by Shannon Cook
"Why are you disrespecting me?" Lee asked Mandy as he continuously stirred his coffee. "I know you had sex with that guy last night! I know you did!" he told his daughter in an accusing way.
"I told you I didn't have sex with him!" Mandy shouted defensively.
Lee slammed his spoon onto the table. "See! There it is again! Stop lying to me!" he shouted.
"What?" Mandy asked. She knew she was telling her father the truth. Technically, she didn't have sex with him because it was a woman she had sex with.
"That tone! The way you said him!" Lee pointed a stern finger at Mandy. "Listen here young lady if you are hiding something from us, the ones who gave you life God so help you!"
Mandy gulped, and beads of sweat began to drip down her face. She was getting extremely nervous. The room was beginning to spin as her palms became clammy.
Mandy's mother noticed her daughter was getting nervous. She knew she had to try to do something to try to make the situation better before it got worse. "Darling, do you want to tell us something?" Barb asked putting a gentle hand on Mandy's shoulder. She knew her daughter felt more comfortable talking to her, then she was talking to her father.
"Okay. Yes! Yes, I did have sex last night!" Mandy shouted.
Lee's face reddened with anger. "You lied to me! You told me you didn't have sex with him!" He stood up from the table and slammed both his fists down onto the table.
Both Mandy and Barb jumped. The sudden outburst from Lee startled them. They both looked into each other's eyes in fear. They were both frozen.
"You know how I feel about that!" Lee shouted at his daughter.
Mandy rolled her eyes. "Yes, I know how you feel about that!" she shouted back. Mandy went on a rampage yelling back at her father. She had enough. "Well guess what, times have changed! I know how you feel about other races that aren't white! I know how you feel about people in other political parties! I know how you feel about people of other religions! I know how you feel about gay people! I know I know!"
Lee walked over to Mandy and smacked her across the face hard. "Maybe that'll teach you a lesson." he snapped.
Mandy got mad. She jumped up, ran out of the house. She got into her car and sped off. Squealing tires as she left down the road. Barb glared at her husband with her arms crossed. "Lee, don't you think you went a little overboard?"
"No, that girl needs to learn how to respect." Lee stared Barb in the eyes. "You can't tell me that you're okay with our daughter having sex before marriage! Sex is for after marriage!" Barb shook her head. "That didn't stop you." she said quietly.
"Excuse me?"
"Come on Lee," Barb said. "Don't you remember our dates when we used to take long drives in your car?"
Lee smiled. "Yes, those where great nights." he softly responded as he remembered back to those nights many years ago.
"Remember how those dates used to end with us in your backseat?" Barb winked at Lee.
"Look at where it got us." Lee responded with anger in his voice. "Now we have a daughter that doesn't respect us." "Are you saying that our child is a mistake?"
"No, not at all. She just needs to learn to respect me again." Lee told his wife. "She used to tell me everything. Now, she barely talks to me."
Barb reached over and held Lee's hand. "Maybe if you start respecting her, she'd respect you again."
Lee pulled his hand away from his wife. "Maybe you should be more strict with her! If both of us were strict, she wouldn't be acting like this!" he said accusingly.
"She's not a child!" Barb shouted as she stood up fast from the table, and left the room.
Lee continued to drink his coffee as if nothing was wrong. Oblivious to how much he just hurt his daughter's or his wife's feelings.
Mandy rushed over to the coffee shop where Alex works at. She went in, and rushed over to the front counter. Her eyes all puffy and red from crying. She noticed Alex was in the process of opening a bag of coffee to put into a coffee maker. "Alex, when is your break time?"
Alex set down a bag of coffee she was about to put into the coffee maker and turned around. "Oh, hello Mandy." She didn't notice her girlfriend had come in. She then realized Mandy was very upset about something. "What's wrong?" she asked with concern.
"I really need to have a talk with you." Mandy told Alex while sniffling.
Alex got a little nervous. Was Mandy about to break up with her? She thought last night went so well. She looked around the coffee shop, and it wasn't that busy at the moment.
"I'm taking my break now." Alex told the other lady at the counter. She took off her apron, and walked out from behind the counter, and ordered two coffees for them. "Let's go outside."
The two walked out and took a seat on the outdoor patio. They found a table in the corner that was far away from everyone else that was out there, so they could have a little privacy.
Mandy sniffled. "My father found out about me having sex last night."
Alex was taken a sip of her coffee and looked up at Mandy. "How did he find out?"
Mandy cried harder. "He forced me to tell him! Alex, he scares me!" She was trembling so badly that she was having a difficult time trying to drink her coffee.
Alex sat back in her chair. "Did you tell him about us? The fact we're two women?"
Mandy shook her head. "No, I didn't. He was so angry with the fact that I had sex with someone who he believes is a man...that he smacked me across the face."
Alex's jaw hit the table. "He did what to you?" she asked in disbelief.
Mandy nodded. "He smacked me. Hard."
Alex leaned over and wiped tears from Mandy's eyes with a napkin. "Things will get better. Just take life day by day." she tried to reassure her girlfriend.
"He smacked me when he found out I had sex with who he assumes is a man." Mandy stated again. "Which, I didn't. I just couldn't tell him about us. The fact that we're two women. Who knows what he'll do!"
"What exactly has he said about gay people?" Alex inquired. "He believes that all gay people should be sent away and tortured."
"Tortured? In what way?" Alex was shocked.
"He's a strong believer in Conversion Therapy, electroshock therapy. He is also a strong believer that gay people shouldn't have been rescued during the Holocaust. Just a few examples." she cried even harder. "I can't tell him! I just can't! Who knows what he'll do to me!"
Alex could see this was really bothering her girlfriend. "He wouldn't do that to his child." A brief silence came between them for a moment. "Would he?"
Mandy looked up and stared into Alex's eyes. "He would." "If he truly loves you, he wouldn't put his child through something as horrific as that."
"You don't know my father." Mandy said. "His beliefs are stronger than his love for his own child."
Alex reached over and grabbed her girlfriend's hands. "If he truly loves you, he wouldn't do that to you."
Mandy wiped tears away from her eyes. She felt trapped. "I don't know what to do. I can't hide this forever."
"There's only one thing you need to do. Come out."
Mandy got overwhelmed with anxiety. She began sweating and shaking. "I can't."
"Yes, you can." Alex assured her girlfriend. "What's the worse that can happen? He disowns you? If he is willing to disown his child just because of who she is, then maybe he shouldn't be in your life. I'm just saying."
Alex got up from her chair and put her arms around Mandy hugging her tightly. "You'll be fine. Meet me at my place at 12:30."
Mandy got up from her chair and hugged her girlfriend back. "I'll be there."
Chapter 3
Early that afternoon, Mandy arrived at Alex's house. She sat in her car for a few minutes, looking in the mirror under her visor making sure her hair was perfect. She got out of her car and headed for the barn. Mandy was halfway to the barn when Alex yelled over to her.
"Where are you going?" Alex yelled from the driveway.
Mandy turned around slowly. She wasn't expecting her gir
lfriend to be behind her. Usually, Alex would be waiting in the barn for her. "What is going on?" she asked her girlfriend. "Aren't we going to meet in here like we always do?"
Alex shook her head and laughed. "Silly! We're going inside today." She motioned for Mandy to come.
Mandy's eyes got wide. What was going on? She wondered. She knew Alex's parents were home. Their vehicles were in the driveway. She did have a slight suspicion that she was about to come out to Alex's parents.
The two young women walked inside, and Alex's parents were already sitting at the dining room table in the other room. Lunch was on the table with an extra setting for Mandy.
Mandy pulled Alex aside. "What is going on?"
"I think it is time you meet my parents."
"I don't know..." Mandy said nervously.
"You will be fine." Alex assured Mandy. "As I told you, my father's best friend is gay." she winked.
The two young women entered the dining room. Mandy knew coming out to Alex's parents would be easy, she just didn't feel ready.
"Pleased to meet you, Mandy. Have a seat." Alex's mother Rose proclaimed.
Mandy sat down slowly. "Nice to meet you too." Mandy couldn't help but notice Alex's father staring her down. "Hi, nice to meet you sir." she said hoping to break the awkward stare.
Alex's father Nate was in deep thought. "I'm sensing something about you." he stated as he tapped his fingers on the edge of the table. "I just can't put my finger on it though. Do I know you from somewhere?"
Mandy couldn't figure out where he could possibly know her from. She did attend a party at the farm a few years ago, but she only said one word to Nate at that party. "Maybe you've mistaken me for someone else?"
Nate was satisfied with that response. "Fair enough. They say everyone has their twin somewhere on this earth."
The four of them ate their lunch and sat around the table talking after lunch. The four were having the best time. Laughing and joking with each other.
Alex then got serious. "Mom, dad there is something I need to say. Mandy and I are dating."
All the laughter stopped. Mandy's jaw hit the table. She couldn't believe her girlfriend just dropped the news like that! No lead-in. She just came out. Mandy nervously looked into both of Alex's parent's eyes. How were they going to react? She wondered.
Alex's parents were frozen for a moment. Processing this news. Finally, Nate smiled and looked at Mandy. "That's what it is!" he laughed. "I knew there was something about you! My best friend is gay, and he's the coolest!" He got up and motioned for Alex and Mandy to stand up. The two of them got up, and he gave them both a big hug.
Rose got up and gave them each a hug as well. "I'm so proud of you both." she told them.
Mandy was filled with relief for the moment, but the fear of coming out to her parents was still in her mind.
"Let's throw a coming out party!" Nate abruptly shouted.
"Dad, no, please. Don't go overboard." Alex pleaded. Her parents were always known to go overboard when it came to parties. They invited almost everyone in town! In fact, Alex's graduation party is where Alex and Mandy met each other for the first time a few years ago.
Rose ran to grab her phone and began scrolling through her contacts. "I'll send out a group text inviting people! Is this Saturday good?"
The two young ladies looked at each other in shock. "Yes. That'll be fine..." Mandy said softly.
Mandy returned home, and her mother had four dresses laid out on the couch. There was a red dress with a wide black waistline, a plain black dress, a blue sequence dress, and a floral dress.
"What's going on mom?" she asked her mom as she walked into the room.
"I got a text inviting your father and me to a party this Saturday." her mom answered. Barb was in deep thought. Picking up, and setting down the dresses one by one and holding them up against herself.
"A party?" Mandy's anxiety just intensified. "What party?" She had a gut feeling that her mother was referring to the party that was going to be at Alex's farm that Saturday.
But considering what her father did during Alex's graduation party, she was hoping that her parents were removed from the guest list.
During Alex's graduation party, Lee sneaked into the barn, wrote homophobic slurs on the walls and dumped the punch bowl over Nate's head.
Barb picked up the blue dress from the couch and held it against the front of her body. "How's this dress?" she asked Mandy.
"Nice, but what party?"
"One of my co-workers is throwing a party for her daughter."
Mandy still assumed her mother was talking about the party Alex's parents were planning for them. She looked around and noticed the black dress. "The blue dress is nice, but I think the black dress is more appropriate."
Barb looked at the black dress and picked it up. She put it right back down. "I like the blue one better. I feel black is more for a funeral. I'm not suffering any loss."
Mandy put her head down. "Yet." she said softly.
Barb walked over to her daughter. "What is wrong?" she asked her daughter. "You can tell me."
"Did your co-worker tell you what the party is for?"
"She said the party is for her daughter and her partner."
"Just promise dad won't cause a scene at this party."
Mandy walked out of the room as Lee came in. "What is all of this? Are you cleaning out the closet finally?" He asked.
Barb pulled out her phone and showed Lee the text. "We got invited to a party on Saturday at my co-worker's farm!" she said excitedly. "It'll be good to have some fun in our lives again."
Lee read the text. "Oh, it's at the big farm on Spring Hill Road?"
"Yes."
Lee got a disgusted look on his face. "Do we have to go? I hear that her husband Nate has a gay friend, and I don't want to be exposed to him."
Barb raised an eyebrow to her husband. "We're going, and if that guy is there please keep your mouth shut!" She pleaded with Lee. "I don't need you causing a scene, like you did the last time and almost causing me lose my job!"
"Why would you lose your job if I cause a scene?" Lee inquired.
"My boss will most likely be there!" Barb snapped back.
Meanwhile, Mandy sat up in her room trying to figure out what to do. She was positive that her parents had gotten invited to the party that Alex's parents were throwing for them to celebrate them coming out.
She feared her father's reaction when he'll definitely find out about her sexuality. She had to try to do something to prevent her parents from attending that party.
She went back downstairs and sat down in the living room with her parents who were watching TV. "Tell me more about this party you got invited to." She asked her mother. "Where is this party anyway?"
"You know that big farm on Spring Hill Road?" Barb asked her daughter.
"Yes, I've seen it many times." Mandy said nervously. "Didn't we go to a party there once?"
Lee and Barb looked at their daughter suspiciously. Why was their daughter so nervous when she found out where the party was going to be held?
"I don't think you two should go." Mandy stated. "I hear that they have many more cattle than they did a few years ago. Rumors around town state that one cow, in particular, is very timid! I would hate to find out mom got chased down that cow while wearing such a fancy dress." Mandy said that knowing her mother had a minor fear of cows after one got loose from a farm next to her childhood home, and chased her once.
"She's right!" Barb said as she jumped up, and began picking up the dresses. "We shouldn't go. I'll call Rose and tell her we're busy on Saturday. I'll tell her something came up!"
Mandy smiled, but that smile soon turned upside down when her father spoke up.
"Oh, we are definitely going now!" Lee laughed. "I would love to see that!"
Mandy tried to think fast. How could she talk her parents out of going to this party? "Dad, there is going to be a lot of people there. There is no guarantee there won'
t be any gay people there."
Lee nodded his head. "I know. Your mother has already talked to me about that." He looked at his daughter suspiciously. "Are you trying to stop us from going to this party?"
Mandy sat there quietly as her parents stared at her. Her heart was pounding fast. She knew deep down that no matter how hard she'd try to stop her parents from going to that party, they were still going to go.
"I was."
"Why don't you want us to go to this party, Mandy?" Barb asked.
Mandy just looked over at her father quietly. She stared at him for a second. "Do you love me dad?" she asked her father.
"Of course I do." Lee responded. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason. Just please remember that on Saturday." Mandy got up and went back up to her bedroom.
Mandy's parents stared at each other. "What was that about?" Barb asked.
"I haven't a clue." Lee responded. "But, I'm getting the feeling our daughter is hiding something from us and I don't like it."
Chapter 4
For the next couple of days, Mandy tried anything and everything to try to convince her parents that they shouldn't attend the party on Saturday. She even went to the extent to call her mother's boss asking her if she could call her mother into work that Saturday. Mandy knew that her father wouldn't go to that party without his wife.
Unfortunately, her mother's boss was going to be in attendance and her mother's place of business is closed on Saturdays. So, Mandy called her father's boss asking him if there were any hours her father could pick up that Saturday.
No such luck. Her father's place of business was also closed on Saturdays. She had to think of something else fast!
The night before the party, she got a mischievous idea! She quietly tiptoed down the stairs trying not to wake up her parents. Mandy found all sets of both her parent's car keys and tossed them into the kitchen garbage! The garbage can was almost full and she shook the can to make sure they went deep down in. "Perfect!" Mandy said confidently.
The next morning, Mandy came downstairs and took a seat at the dining room table waiting for her mother to finish frying eggs for breakfast. She sat quietly with a small smirk on her face. She no longer had to worry about her parents attending the party! So she thought.