Dirty Laundry [REPOSTED]

Chapter 28

"That's cheesy as hell," Lance whispered, not realizing he'd actually made the comment out loud. It only made Sophia smile, and she nodded her head.

"It is, but it's true. I'm the only one in charge of my problems, my mistakes, my trials. I learned that I'm the only one who can face them. And then? And then I can move on, let them go. I had to learn this the hard way., but now I've figured it out, and I've grown because of it. I've got a job, I've got an apartment, I've got a car, and I'm getting a college degree."

Lance's eyes widened, and he couldn't help but comment immediately.

"You do?"

She nodded, and it was the grin she wore that said more than a thousand words to Lance.

She was proud of herself for it.

So this is what Abuela had meant. This is what Cleo had meant. This is what they were trying to explain to him; Sophia was different than Lance. The two of them had gone through so much, the amount of trial they each had was almost identical. Sophia with her daughter, Lance with Benji - the two of them had been dealt a great many cards to deal with.

The difference between the two, however, was this: Lance was still dealing. He was still rolling in that pain, he was still clutching tightly to it - even if it was time to let go. Sophia had let go, she had taken a good look at her mistakes, she'd seen them for what they were, and she'd moved on. Lance had not.

"That's why I'm back now. Alexi may have been ready to see her family, but I wasn't. I had to wait until the perfect time to come back. It wasn't a matter of Alexi, it was a matter of me and my emotions."

It wasn't until the tears began to fall that Lance recognised it. All he saw was a grown woman pouring out her heart, making her apology, everything so unfeigned that it only took a few minutes for Lance to make a decision.

He could forgive Sophia.

And this time it could be automatic. Forgiveness may be something that's earned, something worked for. Lance felt that with his father - he was still letting himself and his father take their time. Except, maybe that was something he needed to let go too.

Sophia, however, had already done more than enough to warrant that forgiveness. It was time for Lance to agree, it was time for Lance to give in.

"I'm proud of you, though," She said.

Lance looked up, staring at Sophia's quivering lip and shaking eyes. Why? Why was she proud of him? And how? How could she find it in herself to be proud? After all the shit he'd done?

Lance hadn't noticed the wetness of his eyes until it was too late - the tears had a funny way of appearing at the most inconvenient of times. Except, this wasn't inconvenient. This was the perfect time to cry.

"You came out of the closet." Sophia muttered. "It's a hard thing to do - and I'm more than sorry I wasn't there for it. If I had?" She paused, her voice hesitant. She was scared, but one look at Lance's tears and she knew it would be okay.

"If I'd been there, then maybe I could've come out too. I could've been a support for you. You wouldn't have been alone."

Lance blinked, suddenly letting his mouth open from the sudden surprise.

"You're, you're-"

"A bit gay? Yeah." She smiled, and Lance wanted to smile back.

So he did. It was bright, large, warm - and a complete astonishment. He couldn't help himself; he hugged her. It was sudden and tight, his arms squeezing the girl close to his chest. She squeaked at the sudden change, but she never moved away.