Chapter 22 - Unconditional

Rebecca and I got a cab back home in the small hours of the morning.

She turned to me. 'I'm think I'm going to go to bed. Could you pay the taxi guy?'

'Sure.' I replied as I set down our bags.

She smiled and pecked my cheek before heading upstairs.

Having paid the fare, I crept back inside and was halfway up the stairs when I heard footsteps coming from the kitchen. I paused, frowning. I was sure nobody had been in there when we got back. Gingerly, I tiptoed towards the door.

I burst into the room, all set to tackle the intruder, but breathed a sigh of relief when I realised it was only Lydia.

'Oh, hi.' She said, ignoring the fact that I was standing there in my swimming trunks. 'Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you, I was just getting a drink. Did you have a good few days?'

I grinned, patting her shoulder and walking towards the fridge. I was starving. 'Yeah, thanks. What have I missed?'

She slumped into a chair and I joined her with a tub of ice cream and two spoons. 'Nothing much. Colin's finished his last exam and Helena's got a date for prom. Some guy called Rodrigo.'

'Oh yeah? Is he cute?' I teased.

She shrugged. 'I guess. He's not really...' She shoved a spoonful of raspberry ripple into her mouth and shook her head. 'Never mind.'

I cocked my head and jabbed my spoon in her direction. 'So, any lucky guys in your life at the moment?'

She sighed and looked away. 'No.'

'Are you okay?' I sensed I may have gone too far, she looked like she was about to cry.

'I'm fine... I just...' She took a deep breath and studied the swirling wood grain on the dining room table. A tear rolled down her cheek. 'Can I tell you something? Something kind of personal.'

I raised my eyebrows quizzically. 'Shoot.'

She gazed up at me. She had Dad's eyes; huge and amber. They seemed to have an eerie glow in the dark, what with her being a vampire. 

'I...' It came out as a sob. She was full on crying now, though she remained silent as the tears spilled from her eyes. She wiped at them desperately, her narrow shoulders shaking uncontrollably. It was torture for me to watch my sister diminish into this tiny, frightened creature who sat hunched before me. I reached out and grabbed her slender hands, leaning forward so she was forced to look at me.

'Hey. Hey there. Lydia? Honey, it's okay. It's okay.' I walked round the table so I could crouch down beside her. She was still trembling. 'Try again. It's okay.'

She wiped her face with the sleeve of her dressing gown and glanced hesitantly into my eyes. The words tangled in her throat. Then, all at once they tumbled out.

'Jass... I... I'm a lesbian.' She blurted, before exhaling slowly. It appeared as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

'Oh? Oh.' I breathed. Then I broke out into a huge grin. 'Oh, Lydia that's okay!'

She had stopped crying and now just looked perplexed. 'What... so you're not mad?'

'Why would I be mad!?' I shook my head and pulled her into a hug. 'Lydia, I don't care if you're lesbian, straight, bisexual, trans, or whatever. You could be an alien for all I care and I'd still love you, and I know Mum and Dad feel the same. Have you told them?'

'No. Not yet.'

I pulled away. 'Would you like me to be there with you when you do?'

She smiled and her whole face lit up once more. 'I'd really like that. Thanks.'

'Any time. Now, please forgive me whilst I amend my question. Are there any lucky ladies in your life at the moment?'

She giggled. 'Well, yeah. Sort of.'

                    

'And you're sure this will work?'
'Positive. It worked on Hatty!'

'Thanks, Jass. I don't know how I'll ever repay you.'

'The best way you could repay me is by living a happy life without trying to hide. Sure, there'll be people who won't accept you for who you are, but those people don't matter. You can't change your sexuality the way you can't change the colour of your skin, and I wouldn't want you to even if you could. It's part of what makes you you.'

She smiled and glanced awkwardly at the door.

'Oh, right!' I exclaimed. 'Goodnight, Lydia. Love you.'

I walked towards the kitchen door, winking at her over my shoulder as I did so, before making my way upstairs.

                    

'Go on. It's okay, it won't hurt you.'

'Pippa!'

'Lydia!'

                 

Pippa was soon welcomed into the family, though it was a bit of a shock for Dad when he came downstairs to find a girl he'd never met before sitting in the kitchen with Lydia.

Both my parents really didn't care that Lydia was gay. Not in the sense that they didn't want to hear about it, but in the sense that it didn't matter. Lydia seemed like a whole new person. She was comfortable with who she was and was enjoying spending quality time with the girl she loved.

Pippa joined our family just in time to see Colin's birthday and graduation. He had quietly risen through the ranks and was now a qualified doctor of pathology! We were all very proud of him but he'd refused the offer of a party, claiming he wanted to get out into the world of work as soon as possible.

True to his word, Colin left to start a new life in America, where he had been offered a very well-paid job in a prestigious research facility, just days after his graduation. I was sorry to see him go, though I can't say we were ever particularly close. I wish him the best of luck in his endeavours.

Soon it was time for Hazel's birthday. We told her to keep her wish a secret but she wanted Mum and Dad to know it was for a beautiful dress for her junior prom, just in case the birthday wish granters weren't paying attention!

Hazel grew into a really rather beautiful young woman. She had big ambitions to travel all over the world!

Luckily, her wish was answered and Aunt Adeline presented her with a corseted French ball gown for her birthday. She was delighted and wore it to prom the next week.

The senior prom was on the same day as the junior one, though it took place in a swanky hotel rather than the school hall. Helena was dressed in a rather daring dress that she hoped would impress Rodrigo.

Pippa had to rifle through Celeste's old clothes to try and find something half suitable for the dance. The resulting outfit was interesting to say the least, but neither she nor Lydia minded.

Lydia was the last to emerge from the house. She looked absolutely stunning in a dress she had made herself. Pippa's eyes lit up when she saw her.

'You look beautiful.' Pippa whispered in Lydia's ear.

'Thanks, Pip. Now come on. This is our first date!'

And with that, the four girls headed off into the night.

                    

Author's note
Hello! Thanks for sticking with me whilst I finish my exams. I've only got one left now and a whole week to study for it so I thought I'd finish a sneaky little post. At this point in my game I experienced some trouble with Create a Sim and it would crash every time I tried to plan an outfit. Kind of annoying but I sorted it out. Just wanted to let you guys know that I didn't choose Hazel's outfits! Or Pippa's.

I hope you enjoyed this post. I myself am straight but I am a huge supporter of LGBTQUIA rights. If anyone is struggling with their sexuality there are a couple of links below where you can get support. Have a lovely weekend!

http://www.safenetwork.org.uk/training_and_awareness/Pages/supporting-lgbt-young-people.aspx

http://www.lgf.org.uk/