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Introduction
Juliana finally visits a counselor, along with Ashley who has been required by Child Protective Services to go to individual and group counseling. Ashley, who had originally intended to complete high school in three years at home, now decides to go to public high school. Juliana gradually expands her part-time job into full-time hours. They struggle financially, living on food stamps and credit cards, waiting for the divorce to be finalized.
Juliana becomes involved in SDA Kinship and KinNet. She becomes obsessed with pursuing a career in computers, seeking to realize what seems like a totally elusive dream—working at Microsoft. She also explores possibilities of her growing relationship with Ann. But there is continual conflict between Ann and Ashley, to the point of Ashley being suspected of feeling suicidal. Juliana must deal with parenting issues on all levels, developing assertiveness at work, in business dealings, and with Ann and Ashley. She loves Ann dearly and is constantly torn between her frantic desire for peace with Ashley and her need to remain in charge of her life. She wishes she had a lesbian Adventist mom friend, just to talk to, who could understand her fears and feelings that even she does not understand herself.
Unexpectedly, she finds such a friend online—Lina, who is the business partner of her first husband, Howard, a gay organist living in San Francisco. She is emotionally and physically reunited with Howard for a weekend, and falls in love with Lina, despite also being in love with Ann. Deja vu.
Juliana now has to deal with Adam who does not return to Mission Academy but goes to a local private school, Burlington Adventist Academy. She also puts Adam into counseling for a short while. Adam begs to take driver’s education and get his driving permit, which is nerve-wracking for Juliana. Since Ashley now refuses to go to church anywhere, Juliana takes Adam to Burlington, where he is also a class instructor in the Burlington Pathfinder club.
The Couch Avenue house, where they have lived for seven years, since Adam and Ashley were little, is sold, and they move to the Clifford Street house. Eventually, Juliana’s divorce from Denny is final.
“Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, I’m free at last!”
Chapters:
- Butchin’ Up
- After New Year’s Week
- Reality of Divorce
- Adam’s Accident
- The Parent Thing
- After Spring Break
- Microsoft and Secretaries’ Day
- Conflicts and Confrontations
- June Gay Pride
- Professional Lesbians
- A New School Year Begins
- An Old Duet in a New Time
- Coming Out to Lina and Howard
- Divorce Court Date
- Tying Up Loose Ends
- From Couch Avenue to Clifford Street
- Flight Into Fantasy
- Seven Seas in Sausalito
- The Good Earth
- Sunday in San Francisco
- Back Home in Fort Worth
- Ashley’s Accident in Kroger Lot
- Daring to Dream
- Free at Last
- Elusive Dream
The Back Cover
When the phone rang that evening, I wondered if it was Ann or Sharla calling me, but I answered nonchalantly.
“Is this Juliana Harvard?” the woman’s voice asked.
“Yes.” Now my curiosity was really piqued.
“This is Toni Tanner. Remember me? The one who first called you a ‘Suburban Married Lady’.”
I laughed. “Wow, it’s great to hear your voice!” And I thought, What a beautiful, sexy voice she has! We had a wonderful conversation, with Toni full of information and affirmation, just as she was on Prodigy.