Colour | Irby

Part 10

Iris' POV

Auntie Tania scans Libby up and down, waiting for a response.

"This is Libby," I say. "My girlfriend."

The woman gives us a grin. "Oh, that's a really great friendship you two have to bring her to Easter dinner."

My aunt gives my shoulder a squeeze, then turns to my brothers, saying, "Richie and Martin are outside in the yard. Why don't you go play with them?"

The boys nod and zip off through the kitchen toward the backdoor. My parents step into the living room to sit amongst the rest of the adults. Confused about what just happened, Libby turns to me.

What did she say?

She thinks I meant platonically, I respond silently.

Libby laughs a little, and I do the same. Although I do wish my family would just accept me and move on, I'm not exactly mad that I didn't have to deal with the whole coming out scenario. Besides, they'll probably catch on when they notice how I'm taking Libby's hand in mine before leading her over to the dining table where some of my other cousins my age sit playing a game of slapjack. Nobody gives us a second glance, though. They probably think this is platonic too.

At the table, the twins, Justin and Becca, sit side by side, both trying to peek at each other's cards. Miles, the eldest of all of us, peers over his cards at my approach.

The final cousin at the table, Fiona, watches as Libby and I sit down across from her. She's only a year older than me, and is wearing her usual all-black outfit. She puts down her hand of cards, revealing her lip piercing, so that she can sign while she speaks.

"You meant, like, actual girlfriend, right?" she asks.

I nod.

"Thank God," she responds. "I'm no longer the gay cousin."

Libby and I share a glance as we break into laughter. I didn't even know Fiona was gay, but it's nice to know I'm not alone.

_________________________________________

Libby's POV

Today is the day I'm going to do it. I'm going to come out to my parents. Gus suggested I bake a cake or something to break the news to them, but I know that if I have the time to think about it while the cake bakes, I'll definitely change my mind.

I stare at myself in the bathroom mirror, practicing the signs, trying to get comfortable with the words. I'm gay. I have a girlfriend. I . . . don't know how to do this.

Tears drip from my eyes as I sit back on the edge of the bathtub. My eyes flick toward the door as it creeps open. I let go of the breath I was holding when I see that it's just my sister.

"Hey," she says as she settles down on the tiles, sitting criss-cross in front of me. "Are you okay?"

No, I sign over my whimpers. I want to tell them so bad, but every time I picture the moment, I start crying.

It will be okay, she signs. Like you told me.

I just don't know how to do this. It's not like I can just casually throw the words 'I'm gay' into a conversation.

Her eyes show her understanding, contrasting the eyes I see staring at me as I look up at the figure standing in the open doorway.

"What are talking about?" My dad asks.

Sarah whips around and stands up when she sees our dad.

"Nothing," she says. "It's—"

True, I sign as I get up beside her.

"Oh," he responds. "That's fine."

Are you mad?

"No, of course not," he says as he steps into the bathroom. "It's not what I expected, but if you're gay, then I will support you."

I wrap my arms around him in a hug, and his curl around me, rubbing my back as I cry into his shirt.

A moment later, I pull away to see my mother standing in the doorway.

"What's going on?" she asks.

I don't wait, knowing that my hands might freeze if I give this another second of thought.

I'm gay, and I have a girlfriend, and I really like her a lot, and I want you to be okay with that.

"Honey," she says, "I'm okay with whoever you choose to be with."

Really?

"Yes," she confirms.

Did you guys know? I ask, my focus flickering between both parents.

"No, I didn't," my mom confesses. "I'm sorry. I should've noticed."

You wouldn't be able to know, I sign.

She smiles. "I guess I wouldn't."

"So what about this girlfriend of yours?" my dad asks.

I grin. Her name is Iris.

________________________________________

Three Months Later

Iris' POV

She sits across from me in the canoe, looking beautiful as ever. The bracelet on her wrist matches the blue of her dress. The golden light of the sun sparkles off the water, illuminating her blazing red hair.

We both row farther out into the lake, and I watch as the ripples gleam, radiating out from beneath us. She sets her paddle on the floor of the canoe once we get far enough away from land, and I do the same.

"Do you remember when I made that for you?" I ask her, then reach out to feel the beads on her wrist.

She clasps her hand with mine, using the other to sign, Yes.

We stay like that for a moment before I retrieve my hand to continue my thought.

"Thinking about it now, I can't believe I didn't know that I was meant to be with you." She smiles as she watches me speak. "And I remember the first time we went canoeing. Before I was stupid and ran away—"

You weren't stupid, she says. You were scared.

I swallow, looking down at my feet before going on. "I told you you looked like Rapunzel. And I knew at that moment that you were going to make someone so happy someday"—I take another breath as I lock my gaze onto hers—"that someone would fall in love with you. Little did I know that someone would be me."

She reaches out and gently slides her fingers between mine, linking our hands together again. Her touch gives me a warmth like the sun is inside me, but I guess the truth is it's sitting right across from me in this canoe.

I love you too, she signs.

In that moment, I reach out to take her jaw in my palm, and lean in to connect my lips with hers. As we kiss, I forget about all the reminiscing I was doing. All the fears I used to have seem so distant now. Now, with her hand on my shoulder, I let the past disappear, and envision what tomorrow will be like with her, and the next day, and the day after that: a life spent seeing colours I'd never even known existed until I met her.