Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before (Girlxgirl)

Chapter # 23

Talia's POV

Hospitals were a drag. The food was bland and the television only got five channels and they were all cartoons and they all sucked. Even the city started to look drab outside the window and I had to pinch the palm of my hand to remind myself that I wasn't in some alternate universe where everything sucked.

My mother sat in her wheelchair beside my bed with her hand on my arm and my step dad stood pacing, quieting a screaming Evan. He was learning to hate hospitals like me. He would never like them again.

It was around lunch time, and when the nurse brought the food in, I felt a jab in my stomach. It wasn't a real jab, but I felt it. I would have to eat the grool otherwise my parents would have an absolute conniption.

The nurse wasn't a cheery one. She set my plate down, opened the lid of it and left silently. My step dad started bouncing Evan and started cooing at him.

"The food is here! The food is here!" Evan started to squeal in laugher as his dad nuzzled his nose with his. "That's it, we need to eat. I'll take Evan home for a quick bath and snack and then I'll pick something up on the way back, okay?"

My mother nodded. He kissed the top of my head and her head and left with the baby bag.

I reached up and took the fork in my hands and started to push the food around my plate. "Are you alright, baby girl?" She asked, her hand finding purchase against the skin of my forehead. He hands were so warm and fragile. So delicate, it's hard to imagine me coming from that.

"Mm hmm." I hummed, not really trusting my voice. Now that we were alone, I could tell her. I could tell her and she would know and just like that some guilt would be taken off of my shoulders. I should tell her all about Taylor and how she made me smile and how I really missed her.

"You don't look it." She said. Then she laughed. "I never thought I'd see that day I was in the hospital visiting you, love. It's always been the other way around. Guess things do run in the family."

She started smoothing my hair out while I stabbed a piece of broccoli with the tines of my fork. "What's on you mind, child of mine?" I looked at her and couldn't look away. She was sad and she was worried about me. Worry settled into the laugh lines in the corners of her eyes. She was beauty and I was sucking that all from her.

My worst nightmare. I shook my head and shut my eyes. "Okay. I'll tell you a story then." She began.

"Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a boy who cried wolf--"

"Mommy, I don't want you to tell me a story," I whispered. She chuckled. "I thought you loved my stories, baby?"

She wiped something wet from my cheek. A tear. I had been crying. "There's something on your mind, young one. Something you don't want to tell your old mommy. Don't worry about it anymore; get it off of your chest. You can trust me to keep your secrets, momma."

She used that old endearing nickname she always called me whenever she was in a good mood. I always secretly loved it but never said anything.

I turned to her, food forgotten and sighed.

"Mommy, I'm gay." She smiled at me fondly and wiped away more tears. "Is that better, darling?" I was shocked she wasn't disgusted. I was shocked she wasn't freaking out right now.

"I-I don't know." I stuttered. She laughed. "Oh honey, I knew you were! That girl you always bring by the house is always with you in your room for hours. If I didn't know what was going on, I'd be a terrible mother." I had to laugh too.

"You're not a terrible mother." She nodded. "I know I'm not, baby. After all, I raised you." I smiled.

"Her name's Taylor, but you knew that..." I began to tell her everything about Taylor. I began to tell her about what I loved about her and I began to tell her why I was in love with her.