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MidReal Story
Small Town Hearts
Scenario:A tomboy lesbian woman with short pixie cut hair, wear boyish clothes, wear tattos, have girlfriend, parents and sister.
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Lisa Carter
Jamie's mother and a homemaker, mother to Jamie and her sister.
Mark Carter
Jamie's father and a local pastor, father to Jamie and her sister, traditional values but loves his daughter.
Sarah Jennings
Jamie's girlfriend, in a relationship with Jamie, long curly hair, feminine style, supportive and caring.
I woke to the sound of my phone going off and I rolled over to look at the screen.
Seeing Sarah's name, I hit accept.
"Hey babe, what's up?"
Sarah's voice was soft and sleepy.
"Hey yourself, what's up with you?"
Sarah yawned on the other end of the call.
"I'm just calling to say good morning, I didn't wake you did I?"
"No, I was up anyway. Just getting ready for church."
I replied.
"Oh okay, well I was calling to ask if you wanted to meet up for lunch after. Does that sound good?"
Sarah asked.
"Yeah that sounds great, where did you want to meet?"
I replied.
"How about the park? It's such a nice day out, and it's always pretty there this time of year."
Sarah suggested.
"That sounds perfect, I'll see you at twelve?"
I replied.
"Can't wait!"
Sarah replied before hanging up.
I finished getting ready, pulling on my favorite pair of ripped jeans, and grabbing a plain white t-shirt.
I always cut and styled my hair myself, but I loved how it looked when it was still short like this.
It was growing out of the pixie cut it had been in for years, and it was now around chin length.
As I sit in the pew, the soft murmur of conversations around me creates a gentle hum, punctuated by the occasional cough or rustle of hymnals.
I glance around, taking in the familiar sights: the stained-glass windows casting kaleidoscope patterns on the floor, the worn wooden pews polished to a warm sheen, and the ornate pulpit where Dad will soon deliver his sermon.
Mom finishes arranging the flowers and steps back to admire her handiwork, her eyes meeting mine briefly before she turns to greet more parishioners.
I feel a pang of guilt for not helping her with the arrangements, but I've never been much for flowers or domestic duties.
The organ music starts, and the congregation quiets down, awaiting Dad's entrance.
As he takes his place at the pulpit, his eyes scan the room, making brief contact with mine before moving on to greet the rest of the congregation.
His voice booms through the speakers, warm and welcoming, but I can sense the underlying tension between us.
"Good morning, everyone. Today's scripture reading comes from... "
I zone out, my mind wandering back to Sarah's call and our plans for lunch.
The sound of rustling papers and shifting in seats brings me back to the present, and I notice a few people glancing at me, their expressions a mix of curiosity and suspicion.
I realize I've been staring off into space, lost in thought, and quickly look down at my hands clasped together in my lap.
Just as I'm starting to relax again, I hear a faint commotion near the entrance, followed by a loud gasp from someone behind me.
I turn to see what's happening, my heart skipping a beat as I spot a figure standing in the doorway, her eyes fixed intently on me...
I stood frozen, my heart racing, as Emily's words hung in the air like a challenge.
"What do you mean, an accident?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking louder would make the truth more real.
Emily's eyes welled up with tears again, and she took a deep breath before speaking. "He was driving home from a friend's house last night, and...and he lost control of the car. It crashed into a tree."
I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. The sun beating down on us seemed to intensify, making my skin prickle with sweat. I took a step back, my eyes scanning the courtyard as if searching for an escape from this nightmare.
"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "That can't be true."
Emily's face contorted in a mixture of sadness and desperation. "I'm so sorry, Jamie. I know how much Alex meant to you."
I felt a surge of anger at her words. How could she apologize for something that wasn't her fault? It wasn't her fault that Alex was gone.
I turned away from her, my eyes stinging with tears. The sound of the church's organ music drifted out into the courtyard, a jarring contrast to the chaos brewing inside me.
Suddenly, I needed to get out of there. I needed to move, to do something, anything, to distract myself from the crushing weight of Emily's words.
"Let's go," I said abruptly, turning back to Emily. "We need to talk to Mom and Dad."
Emily nodded, her eyes still brimming with tears. "Yeah, we should tell them."
I took off towards the church door, Emily following close behind. The bright sunlight seemed to dim as we stepped back into the cool darkness of the church.
The sound of murmured conversations and rustling papers enveloped us once more, but this time it was like a suffocating blanket, weighing me down.
I spotted Mom arranging flowers near the altar, her smile faltering as she saw our faces. Dad's voice boomed through the speakers, but I couldn't make out his words.
Everything seemed to slow down as I approached them, Emily's hand grasping mine like a lifeline.
"Jamie, what's going on?" Mom asked, her voice tinged with concern as she noticed our expressions.
"Dad," I interrupted, my voice cracking slightly, "we need to talk to you both, it's about Alex."
Dad paused mid-sentence, his eyes narrowing with a mix of confusion and dread as he stepped down from the pulpit to join us.
