“Yes. And they were both very disappointed in my decision. They never came to any games. My grandmother was still alive and she gave me the money I needed. After she died, well, I quit. My parents were then very happy.”

“But you were not.”

“No. When college came around, since I was no longer dating the football player and there was no marriage proposal on the horizon, they did pay for that. The university is in Knoxville and thankfully, they allowed me to live in the dorm.”

Harper smiled. “Where you finally gave in to your primal desires,” she teased.

Dani laughed. “Yes. And after that first year, I found the courage to stand up to my parents and leave.” She tried to hold on to her smile. “They were very disappointed in me. Again.”

“So you still have this chasm between you?”

“Yes. They won’t admit it, but they read the tabloids. I’m sleeping around, I didn’t save myself for marriage, I’m not a very good girl.” She waved her hand in the air. “They believe it all.”

“If there’s this divide between you anyway, why don’t you just tell them you’re gay and get it over with? What do you have to lose?”

“Nothing. I have nothing to lose with them. My decision to stay in the closet has everything to do with my career at this point. Once I’m out of the movie business…does it matter? Is it anyone’s business…my personal life? Should I feel compelled to make some big statement announcing that I’m gay?”

Harper shrugged. “It might be a relief to say it out loud. To admit it.”

“To not hide it anymore, you mean? From anyone?”

“I’m sure it would be…freeing. Emotionally, at least.”

Dani nodded. “I’m sure it would be. I’m just not certain that I have the courage to say it out loud. And I know how pathetic that makes me seem.”

“Dani, it’s your life. You are who you are. You can’t pretend to be something you’re not, just to please other people, especially your parents. They have their own life…you have yours,” she said matter-of-factly.

“You make it sound so easy.”

“It is easy. Whatever you’ve conjured up in your mind as to what would happen if they knew…it’s probably way worse than reality.”

Dani smiled. “You obviously don’t know my parents. They’re old, old school.”

Harper stood up. “From what you’ve told me, your parents aren’t a part of your life anyway. What does it matter?”

“It matters because they’re all I have.”

Harper stared at her. “You don’t have a relationship with them, Dani. How can you say they’re all you have?”