By Monica Meneghetti
* Based on real events. Names of actual people and places have been changed.
Salt and her boy-sweetie, Pepper, live in a very conservative province, in a small town called Bigmont.
Salt’s girl-sweetie, Sugar, moves to Nearmont, a small town just 20 minutes’ drive from Bigmont. They think living and working in separate towns will insulate them from any major drama over being different in a small community. Still, Pepper, Sugar and Salt expect to deal with some situations not covered by Emily Post.
***
Salt picks Sugar up from work in Nearmont. Sugar introduces Salt to her employer and his wife, Betsy. She looks vaguely familiar to Salt. Eventually, Betsy places Salt’s face.
“You’re the one who always comes in to look at stuff but never buys anything.”
Right! thinks Salt. Betsy works in Bigmont…
“Yes,” Salt says, “I’m that customer who can’t afford anything!”
Being introduced officially as Sugar’s partner feels great. Still, Salt is unsettled. Betsy has probably assumed Salt’s a monogamous lesbian. In Bigmont, strangers regularly assume she’s straight and monogamous. Salt hates the idea of anyone thinking she’s sneaking around.
At Sugar’s place, Salt tells her, “You know, last time I was in Betsy’s shop, I was with Pepper. We were discussing whether to put something on layaway. I wonder if Betsy’s suspicious?”
A few days later, Pepper and Salt walk down the street, holding hands. Salt looks up just in time to meet the eye of a passing pedestrian, who gives Salt a searching look. Salt is puzzled. A few steps later, it hits her. They are mere meters away from where Betsy works. It was Betsy. The cat’s out of the bag.
Warning Sugar by phone is useless. She won’t get the message before finishing her shift.
Betsy drives to Nearmont, preparing herself for an emotional conversation.
***
“Sugar, can I talk to you?”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“I’m not sure where to start. I’ve been thinking about it all afternoon.”
Sugar sits down. This seems serious. Betsy takes a sip of wine.
“Does Salt have an identical twin?”
Sugar knows what’s coming. She stalls for time.
“No, why do you ask?”
“Well, this is difficult…I saw her holding hands with someone in Bigmont.” She pauses.
“A man.”
Sugar smiles. “Oh. That’s Pepper.”
“You know about him?”
“Yes, Betsy. Don’t look so worried! There are no secrets here. We’re all happy.”
***
After work, Sugar calls Salt on her cell.
“So, guess what?” she says, and tells her story.
“Sugar, I’m so proud of you! You handled it perfectly!”
***
Salt and Pepper decide to drop by Sugar’s job together, so Betsy can see it’s all on the up and up.
Sugar prepares her boss. “You remember Salt? Well, she has a boyfriend as well. They’re popping by today.”
Sugar’s boss says, “Huh. I’d be interested to hear more about that. I imagine it takes some maturity…”
The two chat away while they work. They work together happily for a long time after that.
And the world keeps turning, the sun rises and sets. Nothing but everything changes.
Monica is a writer, instructor and literary translator. Visit monicameneghetti.com or join her Facebook group, Monmen.