A/N: OMG you guys thanks bunches for all the reviews!!! It means so much to me. Ok so I have a question for all you awesome people, the next two chapters in the original project are about Juliet and Lily, my OCs from my other RENTfic "Even Angels Fall." You wouldn't have to read the fic but I'm still debating whether to post them or just move on to the others. So I'm leaving it up to you guys. Let me know ok? Cool! Here's Joanne, she's not mine. Neither is the poem. We knew this yes?

Joanne Jefferson, 30, Attorney

Joanne is one of those capable, self reliant types that keeps to herself but is still sweeter than pie. When I come into her study to meet her she's sitting in her giant swivel chair with her hands folded and a genial smile on her face. I feel like I've just walked into the office of one of those very disarming young psychologists I one day hope to emulate.

"Hey, Olivia, right on time," she smiles.

"I know how much you appreciate punctuality, Joanne," I tease, taking a seat.

On a small table there's a teapot and two mugs, honey and milk. Joanne pours a cup for me and for herself.

"You'll have to forgive me, I'm an addict," she jokes and I laugh, promptly pouring a whopping portion of honey into the tea. She sits down with a brisk, prepared sigh.

"So…" she begins nervously, running half a hand through her tiny spiraling curls.

"So," I reply.

"So I really have to read it, huh?"

I laugh.

"Yes, you really have to read it. Don't worry, if Benny can do this you can too I'll wager."

"Ah ha, don't be so sure. Okay…Here we go. This is a poem by a Greek poetess called Sappho and it's called 'To Aphrodite.'

IMMORTAL on thy many-splendoured throne
Hear, Aphrodite Queen, that art
Zeus' witching daughter; and with pain and moan
Break not my heart!

But come, if ever thou hast caught of old
My distant cry and heard my plea,
And left thy father's palaces of gold
To visit me;

And yoked thy chariot, and from heaven forth
Driven thy sparrows fleet and fair
With whirr of wings above the swarthy earth
Through middle air.

How fast they came! Then, Blessed One, didst thou
With lips divinely smiling ask:
'What new mischance is come upon thee now?
Unto what task

'Have I been called? what is the dearest aim
Of thy mad heart? who is to be
Persuaded to thy passion? Sappho, name
Thine enemy!

'For whoso flies thee now shall soon pursue;
Who spurns thy gifts shall give anon;
And whoso loves thee not, whate'er she do,
Shall love thee soon.'

Ah, come then, and release me from alarms
That crush me: all I long to see
Fulfilled, fulfil! A very mate-in-arms
Be thou to me."

She rushes uncertainly through the reading and trips over the word 'whate'er.' But she gives such a sigh of relief once she finishes that I don't have the heart to ask her to read it again.

"Sorry, she shrugs bashfully. "I'm no good with public speaking unless it's in front of a judge."

"No big you did great. Okay first question, how did this poem find you?"

She leans back into her soft chair, visibly relaxing, resting against its arms.

"The first time I read this poem I was in the eighth grade so I was thirteen." She looks up at the ceiling, trying to recall. "I was doing this mega project for my social studies class on women in ancient Greece. I wrote about how they weren't aloud to compete in the Olympics and how many children they were expected to have and how many of their husbands were secretly gay and blah blah blah. And I was supposed to have a section on the arts. Well women couldn't flourish there either unless you count posing naked while being optically devoured at by male artists so I was kind of screwed."

"A feminist even then huh?" I laugh.

"Ugh, the opposite sex has always been repellent to me," she answers dismissively as though she knows every woman truly feels this way. "Anyway, I was a little jammed until I found an article in an encyclopedia about Sappho who was like the only famous female poet in Greek history. She was bisexual, which was an absolutely scandalous delight to little junior high goody two shoes me. She had committed suicide by jumping off the cliff of a mountain and of all the poems she wrote only a few full ones remain. This is one obviously but the rest are just little scraps belonging to larger poems which no one has discovered. I thought the idea of that was really mysterious and beautiful. And as for the surviving poetry, I was really amazed by the staying power of it. Like this was written in the seventh century b.c. and we're sitting here today hundreds and hundreds of years later talking about it. Even then the idea of being immortal in that way was an incredible thing to me."

I nod deeply. She's given this more thought than I would have expected.

"Okay. So I'm wondering, why this poem in particular?"

She drums her fingers on the armrest thinking about it.

"I think it became more specifically this poem when Sappho made her reprise in my life when I was in my last year at Harvard. That was the first time I had ever been with a woman romantically. I'll never forget, her name was Aphrodite Kinestakis and she was my roommate."

"How convenient!"

"Yeah I know, stroke of luck right? Anyway, I'd known for a while that I was gay, at least since my senior year in high school, but I'd never acted on it. I was so terrified of coming out you can't even imagine."

It's true. I really can't imagine Joanne being terrified of anything except maybe admitting she's terrified. She always seemed so open, so flippant about who she is I would have thought it was an easy transition for her.

"It wasn't so much my parents. That's what a lot of people think. They're big libs so I wasn't worried about being disowned or anything horrible like that. It was more about….the rest of the world I guess. I had always known I would have to work even harder than average to get where I wanted to be both as a woman and an African American.—I don't care what anyone says, racism and sexism are still alive in this country."

She says it forcefully, as though I would challenge her on it.

"But now I was a lesbian too? I mean, I didn't know what to do. So I hid for many years thinking it would just go away. Denial is such a wonderful thing isn't it?"

She sighs to herself. When she continues, her voice is softer, almost wistful.

"But when I met Aphrodite everything changed. I'd never loved anyone so much. She was just what I needed; an absolute beauty but with the drive of a bull. She opened up a whole new world for me. She was so patient and loving, never pushed. When I was with her I felt safe."

I can't help feeling shocked at the way Joanne's describing this girl. I've seen Maureen talk about her exes in front of Joanne and pine over nearly everything that moves. I always secretly felt that Joanne deserved much better. But listening to her talk it's almost like a secret revenge, a mental adultery to a better point in her life. Maybe this is why she'll never leave Maureen.

"Anyway," Joanne continues. "During the spring of that year her birthday came up. I wanted to do something special for her. When I asked her what she wanted she said, 'I want you to make yourself happy.' I insisted I was. She said, 'What's the one thing you really want? It would make me happy on my birthday if you got what you really wanted.' Well there was only one thing in the world I really wanted and that was to come out totally. I wanted to tell the world I'd fallen in love, but mostly I wanted to tell Aphrodite. So I went and found this poem and while we were alone that night I let her read it. I still remember how the lamplight looked across her face. And the shadows on the walls as we sat there together. She started to cry and told me that she loved me. When I left I was absolutely flying. I felt like I could take down the moon. So I went straight to a payphone and called my dad and I just told him. He said I was his little girl forever, no matter what. I'm grateful every day for that kind acceptance."

She sighs happily, remembering as though it happened yesterday.

"So why do you love this poem?" I ask.

"I love this poem because when I read it I'm reminded of that time in my life. I think of that year as being when I really discovered myself. I read it when I get down sometimes to clarify my focus and rejuvenate me. Sometimes with Maureen I need a lot of rejuvenation."

I burst out laughing and she groans good naturedly.

"What happened to Aphrodite?" I ask.

"We broke up after college," she replies evenly. "She was over in Europe and the distance just got to us, but it was a mutual decision. We still have a really solid friendship. We call each other when ever we need to be reassured the world isn't totally insane."

"It's nice you can laugh not all relationships end so well." I hope there isn't too much cynicism in how I say this. I guess there isn't because she just nods with an understanding smile.

"What's that thing you always say? 'There are more forms of love than moments in time.' Sometimes the love and the moment just meld. That's how that whole year was for me."

"Measure your life in love, right?"

"Exactly."

♀♀♀