softly responded as he remembered back to those nights many years ago.
"Remember how those dates used to end with us in your backseat?" Barb winked at Lee.
"Look at where it got us." Lee responded with anger in his voice. "Now we have a daughter that doesn't respect us." "Are you saying that our child is a mistake?"
"No, not at all. She just needs to learn to respect me again." Lee told his wife. "She used to tell me everything. Now, she barely talks to me."
Barb reached over and held Lee's hand. "Maybe if you start respecting her, she'd respect you again."
Lee pulled his hand away from his wife. "Maybe you should be more strict with her! If both of us were strict, she wouldn't be acting like this!" he said accusingly.
"She's not a child!" Barb shouted as she stood up fast from the table, and left the room.
Lee continued to drink his coffee as if nothing was wrong. Oblivious to how much he just hurt his daughter's or his wife's feelings.
Mandy rushed over to the coffee shop where Alex works at. She went in, and rushed over to the front counter. Her eyes all puffy and red from crying. She noticed Alex was in the process of opening a bag of coffee to put into a coffee maker. "Alex, when is your break time?"
Alex set down a bag of coffee she was about to put into the coffee maker and turned around. "Oh, hello Mandy." She didn't notice her girlfriend had come in. She then realized Mandy was very upset about something. "What's wrong?" she asked with concern.
"I really need to have a talk with you." Mandy told Alex while sniffling.
Alex got a little nervous. Was Mandy about to break up with her? She thought last night went so well. She looked around the coffee shop, and it wasn't that busy at the moment.
"I'm taking my break now." Alex told the other lady at the counter. She took off her apron, and walked out from behind the counter, and ordered two coffees for them. "Let's go outside."
The two walked out and took a seat on the outdoor patio. They found a table in the corner that was far away from everyone else that was out there, so they could have a little privacy.
Mandy sniffled. "My father found out about me having sex last night."
Alex was taken a sip of her coffee and looked up at Mandy. "How did he find out?"
Mandy cried harder. "He forced me to tell him! Alex, he scares me!" She was trembling so badly that she was having a difficult time trying to drink her coffee.
Alex sat back in her chair. "Did you tell him about us? The fact we're two women?"
Mandy shook her head. "No, I didn't. He was so angry with the fact that I had sex with someone who he believes is a man...that he smacked me across the face."
Alex's jaw hit the table. "He did what to you?" she asked in disbelief.
Mandy nodded. "He smacked me. Hard."
Alex leaned over and wiped tears from Mandy's eyes with a napkin. "Things will get better. Just take life day by day." she tried to reassure her girlfriend.
"He smacked me when he found out I had sex with who he assumes is a man." Mandy stated again. "Which, I didn't. I just couldn't tell him about us. The fact that we're two women. Who knows what he'll do!"
"What exactly has he said about gay people?" Alex inquired. "He believes that all gay people should be sent away and tortured."
"Tortured? In what way?" Alex was shocked.
"He's a strong believer in Conversion Therapy, electroshock therapy. He is also a strong believer that gay people shouldn't have been rescued during the Holocaust. Just a few examples." she cried even harder. "I can't tell him! I just can't! Who knows what he'll do to me!"
Alex could see this was really bothering her girlfriend. "He wouldn't do that to his child." A brief silence came between them for a moment. "Would he?"
Mandy looked up and stared into Alex's eyes. "He would." "If he truly loves you, he wouldn't put his child through something as horrific as that."
"You don't know my father." Mandy said. "His beliefs are stronger than his love for his own child."
Alex reached over and grabbed her girlfriend's hands. "If he truly loves you, he wouldn't do that to you."
Mandy wiped tears away from her eyes. She felt trapped. "I don't know what to do. I can't hide this forever."
"There's only one thing you need to do. Come out."
Mandy got overwhelmed with anxiety. She began sweating and shaking. "I can't."
"Yes, you can." Alex assured her girlfriend. "What's the worse that can happen? He disowns you? If he is willing to disown his child just because of who she is, then maybe he shouldn't be in your life. I'm just saying."
Alex got up from her chair and put her arms around Mandy hugging her tightly. "You'll be fine. Meet me at my place at 12:30."
Mandy got up from her chair and hugged her girlfriend back. "I'll be there."
Chapter 3
Early that afternoon, Mandy arrived at Alex's house. She sat in her car for a few minutes, looking in the mirror under her visor making sure her hair was perfect. She got out of her car and headed for the barn. Mandy was halfway to the barn when Alex yelled over to her.
"Where are you going?" Alex yelled from the driveway.
Mandy turned around slowly. She wasn't expecting her girlfriend to be behind her. Usually, Alex would be waiting in the barn for her. "What is going on?" she asked her girlfriend. "Aren't we going to meet in here like we always do?"
Alex shook her head and laughed. "Silly! We're going inside today." She motioned for Mandy to come.
Mandy's eyes got wide. What was going on? She wondered. She knew Alex's parents were home. Their vehicles were in the driveway. She did have a slight suspicion that she was about to come out to Alex's parents.
The two young women walked inside, and Alex's parents were already sitting at the dining room table in the other room. Lunch was on the table with an extra setting for Mandy.
Mandy pulled Alex aside. "What is going on?"
"I think it is time you meet my parents."
"I don't know..." Mandy said nervously.
"You will be fine." Alex assured Mandy. "As I told you, my father's best friend is gay." she winked.
The two young women entered the dining room. Mandy knew coming out to Alex's parents would be easy, she just didn't feel ready.
"Pleased to meet you, Mandy. Have a seat." Alex's mother Rose proclaimed.
Mandy sat down slowly. "Nice to meet you too." Mandy couldn't help but notice Alex's father staring her down. "Hi, nice to meet you sir." she said hoping to break the awkward stare.
Alex's
