Lessons In Lesbianism - 18 (Patreon)

Upon The Stage

The Fujikawas had been delightfully understanding hosts. Olivia really hadn’t felt worthy of their kindness, even when Eliza’s Aunt Karyna had pointed out that, to them, it was a visit from her niece with a girlfriend in tow. Sure, yes, the visit was caused by drama in Olivia’s life, the Fujikawas were happy to have Eliza visiting. Hammer City and Winnipeg were far enough apart that she didn’t do that much.

And then there was Kevin, who seemed to have lots of questions about transness, but was also quite awkward and shy. To be honest, he was adorable enough in how he acted that Olivia found herself wondering if she was possibly bi. Or if he just reminded her of Eliza that much. Since the pair did look surprisingly alike for being cousins of opposite sexes. Either way, Kevin was busy enough with his Biochemistry studies at Mac to not give Olivia too much time to wonder about her sexuality.

The stay in Hammer City was only three days, as Olivia had planned to only spend part of her Reading Week visiting her family.

It was only when she got to the airport that she realised there was a chance her parents may have cancelled her ticket. Thankfully that brief worry proved unfounded. Clearly her parents were upset, but hadn’t decided to burn that bridge.

Eliza wasn’t able to take the same flight as her (having been too late to get a ticket), but flew back early the next day.

The remaining few days of the week off saw the two of them spending as much time together as they could manage. In part from still being in the blissful start of their relationship, but, in part, because they knew they wouldn’t have much time when classes started back up. The rest of November and the start of December were going to be a home stretch of studying, assignments, and preparing for the end of term production.

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The applause of the crowd on opening night. She’d forgotten how wonderful that was. How it filled her with joy and satisfaction, knowing she’d succeeded in her craft and entertained an audience.

Getting to experience it while holding Eliza’s hand was even better, however.

She gave her curtsy as Eliza bowed. Then they moved off the stage, back to the dressing rooms. Glancing over as they walked, Olivia did her best not to giggle at the frilly shirt Eliza had been given for her costume (the costuming department’s best attempt to hide that rather generous chest that did not fit Oberon very well).

“That went well,” Olivia said, as she found a mirror to use for washing her stage makeup off.

“Definitely worth the chaos,” Eliza replied, unbuttoning her shirt to get changed.

Removing makeup and costumes was a bit of a process for anyone in the production, Olivia and Eliza being no different. If anything, they were a bit slower than average due to Olivia having contacts to take out and Eliza having the desire to kiss her repeatedly (without warning). Which meant it was no surprise that when they left the backstage there were already plenty of friends and family gathered about, talking with their classmates.

“Kevin! You made it!” Eliza said, pulling her cousin into a hug.

“I finished my exams, so I had time, and I had a plus-one who was very enthusiastic about coming,” Kevin replied.

“Plus o—Vivian?” Eliza said, her eye twitching slightly.

“What’s wrong with Vivian coming?” Olivia asked.

“Nothing, I guess… but it explains why there was no crowding of fawning girls with flowers for me,” Eliza said with a pout, her eyes drifting across the crowd and leading the others to spot the even taller metallurgist woman swarmed by a sea of admirers.

“Those girls are like lightning,” Olivia said. “They just go for the tallest target around.”

Eliza let out a snort at that, before waving off her concern. “No wonder she wanted to come, though. Must be looking for a girlfriend. How about you, cuz? Think you’ll have any luck as a guy on the most lesbian island in Canada?”

“I’m sure I can find a bi girl on the rebound of realising you’re taken,” Kevin replied with a playful expression.

(Olivia wouldn’t find out for a couple of weeks, but it turned out Kevin managed to hook up with a lesbian looking for a beard, who was also found herself being a little bi-curious after meeting Eliza’s lookalike cousin… she and Olivia would both realise that attraction was less surprising than they thought a few years later, but that is another story…)

Eliza waved goodbye to Kevin, and then began leading Olivia out of the crowd, moving towards the fresh air of the cool December night. Both women wanted to celebrate the success of opening night together somewhere a bit more private.

Before they could escape, however, a voice calling out ‘Libby’ caused Olivia to freeze.

Turning around, she saw her parents a short distance away down the lobby, Portia standing next to them, holding her mother’s hand. Her father was looking surprisingly sheepish, while there was a fire in her mother’s eyes she’d not seen in some time.

“Mum?” Olivia said, walking towards them is something of a daze. “Dad? I—what are you doing here?”

“It’s your opening night, dear. Of course we’d come,” her mother replied, wearing a smile. “Both to support you and to apologise.”

Olivia blinked. “Apologise?”

Her mother nodded. “Yes. I… when I was younger I was a modern woman, full of fury for the world and feminist hopes for the future. And your father was a modern man, both of us ready to support one another as equals… and then, well, society happened to us. Slowly, of course. So slowly I didn’t realise how far we’d strayed from our ideals from when we’d gotten married. Then, somehow, in deciding we needed to prepare you for the world you’d face when you told us you were a girl… we found ourselves seeing sexism as an inevitability for you to have to accept. Rather than something to fight… isn’t that right, dear?”

“Mhm… yes,” her father offered in a quiet voice. There was a guilt in his eyes when he looked at Olivia. “I’m sorry...”

“But you, Ms. Haliwell… when you swooped in, full of romance and chivalry, ready to rescue Olivia, even if it meant a fight… I also saw that you didn’t see her as a trapped princess in need of saving, but as an equal in need of reinforcements. Something my husband had once offered me. Between that and finding out how her former boyfriend had been treating my poor baby… it reminded me I had a spine. So, thank you,” Olivia’s mother said.

A look in Olivia’s father’s eyes told her just how much it had reminded his wife of her spine. He seemed to still be slightly in shock as to how much things had apaarently changed in a period of a little over a month.

“Olivia, I wish to do better by you from here on out,” her mother said. “As well as to try to do better for Portia. For both my babies.”

The young girl in question let out a happy nod, even if she clearly didn’t quite understand it all.

“I—thank you. Thank you mum,” Olivia said, stepping forwards to give her mother a hug. She then turned to her father and gave a small nod. “I appreciate both of you trying.”

“I can’t promise I’ll be perfect, but… I’ll try my best,” her father said, seeming to accept he was still on slightly thin ice.

Hearing a happy giggle from Portia, Olivia was surprised to discover Eliza had scooped the young girl and was wearing a wide smile across her face.

“Well look at you! You’ve grown so much!” Eliza said. “What are you, twice the size you were when I saw you before?”

“Pfft! You’re silly,” Portia replied. “I like you.”

“Lots of girls do,” Eliza said, grinning away. “Unfortunately for all my admirers, your older sister has taken my heart.”

Watching the silliness continue between Eliza and her baby sister, Olivia felt a slight twinge of desire. To one day hopefully have a child of their own whom Eliza could be just as playful with.

“You really do love her,” she heard her mother say in a soft voice.

Olivia nodded. “I do.”

_

And there we have it, the finale. Time to go back and do some editing to get it out to the presses.