A Sterling And April Story

Part 14

The 5 of them sat around the dinner table, comfortably enjoying their meal. Sounds of forks clanging off plates, chewing, and sipping of drinks filled the air. There was the faint sound of the radio coming from the kitchen which helped to erase any uncomfortable silences that may find their way to the dinner table.
Anderson was at the head of the table, to his left was Debbie, and to her left was Blair. To his right were April and Sterling in the same setup.
The family talked about how school was going for the 3 girls, the upcoming art exhibition, and other subjects.

Once everyone had finished dinner, Blair announced "That was delicious mom, thanks very much."
"Yes Mrs Wesley thank you." April butted in after, she didn't want to seem ungrateful.
"Oh no problem at all girls. Glad you enjoyed it."

"So how did you two... resolve your differences, whatever they were?" Debbie had cut right to the chase, looking across the table at both Sterling and April. Sterling moved her eyes over to Blair who was looking at her reassuringly. This was it. Sterling had to take the lead. She looked at April who was looking right back at her, smiling.
"Well mom," Sterling cleared her throat and sipped a bit of her drink. As she put her drink down she accidentally clanged her knife from her plate onto the table, making quite a loud noise compared to the silence that filled the room right then. Sterling muttered to herself and sorted her knife, put her hands in her lap, lifted her head, took a deep breath and looked at her mom.
"Well" Sterling tried again, but she was struggling. April could see she was extremely nervous. Out of sight, April placed her hand on Sterling's hand and interlocked her fingers with Sterling's. Sterling held her breath for a moment and looked at April. Seeing her there and supporting her, willing to tell people about them, gave her confidence. Sterling turned back to her mom.
"Well, I think we mainly realised that in our time apart we had grown up, into different people than we were back then." She looked at her dad, who had also paused taking a sip of his drink to listen intently.
"We starting hanging out at school as we had a lot of the same classes. We were put into groups together, and got to talking."
"Oh well that's lovely honey" her dad piped up. "So glad you two worked it out" and took that sip of his drink.

Sterling obviously wasn't finished. Debbie could tell, and remained looking at the two girls, all ears. She nodded at Sterling to continue.
"So, as we became friends again, we became, erm, more. More than friends." Sterling stopped. That was it. She'd said it. In a roundabout way, but she's still said it. She felt April's hand squeeze slightly on her own as she stared at her mom, trying to gauge her reaction. Her dad was oblivious, he thought she'd finished her story. Debbie looked at Sterling, then at April. Blair was smiling warmly at both of them from across the table, ready to jump in if they needed her.

Debbie paused for a moment, and looked at April. April looked a little flustered, but was keeping eye contact and staying strong. Debbie opened her mouth, but didn't say anything. She sat back in her chair and exhaled slowly, looking at her empty plate.
"We're telling you because we don't want to lie. We want to be ourselves." Sterling paused for a moment, thinking, then continued. "Something you always taught me, mom. I like April..." Sterling looked to her right at April, who was smiling up at her. "...and she likes me. We're happy together. And we want to be happy out in the open." She pleaded with her mom in her eyes to be OK with this.

"Well, honey, I don't know what to say." she said in a tone which Sterling couldn't tell. Was it disappointment, was it anger, was it acceptance? April squeezed Sterling's hand again, still out of sight from everyone at the table.
"I mean....." Debbie gestured to April with her hand and sighed. "Of everyone you could've ended up with, Sterl..." Sterling's eyes widened, she was ready to defend April with everything in her. There was no way she was going to let her family talk negatively of April. April was the best thing that had happened to Sterling in a long time. She could see across the table that Blair had her mouth open ready to come to April's defence too.

"... you picked a great one." she said. After a second, her face softened into a big comforting smile as she beamed at April. April's face changed from one of strength and solidarity to sheer relief. She exhaled slowly and sat back in her chair as she looked at Sterling. Sterling turned to look back at her with relief in her face too.

"We love April." Debbie let the words hang in the air as she got up and headed round the table towards the two. April slid her hand off Sterling's slyly before Debbie could see. Debbie knelt down between the two girls and put one arm round each of them, pulling them closer in a group hug. "I'm just so glad you told me. You know me and your father love you unconditionally." Debbie looked at April and squeezed her arm comfortingly. "You're welcome here anytime" she said.

April was dancing inside. She hadn't told anyone about this side of her before. And to have such a good reaction was, well, incredible.
"Thank you Mrs Wesley. That means a lot." said April softly.
Throughout the conversation Anderson had a confused look on his face. He watched Debbie walk back over to her seat and tried to catch her eye, to see what he had missed. "I'll catch you up later" said Debbie, slightly patronising but with no mean intent.

"I'm guessing you knew already, Blair." Debbie said, assuming. "Yup!" declared Blair. "I'm glad you're cool with it mom. Sterling deserves it." Blair smiled at her sister and her sister's... girlfriend? Partner? Whatever. She smiled at the latest family member, happily.

Sterling and April looked at each other and grinned. They had done it. They had their safe zone. Sterling held April's hand under the table, but not out of sight this time. April rested her head on Sterling's shoulder and looked across the table at Blair, who looked overjoyed for them. Her eyes darted to Mrs Wesley who was looking very proud of her daughter.
"Oh, but, if we could keep this between family for now.... We haven't told anyone else yet." finished Sterling with a bit of an awkward laugh. "Absolutely" agreed her mom.

"Now," Debbie said and clapped her hands. April lifted her head off Sterling's shoulder with a start. "Who's for dessert?"

Sterling and April smiled and looked at each other, replying "Me please" in unison, without looking away.