Avril + Dani: The Problem With Denise (Part 13)

         Avril held onto the glass of milk as if she were about to crush it between her hands and sprinkle the fine power onto the floor. She hadn't liked where the conversation had gone. Dani had run out of the room and out of the house in tears.  Her mom, Denise has stood there smiling nervously as if laughing it off would make the problem go away.
         Every part of Denise made Avril shiver in disgust. She was even more disgusted in herself for acting like that bitch to Dani. If she had defended Dani, maybe she wouldn't have run out.  "Why do you act like that towards Dani?" Avril asked hesitantly.
        "What do you mean, 'Act towards Dani'?" Denise continued scrubbing the counter top even though she had gone over them several times. "I treat Dani exactly how she deserves to be treated."
        "And how does she deserve to be treated, like an ashamed dog?" Denise stopped scrubbing and slapped the cleaning towel onto the counter making Avril take a step back.
        "I was nice to let you come into my home when you had no where to go." Denise's voice cracked, "I should have known you'd only be causing trouble." She held her hand up as Avril opened her mouth to argue. "I don't want to hear it, you've already taken my baby girl from me and turned her into one of you."
       "One of me?" Avril held herself back, she could kill Denise. "What am I, tell me or can you not say the word?"
       "Of course I can say it, the word just makes me sick." Another blow. "You've turned her, I cannot forgive you or her for following you."
         "How can you say that?" Avril yelled back. "So me being gay means that I can turn everyone around me?" Avril let her breath out, "Well I have news for you, If everyone I talked to turned into a lesbian this town would be a fucking true colors convention."
       "Don't swear."
       "Don't change the subject, I want to know why Dani being gay impacts your life so much that you have to hate her." Avril had never been so angry. She had never let someone get to her so much. She was only furious because she loved Dani and didn't want her to be hurt by someone who should love her as well if not more.
       "I don't hate her Avril, I'm confused this isn't how I raised her to act."
       "She's acting fine, being gay has nothing to do with acting out, she likes girls there's nothing wrong with that." Avril put the glass of milk down and picked it up again. "Why can't you understand that?"
       "I don't need to be told by an eighteen year old what I should understand." Denise smiled nervously again, "What I do understand is ever since you came into Dani's life she's been miserable."
       "That's not true."
       "Many times Dani has come home crying and I know she was at your house." Avril put the glass back on the counter and leaned against the fridge. "I'm not afraid that she's a Lesbian, that's the least of my worries, I'm afraid she'll turn into you."
       "I've never done anything to her, Denise."
       "Believe what you may but when she comes home crying I can only blame you." Denise picked up the cleaning rag and started going over the counter again.
       "I still want to know why you can't accept her being gay?" Avril asked.
       "You really want to know?" Denise sighed, "I'll give you what you want then, When I was about your age my best friend growing up was gay and you kind of remind me of her. She was stubborn and always ready for a fight, but she was also very caring and protective. I was the only one who knew she was a lesbian and I wanted to protect that secret. Well one night at a school party I had gotten drunk and high." Denise smirked, "I bet you can't picture me high and wasted, I had always been told I got rather loose lipped when I was drunk and I ended up telling everyone she was gay." Denise looked down at the ground, "After that night, everyone at my high school began taunting and harassing her for it which killed me inside because I knew it had been my fault. What made it worse was she had found out that I had told everyone and never trusted me again."
      "It was a mistake, did you tell her that?" Avril asked
      "It was too late, she hated me and wanted absolutely nothing to do with me." Denise sucked a breath in, "A few weeks later I went to her house to try and apologize again but ended I had missed her by a few hours, all the teasing and harassment had gotten to her and she had killed herself." Denise looked up at Avril as tears began to roll down her face. "It was my fault things ended up as they did, which is why when I found out Dani was gay I was scared, I didn't want her to go through the same pain my friend had gone through, maybe if I told Dani it was wrong to be a lesbian or be with another girl she would listen to me and stay away from it."
      "You can't blame yourself for what happened, yes you shouldn't have told anyone her secret but then again she should have known how much support you would have given her." Avril took a step towards Denise, "Knowing that you let her secret out probably made her feel like you were against her as well."
      "Look at you trying to be my therapist." Denise smiled, "Avril I know how much you love Dani, I know you'll protect her."
      "Do you?"
      "You've got a huge heart Avril and I've always been able to see that I just couldn't let it show, I'm sorry." Denise wiped a tear with the back of her hand and turned towards the sink and began washing dishes.
      "I would do anything for Dani." Avril said stepping closer to Denise.
      "Then bring home my baby girl." Avril was surprised when Denise took her in her arms. "Bring her home to me." She whispered.
      "You have my word Mrs. Hawthorne."