After getting back to the quaint, suburban house, May unpacked her things. She took the most glorious shower to end all showers. When she emerged from scrubbing herself ten times over, both parents sat her down with serious expressions conveying their concern.

As first order of business, they informed her that she was not going to be returning to school. There would be no more internet, nor phone access in the house, and this was all for her own good.

Sinking into that leather armchair, May turned to look back and forth between them.

"You're kidding," she said.

They sat in poses that mirrored one another—their hands clasped, their eyes empathetic, leaning toward her from where they were positioned.

"We just think it's for the best." Her dad said it like it was so low-key.

"No way," she said. "That's. . . why? At least tell me why!"

"Honey, look at the bright side," her father said. Then, he paused for a long while. Turning to her dad, he said under his breath, "That was as far as I thought of. . ."

"It's for your own safety," her dad said. His voice was stern, yet somehow, gentle.

"Taking away my freedom!? How?!" The volume of her voice rose, as to be the naturally expected reaction one would have to such a thing.

Intensity in his eyes, her father began, "Because your bio—"

"Don't." Her dad laid a hand on his husband's arm.

"My bio what?" May asked. Tears were in her eyes.

Both men exchanged a glance.

"We have to tell her something," her father said. "Some truth."

Pausing in the intensity of her grief, May remembered something. "Does this have to do with the piece of paper that Phoebe had? Because I don't have anything to do with that weird crap!"

The men exchanged yet another look. Finally, her dad said, "Your biological mother? Our surrogate? Her. . . name was in the files."

A shockwave trembled through May's whole body. Then, she muttered, "What in the hell are you talking about? Because that weird stuff that Phoebe was reading—"

"Was real," her father said. "Er, at least it was based off of something real."

"What the hell," May mumbled. She said it over and over again, each time becoming less under her breath and more pronounced.

"It's hereditary." Her dad then sighed, putting his head in his hands.

"What is hereditary?" May asked. "What in the world are both of you talking about? This is insane! I don't believe any of this!"

When her father stood, his voice came out loud and booming. "All we know is that we found out her name was in the files. It was a list of names that just appeared—"

"You have to be absolutely kidding me," May said, her voice seething.

"It appeared out of nowhere," her father said. "Unusual things happened to people who's names were on it. And it had names on it that were listed decades before the people listed were even born."

"And as far as we know?" her dad crossed his arms over his chest, that heart tattoo on his bicep becoming more prominent. "She died because of her name being in those files. There was this whole cover-up by the government or something or some one."

"No way in hell," May said. "No, none of this is real, I can't believe that. . . the two of you are crazy enough to buy into something like Phoebe's zany stories."

"This story is different," her father said. "Because you're a part of that narrative. Like it or not."

"And you are precious to us." Her dad reached for her hand. His felt cold as ice. "You're part of our story and as far as we're concerned? Keeping you out of harm's way is what we have to do."

Tears poured down her face. "But. . . I don't want to be!"

Yet she knew in her heart of soft hearts that she had no choice in anything to do with the matter.

**

(As a side note, I do want to establish that it seems there was no intent here by anyone to purposely define two gay men as being villanous predators since—based on May's account and her dad's tell-tale memoir that failed to sell more than three copies—they sincerely had her best interests at heart. Rather, to quote the youth, all parents "be like that sometimes".)

Episode Seven has been sponsored by Jefferson Taylor-Riddle's book, 'Slay, Pray, May: Parenting a Semi-Gifted Child in the Age of TikTok.' The second edition of the book has been edited to increase the level of queer vibe in the best way possible, with that controversial passage about Kamala Harris' husband removed out of respect to Madam Vice President.

The passage about a young Joe Biden has been retained and expanded.