And so we kissed

Twenty-Two

Rosemary's anxiety grew with each step her mother took, back and forth, back and forth. The air felt heavy, and Rosemary could see the glistening sweat on her mother's forehead. Her eyes held a flicker of intensity, as if she were wrestling with something deep inside. Rosemary's heart raced, filled with a mix of fear and uncertainty.

She couldn't help but wonder what her mother might say or do in this moment of heightened emotion. It was a situation that had caught them both off guard, leaving Rosemary feeling unprepared and unsure of what was to come.

Rosemary held onto her conviction, certain that her romantic interest lay with men, just as her mother had hoped. Despite any doubts that may have arisen, she remained steadfast in her belief that this attraction to women was merely a passing phase.

Rosemary trusted her mother's guidance and believed that her mother knew what was best for her. It was a challenging time for Rosemary, as she navigated her own feelings while trying to align them with her mother's expectations.

Rosemary found herself grappling with conflicting emotions, desperately hoping that her newfound attraction to Taylor was just another passing phase, much like her childhood interests in short hair, cars, and dinosaurs. She resisted the soft touch of Taylor's lips and the longing for her presence, fearing that embracing these feelings would disappoint her mother and lead to a lifetime of unfulfillment.

The fear of letting her mother down weighed heavily on Rosemary, as she yearned for acceptance and understanding while simultaneously trying to suppress her own desires. It was an internal struggle that consumed her, as she desperately wished for this phase to fade away, allowing her to conform to her mother's expectations.

Rosemary's hands trembled as she ran them anxiously over her knees, her breaths coming in deep, desperate gasps. The tension in the room was palpable as her mother's relentless pacing persisted. Rosemary longed to find her voice, to speak up and express the turmoil swirling within her, but each time she opened her mouth, all words seemed to evaporate into thin air.

The confusion in her mind was overwhelming, leaving her feeling lost in a hazy fog of uncertainty. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore, and the world around her blurred into a chaotic jumble of emotions and thoughts. It was as if the very fabric of her reality had become tangled, and Rosemary struggled to find her footing amidst the disarray.

Thankfully, the distinct sounds of keys being plugged in and a doorknob being turned caught Rosemary's attention, diverting her focus from the overwhelming tension in the room. Her eyes darted towards the door, where her father stood, a warm smile illuminating his face as he entered with three boxes of pizza in his hands.

The sight brought a glimmer of relief to Rosemary and her mother, as they welcomed the distraction and the comforting presence of her father. With a gentle closing of the door behind him, he placed the boxes of pizza on the table near the entrance, filling the room with the enticing aroma of cheesy goodness.

The simple act of sharing a meal together provided a momentary respite from the confusion and chaos that had enveloped them, allowing them to find solace in each other's company. Or so that's what Rosemary hoped.

          "Hello, my love." He then looked over at Rosemary and he grinned, "How's my favorite girl's?"

          Rosemary's mother rolled her eyes before pinching the bridge of her nose, "You won't believe the day I had."

Rosemary's father approached her with a tender smile, his eyes filled with a mix of love and concern. As he reached her, he gently leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead, a gesture of comfort and reassurance. Taking a seat on the couch across from her, he sat with an air of strength and determination, his head held high.