T: What did he say?

Edith swallowed and she tried to suppress tears.

E: He… He said he was sorry… he ever adopted me.

They had told the girls they were adopted when they were 12. Tina looked angry. How dare he do that to her daughter? Her eyes were on fire.

T: Wait until I see him… He will be sorry for saying that.

Edith laid her hand on Tina’s shoulder.

E: That’s not everything. He also said he should have never let me around your friends.

T: What? He is totally out of his mind!

Edith sighed.

E: I don’t want to go to Dad’s anymore. I don’t want him to talk to me like that, I don’t like his new girlfriend, and I don’t like that monster that comes along with her. I feel like I’m bugging him by being there and I don’t want to feel like a stranger in, what is supposed to be, my home.

T: I know you don’t want to go but how does Leo feel?

E: Mom, he said he was sorry that he adopted me! I don’t really think he wants me around.

Tina laid her hand on her daughter’s cheek.

T: I’m sorry you had to go through that. And I’ll talk to your Dad about this.

Edith smiled a weak smile.

E: It’s… It’s fine. I mean, I knew this was going to happen when I told him this… Can I ask you something I’ve always wondered?

Tina nodded.

E: How come that you only have gay friends? I mean, I think it’s amazing but it’s weird that you don’t have any straight friends, right. Except for Kit then.

Tina sighed and looked at her daughter.

T: Before your Dad… I was together with a woman for 7 years.

Edith’s eyes widened.

E: No way! This is so cool. Why did you two break-up?

Tina closed her eyes and swallowed.

T: We… just broke up.

Edith frowned.

E: Mom, I can see when you are lying but it’s okay; you don’t have to tell me.

Edith gave her mother a kiss on the cheek.

E: I’m going to my room, okay?

T: Okay.

Edith smiled at her, stood up and walked out of the room. Tina sighed, took her book and began reading again.