Lara glanced at her bedside clock as she woke to the sounds of knocking at her door. Confused, she couldn’t help but wonder who might be at her door so early in the morning. It wasn’t even light out yet. She pulled back the covers, sitting up on the edge of her bed. She ran her hands through her hair as she yawned.

Hearing the knocking sound at the door grow louder, she stood and made her way through the hallway. She looked through the peep hole, but couldn’t see anything. That’s weird, maybe it’s still too dark out. She heard the knocking again and pulled the door open.

“Hey Lara.”

“Dana?” She rubbed her eyes, trying to refocus. “What are you doing here?” She watched Dana fidgeting in the hallway, looking to the left and to the right. She was dressed in one of her white tennis outfits, complete with tennis racket in hand.

“Oh, I just wanted to stop by and give you something.”

“What?” she asked confused. “It’s so early though.” Give me something? She glanced down the hall, wondering what Dana seemed so nervous about.

“Here,” Dana said as she gently handed Lara her tennis racket. “Take it.”

Lara held onto the handle, turning it over in her hand. She looked up as Dana smiled, then started to cry. The look on her face completely tore her heart out and she automatically began to reach out for her.

Lara’s reach falling short as she realized she was being pulled out of sleep. Struggling to hold on, but finding it impossible as the scene before her faded into the growing darkness.

She groaned and reached over to grab the phone that had woken her with it’s loud insistent ringing. Pressing the talk button, she answered, “Hello?”

“Hey Lara… Mike called in sick again.”

Of course! Work. Who else would so coldly interrupt my beauty sleep? “Let me guess. Food poisoning again?”

“Can you fill in for him? Please???” Her supervisor knew he didn’t have to beg, but just to be nice, he thought he’d at least make it sound like she had a choice.

“Do I really have a choice?”

“Thanks, sweetie… you’re a doll. See you in a bit!”

Hearing the dial tone blaring in her ear, she pulled the phone away, hitting the end button before returning it to it’s charging cradle.

“*****!” She moaned in agony. “Will someone please tell me why I had to answer the phone??” she implored of her bedroom as she headed for the shower. This was not how she had planned on spending her day.
~~~~

A bright new morning had greeted Dana as she gently stretched out in bed. Her eyes still closed as her features lit up with joy. Lara’s coming over, she almost giggled. “Oh *****! Lara’s coming over!” Dana threw the covers back as she jumped out of bed. She had no idea what time Lara was going to be there and she wanted to be ready.

Having quickly showered and dressed, she barely had time to breathe before she heard the knocking at the door. She was eagerly awaiting Lara’s visit, but hadn’t really expected to see her so early. And now she was suddenly nervous. What was she going to do, what was she going to say? The sound of the doorbell ringing pulled her out of her thoughts, causing her to run down the stairs.

She took a moment to calm her breathing, then took a deep breath before pulling open the door. Almost immediately losing her smile, she let go of the door handle. “Oh… hey Alice.”

“‘Oh hey’ to you too.”

“Sorry.” She smiled. “What’s up?”

“Nothing. No, I just wanted to see how you were doing. You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Dana sighed, then walked over to the sofa to sit down.

Alice stepped inside, closing the door behind her, then joined Dana on the sofa. “You sure?” she asked in her most soothing voice.

“Yeah,” Dana said through her smile as she leaned back.

“Wait… you’re smiling. You guys got back together, didn’t you?”

“No, but she called last night…” The sudden ringing of her home phone interrupted her as she turned her attention toward the office. Glancing back toward Alice, she smiled then got up from the sofa. “I’ll be right back.”

“Sure.” Alice watched from the other room as Dana picked up the cordless phone. As she read the caller ID, the expression that formed on her face immediately gave away that it was Lara calling. Alice shook her head from side to side and chuckled to herself. Yep, this one is hopeless. She rolled her eyes.

Dana caught the look from Alice, but only smiled all the more as she pressed the talk button. “Hey.” Her voice sweet and tender.

“Hi, are you awake this time?” Lara teased as she laughed.

“Yes,” Dana answered with a giggle, sitting down in the computer chair, one leg tucked under. “How are you this morning?”

“Ugggh, my morning sucks already actually. I got called into work.”

“Oh.” Dana lost her smile, her posture slumping over a little. Suddenly sad at the thought that she wouldn’t be coming over now.

“Is it okay if I come by after?”

“Oh!” She sat up straight again and regained her earlier smile. “Yeah, I’ll be here.”

“Great… I’m out the door, so I’ll see you later then.”

“Okay… have a good day at work.” She swiveled the chair back around to face the desk.

“Thanks… bye.”

“Bye.” She placed the phone back on it’s receiver and turned around, walking back out to the other room.

“So??” Alice exclaimed as she watched Dana retake her seat next to her. “What happened?”

“Nothing really… yet.”

“Nothing, huh? Is that why you haven’t stopped smiling yet?” She reached out and tapped her knee. “Come on, tell me. I could use a little good news.”

“Things still not going well with your ***** man?” Dana teased. Everyone but Alice seemed to think he was little weird. A ***** identified man? Please.

“I wish… I mean, yeah… no, things are just peachy.” Alice looked down at the coffee table and picked up a magazine. She just needed something to fidget with.

“Okay.” Dana didn’t exactly know what to think, other than that something was off here.

She nervously flipped through the magazine, not really seeing anything. “No, it’s just… you know.” She sighed, throwing the magazine back on the table. “I don’t know.”

“Right. That clears it all up.”

Alice took a deep breath, then looked up. “It’s complicated… and maybe a little weird, I guess.”

“Yeah. Al, I could have told you that from the beginning”

I wish you would have. Alright, time to change the subject. “So? I wanna hear about you and Lara. Come on, give me all the disgustingly happy details.” I may have to puke later, but at least someone’s happy!
~~~~

“Perfect! That’s the one.” Geramy Matsumo placed the last photograph on the story board.

The Vice President of Marketing for Subaru looked over Geramy’s shoulder. “‘Get out and stay out.’ I love it!”

“Yeah, it’s great, isn’t it?” Geramy leaned back, admiring his work.

“As long as it sells us some cars, I’m all for it.”

“Man, is that all you care about?” He looked up with disbelief. “We’re making an important social statement here.”

“Yeah, that too. It covers all the angles, great exposure.”

“Whatever.” He shook his head. There’s no need to make enemies here. “It’s almost ready for press.”

“Great. Go ahead and send it out when you’re done.”
~~~~

“I’m sure Lara will be thrilled that you’re coming out, but Dana are you sure about this ad thing?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know, you’re about to come out nationally… that’s huge, Dana.”

Leave it to Alice to point that out. Her eyes grew scared and wide at the thought. Oh my God, my parents!

“Oh my God, Dana… what about your parents?”

Alice’s voice startled her out of her shock and she glanced over at her with dread, then hid her face in her hands.

“Dana, you have to tell your parents, before they find out from someone else. When does this thing go to print?”

“I don’t know! Soon, I guess.” What am I gonna do?

“Dana, you have to tell ‘em.” Alice jumped at her phone vibrating in her pocket. “Oh *****.” Work. Silencing the call, she placed it back in her pocket. “I gotta get to work. And you have to talk to your parents.”

“Okay,” she timidly replied.

“Dana, don’t worry. They’re your parents and they love you, right?”

“Yeah.” Right, they love me. And they’re my parents. My loving parents.

“Okay, call me later and let me know how it goes.” Alice opened the door to leave just as her phone started ringing again. “*****. I’ll see ya.”

Dana watched as Alice quickly walked to her car, phone pressed firmly to her ear. She closed the door, turning around to lean against it. “Wasn’t this supposed to be a happy day?” she asked aloud as she threw her hands up in question.

Her gaze automatically focused on the photos of her parents featured on the shelves of her book case.

Mom, Dad… I’m *****. Yep, I’m a *****. How could this happen to your sweet daughter, you ask? Well, some would say I was born this way. Others think it’s a choice. What was that? Well, I’ve always been *****, Dad. Remember Stefani from tennis camp? Yeah, that’s when it all finally made sense for me. Oh, but you can’t say anything, she’s famous now… just like I’m about to be. How so? Well, see, Subaru is featuring me in an ad campaign of theirs. Yeah, it’s basically all about me being *****.

Yep, the whole entire country is going to know that your daughter is a *****… great, huh? Mom? You okay? Dad? Say something! ‘Get out and stay out’? How’d you know that’s what the campaign slogan was going to be?

Dana groaned to herself as she fell onto the sofa, burying her head in the soft cushions. How can the day already suck so much, when it hasn’t even barely started?!