Being Happy is Being Honest

Back at Jay’s Apartment…

“So the two of you are just going to avoid each other now?” Celeste asks your distraught daughter.

After Stella told her side of what happened during her and Cassie’s date the previous night, you and your guests, Celeste and Hal, are now in the middle of consoling her. Stella’s hunched over the couch, her face in her hands, while you and Celeste take turns rubbing her back as Stella sits between the both of you. Hal, for his part, decided it was more prudent to keep silent.

“I don’t know!” Stella shouts in frustration. “I don’t want that to happen, but she chose to not go home with me last night.” Stella adds.

“Where’d she stay then? Isn’t she staying with you guys for the summer?” Celeste asks out of genuine concern.

“Becca’s.” Stella answers. The answer causes Celeste and Hal to glance at each other with concerned looks.

“That’s a good thing, baby. She still sought out f—friends.” You start to point out to Stella, before catching yourself in revealing that she’s Cassie’s half-sister to Hal and Celeste by accident. You’re not sure how much they know, but that seems like a detail that’s best left revealed by the people directly involved. The sudden pause before saying ‘friend’ does get a curious look from your cousin and Hal.

“What I mean is, she didn’t decide to be alone after what happened. She probably needed someone to talk to as well.” You assure Stella.

“And, what? I reserved you to console me, is that it? She should be talking to us!” Stella points out. “She’s your girlfriend too, Dad. She has every right to be consoled by you too. We could’ve worked this out together with you already if she chose to be here. But instead, she chose… Becca! Becca, who Cassie's too afraid to bother since she’s too busy with work, so I’m guessing she’s probably still isolated anyway. All because I hurt her! I broke rule number one! I fucked this up for everybody now!” Stella shouts, obviously distraught.

Celeste immediately goes back to rubbing Stella’s back, after your daughter buries her face in her hands once more. You silently tell Celeste with your eyes that you’ve got this, and wrap your arm around Stella’s shoulders to take over sole consoling duties.

“It’s going to be alright, Stella.” Celeste shifts to verbal affirmations instead, while rubbing Stella’s lap with her hand caringly. “Do you need us to get you anything?” Celeste then asks. Stella just shakes her head in response, with her face still buried in her hands.

“I know a really soothing tea that could help. We could—” Hal starts to suggest, before you interrupt him mid-sentence.

“If it’s not too much to ask, can you buy her some ice cream? Her favorite is Häagen-Dazs’ dulce de leche.” You suggest, and Hal immediately gives you a supportive nod.

“On it.” Hal says, before tapping Celeste on the shoulder to go with him. You give Hal and Celeste appreciative nods before they make their way to exit your apartment and you return your focus back on your daughter.

As soon as Stella hears the door to your apartment close, she immediately asks, “Ice cream?”

“Don’t worry, I already ordered pizza while you were sharing what happened. I know that’s what you really need right now.” You tell her. Stella immediately smiles, before lunging at you for a hug.

“You know me too well.” Stella says, before laying her head on your shoulder.

“I did raise you.” You point out jokingly, getting a light chuckle out of your daughter.

“Nah. It’s not just that. Like seriously, who suggests tea?” Stella asks jokingly, breaking away from you.

“Uncle Iroh.” You answer her with a comforting smile.

“Oh, fuck. Yeah. My bad.” Stella says with obvious guilt in her tone.

“Don’t feel bad, baby. Tea is just hot leaf juice after all.” You joke, since you know Stella actually doesn’t dislike tea. You just understand that it’s not her go-to in times like these.

“How can a member from my own family say something so horrible?” Stella, not missing a beat, references Uncle Iroh’s line back at you. The two of you share a laugh at your silliness, before Stella’s expression changes to a somber one once more. She rests her head on your chest this time, while hugging you by the waist. You instinctively stroke her hair to comfort her.

The two of you stay like this for a while, letting the silence speak the words that need not be said. She doesn’t need to hear your reassurances that she did the right thing or that everything will be alright. She doesn’t need to hear your idea of solutions that she didn’t ask for. You know that she just needs you to be there for her.

The silence was eventually broken by the arrival of your pizza order, but noises are mostly the sound of chewing and groans of pleasure that emanate from you and Stella. It’s only when Stella looks at you inquisitively that you finally feel that she’s ready for a conversation again.

“Yes, baby?” You ask her casually.

“Aren’t you going to say something?” Stella asks.

“I don’t think there’s anything I need to say.” You tell her with a gentle smile.

“Of course you do, Dad! Two of your girlfriends just had a major fight! Of course your opinion matters! You’re in the middle of this now.” Stella argues.

“I’d argue that’s only true if your fight was about your relationship with me.” You counter calmly, and Stella looks away from you after hearing it. She seems to be contemplating your meaning.

“The way you recounted what happened between you and Cassie, your conflict wasn’t about your shared relationship with me. It was about your differing opinions on where your relationship with each other should go—and that’s between you and her. I am in no place to decide for either of you.” You explain, and Stella nods that she understands, but her head is still weighed down by her concerns.

“But Dad, you do realize that the aftermath does concern you, right? Actually, not just you, but everyone. I broke rule number one. I hurt someone in our relationship.” Stella points out.

“I don’t think—” You try to assure her, but she doesn’t allow you to explain your point.

“No, Dad! I did hurt her! She said it herself! I broke her heart!” Stella argues once more, in the same distraught tone she had before Celeste and Hal left. You wrap your arm around her shoulders like you did before, and Stella instinctively rests the side of her head on your chest.

“I guess this is us talking about what constitutes hurting one another.” You comment.

“What’s there to talk about there? That’s a black and white rule!” Stella argues.

“Hurting someone and hurting someone maliciously are two very different things, baby.” You tell her.

“Oh, so what I did was homicide instead of ****. Great.” Stella reacts sarcastically, but it does make you chuckle for some reason. Stella gives you a look that asks ‘What’s so funny?’

“I was just impressed you knew the difference. Are you planning on taking up law?” You jokingly ask.

“Well, I ain’t passed the bar, but I know a little bit…” Stella jokingly references, cracking a smile, before realizing what you’re doing and she slaps you on the same side of your chest that her head was resting on.

“Hey! Take this seriously!” Stella tells you with an annoyed look on her face, before it immediately turns to one of confusion. “Wait… Why aren’t you taking this seriously?” Stella then asks.

“I am taking this seriously… but it doesn’t mean that I can’t lighten the mood a little. That’s what you do when I overthink things.” You tell Stella with an appreciative smile. Stella smirks a little in return before resting her head on your chest again.

…

“Do you really want to hear what I think?” You finally ask.

“Yes. Badly.” Stella answers.

“I think you and Cassie will figure your next steps on your own. Without any need for intervention on my part.” You tell her. “I’m not just saying that to clean my hands of this like I didn’t have any part in it. I am the one who encouraged Cassie to not give up on pursuing a possible relationship with you after all.” You admit.

“I say that because you two girls are best friends—sisters even, and the two of you have a better grasp of your relationship than anybody else. Including me.” You explain.

“What happened may have caused some pain in the short term, but in my opinion, both of you did what was best for the long one.” You add.

“How could rejecting her be what’s best? I should’ve just…” Stella asks, before trying to argue something that gets caught in her throat.

“Lied?” You finish the thought for her, and she finally understands why you think she did what was best in the end.

“You told me that being happy meant being honest, not just with other people but with myself as well. Both of you did that last night. Despite the pain it would cause the other person. Cassie was finally honest about her feelings with you, despite knowing you may not have felt the same. And you were doing the right thing by being honest with her, because neither of you would be happy if either of you based your relationship on a lie.” You fully explain your thoughts.

Stella remains silent on your chest, staring into nothing as she once again contemplates your words. Stella doesn’t say anything for a while, and now that you’ve voiced your piece, the only thing left to do is to comfort your daughter as best you can. So you lay on your back and raise your legs onto the couch, so that Stella can lay on top of you like the two of you have always done when she was growing up. Stella closes her eyes and rests her palms on your chest while you stroke her hair.

The two of you stay like this for a few minutes, synchronizing your breathing with each other’s. When you begin to think that Stella’s fallen asleep, you close your eyes as well to drift off with her…

Only to be woken up unexpectedly.