Our Way
“Eliza, men don’t just turn straight one day. It doesn’t happen,” Jolie says softly.
“Well, it did.” I shake my head, disappointed in their reaction, but on some level, I knew it was coming.
“It didn’t,” Brooke says. “Babe, he’s been having sex with men for twenty years. He’s probably going to go back to wanting men. I know he loves you as a friend, Eliza. He’s mistaking the two. You can’t be so gullible as to think that you could actually hold onto him. You don’t have the equipment he needs. No man ever turns gay to straight and stays that way forever.”
I stare at her in disappointment as she holds my hand.
“Babe, he’s probably curious and he cares about you. He sleeps with you every night, and it’s confusing his emotions.”
My face falls.
Brooke squeezes my hand. “Whatever you do, you can’t fall in love with him. This is a heartbreak waiting to happen.”
My eyes well with tears, I hate that they are saying out loud my greatest fear. “Don’t say that,” I whisper. “It’s too late, I already am in love.”
They sit silent as they watch me angrily wipe away my tears.
“You know, I thought my two best friends would be happy for me to finally fall in love.”
“We are,” they say.
“But you just can’t fall in love with Nathan.”
“Why not?”
“Nathan is perfect,” Brooke says softly. “Honey, if there were any chance that this could work, I would be dancing in the streets because Nathan is the perfect man. But this is going to end badly… for you. Not him, but for you.”
I stare at her as I process her words.
“He won’t even be able to help it, Lize,” Jolie says. “He’s going to be out one night or at a conference, and he’ll have a few drinks, and some guy is going to pique his interest. You can’t pretend to be someone you’re not forever. Primal instincts don’t work that way.” She takes my other hand in hers. “I’m sorry, baby, but this is a tragedy waiting to happen.”
I snatch my hands out of theirs. “You’re wrong. We are moving in with each o
ther permanently this week.”
“Oh God,” Jolie whispers as she puts her head into her hands. “Have you lost your fucking mind?”
I can’t take this. I need to get away from their hurtful words. I screw up my napkin and throw it onto the table. “You know what, I’m not listening to this. I’m happy for the first time in years. I’m fucking happy.” I get up. “And if my friends can’t support me…”
“Sit down!” Brooke snaps as she grabs my arm. “You’re not going anywhere.”
I sit back down.
“It’s our duty of care to you as our friend to warn you of potential dangers,” Brooke says.
“Yes, like you told me Santiago is a bad idea,” Jolie says.
“That is a bad idea.” I pick up my fork again.
“Lize.” Brooke sighs sadly. “Yours is much worse.”
“Nathan is your whole world. He has been for years,” Jolie says. “How do you think you’re going to cope if he leaves you for a man?”
I get a lump in my throat, almost feeling the betrayal wash over me. “I wouldn’t,” I whisper.
Jolie and Brooke stare at me, as if unsure what to say next.
“Anyway,” Brooke says to change the subject. “Back to squirting. What do I put into Google?”