certain they would have reacted like she was their dirty little secret. She and Wyatt are staring at each other like their anger is directed toward each other, and it worries me. I’m not sure what to do.
“Bullshit, Dee. They never knew about…all that.”
All that . I have no idea if that’s an okay way to refer to his sister’s sexuality, and I guess it isn’t, because tears tumble down Delilah’s cheeks.
“Yes, they did.” She holds Wyatt’s stare as his jaw drops open.
I know mine’s doing the same, and I make an effort to close my mouth.
“You told them?” he finally asks.
“Before the graduation ceremony,” Delilah says softly.
Wyatt reaches for her hand, and his eyes soften again. “Dee. Why didn’t you tell me?”
She shrugs. “I was going to, but everything happened so fast. Right after I told Mom, they called us to line up.” Her lower lip trembles as she continues. “Mom didn’t say anything. I watched her as I walked away and could see her telling Dad.”
“And?” Wyatt urges.
She shrugs again. “He held her hand and looked at me with that disappointed look. You know that one that makes your stomach fall to your feet?”
“Yeah,” Wyatt says as he folds her into his arms again. “I know that fucking look.”
He rubs her back and looks at me over her shoulder. I know my eyes are damp, but I keep the tears from falling.
“They didn’t expect it, Dee, but it didn’t change their love for you.” Wyatt says this like it’s a fact, and I don’t know how he can be sure. If I were Delilah, I think I’d call him on it, but I hear her sniffling and I know she’s crying again.
“I know they loved me,” Delilah finally says. “But you know…loving and accepting are two different things. I wanted them to accept me, and I knew from the look in their eyes that there was no way that was going to happen.”
Chapter Six
~Wyatt~
AFTER DELILAH DROPPED her bomb, she clammed up. Cassidy and I tried to talk to her more about what happened, but she eventually got up and walked away. I didn’t follow her. I know Delilah, and when she needs time alone, she needs time alone. Cassidy and I talked by the creek for a long time about what we could say to help Delilah, but no matter how many things we came up with, I knew they were all just words and that nothing would take away the sting of the look my parents gave her. That stupid look that cut my sister to her core and had done the same to me more times than I care to remember.
Delilah comes back about an hour later and apologizes for walking off, but she doesn’t need to. I get it, and I know Cass does, too. Her eyes are clearer, and she seems to be in a better mood. I’m not about to try to talk to her about our parents again, but I will when I think she’s ready. I could really use a How to Help Your Sister Come Out of the Closet and Get over the Death of Your Parents guide.
I thought Cassidy’s life was going to be so messed up after we caught Kyle cheating on her, but the death of our parents made me realize that breakups aren’t the end of the world. And now I realize that even our parents dying isn’t the end of the world. But the mess of emotions that Delilah is left dealing with? That’s pretty damn bad. She’s going to be dealing with that for a long time. I just hope it doesn’t mess her up forever. I mean, I know our parents loved her, but I also know they were too conservative to probably ever have accepted the lifestyle she wants and needs. It’s who she is, and they would have tried to change that. I’m sure of it. I have no idea how such smart businesspeople could be clueless when it came to their own daughter. Right now I kind of hate my parents, and I’m not going to feel guilty for that. If they were alive I’d call my father and give him hell. I wish I’d been there when she told them. I wish she hadn’t tried to handle it on her own, but I know Dee, and she probably had about thirty seconds of
“Bullshit, Dee. They never knew about…all that.”
All that . I have no idea if that’s an okay way to refer to his sister’s sexuality, and I guess it isn’t, because tears tumble down Delilah’s cheeks.
“Yes, they did.” She holds Wyatt’s stare as his jaw drops open.
I know mine’s doing the same, and I make an effort to close my mouth.
“You told them?” he finally asks.
“Before the graduation ceremony,” Delilah says softly.
Wyatt reaches for her hand, and his eyes soften again. “Dee. Why didn’t you tell me?”
She shrugs. “I was going to, but everything happened so fast. Right after I told Mom, they called us to line up.” Her lower lip trembles as she continues. “Mom didn’t say anything. I watched her as I walked away and could see her telling Dad.”
“And?” Wyatt urges.
She shrugs again. “He held her hand and looked at me with that disappointed look. You know that one that makes your stomach fall to your feet?”
“Yeah,” Wyatt says as he folds her into his arms again. “I know that fucking look.”
He rubs her back and looks at me over her shoulder. I know my eyes are damp, but I keep the tears from falling.
“They didn’t expect it, Dee, but it didn’t change their love for you.” Wyatt says this like it’s a fact, and I don’t know how he can be sure. If I were Delilah, I think I’d call him on it, but I hear her sniffling and I know she’s crying again.
“I know they loved me,” Delilah finally says. “But you know…loving and accepting are two different things. I wanted them to accept me, and I knew from the look in their eyes that there was no way that was going to happen.”
Chapter Six
~Wyatt~
AFTER DELILAH DROPPED her bomb, she clammed up. Cassidy and I tried to talk to her more about what happened, but she eventually got up and walked away. I didn’t follow her. I know Delilah, and when she needs time alone, she needs time alone. Cassidy and I talked by the creek for a long time about what we could say to help Delilah, but no matter how many things we came up with, I knew they were all just words and that nothing would take away the sting of the look my parents gave her. That stupid look that cut my sister to her core and had done the same to me more times than I care to remember.
Delilah comes back about an hour later and apologizes for walking off, but she doesn’t need to. I get it, and I know Cass does, too. Her eyes are clearer, and she seems to be in a better mood. I’m not about to try to talk to her about our parents again, but I will when I think she’s ready. I could really use a How to Help Your Sister Come Out of the Closet and Get over the Death of Your Parents guide.
I thought Cassidy’s life was going to be so messed up after we caught Kyle cheating on her, but the death of our parents made me realize that breakups aren’t the end of the world. And now I realize that even our parents dying isn’t the end of the world. But the mess of emotions that Delilah is left dealing with? That’s pretty damn bad. She’s going to be dealing with that for a long time. I just hope it doesn’t mess her up forever. I mean, I know our parents loved her, but I also know they were too conservative to probably ever have accepted the lifestyle she wants and needs. It’s who she is, and they would have tried to change that. I’m sure of it. I have no idea how such smart businesspeople could be clueless when it came to their own daughter. Right now I kind of hate my parents, and I’m not going to feel guilty for that. If they were alive I’d call my father and give him hell. I wish I’d been there when she told them. I wish she hadn’t tried to handle it on her own, but I know Dee, and she probably had about thirty seconds of
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