Allison comes out to her mother. This one is important to me, I'm writing the mother I needed when I came out.
"I-I-I… I just… Sh-She's my best friend, Mom." Allison says between sobs. I nod and pull her closer. We are both waiting to hear from the doctors about whether or not Lucinda is going to be okay. Henry hasn't gotten here yet either, and neither has Lucinda's parents, of course they have to get here from Michigan. I should try to text Henry again, but I can't get to my phone with Allison half on my lap.
"Mama?" Allison looks up at me fear written all over her face. She hesitates.
"Yeah, Noodle?" I prod. I feel like she has something important to say.
"What… What do I do if she dies?" She whispers it, like she doesn't want the universe to hear her and make it happen. I look at her, thinking for a moment.
"You will be sad" I settle on. "But I'd be here for you, and so would dad." She nods.
"I love her mom." I barely hear her she says it so quietly, yet so sincerely. Then she cries, quiet desperate sobs. I pull her in once again and just hold her. This admission is not a shock to me. She was four the first time I suspected she might not be straight. She was playing wedding with her Barbie's and when I asked who the groom was, she looked at me like I was insane. "Just two brides, mommy" she told me. I nodded and told her that was really cool. The second time, was when she was seven we were all watching Camp Rock, and she couldn't stop commenting on how pretty Demi Lovato looked. She started to hide it more when she entered middle school, the hate of the world had gotten to her. One night at dinner with Henry's family, she made a very impassioned argument for the legalization of gay marriage in the US. I had to step in and make an equally impassioned argument, so Pat or Maureen didn't say anything to hurt her and stuff her so far in the closet she'd never come out. That was the night that Henry finally caught on, to what I had already known.
Henry and I have been waiting for the moment that she became comfortable enough with herself to tell us. We both have made sure to make our home safe for everyone, but especially the LGBT+ community. We have made sure to fly pride flags in June, and donate to the Trevor project. We dragged all of our kids to rallies to get same-sex marriage legalized under the guise of civil liberties as to not make Allison uncomfortable. And not too long ago, I took Allison down to the Supreme Court to watch as they delivered the decision on Obergerfell. On our way back to Georgetown, she hugged me so tight on the way home, and I thought that might be the day, but it wasn't.
I wish this was happening another way. A way where her girlfriend wasn't, possibly dying in the Emergency Room being worked on by doctors.
I hear fast and heavy footsteps, which I know as Henry's panicked stride. We he sees us sitting on the couch he takes a breath. "Hey, noodle." He says as he walks over and sits on the opposite side of her.
"Do you have any news?"
"Not yet" I shake my head. I feel Allison's grip get tighter if that's even possible. I want so badly to be able to take everything she is going through away from her right now. I would feel every negative emotion she has a thousand times worse and a million times over if it meant she wouldn't be in pain. Henry puts his arm around us both, trying to keep me steady to comfort Allie.
We just sit like that for a long while. Silently hoping, Henry definitely praying. After about two hours, Lucinda's parents come out of her room. They let us know that she's alive and will recover. They thank Allison for calling 911. And just like that it's time to leave the Hospital.
In the motorcade on the way home as she sits between her father and I, she says the words.
"Mom, Dad… I'm gay, and Lucinda is my girlfriend."
I don't hesitate to put my arm around her, and neither does Henry as our arms meet behind our youngest daughter.
"I love you so much, Allie." I tell her.
"Thanks for telling us" Henry adds.
Once again, the car goes silent, but Allison finally relaxes against her dad's side and I know that she will find the strength to face the world once again.