Her Remedy

by Rose Marini

  Wracking her brain, Allison shook her head. He pulled out his phone to show her a photo of a man a few years older than her, with light brown hair and dark eyes. Allison squinted at it, a sense of familiarity wiggling in the back of her mind. Something about the way his shoulders hunched towards his chest, as though protecting himself…

  Suddenly a vision clicked into her head. This was the man she had bumped into when she was stomping away after Emma had refused to introduce her to her father! Shame poured over her skin. She hadn’t bothered to apologize, not even after the binders tumbled from his hands.

  Mr. Simmons, seeing her horrified expression, asked, “You do know him?”

  “I think… I ran into him one time.” It was Allison’s turn to stare, unseeing, at her lap. “I was having a bad day and I was rude to him. You think he targeted us intentionally? I made this happen?”

  Mr. Simmons responded in the gentlest voice she had heard from him. “No, no, Allison. He was a disturbed man, and he had a vendetta and a plan. If it wasn’t you, he would’ve chosen someone else for another perceived slight. The other employees Ian framed reported similar minor conflicts or disagreements. He was on a mission to hurt the hospital, and to make some money while he did it.”

  “He sold the medication he stole,” Mr. Simmons answered Allison’s unspoken question. “Naturally, he was fired and arrested. I do hope that he can get the treatment that he needs.”

  Allison shivered despite the warm day. That had very nearly been her fate.

  “We—that is, the committee and I—also owe you our thanks. When the police arrested Ian, they found detailed building plans and caches of ammunition. They think that he used the opioid sales to fund the purchase of an automatic weapon. He planned an attack on the hospital, and if it wasn’t for your stubbornness and honesty, I’m not sure we would’ve caught him in time.”

  Allison’s mind reeled. To think that her mistake, her disrespectful attitude, had gotten her into this situation in the first place… And that if it hadn’t, people could have died! It was all too much to take in.

  As if he could hear his companion’s clamoring thoughts, Mr. Simmons was silent while she processed. Slowly, he continued, “This experience has opened my eyes to many of my personal failures, largely centered around my hasty judgment of people and situations, especially when they’re foreign to me. I humbly ask your forgiveness, and while I don’t presume that we can start over, I hope that we can move forward in a different way.”

  He paused again, brow furrowed as he examined the ground. “I love my daughter. All I want is for her to be happy. And I admire that you handled a difficult, unfair, humiliating situation with integrity and grace. If anyone deserves her, you do.”

  Standing, he cleared his throat and said gruffly, “Anyways, thank you for your time, Dr. Williams. I won’t keep you from your lunch any longer.”

  He paused a moment, then turned to walk away. Stunned by his statements, Allison stood silent until, calling after him, she said, “Mr. Simmons?” He turned, expression wary.

  “Thank you. For… everything you said.”

  They looked at each other for a moment, understanding passing between them. Emma’s dad nodded once and went on his way; Allison headed back to reassure her obviously concerned girlfriend. She felt as though a weight had been lifted from her chest; the knowledge of the investigation’s conclusion and Robert’s change of heart lent a bounce to her step.

  Two months later, Emma tugged Allison up the driveway of her parents’ house. “Ally, stop dawdling. They’re going to love you. You know my brother already does, and he’s here to diffuse any tension if we need it.”

  “What if they don’t like me, though? I mean, they weren’t thrilled when they found out that we were together. And I didn’t exactly meet your dad under the best circumstances.”

  Emma swung around to face Allison and placed her hands on the younger woman’s shoulders. “Yes, they weren’t exactly supportive in the beginning, but you know they’ve come a long way. My mom is even reading a book about how homosexuality has been misconstrued in Christianity for centuries. They really want to meet you—well, my dad wants to properly meet you as my girlfriend, not as a suspect in an investigation. I wouldn’t introduce you if I thought they were going to be rude or mean to you. I think they’re really trying to understand what this means for my life and my future—and seeing how happy I am with you will help them realize that this is a good thing. They’re already getting there. My mom commented the other day that I seemed more buoyant and more authentically myself than I have been in a long time.”

  She shook Allison’s shoulders gently and continued. “It’s going to be fine. And if they can’t accept you in my life, then they can say goodbye to their only daughter until they pull their heads out of their asses.”

  Allison kissed her cheek. “I love you. And I hope they come around, I know you’d be sad if they weren’t at our wedding.”

  “Our wedding? What, you’re going to make an honest woman out of me now?”

  Allison smirked at her. “I’m not sure that’s possible with you, but I’m sure going to try.”

  Emma’s whispered response sent goosebumps crawling across Allison’s skin. “Good. I look forward to what I’m sure will be a… stimulating pursuit.”

  The door swung open as they approached the house; Allison’s grip tightened on Emma’s hand. Mrs. Simmons, a round woman wearing a plaid apron over a sundress, reached out to shake Allison’s hand warmly. “Allison, welcome to our home. I believe you’ve met my husband.”

  Allison held out her hand, saying, “Hi, Mr. Simmons.”

  His large hand engulfed hers as he looked at her, his expression warm and inviting. “Call me Robert, please, Allison.”

  A slight awkwardness lingered in the air; luckily, Emma’s brother, Warner, bounded out the door to greet them enthusiastically.

  “Another older sister, just what I always wanted,” he lamented.

  “Just you wait,” Allison joked, grinning evilly at him. “I’m much bossier than Emma.”

  The resulting laughter broke any remaining tension; Mrs. Simmons ushered them into the house.

  Some time later, Mrs. Simmons had Emma and Allison hard at work in the kitchen. After sending Emma to set the table, she turned to Allison with a serious look on her face. Allison’s heart sank and she steeled herself for the inevitable lecture about leading her daughter into sin.

  “When Emma told us…” she paused, clearly searching for the right words, then continued. “Told us about her feelings for women, we were surprised, to say the least. It wasn’t the life we had imagined for our daughter. And I admit that I had a hard time accepting it at first.” She paused for a moment, eyes filling with tears as her mouth twisted. “We made some serious mistakes when raising Emma, when raising both our children—I see that now. But I want to make up for it. So does Robert. So I want you to know, Allison, that in this house, you are loved. And you are always welcome into our home and our hearts and our family.”

  Tears leaked into Allison’s eyes; she had expected to be treated with disdain, judgment, or fear, not warmly welcomed. Warmth spread through her veins.

  “Are you sure?” asked Allison, her voice low as she moved towards Mrs. Simmons. “Because…”

  She pulled out her phone and showed Mrs. Simmons a picture, keeping her eyes on the other woman’s face. “I bought a ring, this ring, actually. I love Emma. I love her more than I ever knew I could love anyone. I want to spend my life loving her. I’m going to ask her to marry me.”

  Mrs. Simmons gasped; tears traced down her cheeks and her hands shook as she took the phone from Allison’s hands. “Yes, I’m sure” she replied emphatically. “That’s all a mother could ever want! I’m so happy Emma has someone who loves her as much as you do. And this ring is so perfect for her, Allison. Welcome to the family.”

  She pulled Allison into a hug as Emma reentered the kitchen. “Everything okay?” she asked curio
usly.

  “Oh yes,” Mrs. Simmons replied, wiping her face and hurrying back to the stove as Allison hastily shoved her phone in her pocket. “I’m just so glad to finally meet Allison!”

  Grinning, Allison kissed a bemused Emma’s cheek as she went to set out the dishes on the dining room table.

  About the Author

  Rose L. Marini is a writer, medical student, and proud dog mom living in the mountains. While her overactive imagination often got her into trouble as a child, she now channels it into writing dramatic novels that depict realistic queer relationships. When she’s not rereading her favorite fantasy novels for the millionth time, she can be found drinking wine or a cappuccino, wasting her life on the Internet, and overall avoiding that thing she should be doing—studying. She hopes this book made you smile.