Beth Jenkins, raised in an Irish Catholic family outside Chicago, with her father a retired Chicago cop, would not acknowledge to her family that she was gay, fearing how they would react. She moved to New York, visiting her home occasionally. At Christmas just over three years before the story begins, and against her better judgment, she responds to the when-I-you-going-to-find-a-man question by coming out.<br><br>Any hopes of staying are shattered when her father says he will not sit at the same table with this creature. For three years she speaks to neither her parents. Then her sister calls. "Dad is dying. He's turned over a new leaf." She agrees to come, but only with her girlfriend, with whom she is living in Brooklyn.<br><br>This is the story of their journey to Beth's home and what happens when she gets there.

The Prodigal Daughter

It was nice to be in our bed, so unexpectedly, and we explored each other as we never had before until the next layer of exhaustion hit us both though not until I had been more assertive with her than ever before.


When I was done, I stepped over her and stood by the bed in tears.


“I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Please forgive me for forcing you—”


Mel reached up and scooted to the side so I could again lie next to her, placing my head on her chest.


“You never force me to do anything. You know I’m always here for you. For whatever you need. You know that, right?”


“Just be you and tell me I’m not a terrible person.”


She kissed my head. “Do you think I would love you if you were a terrible person?”


I lifted my head so I could look at her. “So, you still love me?”


“Sssh. We have a deal on that, remember.”


“But you will say ‘yes’ when I ask.”


Chapter 8