Jasmin's POV
Joan Chi storms out of the restaurant.
Joan Chi's POV
The cold air hits my face as I sob uncontrollably. I put my face in my hands, letting out the years of intolerable pain. I thought the past was behind me, but I guess it isn't.
Suddenly, I feel a hand on my back. "Joan, what's gotten into you? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Diana's voice says.
I sob some more before managing the ability to speak. "I-I moved to America because, because of Do Chi's father."
I remove my hands from my face and wipe my eyes, trying to stop the tears. "You did? What did he do?," She questions with a raised brow. "Did he hurt you?"
I cross my arms over my chest. "Emotionally. When I first came out to him, he didn't take it well. I broke it off with him, and after that, he threatened to end my life numerous times. He also kept coming back and I've had to tell him multiple times that I'm gay. He just couldn't accept that he couldn't be with me anymore. One day, he came over to my house and pleaded with me to get back together, but I wasn't going for it. Once again, I had to remind him that I'm gay. After the first few threats, I stopped believing them, but that day, he attempted his promise of death. He pointed a gun at me in the living room."
"Oh my God!" My lovely flower says in shock with the facial expression to match. "Ugh, I know." "Where was Do Chi when all of this was happening?"
"She was in her room. When I saw it was her dad standing outside, I told her to go in her room and stay in there."
"Great mothering instincts. Wait, so what happened next?" "He poured his heart out about how me being gay made him feel. I never meant to make him feel that way, but I wasn't happy being with him because I wanted something else. I just wasn't happy in that relationship, and I wasn't gonna continue to hurt him any longer by being with him. Anyway, I reminded him that if he killed me, Do Chi would end up like most Disney characters and not have a mother. He started putting the gun down, and that's when I saw the opportunity and kicked him in his penis. The gun flew and I ran faster than the speed of light and grabbed that bad boy. I ran back and pointed it at him. I laid down the law and told him that Do Chi and I were leaving and he'd never see us again. I...may or may not have kicked him in the stomach in the process. So I packed up some of our stuff, took Do Chi, and then I left."
"Wow. I never knew my lovely, sweet, loving girlfriend was such a badass," She smirks. "It's hella sexy." "Yeah, well, I'd do anything to protect Do Chi. She's my baby, no matter how old she gets. That's why I have the tattoo of a mother tiger with her cub. I never wanted to do all of that stuff, but he was a danger to me and my child. He left me with no choice."
"You did what you had to do. I love that you're such a good mother." "I wasn't a good mother tonight. I yelled at my own child. The reason I did was because after I came to America, I felt I was safe, so I sought counseling, and from there, I was diagnosed with PTSD. I thought since I wouldn't be seeing him anymore, I wouldn't have to deal with it, but tonight happened."
"Oh, come here." She entraps me into a warm hug and I hug her back. I love being in her strong arms. It makes me safe, way safer than I felt when I was with Lanh.
"I love you, Joan Chi, and I'll do anything I need to to be by your side and help you." Diana says.
I cry tears of sentiment. I've never had someone love me like this. Lanh has never told me supportive things. Yes, he could be sweet at times, but we often never had deep conversations or sentimental ones. It felt....empty.
But everything I didn't get from him, I get from a female, and that's what he didn't understand. Women are gentle, loving, and caring. They're considerate, and they get you. They want the same thing. You can have deep conversations with them. It just feels....right.
She disbands the hug. "Aaww, Joanie, why are you crying now?" She wipes away the tears with her thumbs, grasping my face in her hands.
"Because I've never met someone as amazing as you before. Before you, I've only ever been with Lanh, the ex-boyfriend that pulled the gun on me, and being with you is so much more different. You genuinely love me. You show it everyday. Thank you for being in my life."
She gently kisses me, making me feel safe and secure. "Everything's gonna be ok. Now, we're gonna go back inside and you're gonna apologize to Do Chi. I'm sure she'll understand. She knows what you've been through."
I nod my head. "Ok, let's go."
