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was really the best she could have hoped for.

“Honey,” her dad began. His voice was thick with emotion. “I wish you

would have come to us sooner. I wish you could have known that no matter

what we think about things, we would support you. I realize now how

ignorant I was a

bout a lot of things. And still am.”

“Me too,” her mom echoed. “I don’t know anything about how to support

you. I wish I could have spent all this time trying to figure that out. If I

would have known…”

“I’m sorry.” Kiera glanced down at where she had her hands trapped

between her knees. She’d worn jeans and a light sweater and, since she

anticipated turning into a giant bawl bag, she’d pulled her hair into a tight

bun on top of her head and worn no makeup at all. “I’m sorry that I was too

busy being scared to try to figure out how to tell you.”

“You could never lose us.” Her mom’s eyes welled up with tears. Kiera

felt the sting at the bridge of her own nose in response to seeing her mom

cry. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry. I’m sorry if I’ve ever done anything to make

you think we would stop loving you or not accept you. I know that we

might have more conservative values, but we would never—”

“I know, Mom,” Kiera said brokenly. “I know. I just…somehow I still

couldn’t…I couldn’t make myself believe it. I guess that’s what fear does. It

lies to you until you start to believe those lies as truth.”

“I’m sorry for what I said at dinner the other night,” her dad said softly.

His voice sounded off too. Rocky. Thick. Kiera couldn’t remember a single

time she’d ever seen her dad cry. If he did, he didn’t do it in front of her. “I

didn’t mean it that way. What I said was based on…well, not having any

information at all. I don’t think you’re unnatural. You’re my daughter. I

love you. I would do anything for you. I would fight anyone who tells you

that you don’t have a right to be happy as who you are.”

Kiera brought her hand up and swiped at her eyes. It was useless, since