Page 24 of Learning Curves

And then, for some reason she couldn’t fully fathom, Audrey grabbed the end of Michelle’s boa and gave it a tug. Michelle swayed toward her, and click , Arlen caught the moment on camera.

Michelle put a hand on Audrey’s shoulder to steady herself, and Audrey almost dropped her spare leg, her heart was beating so fast.

“Love that,” Arlen called. “Audrey, take her right hand and pose like you’re dancing. I don’t know about you, but I’d give money to see Anne Lister dancing with Weird Barbie.”

“Especially Anne Lister wearing a rainbow boa,” Audrey said, playing along. She gripped Michelle’s free hand, and they swayed to the music, slowly spinning each other in a circle. And ... was that a smile on Michelle’s face?

As Audrey watched, Michelle’s lips curved and her eyes sparkled. They were dancing, really dancing, and Audrey wanted to live in the moment forever.

Michelle couldn’t believe it, but she was actually having fun.

She twirled Audrey in her outrageous Barbie costume as Arlen captured the moment with their camera.

As she stepped back, Michelle tripped over the hem of her Anne Lister skirt.

She stumbled into Audrey, who gripped both of Michelle’s hands in her own.

Audrey laughed, and it was such a beautiful sound.

Before Michelle realized it, she was laughing, too, still holding on to Audrey’s hands.

They must look utterly ridiculous, but wasn’t that the whole point?

Arlen seemed thrilled, and as Michelle glanced behind them, she saw that a crowd of students had gathered to watch her and Audrey’s antics in the photo booth.

Warmth crept into her cheeks, and she fought the urge to slink away, to lurk in the corner as she usually did. She was here to represent the university, to support the Pride Coalition.

“Yo, Dr. Thompson, you’ve got moves!” a young man whose name she didn’t know called out. “Who knew?”

“I knew,” she retorted with a smile. But now she noticed the line of students waiting for their turn in the photo booth. She tugged Audrey out of the makeshift box.

“That was fun,” Audrey said, sounding slightly breathless.

“It was.”

“Do you help out with this party every year?”

Michelle led the way to the refreshment table in back. “Not every year, but often, yes.”

“The kids seem pretty fond of you.”

“I’m fond of them too,” Michelle said. “They’re a good group. The Pride Coalition seems to grow every year, which is great to see.”

“I love that too,” Audrey said, giving Michelle a sly look. “I also love seeing this side of you. You seem more relaxed than you are in your classes.”

That was because she actually wanted to be here. Maybe not here , at a Halloween party. Costume parties weren’t really her thing, but this one was turning out pretty well. “It’s a more relaxed environment.”

“So it is.” Audrey took two paper plates from the stack on the table and handed one to Michelle. “What are you in the mood for? Zombie-brain cupcakes? Witch-finger cookies? Ghost pizza bagels?”

Michelle surveyed the table. She hadn’t had dinner yet, so she needed something more substantial than candy and cupcakes. “I’ll start with one of the bagels.”

“If you want something savory, the graveyard chicken-enchilada dip sounds really good,” Audrey said. “Gia was telling me about it earlier when we were setting up.”

“Perfect.” Michelle filled a plate with various spooky finger foods and grabbed a can of sparkling water, then followed Audrey toward the tables and chairs that had been set up at the back of the room.

“Love your costume, Dr. Thompson,” someone called out. “Yours, too, Dr. Lind!”

“Thank you,” they both responded.

“Got to say, your costume looked even more awesome with that rainbow boa,” Audrey said teasingly as they chose an empty table and sat.

“I’m not sure what Anne Lister would have thought about it.”

“Are you kidding? She’d have loved it.”

“I suppose she would have.” Michelle picked up her bagel, which was covered in tomato sauce, with ghost-shaped cheese on top. “It’s heartening to see how many of these kids know who she is. That’s the power of the series. I doubt any of them have read her diaries.”

Audrey shrugged as she bit into a cupcake oozing with what looked like brains on top.

“They might have discovered her from the show, but with a queer gathering like this, there are probably others who’ve deep dived into her life and diaries.

I bet teenage Michelle was already acquainted with Miss Lister. ”

“Yes, but I wasn’t exactly your average student.”

“Let me guess.” Audrey studied her for a moment. “You were extra studious, always with your nose in a book, fascinated with art and history even then. Were you out in college?”

“I suppose I was.” She shrugged. “I’ve never ascribed to the idea of coming out, nor have I ever made an announcement about my sexuality.

I am who I am, and I’ve never apologized for it or tried to hide it, although in those days, I tried not to draw attention to myself in general.

I was more interested in my studies than in dating, but when I did date, it was always women.

I knew I was a lesbian by the age of thirteen or so.

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t fascinated with women. ”

Audrey was listening with rapt attention, completely unaware that she had a glob of faux zombie brains stuck to the end of her nose. “Tell me more about young Michelle.”

“You have ...” Michelle touched her own nose, unwilling to touch Audrey’s.

Audrey mimicked her, smiling as her fingers came away covered in red jelly. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” At Audrey’s expectant look, she acquiesced.

She wasn’t fond of talking about herself, but she’d play along, if for no other reason than she hoped Audrey might reciprocate afterward.

“I fancied myself an artist when I was a little girl. I was always in my room painting, but alas, as I got older, I realized I had no talent with a paintbrush. By that point, I’d fallen in love with art, though, and I’d started reading about the artists who interested me.

But I wondered why the books I brought home from the library largely contained works by male artists. Where were the women?”

“Dammit,” Audrey breathed, touching Michelle’s hand lightly. “You deserved that class so much more than I did.”

She sighed. “What’s done is done, and none of it was your fault. I was wrong to take my frustrations out on you at the start of the semester.”

“It makes me like Stuart a little less to know how he handled this.” Audrey scrunched her nose. “You should be teaching Women in Art. You should have been teaching it for years.”

“But I’m not. You are. Now, your turn. Same questions. Tell me more about yourself.”

“Well, you know a little bit about what I was like in college.” Audrey gave her a silly smile.

“An adorable little teacher’s pet,” Michelle teased.

“Adorable? Aww.” Audrey reached for her water.

“I came out in college. Before that, I’d assumed I was straight since I had crushes on guys in high school.

It took me a little longer to recognize my female crushes for what they were.

Anyway, once I realized I was bi, I went through a phase where my whole personality was pink, purple, and blue.

” Audrey rolled her eyes at herself. “I was basically shouting it from the rooftops because I was young and self-absorbed, but also, it was nice to be at a welcoming university.”

“That is nice,” Michelle agreed. “Is your family supportive?”

Audrey’s whole face lit up. “They’re the best. My parents even threw me a rainbow-themed party for my twentieth birthday, after I came out to them. I really lucked out in the family department. I love them so much.”

“That’s wonderful,” Michelle said. “Does art run in the family?”

“Nope, only me.” Audrey shrugged. “I’m adopted, though, so who knows where I get my artistic talent from.”

Michelle felt her eyebrows go up. “Really?”

“Yep. My mom was adopted as a child, and it changed her life, so when the time came, she and my dad didn’t even try for their own kids. They knew they wanted to adopt.”

“So both you and your brother are adopted?”

Audrey nodded. “No shared genes in my household. Just love.”

She said it with such earnestness, Michelle felt a tug of yearning. That kind of love? She didn’t know what it felt like. “That’s really beautiful.”

Audrey held up her phone, showing Michelle a photo of a Black woman and white man in their fifties, embracing Audrey and an Asian man about her age who must be her brother.

“My family. I love them to pieces.” She looked up, and some of Michelle’s wistfulness must have shown on her face, because her expression turned tender. “And your family?”

Michelle shrugged. “They’re fine. I think we get along better with an ocean between us.

Honestly, it was a relief for them when I followed Kelly to the States.

Now they can show off their other children and grandchildren at church without having to endure the whispered comments about their lesbian daughter. ”

“Oh, Michelle ...” Audrey looked like she was moments from hugging her.

Michelle held up a finger to ward her off. “No, my story isn’t tragic. It just is , and compared to what a lot of the kids in this room have been through, I got off easy.”

“It’s not a competition. You’re entitled to feel however you feel about it.”

“I don’t, though.” She sounded more vehement than she’d intended. “I don’t feel much of anything when I think of my parents. I’m tired of talking about them, though.”

Audrey stood, extending a hand. Something playful sparked in her eyes. “Dance with me, then. For real, no photo booth involved. Let’s show these kids how to have fun.”

And dammit, despite her better judgment, Michelle heard herself saying yes.