Chapter 8
NOW: DIANA
Diana had known what she was potentially getting herself into. She was smart enough to recognize that. It had been so long that it shouldn’t have mattered.
Except it did.
She’d sequestered herself in her study, her studio, her safe space.
The room had been a guest bedroom, so it was large but cozy.
Diana had picked the room because it was one of the few rooms on the second floor besides her own that also had a fireplace, a must considering the many late nights she’d poured over the various books of the Blake it has really solid health care for us and any of our kids who end up needing gender affirming care. I was thinking about talking to Julia about a new venture.”
But Diana stopped listening because she could barely breathe.
Her mind and heart were racing through so many emotions.
The first was an anger she always felt on Jay’s behalf, one that still hadn’t gone away even after she and Michaela could finally get married in 2014.
And now, she was what, fleeing back to the States because her identity was in question, again?
Still? And her kids, she’d dare anyone to try and take their kids away from them.
Diana would lose it. Her family may not be as wealthy as it once was, by Diana’s intention, but that didn’t matter.
Jay was far richer than Diana these days.
She and a friend, Davis, had one of the top by-the-book sex work and sex positive apps out there.
Michaela herself was an accomplished journalist and professor.
No, she knew what Jay needed wasn’t money.
She needed privilege and while money helped, it wasn’t the whole story.
As a Blake, she still had plenty of old money roots and connections to give Jay and Michaela a fair fight — much more easily done if they were closer.
“Come back to Vermont. You know we will help you any way we can—”
“Slow down love, slow down,” Jay soothed before continuing. “Thank you though. Thank you so much.”
“Of course, you know I’d do anything for you both, for all of you.”
“I know.”
There was a silence for a moment and Diana’s anger was slowly converting to grief and despair on behalf of her oldest friend. One of the great loves of her life. She didn’t even have time to acknowledge the other smaller feeling trying to take root, something akin to relief? Joy?
“I will keep you posted on our plans, obviously it’s a big move and while we’ve been working on it for a while, we’ve only just discussed it with the kids. God, I feel like it's my fault that their lives are being uprooted, if I, if we—”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence. Don’t,” Diana said icily, but she knew Jay would know the coolness in her voice was not aimed at her but at the hate in the world. “You are not the cause of anything. Be angry at people who are more willing to give into fear and hatred than their humanity.”
After a moment Jay said, “You’re right, I know you’re right, it’s just, I’m tired Dee, it’s been most of my life, just fighting to live.”
Diana swallowed thickly. There wasn’t much she could say to that other than absorb her friend’s words. “I know, baby,” she said finally, tears stinging her eyes. “Come home, just come home, you aren’t ever fighting alone. I got you, I got you all.”
After hanging up, Diana took a moment to silently sob in her study, and then she wiped her eyes, stood, and opened the door.
Suddenly, facing an old flame didn’t seem to burn as hot as it did before.
Once again, she was reminded what she knew Maggie had always been in tune with, what got them here in the first place: there are much worse things than drama with your ex.