Lila

Novelette: Lila. While Morgan crashes through life as best she can with the help of several exes who are now friends, and a couple other curious queers, most of whom camp out at her house, a prim, proper woman feels inspired to escape her troubles, lands on their doorstep. Now the merry band of misfits has lovely miss Lila and her young son to contend with even as they struggle to manage themselves. Sometimes laughing, sometimes crying, sometimes clashing, they are each other’s ragtag family and have always muddled through, though this newest challenge is throwing all a curve. With a great deal of humor and heart, one or two old, new, hardly conventional romances, this curious collection of queers and one rattled Southern housewife grapple to occupy the same space, while also struggling to accept themselves, and each other. (references to domestic abuse)

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Sample from Lila:

An hour later we are all around the table, wine open, poured. Lila is arranging her son’s food, talking quietly to him.

Kat looks over at them, “why doesn’t he talk?”

The blond flushes, “he can. He just doesn’t” as an afterthought “lately.” I get the impression she is worried too, but wrestling with too much as it is.

“Pretty brave, just up and leaving like that,” Lettie observes, clinks her glass.

The runaway flicks panicked eyes my way, “you told them?”

“I had to, they all kind of live here.” Except Kat, but she’s a given anyway, and here all the time.

Seeing the woman’s hands gripping the edge of the table, white-knuckled, Kat’s sultry tones offer comfort, “we are all friends here.” Gentle smile. “And all refugees in one way or another,” glancing at me “no one here will hurt you.” Pausing to look at each of us, “right?” We all nod, agree. Reaching a hand, very, very slowly, she puts it over Lila’s. “You are safe here.”

The woman gulps, forces herself to relax. Billee passes through, “grabbing a plate.” It occurs to me that one speaks about as much as Lucas. Rarely sits with us, though often nearby. But I know we mean something to their quirky self. I always thought talking was over rated anyway, I smile to myself.