Heading East- The Toro Family free porn video

The season had just ended in bitter disappointment. The Dodgers had lost in the divisional series yet again. They tried but there was always something that caused them to collapse or lose out on opportunities. Their performance wasn't really a problem to him, what irked was that the team was full of themselves. They were elites in the city but not all players were the same. Some were family people who chose to go home to their wives and girlfriends while others, like Miguel Toro, went home to other family. Miguel had been traded again two years before at the trading deadline. Miami was nice but they were going nowhere and he was still valuable property to teams in need of a push. His arm was holding up well and he had several more peak production years ahead of him. Los Angeles looked promising but the team just didn't come together and fizzled out down the stretch as guys simply gave up. His contract was up and he felt it best to move on to another city. He had offers from several teams but he didn't want to uproot his family again. His beloved sister-in-law Lupe and niece Reyna had endured a lot of turmoil and they needed stability, another move might be disastrous. His precious niece had enough trouble as it was trying to attend school. She is transgender and there are few places that will accept her as a student. Miami had been decent to her but with the constant fear of moving she made few friends and her isolation led to depression and worse feelings. Miguel sensed that there was hope on the horizon. One of the teams interested in him was the Boston Red Sox and he would accept their terms if they weren't highway robbery. Lupe and Reyna needed a home and if need be Reyna needed private schooling so he had to factor those into his own condo purchase and moving costs. His agent was pushing him for the Yankees or to re-sign with the Dodgers. He had never been supportive of Miguel's, "Family first" approach and had made it known that he should dump them and live it up. Miguel had argued long and hard with him but it was the same argument over and over again. He would never dump Lupe and Reyna. They were all he had and they had endured enough on their own without having the fear of being without him. He knew that Lupe would have to work at least two jobs and would never afford private school for Reyna. He couldn't do that to her, she deserved better. He especially feared for Reyna. She was vulnerable and endured constant abuse for being who she really was. She had tried twice to commit suicide only to be stopped by Miguel's timely intervention. She felt alone and being cut off from him would mean she would end things on her own. He could never let that happen, she needed a permanent home and he was going to give it to her. Seeing her sleeping form he felt he had to do it for her. Miguel told his agent to get the deal done with Boston. He insisted that if he couldn't get the deal done he would find someone who would. After sleeping on it Reyna and Lupe were told his plans and he could see a smile on Reyna's face, she was leaving Los Angeles and never looking back. Unbeknownst to Miguel, Reyna and Lupe had ulterior motives for wanting to leave. Their time in Los Angeles had been hell for both of them. Lupe could not find a regular job and was seen as a pity case by the players' families. There was talk that Reyna was actually Miguel's daughter which infuriated Lupe as they knew damn well Lupe's story from Miguel and others telling them over and over again. What was worse was the management wouldn't let Reyna be seen anywhere near Miguel during the season. They restricted access for her, claiming it was for security reasons or some other bad excuse. The truth was they didn't want a, "Tranny freak" to upset the fans or investors into the ownership group. Reyna cried after she learned the truth, and swore Lupe to secrecy for Miguel's sake so he didn't do anything to cause issues with the team and make them into media pariahs. Reyna herself had constant problems. The school system fought against her inclusion for two years and tried everything within their powers and some outside them to have her expelled, "For the benefit of the student body". The principals constantly suspended her and her teachers disciplined her for any possible rules infraction. It took a threat of a lawsuit before the school district ponied up the money to send her to a private school to avoid having to explain in court why they constantly harassed Reyna. Private school wasn't any better, in fact, it was worse. She had to endure torment from the rich students who ensured that she knew she was neither accepted nor wanted. Reyna constantly came home in tears and begged to move somewhere else. She endured over a year of the strain before she finally snapped and fought back getting expelled a month into the new school year. Lupe had to home school her while she sought out a new school. Reyna did well but it wasn't the same with Miguel believing that she was missing out on a proper education. Miguel's choice of Boston turned heads but Miguel had an ulterior motive. He knew that there was a world-class healthcare industry there and more importantly the top psychiatrists and psychologists were there. Reyna would receive the help she needed and Miguel would gladly lose several million dollars if it meant she would be happy and healthy. He made plans for the three of them to travel east in a week. His plans were kept secret from the media but he told his agent that he was going to take a couple of days for personal reasons and that any media following him would be barred from interviewing him. His agent tried to protest but Miguel was blunt and direct, saying, "This is a family thing and I am not going to have it soiled by a hack with a camera. If any and I mean any are alerted I'll know who told them. Your contract is up and I won't renew. Understand?" His agent swore but backed down. The trip's details were set but he didn't reveal them to his agent. Miguel made a quick phone call to someone he hoped could help him. To his surprise, the phone was answered quickly, and with a bright, "What can I do for you, Miguel?" Miguel tried hard not to smile but said, "I am thinking about signing with Boston. I'm probably going to put down roots here permanently. I wanted to ensure my niece and her mother were going to be alright when I'm not here. I was hoping to have someone who lived there for a few years and had experience with her kind of issues talk with us." Valerie Finn smiled as she realized what he meant. She proudly stated, "We have several people who would be able to help them. How old is your niece?" Miguel told a quick, "She turned 13 over the summer" to which Valerie nearly snorted, adding, "She will be fine in our middle schools. The principals have experience with girls like her." Miguel gave her the details about when they were coming. Valerie told him softly, "I know who you were intending to help her but she's in high school. John would have wanted to be there to greet you but he is busy in school as well." Miguel thanked her for the assistance and ended the call, trying hard not to smile at the events. Reyna was listening to the phone call and grew scared. Miguel tried to assure her that she was alright but she felt he was losing a lot of money because of her. She was inconsolable but Miguel learned early on that it was due to her hormones and to let her cry herself out then approach her when she wasn't as moody and could listen. Lupe was less than thrilled at moving to a place that was cold and miserable then hot and miserable. Miguel tried hard to keep the big reason for moving a secret but he had to tell her. She looked at him with surprise and shock, then hugged him deeply. It was a sweet thing to do for them, giving them what they needed most. Reyna came into the room and saw her mother hugging Miguel and demanded an explanation. Miguel told her the truth, it was their final move. She and her mother would not move again unless they wanted to, and the city he was going to move them to was a good place for her to be. Two days later the three were on a plane heading east in first class. Reyna enjoyed the pampering she received but her mother wasn't entirely happy to have people serving them. Miguel was proud to spoil them for the trip, with much of it being considered a tax write-off because it was work related. At the airport, they were met by a tall, slim woman with two little kids in tow. Miguel recognized one of them and smiled at her, getting a sneer back. He offered a quick, "And nice to see you too, Cat." Miguel introduced Lupe and Reyna, getting smiles from JD and Cat as they focused on Reyna. Valerie smiled at Reyna, telling her, "I hope the weather isn't too much of a change, at least it isn't snowing." Reyna didn't answer, instead looking around at the people in the terminal expecting people to say something about her. Reyna wasn't too thrilled to be there, but she had to be. Valerie waited while Miguel rented a car for them and showed them the way to their hotel. Reyna asked why they were driving, getting a quick, "I'm trying to keep a low profile" from Miguel. After checking in the group followed Valerie again, this time passing over a huge green bridge. Reyna's face was glued to the window as they drove, observing the boats in the water and buildings of the city. They eventually reached their destination, a large school in the heart of the city. Reyna wasn't too pleased. Lupe asked what was going on, Miguel calmly said, "I wanted to meet with school officials first before we went any further. I know Reyna has had a really rough time since she came out and I don't want to go anywhere she is not going to be welcomed fully. I trust Valerie and I want you to see for yourself." Lupe tried to deny there were problems but Miguel stopped her. He insisted, "You could only fool me for so long. I heard from my teammates about the expulsion. I know the reason why she was there in the first place was to get rid of her from the regular schools. This is for her more than anything." Valerie ushered them into an office and was greeted by two women who introduced themselves as Dorothy Vega and Alice Rodriguez. Valerie hugged both and introduced them, stating, "Mrs. Toro and her daughter are possibly moving to our city but before they do they wanted to meet with you about a possible problem." Both looked at each other and then at Reyna. Alice said softly, "This is not a problem at all. I am sure Valerie could tell you exactly where we stand regarding ladies you Ms. Toro and what happens to those who try to go against our policies." Dorothy added,, "I think it might be best to have her meet Sam. If she can hear for herself it might ease her fears." Miguel asked who Sam is to which Valerie replied:, "It isn't for us to say, she will tell you herself." Miguel saw the little glint her eyes and got the gist of it, Reyna and Lupe didn't though. After a quick phone call and several minutes, a knock on the door saw two young women enter, with one letting out a quick gasp at seeing the guests. Valerie indicated to her to remain quiet for a bit. Dorothy noticed this and gave Valerie an odd look to which Valerie gave her the same indication. The other young lady, who was introduced as Samantha York, was told that Reyna was possibly a new student and wanted to meet with another student. Sam wasn't sure what was really going on but got the urging to talk about the school. Reyna studied her closely, then asked softly, "Is she like me?" Sam asked the same of her both getting a simple, "Yes". Sam asked why she was needed. Miguel looked at Reyna who was feeling uncomfortable and on the verge of tears. She thought she had upset or angered Sam in her being called down to meet with her. Lupe took the moment and told them, "Reyna has had a lot of problems with her old schools. She was shuffled around from classroom to classroom as teachers refused to teach her. Students would constantly bully her and harass her during school. The principals let them do it while the parents encouraged the behavior. Eventually, she ended up in private school where the bullying intensified as the students used their parents' money and influence to force the teachers and administrators to allow the abuse. She finally fought back and demanded it stop and was promptly expelled. We haven't been able to find a school willing to take her in nor could we let Miguel pay for private boarding school." Sam saw Reyna crying now that her secret was out. Sam asked the principals, "Does she know about Jaimie and the others?" Miguel told her softly, "She knows about Jaimie but never met her, as for the others I don't know what you mean." The other girl, who they were told was Rebecca Lopez, told him, "Our family and friends. They don't allow something like that to happen and aren't afraid to stand up to teachers, principals, and politicians. They have sent many to jail and cost them their jobs for trying to do what was done to Reyna. They won't allow it to happen here." Reyna looked up and saw that she was getting angry. Sam softly whispered, "She is the toughest girl in our class and won't let anyone get hurt for being different. She is angry at what happened to you, not at you." Lupe tried to get things back to normal and asked what they needed for registration. Reyna's eyes lit up, she softly told her daughter, "Your uncle is set on you coming here and I believe it's a good place for you. You need normalcy and structure, it's time you finally had that." The two girls were dismissed and returned to class. Miguel asked them to stop for a second, saying, "You look familiar." Rebecca became embarrassed and admitted, "Uncle John took me and a few others for my 11th birthday to see you play against the Red Sox. We were brought down to the clubhouse and you signed a baseball for me." Miguel looked at her closer and gasped. He asked, "Uncle John? John Finn? You were the little girl with Michael and his friends!" She nodded and left with Sam to return to class. Valerie was smiling as he shook his head in disbelief muttering, "I hardly recognized her, she grew up a lot" then looked at Reyna who was trying to suppress a giggle. Valerie told them she'd draw up the paperwork for them and have a trusted friend handle things in California on their behalf. Miguel asked what that was about, to which Valerie smiled and said:, "You told me there was systemic harassment and bullying against your niece, my friends don't take too kindly to people who do that kind of thing to people especially innocent ones." Lupe tried to reason with her but she was immediately told, "It's not about the money, it's about ensuring that they never to that to another child again. She isn't the first one who has had this happen to her, not from my experience. She will get a lot of money but more importantly, it'll help a lot of children immediately and in the long run." Miguel was smiling as Valerie's expression changed from smile to determined mother. The group drove back to the hotel and saw Valerie off. The twins finally stirred after their hour-long nap in their carriage, waking up just enough to say, "Bye-bye" to Reyna. Lupe asked what that was all about. Miguel shook his head and admitted, "Valerie's daughter Jaimie is like Reyna, she's the girl I told Reyna about to get her to come out to us as wanting to become a girl. Back in Missouri her husband fought and won the right to adopt Jaimie and has tried to help others who need help ever since. She hates abuse of power and what they did hit her hard. I'd let her help you, if only for Reyna's sake. She will do what is best for Reyna and many others." Lupe wasn't entirely convinced. Miguel sat her down and told her everything John had told him the last time they met. She listened intently then shed a tear. For the first time, someone was trying to help Reyna without looking for something in exchange. Miguel was honest and told her, "She doesn't need anything; she was successful on her own and has all the money she will ever need. She is doing this for all the right reasons, I want her to do it so girls and boys like Reyna won't have to endure the same horrible treatment." They ate dinner in relative silence as the day's events sank in. Miguel softly asked Reyna, "Do you want to meet Jaimie?" She nodded silently then added, "I hope she likes me. I don't want to seem like a fangirl trying to meet her idol." Miguel chuckled and added, "She won't. She is a good kid who has a big heart for people. She just wants to help others and right now you will be that other person." Reyna went to bed early as the exhaustion from the flight set in. Miguel and Lupe discussed things like where to get a house and whether Reyna should go to private school. Miguel was adamant that she go to school in Winnisimmet even if it meant buying a house there. Lupe was afraid of being alone in a city they didn't know with a girl who was different, but Miguel's argument was foolproof. He'd pay whatever the cost of a house was, Reyna's needs came before finances and she needed to go to school there. The next morning Reyna was up early. She checked her Facebook page to see who posted more demeaning garbage on her wall. She wasn't surprised to see she had multiple requests from people she didn't know but one name that popped out did- Jaimie Finn. She wasn't sure what to do, or even if it was the real Jaimie. She left it alone, not wanting to deny it but not wanting to accept it in case it was a fake account. Her mother was up next and looked at her account. She could see she was lingering over Jaimie's name and told her, "Don't do anything until your uncle sees. It could be a fake." Miguel shook his head and said, "That's her. Same smile, same concentrated look, just a little older. She restricts her page to only people she trusts and if she is sending you a request it's in good faith and not a trick." Reyna accepted the request then stared at the pictures Jaimie posted. She recognized Sam and Rebecca immediately. Miguel laughed at a couple of pictures of a boy, telling them, "That's her brother Michael. I think I recognize two other boys with him. There's quite a few of another boy, I guess he is her boyfriend." The three ordered breakfast and ate as Reyna continued to shuffle through Jaimie's profile. She pointed out a guy who looked familiar. She asked if Miguel knew him getting a big smile and saying, "That's John Finn, Valerie's husband, and Jaimie's dad. He was the one who gave me the videos you saw. With luck, you will meet all of them today." The meal went quietly as Reyna looked at Rebecca's and Sam's profiles, seeing a lot of people in both. She felt weird, almost reassured that she was going to be alright in that school. She finally got the courage and asked, "Can we move here? I don't want to move anymore." Lupe looked at Miguel who nodded then told them, "I'll have someone find a house for you. I don't think it would be wise for me to live with you, I'll find my own place." Reyna was shocked and feared the reason, asking, "Why?" Miguel gave her a soft, "I will be coming home at all hours of the day and night and people will be begging for autographs and seeking favors from me. Plus there may be people who would harm you to get at me. You two need to put down roots and have a permanent home of your own, no more moving when I get traded or sign with another team. You have five years of school left before you go to college, I want you to enjoy them." Lupe hugged her and told her softly, "He wants what is best for you. You will be able to make real friends, not people who only want you for your access to someone famous. If this wasn't for the best then I wouldn't even consider it, but it's all for you." Reyna was in tears as Lupe cleared the table. Miguel announced he had a meeting in Boston and would drop them off somewhere so they could enjoy themselves for a bit. Lupe knew this was a hint to get Reyna some education out of the trip. Reyna grumbled about it but accepted that it was non-negotiable. At Fenway Park Miguel's agent met him and told him sharply, "We have a framework in place with New York. You are a fool to give up millions for those two." Miguel ignored the comment and went inside, but in his head, he was questioning what was really driving his agent to force the New York contract on him without seeing what other deals were on the table. The Red Sox were courteous and offered generous terms that were right in Miguel's projections. Miguel looked at the numbers and smiled. It was a back-loaded contract but it was more than expected. It included a generous contribution to his retirement account that he insisted on having set up back when he was drafted in his senior year of college. There was a hefty signing bonus and offers of money to pay for moving expenses for him and his family. There was even an offer to help him set up a program like the one he had in Miami, which got him smiling brightly. They certainly did their research on him and knew just what to offer him in perks in addition to his salary. His agent wasn't enthusiastic. This meant that he was getting less money than he felt Miguel deserved. He was pushing for the New York deal, bringing it up multiple times to the point of becoming annoying. Miguel finally had enough and told him to wait outside while read through the details and showed some common courtesy to the team. The Red Sox officials asked what that was about and he was blunt:, "I have a good reason for wanting to come here and that is my niece. I don't trust New York, I know I'll be traded in July for who they really want and end up in some last place team who releases me via an escape clause they hide in the contract. Your contract is generous and upfront about everything with a release penalty that is hefty. It's back-loaded but I figure this is my last big contract anyway so it doesn't matter. The fact that you recognized my retirement fund and tried to incorporate my off-field activities is a big selling point. I'll run this by my sister-in-law and niece and if they believe it's worth it I'll sign. I am a man of my word and I'll try to get back to you in a few days." Miguel took the contract and was led out. His agent was fuming and told him, "You are an idiot. New York is offering you $10 million this year plus a signing bonus! Everything you got from Boston you are getting from them. Think of all the endorsements you will get. Think of all of the publicity you will get. Think of all of the girls you will get. You are walking away from everything you could ever want." Miguel was terse as he said, "I have everything I want. I have family and friends and playing for a team that has a need that I can fill that will bring me the same things as New York without treating me like a piece of meat. My niece will have a home and a school where she will be safe and have a proper education. I don't need anything else. Endorsements are a dime a dozen and I will get them here as well. Those girls you are touting are gold diggers looking for a good time at my expense. I don't need either of those. I am going to look the contract over and if I like it I'll sign. You will get your cut, don't worry about that." He still insisted causing Miguel to shout, "ENOUGH! If you can't stop then I'll find an agent who is willing to actually listen to his client. I'm your only client so if I walk you will have nothing. You will have to get a real job and I'll be honest, you have no skills and no contacts. I said drop it so drop it." Miguel didn't bother to wait for a reply, he went to his car and drove to where Lupe and Reyna were waiting. Reyna was complaining that she had to learn something. Lupe rolled her eyes and told her sharply, "You weren't the only person who was doing that, there were dozens of other students doing the same thing." Miguel stifled a laugh as Reyna tried to find a good retort and failed miserably. As they ate lunch Miguel's phone rang. Valerie invited them to dinner at her home and that happily admitted that Jaimie wanted to meet Reyna. Miguel turned to Reyna and said, "We will be there. I wanted to ask a favor of you in person." An hour later the trio drove to the Finn home. It was an interesting trip for Reyna as Miguel had some trouble navigating around the smaller city streets around the neighborhood. She tried to say something but was told:, "Laugh it up, you will be walking these same streets and soon you will be driving them!" Valerie met them outside her home, telling them, "I take it you had some trouble with some of the streets. It takes a bit of time to get used to them but eventually they become second nature." Reyna tried to laugh but was distracted by the twins pulling her inside. Miguel and Valerie made small talk while Lupe remained silent. He asked Valerie, "Do you know anyone who is a Realtor? Lupe and Reyna have decided to move here with me and are going to put down permanent roots." Valerie smiled brightly and told him, "My brother-in-law has a couple of homes that his company is refurbishing for quick sales. There's one in this neighborhood, next door to Jaimie's boyfriend. I'll call him so he can hammer out the details with you." She turned to Lupe and asked her, "Is it only the two of you?" Lupe silently nodded to which Valerie added, "You aren't going to be alone with her. One of the quirks of our group is the fact that several of us are currently or formerly single parents so we support one another. Our daughters and sons chip in to help so if you need a night out or have to go away Reyna won't be alone." Lupe's eyes lit up hearing this. Valerie patted her hand and told her, "Several of us lost our loved ones through divorce, accident, or death so we know the pain. Reyna is special but she isn't alone and we won't let you suffer alone either. If you must know five of us are single parents like yourself and three of us are formerly single parents. We all had to endure different things but we all help one another." Lupe was in tears as Valerie offered their help. Miguel softly whispered,, "I told you she was a determined mother and wants what is best." Lupe nodded as Valerie gave him a knowing smile. The twins dragged Reyna to where their mothers and Miguel was. Reyna asked sharply, "Are they always this rambunctious?" Valerie swiftly retorted, "This is them being subdued, they are winding down and are going to crash in a few minutes. They brought you out here so I'd take them upstairs to sleep." Cat and JD were showing signs of tiredness and hugged Reyna before going upstairs with Valerie. A few minutes later she came back down shaking her head, telling them, "They won't bother you again. I don't know if they will sleep through the night though." Before they could say anything the door opened and the trio heard three teens complaining with a man. Miguel's face had a crooked smile as he indicated to Lupe to watch Reyna's reaction. Valerie loudly announced,, "Calm down the twins are asleep and we have visitors." The four walked into the dining room where Jaimie looked at Reyna and told Miguel, "I told you she was beautiful." Reyna's mouth dropped open and eyes shot to her uncle and back to Jaimie. She was trying to form words but failing. Michael rolled his eyes and grumbled,, "Nice going Jaimie, you broke her." The other boy acted like there was nothing out of the ordinary happening and told Michael, "We have work to do, this isn't for us to hear. We don't want to scare her any more than she already is." As they walked out Miguel asked,, "Who is that with Michael, your boyfriend?" Jaimie blushed and said, "He's my brother Miles. Mom and dad adopted him 14 months ago." John pointed out, "Her boyfriend is Richard, you met him before but he's matured a little since then." John showed a picture of the two together. Miguel recognized him alright, adding, "He's handsome, I hope he is treating you well." Jaimie blushed as John smiled, saying, "The two have been together for nearly three years, only Michael and his girlfriend Courtney have been together longer." Jaimie was now beet red and asked Reyna quickly to come with her for a private talk as the others tried hard not to laugh. Reyna was quiet as they entered Jaimie's room. To Reyna, it was like being in front of her idol, the girl who helped her realize that she could be a girl too. She was afraid of saying or doing something that would offend her or make both of them look bad. Jaimie sensed her anxiety and indicated for her to sit on the bed. She sat next to her and in a quiet voice asked her, "When did you start to feel like you were born in the wrong body?" Reyna looked down and answered with a quiet, "3 years old. Whenever mom and dad were out some of the neighbor kids started to dress me up like a girl. I saw myself in the mirror and it just felt right." Jaimie nodded and told her, "My parents were killed in a car crash when I was eight and put into foster care. Some of the girls used to dress me up like I was their doll and put makeup and dresses on me until they were transferred away. Dad took me to get examined for my post-crash PTSD and depression and found out I was gender dysphoric. He got me help and allowed me to become the girl I should have been." Reyna looked sad and asked,, "Your parents are dead?" Jaimie nodded, adding, "My birth parents are. Dad adopted me then married mom who adopted me too. Michael is her son by birth and Miles is both of theirs by adoption. The twins are their son and daughter from...well from the normal way." Reyna admitted, "My dad is dead too. He was killed by some gangsters shooting at one another hitting his car causing him to crash. Uncle Miguel took us in and has helped us ever since." Jaimie hugged her as tears started to well up over the memories. The two had more in common that they knew. Jaimie changed the subject and asked,, "Are you interested in girls or boys yet?" Reyna blushed but Jaimie smiled and admitted, "Sam likes girls, she and her best friend Iris are in love but neither will say or do anything to act on it. Richard and I are in love. You will figure out if you like either sex in the future, there's no rush. I just wanted to ask in case you were having a problem admitting it." Reyna blushed as she said,, "I had a crush on a couple of boys in my class until they started to treat me badly." Jaimie's face started to contort as she asked, "What happened in school? I know mom knows some people who will make them pay for what they did to you." Reyna told her the whole story, even telling her things that she didn't tell her mother. Reyna had been physically abused during gym classes by teachers who refused to let her participate; she even showed Jaimie a scar she had from one incident. Jaimie took a picture and texted it to someone she trusted, getting an immediate response of, "We are coming over." Reyna grew concerned but Jaimie told her bluntly, "They won't let them get away with it. Mom is tough but my grandparents are vicious. They love helping people and right now you are the one to help." Reyna asked why she did that, Jaimie shot back a quick, "Because they hurt someone I care about." The two talked about school and friends with Jaimie running off the list of her friends that made Reyna's eyes pop out. Jaimie went on to tell her the intricate web that they had weaved among themselves with friendships, relationships, and family bonds. Reyna was listening eagerly. The big bombshell was Jaimie telling her about her cousin Nichole. Reyna asked why she was crying with Jaimie softly admitting, "She was like us but she saved me from danger. She had the final surgery to make her into a girl after a man and his sons tried to hurt me only to have her step in the way and take the stabbing for me. She saved my life but changed her own." Reyna saw the hurt in Jaimie's eyes and asked her, "Are you sad that it happened to her?" She nodded, then told her, "She told me to stop being sad and blaming myself but I can't. It's not something you get over easily. She had something horrible happen because someone didn't like me for being me and she just brushes it off and accepts her new life. I can't do that though, I love her too much to let it go so easily." Reyna hugged her and told her, "Thank you for telling me. She is a good person." Jaimie dried her tears, smiled and told her, "We better go downstairs before grandma and grandpa get here." Downstairs while the girls were talking, Miguel was telling John and Valerie about the contract negotiations. He trusted them enough to tell them his intent regarding the deal. What surprised him was Valerie's reaction to his agent. Valerie was quiet then replied, "My gut is telling me that there is something going on with him that you don't know about and he is involved in. He is too eager to get you to sign a worse contract. Sure it's more money upfront but it's worse for you as a player. Have you seen the contract yet?" Miguel told her no, to which Valerie shot back, "Then something is seriously wrong and I would not sign yet. I want to help you, it's quiet around here with the kids all in school so I have the time to do something constructive. I have experience in this field, as do my parents." Miguel agreed, it wouldn't hurt him to have a different set of eyes examining things. John added, "I think you ought to have someone take a look at your finances. I don't think everything is what it seems. If I may, our friend Beverly could have a look at your finances and see if there are any problems that need your attention specifically regarding your pay and taxes. She has done similar things for Miles and his girlfriend Christina and always handles our taxes for us. She is discrete and fair, but she is also stubborn as a bulldog when she finds a problem that needs addressing especially if it helps her client." Valerie examined Miguel's Boston contract offer and flagged a few minor things that needed addressing including the morality clause. She calmly said, "The way the morals clause reads, you may not be able to be seen with your niece. That won't do. They have to remove it and replace it with something that accurately reflects bad behavior and not bigotry. I honestly find it hard to believe a Boston team would do such a thing to a child let alone one that could backfire badly on them." John nodded to Miguel whose mouth was quivering. Lupe thanked her for doing that for them adding, "This means a lot to us. Reyna had enough trouble as it was when he was with the Dodgers. She couldn't see him no matter how much he pleaded. She lived in the city yet he wasn't allowed to see her that often." Valerie shot back, "That should never have been allowed and your agent should have put a stop to it right away. Something is definitely fishy with him. He should have protected your rights." The doorbell rang and Jaimie answered it, ushering in an elderly couple. Jaimie told them quietly, "She's right here, I don't think it is a good idea to tell mom and her mom why you are here yet." The two nodded and were led into the living room while Jaimie talked with Miguel and Lupe. The Johnsons, Evelyn and Joseph, asked Reyna about the abuse in school and the marks. She told them everything she could. She told one story where the gym teacher pulled her into the locker room and forced her to change in front of all of the boys showing off her budding breasts to them. He laughed as she cried and tried to run off, getting pulled back until she was finished. The two were horrified at hearing this and asked about more incidents. Reyna told about the principal telling her to shut up and, "Take it like a man" regarding the abuse. They asked if she had any proof and nodded silently, pointing to her phone then playing several recordings. Evelyn then read multiple texts and emails, all of them harassing with several threatening to harm her if she did anything about it. Reyna was in tears as Joseph read the texts and emails, his face reddening and his hand visibly shaking. The two calmed Reyna and softly told her, "You have them by the balls, so to speak. They are going to pay and they will be in jail for what they did. You did the right thing in saving the emails and texts, we will take it from here." The three walked into the dining room and sat at the table. Valerie looked over and saw the upset Reyna and asked sharply, "Can you nail them?" Evelyn shot back a harsher, "It's about as crystal clear as you can get without them gloating about it." Joseph in turn added, "They probably did but bullied their way around any action or simply never had a thing happen." Miguel demanded to know what was going on. Lupe looked up at him and tearfully told him what had happened to Reyna in the last school. Jaimie told him about the scars on her which caused her mother to gasp in shock. The Johnsons assured them that they had a handle on the situation and their friends would be in contact the next day, ready to file on their behalf on the following Monday. Lupe tearfully said, "We can't go back. They will come after us. They have too many allies. They will get revenge, those rich snobs will see to it." Miguel told them they would go with him to his home until the move was finalized. John and Valerie looked at one another with John saying, "We have a place you could go. My sister will put you up until the deal with Dan is finalized." Lupe tried to object but Reyna's eyes told her to accept the offer. Miguel asked,, "Is she going to be OK with Reyna's transition?" Valerie jumped in with a quick, "She put up our brother-in-law and his daughter for a short time while his home was being fixed up before he married John's sister. She fostered Sam and her brother for a bit when their mom was sick and their stepdad was in a fight with their evil grandmother." Reyna asked softly, "Is his daughter Nichole?" John softly asked,, "Where did you hear about her?" Reyna quietly answered,, "Jaimie told me about her and what happened to her." John nodded and told Miguel and Lupe Nichole's story getting sharp gasps from them but understanding what it really meant. John explained further, "She is in school so she will place a lot of trust into you. You will also have to endure our aunt and uncle. They are intimidating but care a lot about kids. They are also well known and anyone who stays with Leslie gets protection from anyone who tries to harm them." Miguel asked what he meant, telling him, "I don't like gangs and won't let them stay with someone who is part of one." John quieted the idea, explaining, "Uncle Jorge is a fixture in the neighborhood and well respected by everyone. He has spent years being a good neighbor by helping people move, decorate, fix cars, babysit, and accompany them to the doctor. This is all about respect and affection for him. He protects his friends and family, and the neighbors and neighborhood protect them as well. Anyone trying to hurt him or someone in his home gets 100 people surrounding them before they can leave the porch. Not even the city's gangs dare disrespect Uncle Jorge or Aunt Victoria." Lupe tried to say something but Miguel assured her, "It's not like my brother; these people actually do something instead of sitting back and watching. You will be alright with them." Lupe reluctantly agreed and watched as John moved to the kitchen to call his sister. Valerie took over and announced, "Now that that is out of the way my parents can help you out with your other situation. I think they should be with you when you have your next meeting, in fact, I think your agent should have had someone with you the whole time. He isn't a lawyer and definitely not experienced in contract or labor laws, he should have had one there to ensure your rights." The two examined the contract and agreed with Valerie's finding and approved all of it except the morals clause. Evelyn asked about his agent's contract with him. Miguel looked at her oddly and said, "We never signed one, we had a verbal deal. He did the negotiations for me and I finalized the deals. He got his 10% from the deal, I never had reason to question it before." His news seemed to pique her interest. She examined the contract again and smiled, saying, "He is getting next to nothing from the signing bonus, that's untouchable according to the contract. You don't earn a penny from the contract as an employee until February 1st but all expenses you incur for publicity in the time being are paid by the club. The no-trade clause is strong and the list of places you refuse to be traded to are open for negotiation as they aren't filled in. We need that New York contract to see what is going on but I suspect that they are offering a big up-front payment in addition to the signing bonus but a limited no-trade clause with no guarantee of outside money or retirement savings." Miguel mentioned that the deal was, "Back-loaded" meaning he wouldn't earn the bulk until later on while the New York deal was, "Front- loaded". Joseph shot in a quick, "Then you aren't getting the full amount, they can either release you after a certain amount of time or trade you away and have your new team do so. This is why he wants that contract, he gets his cut right away. I know you have to check your finances now, something fishy is going on with him and he could bring you down with him if it isn't found out soon." Evelyn excused herself and made two phone calls with John returning after his phone call with Leslie. He smiled and said, "She is alright with you two staying with her. She alerted our aunt and uncle and they are ready as well. I expect you will probably need to get Reyna into school so I asked both principals to make preparations with Leslie's address being your temporary address. They are fine with this and told me that they'd have Rebecca, Sam, and their friends work with her to get her up to speed." Evelyn returned and smiled, announcing, "Our friends in California are foaming at the mouth to help Reyna. They are eager to work with you and know that you will only be there a couple of days while you get your affairs in order. They have also stated that they will file complaints with all of the relevant agencies to ensure that the schools are properly investigated. I also talked with Beverly and she will gladly look over your finances. It's a bit slow and the regular work is a bit monotonous so she has plenty of time and energy to dive into your accounts. She also said that she feels you might have been swindled out of a lot of money by your agent, she had dealt with a couple before and the way he is operating he has a side deal with someone shady that the teams don't know about." Miguel's eyes nearly popped out hearing that. Valerie asked bluntly, "Does she suspect foul play?" Evelyn nodded, adding, "We might have to sue his ass to the Stone Age. Something about him just feels slimy and off. Even Beverly didn't like the sound of things. If worse comes to worse we may even have to turn this over to Kennedy and her people." Miguel asked who Kennedy was, getting a quick, "She is an investigator with the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. She is a bulldog when it comes to finding wrongs in things. If he is as they believe he is, your agent will be in for a world of legal hurt." Miguel shook his head in astonishment but realized it was something that had to be done. John was silently cooking dinner as they talked. Miguel didn't notice him slipping out and it wasn't until they smelled the food that anyone noticed he was missing. John let out a loud, "Boys, dinner!" which was followed by the two boys rushing down at full speed sounding like a herd of bulls charging. The two stopped in horror as they realized their grandparents were there and quickly apologized for their behavior. Jaimie burst into laughter as Reyna looked on in shock. Jaimie quickly whispered,, "They got in trouble a couple of times before for rushing and almost knocking over grandma and grandpa." Reyna looked over at the two who were in a state of disbelief and remorse. She let it go and sat silently as Miles slunk into the chair beside her. Conversation stopped as the 10 ate dinner. Miles had to alternate between feeding himself and feeding JD while Valerie fed Cat. Reyna whispered to Jaimie, "Why is your brother feeding your baby brother?" Jaimie snickered and admitted, "He and Miles are close and JD doesn't trust people. Miles is the only one who can feed him when we have guests over. He can usually feed himself but we don't want him to make a big mess so Miles is helping." JD smiled at Reyna as he heard his name. Reyna could see that he was having some problems with his fork and with the food being pasta it was a little messy for him. His sister, on the other hand, was watching the guests and made a big show of feeding herself. Reyna watched as she missed her mouth and dropped a couple of forkfuls of food on her shirt and pants after missing her bib. Jaimie shook her head and whispered,, "She likes to show off being better but makes a bigger mess than her brother." Dinner ended and Valerie cleared the table. Evelyn and Joseph gave Miguel the number to have the New York contract faxed to so they could look it over. She also said, "If he gives you any trouble then explain that you need to make sure things are alright. He is pushing you towards the New York contract, he should have no objections to you reading it over. If need be we will contact the Yankees directly and get a copy from them, they have an issue with it something is definitely off. If we find anything out of the ordinary or worrisome we will phone you right away." John held Miguel back for a bit and walked over to talk with a man from next door. He introduced him as Dan Lopez, Rebecca's father and the owner of the house he was going to buy. He told Dan about the situation to which Dan agreed fully to help him the next day. Dan even suggested that Rebecca and her friends spend time with Reyna while they looked at the houses. Lupe agreed, pending Reyna's approval. Reyna was quietly told about the impending day with the girls and took it in stride. She had met Rebecca and Sam and they were trusted by Jaimie so it shouldn't be a problem for her. Plus it was important for her mother and uncle that they find a home so a few hours with strangers was a good compromise. At best she makes some friends and allies, at worse she learns the truth about people. Either way, she learns something. Lupe was quiet the next morning. When Reyna was getting changed she asked Miguel, "Do you trust them? I don't want Reyna getting hurt because we misplaced our trust." Miguel sat her down and explained, "John is as trustworthy as they come. I did a lot of research into him for that tutoring program I started in Miami and met with people who worked with him. The only people who had anything negative about him were people who had a problem with his raising of Jaimie. Those same people have a problem with Reyna and the same one who got me traded from the Royals was forced to sell his share of the Royals after he berated Jaimie during a playoff game." He drew a breath then admitted, "The man introduced us to his family. he opened up his home to us, shared a meal with us, let us see the real people to mitigate any ideas that they were gods or horrible people. He offered you a place to stay with his closest family. I know you are skeptical and you have a right to be but everything he has done is exactly in line with what I have heard about him. Do you remember the principal, Dorothy Vega? I had talked with her multiple times as I set up the tutoring program in Miami and what she told me about John matches with what I saw in person. I can't say the same for Dan Lopez but if John trusts him then we have to trust him." Reyna came in and announced, "The girls are going to meet us at soon. You had better get a move on if you are going to find the right house." Miguel tried to hide his smile as Lupe's concerned face changed to one of wonder. Reyna was actually eager to do something, a rarity for her. A half hour later they were outside the Finn home. Dan greeted them warmly and showed Reyna inside the Lopez home. Lupe was silent as they drove off, with Miguel assuring her Reyna would be fine. Lupe silently hoped that she would make friends with them, she needed friends more than anything else. Reyna was met by Rebecca and a sleepy toddler. He looked up at her and walked away, not even trying to say anything to her. Rebecca laughed at his reaction, insisting, "He is cranky this morning. He doesn't like it when dad has to go out early on weekends without him." The two went into the living room and talked for a bit as Rebecca told her about the teachers and school. She was sad to tell her about losing two friends, Amy and Kelly. Amy's dad went to work down in Washington, DC for the newly elected Senator while Kelly's dad received a promotion and was transferred to a job in Mississippi. Reyna asked why she felt the need to tell her, Rebecca confided in her, "I didn't mean to burden you with this emotional baggage. Jessie is throwing herself into her schoolwork and Iris and Sam are always together trying to fight their attraction. Francesca is too afraid to say anything about them since they never really got close so I haven't had the chance to talk about it. You were good enough to confide in me about yourself that I must feel the need to talk about it with you." Reyna hesitated then said, "Thanks. It means a lot that you felt the urge to tell me something private. I haven't had anyone do that for me before." The two changed the subject quickly and talked about anything else. Stacy, Rebecca's older sister, came in wearing a cheerleader uniform and announced she was going to the football game. Rebecca slapped her head in frustration and told Reyna, "We need to call our parents, I forgot about the game. Dad doesn't remember those things and mom was so busy with DJ this morning that she forgot too." Rebecca made a quick phone call as did Reyna. They both got approval. Reyna would go with the girls to the game. Stacy pointed out that Rebecca didn't have to go but Reyna refused to let her miss out because of her. Rebecca added,, "She has to meet the others anyway, it might as well be today." Melanie, Stacy and Rebecca's mother, told them to hurry up. The three joined DJ in the car and drove on to the school where they met the rest of the girls. Stacy complained that her dad should have known there was a game with Uncle John with them. Melanie was quieter than usual which the girls noted. When they got to the school parking lot and the other girls gathered she pulled Reyna aside and softly told her, "This will be a bit overwhelming for you so if you need to leave we will leave. Stacy can get a ride from Greta or Anne." Reyna kept silent but didn't seem too bothered by the turn of events. Jaimie made her way over to Reyna and asked her to come along with her. Reyna was reluctant until Melanie whispered,, "She's trying to introduce you to the girls." Reyna went along reluctantly but was immediately mobbed by eight other girls in cheerleader uniforms. Jaimie smiled and said,, "Guys this is Reyna Toro, she is the girl Rebecca and I told you about." A girl, Christina Connors, teased Jaimie saying, "Did she really think Miles and you were dating?" getting a laugh from the others. Reyna cringed but Christina pointed out, "I told her to make a special album of her and Richard together. Miles and she would be mistaken for boyfriend/girlfriend if you didn't know they were brother/sister." Christina told her softly, "I'm Christina, Miles' girlfriend. This is sister Jessica Nelson, Claire Peterson, Hannah Smith, and my sisters Jenna and Paige. Courtney is around here somewhere, I think she and Michael are sneaking in some quick kisses before the game." A blushing girl was being dragged by a younger girl who looked similar. Christina announced,, "And there she is, that's Courtney Lawrence being dragged by her sister Jessie." Jaimie complained to Courtney about her and Michael being a little too friendly costing him some built up energy getting a big blush from Courtney and laugh from the girls. Jessie rolled her eyes and walked over to Reyna and led her to where Rebecca was standing. She flatly said, "I am glad we aren't doing that next year. Rebecca and I would rather play volleyball and basketball instead." Rebecca made the formal introduction and told Reyna, "Jessie and I are best friends so what I know, she knows. The girls are going to be a bit out of it after the game as they prepare for their monthly dates." Reyna asked about her other friends getting a quick, "Iris and Sam are at Sam's house, Iris can't bring Sam over without her parents freaking out over their friendship. Francesca is on a book tour with her mothers this weekend. Thomas is out with his dad for the day so it's just us three." Reyna was fine with this. She felt bad for Sam and Iris and hoped they would find some way of being able to express their affection. Rebecca motioned for Reyna to come along as Melanie and the mothers were ready to leave for the drive to the neighboring city. The game itself was boring as the team wasn't that good that year but tried hard. Rebecca pointed out key players and explained why Miles was walking around with a clipboard talking with different players. Reyna recognized Michael and asked about a player who looked a little like John, which got her a quick, "That's Bryan, he's Hannah's twin and Uncle John's nephew." Reyna asked quickly, "Is he Nichole's brother?" getting a soft, "Yes", as she looked away trying not to think about Nichole. Reyna told her, "Jaimie told me about her, it's alright you don't have to say anything else. I just wanted to know for sure." Rebecca nodded and let it drop. Jessie complained about the weather getting a snicker from Rebecca. Reyna told them both, "It was worse when I was in Missouri a few years ago. You are lucky, the trips were boring and the games even worse. It's no fun going 30 miles just to make it look like you cared about the game only so the other parents wouldn't bother you." Jessie glanced over as Reyna was shaking her head. She offered a quick apology for complaining getting the same from Rebecca. After the game, they took a bit of time getting to the Lopez home. The girls wanted to walk home with their boyfriends but their mothers told them to go home and change first. Reyna kept silent but agreed with Jessie and Rebecca that cheerleading wasn't interesting to her especially if that was how they acted after games. Back at the Lopez home Reyna was introduced to the other mothers, Greta Nelson, Olivia Samuels, Beverly Riley, Gabby Lawrence, and Lilly Peterson. Reyna was intimidated by them but they treated her like any other person. Rebecca and Jessie took her up to Rebecca's room while they talked away below, the three girls just hanging out instead of trying to do something. Stacy complained in the next room getting the two girls giggling at her troubles. She stormed in and demanded they help her if they were just going to laugh. Rebecca mouthed, "On her period" which caused Reyna to gasp in shock while Jessie burst into a full laugh and bolted to Stacy's room to help her before she turned her rage into a full blown tantrum. Rebecca calmed down and told her, "It's true. You get used to it after a while. She's a good person but she can be strong-willed and very frustrated when she isn't careful. Dad says we are both like mom and he tries hard to be somewhere else whenever we have ours." She looked over at Reyna who was trying hard not to feel bad, getting a quick, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be mean about that." Reyna returned a soft, "It's OK, I am used to it. I hope it was because you forgot I'm not a real girl and not that I needed to know what it's like to have one." Rebecca tried to assure her saying, "You are a real girl, you were just given the wrong parts. I guess I got carried away with teasing Stacy that I forgot about you for a second. Most of us have siblings so we forget that there are others who don't understand the way siblings tease each other." Jessie returned and saw the awkwardness of the two. She offered a soft, "She's being bitchy, you better help her with her makeup before she has a meltdown." Taking a seat beside Reyna Jessie hugged her tightly and said, "Sometimes you are lucky not to have brothers or sisters. We love Stacy but she can go overboard at times for Scott." Reyna just nodded her head in agreement. She offered a soft, "Do you have a boyfriend?" Jessie blushed and tried to say no but got a quick, "She has a big crush on Reed Clarence" from Rebecca who popped in to grab some makeup from her table. Jessie blushed again and told her, "He's in 9th grade and I have liked him for a long time. The problem is he is so shy because everyone hates his family." Reyna could understand the feeling, and asked:, "Why do they hate them?" Jessie reluctantly admitted, "His dad and brothers tried to kill Jaimie but ended up hurting Nichole badly. His mom tried to frame Uncle John for sexually abusing Hannah but was caught in a lie. She also complained constantly about Jaimie to the point that people refused to be anywhere near her. They are bad people but Reed and his younger brother Kevin are nice people who just get a bad rap because of their parents doing terrible things." Rebecca came in a short time later with a tired look on her face. She grumbled,, "She needs to schedule her dates on nights where she isn't having her friend visit." She looked over at Reyna and asked softly, "Do you want to try some of this? You look like you could use a little makeover fun." Reyna was unsure. Jessie asked,, "Have you used makeup before?" Reyna nodded, but quietly said, "Mom doesn't like when I use hers and I wasn't allowed to wear it in school. I usually make a mess of my face." Jessie put a towel around her shoulders while Rebecca got some of her beginners' sets out. The two asked Reyna to show them what she was doing with her makeup, which she reluctantly started to do. Her hands shook as she applied lipstick, mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, and blush to her face. After several minutes she stopped and turned around, with Jessie and Rebecca trying their hardest not to cringe at the mess she had made of her face. Both nodded and proceeded to help Reyna remove the makeup and asked her softly, "Did anyone teach you?" She shook her head then tried to hold back tears. Rebecca softly patted her shoulder and offered her a quick hug, admitting, "We all do bad the first time. You just need to practice. I know the school was terrible to you and the private school is probably strict for no reason other than they can be. We will help you, I don't want you to leave here until you know the basics." Jessie told Reyna sharply, "Rebecca is as close to a professional as you can get. She is better than the beauticians at the technical high school so she is the best person to teach you. there isn't a girl in our school who doesn't wish they had half of her talent." Rebecca grabbed some concealer and other creams and applied them to Reyna's face, explaining, "This will even out your skin color and take away some of the shine. It also helps hide some of the blemishes that you are going to get soon." She looked closely at her lips then took out the lipstick she had previously used, using less than Reyna had but making her lips stand out a little. Reyna understood why she didn't paint it on like she had, it accentuated her lips instead of drawing full attention to them. They went to mascara next, using a lighter hand than Reyna had. She didn't have the globs nor did she almost poke her eyes like Reyna had. Finally, she used a light pencil around the eyelashes, making them stand out more. Jessie looked at her closely and announced, "She doesn't need eye shadow or blush; her eyes stand out easily without any help. They are too small for much and whatever you add won't look right." Rebecca agreed, adding, "I'm jealous, she is naturally beautiful." Melanie walked upstairs to check on the girls and gasped at the sight. Reyna flinched and tried to cover herself but was stopped by Rebecca. Melanie quickly apologized to Reyna, holding her tightly and saying, "I'm sorry, it was just that you look so beautiful. Your mother and uncle are going to be so happy when they see you." The three cleaned up the mess of makeup while Rebecca put them in a small bag for Reyna. She insisted she take them, saying, "It's not good to share makeup. I have a lot of it and this was just spares in case I ever needed it and well you needed it." She smiled and handed it over, then told her, "Your mom should have some makeup removal wipes, if not then you can pick some up. You should also consider doing your fingernails but that can wait a bit until they grow longer." The three went downstairs and waited for the Toros to return with Dan and John. JD came in and demanded attention from anyone, settling on Reyna. She played with him for a bit before he got bored and went down for a nap. Jessie giggled as she looked at DJ waddling off, telling Reyna, "You wore him out in under 10 minutes." Rebecca groaned and told her, "Usually he wears us out in that time, I think he likes you." Melanie asked her, "If you ever want to earn money, I'd love to have you babysit." Rebecca groaned and told her, "Dad better not get too frisky, I don't want any more brothers or sisters. I don't want us to move again." The girls tried their hardest but burst into laughter as Melanie acted innocent while Rebecca gave her a hard stare. Jessie countered with, "Some of us like little kids" which Melanie added, "And some of us need them to put food on the table." Reyna tried hard not to smile at the mother-daughter exchange, realizing it was just for show to make her feel more comfortable. The three settled down and watched TV while Melanie started cooking dinner. Melanie casually asked Reyna what her mother did for a living, getting a quiet, "She used to work at a daycare center before I started to be a girl. She gave it up after I got expelled." Melanie smiled, Rebecca and Jessie both catching her look and nodding to one another that Melanie had something going on in her head. After another half hour Dan, Miguel, Lupe, and John came in and announced they had the perfect house for them. Melanie asked where it was; John smiled and said, "Next door to Richard, Olivia, and Richard." Melanie shook her head in disbelief; she should have figured it would be close by. John added, "It was the best fit, four bedrooms, attic, basement, living room, dining room, and two baths. Valerie all but sold it before even thinking about other homes. Being close to everyone is just a pure coincidence." Miguel added, "The others were alright but lacked the family touch. This was the only one with two full baths, Reyna needs her own and being next to a family that you all trust was a minor point. It's perfect for them." John left as the group sat down to dinner. Melanie insisted Lupe, Miguel, and Reyna stay. Lupe kept glancing over at Reyna but didn't say anything, Miguel caught the same looks and let it slide, it wasn't his place to say anything even if he liked her look. After dinner as they were in the car Lupe finally asked why she was wearing makeup. Reyna softly mumbled, "Rebecca and Jessie wanted to see what I knew and taught me what to do. They gave me the stuff I used so I can have my own." Lupe shook her head and admitted,, "You look beautiful, I am glad you didn't go overboard." Reyna softly said, "I did the first time, they cleaned me up and only let me put this on. They said the rest wouldn't work and only make me look bad." Miguel chimed in with, "Your eyes wouldn't look good with anything else and your lips only need a little color." Reyna smiled and told him, "That's what they said." Lupe hugged her and told her she'd get her a good set for her own use. The next morning Reyna put on the makeup by herself the way Jessie and Rebecca taught her for the first time and was happy with the results. Lupe was watching and helped her with her hair, telling her softly, "I should have shown you but I was so busy with work." Reyna nodded and added,, "You were trying to be a good mom, you can't do everything for me." Miguel didn't bat an eye as he saw Reyna wearing makeup again. He asked her, "Did they teach you what is appropriate and when?" She shook her head, but Lupe told him, "I'll talk to her about that, it's something mothers and daughters need to talk about anyway. It's a rite of passage for us." Reyna told them about the day and how much she learned from Rebecca and Jessie. Miguel cringed at the part regarding Stacy but Lupe nodded and added, "I know it is tough knowing you won't have that happen to you but it's good that you see the downside of it. Some of us take it harder than others especially when it comes during an important date or event. Be proud that they saw you as one of them and didn't try to hide that from you, it was thoughtful of them." Miguel muttered under his breath something that both ladies giggled at. Reyna asked her quietly, "How come you and dad never had any other kids?" Lupe sniffled and shed a tear as she tried to find the best way to tell her. She admitted, "We wanted another one and were making plans but your dad was murdered by those thugs shooting at one another before we could get started. I didn't want to burden your uncle with any more children, I know it stinks that you are an only child but I held back for your sake." Reyna understood and felt bad for asking. Lupe patted her hand and told her softly, "We know you saw what it is like to be a sister and we know you only asked because you cared. I might find someone, I just want to get you settled and get a job first." Miguel added, "You aren't a burden and you never will be. I love both of you and if you had another child I would love him or her just as much." Feeling the need to change the subject Lupe ushered them to get changed so they could do something constructive. Reyna complained that she had done everything possible and since they were moving there they didn't have to do everything at once. Miguel stopped further discussion by saying they should meet Leslie Finn and talk with her as she was going to be putting up with them for a bit until the deal on the house closed. As if on cue Miguel's phone rang and John was calling to tell him about the day's arrangements. Reyna and Lupe were asked to visit Leslie's apartment and meet his aunt and uncle. Miguel had a meeting with the Johnsons and Valerie as well making the day worthwhile and saving Reyna the boredom of learning again. The big surprise that John gave them was that Beverly Riley was going to go with them back to LA to figure out his finances and then assist Reyna and Lupe with the move. Lupe was unsure about the idea but Miguel smiled and told her, "It's something she feels she needs to do for you. It'll also help to ensure that you aren't taken advantage of by the movers. She is smart with her money and knows a thing or two about getting a good deal for friends." Miguel met John at his house again, but he wasn't alone. A man and a pregnant woman were talking with him as a young girl sat on the stairs. John excused himself and introduced them as his sister Karen Smith, brother-in-law Nigel, and his niece Nichole. Reyna's eyes went wide as she saw the girl get up and walk towards her. Nichole took her hand and walked her inside telling her, "Mom and dad will be a while, Uncle John and your uncle are talking about sports or something. Jaimie said to talk with you so we better do what she says." Reyna was stunned into silence at the forcefulness of Nichole. Nichole picked up on her apprehensiveness and admitted, "She told you about me. She didn't tell you everything though. She said your teachers and school were being mean to you and letting people hurt you. That happened to me before Uncles Willie, Mike, Alex, and John saved dad and me from people trying to hurt us." Reyna looked at her as if she was kidding but she was serious. Reyna asked,, "What do you mean they saved you?" Nichole told her about the story about how her father and she came to be part of the family, then giggled about her mom's surprise pregnancy. Reyna was still stunned but noticed a trend among the family. They were close and helped one another, even helping complete strangers. Reyna asked about the attack on Jaimie and was surprised by Nichole's smile. She proudly stated, "They gave me the biggest present I ever got. They allowed me to become a girl 10 years before I would be allowed. I can't have babies but I can use the girl's bathroom and locker room and the surgeon said that unless you knew I wasn't born this way you would never see that I wasn't a natural girl without looking real close inside me." Reyna felt bad about asking that but Nichole offered her a counterpoint, "Jaimie is still broken up about what happened but I got over it. She loves her family deeply, it isn't that I was hurt it was that someone was hurt because of her. Jaimie had something similar happen to her but they didn't try to make her into a girl, they probably should have but they didn't. She had the same reaction I did and she is having the same reaction Scott had, it took him a long time to get over it so it'll take Jaimie as long." Reyna's eyebrow raised as she heard the name Scott. She asked quickly, "Is he the same Scott that Stacy is dating?" Nichole nodded, adding, "This was three and a half years ago, back when they lived in Missouri. Scott had to hurt Jaimie or else his dad would beat him up. He hated doing it and is still trying to make amends for it. Stacy and he met when Jaimie found out about the abuse and she helped Scott and his sister Jessica to come east." Reyna realized just how deep the friendship and families were intertwined. Nichole nodded and added,, "They really are that close and mixed up, everyone protects everyone and nobody is allowed to suffer alone." Nigel called Nichole with Reyna following close behind her as they went to where their parents were. Karen was talking with Miguel and Lupe as Nigel informed her it was time to go home. She grumbled about it being boring which he added:, "You have homework to do and Margaret is coming by later." She trudged off still complaining, with Nigel shaking his head and apologizing for her complaining. After a few more minutes Karen finally said her goodbyes and got into the care to leave. Lupe asked John quickly, "Is she always that helpful? She was practically shoving a job with your sister-in-law at me." Reyna softly apologized, telling them, "Rebecca's mom what you used to do before I was expelled so I told her about where you used to do for work." Lupe shook he head in disbelief but smiled, telling her, "She said Melanie was going to offer me a job when we got back. She said that Leslie would want to meet us first before Melanie gave me the job." Trying to act innocent John blurted out, "It's the single parent club. Both Nigel and Karen were single parents until they married in August. Karen wants you to have a decent job and you could be the right person for Melanie and Leslie's daycare center." Lupe looked over at Reyna and hugged her, Reyna tried to pull away but her mother's hug was tight. The Johnsons arrived as Reyna was stuck in Lupe's hug and quietly slipped inside the house. Miguel signaled for them to come inside as well. Valerie asked Lupe if Karen made the offer to which Lupe nodded, with Valerie adding, "They are only doing a check because they have to, Leslie wants to keep the business on the up and up because someone could try to use the business to get at us and Melanie wants someone with experience both in the classroom and in the home. You have both. And with you being qualified she could start the process of becoming a preschool rather than just a daycare." The group sat at the dining room table as the Johnsons showed several documents to Miguel. The contract with the Red Sox was changed to their liking with Miguel's request being copied to other contracts. It had been an unintentional error and its intent was meant to keep bad influences and publicity out and not people who were different like his niece. They hadn't updated the language in years so it reflects an old mindset that doesn't fit in the newer times. The New York contract was troublesome. Evelyn showed him several areas of concern, particularly in the salary area. They stated the contract was for a certain amount but in reality, it was for half of what Boston was offering. Boston's was not performance-based, meaning he made the full amount no matter what his performance was. He was a veteran and didn't need incentives, there were bonuses but they were typical ones like postseason bonuses, making the All-Star Team, and winning major awards. New York, on the other hand, would only pay him in full if he met certain specifications that were set extremely high for someone who was a relief pitcher. He had to pitch a certain amount of innings, reach a certain number of strikeouts, appear in a certain number of games. It was impossible especially given their manager's habits and the team's tightfisted approach to keeping players from salary milestones. His agent knew this, in fact, it was the fourth edition of the contract. He was going to get his entire pay up front, in full, out of the signing bonus instead of gradually over time as most were doing. Miguel would have to work hard to earn his full amount and the way things were projected he wouldn't reach half of the incentives before the end of his contract let alone each year. It was robbery, his agent was getting more money from his first year's salary than Miguel was getting over the contract. Joseph then showed him several morals clauses that were outright offensive. His niece was barred from attending games on his behalf. She was barred from attending team functions with other players. She was even barred from attending the signing press conference. She was essentially cut off from Miguel, and if he tried to get around the stipulations there were penalties that would kick in and causes him to lose money. Miguel was furious. He called his agent and demanded an explanation. His agent told him he was a fool to refuse to sign with New York, that it was better money. Miguel took a deep breath and asked him about the morality clauses which caused the agent to swear into the phone. He tried to say he didn't see them which caused Joseph to shake his head at the sheer gall of the man. Joseph wrote down something and had Miguel ask him, "If you didn't approve of it why are there specific rules that are copied and pasted from my Kansas City contract?" His agent went silent for a second then stated, "Dump the whore and the tranny. You don't have to support them. They are holding you back. Sign the fucking contract and don't question me again. If you don't I'll make sure you regret it." Joseph jumped in and stated, "You have just threatened my clients. If you so much as think of contacting Miguel, Lupe, or Reyna Toro we will have your ass in court and have restraining orders placed on you in every state in the league." Miguel added, "You are fired" before hanging up. Reyna was in tears as Lupe tried to comfort her. Miguel shook his head and muttered that he was an idiot for falling for his tricks. Joseph gave a crooked smile and said, "He is going to make a mistake. Send the contract to New York and tell them you are not interested and why. Contact Boston and sign their contract, we will be with you to do so." Miguel asked about an agent, Evelyn smiled and told him, "We know someone who deals with athletes and has no problem with people like your niece." John nodded and made a phone call to an old friend, Juan Alvarez. Evelyn explained that he was a city guy like John and went to school with John and Melanie and had worked as an initial agent for a few of professional athlete prospects in the city. A half hour later Juan walked into the house and shook Miguel's hand, offering his thanks for taking the time to see him. The Johnsons told him about Miguel's agent's situation and about the contracts. Juan looked them over and laughed at the New York contract then nodded at the Boston contract. He summed them up nicely by saying, "New York is more up front but less overall as there is no way you will ever meet the performance goals. Boston is less up front but better overall. Given their pitching situation Boston is actually a better choice as you will play more and on the side, you would have more chances to earn money from endorsements. You should also have interest from the local media outlets as a potential analyst or even a broadcaster." He looked at the morals clause and then at Reyna and shook his head, saying, "The money aside this is a direct attempt to separate you from your family. This is beyond offensive and unless it was removed you would be an idiot to sign it. It would never stand up to the lawyers, your former agent should have had it removed and since it's the 4th edition he probably put it in there in the first place." Miguel looked at the others and smiled. He asked what his rate was for acting as his agent. Juan thought for a second and said, "5% of the contract is more than enough. I won't take anything up front, I refuse to take what isn't earned yet. The bonus is all yours as well, that is for past performance more than anything and I wasn't involved so I don't deserve any of it. I am also going to insist that he puts between 1/4th to 1/3rd of the money into investment accounts so he has something for when he retires beyond his pension which by the end of this contract will be a hefty sum allowing you to live comfortably as- is." The looks on the other faces were priceless as Juan knew he had stunned them with his humility. Evelyn asked why he took below the minimum amount usually paid to agents, Juan was quick to offer, "I own my home thanks to my parents, I am doing this as a favor to John, and Miguel's reputation among the community is well known so we were going to have to work together at some point. I'd rather it be on good terms and it's a nice sum anyway so it's enough to tide me over for me for a long time." John explained to Juan that Miguel was going to be doing the same job he is doing after he retired. Juan added, "Louis Reagan will be looking to him to take over his organization. He was hoping one day you would take it over but since you are teaching Miguel is a good second choice." Reyna asked what that was all about to which Juan told about John's past working with kids and the tutoring program. Miguel added,, "That's how I learned about Jaimie." Reyna blushed at forgetting but John told her it wasn't her fault, he hadn't told Miguel everything about him. Juan thought for a bit and asked Miguel to sign a contract with him before he did anything. Valerie pointed out that his former agent didn't do that which got Juan to shake his head and say, "Check your bank accounts. Have someone go over it with a fine-toothed comb. This reeks of fraud and embezzlement. He is either hiding something in your accounts or bleeding you dry. It explains his forcing the New York contract on you, he has something going on that you don't know about." The contract was drawn up fast with all sides agreeing to it. He then signed the Boston contract and told Juan that he had earned every penny with his advice. Juan shook his head and said, "If you want to thank me see Olivia Samuels about doing some work with her. She could use the help. Just do it in disguise, they'd appreciate not letting it become a media circus." Miguel nodded and saw him off. The doorbell rang and John shouted,, "In the dining room". Lupe and Reyna looked up and saw a well-built yet skinny woman walk in. John introduced her as his sister Leslie then told them it was time for their execution. Valerie smacked his arm then told them, "Victoria and Jorge are good people, they just like to meet everyone who stays with Leslie. Whatever happens, just let Jorge feed you, nobody ever refuses his cooking. Don't eat seconds, you will get full from the sheer amount he gives you." John and the Johnsons burst into laughter as Lupe and Reyna were led out. Michael, Miles, and Jaimie were returning home and saw the three walking out and shook their heads at the realization that they were going to meet the family's matriarch and patriarch. Miles tried to warn them about the food but Leslie shot him a quick, "They already know" as she got into her car. Leslie drove to the apartment as Miguel looked on. He asked what Miles meant about the food getting a quick, "He loves to cook and he won't let you leave the table unless you eat. We all had to endure it, except Aunt Lilly and our cousins Patrick and David. They haven't been able to get the time to get over to see them which is just a convenient excuse for the three of them." He wasn't sure whether to snicker or be concerned so he asked:, "What's he cooking?" Miles flatly said, "Rice and pigeon peas with fried chicken. He always makes that whenever there's a special reason." Miguel burst into laughter which Miles thought wasn't funny. Miguel slapped him on the back and said, "Lupe and Reyna love that. It's been a while since they had it but they love it. My mom made it every Sunday for them so it's just like old times." Miles grumbled about being taken for a ride by his dad which John flatly denied, pointing out that he was the one who assumed wrong about the two. Miles had been admonished and apologized to both, going upstairs to his room to finish homework. John kept Miguel focused on the job at hand, setting up a schedule for the move and working with Beverly for the next few days. Miguel was thorough in his plans, Beverly and Reyna would finish packing while Lupe and the lawyers got Reyna's school records from both schools. They had heard back from the Johnsons' friends and would have a meeting with them on Tuesday with the intent of filing suit on Wednesday. Beverly entered within minutes and introduced herself giving John a big hug and thanking him for the airplane tickets. Miguel shook his head and told John to give him the cost so he'd reimburse him, it was his personal situation so he needed to pay for it. Beverly laughed at the idea and announced, "He won't take it, it's pennies on the dollar to him. It's a gift to you, just as my helping you is a gift. I'll earn a lot more from the word of mouth from helping you than I'd earn before. I know a few of the players were interested in hiring me before but needed a little incentive, you give them it. Besides, I am doing this out of friendship." Miguel realized it was the single-parent club at work again and let it go. The three got down to business and worked out a rough schedule. Beverly was pleased and offered her insights regarding what needed to be done regarding the meetings and the move. She asked pointedly where they were right now getting a quick, "Jorge and Victoria" to which she burst into laughter and offered her apologies for the upset stomachs, pointing out the portion size again. Over at Leslie's apartment Leslie was showing the place to Lupe and Reyna. Both were told they'd have their own room and they'd split the cooking and cleaning among each other. Lupe tried to offer her some money for putting them up but Leslie refused the idea. Leslie then had Lupe sit down while she talked about her employment history. Lupe was reluctant to tell her everything but Leslie insisted on knowing everything to prevent any potential problems. She drew a deep breath and explained:, "We want to keep our business fully professional and above the board so anything that could potentially damage us done by employees in the past is known and addressed." Lupe told her everything. She had only had a couple of small jobs with family friends that paid her below minimum wage. Her first and only real job was at a neighborhood daycare center. She worked on an associate's degree in childcare at night while employed as a teacher's aide, with her husband watching Reyna while she was in school. After she earned her degree she was promoted to a teacher and worked there for eight years before being let go because of needing to tend to Reyna's needs. Leslie smiled and asked her if she could get a copy of the certification as that was the biggest thing. They would call for the background check on Monday and then would have her ease into the role the following week with the required orientation and first aid training done shortly after. Reyna asked if her mom had the job, feeling a bit suspicious about the good fortune. Leslie proudly announced, "She is perfect for the job. She has experience and certifications already. We need her. She and Melanie already have a strong bond, when I'm finished with my degree in the spring we will be able to expand further. We are already planning to move to a bigger facility, you just gave us a solid reason for investing in expanding." The job offer was legitimate and Lupe was happy beyond measure. Leslie stopped beating around the bush and told her, "The job is yours if you want. I hope you will accept it." Reyna told her, "She accepts it." Lupe reluctantly said, "I accept" and hugged Reyna. The three were silent for several minutes as none of them wanted to say anything to upset the others. The doorbell rang causing Leslie to rush downstairs and announce, "It's time for dinner, we better hurry." Reyna softly asked,, "Is he as intimidating as Miles suggested?" Leslie burst into laughter and told her, "He is, but he is just a big softy and will probably try to make you laugh at his antics." The three walked down with Leslie leading the way, entering the apartment directly below. Leslie was nearly knocked over by a smiling little girl who hugged her deeply. Leslie wasn't fazed by the unexpected hug and asked softly, "What are you doing here, Daisy?" The little girl looked up at her and smiled, telling her, "Mom had to drive David back to Amherst and Claire didn't want to watch me all day so we went here to see Uncle Jorge and Aunt Victoria." She noticed Reyna and Lupe and introduced herself, saying, "Him I'm Daisy. Uncle John said you'd be here too." Daisy was almost sugary sweet, Lupe couldn't help but smile back at her. She led Reyna into the living room while Jorge and Victoria set the table. Claire was watching TV as they entered and announced:, "Aunt Valerie said you know not to refuse Uncle Jorge's food, just don't take seconds or you will regret it tomorrow." Daisy giggled and told them, "Nobody believes that he won't take no for an answer, and only Uncle Dan has taken a second helping of food. Aunt Melanie said he was bloated for a week." Claire asked about the makeover which Reyna tried to wiggle out of answering. Claire wouldn't let it go, telling her calmly, "Rebecca and Jessie were gloating about how good you looked with so little makeup. They are jealous of your natural looks." Daisy started to complain that they won't let her wear any which Claire countered with, "You are too young, mom said no." The two went back and forth until Claire said she'd tell mom which got her to clam up fast. Reyna watched in astonishment as the two squabbled, unsure what to say or do. Lupe whispered to her, "You didn't do anything wrong, they are sisters and sister fight all the time." Victoria came into the room and glared at the two who promptly stopped fighting, apologizing for their actions. She ushered the four into the kitchen and sat them for the dinner. Jorge put a heaping spoonful of rice down and watched as Reyna's eyes opened with wonder. Lupe mouthed, "Thank you" to him to which he just nodded and fed Claire and Daisy. Reyna ate with a smile on her face as Lupe quietly explained why she was so happy. Jorge told her, "Take some to Miguel, it wouldn't be right to have some without him enjoying it too." Lupe hugged him for being considerate, he simply added:, "It's nothing, it's only tradition." Claire and Daisy finally noticed the change in Reyna and asked what it was all about. Reyna reluctantly told them, "My Abuela used to make the same meal. Hers wasn't as good but she kept saying it was because she couldn't get the right herbs. We haven't had it since dad died, Abuela was too broken up to make it anymore." Daisy felt bad and hugged her. Claire looked up at Jorge who indicated that it was best that she not say anything. The three went into the living room while the adults cleaned, Daisy shook her head and announced, "Jaimie and Nichole were concerned you might not like the food or have a bad reaction. Only Miles has had a bad reaction and he was due to bad memories. He still won't eat here, only visit." Reyna asked about Miles and was told the whole story. She was on the verge of tears about the whole thing, it explained a lot about him. Claire assured her it was alright and he came out on top, but some old wounds take a long time to heal. Daisy added, "He is a good person, he helps everyone. Our dad made a big mistake in trying to hurt him." Reyna asked what they meant, getting a quick, "Our brother Roland is their father. He is in prison for life for what he tried to do to Miles and a lot of other things that they found out about. He tried to use Daisy as a bargaining chip to get a lesser sentence but got hit hard by Valerie and her friend Ricardo." Leslie didn't let mask her disgust. She added softly, "It had to come out eventually, but we try to hide it. They are our nieces, their brothers are our nieces by marriage. Their mom and Melanie were adopted by the Johnsons to keep things from being too complex but they were still blood to us. Daisy added that her brothers were here real brothers, they were adopted like she was. Claire clarified the other half of the story and told about her brothers' careers. Reyna was fascinated by this, it was different than Jaimie's family yet it was so interesting and painful. Daisy just shrugged it off, saying, "Mom loves us all and is happy to have Aunt Melanie and Aunt Valerie as her sisters. Grandma and Grandpa love having more grandkids and are happy to know they will be around to handle great-grandkids once our brothers start dating. They never date." Claire teased her again sparking more squabbling and getting a smile from Reyna. They liked her enough to share their secrets and make her feel special. Victoria rolled her eyes and said,, "For two sisters you two fight more like brothers." The two jointly said, "Hey!" then burst into laughter as Leslie led Reyna and Lupe out. Lupe asked pointedly, "Is that what it's like all the time?" Leslie nodded, explaining, "Claire used to be withdrawn and quiet after her dad's death. When Daisy came she started to accept it and move past the grief and act more like the girl she used to be. Daisy has a positive effect on people, she and Miles are two people who know what to say to get you to do what you need to do. She is proud of being who she is, she spent years feeling otherwise." Reyna asked what she meant. Leslie bit her lip then quietly uttered, "She was raised as a boy until her mom died and she was shipped east to find Claire. We had a doctor examine her and they determined she is intersexed and was born with ambiguous genitals. She had external parts of a boy but wasn't actually a boy, as in she had the plumbing of a girl but it was blocked up and hidden by the boy parts. We had a fight to get her the needed surgery and won. She is all girl now, and in 18 years we believe she will be a mother." Reyna's face dropped. She felt like Reyna felt but she was different. Leslie comforted her, telling her, "She knows about you and she didn't bring it up on purpose, just as Claire didn't. It doesn't matter to them, you are all girl and they know you are all girl." The three drove back to the Finn home and met up with Miguel who was given his plate of food and quickly devoured it. Miles walked by and was a bit shaken at seeing Miguel eat. John excused himself and talked with him for a bit and returned with Miles looking better. Reyna excused herself and pulled Miles aside and asked him quietly, "Mom told us that we need to remember the good things about people and forget the bad things. Abuela used to do the same thing you did and wouldn't accept that dad was gone. She shut herself away and wouldn't let us help her. I don't want you to do the same. It's a good memory, forget the bad ones. It doesn't help anyone to run away from it. Jorge is sad that you won't come by and eat, your dad is hurting people even though he is gone. Please don't do that to him, he's a nice man." Miles looked down at her in disbelief. She confronted him, nobody else had done so. He quietly admitted, "You are right, dad hurt us and it hurts to see something that brought joy. Uncle Jorge is so nice to everyone but I keep seeing dad say 'get rid of that garbage' every time I see a plate of food. It's hard but I guess I have to try harder to fight him. It's been over a year but he still looms large." Reyna admitted, "It's been five years for me and it still hurts but he wouldn't want us in pain. Your dad was a bad man but your mom wouldn't want you in pain. She'd want you to move on and enjoy things." Miles hugged her deeply, crying into her shoulder. Reyna hugged back. Trying to see what the two were up to Lupe and Valerie quietly moved away from the two, giving them their private moment and smiling at the healing they are doing for one another. After a few more minutes the two walked back into the dining room where their parents were seated. Miguel was finished and tried to shy away from Miles. John announced Miles should probably get ready for school the next day prompting him to rush upstairs while Reyna waited for Lupe and Miguel to finish talking. The three exited with hugs to John and Valerie and kisses to Cat and JD who insisted on seeing them off. Cat hugged Reyna tight, telling her, "Bye bye" while JD just kissed her and ran off. John grumbled that he was trying to get attention from her while Cat was actually sad to see her go. At the hotel Miguel packed up all the bags. Lupe was surprised that they didn't bring anything with them, to which Reyna pointed out that they didn't do any shopping. Miguel pointed out that they did have something, Reyna's makeup. Lupe started to laugh at the obvious oversight. In the morning they ate and checked out. Beverly was waiting for them outside, with her own bag packed and ready to go. Miguel asked about her son to which she smiled and said:, "He is staying with my boyfriend, Will was told by Daisy and Nichole that it might be a good bonding experience and Jake thought it best to know him better if we were going to get serious.." The flight was long and boring for Reyna who had to do some schoolwork. Miguel tried to focus on his looming encounter with his former agent who he knew would be trying to meet with him that afternoon. He dreaded it but it was going to happen. He was going to stand his ground, Juan was a good person and had the backing of people Miguel trusts and had an actual record of earning great deals for his clients while his agent had nothing but Miguel's contracts to his name. It wasn't going to be good. Beverly just laid back and relaxed, telling Lupe, "I think I might be in love." Lupe asked about her previous marriage and was told the history of Will Sr. and her. They met in college, she was the shy accounting major and he was the stellar athlete. When he was injured he was forced to focus on his chosen major and got a job as a personal trainer. She earned a job at a prestigious accounting firm and earned twice with Will earned. Over the next 14 years, the two were in many fights over money as his business expanded making her income unnecessary. She didn't want to give up working and made it clear that she would never quit. When she was away at a conference he snapped and assaulted their son Will in front of a crowd. Will finally admitted that whenever she was away he would hit Will and try to, "Toughen him up." He detested Will's friendship with Jaimie and hated that Richard was dating her. The verbal abuse was worse, Will broke down at all of the things his dad said to him. The poor boy kept it inside for years. She quickly divorced him and sought sole custody of her son, working with her sister to ensure his rights were permanently terminated. She won half of her ex-husband's assets forcing him to sell his gym while she sought criminal assault charges against him. She hadn't dated since until Nichole and Daisy insisted she starts dating and suggested Jake Bollinger after his failed attempt to date Leslie Finn. The two hit it off well and have been going strong for two months. Lupe was enthralled by the story. Beverly just smiled and admitted that Will loved having Jake as a dad, he was everything his father wasn't and was actually in better shape than his dad was and didn't see him as less of a man for being friends with Jaimie. He was thoughtful, loving, listened to him, and advised him. He never berated him and never teased him. He was a perfect gentleman and a model father, the man who she thought her ex-husband was but really wasn't. Lupe could see a glint in her eyes, she really was in love. Beverly blushed at her catching the glint, but Lupe freely admitted to being jealous. Beverly pointed out that Lilly, Gabby, and Anne were all like her in being single moms and not dating. Lupe reluctantly agreed to her point but she had some apprehension about accepting being permanently single. The plane touched down and the group walked towards the gate. Miguel's former agent was waiting and tried to pretend that nothing had happened. Miguel told him bluntly to leave and don't bother him again. The agent swore he'd get him and would be back later. Beverly eyed him strangely and announced, "We need to look over your accounts fast. This is beyond simple bitterness, I think he's doing something criminal." Miguel picked up his car and waited as Beverly picked up her rental car. Beverly refused to allow Miguel to pay for it, citing it as a business expense, which it actually was. Reyna had to step in and tell him, "Uncle she won't listen, just do what she says." The drive took longer than Beverly would have liked, living in a spread out area was a bit disorienting for someone who grew up in the tight confines of a small New England city. Beverly replayed the scene of the former agent confronting Miguel over and over again and thought about every possible angle the agent could have for trying to get Miguel to do as he pleased. The only one she could come up with that fit was that he was bilking Miguel for a lot of money and needed the money from the big signing bonus to pay off debts. She pulled over for a second and wrote down her notes. She made a quick phone call and had Greta Nelson work on the money angle with her banking contacts as she would be handling Miguel's investments and retirement accounts. Beverly suspected Miguel's bank account wasn't entirely what he thought it was and there were transactions going places that they shouldn't go. Miguel questioned her why she stopped to which Beverly admitted her suspicions. Miguel almost denied them outright but Reyna got him to see that she might have a point. She suggested that he was acting differently than he had acted before and the only excuse had to be money. She added that Beverly would not suggest it unless her experience told her that was the reason. There was a tense hour wait while they awaited Greta's call back with her friend's examination. It didn't take very long for her friend to question multiple transactions all of which didn't make sense. She faxed the results and his commentary which confirmed Beverly's suspicions. Miguel was being bled dry and the amount would have been hidden by the amount earned with the signing bonus. Miguel wanted to hunt down his agent but Lupe calmed him down. He called his personal lawyer and demanded that he come over for legal advice as this was in the hands of the police. Beverly added that he also call the Red Sox to prevent his agent from muddying the waters, if need be he might have to have the Johnsons or Valerie take the contract to the team directly. Miguel provided Beverly with a schedule for the past three years to which she could cross reference purchases and transactions. This worked out in their favor, she was able to match several major transactions to days and times that he was in another city including many instances where he was playing at the same time. She was even able to pinpoint one transaction that happened while he was in the hospital with a stomach illness, taking place on the east coast while he was laid up in LA. Reyna noticed that some were transactions to real estate companies. Beverly looked closely and hugged her, she told her to grab her laptop and look up the county tax records for Miami-Dade and LA County. The two pored over the listings and found properties in Miguel's name in both places. They checked one recent one and found two in New York City, a check of the city's listings found it was again in Miguel's name. There was little doubt what was happening, Miguel technically, "Owned" those properties and they were in his name. Beverly asked him bluntly, "Did you buy those properties?" He gave her a strong, "No" then stated, "I didn't handle much of the finances, that was his job. I just showed up when told to and collected my paychecks via direct deposit." Beverly shook her head in disbelief and was bold enough to say, "You were foolish and naive. He took advantage of that and used you to finance his lifestyle. You probably 'own' more than what he states. You need to have a forensic accountant check this out, they might be able to recover most of your money." Lupe asked if he had any money at all. Beverly looked over the account again and smiled, telling her, "He has about $5 million in cash. I suggest we call the bank and change the account to another bank. Your current bank doesn't do business in Massachusetts so they should have no problem moving your account. You should consider selling this place and buying a condo out here instead of a home, Boston winters are brutal and I think Reyna would want to spend Christmas and February vacation out here instead of Winnisimmet." Reyna tried not to smile but she had a point. Lupe agreed with her as well, she should spend the time out west while she could. Miguel thought about it and added,, "OK, I'll sell." The intercom buzzed and Miguel let his lawyer in. A few minutes later he entered the large home and asked what was going on, having Beverly explain the situation in full. He didn't seem too thrilled about the situation especially as it meant a lot of work but Miguel was blunt in saying, "He stole from me. He used my name to buy properties. I could end up being sued or go to jail for his actions. He needs to pay and it's your job to make him pay." Beverly showed him what he meant with the tax records and deeds being in Miguel's name. There was clear evidence of identity theft and fraud. The fact that they were occurring while he was away proved that he didn't make them and if they had to they'd get the paperwork to show he didn't sign them. Beverly compiled a long list of fraudulent transactions that she could find so far and the sum added up to being a large amount. There was little debate, they needed to recover Miguel's money and fast. His lawyer put in a call to the sheriff's office to have a detective come over the next day and have someone from the attorney general's office come in to coordinate. With little else to discuss the attorney left. Miguel called his bank and explained the situation, then had Beverly explain it to them in her best accountant lingo getting them to act fast. The two went to a national bank that had a strong Boston presence and opened an account with them, transferring all of his money from his old account and shifting the untouchable retirement money to similar accounts with them. His new bank cards were overnighted allowing him to get things settled fast while thoroughly cutting off his former agent from all funds. As they were returning from getting dinner they were confronted by Miguel's former agent. Beverly signaled to Reyna to call 911. Lupe grabbed her phone and recorded him as he started walking towards Miguel. Miguel told him to leave. He refused. Miguel repeated his demand and said he would call the police if he didn't leave. He refused. He then said he would break Miguel's arm if he didn't sign with New York. Miguel saw Reyna and Lupe with their phones and played it up, telling him, "I know about the stolen money. I'm not going to let you bully me into signing a bad deal to cover your thefts." This set the man off and he lunged after Miguel, missing badly and falling onto his face. He saw Reyna and went after her, causing her to scream into the phone. He connected with a glancing blow, causing her phone to fall down and break. Beverly grabbed him, pulled his arm back, kicked out his legs, and tossed him to the ground. She knelt on him, pinning him to the ground as two deputy sheriff's cruisers pulled up. Beverly put her hands up to show she had no weapons and moved back as the man cursed and swore, blaming it all on the tranny kid and vowing to get her for what she did. Beverly stated that they have the entire incident on video and replayed it for the deputies. They nodded at it being an assault on a minor and given his statement it was now considered a hate crime in their eyes. He was hauled away ranting and raving. He thrashed and kicked one deputy, making a break for Reyna only to be brought down by a Taser shock and pepper spray. He was immediately hauled away to a nearby lot where he was looked over by EMTs and taken to jail. Beverly was questioned about her actions. She was blunt and said, "I grew up in Winnisimmet, Massachusetts. If you didn't know how to defend yourself you were in serious trouble. This young lady did nothing to provoke that animal and I did what any mother would do, I acted." The deputies just nodded and left, telling her, "I heard about that place, my condolences on the upbringing." Beverly laughed it off and went to check on Lupe who was in a state of shock but pleased that Beverly had more sense than her to react. Reyna was alright as well, just a small bruise but enough to show that she was hurt in the attack. Miguel was booking a hotel for the next night. The three were going to need to be away in case something happened. The police knew he was after money and was desperate. Lupe asked about their meeting tomorrow which Miguel agreed would still have to happen there. Reyna was quiet through the evening. Beverly talked with her about what happened and explained that the man knew he was going to prison for stealing her uncle's money and needed him to sign that bad contract to cover his theft. Her uncle put himself in danger to protect her, she should be proud of him for doing that. Lupe listened as Beverly talked with Reyna in a way she hadn't been able to. Lupe asked her about it, Beverly could only say, "It's part of being an aunt. Maybe you will get the chance someday if Miguel ever has children. If things follow the usual trend you probably are going to end up being an aunt to five girls and a boy soon." Her eyes went wide as Beverly said that. Beverly smiled and announced, "Sam, Iris, Francesca, Jessie, Rebecca, and Thomas are going to be friends with Reyna and they are extremely close to one another. Jessie and Rebecca have already extended their hands to her, it'll be a matter of time before Reyna joins them. That's not considering what the older girls will do, she has already dealt with Stacy, Jaimie, and Claire so she is off to a big start with them." Beverly let that sink in then turned to Reyna and asked:, "Did you enjoy your time with Jessie and Rebecca?" She nodded, smiling at the memories. Beverly smiled back and told her, "Rebecca is good with people especially ones who need help. Jessie is a naturally caring person. They would have been kind to you no matter what but they enjoyed their time with you. They lost two friends recently due to moving away, Jessie was feeling a bit down and the others didn't know how to make her feel better. Whatever you talked about brightened her spirits a bit. She is considering finally asking out that Reed boy she loves." Reyna tried not to think about him but it was hard not to. She felt bad for him and all that he had to endure. She was used to it because it was expected but he didn't do anything to deserve it. Lupe asked what was wrong and Reyna told her about Reed getting a horrified response. Beverly shook her head and admitted, "I hope he can get out of that situation, he probably has a lot of psychological trauma because of them. If Scott taught me anything it's that kids aren't like their parents." The three broke up their little meeting and went to their respective rooms. Reyna tried not to think about the next day but knew it was going to be tough. She was glad that Beverly was there with them, and was glad they were meeting with her new lawyers the next day. The school was going to be trouble but with their support, she didn't feel any fear. In the morning Reyna was up early and showered as fast as she could. She was self-conscious about Beverly seeing her in her nightie and to accidentally see her in the buff scared her senseless. Beverly didn't bat an eye at seeing her as she left the bathroom, smiling and telling her, "Good morning sweetheart" before using it herself. Beverly knew she was having some body image issues so she played it as if she was ordinary, which to her she was. She could tell she was going to be a looker and have any boy or girl she wanted, she just didn't know it. Her mom was busty and skinny, there is little doubt she would have a similar body once her hormones were increased and kicked in full-time. As Beverly walked downstairs to the office Miguel was already up and talking with Juan about his Boston contract. It wasn't a done deal yet, they needed to cool off before signing it officially. He lined up several local companies that wanted him to endorse their products once he sent out feelers regarding Miguel possibly signing with Boston. They were small places so the pay wasn't big, but the exposure for him for greater endorsements was the big thing. Miguel approved provided they weren't known for discrimination or being offensive, Juan assured him they weren't. Miguel also had the money put into his retirement account, it was where he wanted all of his endorsement money to go. Juan beamed with pride as he told him, "That's the smartest thing I've heard an athlete say and I'll gladly do it." Beverly herself was smiling. She pointed out that he should be able to live off his retirement comfortably with his coaching salary or Louis Reagan's normal director's salary if he chose to take that job. Ever the pragmatist Lupe pointed out he'd do better if he didn't spend all that he had getting a big laugh from Reyna. They cleaned up breakfast and waited for their visitors. At the front door, Beverly greeted the lawyers, who simply introduced themselves as Jo and Phyllis. The two woman walked in with smiles on their face upon seeing Reyna, telling Lupe, "There are cases where the poor child isn't doing well in her transition and looks in-between, Reyna here is about as woman as I have seen and nobody in their right mind would think to do something to her." Reyna tried to feel sad but Beverly reassured her it was a great thing. She was truly meant to be a girl or else she wouldn't look so much like one already. Phyllis asked about her transition history and was told, "She came out three years ago after she turned 10. We told her about a little boy who won the right to be adopted and become a girl she always wanted to be. She told us she felt the same and hoped to be able to do what she did. We got her to a doctor who sent her to a psychiatrist and then on to an endocrinologist. She was put on blockers and has only been on hormones for less than a year." Jo looked at Phyllis who nodded. It was normal so they asked about her schooling. Lupe drew a deep breath and told them things Miguel never heard before:, "When she was diagnosed she was advised to just go with it and start the New Year as a girl. We fought the school to allow her to start school as a girl. They kept insisting that she attend as a boy no matter what the medical officials said. They threatened to expel her if she showed up in girls' clothing. I told them if they did I'd sue them for everything which caused them to back down initially." The two could see that this was going to be a tough case emotionally but there was clear bias already. Lupe continued, "After a few days she started coming home with bruises. She wouldn't say who gave them to her, only that she got them in school. I had a day off so I went to see what was going on and saw her teacher grabbing her and pulling her from the staff bathroom telling her she had to use the boy's bathroom no matter what the principal said. I took a picture of it and still have it." Lupe showed the picture and it was clear she was being dragged out. What was even clearer was the principal was with her. Phyllis asked about the man in a suit to which Lupe told him what she suspected. They were allowing abuse directly and he ignored the rights of Reyna, telling her mother one thing and doing something else entirely. Plus that amounted to assault, specifically a hate crime as it was done because she was transgender. Reyna told them that the gym teacher used to grab her from the staff locker room and force her into the boys' locker room. She was beaten severely and told 'that ought to man you up, sissy fagot.' She showed the scar and had the nurses' note saying how she got it. The nurse was perfectly fine in telling the truth, telling Reyna, "They stepped over the line and did something abhorrent. They will pay for what they did." Lupe started talking about the school forcing her out after that. The school board agreed with the school that she was too much of a distraction and it was cheaper to pay for private education rather than put up with lawsuits from the other parents. The funny thing was there weren't any filed, Jo noted this and announced, "The principal lied to the school board. He just wanted to get rid of Reyna and cost them double for doing so." Reyna told about her time in the private school. She was abused daily by the teachers, called all sorts of foul names and pulled into rooms and had doors slammed in her face and on her fingers. She showed several scars from these incidents, all of which Lupe noted and took her to the hospital to be checked out. She had several lacerations and broken fingers, none of which were attributable to anything except abuse in the school. This all lasted for only one month. Reyna drew a deep breath and told about the final week at school. Her gym teacher tossed her against a wall and cracked several ribs, taunting her to cry. She screamed in pain to which he laughed at. The principal stopped him from going further but the damage was done, she blacked out in pain and had to be rushed to the hospital. Jo asked what their official action was. Lupe said they expelled her, citing constant disruptions and claims of violence against teachers. Lupe then told them that she had to quit her job to care for Reyna and home school her. It was tough on them and they had to move in with Miguel and rely on him for everything. She lost her job and her home, Reyna lost an education as Lupe couldn't adequately teach her. Jo and Phyllis both nodded and announced, "You have them all by the balls. This should have been investigated by the police but it was brushed aside. We will find out why. We will get you what you deserve. I know you have to get your records, I think we might be able to get them backed into a corner they won't be able to get out of. I'd also advise your people back east to register her with the notice that her records are being withheld and may be altered due to bias." Beverly smiled and announced, "We took care of that already. The superintendent and his staff are friendly towards kids like Reyna. Her new principal has her placed in a class with people she knows and trusts. Ms. Vega is experienced with people like her and her teachers know not to do anything that would break the law or violate the rules of the district." Jo nodded and added, "Well then we just have to see what they say about the whole mess. Either they fess up and admit to wrongdoing or they dig themselves deeper. Either way, we will have several heads on a platter by the end of the week." The group walked out to their cars as Miguel stayed back, he knew to let them handle everything as he handled the sale of his house and purchase of a condo. A short time later they were at Reyna's old middle school. Lupe and Reyna led them to the office and requested copies of Reyna's records. There was a hesitation as the secretary saw Beverly, Jo, and Phyllis but agreed to the request. The principal came and saw Reyna and tried his hardest not to sneer. Reyna flinched but seeing the others unmoved she felt stronger. Jo and Phyllis clicked two devices and asked for Reyna's records. The principal refused, saying, "We never had any student by that name here." Jo asked again, this time stating that they would be recording everything and that his refusal was against the law as she needs those records for her new school. He again refused. Phyllis now announced,, "And to what basis do you have for refusing to submit copies of Reyna Toro's records?" He stated firmly, "We have never had a student by the name of Reyna Toro. We had a Reymundo Toro and that student was disposed of by the school district." Jo asked him to clarify what he meant, he smiled and said, "He was dumped on a private school. We don't want those kinds of freaks in our school and I refuse to even deal with them. I said before and I say again we don't have anyone by that name and never have." Phyllis chimed in with, "You do realize that her legal name was changed months before she came to your school and while attending school here she was Reyna Toro and therefore you do have her records. However, as you shown that you refuse to cooperate will we be in touch and inform the state and county about the rampant abuse towards a vulnerable student allowed by you. Expect visits from multiple agencies soon." They walked out as he started swearing. The secretary handed them Reyna's records, saying, "He's going to fire me for this but I'll be supported by the union. This is copies of the actual files he kept, not the ones he showed off to the school board. This is the original, I kept this because I knew her mom and uncle would come for it someday. I hid other originals and will not tell anyone where they are." They thanked her and left, with Jo and Phyllis laughing at the notes and complaints. Multiple teachers were involved and it was likely the school would be overhauled from the top down as they investigated the school. Jo didn't hold back any punches and stated:, "We are going for the jugular, they had protection in the school board and we will know who just by how they react to the real files when there is a hearing regarding our lawsuit." The next stop was the private school. Jo and Phyllis stayed back and looked like potential parents as the trio made the request for the school's records. Beverly was appointed to do the talking for Lupe as she would keep a cooler head than Lupe and would not be intimidated by anyone there. Reyna wasn't well received by the staff that openly showed their disgust towards her. Jo and Phyllis made not of their actions and who was doing what. Beverly entered the office and was greeted like any other person until she requested Reyna's school records. The secretary refused outright. Beverly asked again and again was refused outright. Beverly could see there was some wiggle room to snare the trap and asked her why she was refusing. The woman was open in what she said which was entirely derogatory and bigoted. Beverly again asked for the records, this time saying that she had it all recorded and would be filing suit on Reyna's behalf against the school for violating her rights as a student. This got her moving as the principal rushed out to try to sway her against taking any action. Jo and Phyllis walked in and told her bluntly, "I see that the rights of Reyna are ignored until the courts are mentioned. We have all that we need on record and will be filing suit against your school for discrimination, civil rights violations, abuse, and various other issues. We will also notify the state that your school refused to investigate blatant abuse and assaults by members of staff that resulted in multiple trips to the hospital including once that could have proven to be fatal." The principal realized she was in deep trouble and tried to defend herself then claim that she tried to defend Reyna but Jo and Phyllis pointed out that she did no such thing and only appeared to do the minimum only when it looked like she herself was in trouble. The secretary said she got what she deserved which was again noted prompting the principal to tell her, "Shut the hell up before you get yourself fired too." As they were walking out Reyna was grabbed and flung against the wall hard by a tall, muscular man. He told her sharply, "I thought we rid this place of sissies like you. Come back for another beating? I can have the real boys enjoy themselves with you again, they enjoyed screwing your ass last time." Beverly screamed at him, "Take your hands off of her this instant. I'm calling the police." Lupe already had her phone out and called, with Jo and Phyllis saying, "We have it all on camera and recorded." Reyna recovered her senses and stood up, telling him, "You got me expelled for no reason and you sent them after me. They raped me because of you. Mom never knew about what you had the boys do and thanks to you I now have to tell everyone what they did!" He looked over and saw two officers coming towards him and tried to run. He didn't get far as he was tackled and placed in handcuffs. The deputies asked for statements and viewed the video, telling the principal that detectives are going to be coming by and will investigate this thoroughly. They further added that they were going to have the department open a case file into the earlier attack and as it was now a sexual assault she was going to have to come with them for questioning. In the car, Reyna broke down. Beverly drove as Lupe tried to comfort Reyna. She herself was fighting tears as it was the worst situation she had ever been in. Reyna was much stronger than anyone had known and kept a deep, dark secret from everyone for several weeks. Back at Miguel's house, the four told him what happened causing him to go into a rage. He calmed down as Jo explained everything they were going to do over the next few days. Phyllis called her doctor and explained what happened and why she needed them to examine Reyna's records. There was little hesitation and the doctor confirmed that they suspected a sexual assault but Reyna wouldn't cooperate with them at the time due to fear of retaliation. He also sent the information on to the district attorney and the sheriff's office but neither came back for a follow-up. He did note that they conducted a rape kit and had the results, the ADAs weren't told about the results as they hadn't come back yet so they were still in the file with copies kept by the doctor in his personal storage. Reyna's situation got interesting. Beverly and Phyllis worked together to cross-reference students at the school with a list of ADAs and found at least two who were students. They had the reason for the block, and after she calmed down Jo asked if they were the ones who raped her getting a nod and, "They told me their dads would take care of things and they would make the state take me away from mom if I told on them. They taunted me that they would do that anyway just to show they could do it." Phyllis called the deputy sheriff they had talked with earlier and told him to get the case assigned away from those two and if they were sniffing around the case note it and lodge a complaint to their superiors about using their office to intervene in a sexual assault case involving their own children. He didn't hesitate and told her that they had already come by but he had told them nothing so far. With that out of the way, Reyna started packing her belongings. There wasn't much except clothes. She packed one box with pictures and mementos. Lupe was similar, she didn't have much and what she did have was packed into a box. Both packed a large suitcase with two weeks' worth of clothing with the rest being shipped east under Beverly's direction. Beverly had them pack their warmest clothes. She pointed out that it could get warm in school so she should get used to wearing a blouse under her sweaters. The most important item was her ski jacket, to which Beverly insisted she has on top as it was guaranteed to be cold when they touched down in the evening the next day. The five drove to the hotel after Miguel closed the house up. After a small dinner, Reyna fell asleep right away allowing the adults to speak freely. Miguel came out and told them that he wanted them all to pay for what they did to Reyna. Lupe calmed him as best she could but wanted the same. Beverly was quieter than normal, finally admitting, "She is probably the toughest girl I've known. She let something like that hide from you for a long time. She put up with a near death experience and kept the secret. She deserves whatever protection we can give her and I'll guarantee you that she will have dozens of people standing in front of her offering protection after today." Jo asked what she was talking about. Beverly smiled and asked,, "Didn't Joseph or Evelyn tell you?" They shook their heads no. She proudly stated, "Nobody messes with the Finn Family. Nobody. Reyna is part of it now and not one member will let her suffer alone in any way. She made friends easily but those friends have friends and family and we all stick together through thick and thin and this is about as thick as we have ever encountered." Jo and Phyllis were taken aback by her proclamation. Miguel smiled and admitted, "John said something like this might happen and I was sure he was joking. He wasn't. They don't do it often but they really do rally around someone in need. Jo shook her head and admitted,, "They told us that they had a family but we never realized how big." Beverly quickly did the numbers and smiled, saying, "Three daughters, two son-in-laws, seven grandsons, six granddaughters. Not counting their boyfriends and girlfriends." Their mouths dropped as Miguel nodded. Jo softly admitted,, "We knew they had a daughter who got married but this is something else." Lupe added, "They adopted two women whose daughters were extremely close with their granddaughter Jaimie. Lilly has two sons and two daughters and Melanie has a son and two daughters. They also adopted Miles after they married and had the twins." Lupe filled them in on the history of the family getting Miguel to smile brighter. Beverly kept quiet, nodding approvingly of the way she told the events that Beverly had been witness to. Beverly then admitted,, "It's a complex family but one that helps one another just as we are doing with Reyna, Lupe, and Miguel." The two were left speechless as they left. Miguel was all smiles as Beverly had admitted that they were part of the family. Lupe was guarded but she felt that they were genuine and this was the turning point in Reyna's life, there was nothing left for them out in California. She was heading to her new hometown and there would be no turning back. Reyna was up early and stared out the window at the vast city and county below. She never liked LA, it held too many bad memories. Her dad and Abuela were buried here but it never felt like home. Looking at the emails and instant messages sent to her from Jaimie, Rebecca, Jessie, and the others she had hopes that Winnisimmet would become her true home. They wanted to be friends with her and she desperately wanted to be liked by them. Lupe stirred and saw Reyna's face. She shed a tear that her daughter was hurting so much over other people's prejudices. She knew Reyna wanted to leave but looking at her face she could see that she wasn't leaving any place that she enjoyed. This place had nothing but painful memories, her new home had happy ones. It was a drastic action but it was all for Reyna's happiness and there is no price too great for that. Breakfast was quiet as Miguel was busy coordinating the move and talking with Juan about his own move east. Lupe would be in charge of that and would work with Juan on his behalf. The list was short and expensive but Juan told them that it was best for Miguel to live in a secure condo complex rather than one in Winnisimmet while he is still playing. After he retired he could move anywhere he wanted. Miguel and Lupe reluctantly agreed while Reyna was only concerned that she be allowed to visit or stay. Juan of course fully agreed with her and insisted that if it ever came up they'd note who took issue and would have them fired and/or cost them future business. Juan had already won over Miguel but Lupe was warming up to him, he was a good person deep down and she could see why John trusted him. The trio was shuttled to the airport and left Miguel with heavy hearts. He would finish up his affairs out west and set off after they had found him a condo. Reyna was unusually quiet during the flight, but she wasn't unhappy. Lupe managed to ask her what was wrong to which she smiled and pronounced, "I hated that place. I hated it and we are finally leaving it for good. I know we don't have a home just yet but I am just happy to be gone and starting over and never leaving." They were greeted in Boston by Leslie, Valerie, John, and Will. The group ushered them away to Leslie's apartment and helped them get settled in then set off for the Finn home for dinner. Cat was eager to see Reyna as was JD, both running full speed at her and nearly knocking over poor Miles who was just coming down the stairs. Miles took a second to recover and went about what he was doing, telling his dad, "If I'm hurt I demand an 'A' on my test on Friday!" John looked at Cat and JD who rushed to Miles to hug him for forgiveness and quickly went back to Reyna. Miles just shook his head and walked back upstairs with the drink he originally set out to get. Jaimie and Michael came down and did the same, saying quick hellos and returning to their rooms. Lupe asked what was going on, John admitted, "End of quarter tests for a few classes. Mine is a normal test but Miles thought he could get away with a free 'A' from the twins. He knew it wouldn't work." The dinner was quiet as Valerie and John knew much of what happened already from talking with Beverly. They didn't dare talk about what was learned at the school, and the lawsuits were their own private matter that they did not feel was right to discuss. The twins acted normal which was a sign that they were already getting used to the two newcomers. Lupe managed to ask about school which Valerie proudly acknowledged that she was part of Jessie and Rebecca's cluster. She was starting the next day in fact, with a meeting taking place with Principal Vega before school. Reyna looked like she was upset and grumbled that she thought she'd have the rest of the week off getting a round of laughs from the four adults as the teens all said:, "That was never going to happen." After another half hour, the three left for Leslie's apartment. Victoria and Jorge were outside waiting, giving a brief hello and carrying on as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Reyna was told to go right to bed and not fight them in the morning. She reluctantly complied, taking a quick shower before falling fast asleep as the adrenaline-fueled anxiety finally overcame her. Lupe and Leslie spent an hour talking while Reyna slept. Lupe was slowly starting to realize that their lives had taken a new turn and this was the beginning of a new chapter. Leslie tried to explain that she wasn't alone in this and they were all ready to help her when she needed it. Lupe just nodded, trying to let the words sink in. Lupe shed a tear and admitted, "This is too much. You all don't know us but are trying hard to help us." Leslie countered with, "All of us have been where you are in one form or another. All of us have, from John to my aunt and uncle, to Beverly and Olivia. We know how it feels to be all alone and feeling hopeless, we won't let you experience that. You deserve better. You deserve help and we want to help you as much as we can for your sake and for Reyna's sake." With that, they retired for the night. Lupe felt a little better but still concerned. Leslie knew it would take time but the fact that she didn't question the help further nor did she reject it was a good sign. She needed friends just as much as Reyna and they were going to try to be that for her. At 6 AM Reyna was rustled out of her slumber. She was a little less than enthusiastic about going to school but didn't fight them as they helped her get ready. Reyna dressed conservatively, with a long skirt and blouse. Her mother shocked her by handing her a set of false boobs, causing her to blush and refuse them. Leslie shook her head and told her sharply, "It's nothing other girls in your class aren't already using. Some girls need a little enhancement to fill out their blouses the right way." Leslie had actually gotten them for her. Lupe was a bit offended but Leslie explained, "It's so the boys don't question whether she is really a girl. She should be starting a larger dose of hormones soon but it'll help her self-confidence a lot. I know it's not my place but I don't want to see her lose her confidence and add to her anxiety. Her friends really won't care about them but there are always a few, like Rachel Murphy, who will say something about her being flat-chested." Lupe hugged her for that, she couldn't be offended for her doing the right thing for Reyna. Reyna looked at herself in the mirror as the ladies left the room to change. She looked like a normal 13 or 14-year-old girl, not too big but not too small. She smiled at her figure, hoping it wasn't long before her own were larger and she could retire the falsies. She removed the falsies and cupped her growing boobs. She hated that they were so small but was glad to have them at all. She blushed at the thought of having large ones like her mother but was glad she didn't have the massive breasts her Abuela had. She thought she looked beautiful, but nowhere near as beautiful as Sam or Jessie or Rebecca. Leslie and Lupe were peeking into the room and saw Reyna's little show. Leslie whispered, "She's doing something every girl has done before her. She is finally accepting that she is maturing but is feeling upset that she isn't as large as she wants to be." Lupe smiled and realized it was perfectly normal and wasn't a concern, she just needed that little moment of confidence that the falsies ended up bringing her. She thanked Leslie for that which Leslie just grinned and nodded at. Leslie drove them to the school and walked in with them to the office. Reyna was greeted warmly by both principals and given orientation by Dorothy Vega. Reyna listened closely to the rules and signed off on them, paying close attention to the rule regarding discrimination and bullying. She understood what Dorothy was saying and agreed to let her know if there were any problems. As Reyna talked with Dorothy her mother and Alice Rodriguez talked in Alice's office. They had gotten copies of Reyna's records from her old schools but were perplexed about the notes in them. The notes painted Reyna as a poor student, one who constantly caused trouble, and who they sought to expel. Lupe asked if these were from Jo and Phyllis, Reyna's lawyers. Alice asked what she meant and was told, "Her schools kept two records, an official one that was shown to outsiders like the school board and her new school and an internal one. The internal one is entirely different and the real reason for the notes in the official record is explained by the other record. They gave you a false record, we have her real record en-route." Alice realized what she meant and stated, "I see. This will be extremely interesting. I believe you are probably in the middle of a lawsuit but it would help us greatly to see just how she was really doing before they altered her grades." Alice then added, "We expected something like this so we agreed to let her into 8th grade as a regular student pending evaluation. I expect her to do well and not need any changes but we still had to follow procedure. She will be in with people she already knows so it will be the most beneficial course of action for her." Lupe thanked her for being considerate and rejoined Reyna and Dorothy. Dorothy was informed about the dual records and their acquiring of the real records later in the day earning a nod and smile. She admitted, "They wrote a lot of unflattering things about Reyna but knowing that there is another record makes the remarks suspicious. Alice explained what we were going to do and I know she will do well so why don't we introduce her to her cluster." The bell was not due to ring for another 15 minutes but there were already students milling about. Dorothy led Reyna to her classroom and introduced her to her teachers one by one with Dorothy saying, "Keep an eye on her. You need to know that she is like Sam and will have the same protections." Her teachers all agreed and stated they would keep an eye out for trouble and ensure she was protected. The last introduction, homeroom/science, saw her being mobbed by Jessie, Sam, and Rebecca as Dorothy introduced her to her new teacher. Reyna was given a seat next to Rebecca and told the rules and regulations for the class with nothing more being made about her. She was just another student to her teachers and she was happy to be treated that way. Rebecca barely hid her excitement at having her there, even mentioning to her that she feared she was going to be put in one of the other clusters. By lunch, Reyna had learned the dynamics of the new group firsthand. Sam and Iris were closer than friends and even though she had only known them for a short time that day she could see the two had a strong bond that was definitely bordering on love. Neither would admit it but it was plain to everyone they were an item. Iris had ideas that were all over the place. Sam was smart as well and could interpret what Iris was saying. Sam could get Iris to focus and when she did so she was pretty intelligent. Francesca had a form of dyslexia and worked hard to get the information they learned in class to stick. Reyna had known some people like her before and knew how to help her, when she offered to help Francesca gladly accepted telling her, "Uncle John and Mr. Beretta have tried to help me before but it doesn't seem to work the way I need it to. My parents have taken me to specialists but it still hasn't worked. If you know another way then I want to learn it." She would dig around online to find the sites she found and told her, "Saturday we can do it." It was a surprise but Thomas and Rebecca were infatuated with one another. They were boyfriend and girlfriend but Reyna could see he loved her and she loved him. Neither were into amorous displays but there was no doubt they were thinking about it and keeping their hormones in check. Jessie was the mystery. She was always by Rebecca's side but never showed any interest in anyone. Reyna and she talked about TV shows and other things but her mind at times seemed to be elsewhere. Reyna asked about it and she admitted, "My uncle and Will had a great time while his mom was away. I was thinking about what it meant if Will was my cousin." Reyna asked if she wanted him happy, which she nodded and added, "He is very happy and seemed a bit down without her. Will was great and Courtney felt like it was a trial run before Mrs. Riley and Uncle Jake get closer. They haven't acted this way before, Will said his mom was never like that with his dad back when they were married. It sounds like they really are in love." Reyna bit her tongue but gave in and said, "She loves him. She said Will liked your uncle a lot before he spent the weekend. She talked highly about their relationship and smiled at the idea. If you don't have a new cousin and aunt soon then there's no hope for any of us. Those two are in love." The rest of the day went smoothly until they had gym. Sam and Reyna changed but Reyna was very scared. When her gym teacher, Zeke Williams, asked what was wrong she ran off and had a small breakdown. Dorothy found her in the disabled bathroom sobbing and asked what was wrong, Reyna admitted she had a flashback to her last school and what the gym teacher had the boys do to her. Dorothy asked if her mother knew about it and was told about the previous day's events. She understood and excused her from the class for as long as she needed and would inform Zeke about it. He was furious about the news, not at Reyna but of someone doing such a horrific act to a child. He allowed her to forgo the class for the entire year, having her do other things to get the credit she needed for the class by helping the cheerleaders at the high school and other sports teams as a student manager. After gym class, the other students tried to ask what happened but were told that it was not their concern. Jessie, Rebecca, and the others knew Reyna would tell them later though. Their last class of the day was history. Their teacher, Mr. Taylor, was surprised that Reyna could follow along with the lessons and was aware of a lot of what they were discussing. She freely admitted that she had to listen to some of the lectures that her uncle watched a few years ago. Mr. Taylor tried his hardest to avoid laughing but failed. He apologized for that, telling her, "The Miami trip?" She nodded her head as he smiled and went on with the lesson. Mr. Taylor stopped her after class and asked what she had done since her unfortunate removal from school and was relieved that she had done some of what they were covering on her own. Lupe was praised for doing the right thing and Reyna given a few items to study and brush up on before he started to call on her like the others. She appreciated him doing that for her, it was all she wanted. Outside Jessie and Rebecca asked about the gym incident. Reyna took them to a quiet spot and explained what happened getting horrified responses from all them especially Thomas. He softly told her, "Ms. Vega will have to report it and it has to be investigated. They won't let them get away with it, he will make them pay." She told him that it was more than that but Rebecca added, "His dad is an ADA. He knows people who are able to force the issue and those two will be fired and/or reassigned. They won't get close to the case, not with powerful people breaking down the DA's neck." Thomas swore that he'd protect her, she had been through a living hell in school and he didn't want to see her hurt further. Any boys who had a problem with her would be in deep trouble. Thomas was a tall, muscular boy who was not afraid to show his strength when the moment required it and intimidated his classmates at times with his prowess as they threatened Sam or tried to force Iris and Francesca into dates they didn't want, Reyna was no different in his eyes. Leslie and Lupe were waiting for Reyna as the group exited the school. The six waved goodbye and told Reyna they'd see her in the morning. She was glad the day was over and feeling better about meeting the other girls and Thomas. When she got in the car she admitted immediately that they were going to have a visitor from the DA's office. She wasted no time and explained it was due to what happened in school. Lupe was concerned but Leslie jumped in with, "It's standard procedure with sex abuse cases. It happened elsewhere but they have to investigate regardless and ensure the proper people know and are investigating. If not, they would go to the feds and make a stink." Reyna told them, "Thomas said his dad is probably the one to investigate and he knew people in LA who would make sure it would be done right." When they arrived back at Leslie's apartment they had visitors right away. Two men were there, one who said he was a state police trooper and the other said his name was Taylor Gault and he was an ADA with Suffolk County. Reyna recognized the name and asked,, "Are you Thomas's dad?" Taylor nodded then asked her about the incident. Reyna explained it all including the cover-up and subsequent expulsion of her. She went into detail and told them about the doctor's actions and the refusal to investigate. Taylor jotted down copious notes and admitted it wasn't for them to investigate but he would see to it that it was done right by California authorities. Taylor asked if she had the names of the boys who had done the actual assault. Reyna had to stop and take a moment then told him both names and the name of the gym teacher who told them to do it. She felt relieved to name the names after all that time, hoping something would be done. Taylor heard the names and seemed to grow concerned. He asked,, "Do you know where their fathers work?" Reyna quietly stated,, "They work for the district attorney in LA County." Taylor's face went white. He knew both of them and their fathers and would never have believed they were capable of doing such a heinous thing let alone covering it up and threatening the victim. Taylor shook his head in disgrace, admitting to her, "I have to inform our mutual friend that they have been named as being involved in a criminal case. They have directly interfered on their sons' behalf and used their powers to get them off. As painful as it is to admit, you have enough evidence to prove involvement by them and likely send all four of them to jail." The detective was sympathetic and told Reyna he'd try to do what he could from the state's point of view. This was a serious matter and would not be ignored even if they had to get higher office holders involved. Taylor assured her that he'd work his hardest but his hands were tied. Reyna didn't hold it against him, she admitted, "Thomas said it was standard procedure and we have people working on it already. I guess your push will make them work harder." Leslie saw them out but first Taylor asked, "Thomas mentioned a new girl Rebecca, Jessie, and Sam met. Are you her?" Reyna nodded, telling him, "They are so nice to me and Thomas has offered protection from the boys." Taylor smiled and added,, "He better, I didn't raise him to turn a blind eye to people who need help." Reyna felt better now, as did Lupe. Over dinner, Leslie told them, "Melanie completed the background checks and you are all set to start a preliminary period on Monday. We have copies of your credentials and just need verification from the state that your degree will be recognized here. There's little reason to deny it so we want to have you start as a teacher right as it clears." Lupe was thrilled and Reyna proud, she was back to work and doing what she loved. The next day was just like the previous day but with music replacing gym. Reyna was on par with the others in terms of schoolwork and didn't need too much if any review but Jessie and the others were assigned to help her anyway. Mr. Taylor called on her a few times during class with Reyna proving to be a good listener and having decent insights to the topics that impressed Mr. Taylor. Sam invited her to her house to do some schoolwork with the others. Thomas saw where things were going and opted out, telling them, "As much as it would be fun to spend the night with you lovely ladies I don't think my mom and dad would allow it." The six looked at one another then realized what he meant, they had just set up their own slumber party without thinking about it. Thomas shook his head and smiled. Reyna was perfect for their group. She could balance Sam's femininity, Rebecca's leadership, Jessie's caring, Iris's thoughts, and Francesca's eagerness. He offered to meet up with them on Saturday afternoon then went off for home without them. The group was still stunned about what he had joked about. Sam looked at them and announced,, "Guess that settles that, we better ask my dad and your parents." All of them were on their phones coordinating. Reyna simply walked over to her mother and asked, getting a surprised gasp and quick approval. Leslie had a big smile on her face as she asked:, "Whose idea was it?" Reyna reluctantly admitted, "Thomas, but Sam started it by asking if we wanted to study at her house." As Reyna walked away Leslie asked quietly, "Has she ever had sleepovers before?" Lupe shook her head and told her, "She never had friends before. Even in elementary school she never had friends. the boys were OK with her but none invited her over. They usually said they didn't like our neighbors which were partly true but mostly it was that they didn't like Reyna." Leslie shook her head then smiled, proudly saying, "You realize their mothers are going to want to do something." Her cell phone rang and she smiled as she said:, "You read my mind, I just told Lupe that." She hung up ad proudly stated, "We are having a girls night out. Karen and Beverly are designated drivers, Greta, Olivia, Anne, Valerie, Tanya, Kennedy, and Lilly are also going. Wendy and Belle, unfortunately, have plans so can't join us. It's high time you met all of the ladies." Lupe tried to back out of it but Leslie insisted. Lupe couldn't deny that it was a fun, she had never had one before as her friends married quickly and were busy raising families to enjoy something like that. Lupe did ask about the teens which got a big snort and a quick, "They are at the football game and knowing them they will be too tired to do anything frisky. Plus the girls are trustworthy, they have been on the pill since they started dating. My niece and nephew especially are nothing to worry about as Pete knows not to even bother trying with Hannah, and Bryan is too much of a gentleman to try anything either." Lupe looked at her as if she was joking. Leslie chuckled and explained, "Hannah is a tough young woman and Pete knows that she would break his arms and legs if he tried anything that she didn't lead him to do. Her twin brother is the opposite, he won't do anything without guidance from Paige. He is in constant fear of doing something to upset her and lose her but there is nothing short of cheating on her that could break them up." Lupe was enthralled. This was intriguing to her. Leslie picked up on this and explained the different aspects of some of the teens especially her nieces and nephews. She knew about Claire and Daisy but the wins were fascinating. The eldest nephews were mysteries to her, Leslie apologized about her lack of knowledge proclaiming, "Patrick keeps to himself and his studies. He is so busy with his degree and being a teaching assistant that he doesn't have much free time to visit us. David is so deep into his studying for the State Police exam and finishing his degree that he doesn't even date." Lupe was starting to see one aspect of having family that she was somewhat glad to have missed, the busy schedules and lack of visits. Leslie had a strong sense of pride in her words though, which Lupe took to mean that she wasn't offended by not seeing them. She freely admitted, "They have their own lives starting and I'm not actually related to them except through John so it's not that big of a deal, but it still would be nice to see them more often." The ladies met up at Leslie's apartment and saw her introducing her to the ladies. She could see the strong family resemblance between Beverly and Olivia and saw the sisterly bond they exuded without meaning to. Anne and Greta were eager to meet her and were talkative but not overly so. Gabby and Lilly were almost identical in their mannerisms and thoughts, she could see their strong friendship wasn't surprised to find out they had been close since childhood. Tanya was quiet but did offer a few words every now and then. Lupe could see how much Sam resembled her and was well on her way to being as endowed as her. Melanie, Karen, and Valerie were keeping back from the action as Lupe made her way around among the women. She fit in perfectly, especially among the single moms specifically Gabby and Lilly. After it was clear Lupe was comfortable Valerie, Melanie, and Karen rejoined the group and enjoyed the conversation especially the jokes at the guys' expense. John was a frequent target, as was Dan. The two were always mixed up in something funny involving the kids particularly Cat and JD. When the topic got around to the kids' school performance they were candid in their disappointments. Lupe kept quiet but she admitted that she hoped Reyna wouldn't fall into the, "I have a rich relative" trap and rely on her uncle to bail her out when it came to college. The whole group echoed her sentiment, with Karen adding, "It's going to be a pain getting them all motivated to keep working especially knowing that John gave them a big push with money. The four seniors are doing their best but it doesn't take much to get them to catch 'senioritis'." After several drinks and a few hours of conversation, the great evening broke up with Karen and Beverly driving the ladies home. Leslie and Lupe were exhausted and fell asleep right away. In the morning they cleaned up the mess and talked freely without any particular topic. Leslie was being sly in talking, Lupe was starting to act as a friend without realizing it. She had already secured several the night before but Leslie figured she could use the banter practice and it was nice to have someone to talk with as well. Over at the York home, the girls were entrenched in the living room and talking up a storm. James wanted some quiet and decided that the six could use some fun at the game, getting enthusiastic thanks from all of them. Reyna wasn't comfortable with large crowds but the girls were eager to get her out and added that they would be among family there as their Uncles John, Quentin, Dan, Mike, Alex, and Willie were going to be there. James was relieved to have the girls rush off while he went to talk with John and the guys. He grumbled about hosting a gaggle of squawking geese for the night which got Dan and John laughing long and hard followed by an immediate, "Part of having a daughter" from Quentin. The girls were close enough to say, "Thanks, Uncle James" which caused him to blush in embarrassment. The game wasn't interesting but the elder cheerleader girls were. Francesca and Iris were very interested in joining the team but Sam and Reyna were reluctant to admit they wanted to do that as well. Rebecca tried to encourage them to join but both were on the fence about it. Sam wasn't too shy at saying, "It's not for us, the fight isn't worth it. Jaimie could pull it off but we can't. We'd have two years and have to give it up." Jessie countered with, "The school won't deny you and Aunt Valerie would tear apart anyone dumb enough to try to stop you through the courts. Don't stop doing something because you are afraid someone will get upset because you are trying to be who you are." The other three joined her in agreeing, if it was what they wanted to do then they should do it. At halftime, the older girls came over and greeted them warmly. Reyna tried hard not to be the center of attention but Jaimie, Stacy, and Claire were too strong willed to go against. The girls all asked about her trip but were immediately cut off by Rebecca and the others who announced:, "It's something not to be mentioned here." The others got the gist of it and backed off but Jessica added a calm, "We are there if you need us" as Hannah changed the subject quickly. Hannah and Paige maneuvered the conversation to their mothers and the fun they were having thanks to Sam. Sam blushed but was told,, "They were looking for a night out and it's been a while since they had one." Jaimie added, "Reyna's mom is going to have fun, Aunt Leslie made sure of it" getting a big laugh and smile from Reyna, her mom did need a night of fun for herself. The game was boring to Reyna but watching the girls kept her interested. Sam whispered, "You are thinking about joining them next year. I am going to as well. Rebecca won't let us get out of this, she knows we want to and won't allow us to not try first." Reyna could see Rebecca giving her a crooked smile and smiled back, they were supporting her fully so it was at least worth a shot. The drive back to the York home was in silence as James tried to concentrate on the road. Tanya had texted him about the ladies' evening and was quite happy that his own wife was enjoying herself alongside the other women. He held back Reyna for a second and told her about the fun the mothers were having and thanked her for allowing Tanya to enjoy herself as well. Reyna told him the truth, it was Sam's fault and she deserved the praise not him. He just smiled and told her, "Tanya said it was planned by the girls, they just needed a reason to get together. Sam didn't want to lie to her but a fib to you was in order. It's not a bad thing, they just wanted you to have some fun and get to really know them." The girls ushered her inside with Reyna hugging Sam for putting the slumber party together. Sam didn't fight it and hugged her back. Francesca suggested they watch a movie to wind down, with the six sharing pizzas while watching. As they were sitting and watching Francesca gave her a deep hug, whispering, "We all needed this, we don't do it often enough." The movie ended late and the girls packed it in for the night. Virgil decided to pick that time to annoy the girls, trying to get them angry and provoke them to do something to get them in trouble. He chose Reyna as his target, teasing her about her makeup and clothes which matched Francesca's. This got all of the girls to immediately put him in his room and inform James who promptly punished him. Reyna was too shocked at what he had done and was on the verge of tears. Sam gave the others a signal and started to explain about little brothers and their actions. DJ Lopez was too young to do things like that and the other three didn't have a younger sibling so Sam was the only one with experience in this area. She softly explained how little brothers liked to annoy their big sisters and since he didn't know about her he picked anything he could think of and that was her clothes and makeup. Reyna started to understand but was also told:, "He did that to Jessie before and ended up being punished for two weeks, this time he will get three weeks." The girls gave her a hug and drifted off to sleep as they overheard James explaining Virgil's punishment. He tried to plead but it was pointless, he was caught doing wrong and couldn't deny it. Sam had a big smile plastered on her face as James raised his voice to Virgil, a rarity for James who was always the more lenient of the two parents. In the morning the girls went to work to help Reyna get up to speed in class. Each was assigned a class but Francesca was given the easiest class for them, history, to do. They worked for two hours and made sure that they covered everything before breaking up and heading home. Reyna and Francesca walked to Francesca's home and called Lupe to tell her where Reyna was. Lupe agreed to get her after they were finished then told her, "Don't overdo it and if you have a problem call right away." Reyna knew immediately what she meant but Francesca assured her that her parents were alright with her being there and knew already about her being like Sam. Francesca's mom greeted her at the door with a big hug. She did the same to Reyna and ushered them inside to Francesca's room. They were soon greeted by another woman, who Francesca introduced as her mother. Reyna looked at Francesca oddly but tried to figure out what was going on, unsure how to respond. Realizing that she was having trouble with the situation Francesca apologized and told her their story. She was adopted by them when she was little, her own parents abandoned her at a church and left no notice of her name or when she was born. A doctor estimated her birth and gave her a name then DCF took her off to a foster home. She was adopted soon after by Wendy and Belle White-Clark. The biggest shock to Reyna though was that the two were award-winning writers and editors who had sold millions of books but lived the humble life in anonymity. The two just smiled as Francesca told the story without so much as batting an eye, as if it was no big deal. Reyna thanked them for being open about her which they proudly admitted, "We love Sam and are proud of Jaimie for what she did for her. You are a good person inside and you are going to try to help our daughter so we have to at least show some politeness and be kind to you." Reyna thanked them as Francesca got her books open to start. The two were in sync for the next hour as Francesca listened closely to what Reyna was teaching her. Reyna's techniques worked on Francesca, she was able to understand the information better which in turn helped her with her writing and vocalizing. She was a smart kid, she just couldn't get the words out right. Her parents were thrilled at the change in her. She had more confidence and after reading some of her work they could understand her point better and was a great writer in her own rite. She had a future if she ever chose to follow in their footsteps but wouldn't force her to do so. They asked Reyna where she learned to do that, she shrugged and told them, "My neighbor had trouble and his therapist showed him how to do that. He taught me to do it when I was struggling with one of my assignments. It wasn't the same problem, I couldn't focus on the problem because my Abuela just died but I still remembered how to do it." They hugged her tightly telling her she had helped Francesca more in one day than anyone else had done in several years. Francesca walked her out to the porch and sat with her as they waited for Leslie and Lupe to pick Reyna up, telling her softly, "We are getting new neighbors soon. The house next door just got sold and my parents are afraid they might not like us. There are some nasty people who don't like lesbians especially ones who are raising a daughter." Reyna looked over and saw Richard Samuels walking then asked:, "Is that Richard, Jaimie's boyfriend?" Francesca nodded then pointed at a house two doors over. Reyna smiled and admitted,, "I think you might like your new neighbors." Francesca looked at her oddly as she proclaimed, "Uncle Miguel bought the house for mom and I. We are your new neighbors. We are moving in when the deal is finalized sometime soon." Francesca squealed bringing her parents out to see what happened. She asked her parents, "Did you see Uncle Dan showing the house off last weekend?" Her parents admitted,, "He was with a woman and a man." Reyna smiled and told them, "That was my uncle and my mom. My uncle bought the house for us." Francesca hugged her again as her parents let out a big sigh of relief, their fears were displaced. Leslie drove up with Lupe and got out as Reyna finished her conversation with Francesca. Leslie smacked her head at forgetting that important detail as she told Lupe, "There was something we didn't mention when Dan and John showed the house. They were so focused on the Samuels family they forgot that Francesca lives next door." The couple introduced themselves as Reyna stood by Leslie's side smiling. Her mom was pleased that they were accepting of Reyna and that she had a close friend next door. Reyna was beaming as they drove to Leslie's apartment. She had a friend, a real friend. Someone who liked her for being herself and appreciated what she could do. She had not one but six of them, all of whom went out of their way to make sure she was alright. It was an amazing feeling to the girl who had only known disappointment and isolation for so long. Sunday morning Juan called to inform them about finding Miguel a condo that he might be interested in buying. One of the former Red Sox players was putting his up for sale and it was a very good price. It was off Boston Common and had a permanent parking space for Miguel's car as well as a guest's car. Lupe told him if it fit his criteria then they should snap it up. He called back later and told her it's a done deal, they had a showing later on in the day. Miguel called later to tell them he and Juan talked about the condo and he was letting Lupe do the inspection with his blessing. She giggled and knew he was just playing around but acknowledged his faith in her. She knew he didn't need her to do anything but wanted to show her that it was her home away from home whenever she needed it. The two talked about Reyna and her friendships as well as the girl's night out that she had. He was at a rare loss for words over all of the fun they had had without him in just a short period of time. When he finally said something he was almost boasting that the two were new women after just three days with people that he knew would help them. Leslie had suggested that Reyna gets a new cell phone which Lupe was reluctant to buy. She was old enough to need one and mature enough to know what not to do, but she was still a little girl at times. Seeing as it was a necessary tool and she was in a strange new place it was wise for her to have one. Leslie's insistence wore Lupe down so she reluctantly agreed. The trio drove off to buy one with Leslie then convincing them to shop for some winter clothing for both of them. It was a little embarrassing for Reyna but Leslie was discrete and didn't faze easily at seeing a bulge where it shouldn't be or not much up top where there should be something. The more she was with Leslie the less anxious Reyna became and the more open she was to her. Lupe was surprised to find out how much they had to spend for basic clothing for their new home but Leslie assured her it was necessary especially with temperatures routinely down into the teens and lower and heavy snow at least once a month if not more. Reyna knew it was tough but snow? This was something she hadn't thought about but secretly was thrilled to see. Miguel lived in Kansas City where they did get snow but she had lived her entire life in LA County and snow was almost a myth to them. Knowing it was coming made her smile and tell her mom, "I can't wait to see snow." Juan met them as soon as they arrived at Leslie's apartment and helped them with the bags. They were soon driving in his car towards Boston to meet the Realtor. Juan was tight-lipped and focused which put Lupe and Reyna at ease while Leslie was just there for moral support. The condo complex was tall, towering over the buildings around it and giving great views of the river, the adjacent Boston Common, and woodland miles away. The condo was high up, not quite the penthouse but close to the top. It was well furnished and had plenty of room to move around in. It also had three bedrooms and two baths, perfect for Reyna and Lupe when they stayed over. The terms were reasonable for the kind of condo Miguel needed so Lupe agreed in principal with the Realtor sending the paperwork to Miguel to sign. Juan kept silent and nodded with approval. He finally admitted, "Miguel saw the pictures and just wanted you to give your approval. He trusts your judgment more than pictures but he had a strong feeling you would like it." Lupe countered with, "I know he knew, I just wanted to see for myself. Even though we have our own home he still thinks about us. He could have had a studio or two-bedroom condo, but three bedrooms mean to us that it's our home as well." Juan couldn't fool her; she just smiled and led the way downstairs. Leslie finally opened her mouth by adding, "I know the feeling you are having. It's clear that the man loves you as his own sister, not his sister-in-law and wants to treat you well." She asked what Leslie meant to which Leslie told her, "John handed over our house to me after he went west. When he came back permanently he had a new house bought and refused to accept any rent. He did the same with my aunt and uncle, he actually owns the building he just gave it to them as their own home. I moved out after mom died and sold it but split it three ways with John and Karen but the intent still lived on. Miguel is doing the same for you. He is more than an in-law, he's your brother in full." Reyna agreed, telling her, "Mom you don't have to keep reminding people about dad. He knew you loved Uncle Miguel as a brother. Abuela did as well. I don't want to have to explain why dad isn't around anymore, it's easier to just tell them you are his sister. Plus the people who claim I am his daughter will look even worse for saying that." Their trip home was done in silence with Juan giving her a hug and telling her, "He loves you as his own sister, he talks highly of you. The little one is right, it's time to stop the 'in-law' nonsense and be his sister in full." She nodded silently as he got in the car and drove off. Out in LA Miguel was meeting with his lawyers. Beverly's findings prompted his bank to investigate and correlate multiple purchases to his former agent. The properties were in his name and paid through his bank account but were bought without his consent. The signatures were proven to be forgeries quite easily. There was an agreement made regarding the properties, he'd claim the properties and work with the states to have his agent indicted and jailed while the bank reimbursed his money and sold the properties. He opted to keep one property, a Miami condo. It was useful to him and would be a good getaway for him, Lupe, and Reyna whenever they needed a vacation. He turned his attention to the horrid contract New York offered. He had already informed the player's association who were just as concerned as he was. They were bringing the contract to the attention of New York City and State officials. The league was also informed about the issue. There was concern from the league regarding the public relations nightmare that such a blatantly offensive contract clause would cause. The New York team officials were notified that there would be an investigation and any attempt to block it or interfere would result in sanctions by the league. The city and state were ruthless, they subpoenaed all relevant documents and raided their offices with search warrants to ensure that nothing was shredded or removed. State troopers, NYPD officers, FBI agents, and a slew of city and state lawyers swarmed the ballpark as the staff was kept at bay by uniformed officers. The media were swirling over the investigation especially when word got out that it involved a player's family member being targeted by the team. The Yankees were quick to deny any such issue but Sunday afternoon at a news conference the Attorney General of New York and District Attorney of Bronx County stated what the raid was about and why. Miguel wasn't the only player targeted, several other players were given similarly worded contracts all of which had a son, daughter, niece, nephew, grandson, or granddaughter who gay or transgender. Miguel's name was kept out of the story. The Red Sox were standing by their decision to sign Miguel if there was any potential fallout regarding Reyna's transition being known. They had a press release on standby that Miguel, Juan, and Lupe approved that stated they would never allow such wording in any contract and that an attempt by such employees or agents would not be tolerated. Reyna went to sleep feeling bad about causing a national firestorm. Leslie told her the story about Jaimie's assault 27 months before that caused a similar national outrage and led to Willie becoming chief of police and their friend Kennedy admitting her love for and marrying Willie. Leslie drew a deep breath and told her a deep secret about Kennedy, she was like her but transitioned in college. Reyna was shown a picture of Kennedy which Reyna couldn't believe. She was beautiful. Lupe had the same reaction as Reyna but turned to Reyna and admitted, "Sam and you are beautiful too, nobody would ever believe you were every little boys." Leslie corrected her in saying, "They were never little boys, they were just girls who didn't have a chance to yet admit they were girls yet." Reyna burst into laughter and hugged her for the kind words as the three sat down to dinner. Monday morning saw the three heading off to school with Lupe starting work with Melanie. The girls were eager to talk about what was going on with her uncle but she was being tight-lipped. After school she told them the whole situation, and what her uncle was doing on his end. Thomas shook his head and blurted out, "It had to be the Yankees. They just can't stop bullying the rest of the league." Francesca's improvement was noticed by all of her teachers. She was quick to praise Reyna for helping her with her studying and told that she found a new way to help with her dyslexia. There were some skeptical looks but the in-class essay she did under the watchful eye of her language arts teacher proved that she was doing it on her own and it was working. Mr. Taylor took her aside after school and admitted they were suspicious but her work spoke for itself. Leslie picked up Reyna from school and told her she had a visitor. Taylor Gault was waiting and wanted to talk with her about the rape case. Reyna steeled herself for the tough questions but he was told her that as she had named names and there was physical evidence collected but never analyzed fully she only had to tell her story in full and that was it. He then admitted that this cost him two friendships but the evidence was overwhelming that his friends abused their power to protect their sons. Reyna retold the events in full. She was cornered by the gym teacher who pulled her out of the staff locker room and tossed her into the boy's locker room where he told the boys to do the deed. When they were done she was crying and he proceeded to toss her against the lockers, causing her to scream out in pain and black out. She had scars on her arms and chest that Taylor noted and took pictures of, sending the entire report to her lawyers and the LA County DA's office as well as the relevant state agencies in California. Taylor finished his official duties then talked with her as a father. He was happy that Thomas was showing more maturity since she came to school. He was starting to take school seriously now that Francesca was starting to improve and it gave Thomas reason to start thinking about school more. Reyna just smiled and told him, "He's a good person, he just gets flustered around us girls. We know he really likes Rebecca but they won't stop dancing around one another. If he'd just admit they were more than a couple things might be easier on him." Taylor could see what she meant. The boy was madly in love with Rebecca and got tongue-tied whenever the two were together. He needed to finally admit he loved her and be done with it. Leslie saw him out and asked what that was about, Taylor admitted the truth to her, "Thomas is really acting like a man and not a boy since he met Reyna. He knows about terrible people but this is the first time he encountered it firsthand and it is driving him to act his age. He made his mother and me proud, as Reyna is sure to make Lupe and Miguel." Lupe arrived as Taylor was leaving and was told what happened. She was relieved that it was getting taken care of but still upset that she had to recall the events yet again. Miguel called to tell them that the house as going to be theirs over the weekend so Leslie could have the place to herself again on Sunday. Reyna cheered hearing the news, with Lupe taking it in stride. The media storm surrounding the Yankees contract fiasco intensified that week as Miguel's name was released as being the person specifically targeted. Miguel refused all requests for interviews and Reyna was told to be on the lookout for people following her. Lupe had to inform Melanie who had her husband work the grounds of the day care keeping away people who didn't belong there in case the media tried to talk with Lupe. The investigation finally focused on two people who were in common with the contracts, Miguel's former agent and a former owner of the Royals, Mr. Tegan, who was now employed as a vice president with the team. John heard the name and immediately called Miguel to tell him that trouble was going to follow as those two were in it together. He then had Reyna given a special locket and watch that she was instructed never to remove except in the shower. Tuesday evening Reyna was told to be on the lookout for two men, with John showing her pictures of both. She shivered at seeing Miguel's former agent and told John, "I know that man, he tried to get us to talk to him the other day. He said he was a reporter and wanted to speak with me." Joseph asked her to look again and be sure which she again said, "He talked to us outside of school. Rebecca told him to leave as soon as she saw that he wasn't a parent." John immediately made a phone call to Willie then Dorothy Vega. Within 10 minutes both were in the Finn home and listening to what Reyna had said. Dorothy called Alice who in turn called the school superintendent. They feared for Reyna now. Willie posted additional officers in the area of the school and had the pictures distributed among them. James would pick up Reyna and drive her to school along with Sam, he was the only one who was free to do so with such short notice. Wednesday morning James picked her up bright and early wearing his police uniform and dropped her off directly in front of the school, walking with her to the front door. It was embarrassing but it was the only way to keep her safe. Sam didn't care, she held her head up high and marched in with a smile on her face. Students knew her dad was a part-time cop so it was no big deal, they just assumed he was doing some training or working instead of being an escort. Things took a turn for the worse as the fire alarms went off during lunch. Someone had set a trash barrel on fire just inside the front doors of the school. The kids were forced outside into the fenced-in basketball courts and parking lots. Reyna and her friends were some of the first out and as soon as they exited someone snatched Reyna, sending Thomas tumbling as he tried to hold onto her. In a span of five seconds, she was in a van and gone from sight. The school officers were unable to respond fast enough and the police patrolling the area were a block away and too slow to catch the speeding truck before it left the city. Reyna was gone and nobody could identify the people who took her. Francesca was quick enough to get a picture of the license plate but that was it. Every city and town in a 50-mile radius had police driving around looking for the van. The State Police put all available troopers into the area to help with the search. Parents rushed to the schools to pick up their children as the news spread causing more chaos. The media descended upon the city like a plague. They demanded answers that the police were unwilling to give. They tried to get near the schools only to get into fights with police officers and school officials and parents. Willie caught a break immediately as the van's license plates came back as a rental in the name of Tegan. CCTV from down the street caught another break as both men were seen putting on masks. Their images were immediately released and warrants issued for their arrest. Reyna's trackers were working perfectly the whole time, the two never bothered to remove either of them. Unfortunately, they were muffled by the terrain and surrounding buildings, giving off weak beeps every so often but without stopping there was no way to know where she was. The two drove around for hours until they stopped at a warehouse on the outskirts of Worcester, giving Reyna her big break. The signal was strong and pinpointed within seconds. Tegan was adamant that they get rid of her. The agent wanted revenge. The two argued for close to an hour before they came to an agreement to kill her outright then make it look like it was a gay bashing gone wrong. This was all the time the police needed as they mobilized all available resources to descend on the warehouse. The agent grew frustrated as they argued over what to do and beat Reyna senseless. He bloodied her face, breaking the bones in her cheek and her jaw in his rage. He went so far as to break her legs below the knee to prevent her from escaping. He took out a black 9mm handgun and waved it in her face telling her, "You little queer, you cost me everything! Your idiot uncle would have had all the money he would ever need if you didn't get involved!" Tegan had enough of the banter and brought out a shotgun. Ignoring the agent's protests he fired it at Reyna, hitting her in the crotch and thighs causing her to scream in pain. Before he could fire again both men were shot and killed by sniper fire from State Police SWAT Team troopers. Within seconds the warehouse was swarmed by State Police troopers as they ensured that Tegan and the agent were dead. Reyna was in shock and losing blood so EMTs were rushed in to contain the bleeding. There was little said inside, it was horrific to even the most hardened of troopers. Reyna was hurriedly stabilized at the hospital and flown east to Boston for more extensive treatment. Lupe met them and broke down seeing her damaged body and bloody clothing. Leslie had to pull her away from Reyna so the doctors could work on her. Miguel was with her now, having gotten a private plane to whisk him clear across the country early in the morning. Lupe was in too much shock to sign any paperwork making him have to sign off on all the needed surgeries. Reyna's condition was bad. Both legs needed resetting but the worst part was repairing the damage done to her privates. Her penis was all but blown in half while her testicles were gone. The skin around her groin needed suturing and the pellets needed to be extracted from her thighs. She was lucky, most of the blast missed. The pellets also missed her arteries and veins. But with half of her penis gone she needed emergency surgery to repair what was left. Her options were to undergo emergency SRS surgery or try to recreate a penis with what was left. Miguel made the decision to have her undergo the SRS, hoping that it was the right choice for her. Lupe calmed down once Reyna underwent her surgery. She didn't question Miguel's choice, only second guessing herself for not being there for her. Even if she couldn't be with Reyna in school she still blamed herself for what happened. Leslie had to take her home to keep her from breaking down further, she needed to get rest and let the doctors do their work. The media was in a frenzy as someone leaked Reyna's name as being the victim of the abduction to the local news outlets. Miguel had to shut down his phone to stop the calls. Reporters staked out the hospital hoping to catch Miguel coming and going from the hospital. They didn't notice that he was never seen leaving, he was able to get out via the employee entrance with Nigel Smith or Dr. Richard Samuels. They did not hesitate to offer their help in shuttling him to and from Leslie's home. Reyna regained consciousness three days later. Her body was aching and she was having trouble feeling her feet. Lupe, Dr. Samuels, and Nigel told her what happened to her and why. She burst into tears, she hated to think that they died because of her. It didn't matter that she now had something she always wanted or that they had tried to kill her, two people were dead. When the shock of the news wore off Lupe explained that she needed to remain in the hospital for at least a month due to the severity of her injuries. After she was released she would have to go to a rehabilitation center for another month until her strength was enough that she could get around on her own. She would essentially be missing school until late January or early February. This news upset her. She wanted to be with her friends. Lupe could sense her pain and told her that they would be able to visit her the following day if she felt strong enough. Reyna tried to say she was but she was getting visibly tired and slurring her words a bit. Nigel insisted she go back to sleep and save her strength. Sunday morning she had visitors. Francesca and Iris were there to greet her, bringing with them gifts from Thomas, Sam, Rebecca and Jessie. Both offered her hugs and kisses while taking seats next to her. Francesca was on the verge of tears seeing her bandaged and in casts while Iris tried to act strong. Reyna faked a smile and on her laptop typed, "I guess I'm a girl now that I have what you have." That caused Iris to break down as Francesca corrected her pointing out, "You were always a girl. Those two screwed up big time. Instead of humiliating you they ended up giving you what you always wanted. Never, ever, ever call yourself anything but a girl because you were always one." The two were ushered away when visiting hours ended. Monday it was more of the same as they brought her schoolwork and her laptop to use. Tuesday she got a visit from both principals who were in tears as they saw her. Wednesday Miguel came back and sat with her all day while she worked on her homework in silence. He announced to her that he signed his contract with the Red Sox and chose to forgo a press conference to avoid answering questions about her. She was thankful that he did that, hugging him tightly. Time passed slowly for Reyna while she was in the hospital. She had multiple visits with a psychiatrist and psychologists to deal with the trauma. Her mother hadn't found her a proper gender psychiatrist to take over her care but that was fixed when Dr. Samuels introduced Dr. Eliza to them. She and the doctor got along well and Reyna learned that her name had come up several times over the past two weeks among other patients. She couldn't tell her who but Reyna admitted:, "Jaimie and Nichole are good people and Sam is a good friend." Dr. Eliza smiled and nodded, but officially didn't acknowledge the girls as patients to her. Soon after Dr. Eliza left Dr. Dane was introduced. He had Reyna talk about her feelings regarding the abduction. She accepted that they were killed by the troopers to protect her and that they were intent on killing her but it felt horrible to know they died. Dr. Dane came by several times over the next few days and talked, helping her come to grips with the event even if she couldn't accept the outcome. She started to feel better about it as the images started to fade but it was still painful to recall it. Iris and Francesca came by every day to drop off more work for her and pick up the old work. Thankfully for her half of the work was able to be accepted online by her teachers and whatever wasn't was allowed to come in late. Her mother was getting calmer by the day and accepting that she was now a girl in full, albeit one who couldn't have periods or make babies. Miguel accepted this before her but was kind enough to not mention it knowing that it was a sore spot for her. Reyna was a little upset though that Rebecca and Jessie wouldn't visit. She asked them to come but neither could muster the courage to come visit. It was too painful to them, they had seen what happened with Nichole but Reyna was worse off and it was devastating to them. Thomas made an appearance and told them even worse news, Jessie's crush Reed Clarence was in the same hospital which was why she would not come by. She was scared of what might happen to him and knowing that two people she cared about were in the same place was too much for her to overcome. Reyna accepted her reasoning and told him to give a big hug for her and give Rebecca a kiss as well. He blushed as he left, she felt better knowing the truth about her friends. They did care, they cared too much and couldn't see her hurt so badly. Reyna was slow to recover. The broken legs impeded her movement and the pellets took several additional surgeries to completely remove. Her jaw was set and wired so she had to type or write everything. She spent a week in the hospital longer than she expected. The delay in removing the pellets had caused an infection which took a week to clear up All through this time she had to endure the downside of having a new orifice with dilation and sitting down to pee getting on her nerves quickly especially as she couldn't move around too much making her feel helpless or like an overgrown baby. By mid-December, she moved to a rehabilitation hospital to begin strengthening her leg muscles and helping build her upper arms so she could move around in the wheelchair. This was just as boring as she again had little to do during the day except for reading and playing on her computer. She was doing well in school and was able to actually get ahead in math and science while helping Francesca with her language arts during her visit to see her. Miguel was always by her side and helped her during her rehab sessions earning him a reputation as being a model father despite being her uncle. He spent some time with kids who were worse off than Reyna during some of his visits, helping raise their spirits while steeling himself for visiting Reyna. The team hoped to use some of his visits for publicity but he steadfastly refused, insisting that his visits were personal and not PR moves for either the hospital or the team. Things came to a head when the team's PR director tried to use visiting his niece as part of their annual press package. Juan got involved and stated clearly that any attempt to use anything regarding Reyna was not allowed and any pictures of the two of them released without Miguel's, his, Lupe's and Reyna's full consent would result in a lawsuit for violation of her privacy rights. Juan then informed the ownership group that any further harassment of Miguel would be reported to the proper authorities for violating the rights of a patient which caused an immediate panic and firing of their PR manager. Reyna was kept in the dark about these stunts but knew that people wanted to use her for their own benefits. She told Juan to tell them, "I don't want any pictures taken of me by anyone no matter who they are." She signed it and watched him smile telling her, "It's your formal complaint, the team must abide by it since they would cause a lot of problems among the players if they violated your wishes." Christmas came and went. Reyna's jaw recovered enough to have the wires removed allowing her to speak normally again. Reyna received visits from Francesca's family then Dr. Samuels, Olivia, and their son Richard. The Samuels family brought gifts for her from the other families. After they left to her surprise Rebecca came by with Jessie, both giving her deep hugs while breaking into tears. Rebecca tried to apologize for not coming by sooner but Reyna refused to hear it, telling them proudly, "You had your hands full with Reed. I am glad that you two are finally getting together even if it's a little rocky. And I hope Thomas finally started to man up and ask you out on a real date and not another double date." Both girls blushed as Reyna teased them. The three talked for a while before it was time for them to leave, with all three breaking into tears as they said their goodbyes. Reyna was finally released in mid-January once her strength showed she could maneuver the wheelchair on her own. She had to stay in her uncle's condo until her casts were removed due to there being no bathroom or shower on the first floor of her new home. Miguel was fine with this, he enjoyed the company of her and her mother. Being released meant Reyna could now return to school. Outside the school, she was greeted with big hugs from her friends and their parents. She didn't make a big deal about it but accepted the hugs and kisses from them. Her teachers were sympathetic towards her, giving her some leeway to ease back into her work and trying hard not to draw attention to her. Miguel, Lupe, and Reyna got a surprise visit from Jorge and Victoria over MLK Day weekend. The rest of the group was visiting California for Kennedy Pena's mother's funeral but they opted to stay home. Jorge cooked while Victoria doted over Reyna giving Lupe a chance to relax. Miguel and Jorge talked baseball with Jorge entertaining him with stories from his home in Puerto Rico, getting Victoria to insist he not bore Miguel while Reyna giggled at Jorge's embarrassment. Iris and Francesca visited her as well that weekend, neither feeling like they should tag along among the Finn Family members while leaving Reyna behind. Miguel suggested the three have a slumber party to enjoy some girl time. His reasoning was that they could use the fun and none of the girls could deny that it would be. Sam stayed behind in Massachusetts as well but she was feeling a bit distant since Reyna returned. She told Reyna she was jealous that Reyna was complete and she wasn't. Those feelings were tearing Sam up inside, she didn't want to be jealous and knew the cost of what happened but it still nagged her. Reyna could only hug her and give her a kiss on the cheek for being honest with her, it meant a lot that she was willing to tell her at risk of their friendship than keep it bottled up inside. Reyna admitted she would feel the same way if it happened to Sam but the additional cost was too great. Despite accepting what happened she could still not accept that people had died. She didn't want that on Sam's conscience either. Mid-February saw Reyna's casts removed and her start additional physical therapy to strengthen her legs. It was tough for her but with Francesca's encouragement she endured the pain and was now mobile with crutches. Jessica and Reed were often by Reyna's side helping her walk home to build up her strength before her normal physical therapy sessions. Reyna was always smiling as she looked at the couple enjoying their time together even if it was just helping a friend walk. It took much of the Spring but by the end of April, Reyna was no longer using the crutches. They were gone just in time for the school's semi formal dance, but were retained just in case her strength faltered. She missed out on going shopping with her friends but their mothers got together and found her a dress for the dance that fit her perfectly. Rumor had it that they used Thomas as a model for it but none of them will tell and she wasn't about to ask. She loved him for doing it and she gave him a deep hug when he saw her in it the first time. During the dance he admitted the truth, he did put it on as they were nearly the same size physically. He could endure a few minutes of unease if it meant she was going to attend. She told him with a beaming smile that was the manliest thing anyone could have done, he gave her the chance to look beautiful and he was a true friend and the perfect boyfriend for Rebecca. During the rest of the dance, she managed to go without her crutches while enjoying several dances with boys. She leaned on them for support from time to time but none of them cared. She didn't really feel a spark with them but it felt nice to be treated well by boys. Iris finally managed to stop dancing around the subject of their friendship being closer than normal and kissed Sam openly during the final dance. Her friends cheered with Reyna practically screaming, "FINALLY!" to them. The kiss drew a lot of attention but neither of them cared, they had stopped hiding their true feelings and made their relationship official. The dance also taught Reyna something else; she realized that she wasn't sure if she liked boys. She enjoyed dancing with them and accepted that she started to see them differently. Both she and Francesca were dateless but that suited them just fine, they didn't need boyfriends to show off they were doing fine on their own. After the dance Reyna had to deal with the trials out in California. Thankfully for her, the county allowed her to testify from her hometown, citing her recent health issues and the fact that she had to attend school with travel to and from Los Angeles County costing at least three school days. The defense tried to block it but it was overruled by the judge. She told everything that she could remember with a strong passion. She took no prisoners, she admitted everything that her gym teacher, the boys, her former principals, and former teachers had done to her. The defense tried to use her gender change against her but that was quickly turned around against the lawyer as there was no actual defense with DNA evidence, recordings, eyewitness testimony from fellow students and teachers turning against one another. The fact that there were strong nondiscrimination laws and regulations further shot down their defense making her gender change a moot point. The whole lot was found guilty. Her gym teacher was found to have done the same thing to several other boys and at least two transgender girls in the past. The gym teacher was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the assaults and rape with more time expected once the investigation was over. The boys who attacked her were sentenced to five each to juvenile detention with another 10 years each in adult prison after and required to register as sex offenders once they were eventually released. The state went after the boys' fathers harder than anyone else. The DA took pleasure in asking for maximum sentences in their obstruction of justice and criminal conspiracy charges with both getting the maximum in jail. Their wives took them to the cleaners, what they had done was too much for them and they refused to be associated with them any longer walking away with several hundred thousand in cash and their homes as well as their other kids. Reyna's lawsuits against the school district, the school, and the private school were settled for $20 million in total. Jo and Phyllis refused to collect any money from Reyna in fees. They had earned well over twice that in the impending class action suit against the school board and several other school boards over the rights of transgender students. The private school ended up losing millions in endowments and scholarships once the behavior of the principal and faculty was exposed, seeing many of their beneficiaries pull support as the trial went on and causing a frantic move to cover any potential damages to be paid to Reyna should they lose. There was no money left once a fund was set up to pay the additional victims of the school's rampant abuse, forcing the school to close and all students to transfer to another private school. Reyna was set for life but her uncle insisted that she do what her friends had done and invest it as well as put it in a trust fund. She would have plenty of money for normal purchases but the bulk of it as out of her hands. She was alright with this, it was good enough for Jaimie and Nichole and now Kylie then it was good enough for her. Two days after the school's semiformal Reyna and Lupe moved into their home after a delay of five months. Instead of having the whole family help, Reyna and Lupe only asked a few select people to assist. Richard Samuels Jr. and his cousin Will were drafted by default by Olivia while Rebecca, Jessie, Courtney, Sam, Iris, and Francesca were called in to help by Reyna. It took several hours to move the new furniture in but they made it work. Miguel enjoyed Boston more than he thought he would. His free time was spent with Juan going over the youth program as well as planning for the summer youth employment season. Juan and he hit it off well, it wasn't a typical agent/client relationship as the two were genuinely becoming friends. Reyna and Lupe saw him as a good friend as well, often entertaining him when he was in the neighborhood. Miguel's financial situation was quickly resolved after a thorough review by Beverly and several of her colleagues. They located the missing money that was stolen from him that wasn't spent on homes and condos in his former agent's accounts. The account was frozen before anyone could remove the money with Miguel laying a claim against his former agent's estate. Since the bank screwed up badly in allowing the transactions to occur in the first place they refunded the money in full after the threat of a lawsuit was taken off the table. In a show of good faith, Miguel then repaid the amount that was spent in his name for the Miami condo as well as the former agent's small LA condo, both of which he would use during the year as the team traveled. The rest of the money was split between retirement accounts and investments, the latter of which Greta and James handled on his behalf. Things settled down for the Toro Family quickly. Reyna was well liked and Lupe worked out beyond Melanie and Leslie's dreams at the day care center, winning over most of the parents. Those who weren't won over having an issue with Reyna's gender issues and thus not parents that the daycare center wanted to have . Miguel's teammates took a liking to Reyna once the season started, and even though there were some bigots on the team she was treated as if she was Miguel's daughter and made many friends among the players. Francesca was a frequent guest in the clubhouse, the players enjoying the girl's jokes and teasing them back and forth. A few were fans of her mother Wendy's books which caused teasing from the team but brought a big smile from Francesca. Things were never better for the Toros as they were now firmly entrenched in the neighborhood and became part of the fabric of the Finn Family. Their lives had changed in so many ways in such a short period of time but all for the better. They grew closer to one another and were as strong as any other family. The End.