“You’re late.” The man that entered the room next could only have been Julie’s father, as I now saw a clear family resemblance.
“Hi, Daddy.” Julie smiled as he made his way over. I knew that smile and it was a genuine one.
“Our plane landed late.”
Julie had always said nice things about her father. She’d also said he was a man of few words, which was evident in his next statement. He gave Julie a kiss on the cheek, then raised a hand to me and said, “Hello, call me Gareth,” before turning around and disappearing back the way he’d come. Julie didn’t seem at all fazed by his greeting, such as it was.
Most of our afternoon was spent in a lavish sitting room at the front of the house. Julie talked with her mother for a long while about school and the children in her classes, while I remained mostly silent, and took in the magnificent view through the enormous glass windows.
I managed to steal a few kisses while Julie and I unpacked and got ready for dinner. Julie whined at me a little and tried to make an excuse about not being able to “do it” in her parents’ house, but I could tell by the goose bumps I left her with on her arms and the way she bit her lips while she dressed that I could have her if I wanted her. I resolved to dishonor her under her parents’ roof that very evening.
Dinner was nothing short of interminable. Yet again, I had said nothing all evening, mostly out of disinterest in cousin Aly’s new boyfriend and the construction being done on their condo in New York City, when Kathleen’s change of subject finally caught my attention.
“So Julie, did you know that your cousin Mark is like you?”
“Like me?” Julie asked, sounding a little terse for the first time all evening.
“Yes, darling, you know, gay.” Kathleen whispered the offending word the way I’d heard my grandmother whisper _cancer _ as a child, as if you could catch it by saying it too loudly.
“Actually, I’m lesbian, Mother.”
Kathleen looked shocked. “Julie! Must you use such words at the table?”
I laughed. I guess I ought to have been offended but I found her ignorance so ludicrous all I could do was laugh at her. Julie glared at me, though, and I quieted down quickly.
“So, Mark is gay, huh?” Julie asked, bringing the conversation back to its beginning.
“Oh, yes. Your Aunt Celia was shocked.”
Julie ground her teeth a moment before finally asking what was really on her mind. “Mother, if you can’t even _say _ lesbian, why did you invite us?” Julie had told me she was going to ask, but I hadn’t expected she’d ask so soon, or ask with me in the room, let alone at dinner.
Oddly, Kathleen seemed prepared to answer that question, and smiled at Julie. “Honey, it’s not taboo anymore to have gays in the family.”
I nearly spit my wine across the table. ‘Is it still taboo to have an idiot in the family?’ I was thinking, but I kept my mouth firmly shut.
Julie turned a shade of red that I hadn’t seen on her since that ill-fated cocktail party. “What?”
she asked incredulously, her voice pitched high.
“Oh, sweetie, it’s fashionable now, you know? Everyone knows someone who’s gay nowadays.”
Kathleen seemed to truly believe she’d had some kind of revolutionary breakthrough. “Did you know that John, the Connolly’s gardener, is gay? And, oh! David Sykes, you remember him, I went to school with him and he’s now the Board Chairman for that,” she waved her fingers at Julie’s father, “that pharmaceutical company. What’s it called, Gareth?”
Julie’s father picked up his wine and replied in a bored tone, “Don’t drag me into this, Kathleen.”
Kathleen waved him off as if he were useless and continued on. “Anyway, some very famous people are gay, you know.”
I was starting to think that if Julie’s jaw dropped any further it would dislocate. Me, I’d been hiding a grin behind my hand for the last several minutes. Clearly Kathleen was uncomfortable with the ensuing silence because she started in again.
“But you’re the only gay woman I know, Julie, and all my bridge ladies say the same thing. How unique and—”
“Mother!” Julie stood abruptly, bracing her hand on the table edge. “Do not talk to me again until you can look me in the eye and say the word ‘lesbian’ three times in a row.” And with that, Julie turned around and left the table.
I froze, and flicked my eyes first to Kathleen, then to Gareth and back again before leaning back in my chair. That was definitely my exit cue as well, but I needed a reason to go. Kathleen helpfully supplied one.
“She’s always been such a moody girl.”
I stood. “You know, I think I’ll turn in,” I said and headed for the door. I know I promised Julie, but when I decided to turn around and take our wine glasses up with me, I looked at Kathleen and smiled. “If you can’t manage ‘lesbian’, I’m sure Jules would also accept ‘dyke’,” I said helpfully before leaving the room. I could hear Gareth’s laughter as I climbed the stairs in the hall.
4
I made my way up the long, extravagant staircase and down a lushly carpeted hall to our room.
Julie was running a bath when I came in. “Baby?” I called as I pushed open the bathroom door with my toes.
Julie looked distraught, but she wasn’t crying. “I’m sorry, Gail, this was a stupid idea. I thought maybe Mother had changed or maybe she was trying to change and, I don’t know. I’m sorry.”
“Julie.” I handed over her glass of wine.
“We’re leaving tomorrow. I’ll tell Mother in the morning and then we’ll go.”
“Julie.”
“Don’t ‘Julie’ me!” She snapped and swallowed back the remaining contents of the wine glass. I blinked at her. She lowered it again and
