“Oh,” Courtney uttered and paused as if she was expecting Bette to continue.

“Bette is my partner,” Tina said nonchalantly. Courtney stared at them blankly for a second and then said firmly, “There’s nothing else for you in my house. As Jennifer said, she threw your book away and I would like for you to leave.”

Both Bette and Tina knew immediately what she meant since their visit to Tina’s sister was still fresh on their minds.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Tina replied evenly and began to walk toward the door.

“Mother,” Jennifer exclaimed angrily, “I can’t believe you’re acting like that again.”

“Jennifer, go upstairs to your room…now.”

Bette joined Tina outside of the house and said, shaking her head, “The world at large will never accept us completely, isn’t it?”

“Probably not but as long as you’re with me, I’ll defy the entire world because your love is all that I need…all that I want,” Tina said, unlocking their rental car when suddenly they heard rapid footsteps coming from the house. They turned around and saw Jennifer running toward them.

“I want to apologize for my mother…she’s very sensitive to the subject of homosexuality, especially after I told her that I was gay,” she looked at Bette and Tina and smiled sadly, “She put me through some therapy, telling me that I was sick and needed help. And my best friend’s parents thought the same when they took Emily away to Los Angeles. Mom thinks I’m cured after the therapy and since Emily is gone I’m back to being normal…she has no idea.”

Tina smiled at Jennifer, “Sorry you had to go through all that because of who you love…are you still keeping in contact with Emily?”

“Of course…distance is not good enough reason to stop being in love with someone,” Jennifer smiled and looked at Bette. “About your grandmother’s diary…I didn’t want to say it in front of my mother. I didn’t throw it away…I gave it to Emily on our last date.”

“Why do you think it was my grandmother’s diary?” Bette asked in shock.

“Well…maybe not your grandma but definitely someone in your family. I read it. Right on the front page there was an inscription: Diary of Lizzie Porter. When my mom introduced the two of you I just assumed that it belonged to your family.”