Finding Love (GxG) -completed-

Chapter 30- To Tell Or Not To Tell?

After Kenny walks out, Elise hurriedly shuts the door. Once the door latches with a “click,” Elise leans back against the door in shock. Bouquet of flowers in the crook of her arm, business card in her hand, and her opposite palm on her cheek, Elise’s mind begins to race...

Oh my gosh… Kenny just kissed me. Oh my gosh… Kameron sent him here? I didn’t think Kam was at the hospital today? Now what do I do? Maybe this was her way to get rid of me? I don’t see how he could be lying because he had never met Kameron. I was so falling for her. This is why relationships are a bad idea, someone always gets hurt!

Charlie then walks out of Gwyn’s room while putting his leather jacket on. He looks up and smiles at Elise before noticing the expression on her face and her defeated posture. “Hey, you okay Elise?”

Elise jumps, not realizing he had come out. Realizing Charlie is standing in front of her with a concerned look on his face, she straightens up and moves away from the door. Since Charlie continues to look at her like he is waiting for something, she realizes he must have said something. “Oh, sorry if I was in your way.” Elise begins to blush slightly, feeling embarrassed he caught her in a less than stable emotional condition.

Charlie reaches his hand out to her elbow and gives her a half smirk. “That’s fine. I asked if you are okay? You seem upset.”

“Oh, I’m okay. Thanks though.” Elise does her best to smile at him in return and hopefully convince him she is indeed okay.

“Okay, if you’re sure. You know you can talk to me or Lyn if you need anything?” Charlie zipped the zipper on his jacket halfway and put his hands in his coat pockets.

“Thank you Charlie. I appreciate that, but really, I’ll be okay.” Elise moves closer to the stairway to indicate she wants to go upstairs.

“Well, good night then.” Charlie smiles as he turns to open the door, “I’m sure I’ll see you soon.” Charlie gives a wave in Elise’s direction and shuts the door as he leaves.

Elise sighs deeply and trudges her way up the steps back to her bedroom. She sets the bouquet and business card on the stand next to her bed to deal with later. Sitting on the bed, she leans forward with her face in her hands and thinks: what am I going to do? Elise then lets out a long “argh,” in frustration.

Kali happened to be exiting the bathroom as Elise gave her loud sounds of frustration, and turned toward the sound. Since the door was cracked and not latched, she knocked and pushed it open slightly. Seeing Elise sitting on the bed with her head in her hands, she walked in and put her arm around her shoulders. “Elise, what’s wrong my friend?” Kali tended to talk in proper English but with a very strong Indian accent.

Elise began to cry but Kali stayed there with her arm around her until she calmed. “Now, please talk to me. You can tell me anything. No judgments.”

Elise had never heard Kali say anything of the sort before and was surprised. Could she trust her with this big a secret? She really needed someone to talk to but was so scared to share something so paramount. Something that if taken badly could lose her all her friends. “Oh Kali… I want to talk so badly but I’m terrified none of you will understand and will refuse to be my friend anymore.” Elise studied Kali with tear stains on her face, eyes bloodshot, and cheeks flushed from crying.

Kali latched the door, pulled the desk chair to the bedside, sat down next to Elise. and took her hand. “Elise, let me tell you a secret. I took Psychology and Sociology classes as electives not because I needed them for a business major, but because human behavior fascinates me. Not to sound creepy, but I watch people and learn things. Most of what people tell me, I already know or have inferred from watching.”

Elise gave her a skeptical look. “Okay, I’ll give you examples… The reason Gwyn got on birth control is they had a condom break. The reason she was gone so much was that all the stress made her period late, which of course caused more stress. She finally got her period during the early morning Monday. She was relieved but had been too terrified to tell anyone. I figured it out by her interactions with Charlie and her anxiety. So she is now on the pill.”

Elise gasped, “why wouldn’t she tell us so we could support her? Oh that had to be so hard. She loves children, but wants to be married first.”

Kali smiles. “Touché Elise. Why wouldn’t she tell us, her friends, so we could help her?” Elise nods, beginning to understand Kali’s point. “Now, you are very busy with school and work. Neither Andrea or myself have to go to a job. I still help my family online, but I’m lucky not to have to go out to a job. So there are things you wouldn’t see because you aren’t here. You may not know this, but Serena is bisexual; she is attracted to both men and women. The reason that Andrea was so upset when Serena got in her accident is because they have secretly been in a relationship for over six months.”

Elise gasps, “No way! How would I miss something like that?”

Kali laughs. “I’m not sure they know anyone knows. They’ve tried to be secretive, but I’ve seen them a couple times when they forgot I was also home. They like to use the jacuzzi tub in Andrea’s room together. For what it’s worth, they seem to make each other happy, so good for them.”

“Wow… I’m shocked. I wondered why Andrea didn’t date. I thought she was just too shy. I care about them but I don’t care that they are together. How sad they feel they have to hide it.” Elise sat staring at the floor, soaking in what Kali had told her about her two close friends and a roommate.

“Again I have to say, touché Elise. How sad they choose not to share to get support. No matter, we still care about them and will still be their friends.” With that, Kali simply sat quietly, still holding her hand, and waiting for all of this to soak in. 

Elise sat up straighter and met Kali’s eyes, “People sure do underestimate you don’t they?” Kali simply nodded. “Okay, can what I tell you just be between us, please?” 

Kali raised her right hand and pretended her left was on the Qaran. “I promise if I tell anyone without your permission, you can cut my tongue out.” Kali let’s her hands fall into her lap.

Elise took a long cleansing breath, focused on her pencils on her desk. It was as if she were watching the events happen in her mind as she spoke…Elise started out talking about high school and Kenny and how badly that ended. She talked about her counseling that summer and how she believes herself to be gay. She talked about meeting Andrea, how they became so close. Next she talked about meeting Kameron the day of orientation. She explained how Kameron makes her feel and that she never understood attraction until she met Kam. She told Kali about the misunderstanding when her clinical patient wasn’t well. Next she explained taking Andrea to the hospital. She told Kali about Kameron asking her out again, how wonderful it had been, but that the intense emotions scared her. She explained about the note on her windshield and then Ashley saying the same words to her. Finally she ended with Kenny at the hospital and how that upset her but she worked past it. Kali’s eyes grew big when Elise explains how Kenny was at the house and his claims Kameron told him she wasn’t dating anyone, gave him the address, and finally the bouquet, cell #, and him kissing her cheek. Elise took a deep breath and sighed, “So, now I don’t know what to do. I thought I knew Kam, but this hurts.”

Kali sits quietly for a bit, then it’s like a light bulb comes on and her face lights up. “What did you learn after the day you were struggling at clinicals? You and Kameron talked and what did you say to each other?”

Elise looks at Kali, furrows her brow in thought before responding. She then smiles and says, “we promised we would communicate if there were issues. That’s why none of this makes sense.” Elise launches herself off the bed and hugs Kali.

“Elise… can not breath.” 

“I’m sorry.” Elise sits back down but is much more energetic and lively than during her telling of her predicament. “Thank you so much for listening and helping me see that friends are going to love me no matter who I date.”

Kali smiles. “Elise, I knew something was up with you. You are a beautiful, intelligent, caring woman. You being alone just didn’t make sense to me. Thank you for trusting me with your secret. My hope is now that you see I didn’t run away screaming, you will be able to tell others. That though is your choice.” Kali hugs Elise again and turns to leave. “Please go call your girlfriend and see what the heck is going on.”

“Yes, I’m going to try to c*****t her right now. Thanks again!” Elise grabbed her phone and sent a message to Kam:

Eli: hey, can we please talk?