Page 75 of The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos

Their mom is speechless, mouth agape, as she stares at him.

Daniel locks eyes with Dalisay briefly, and an understanding passes between them. They’re a united front. Daniel moves from the threshold and onto the porch, this time leaning on the wooden railing.

She looks like she’s going to pass out. In the Philippines, a person can be put in prison for life for having drugs, even something like weed. “Drugs?” Mom says, finally. “In this house?”

“Lots.” Daniel pulls out a clear baggie of gummy bears. Edibles. “Welcome to California, Mom.”

She looks between the two of them, aghast. “Have I done such a terrible job raising my children? Is this because your father died? Are you acting out?”

Daniel sighs loudly and shakes his head. “We’re a little old to be ‘acting out,’ Mom.”

Dalisay says, “The point we’re trying to make is all of us have secrets. Nicole wanted to tell you hers because she loves you, and she wanted you to know because allshewants is to know you love her too, no matter what.”

“I do love Nicole! I just want her to be …safe!”

Dalisay’s heart hurts. It’s true, being queer in America is a lot better than in the Philippines, but it’s still not as safe as it should be. But that means Nicole needs her family to stick up for her, not reject her.

Mom’s eyes shine as Dalisay leans forward, elbows resting on her knees, and says, “We can all help keep her safe. You always say family stays together, that’s why Lola moved here with us, right? But you’ll lose Nicole if you’re so concerned about what other people think.”

Her words hang in the air between them for a while, filled only with the sound of birds chirping away in the trees. Even Daniel seems to be holding his breath.

Dalisay has never done anything like this before.

Mom’s eyes are hard when she says, “I am so disappointed, in thebothof you.” She snaps her book shut, emotion welling up in her eyes, and she leaves, closing the door behind her.

When she does, neither Daniel nor Dalisay say anything else for a long moment.

Dalisay can’t help but feel like she failed. She tried to stand up for Nicole, but now it’s only made her mom even angrier. She expects that this will be yet another thing that won’t be talked about in the house.

Dalisay doesn’t regret doing it. She would do anything for her family, even if it means saying they’re wrong. It’s not too late to try to change things for the better.

“I know what you were trying to do, noble as it may be,” Daniel says, “but I’d really rather that be the last time I have to hear about your sex life.” He gags and shivers.

“Evan and I are done, so …”

“No, I know. That ship has sailed. I don’t think I ever told you I kinda liked him,” Daniel says. “Too late now I guess.”

“Yeah, Nicole did too. He even offered to let her stay with him after the whole thing with Mom.”

Daniel looks impressed. “He seemed like a good guy.”

“Heisa good guy.”

She had been so caught up in her emotions at the time, she barely had time to process how nice it was that he offered. She regrets a lot of things about how it ended. There area lotofthings she regrets, but finally standing up to her mom isn’t one of them.

She holds out her hand toward Daniel. “Wanna share?”

He passes her the bag of gummies, and she takes one. Sometimes it’s good to be a little rebellious.

Dalisay slaps the book closed a little too hard. It’s one of Lola’s, an epic Filipino romance.

She almost doesn’t notice she dropped her bookmark as it flutters to the floor. It’s the one she uses most often these days, the note Evan left attached to her book-scented candle.

Here’s to stories worth telling. —Evan

She picks it up from the floor and traces her finger across the edge of the card. It’s soft now, from her touching it so much, but it still smells like that candle.

“Sitting all alone?” Lola asks.

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