the right price. That means I'll be all alone in this big ole house for most of the night."
"Really?"
"All alone…"
"How--"
"All night."
"Convenient."
"Yes it is."
"What time should I be there?"
"Oh, I dunno…eight?"
"Eight it is."
"Great."
Raven waited a beat before saying, "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow night then."
"Yeah."
"Good night."
"Night Rae. I love you."
Raven closed her eyes, grinning. "I love you too."
"Good night."
"Night." Then, Raven hung up.