Page 19 of Ruling Scar
Mom looks harangued at our theories, but she pauses inspecting her eldest.
Nat rolls her eyes. “I’m fine, it wasn’t like that.”
“Then what was it like?” Adeline asks. “Cause every time I showed you photos of dicks you swore you were going to puke.”
Dad glances up at the ceiling. It’s possible he’s praying.
“Did you plan this out?” I ask. Nat lives by her planner, but she sounded unsure when she made her announcement. If she used IVF, surely she’d have told us about it.
Nat shakes her head, pushing slightly away from Mom. “No. . . it just happened.”
Adeline and I share a look. ‘It just happened’ aren't words that come out of our sister’s mouth.
“So you like. . .” Adeline leans forward again, but everyone hears her ask, “Finally did it with a guy?”
My mouth drops open.
Even my lesbian sister has had sex with a guy.
I’m truly going to die alone.
Nat holds up a hand. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”
Adeline doubles down. “You don’t like dick.”
“Ads!” Mom shouts.
Dad leaves to go top up his vodka.
“It’s true!” Adeline says. “You always said you weren’t bi. That you knew it was women or nothing. Any time I showed you porn you yelled at me.”
Mom places her head in her hands, muttering to herself in Italian. Then she realizes Dad left. “Boris!”
“I find it very interesting that you suddenly decided to ride some dick and not use protection.” Adeline’s got her there. Even if Nat got curious, she’s too paranoid not to protect herself.
“Also,” I quietly ask. “Lia?”
Nat crosses her arms.
Mom stops praying. “Love?”
She doesn’t respond, shaking her head slightly. “We’re not breaking up.”
Mom and Dad never cared about Nat’s sexual orientation. Her girlfriend Lia Orlov’s parents were the opposite, though.
Despite the two dating since high school, Lia’s parents all but ignore Nat’s existence. They can’t be downright rude, since she’s Boris’s daughter and Lia’s parents belong to our world.
Mom’s adamantly said we’d never be forced into marrying for the better of the family business. We have free will to decide our futures.
But Lia’s parents want her to marry to ensure a stronger alliance.
Nat’s gotten annoyed about her girlfriend putting up with the idea for so long. And honestly, Lia’s balancing act of placating all the people in her life has to be exhausting by now.
I’m a rotten sister for not checking in as much. Maybe then I’d understand what’s going on.
Mom pulls Nat into a hug. “You know it’s going to be okay. This baby will be loved no matter what, my love.”
“So is the father in the picture or what?” Adeline asks.
