"What that, Clem?" 16-year-old Clementine St. James' 2-year-old nephew Jesse asked, pointing out the window.
"That's a bird, Jesse," Clementine couldn't help but laugh.
She was babysitting Jesse while her older sister Olive, Jesse's mother, was at the doctor with his twin sister Maya, David, Olive's husband and the twins' father, was at work.
Jesse was named for Olive and Clementine's father, and Maya was named for their half-sister, Maya Hummel-Anderson Leonard, who had been the twins' surrogate mother. Maya had been conceived with the egg donation and surrogacy of Olive and Clementine's mother, Rachel, who was good friends with Maya's dads Kurt and Blaine. Rachel had been conceived with the egg donation and surrogacy of a woman named Shelby Corcoran and had two fathers herself.
"Tweet tweet!" Jesse replied enthusiastically.
"That's right," Clementine laughed again.
"Mommy coming back soon?" Jesse asked.
"Yes - she'll be back with Maya after the doctor is done looking at her ears," Clementine assured the toddler.
"Maya take my toy from me!" Jesse lamented, randomly moving onto a new subject, like always.
"She did? That's not nice! What did you say to her?"
"I say 'give that back Maya!' And she laugh at me and run away!" Jesse replied.
Clementine stifled a laugh.
"Then what happened?" Clementine asked.
"Daddy give me my toy back and Maya get mad," Jesse giggled.
"Well I'm sure glad you got it back," Clementine said.
The garage door opened, and Olive entered holding Maya.
"Mommy!" Jesse ran to Olive and wrapped his arms around her leg.
"Hey, buddy!" Olive greeted. "Maya, will you let Auntie Clem hold you so I can give your brother a hug?"
Maya frowned but reached out for Clementine.
"She's got a double ear infection," Olive explained to Clementine. "David's going to pick up the antibiotics after work and I think Grandma and Grandpa have some children's Tylenol around here. Jesse, were you good for your aunt?"
Jesse nodded and Olive looked to Clementine for confirmation.
"He was an angel," Clementine said.
"Interesting how that works," Olive said, remembering how Jesse had hid David's car keys that morning.
Clementine laughed. "Maya, should we get you your Tylenol? It'll make your ears feel better."
"That's a great idea! And then I think Grandma Rachel made some cookies. She and Grandpa Jesse will be happy to see you guys after their rehearsal," Olive said.
"I'm no Grandpa Jesse!" Jesse laughed.
"No, but you have a Grandpa Jesse. He's…the reason we named you Jesse," Olive said, realizing explaining the concept of namesakes to a toddler was pointless. He and Maya referred to her parents, and David's, as simply Grandma and Grandpa, so the thought of them having actual names probably was ridiculous.
On Monday, Clementine made her way to math class, butterflies fluttering away in her stomach.
She did have a test today, but that wasn't why the butterflies were there. They were there because of Clementine's seatmate, Ava.
Clementine had known Ava since kindergarten - they attended a private all-girls K-12 school. They had been "school friends" for a while - as in, they didn't hang out outside of school, but would sit together at lunch and talk during work time in class.
Ava had also helped confirm something Clementine had been…wondering about herself for a while. She was happy with the person that she was and while she hadn't told her parents or sisters yet, she knew they would be supportive - after all, she wouldn't be the first person in the family to make this…announcement about themselves, for lack of a better word. She just didn't know when or how to tell them.
Ava had recently made the same revelation about herself - Clementine had been the second person she told - after her twin brother. Her parents were not so supportive as Rachel and Jesse would be, but it sounded like she was getting ready to tell them and she was feeling…okay about it, especially since her brother was supportive from the get go.
Clementine took her spot next to Ava, and the girls talked about their classes for a while. Eventually, Mrs. Simon called for everybody's attention and the test started.
After school, before heading for her car, Clementine found Ava.
"Hey, Ava!" Clementine called.
Ava looked up from her phone.
"Hey, Clem," she smiled. God, that smile. Clementine was fighting the urge to melt right there.
"Umm…remember what you told me recently about yourself?" Clementine asked.
"About me being a lesbian?" Ava asked.
"Yes, exactly," Clementine replied. She was comfortable with her sexual orientation, but at the same time had yet to say (or even write it down). She knew being able to do that would help her tell her family more easily, but again, she just didn't know how to go about it.
"What about it?" Ava asked. Clementine swallowed.
"Umm…I'm really proud of you for telling me and your brother. Congratulations!" Clementine said.
"Thanks," Ava smiled. "Speaking of my brother - I have to go pick him up from Dearing. Can't wait until his car gets out of the shop!" She groaned.
Clementine laughed.
"Have a good night, Clem," Ava put her hand on Clementine's shoulder - something she'd never done before. Clementine got a warm fuzzy feeling all over.
"You too," she replied, before heading for her car.
That evening, Clementine was laying on her bed and crying tears of relief.
She had finally done it. She kept reading the words on the journal page in front of her over and over again.
"My name is Clementine Jessica St. James and I am a lesbian."
Now, it was time to tell Mom and Dad.
Clementine went down the stairs and found her parents sitting in the family room watching TV.
"Mom? Dad?" Clementine asked.
Rachel and Jesse looked up.
"What's wrong, hon? Have you been crying?" Jesse asked.
"Yes…but I'm not sad. Um…for a while now I've known something about myself that I haven't told you guys or Olive or Maya or any of my friends but I'm ready. Mom, Dad…I'm gay," Clementine stood there for a moment. Rachel and Jesse looked at each other then both stood up.
Rachel wrapped Clementine up in a hug.
"Oh, Clemmy. We were waiting for you to say something!" Rachel finally said.
"You knew?" Clementine asked.
"Yes," Jesse replied, also giving his daughter a hug.
"How?" Clementine asked.
"Well…you never had an interest in boys, and I mean, just because a preteen or teen girl doesn't show an interest in boys doesn't mean she won't eventually but with you…the way you talked about certain female celebrities or even some of your friends was what made me wonder. I didn't want to bring it up though - Dad and I never want to make you girls talk about things before you're ready - especially with something as personal as that. I believe someone should reveal that information if and when they're ready," Rachel said.
"How do you feel?" Jesse asked, putting an arm around Clementine.
"Happy, relieved. I'm going to tell Olive and Maya tomorrow I think," Clementine said.
"Okay. We're here for you, honey - I hope you know that," Rachel said. "And…I just want you to remember never to settle for someone just because. You deserve a partner as loving and supportive as Maya has found in Jeff and Olive has found in David - or that I have found in your dad," she looked at Jesse who squeezed her hand and smiled.
"Thanks, Mom, but I think I already found her," Clementine said.
Jesse and Rachel looked at each other again.
"Really? Wow, okay," Jesse said.
"Would you like to invite her over for dinner sometime?" Rachel asked. "Or would it be too soon?"
"I mean, I would love to. It's just that…it sounds like her parents aren't quite as supportive as you guys are…or won't be, she hasn't told them yet. So maybe I could just invite her over as a friend and she could meet you guys and Olive and Maya and maybe Jeff and David and the twins and it could just be…super chill," Clementine said.
"Okay. Why don't you ask her tomorrow if Friday evening works?" Rachel asked.
"Okay!" Clementine replied. The butterflies were back again.