Page 21 of The B Side

J.J.: I’m familiar with it. Go on. Ask away. What questions do you want to ask me?

S.F.: Well… I mean, I’m as curious as anyone about your recent coming out.

J.J.: I can’t help but notice that’s not a question.

S.F.: Right, so – it seems you and Darcy have been together for at least a little while. What was the driving force that had you decide to come out when you did?

J.J.: You know, Serena, in all honesty? I didn’t come out for a long time for several reasons. But a big one is that I literally wasn’t able to.

S.F.: OH? What do you mean by that?

J.J.: I mean that my label and my stepfather, Harrison Jacobs,

S.F.: Harrison Jacobs, if I’m not misremembering, owns a company that very publicly made their statement that “everyone deserves to feel welcome here” last Pride?

J.J.: Yeah, you aren’t misremembering. That’s exactly what Harrison would say to make sure people think he’s inclusive – to make you want to keep buying at his store. But note that he will never make explicit comments about his policies. Hint: it’s not because they’re human-rights forward.

S.F.: Just so we’re not mincing words: are you saying that your stepfather and your label forced you to keep your queerness a secret?

J.J.: That’s exactly what I’m saying. And I’m also saying that if you care at all about queer rights or women’s autonomy, you should think about where you spend your money; Harrison owns a lot of subsidiaries. How was that for human interest?

S.F.: I’d say it is very interesting, indeed.

Chapter Five

Darcy sat on the couch next to Emerson, both of them riveted as Blythe paced the living room floor in front of them.

Even though Darcy would never want to move back to Pineford – living with her home base in L.A. for over a year had really reinforced that. Admittedly, not that she loved everything about L.A., either. But their house was perfectly her vibe – she’d always admit that when she was in Blythe’s house, it was like a dream.

Specifically, she really loved the sunken living room that her sister had made sure was relatively modernized but was still warm. This house always felt like a home.

Then again, being where her sister was felt like home, much like the way being with Juliet did. She supposed she was hardwired in that way, given that their physical home had always been so unpredictable when they’d been younger.

“Everything on your list has been checked, right?” Blythe asked, clearly going through her own mental checklist.

Darcy glanced down at the notebook in her lap, where she had, indeed, checked off everything they’d discussed. All final calls with the florist, with the caterer, the videographer, the photographer, and the officiant – done. Emerson would be playing the piano as Blythe walked down the aisle.

And Darcy would walk her sister down said aisle.

She looked back at her sister. “Blythe, I promise you. Everything is ready to go. We have spent the last forty-eight hours doing nothing but wedding preparation.”

“We even went on a mission to get the blue sign from Sandra today at the bowling alley, for the something borrowed and something blue,” Emerson pitched in quietly, giving Blythe a comforting smile.

Blythe blew out a low, deep breath, nodding as she did so, shaking out her hands.

More nervous than Darcy would have ever imagined for this moment.

She couldn’t help but let her eyes drift over to her phone, quickly tapping to see if she had any new messages or updates from Juliet.

Nothing.

And she hated that.

Somewhere along the line, she’d become someone who missed Juliet, after not having seen her for only a couple of days. Yes, she could function without her, and she’d been doing a damn good job as a Maid of Honor, if she said so herself.

But she didn’t like being without Juliet, and she definitely didn’t like it right now.

Blythe tsk’d at her. “I haven’t seen you check your phone like that since the feud, you know.”