Jenny's Family
ElrodW
Jenny, Melinda, and Natalya have a new set of challenges as they adjust to
being a somewhat unconventional 'family'. On top of that, Melinda and
Jenny start to encounter some friction, since their work and school lives
are diverging. Natalya is starting to feel - and act - more like a girl,
including noticing boys. And there's a friend of Melinda's that is
causing consternation to Jenny.
Note: This is the fifth in a series about Jenny, Melinda, and Natalya.
In order, the other four stories are: Bikini Beach: The Handyman, Bikini
Beach: The Sub, Bikini Beach: Dear Jenny, Bikini Beach: Cousin Trouble.
Also note that this story has no direct transformations, but does deal
with the affects the changes have had on the three main characters as they
adjust to new lives.
**********
Jenny's Family
This story is copyright by the author. It is protected by licensed
under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0
Unported License.
Jenny paced nervously back and forth near the security exit at the
airport. She paused long enough at one end to glance at the flight status
board, and confirm that a flight had indeed landed, and thus, the
passengers would be debarking. She glanced past the security checkpoint,
looking, but in the scurrying mob of passengers coming and going, she
didn't see who she was looking for. She frowned - why did it seem so busy
today?
"Would you calm down a bit?" Natalya said as Jenny paced past the chair
where Natalya was sitting, playing games or texting on her smartphone.
"Her plane landed safely. She'll be here in a little bit."
"Aren't you at least a little excited to meet her finally?" Jenny asked,
sounding a bit crass. She'd been doing nothing but talk about Melinda's
imminent arrival for the past few days.
Natalya shrugged. "I guess," she answered noncommittally as she continued
to text her friends.
Jenny winced. She was terribly afraid that Natalya was going to see
Melinda as competition for Jenny's time, and wasn't going to give Melinda
a chance. Natalya's reaction seemed to confirm that.
Jenny glanced one more time past the security point, and then turned to
Natalya to try to talk to her. But she'd seen something, and did a
double-take. She thought she saw Melinda walking toward the security
exit, and - Jenny frowned - walking with a guy.
She looked again. It _was_ Melinda - and she was with a guy. From
Melinda's expression, it was obvious that Melinda was quite happy, and
smiling as she talked to the guy. While Jenny continued to watch, Melinda
gave the guy a quick hug, and then turned toward the security exit, while
the guy went toward the restrooms.
Jenny felt her heart race as Melinda walked toward her. She could see her
lover scanning the crowd, and when she saw Jenny, Melinda's smile was
brighter than the sun. Dragging her carry-on roller bag, she raced
through the exit toward Jenny, beaming with happiness.
A step from Jenny, Melinda let go of her bag, allowing it to drop on the
floor, as she reached out with both arms to wrap Jenny in an enthusiastic
embrace. Melinda's lips sought Jenny's, and she passionately kissed her
lover.
"Sheesh," Natalya commented acidly, "you two are making a scene! This is
embarrassing."
"I don't care," Melinda commented to Natalya between kisses. "I missed
you so much," she purred to Jenny as she reveled in the hug and kisses.
Her eyes were watering from her joy.
"And I missed you," Jenny replied, equally enthusiastic. She let her arms
drop until she caught Melinda's hands, and then leaned back slightly.
"Look at you!" she said. "You look ... better than I remembered!"
Melinda grinned. She was wearing a pretty and very fashionable dress,
probably the only passenger on her flight that was dressed up. Her
sunglasses were atop her head, and her hair was done in a French braid.
Triple-hoop earrings dangled from her ear, and from the embrace, Jenny
knew that Melinda was wearing a new perfume.
"You're ... beautiful," Jenny said, sounding awestruck. "That's a very
pretty dress, but you didn't have to dress up for me."
"Yes, I did," Melinda rebutted with a smile. "I wanted to look my best
for you."
"You do," Jenny smiled. She wrapped her arm around Melinda's waist as she
turned toward Natalya. The girl was still focused on her smartphone.
"I'd like you to meet Natalya, my cousin."
Melinda stepped forward, her hand outstretched. "I'm pleased to meet
you," she said warmly. "I've heard so much about you."
Natalya looked up from her phone as she took Melinda's hand. "I've heard
a lot about you, too," she said. "Mostly all the kissy-kissy stuff you
two were always Skyping."
Jenny frowned, but Melinda laughed off the girl's comment. "What did you
expect?" she asked with a smile. "We love each other. Did you think we
would end our calls with something like, 'Sincerely,' or 'Most cordially
yours,' or something like that?"
Natalya looked at Melinda as if she wasn't quite sure how to take this
newcomer. Melinda knew that she was being evaluated by the young lady in
everything that she said and did, and that she _had_ to make a good
impression.
"Your outfit is so cute," Jenny changed the subject. "It's new, isn't
it?"
"Yeah," Melinda spun, showing off the dress with a carefree spirit.
"Monique and Nichole helped me pick it out in Paris last weekend."
"Monique and Nichole?" Jenny didn't sound reassured. If anything, she
sounded a bit suspicious - or jealous.
"They're two French girls who were in the program," Melinda explained.
"They talked me into going to Paris with them for the weekend to do some
shopping." She grinned. "Actually, it wasn't that hard to talk me into
going with them."
"It sounds like the program was pretty well attended and pretty diverse,"
Jenny observed. There was a hint of something in her tone that sounded
like she wasn't totally pleased.
"It was very international," Melinda explained. "It was a lot of fun."
"I'm glad you had a good time." Jenny definitely sounded envious, and
perhaps a little hurt.
Melinda noticed. "But the best part," she said as she turned to Jenny and
put her arms around Jenny's waist, "is coming home to you." She leaned
forward and kissed Jenny again, slowly and passionately, trying her best
to demonstrate to Jenny that her heart still belonged to the red-headed
mechanic from Bikini Beach.
**********
As the trio, Jenny, Melinda, and Natalya, stepped into the elevator,
Melinda could barely contain herself. "So, what's this big surprise
you've got for me?" she asked. Natalya was pulling Melinda's large
suitcase, and Jenny was carrying a smaller one, leaving Melinda with only
a carry-on bag in hand.
Jenny exchanged a knowing glance with Natalya, and then smiled at Melinda.
"You'll see." She turned, blocking the control panel, as she pushed the
button for her floor, and then turned back, positioning her body so
Melinda couldn't see.
Jenny grinned. "You have to promise to keep your eyes shut."
Melinda frowned. "But ..."
"No buts," Jenny scolded her. "Hurry up and promise me!" She was
watching the elevator's progress on the light panel.
"Okay, okay," Melinda gave in. "I'll keep my eyes shut."
Jenny grinned. "And I promise that you'll be very surprised."
As soon as the elevator stopped, Melinda closed her eyes. Jenny took her
hand, and the trio walked slowly down the hall, with Jenny guiding
Melinda, and Natalya following, towing the large suitcase.
When Melinda felt Jenny stop, she knew they had to be near the apartment.
She was genuinely baffled by what Natalya and Jenny had planned. She knew
something felt wrong - it was as if they'd taken a wrong turn in the
condo. Then again, she reassured herself, she'd gotten used to the dorm
in Europe for the last three months.
Melinda resisted the urge to open her eyes as she heard Jenny's key in the
lock. The sound of the door opening seemed magnified, since it was one of
her senses that wasn't blocked. Once again, Jenny walked forward, and
Melinda followed inside, until Jenny stopped again.
"Okay," Jenny said gleefully, "open your eyes."
Melinda warily opened her eyes, but then, she couldn't help gasping in
surprise as her eyes opened wide. "What ...?" she stammered. "This isn't
...."
"Surprise! It's our new condo," Jenny announced proudly.
Melinda let go of her small carry-on bag, and it thudded to the floor, as
the shocked girl turned around slowly, her mouth hanging agape as she took
in the main room. She recognized Jenny's furniture, but the room was much
prettier, with contrasting colors on two walls of the main room, some very
feminine curtains, and some lovely artwork hanging on the walls. Jenny's
old condo had been noteworthy for how plain it was. This was noteworthy
for the opposite reason - it was very fashionably decorated. She noted
that the kitchen was bigger, and then she saw a small hall leading off the
living room. "Is it ...?" she seemed almost afraid to ask.
"With Natalya living here," Jenny said proudly, "I needed to get a two
bedroom condo. Grandmother and Ronnie Harris worked the deal, and voila -
our new home!"
Melinda's hand came to her open mouth as she continued to stare. The
corners of her eyes were moist. "You must have spent _hours_ doing this!"
she said softly. She walked slowly, as if in a dream, to the hall, and
gazed into the bathroom. It, too, was nicely appointed, with pastel
towels, a floral d?cor on the shower curtain, and the aroma of potpourri.
She looked in one room, and realized almost immediately that it had to be
Natalya's. The floor was a bit messy, and the d?cor was a little less
feminine than she'd seen so far. But it was the boy-star posters on the
wall, the kind any teen or pre-teen girl would have in her room, that gave
it away. She glanced over her shoulder, and saw Natalya look down,
blushing.
Melinda turned to the other bedroom and took a step in. She gasped at the
sight before her. A large four-poster bed, with a lacy ruffled skirt, a
white lacy spread, and several pillows in white, light blue, and dark
blue, dominated the room. Overhead, draped between the posts and down
behind the headboard, hung a fabric, a sheer curtain that looked like a
brocade in light and dark blues. A huge matching dresser, with a large
dressing mirror, sat opposite the bed, and a small love seat squatted to
one side. Melinda could see through the open door into the master
bathroom, and two additional doors hinted of walk-in closets. Stunned,
she walked back to where Jenny and Natalya waited.
"Do you ... like it?" Jenny asked hesitantly. She was worried that
Melinda hadn't said any word of approval.
Melinda's head nodded slightly, and then she turned and wrapped Jenny in
an enthusiastic embrace, her head resting on Jenny's shoulders as tears of
happiness streamed down her cheeks. "It's beautiful!" Melinda replied.
"It's ...." She shook her head slowly. "I don't know what to say!"
"We had a decorating party one weekend," Natalya explained. "Megan and
Kelly came over to help paint, too. It was a lot of fun!"
"Yeah," Jenny admitted, a sheepish grin on her face. "Anya, Liz, the Boss
- pretty much everyone came over to help. You know that I don't have much
style when it comes to decorating."
"I wasn't going to say anything," Melinda laughed. "I think your style is
just right." She let her arms drop, and she turned to Natalya. "Thank
you, too," she said as she swept the young girl into a hug. "You're
really helping make me feel that this is 'welcome home'."
Natalya stood rigidly, not sure how to react to Melinda's hug. After all,
she'd only just met her in person, and her limited discussions had been
only when Melinda was talking to Jenny.
"I bet you're tired after the flight," Jenny said.
Melinda straightened up and then eased herself into one of the wing chairs
in the living room. "You know it. I've been up almost seventeen hours
now, and on only a few hours of sleep. I think I want to unpack, take a
quick shower, and go to bed."
Jenny raised her eyebrows suggestively, and then suddenly realized that
Natalya was with them. "Let's get your suitcases unpacked, and then you
can take a nice soak in the whirlpool tub. That should help you relax."
"There's a whirlpool here, too?" Melinda asked with delight. "Yeah," she
purred, as she thought of a warm massaging soak in a tub, "that sounds
like what I need."
Jenny moved behind the chair and started massaging Melinda's shoulders.
"Nat," she spoke to her younger cousin as she kneaded Melinda's aching
muscles, "aren't Megan and your friends usually at the park on Saturdays?"
Natalya looked warily at her. "Most of the time. Why?"
"It'd probably be more fun for you to play with them than to sit around
and help unpack."
Natalya frowned. "Why don't you just say that you want some time alone?"
she asked caustically. "I'm not a little kid." She turned and stepped
heavily toward her room. A few moments later, she was back, carrying her
swimming gear in a small bag slung over her shoulder. "Any particular
time you want me back?" she asked. Before a stunned Jenny could answer,
Natalya stormed out the door, slamming it shut behind her.
Melinda raised one eyebrow. "I'm not sure we're off to a good start," she
observed.
"Aw, she's okay," Jenny retorted quickly.
Melinda shook her head. "I'm not sure. You two were just starting to get
along really well, and then, poof, I'm back." She sighed. "I wouldn't'
be surprised if she's feeling a bit like she's losing her special
relationship with her cousin, after she finally found a bit of stability
in her life."
**********
"Ready?" Melinda called out from the kitchen toward Natalya's room.
"Just about," Natalya answered through her door.
"Are you sure about this?" Jenny didn't sound confident.
Melinda gulped. "I'm sure." Inwardly, she harbored the same doubts as
Jenny. "I've had practice with a little sister, remember?"
"There's a difference between a little sister and this," Jenny reminded
her. "Your little sister didn't lose everything, and have to start all
over."
"Including becoming a girl?" Melinda asked softly so Natalya wouldn't
hear. "On that count, I think we're _all_ even."
"Touch?," Jenny chuckled.
"Besides, we need some time to get to know each other," Melinda continued.
"She's had weeks with you, but I'm almost a total stranger." She wrapped
her arms around Jenny. "All she really knows is that we love each other,
and she may be afraid that I'm going to interfere with her relationship.
The best thing is if we get that fear out of the way."
"By bribing her with a fancy dinner?"
Melinda smiled. "No. By getting to know each other, and letting her know
that I can be her friend, too."
"Maybe," Jenny offered hopefully. "I hope it works."
"Remember what Anya said?" Melinda reminded Jenny. "It may take some time
for her to get comfortable with me."
Jenny tried to smile. "Yeah. I hope she's using her 'sight' to make that
prediction. We all need something to go right for a change."
Melinda lifted her arms to encircle Jenny's neck, and pulled her closer
for a passionate kiss. "I hope you think _this_ is going right," she
cooed.
"That's one," Jenny said as she pulled Melinda closer and kissed her
again.
"Ahem," Natalya interrupted from the hallway. "When you two are done, I'm
hungry." Her expression seemed to combine amusement, embarrassment, and
possibly a little disgust at the overly-passionate display.
Melinda grabbed her purse and gave Jenny another quick kiss. "We'll be
back in a bit. Do you want me to pick up something for you?"
Jenny shook her head. "Nah. Liz is coming by in a bit for some pizza."
Natalya was silent during the elevator ride, and the walk to the car.
After Melinda started the motor, she turned to Natalya. "Do you have a
preference for where we eat?" she asked with as warm a smile as she could
muster.
Natalya shrugged. "Nope," she said simply.
Melinda suppressed a frown. Natalya wasn't opening up to her. "We can go
anywhere, from Giordano's, if you want Italian, to Mexican or Chinese.
I've been dying to try that new Japanese restaurant, Miyako. I hear the
sukiyaki is to die for!"
Natalya shrugged again. "As long as I don't have to eat raw fish."
"Okay, Japanese it is, then." She pulled her car out into traffic. "Are
you looking forward to starting school next week?" she asked, trying to be
conversational.
"Nope," Natalya continued her string of curt answers.
"I heard that you've got some great new friends. Megan, Kelly, Ashley. I
forgot the other ones. Won't it be fun to be with them every day in
school?"
"The 'other ones' are Brooke, Lauren, and Sydney, and I see them almost
every day in the park," Natalya countered. She sounded like she was
offended at having to make small talk with Melinda.
"Why are you so down on me?" Melinda cut right to the point. "You've been
almost rude since I got home."
"Oh?" Natalya sounded like she was trying to deny her actions.
"Yes," Melinda answered, trying to not sound stern or chiding, but hurt.
Perhaps Natalya needed to know that she could hurt others the way others
had hurt her.
"I hadn't noticed."
"Maybe you're afraid that I'm going to take Jenny away from you? That,
just after you and she got things squared away, and it felt like your life
was going smoothly, that I'm a threat to your new-found stability?"
Natalya's jaw dropped. "How ... how do you know?" she stammered.
Melinda smiled. "I have a little sister, remember?"
"Oh." Natalya lapsed into silence as she considered what Melinda had
said.
Shortly, Melinda pulled into the parking lot of Miyako's restaurant. As
they entered the restaurant, a businesswoman, who'd been discussing
something with the ma?tre-de, glanced their way. Her face lit up as she
recognized Natalya.
"Hi, Natty," Ronnie Harris called enthusiastically as she rushed to give
the girl a hug.
"Hi, Ronnie," Natalya answered with a warmth that made Melinda feel a
little jealous.
Ronnie glanced at Melinda. They'd never met formally, but Ronnie was
quick to put her facts together. "You must be Melinda," she said as she
gave Melinda a hug. "I've heard so much about you."
Melinda was at a disadvantage. She knew precious little about Ronnie. "I
hope it was good," she ventured.
Ronnie laughed. "The way Jenny talks about you is better than just good,"
she said. "How was your trip?"
"It was a lot of fun. Hard work, but we found time for some fun."
"I always enjoy traveling to Europe," Ronnie answered with a laugh. "And
your new condo? I hope you like it."
Melinda's jaw dropped as she the pieces fell into place. "You're ... you
... it's _your_ condo building?"
Ronnie shrugged. "Yeah. So ... do you like it? I saw pictures of how
Liz and Anya decorated it." She giggled. "If they'd have left it to
Jenny, the walls would probably be bare white!"
Melinda smiled. "It's beautiful."
Ronnie glanced around, and saw two gentlemen watching her. "Well, I'd
love to chat more, Natty, but I've got ...." She frowned. "Wait a
second. They brought _me_ here to discuss _their_ proposal. I suppose I
could chat more and make them squirm a little!" She laughed at the
thought. "I suppose that would be rude, though." She gave Natalya
another hug, and then rejoined her party.
"Natty?" Melinda asked, one eyebrow raised.
Natalya shrugged. "It's what she calls me."
"But you prefer Natalya?"
"My friends call me Natty. So does Ronnie. Grandmother and Anya call me
Natalya. Doesn't matter a lot to me."
As soon as they were seated, in a booth for a little extra privacy, and
had ordered their drinks - water for Melinda, and diet Coke for Natalya -
Melinda glanced at the menu. She quickly made her selection, based on
what friends had told her. "So, how are you adjusting?" she asked
Natalya.
"It's a lot different than ... home," Natalya said softly. "A little
warmer, so I can go to the park with my friends more."
"I like the warmer climate, too," Melinda echoed. "But I was talking more
about ... other changes."
Natalya frowned. "I ... don't know what you're talking about," she said
warily. "We haven't started school yet."
Melinda laughed softly. "I know all about the magic of Bikini Beach," she
whispered.
"But ... but Anya said ...." Natalya was confused. "No-one knows!"
Melinda smiled knowingly. "I know, though. Like I said, I know about the
magic. So, the question stands. How are you adjusting?"
Natalya frowned. "It's ... sometimes, it feels weird. Sometimes, when I
look at boys, I feel ...." She shook her head. "I'm not supposed to like
boys, am I?"
"You tell me," Melinda retorted. "It's _your_ bedroom with the boy star
posters. I'm guessing that when you get together with your friends, you
talk about boys a lot."
Natalya looked down, blushing. "Yeah," she admitted.
"And I bet that sometimes, you find yourself getting excited about maybe
kissing a boy?" Melinda prompted further.
Natalya nodded silently.
"There's nothing wrong with that," Melinda said, her tone soothing.
"Every girl grows up, feeling herself change, feeling herself starting to
think about boys. It's normal."
"It's not normal to suddenly change from _being_ a boy to wanting to
_kiss_ boys!" Natalya said, a bit angry.
Melinda laughed. "The magic changes your thoughts and feelings to match
those of who you are _now_, which is a pre-teen girl, who _is_ interested
in boys. But overall, is life better?"
Natalya started to answer, but caught herself. She thought for a moment.
"Yeah. Mostly." She looked down. "I've got wonderful friends. I've got
a wonderful cousin."
"But sometimes, you're scared, aren't you?"
Natalya looked straight into Melinda's eyes. "Are you a psychologist,
too?" she asked brazenly.
Melinda laughed again. "No. I'm just someone who loves Jenny, and wants
to be your friend."
"Oh."
"Are you afraid of shopping for bras?"
"No," Natalya admitted sheepishly. "Not when I'm with friends. But ...
Jenny ... I don't think she likes it."
"Maybe Jenny is just afraid of how she can help you cope with growing up.
I bet she hasn't talked to you about having periods, either, has she?"
"Uh, no. I suppose you will, though?"
Melinda smiled. "If you want. You have a few advantages on me, though.
You'll get used to having boobs gradually as they grow. You have time to
get used to the idea of having periods. I didn't."
Natalya wrinkled her brow as she tried to figure out Melinda's riddle.
Suddenly, her eyes widened. "You ... you changed, too?" she asked,
astounded. She saw Melinda's smile and nod. "Why?"
"Why did _you_ decide to change?" Melinda asked enigmatically. "We all
have our own ... personal ... reasons."
"Is it because ... you love Jenny, but she's a lesbian?" Natalya asked
cautiously.
Melinda chuckled. "That's only a part of it. True, I love Jenny dearly,
and she makes me ...." She sighed contentedly as she thought of how she
felt when Jenny was near. "She makes me feel warm and loved."
"Among other things," Natalya added sarcastically.
"I wasn't going to go there," Melinda grinned, "unless you want me to."
"Uh, no thanks. I'd rather not hear the details."
"A big part of the 'why' is that I never felt close to my dad. I have two
older brothers, so I always felt like a spare. I was close to my mom,
though." She took a sip of her soda. "I get along much better with my
family now. In engineering, I actually have better job prospects than for
male students. I got a better scholarship, too. I don't feel ... awkward
... around guys."
"Oh."
Melinda continued. "I started out being a substitute lifeguard, so I had
to change for one day. That led to a two-week temporary job. After that,
I changed back, but things ..." She shook her head at the memories,
"things weren't working out. So I got a lifetime pass."
"How about girls? Did you like girls ... before?" Natalya shook her
head. "But you said that ... your thoughts would change to match who you
are now! So does that mean you _didn't_ like girls before?" She was
genuinely puzzled by the seeming contradiction between her situation and
Melinda's.
Melinda just smiled. "I liked girls. I still do, as a matter of fact.
But as friends. I don't think I was gay, but ... I'm not really sure."
She shrugged. "I never chased girls a lot - not like my cousin Al did,
anyway."
"So that explains why, since you changed, you like girls more?"
Melinda shrugged, still smiling. "Maybe. All I know is that Jenny makes
me feel warm and loved and happy. Isn't that enough?"
"But since I liked girls when I was a boy, then that's why I kind of like
... boys?" Natty speculated. Her voice was tentative, almost fearful.
"That's what I'd guess," Melinda answered with a smile. "But you know
what the most important thing is?"
Natalya's eyes narrowed. "What?"
"That you and I are talking, and getting to know each other. That - I
hope - you feel that I'm your friend and not a rival for Jenny's love and
time."
Natalya smiled, for the first time since they'd left the apartment. "I
think so."
"And, since I was a guy once," Melinda added with a sly grin, "I know how
guys act, and what they do to get girls' attention. I can help you deal
with that - like knowing when guys are sincere, and when they're just
trying to ... you know."
Natalya scowled. "Not gonna happen," she said firmly.
Melinda laughed. "We'll see. I bet you _do_ think about boys, though -
especially when you're with your friends. Right?"
Crimson flushed across Natalya's cheeks, and she looked down, embarrassed.
"Kind of," she said softly. She looked up at Melinda with an almost
pleading look in her eyes. "And ... I'm scared of how I was going to
handle boys. I mean, it's not like Jenny knows how to help with that
subject, does she? And ... I don't either."
Melinda smiled. "Then we'll help you learn, okay? Besides, you've got
some wonderful friends to grow up with you, right?"
**********
The young man glanced around the bustling, noisy cafeteria of the student
center uneasily. He didn't seem comfortable in the crowd of students,
until he spotted a lone figure at a table. His expression relaxed
visibly. "Hi, Melinda," he called as he strode briskly to her table. The
young man was about twenty-two, with wavy brown hair. It was obvious that
he worked out to keep in shape, and with his ruggedly-handsome looks, he
could have been a movie star. The only thing that detracted from his
Hollywood looks was the pair of wire-frame glasses perched on his nose.
"Hi, Paul," she answered as she rose from her chair. She gave him a quick
hug, and then sat down as he took a seat. "How are classes going?"
Paul Davis laughed. "After this summer - boring."
Melinda smiled and nodded. "I was afraid it was just me."
"No, it was everyone who went. Leslie said the same thing," Paul added.
"So what did you do between getting home and starting classes again?"
Paul shrugged. "Just hung out."
Melinda noticed something about his demeanor. "Something is bothering
you, isn't it?"
"Why ... do you say that?" Paul asked, suddenly sounding nervous.
Melinda smiled. "Only because you, Leslie, and I hung out together for
three months in Europe. That was long enough to get to know you, and to
be able to sense when something is wrong."
Paul dropped his head. "I ... can't talk about it," he said softly.
Melinda put her hand on his arm. "You can tell me," she said soothingly.
"We're friends, remember?"
Paul shook his head, and glanced around. "I can't talk ... here."
"Okay, then let's go to the deli to get some lunch, where we can talk a
little more privately," Melinda suggested.
"Okay." Paul sounded nervous at the suggestion.
After they got their deli orders and sat down, Paul tried to avoid the
earlier topic. "Have you decided on a senior project yet?" he asked.
Melinda laughed. "Nice try, but we could have talked about that in the
student union building." She took a sip of her soda. "So what's on your
mind?"
Paul sighed. "I'm just ... not sure."
"Are you ... suggesting something?" Melinda asked cautiously.
Paul's eyes widened. "No!" he answered quickly. "I mean, you're nice,
but ..." He set his elbow on the table, and supported his forehead in his
open hand as he shook his head slowly. His eyes were closed as he thought
of what to say and how to say it.
"You're not attracted to me, are you?" Melinda asked. "We talked about
that this summer."
Paul sighed. "I know. I mean, you're nice looking, but ..."
"Are you gay?" Melinda asked bluntly.
Paul shook his head silently. "No," he said after a pause. "There's just
something about you that's ... different. Understanding. Sympathetic. I
find it easy to talk to you." He looked up and chuckled. "And I know
you're taken."
"Oh?"
Paul's chuckle turned into an outright laugh. "Everyone at the school
knew you are absolutely ga-ga over Jenny - whoever she is."
"I thought I was being discrete."
"Hardly," Paul said with a wry smile. "And from the way you describe her,
she must be something very special and wonderful."
Melinda smiled at the thought of her Jenny. "She is," she said wistfully.
After a moment, she wrinkled her brow. "It's kind of a letdown, though."
"What?"
"Finding out that someone doesn't think you're attractive," Melinda
laughed.
Paul's eyes widened in shock. "I didn't say .... I mean, you are..." He
stopped, wondering what to say next. "You are pretty, but to me, it's a
'good friend' thing, not romantic. You're someone I can talk to, without
worrying about ... things."
"Oh." Melinda sounded relieved that she didn't have to worry about Paul
trying to win her affections. "So, what _do_ you find attractive in a
girl?"
Paul didn't have to think. "A bit taller than average, very fit and trim.
Modest figure. Nice long brown hair, and big, soft, brown eyes. Cute
girl-next-door looks. That's the kind of girl I'd want ...." His words
trailed off into a mumble.
Melinda smiled. "That sounds like Kathleen."
Paul nodded. "Yeah."
"Have you asked her out?"
Paul shook his head, looking down. "I ... can't."
**********
The halls of the middle school bustled with noise as a seemingly countless
horde of boys and girls swarmed to and from their classrooms, either
heading to the cafeteria for lunch, or on their way back to classes.
Megan, Kelly, and Natalya were among them, coming from their history
class, and heading to lunch.
As she put her book in her locker, Megan glanced at Natalya. "I wish you
wouldn't show off in class," she said with mock anger in her voice.
"Yeah," Kelly added, smiling. "It makes the rest of us look bad."
Natalya wasn't sure at first if her friends were joking. "I wasn't ... I
mean...," she sputtered.
"Just kidding," Megan added quickly. "I wish I had your brains. It'd
make homework so much easier."
It was Natalya's turn to laugh. "If you saw how much time Jenny makes me
study, you wouldn't wish for it."
Kelly closed her locker and joined Megan and Natalya walking toward the
cafeteria. "You make it sound like she's a tyrant!" she joked.
Natalya smiled. "No. She just wants to make sure I don't mess up." In
her head, she was thinking, "again," but didn't say it out loud. Her
friends wouldn't understand - or, even worse, wouldn't want to be
associated with her.
"Hi, Megan," a boy's voice called out behind the girls.
The three turned. It was Jeff Watson, a boy they shared a class with,
with his friend Eric beside him. The two were inseparable, having been
best friends since they were little. "Hi, Jeff. Hi, Eric," Megan
answered, her voice suddenly demure and shy.
"My folks are letting me have a 'back to school' party this weekend at the
Fun Zone. I hope you can come," Jeff said casually.
"Depends," Megan was playing coy. "Who's going to be there?"
Eric saw Megan glance at him, and he seemed a little embarrassed.
"The usual - you," he said, looking at Kelly, and then Megan, "Ashley,
Lauren, and Sydney, if they want to come. The usual guys." Jeff turned
very deliberately toward Natalya, as if she was the only person there.
"And you, too," he said to Natalya, his voice suddenly unsteady and
wavering. "You're new, aren't you?"
Natalya smiled. "Yeah. I moved here this summer."
"I figured, since I haven't seen you before." Jeff sounded like he was
hanging on Natty's every word. His attention, clearly, was riveted on
her.
"Ahem," a voice sang out behind them. "Aren't you students supposed to be
going somewhere?"
All five spun, and immediately recognized Mrs. Jackson, their homeroom
teacher. "Yes, ma'am," Megan, Kelly, and Natalya all said at once.
"We're on our way to lunch," Kelly added.
"Then I suggest you get there. You know the rules about dawdling in the
hallways." Mrs. Jackson was known to be a very strict teacher; she looked
like she came from the days that paddling was still allowed in school for
rules infractions, and that she missed those 'glory days'. The
intimidating look had its effect.
"Yes, ma'am," the girls all replied quickly, before they turned and
scurried down the hall toward the lunchroom, with Eric and Jeff behind
them, but visibly not walking with them.
Despite the fact that all of the boys and girls knew that the attractions
to the opposite sex were starting, there was still enough shyness, at
their ages, to not want to be seen 'hanging out with the girls or boys' -
a fact that was especially true for the boys.
For a brief moment, Natalya thought that if Mrs. Jackson wore her hair
down and wavy, and got rid of her glasses, she'd be a rather attractive
woman. Well, add a little makeup, too. And as suddenly as that thought
had come, it vanished, leaving Natalya smiling to herself at how thorough
Grandmother's magic was.
As they stood in line, trays in hand, Natalya glanced over her shoulder
and saw Jeff looking at her. She felt ... strange, like part of her hated
the idea of a boy being attracted to her, and part of her was highly
flattered to be on the receiving end of his attention. She found herself
smiling, and giving him a quick tiny wave, before she turned back to the
serving line.
"Oh, good," Kelly said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Tuna noodle
slop, again."
"At least it's not eggplant parmesan," Megan countered. "That stuff was
awful!"
Natalya laughed. It had been the same up north - none of the students
liked the cafeteria food. "It can't be as bad as what they served at my
last school," she said, trying to be lighthearted.
"As if you'd notice the food today," Kelly rebutted.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Kelly and Megan laughed. "Only that you look like you've got the hots for
Jeff," Kelly said.
"I do not!" Natalya's response was short and sharp, to let her friends
know unequivocally that she wasn't interested in Jeff.
"I saw you staring at him and waving," Kelly teased.
"And you do have to admit," Megan said in a dreamy voice, "he is kind of
cute."
Natalya's anger was swept away in an instant as Megan's words landed in
her brain. "Yeah," she said wistfully, before she realized what she was
saying. As soon as she said it, though, she regretted letting the word
slip from her mouth.
"You _do_ have the hots for him!" Kelly said triumphantly.
"Shut up and get your slop," Natalya replied in a curt voice. She was
embarrassed both by discovering how she felt when Jeff was paying
attention to her, and by the teasing from her friends.
The three girls carried their trays to a small table in the corner of the
lunchroom.
"I thought," Kelly began as they dug into their food, "that you wanted a
guy with tats and a hot car."
"Yeah," Megan added with a sly smile. "What happened to the guy with the
rebel look?"
Natalya laughed. "I guess I spent too much timing hanging out with you
girls this summer," she replied quickly. "You domesticated me!"
"Can I sit here?" Lauren asked as she approached the table.
"Sure," Megan answered cheerfully. "It's too bad, though, that Sydney and
Ashley don't have lunch at the same time. Then it would be just like the
summer!"
"Except that we're missing Brooke," Lauren said as she sat down.
"Where is Brooke, anyway?" Natalya asked, suddenly curious as to why the
seventh girl in their little circle wasn't present.
"She goes to St. Theresa's Catholic School," Lauren explained, her tone a
bit chiding, as if Natalya should have known. As soon as she saw
Natalya's expression, however, Lauren realized her mistake. "I'm sorry,"
she apologized quickly. "I guess I forgot that you're new in school here.
It must be because we spent so much time together at the park this
summer!" she added with a giggle.
"Daddy wanted me to go to St. Theresa's," Megan said casually.
"Why didn't you?"
"Daddy said it was because Mom spent too much on our memberships to the
park," she giggled. "I think it's because I begged them not to put me in
a different school from you guys. But both Mom and Daddy keep saying that
I'll go there for high school."
"Natalya," Lauren said softly, as she noticed that Natty wasn't paying any
attention, but was, instead, staring across the lunchroom. She followed
Natty's gaze, and saw Jeff Watson looking back at her with puppy-dog eyes.
"There she goes with the goo-goo eyes at Jeff, again!" Kelly laughed.
"Somebody likes Jeff Watson," Megan chimed in a sing-song voice.
"No, I don't!" Natalya rebutted sharply. "I haven't even really met him!"
**********
Kids poured from every doorway out of the school building as the end-of-
school bell rang, trying to be heard above the sudden cacophony of excited
students. Some raced to the buses, some dawdled near the carpool pickup,
and some began to walk home.
Megan, Kelly, and Natty were in-between. They were going to walk to
Megan's house, which was close to Kelly's, and Jenny would pick up Natty
at Megan's once she got off work.
"Hey, Megan, wait up!"
The girls stopped and turned, spying the boys running to catch up. Jeff
and Eric were accompanied this time by their friend Doug Chambers.
"Oh, look, Natalya," Kelly teased softly so as not to be heard, "it's your
boyfriend."
"Shut up!" Natty hissed back, while trying to smile at the boys.
"Hi," Jeff said as he stopped trotting. "You never told me your name."
He was talking directly to Natalya.
Natty felt her heart flutter. "I'm Natalya. Natalya Michaels," she said,
fighting the odd feeling in her heart. "I moved here this summer."
"That's a nice name," Jeff answered, as if he wasn't quite sure how to
continue the conversation. "So how do you know Megan and Kelly?"
Megan laughed. "We all hung out together at the water park a lot."
"Oh." Jeff didn't even glance at Megan and Kelly. "You didn't say if you
were going to come to my party or not."
"What _girls_ are going to be there?" Kelly asked. "Is _Robin_ going to
come?" She had a most unpleasant look on her face when she mentioned
Robin's name.
The boys laughed. "As if! She's too good for us, or at least, that's how
she acts."
"How about your older brother Jim?" Megan asked hopefully.
"Yeah, he's coming."
Natalya noticed a look of delight in Megan's expression, and a look of
disappointment on Eric's face. "What about our other friends - Lauren,
and Sydney, and Ashley?"
"And bring Brooke, too," Eric suggested, "if she's not busy."
"Okay, we'll have to see if we can work it into our busy social
calendars," Kelly said with a grin. "You didn't tell us when it is,
though."
"Oh," Jeff seemed to have been lost in thought. "It's Saturday afternoon,
at three."
"At the Fun Zone," Megan added, "right?"
"Yeah."
"I'll have to check," Natalya cautioned. "Jenny might have other plans
for me."
"But since her girlfriend got home," Kelly sounded hopeful, "maybe she'd
like some time without you around! We could all get together and spend
the morning shopping, and then go to the party."
"And we could have a sleepover at my house!" Megan added with delight.
Natalya smiled. She'd spent the night with Megan a couple of times during
the summer, and liked the idea. "I'll check."
"Okay," Jeff said without taking his eyes from Natalya. In fact, if the
other girls had been wearing clown noses and funny hats, Natalya didn't
think Jeff would have noticed. "I hope you can come."
As the girls walked home, the boys having departed their own way, Natalya
glanced at Megan. "What is the Fun Zone, anyway?"
"Only the best place to hang out," Megan replied.
"Until you get older and can go to Shell Game," Kelly added.
"Yeah," Megan agreed.
"So what's there? It sounds like some kind of funhouse amusement thing."
Kelly nodded. "They've got a ton of games and stuff. Laser tag, indoor
miniature golf, bowling, arcades, pool tables, foosball tables - just tons
of stuff."
"Out back, they've got another miniature golf course, and go-carts," Megan
added. "The boys like the batting cages."
"And sodas and ice cream and stuff, too," Kelly continued. "They make the
world's best banana splits!"
"Sounds like fun."
"It is!" Kelly and Megan replied together.
*********
"How was school?" Melinda asked as soon as Natty came in the door.
Natty shrugged. "It was okay." She trudged back to her room, her
backpack slung over one shoulder. With a resounding thud, the backpack
dropped on her desk.
"Please don't drop your books like that," Jenny called, trying not to
sound like a nag.
"K," Natty called. In a moment, she was back in the kitchen, getting
herself a glass of lemonade from the refrigerator.
"Anything interesting?" Jenny asked.
Natty shrugged. "There's a back-to-school party on Saturday," she
reported.
"Who's going to be there?" Jenny continued her interrogation. "Any boys?"
"Yeah, some," Natty answered. "But it's at a place called Fun Zone, so
it's not like a late-night party at someone's house. And then we want to
have a sleepover at Megan's."
"Sounds like a busy weekend," Melinda commented.
"I'm not so sure if you should be going to a party with boys," Jenny said
cautiously.
"Fun Zone is a great place for kids," Melinda commented. "I used to hang
out there all the time when I was ... younger." She didn't want to say "a
little kid" for fear of offending Natty. "I think it'd be okay for her to
go."
Jenny scowled at Melinda. "I think _I'm_ her custodian," she said
angrily.
"Okay," Melinda quickly said, trying to calm Jenny down. She wasn't quite
sure why, but Jenny had taken offense to her suggestion. "I just want to
be helpful if I can." For some reason, Jenny seemed quite edgy.
"Sorry," Jenny said, but she didn't sound genuinely remorseful. She
turned to Natty. "Why don't we run out and get some ice cream?" She
looked up at Melinda. "Do you want to come?"
Melinda glanced at her watch. "No. I've got a couple of things to do."
"Okay." Jenny grabbed her keys and purse and, with Natty beside her,
walked out the door.
**********
Jenny was sure that someone else was in their apartment as she opened the
door. She could clearly hear a voice other than Melinda's. "Hello?" she
called uneasily.
"Hi," Melinda replied to her, glancing around the corner from the computer
desk. "Just a sec, hon." She turned back to the computer. "Jenny is
home, so I have to go. I'll call back another time?"
"Of course, mon amie," the voice sang out from the computer. It was
heavily accented, and female.
"Tell Nicole I said hi," Melinda added. "Adieu, mon chere amie,"
Curious, Jenny glanced at the computer screen. As expected, Melinda was
using Skype, and she got a quick glance at the friend's image before the
conversation ended. "Who was that?" she asked, trying to sound merely
curious.
Melinda turned, smiling. "That was Monique, my friend from the summer
institute," she answered easily. Seeing Jenny's curious expression, she
pulled out her cell phone. "Let me show you a picture of us in Paris,"
she said. Judging by Jenny's reaction, she suspected that Jenny was a bit
jealous.
Jenny looked at the picture. In the background, the Arc de Triomphe stood
majestically, while Melinda smiled in the center of the picture. On her
sides were two nice-looking girls, each kissing one of Melinda's cheek
playfully as the group hammed for the camera.
"That's Nicole, on the right, and Monique on the left," Melinda explained.
"Friendly, aren't they?" Jenny asked. Though she tried to prevent it,
some sarcasm slipped into her words. The two girls in the picture had
classically pretty Gallic features.
"You're jealous, aren't you?" Melinda said with a playful smile.
"No," Jenny replied quickly. Her expression betrayed her true feelings,
thoughts her words couldn't hide. "Maybe some."
Melinda realized that Jenny _was_ jealous. She stood up and put her arms
around Jenny's neck. "You shouldn't be," she said, and then she kissed
Jenny. "They're friends, but you are my love." She kissed Jenny again,
with more feeling.
"Okay," Jenny said hesitantly. She wanted to believe Melinda, but
something inside her felt wrong, and it was just enough that she didn't
sound convinced.
**********
Natalya sprawled on the sofa in a most unladylike pose. The television
screen flickered, but the sound was muted. Melinda sat in the chair, in a
more graceful position, turned to talk to Natty.
"So what happened today?" Melinda insisted. "And I'm not going to take a
nonsense answer. You're acting too ... different for something _not_ to
have happened."
Natty shrugged. "Nothing special happened," she replied.
"Is it a boy?" Melinda asked with a knowing smile.
"No!"
"You can tell me," Melinda reminded Natalya. "I watched Beth go through
the same things, remember?"
"I'm not your little sister," Natty countered. "She started off being a
girl. I didn't, remember?"
"True," Melinda conceded, "but you have a girl's body, and girl hormones
are kicking in, and Grandmother gave you girl's memories and skills. With
all that, I'd say it's a foregone conclusion that, sooner or later, you're
going to start finding boys attractive."
Natalya lowered her gaze. "I _shouldn't_ feel like this!"
"But you do, and, unless I miss the mark, you kind of like it, don't you?"
Natty nodded. "Did you ever feel like that? Before, I mean?"
"I never felt my heart go pitter-pat over a girl, if that's what you
mean." Melinda looked thoughtful. "I guess Grandmother was right - maybe
I always was gay and hadn't yet discovered it."
"So how do you know what it feels like, then?" Natty asked defensively.
Melinda grinned. "Because I felt it when I met Jenny." She heard the
door open, indicating that Jenny was home. Melinda knew that Jenny would
be sorting the mail and washing up from her workday. "Even when I was a
guy, she was very attractive, and made me feel ... warm and tingly."
"I feel like I'm stuck between two worlds," Natty commented morosely.
Melinda laughed. "I know what _that's_ like. Sometimes, for a while, it
got really interesting with my dad and brothers, because I had my old
'guy' memories, and new 'girl' memories as well. Sometimes, I'd say or do
something that fit with my 'guy' memories, and it didn't fit. Sometimes,
it felt like I was in a dream, and dreaming that I was dreaming."
Natty smiled. "Yeah, that's how I feel sometimes, too."
"So, why did you change?" Melinda asked.
"I'm sure Jenny told you," Natty replied.
Melinda smiled. "Jenny told me what you told her. She didn't tell me
what you were thinking, though."
"I don't know. I guess I didn't have any reason to stay," Natty answered
after a long pause.
"You know, you could have used your experiences as a girl to learn how to
be a better boy," Melinda suggested.
"Yeah. Grandmother said the same thing to me. So did Anya."
"But?" Melinda let the question hang.
"With everything that happened," Natty explained, and Melinda noted that
she wiped at a tear, "I felt like I _had_ to start over. Megan is a
wonderful friend, and I'd never had a friend like her before. Or Kelly,
or Sydney, or Lauren, or the others."
"You still could have tried."
Natty shook her head. "You don't understand. All my memories as Alex
weren't good. I fought with my parents all the time. I tried drugs, I
was in trouble, I was a bad student. I didn't _have_ any good memories.
But when I was Alexandra, for the first time, I found some _nice_
memories. Doing things with mom," she wiped at her tears again, this time
in vain, "having Daddy call me his princess and do nice things instead of
yelling at me for getting in trouble." She shook her head. "I don't want
the bad memories. I _need_ good memories to remember ... Mom and Daddy
..."
Melinda moved to the sofa and wrapped Natty in a warm embrace. "I think I
understand."
"But now, with the ... boy thing, I don't know how I'm supposed to feel."
"You feel how you want to feel," Melinda said. "Now, I think Jenny said
you can have a few minutes of TV every night, but not before your homework
is done, right?"
"Yeah," Natty complained.
"Okay, so shut it off and help me finish dinner, and then you can finish
your homework." Melinda stood up and walked to the kitchen, where Jenny
was sitting at the table going through the large stack of mail.
"Something smells delicious," Jenny commented.
"Just a little something I whipped up," Melinda said with a smile. She
hugged Jenny from behind, nuzzling around Jenny's neck and ear. "I'm glad
you're home."
"So am I," Jenny purred. "What's for dinner?"
Melinda continued to nibble at Jenny's ear. "You are, my love," she
cooed.
Jenny turned in Melinda's arms and gave her a proper kiss. "Now, what's
for dinner?"
Melinda smiled. "Is this a fifties sitcom? I'm the wife who stays home
with the kids and cooks dinner?" She laughed. "For you, I'd be happy
doing that."
Jenny grinned. "And I'd do the same for you."
"For your information, I made a cream-cheese stuffed chicken breast,
breaded and seasoned with Italian herbs. I'll slice that over a bed of
lettuce, and I made some wild rice to go with it, lightly buttered, of
course, and sprinkled with a little paprika."
"That sounds fabulous." Jenny gave Melinda another kiss.
"Natty, can you come and help set the table?" Melinda called out.
Natalya came out with a smile and gave Jenny and Melinda a hug. "Sure,"
she said, sounding a lot more cheerful than she had a few minutes ago.
**********
Jenny sighed heavily as she sat down on the sofa. "Natty's in bed -
finally."
Melinda laughed. "Some nights, she really doesn't want to go to bed, does
she?" She leaned over, resting her shoulder on Jenny's shoulder and
purring contentedly.
"No."
"She told me that she had an interesting day at school."
"Oh?" Jenny's brow furrowed slightly.
"Yeah," Melinda said lightly. "She's starting to feel the effects of her
'female' memories and hormones."
"She's getting interested in boys?" Jenny sounded suddenly concerned.
"Yeah, and one in particular who noticed her."
"She didn't tell me." Jenny's body stiffened. "She should have."
"I guess she's not very comfortable talking about it," Melinda noted.
Jenny sat upright, her features stern. "What's that supposed to mean?
That she can't talk to me?"
Melinda noted Jenny's sudden change of mood. She straightened herself and
put her hand on Jenny's shoulder, trying to comfort and soothe her. "She
didn't want to talk to me about it, either!" she said, trying to reassure
Jenny. "I had to practically drag it out of her."
Jenny leaned back slowly, and Melinda moved her head back to Jenny's
shoulder. Despite appearances, Jenny was not relaxed; Melinda could feel
the tension in Jenny.
"How was my favorite park today?" Melinda tried to steer the conversation
away from something that seemed sensitive to Jenny.
"Same old, same old," Jenny said in a neutral tone. "Liz and I went off-
site for lunch today."
Melinda smiled. "Good. I always liked getting a break from the park.
Where'd you go?"
Jenny was looking straight ahead, her eyes narrowed and her jaw tense.
"We went to the sub shop. You know the one - over by campus?"
"I really like that place," Melinda commented.
"That's pretty obvious," Jenny said. Her tone was getting less civil, and
a bit angrier. "You eat there often enough."
"True," Melinda didn't pick up on Jenny's tone. "There aren't a lot of
places I like near campus, though."
"I saw you there today," Jenny's tone was again, carefully neutral.
This time, Melinda couldn't help picking up the hint. "Oh?"
"Yeah. You were having lunch with that guy from the summer institute,"
Jenny's voice sounded almost accusatory. "Again."
"Oh, you mean Paul," Melinda was sensing the source of Jenny's discontent.
"He's a friend, and we study together sometimes."
"So you're studying with him every night you're out late?"
Melinda straightened herself, a frown appearing on her face. "What are
you implying?" she demanded of Jenny. "Paul is just a friend."
Jenny was angry at a lot of things, and that was clouding her judgment.
"I heard what you told Natty," she accused. "That you found me attractive
when you were a guy. That means that you probably have some 'bi' feelings
now, too!"
"Are you suggesting that I'm ... romantically involved with Paul?" It was
Melinda's turn to sound - and feel - angry.
Jenny scowled. "You said it, not me."
"He's just a friend!" Melinda said defensively.
"A friend you hug in the airport? A friend you're always going to lunch
with, or 'studying' with?"
"I suppose you think I was being too 'friendly' with Nicole and Monique,
too!" Melinda stood up, suddenly not wanting to sit next to Jenny.
"It's just strange how you're never talking to them when I'm around, and
whenever I come in, you have to hang up so quickly! And whatever you're
saying to them in French, too!" She stood so she could confront Melinda,
toe to toe.
"I suppose you're angry that I'm trying to help with Natty, too!"
"I'm her guardian!" Jenny yelled. "Not you!"
"You don't trust me. Not with Paul, not with Nicole or Monique, not with
Natty! Who _do_ you trust me with?" She turned and stomped to the
bedroom, slamming the door shut behind herself.
Jenny stood by the sofa, her jaw set and her lips pursed, and a scowl on
her face. She didn't know what had happened, but she knew that she wasn't
happy.
In a few moments, Melinda emerged from the bedroom, a small suitcase in
one hand, and her backpack of books slung over one shoulder. Her eyes
were moist, and her makeup was smudged and tear-streaked. She stomped to
the door.
"Wait," Jenny suddenly realized what was happening. She was still angry,
but she realized that Melinda was leaving, and she didn't want to see her
go.
"If you can't trust me, then I'm not sure I belong here!" Melinda cried,
just before she stepped through the door and slammed it shut. Tears
streamed down her cheeks as she ran to the elevator, anxious to get out of
the building before Jenny decided to follow her.
**********
As soon as the door opened, Melinda ran inside, wrapping her arms around
her mother and placing her head on her mom's shoulder. The tears which
had mostly stopped flowed anew, and Melinda sobbed audibly as she
desperately clung to her mother.
"Is something wrong, honey?" Joan Fishcher knew her daughter wouldn't be
crying like this if something wasn't wrong. It was up to her to find out
what, while she offered support.
"Mom," Melinda cried, "we ... had a ... fight!" She was practically
bawling. "She ... doesn't ... trust me!" she stammered between her sobs.
"Who, Jenny?"
"Yeah," Melinda cried,.
"Shh," Joan said soothingly as she let Melinda cry on her shoulder. She
gently stroked Melinda's head. "It'll be all right."
"No, it won't!" Melinda sobbed. "She ... yelled at me - for trying to
help Natty!"
"Honey," Joan's voice was a soothing balm, "Jenny has gone through a lot
of changes in her life lately. She ... you _both_ ... have a lot of
adjusting to do."
"But she doesn't trust me!" Melinda repeated. "She accused me of having a
fling with a friend at school! And she is jealous of time I spend talking
to my friends Nicole and Monique!"
"Listen to me, dear," Joan eased Melinda down into a kitchen chair, and
then took a seat herself. "Jenny discovered that she's gay, and then her
life was turned upside down when Natalya came to live with her. From what
I gather, it was a pretty rough couple of weeks."
"But ... Natty's such a good girl," Melinda protested. There was
something in her mother's choice of words that set off alarms in Melinda's
head.
"Well, Natalya lost her parents, and had a lot of grief to deal with.
Jenny's been dealing with all the paperwork and hassles of the estate, and
then moving to a new apartment, on top of work." She smiled knowingly.
"And Natalya has had some significant changes to go through, too."
"But ...."
"But nothing. After you and Jenny started your relationship, you got the
fellowship to go to Europe for the summer. After she'd lost you once, do
you think that maybe Jenny was terrified of losing you again?"
Melinda nodded, wiping at her tears. "Yeah, I suppose," she said softly.
"Besides, you have your own major adjustments that you're dealing with,"
Joan said soothingly as she continued to stroke her daughter's head.
Melinda's eyes widened, but she didn't move her head. "I'm not sure I
follow."
Joan smiled. "You started a relationship that's gay, and I'm sure you
never expected to fall for Jenny. Your studies are keeping you quite busy
this year. You've got new friends at school."
"Yeah," Melinda said softly.
"And I'm sure you never considered the challenges of suddenly being a
woman."
Melinda's head snapped up, and she stared, open-mouthed, at her mother.
Reality was supposed to have been changed, and no-one was supposed to
know.
Joan smiled at her daughter. "Yes, I know what you did."
"But ...how?" Melinda was genuinely baffled, and a bit scared. If her
mom knew, then who _else_ knew?
"When you and Jenny were starting your relationship, I decided that I
should understand who Jenny was. I had a very nice conversation with the
old woman you worked for."
"But ... Grandmother said that when the magic changed me, reality changed,
and that only her, Anya, me, and Jenny would ever know!"
"When I talked to her, she did some kind of spell that helped me remember
the past when you were a boy, and to understand _why_ you'd decided to
change. She said there would come a day when it would be important for me
to know, so I could help you."
"Oh."
Joan continued in a non-judgmental voice, "You know, you could have talked
to me about everything."
"I didn't think you would have believed me if I would have told you,"
Melinda said softly. "And I thought you'd be disappointed."
"I probably wouldn't have believed you," Joan said with a smile, "but you
could have worked with your boss to help me understand and believe. And
there's no way you could disappoint me," she replied. "I'm very happy to
have another daughter. The most important thing to me, though, is that
_you_ are happy."
"But ... isn't it confusing ... to you?"
"A bit," Joan said. "But if you remember, you were always closer to me
than to your father. You weren't as fond of hunting and rough games as
your older brothers. And you were great help in the kitchen!"
"Lots of chefs are male!" Melinda countered in a huff. She resented the
implication that Mitch had been some kind of sissy-boy.
"I wasn't trying to say that you were effeminate," Joan quickly added.
"It's just that, of all you kids, you are the one most comfortable with
yourself, and probably the best able to adjust to this type of ... change.
Your brothers and your sister couldn't adjust as well as you."
"Does Dad know?" Melinda asked hesitantly.
"No."
"Beth?"
Joan smiled. "No. It's our little secret."
"Thanks, Mom," Melinda said softly as she hugged her mother.
"Now, let's talk about what happened and what _you_ can do to make things
better."
**********
"What are we going to do about Jenny?" Anya asked as she sat in the
office, at her own desk, totaling receipts from the day.
Grandmother looked up from what she was doing. She'd been on the computer
- perhaps looking at new equipment or options. She shook her head. "I
don't know. But I am getting a little tired of the melodrama that seems
to surround her."
"She's a great mechanic and handy-person," Anya defended her friend.
Grandmother smiled. "I never said she wasn't. It just seems that,
lately, there's always something going on in her life." She stared
thoughtfully at Anya for a few moments. "What do you think is the problem
this time?"
"She and Melinda had a big fight," Anya answered.
"That's obvious." Grandmother wasn't trying to sound sarcastic, but she
couldn't help it.
"I've tried talking with her about it, but she won't talk." Anya shook
her head. "Melinda moved out, and is upset, Jenny is heartbroken, Natalya
is acting up. It seems like it's all falling apart for Jenny."
"So," the old woman asked, a smile creeping onto her face, "what are you
going to do?"
"Moi?" Anya feigned innocence. She'd learned, long ago, that with
Grandmother's magic, she couldn't fool her. She gave up trying. "Liz is
going to watch Natalya for the night, and I'm going with Jenny for
dinner." She smiled and glanced at the door. "In fact, Jenny just
finished shutting down the pumps, and is on her way to the office as we
speak."
A few minutes later, just as Anya was shutting down her computer, Jenny
walked in the office. Anya looked up, a cheery smile on her face. "Ready
to go?" she asked.
Jenny frowned, and she shook her head. "I don't know if this is a good
idea," she said, hesitantly. "I don't want to leave Natalya alone, and
she always has homework to do."
"Liz is perfectly capable of ensuring that she gets that done," Anya
replied. "She won't be alone." She grinned. "Any more excuses?"
Jenny shook her head. "I guess you've covered all the bases," she
acknowledged.
"Every once in a while, we _all_ need a break," Anya said. She stood and
walked toward the main door, the one that opened to the parking lot.
"I'll drive."
"Suits me," Jenny said half-heartedly. "Unless you and Grandmother want
to pay for gas." Jenny drove a pickup that belonged to the park, and she
was always conscious about using park resources for personal use.
"I'll be paying either way," Anya laughed, "so that isn't a factor. But
my car is a little more fun to drive."
As they walked out of the office, the setting sun casting a reddish hue on
Anya's brunette hair and making Jenny's long red hair seem almost alive
with fire, Jenny looked at Anya's car. It was parked beneath a lamp, but
the top was down and the car was unusually free of bird droppings.
"How do you ...?" Jenny started to ask in amazement, but then she shook
her head, smiling. "You probably have some kind of spell that keeps bird
poop off the car, don't you?"
Anya grinned. "Magic can be useful at times." She crawled behind the
wheel. "So, where do you want to eat? Miyakos? The Firehouse?"
Jenny flinched visibly when Anya mentioned the Firehouse restaurant. It
had been her and Melinda's favorite spot. "I'm not that hungry. How
about something light?"
"Soup and salad, maybe?"
Jenny nodded. "Yeah. That sounds good."
The ride was in silence; Jenny was unwilling to say much. Only after
they'd got their food and sat down did she talk. "I suppose you heard,"
Jenny said softly. "Or read my mind."
Anya's expression reflected the hurt she felt from Jenny