Life is Stranger

Abnormal

Vanessa stared incredulously at her daughter. "You want me to...to apologise to her?"

"If you refer to the love of my life as 'her' in that tone one more goddamn time I swear I'll kick you out of this fucking house myself."

"The l...love of your life?"

"Yes. Chloe is the one. She is the only person for me. I know it. And you know it too, don't you? You've always known. You knew it before I even did."

"But...you're only eighteen. How can she possibly be the love of your life? You're still young, and you have your whole life ahead of you. One day you may meet a nice boy and..."

"Oh...my...god! I just don't believe you. I really don't. You really are something else!"

"Max, I just want..."

"I don't care what you want. I've had to do what you want for most of my life, but not any more."

"But...what about your career? Your education? What will people think?"

"What will people think about what? You'd best not mean what I think you mean."

"Girls are supposed to like boys. People will think..."

"Think what, exactly? Be very careful how you answer, mother."

"I don't mean...I mean...it's just that's what norm..."

"Stop right fucking there! Don't say another single goddamn word! Normal? NORMAL? FUCKING NORMAL?" Max's face flushed red with instant anger.

"I meant...I didn't mean...I don't know..."

"I know. You think Chloe and me are somehow abnormal. You think that there's something disgusting about two women loving each other, don't you? Go on, admit it. Spit it out."

"No...I don't think that...but...it's just...are you totally sure that you don't like boys? This could be just a phase you're going through. Jason still calls round for you, you know. He's such a nice, polite, decent young man. You could at least give him a chance. I gave him your phone number and address. I have his details here – why don't you give him a call?"

"What! You did fucking what? What the fuck! He's goddamn creepy as hell! He stalked and pestered me for years, and you know damn well that he did! And now you've only gone and given him my number! Have you gone totally batshit crazy? Oh man. You're just unbelievable! I can't believe you actually did that."

"I think he'd be lovely for you. What can be the harm in giving him a chance? I mean, you've never had a boyfriend, so how can you know that you don't..."

"Jesus H fucking Christ! Will you listen to yourself? You've always known that Chloe and me would end up together, yet you want me to leave the woman that I love and shack up with a weird, creepy freak just because he has a dick? A boy I don't even like? Because you think that's what 'normal' people do? You want me to let a boy fuck me just so that you can be happy. The very thought of even kissing a boy makes me want to vomit, never mind screwing him. And you're suggesting that I let him put his dick inside me whenever he wants to? You don't care that I won't enjoy it, that it will repulse me. That's no better than being a whore. Is that what you want me to do – whore myself out to the first desperate boy that makes a move on me? You want me to marry him? Have kids with him? You want me to whore my whole goddamn life out, is that it? You want your daughter to be a whore? And an utterly heart-broken and miserable one at that? Just to make me 'normal'? Just to make you happy? That's what you class as 'normal', is it? That is fucking abnormal. You're abnormal. I'm not the freak here – you are. I belong to Chloe. I'm hers. All of me. Forever. It doesn't matter whether we're both girls or not. The only thing that matters is that we love each other. I would still love Chloe if she had two heads, three eyes, green skin and came from Pluto. She isn't a girl to me – Chloe is simply my lover, in every sense of the word. Something as trivial as what sex we are doesn't even come into it. Love is all that matters. Why can't you just be happy for us? I've been so lucky – I've found my soul-mate whilst I'm still young. Some people go through their whole lives and never find their one true love. But Chloe and I have found each other. We have been blessed. Any 'normal' parent would be overjoyed for their child, but not you, eh? Man, I feel sick. You make me feel sick. You haven't changed at all, have you? Not one goddamn bit. You're still trying to trade my happiness for yours. You've learnt nothing. Well you can just give up – I'm done with you controlling me. It's over."

"But I want...it would have been lovely to have grandchildren. Your dad wants that too."

"Why? So you can do to them what you did to me and Chloe? No way. You are not controlling them. We won't let you."

"That's unfair Max. That's not what I want at all. But what does it matter now? You can't have children anyway."

"We've already discussed this. We'll find a way somehow. But it's not going to happen yet – there's much Chloe and me have to do before we can have a family of our own. And when we do eventually have children, it is not going to be to please you or anyone else. Our children will come first. I will pull out my own teeth before I treat our children the same way you've treated me. I am never going to be you."

"You and Chloe...you're planning that far ahead?"

"Yes, we are. Me and Chloe, we're going to live together. And we're going to die together. You either accept that or you don't. I'm past caring. It feels like I've been fighting you my whole life, and frankly, I've just about had enough. I'm sick to the back teeth with it. So, you either love me and support the pair of us like a mother should, or get in your goddamn car and go back to Seattle. And don't ever come back. I need a loving, caring and supportive mother. I don't need you."

"You would choose he...Chloe over me?"

"Don't you fucking dare! This isn't my fault! It isn't Chloe's fault either. This is all entirely your fault, and you know it. How dare you even try and shift the blame onto Chloe or me! You're incredible! Chloe is my fiancée, and I will always stand by her, no matter what. Against you or anyone else. I would die for her. She is the most important person in my life. Now are you going to apologise to Chloe or not? If not, then you know where the door is. Don't let it bang you on the ass on the way out."

"She's your what?"