Maia doesn’t know when she first realized she was gay. Perhaps the year after her father left. She remembers their swimming teacher dividing them into As and Bs. The Bs left on the side, while the As were sent into the pool. She can still picture Fern jumping in, then reemerging. Head back, treading water. Fern had beamed up at her, a semi-circle of smooth black hair fanning out on the surface. And Maia’s stomach had flipped, her chest expanding with something that felt glorious and surprising. Like a balloon being blown up. She’d had to look away. Had known, even then, that Fern loved her,
...more
