things like that, when I think about you all alone like that, it
hurts me so much. I’ve had everything my whole life, and half
the time, I’ve taken it for granted. I have everything you want,
and I didn’t want it. I can see how that would have made you
so mad and hurt you all at the same time.”
“It didn’t really. Not like that. There are lots of kids like me,
even right now, out there. That’s my goal one day. When I
realized I was a lesbian, I never wanted to have my own kids. I
mean, even if I could have them the traditional way, and not
have to do in-Vitro, I still wouldn’t want that. I wanted to have
a big family, but I’d like to adopt. There are so, so many kids
who need to be loved. That was always important to me.”
Emily nodded. Dani could tell it was hard for her to think
about kids at her age. Emily was only twenty-one, but she
smiled. “If that’s important to you, if we get there one day, and
hopefully we do, when we want to have a family, that’s what
we’ll do. We’ll adopt.”
“I believed for so long that I wasn’t worth it. That I didn’t
deserve it. Happiness. Being with someone. Having someone
there for me. So many people told me that I was nothing, in so
many ways, that I kind of started believing it, I guess, even
though I didn’t want to. I’m sorry that I tried to pull away. I’m
sorry if you think that I didn’t fight for us—”
“No!” Emily set the photos down on her knees and grasped
Dani’s hands, both of them this time. She clung to them
tightly. “No, that’s not what I think. I know why you did what
you did. That was totally selfless of you. You wanted me to
have the best I could have, and I hate that you didn’t think that
was you, but I can see why you signed that contract.”
“I’m just glad you were willing to fight for us. For me.”