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Chapter 7 Patrick walked Sheila and Deborah back to the apartment to begin their unpacking. Lilly and Daisy showed up shortly after with Daisy diving in to help sort out everything. Letting Daisy do much of the sorting made her day, she was much happier than the day before and showed great style in sorting the little knickknacks that Sheila owned as well as commenting on Deborah's very conservative wardrobe choices sending both Sheila and her mother into a fit of laughter as Deborah was unsure if she should be flattered or offended by the little girl's commentary. Daisy's only hiccup was when she sorted through one of Deborah's personal belongings boxes and came across an old picture in a frame. Deborah was quick to snatch it up and put it out of her reach, explaining, "This is the only picture I have of my parents and me." Daisy looked closely at the picture then at her mother and Patrick who both nodded as if to say, "We saw it too." Lilly mouthed, "Don't say anything to her yet, your aunt and uncle already know." Daisy and Deborah worked together to get everything situated as Sheila stayed out of the way to let the 7-year-old work her magic. During their frenzied unpacking Claire and David arrived so that the six Petersons could talk. Daisy opted out of taking part, insisting that it wouldn't be right to talk about someone she had never met even if he would have loved and accepted her as his own daughter. She was insistent that there was a lot of work still left to do. Getting down to business Lilly asked about her life which Sheila told her, "Mom and dad moved from Winnisimmet to Endicott to get away from the corruption down there a year before I was born. There were a few nice people but they said it wasn't the best place to live. The company moved to Boston soon after so dad had little reason to return to the city after that. Uncle Jerry moved on to a different department so we never saw much of him after the move, this must have been when he went back to school to get his degree and dad lost contact with him. Mom and dad didn't want to get involved in the drama over his ex-wife so we didn't know much about Patrick and David or you and Claire" Lilly smiled and proudly told her, "This is when I met him and I had Claire. He claimed her as his own daughter even though he and your grandparents knew that she wasn't. This is also when David and Patrick were adopted by me. Your uncle and aunt had a lot of marital strife before but once he found someone to take the load off of her she gladly gave up the boys for me to raise as my own sons." Sheila nodded, adding pointedly, "I remember his ex-wife. We only met a few times because grandma and grandpa wanted to make nice with her but even then I never liked her. She asked mom to take them on but mom refused to let her get out of her parental duties. She and mom had a big fight and dad felt it best to not contact her anymore. We honestly didn't know that Uncle Jerry died, if we did mom and dad would have wanted you to come live with us so we could be together as a family. Sheila shed a tear thinking about the lost opportunities. Looking at Claire she could see Claire was deep in thought and had a smile at what might have been. Lilly added a soft, "Jerry regretted not talking with your dad and mom until the day he died but he wanted to give them space to live their own life. He would have loved to have known you better and would have wanted me to look in on you after your parents died. He cared about you, even if he never saw you." Daisy and Deborah came over just as Sheila started to talk about the two working so hard that they both didn't notice their health declining and finally their premature deaths. Her dad had developed a heart condition that he ignored while her mother had cancer that could have been treated if she caught it early. Lilly hugged her as she broke down at the horrible memories, the others seeing just how good they had it compared with Sheila. Seeing the time Sheila told them they should get a move on to get to the dinner at the Finn home. She tried to stay home but Claire and Daisy told her bluntly, "Aunt Valerie won't let you miss out." Sheila and Deborah got changed in an attempt to make themselves look nicer to which Daisy and Claire again groaned and told them, "It's just dinner, not a night on the town. If you are lucky you won't have the twins begging you for attention or flinging food at you." Patrick drove Deborah and Sheila while Lilly drove the other three. In no time they were across the city at the Finn home and the center of attention. Lilly had to tell the teens to back away and let them go or John would be upset which caused a near stampede as they moved off. John and Valerie greeted Deborah and Sheila at the door. Valerie kept a straight face when she saw Deborah but gave a knowing nod to Lilly as she looked over to her. Sheila again tried to shy away but Valerie refused, insisting that she stay as she was part of them now even if she didn't think so. The twins seized the opportunity to get attention from Sheila and Deborah, insisting that they play with them while they waited for dinner. Jaimie came over and tried to get their attention away but neither twin would budge. Both ladies gave in and let them do their thing believing that it was easier to make them happy than cause a problem in someone else's home. As the two were playing with the twins Lilly finally voiced what the others had thought before, "She's Dorothy's daughter. No doubt about it, she has a picture of Dorothy and her husband." Valerie solemnly corrected, telling her, "She shares more than just blood, her father was like her. She transitioned when Dorothy was pregnant and killed herself after Deborah was taken away from them. Dorothy has never forgiven her family for what they did and after hearing Deborah's past I can fully understand why she wouldn't. The poor girl went through a living hell day and night for 18 years." John kept silent. He watched Patrick eyeing Deborah as the two talked about the upcoming reunion. He finally asked, "When is he going to ask her out?" Lilly nearly choked on her drink while Valerie stared closely at Patrick before smiling. Lilly asked, "Are you sure it's not him keeping an eye on her?" Valerie grinned and admitted, "If he keeps an eye on her any closer his eyes will be on her shoulder." John joked, "It's probably what's in her shirt that he is eyeing" getting a groan and smack from Valerie. John got serious and asked again. Lilly sighed and told him, "The boy is dense and Deborah fragile. He won't make a move until she is alright in his eyes. I see what you mean about him, he has been acting different around her." Valerie added a quick, "She has been eyeing him the same way so he has a real chance at something. They just need something to spur them on." Valerie asked the obvious, "Are you alright with the two together? What about grandkids?" Looking at the two handling JD and Cat she grinned and admitted, "If they are meant to be together then the two of them being unable to biologically have children together doesn't matter. I love David, Patrick, and Daisy as much as I love Claire and you know full well they are adopted. Patrick and Deborah will give someone who needs a family and love a home to live in and I would be proud to call them my grandchild. This is no different than how you or John would be regarding Jaimie. You will love Rick and her adopted child with the same love as Michael and Courtney's or Miles and Christina's children." John grinned widely as Valerie hadn't even thought that her question could be turned around like it was. Normally she is the one doing that. The idea of being a grandmother hadn't crossed her mind since she discovered her little boy wasn't a little boy anymore and had found an interest in Courtney. Lilly had a point, it didn't matter and it helped someone who needed love. John added a quick, "They are years from being up to adopt but at least they will know we all support them. We all will." John started to finish the rest of the cooking while Valerie talked with Sheila as JD Finn took to playing with his twin sister Cat and Deborah. Sheila knew they had an ulterior motive for inviting them over for dinner and let slip, "I hope that whatever you have planned for Deborah doesn't harm her. She has been through a lot and can't take much more emotionally." Valerie saw the concern on her face and acknowledged her fears. Valerie tried to sway those concerns by telling her, "We have something brewing that is years in the making. We only want what is best for her and at this time we feel she needs this more than anything. You are right in your concerns and I hope it doesn't backfire, but we are doing this for the benefit of not just her but another person we are close friends with." The two talked about other things while they waited for John to finish cooking. Sheila thought it was a bit odd that John was doing the cooking to which Valerie snickered and told her, "He does much of the cooking here. He is a decent cook but he struggles with baking and complex dishes. And he still hasn't mastered his uncle's rice and pigeon peas recipe that you ate yesterday." John called Michael, Miles, Claire, Daisy, and Jaimie to come over. The five youths came in and settled in while Sheila gave Daisy and Cat a close look. Valerie sensed she was holding off asking something so she went out and told her, "Yes they are related. John's brother is Daisy and Claire's biological uncle. Cat and JD are John's biological children but he loves them as much as Jaimie, Miles, or Michael. And yes Michael and JD are brothers, John isn't Michael's biological father but he's the only person Michael has ever called 'dad'." Sheila asked timidly, "Are there a lot of adopted children in your family?" Valerie grinned and nodded, telling her, "Miles is as you can see. Then there are our nieces Iris and Rachel, John's cousin Willie's children Reed, Kylie, and Willie Jr. our future niece-in-law Paige and her sister Christina, our neighbor Francesca, Jaimie's boyfriend Rick's sister Al and brother Thomas. Our nephew Ethan and our kids' close friend Scott are adopted but are the nephews of one of their parents. Then there are those like Michael and technically Jaimie whose new stepparent adopted them as their own upon marrying their parent. Our niece Nichole is one, as is our neighbor Sam and Virgil, and Rick's cousin Will." Sheila started to count up the number of people and lost track. Valerie smiled and proudly explained to her, "There are a lot of us. The kids started making friends immediately after they started school here and the family has grown ever since. Claire was part of the family as Jaimie and Michael's friend before we found out she was our niece by birth. Miles was the kids' classmate before we fostered him before we adopted him as our son." Sheila let out a soft, "I wish I had this kind of family, but I am glad that Aunt Lilly was able to find one for herself." The reminiscing lasted until the doorbell rang. John thought it best to have Deborah go with the twins upstairs to be out of the way until they were ready to eat. He had to assure her that it was fine, he just needed to ensure the person at the door was ready for the shock. She felt like there wasn't malicious intent so she went along with his idea, taking Cat by hand upstairs again as JD followed behind. Valerie opened the door and greeted Dorothy Vega and Ricardo Ramirez. Dorothy knew that there was something going on by the looks she was receiving from the teens so she went along with their charade but had an out planned just in case something happened. Ricardo sat her down then took his seat next to her. Valerie had the teens go upstairs while Sheila sat with Valerie. John gave her a nod and once everyone was seated he looked at Valerie to begin. Valerie drew a calming breath and asked her point blank, "I asked you once what you would do if you ever had the chance to meet your lost son. Do you remember your answer?" Dorothy wasted little time and shot back, "I would apologize profusely for not fighting harder and giving up so easily. I should have fought more but I was in such pain it was too much to take." Valerie waited for her to calm down then asked, "And if would you love your child if they felt they weren't the person they should be?" Dorothy shed a tear and told her harshly, "No mother can call herself a mother if they can't accept their child for what they need to be. I don't care if James needed to become a cockroach, I'd love that cockroach until the day I die." John told Valerie, "We can't beat around the bush any longer, we need to tell her the truth." Valerie steeled herself and announced, "If you remember, Stephanie and Al opened a can of worms just after Christmas by asking about James and Jaimie. Ricardo was asked by the girls to find out what happened to him since he was torn from your home. He used Jo and Phyllis Kaplan, two friends of ours who live in California, to find him. But it turned out we didn't really need to do that. James fled California and was close by. He got away from your family and came East." John took over by telling her, "James graduated from high school and applied for a Finn Foundation scholarship. Mom and Dad felt James was the best person they had encountered and his life was too painful to overlook. For the past year and a half James was a student at Salem State. We had no idea James was related to you, otherwise we would have brought him out here no matter what and told you that he was living here the minute that he landed." Valerie came back in and warmly told her, "James took after Jaimie in more ways than one. He is smart and enthusiastic and amazing with kids like Jaimie was. Upon coming out here James was immediately diagnosed as being transgender and has lived the last 18 months as Deborah Thomas, adopting his birth family name again. She is your daughter now, a beautiful younger version of you." Dorothy looked as if she didn't believe them but Sheila warmly added, "She is here and always wanted to meet you. She keeps a picture of you and your wife by her bedside and won't let anyone touch it. She takes after her mom but has so many similarities to you that everyone who has met her so far has seen how much she resembles you." Sheila got up to get Deborah. Deborah came down slowly and upon seeing Dorothy burst into tears. Dorothy did the same, asking, "How can she look like that in just 18 months? And why is she barely larger than me, she takes after Jaimie but she is just so small." Ricardo answer that, telling her, "Your parents allowed your nieces and nephews to brutally assault her when she was 12 because she was wearing girls clothes. She had to have her testicles removed as a result. She never developed normally so she grew only a little larger than the women in your family. She took to her hormones immediately and grew in size but she still has a long way to go. She was in biological limbo, she could have developed as a man if given hormone shots but it was a blessing to her that she would grew easily as a woman. The poor girl spent 18 years being mentally and physically abused by your family before Joseph and Evelyn got her away from that hellhole." Dorothy got up and hugged Deborah as the two wept in each other's arms. Deborah mumbled softly, "I finally found you. All I ever wanted was to find you." Dorothy added a soft, "I never stopped loving you either. I only wish that your mom could have known that you missed her as much as she missed you. You are her legacy, my darling baby girl." Chapter 8 When the two finally stopped crying they were sat at the table to have a serious talk. Dorothy wanted to know what happened to her and why and refused to let her glance over the truth. John thought that they should wait until after dinner was over so the teens didn't have a chance to butt in and listen to things that they shouldn't hear. Dinner was served and although the teens tried to ascertain what was going on none of the adults would tell them. Jaimie looked between Deborah and Dorothy and figured it out already but refused to tell the other three. Cat tried to be on her best behavior to keep Deborah's attention solely on her but gave up when she saw her mother's face giving her a look of impending discipline if she didn't stop. After dinner John told the teens, "Since you insist on knowing, the reason why we invited Deborah and Dorothy here is because they are mother and daughter. You know about Deborah being born a boy but she is just like her father. When her father transitioned Dorothy's family sought and won custody of Deborah. She was just a few months old then. They haven't seen each other since that day so it's an emotional situation so please give them space and don't press things. You have no idea what happened to her in the past and whatever you think may have happened is nothing compared with did happen. All of your shared experiences couldn't come close to the horrors that Deborah has endured." Jaimie ushered them away allowing the adults to talk. Sheila tried to give Deborah space as well but she insisted that Sheila stay. Dorothy asked what Sheila's relationship was to which Deborah proudly told her, "She's the closest I have had to real family." Dorothy didn't take any offense by that but Lilly added, "The two are extremely close and if not for Sheila Deborah wouldn't have made it." Deborah smiled and added, "She also owes me for getting her close to her aunt and cousins. She isn't the only one to have had family nearby but never realized." Dorothy looked at her closely then at Patrick and David and asked, "Your niece?" Lilly nodded, adding a happy, "Deborah's closeness with Patrick was a big blessing for us. If not for Deborah we never would have known that Sheila existed. I never had the pleasure of seeing her when she was growing up and didn't have the chance to help her after her own parents die. Sadly, her parents never knew that Jerry had died either." The pleasantries aside It was time to start the hard discussion. Dorothy asked point blank about the Vegas' treatment of her. Deborah shook her head and admitted, "You can already guess, they weren't happy with you for leaving in the first place. Then getting married without their blessing angered them more. And finally having a child with a gringo set them off the point of outrage. They held bitterness for years and kept telling me how I was nothing because I wasn't really one of them and they only kept me around because they had to and they got money caring for me- I was just money to them." Dorothy asked her, "There's more, isn't here? They can't ever leave well enough alone to just heave verbal abuse. I know darn well they can't control themselves so please don't hold back for my sake, I've seen the worst in them and your aunts and uncles." Deborah looked at Sheila who encouraged her to continue. She admitted, "Abuelo and abuela would forced me to talk Spanish most of the time. Anything I needed I had to ask for it in Spanish or I would do without. They would beat me if they heard me speaking English even if it was to the neighbor girl. It got so bad that my cousins would encourage me to talk English just to see them smack me around so they could laugh. They loved taunting me and hurting me, I was just a play thing to them." John encouraged her to tell the worst story. Deborah thought it best to frame it though saying, "Abuelo and abuela would take me to visit the doctor after I was hurt to make sure they didn't get in trouble. He'd look me over and make notes to claim that I hurt myself with my clumsiness. They would use mom and you as the reason for my clumsiness and say how lucky I was to be able to live with them." Valerie encouraged her to tell the other story about the doctor. Deborah grew embarrassed but Valerie assured her she was alright. Deborah steeled herself for the shame and told her, "You know this already but they caught me in girls clothes when I was 12. They accused me of stealing from my cousins and aunts and got them to hurt me. None of the clothes were stolen from them though, I bought them or got them from charity boxes. When they told my cousins they let them beat me until I passed out then they beat me more. I was taken to the hospital and they told him what I had done to which he wrote that I was incompetent and dangerous. They said that the beating left my testicles too damage to function so they were removed. I never had the chance to grow like other boys so they would always beat me and blame me for being small. They blamed you and mom most of all, saying I was too much like mom!" Ricardo had a cold look in his eyes. He was writing down what she said and then stepped away to make a phone call. Valerie quietly told Dorothy, "He's pissed. He has never had that fiery look in his eyes before. He is out for blood. He is going after them full stop. That doctor won't be a doctor again and he sure as hell will pay for allowing her to be hurt like that." John chimed in, "Was it ever confirmed that she was hurt bad enough for orchiectomy? It sounds very dubious that she was hurt that badly and nobody took notice during the procedure." Deborah nodded, telling her, "They kicked me there but it wasn't any different than before." Valerie shook her head and asked her, "We need Sarah and Richard to look at your records, something stinks to holy hell about this. He broke the law for a start by not reporting your grandparents to social services, but I am suspicious that he may have even broken a serious medical ethics issue with your care. We need to know and soon." Dorothy asked if the doctor's declaration was still active. Deborah grinned and told her, "Dr. Bell, my gender therapist, got that annulled when she examined me. There was nothing wrong with me other than my gender dysphoria and even then that wasn't any reason to declare me incompetent or worse. She was as angry as Ricardo and was looking into the doctor's notes but he never submitted them." Valerie grinned and asked, "Is he a psychiatrist? Why was a psychiatrist taking personal interest in the basic medical care of someone and why were you seeing him in the first place?" She saw a connection the others hadn't seen, but Dorothy caught on to her thinking. Deborah shrugged, telling her, "My grandparents just took me to see him one day when the caught me playing with the girls at school." Dorothy muttered, "They were trying to get you to be manlier. This doesn't excuse his actions. He was treating you against your will and without telling you why and openly allowing them to abuse you!" She was on the verge of tears in her anger and frustration, Deborah just silently nodded in agreement. Ricardo came back in and had a big grin on his face. Dorothy asked what was going on to which he proudly told them, "Jo and Phyllis Kaplan have filed a medical records request and drafted a formal complaint against the doctor on Deborah's behalf. They agree with you Valerie, they think this was a clear case of criminal negligence, malpractice, and mutilation. This man sounds like a real piece of crap and they are taking great pleasure in removing him from the general public." Dorothy asked if they knew of the doctor. Ricardo grinned and nodded, telling her, "They have had a few experiences with him before for another client. She was mistreated by him and threatened to have the girl taken away from her mother for trying to transition." Valerie asked ambiguously, "Did they mess with the queen of the bulls?" Ricardo nodded which John added a quick, "He's lucky her uncle didn't give him the horns but that was kept away from him for different reasons as you can guess." Dorothy caught the meaning while Deborah was unaware. This little interaction had to have been due to something else but what was happening she didn't know. Valerie silently mouthed, "Tell you later" which Dorothy nodded at, knowing that it was important for another time but not then. Dorothy asked her to tell her about what she has done since coming there, knowing that the rest of her five+ years with the family after the assault was hell on earth for Deborah. Deborah smiled as she told her, "Mr. and Mrs. Johnson got me a job at the library where I met and befriended Sheila. She has been as close to a sister as you could get. I just studied and worked and didn't do anything else, I didn't want my secret to get out." John added a solemn, "She was run out of Salem State a few days ago because of someone leaking her past. She made a few enemies there because she had the best dorm room and wasn't disabled or from money. The people responsible assaulted her and caused some powerful people at the school to lose their jobs or call in favors to get people fired. Deborah and Sheila were fired because of that." Ricardo grinned and told them, "That won't be an issue, Joseph and Evelyn have already been working on a settlement from the school over their terminations." Sheila added, "We met someone called Louis Reagan this morning who helped me get a job with the library in this city so I'm all set, but Deborah is out of the job still." Patrick spoke up then and told them, "She will have some money from babysitting in a few days. Aunt Olivia is having her babysit Al a few times and Aunt Karen is having her babysit Nigel, Ethan, and Nichole after they get back from England." Dorothy looked at Valerie who acknowledged that it was partially planned, but it was a matter of good timing as well given that it was parent-teacher conference week and Richard Samuels had to work evenings. Looking at the time Sheila told them they needed to get back to the apartment to get some sleep. The four teens came down and hugged Sheila and Deborah goodbye as Patrick escorted them out. Jaimie and the others waited until they had driven off before asking Dorothy, "Are you alright? This is pretty heavy stuff that got dropped on your lap tonight." Dorothy smiled and proclaimed, "I have never been happier. I don't for a second care about my son became my daughter, I do care that she is happy and healthy and is now safe among people I care about. I can't change what my family did to her but I can hopefully be there for her from now on." Michael asked, "Are you alright with Patrick having the hots for her?" Dorothy burst into laughter then asked, "How has he kept himself in line? The poor boy is barely containing himself around her." Claire grinned and added a swift, "It's his density. He can't see that she likes him the same way, he's too afraid to do the wrong thing to make a move on her." Grinning, Dorothy added, "I don't mind in the least that they are in love or that they may get together. She deserves someone who loves her and cares about her just like everyone else. Patrick's a good man and one that any mother would be proud to call her son-in-law." Dorothy changed the subject and asked Valerie, "What is her relationship with Reyna? They must have a history if you kept quiet about Reyna's interaction what that doctor. I take it that she has no idea that she is living next door to the Samuels family?" Valerie shook her head and told her, "She used to babysit Reyna for Lupe before they were forced to move in with Miguel. Some of the abuse that Deborah received was because she wouldn't shun Reyna like the rest of the neighborhood and your family. The good doctor's threats were countered by Lupe standing up to him and threatening legal action. She moved Reyna to a new doctor but Deborah wasn't lucky. I think Lupe suspected Deborah was like Reyna but never told her that she knew or if she knew she never let anyone else know. Olivia and Richard going out for the evening is just pure coincidence that hopefully mends some old wounds for all three of them." Dorothy sighed and smiled. She told them warmly, "Al and Stephanie opened up this can of worms and we owe them for it." Ricardo rolled his eyes and whined, "Don't let them know that, they already have big enough swelled heads. They can't stop making Raul know that they are responsible for him and Avery getting together." That set the others off laughing. Dorothy and Ricardo left after that. Jaimie walked in again and asked if they were still going to have Deborah transfer. John reluctantly told her, "She has little choice but to do it. There is no way that she can get a fair education in Salem State even with Dean Zane and my full support." Jaimie asked if this meant they were all going to have to change their school choices to which John told her, "It shouldn't matter but where you choose to go is up to you. As long as you go to school we will be happy. Just don't go to clown college, you wouldn't look good in grease paint." The next morning Sheila got the phone call she was hoping to receive. Her proof of her degree had arrived and she was all set to work as soon as the next day. Sheila beamed with pride throughout the day while Deborah kept her grounded, telling her, "You still need to wait a day." Deborah's day was filled with working on her resume and considering options for employment. She didn't have many, all of them involved her working as a cashier or retailer. Patrick kept her company and helped work on her people skills while David tried his hardest to keep a straight face as the two danced around one another's feelings. Deborah found herself being put to work babysitting for Olivia Samuels right away as Richard had to take on an extra shift and Olivia had to help her sister Beverly with something. Olivia was more than happy to allow the newcomer to babysit especially with the recommendations from the Smith twins, Patrick, and David. She was concerned that Al might be frightened of being cared for by someone she didn't know but hearing the news that Deborah had such high praise alleviated those fears. Deborah drove to the Samuels home and was greeted by both Olivia and Richard. They sat her down and admitted to her, "We know about your transition and it doesn't matter to us. We only ask that you go easy on Al as she is still new to her gender and unlike the other girls she never wanted to be one." Deborah admitted to them, "I have dealt with a newly transitioning girl before, my neighbor Reyna was like me so I have some experience with girls her age just starting out as a girl." Olivia asked her last name and both her and Richard looked at one another in both shock and glee. Al was introduced and taking a look at her Deborah immediately asked, "Please tell me you are kidding. She can't be like me. She's too beautiful to have been male." Al grinned and thanked her but told her, "I get that all the time but it's true. I never wanted to be a girl but I am one now." Deborah eagerly tried to change the subject and asked if she had work to do which Al groaned at leading Olivia to tell her to get it done right away. Richard grinned and told her, "You just saved her a lot of frustration in the morning. She has done this a few times, she gets so caught up in talking with Stephanie that she forgets to do her work." Olivia and Richard left with Al coming down after a few minutes and announcing she was done with her homework. Deborah asked to inspect it getting a groan but she showed it was done and to her satisfaction. Deborah sat her down and told her warmly, "It's a pain but what you are learning is important. It's not what you learn it's actually how you learn that matters and although it's boring you will gain a lot of knowledge from it." Al asked her pointedly, "Are you a teacher?" Deborah sighed and told her, "I wanted to be but after what happened in school a few days ago I might never get the chance to be one." Al asked what happened so Deborah told her the details, not leaving out anything. Al had tears in her eyes hearing the horrible story. It was the first time she had heard of someone being so badly treated for becoming a woman. Living with her family was like living in a bubble, the real world was much harsher for girls like her now. Deborah tried to cheer her up by telling her, "This is mainly due to jealousy from a few girls. If I was living in a regular room with any normal girl they wouldn't have given me the time of day let alone become jealous of me. You will have little to worry about, you have a loving family and true friends, I didn't have that until all of that happened." Al asked about her past, telling her warmly, "You can't have had it as bad as some of the kids I knew." Deborah told her the truth, Al listened politely and when she was finished she hugged Deborah. Al was wrong, she did have it worse than the kids she knew. Deborah and Al looked at the time and prepped dinner. The doorbell rang so Deborah answered it, telling Al to get a few ingredients out of the pantry. Opening the door Deborah's eyes grew wide at the sight, she nearly fainted as she looked like she had seen a ghost. Turning to her mom Reyna Toro told her mother Lupe, "I think we broke the babysitter." Lupe looked at her closely and gasped as she told Reyna, "No, it's something else entirely. She just saw some familiar faces that she didn't expect to see." Reyna thought about what she had just said and looked closely then shouted out, "Deborah!" Chapter 9 Lupe helped Deborah to the couch as Al and Reyna looked on. Reyna alongside Deborah and hugged her deeply. Tears were streaming down her face as she held on tight. Deborah hugged her back, letting tears of joy stream from her eyes as she looked down at the girl she hadn't seen in almost two years. Al asked what was going on to which Lupe told her, "Deborah was Reyna's babysitter when we lived in LA. She was the only person who accepted Reyna for what she was and helped her through a lot of tough times before we had to move in with Miguel. She was the only reason Reyna didn't harm herself when things were bad, Reyna knew Deborah had things much worse than her." Reyna finally composed herself and asked softly, "When did you start? You look amazing!" Deborah blushed and told her, "Right after I moved out here. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson got me help immediately so I could become who I knew I really was." Lupe thought about the last time they had seen her and asked harshly, "How did you get around that scumbag doctor? We know he refused to help Reyna, I can't imagine he was too happy with you leaving." Deborah grinned as she told her, "Dr. Bell took me on as a patient and overturned everything he did to me. Mrs. Finn and Mr. Ramirez are looking into his treatment of me as a kid, they think he might have done something wrong in how he treated me." Al scoffed at hearing all of this. The three turned to face her to which she told all of them, "Dad was on the phone with Aunt Valerie last night and he is waiting for your records to come. That's why he is in work tonight, he got the file this morning and he was upset at reading it. He is consulting with a couple of his trusted friends about your file. It didn't sound like they were happy." Al turned to Reyna and asked her, "Should we tell her?" Reyna blushed and told Deborah, "I'm not a boy physically anymore. I had to have surgery like Al had but it was because someone kidnapped me and shot me down there." Deborah hugged her deeply again, telling her warmly, "As long as they got what they deserved after doing that I am happy for you. They gave you your dream years before it was supposed to happen, I can't be jealous of you for that. Besides, you started to become a girl before I did. It's only fitting that you have your surgery first." Al asked her, "When are you going to have yours? You are going to be the first of the family to have it done voluntarily." Deborah shook her head and sighed, telling them, "I was saving up for my surgery after graduation but I have to find a new job and new college. It's going to be several years before I can have it done, though. I've waited years already, I can wait a few more." Reyna and Al shocked her by telling her, "We will give the money to you." Deborah refused telling them, "I can't take your money. You worked hard for it." Al and Reyna both grinned and told her, "We are millionaires!" Lupe added, "Just about half the family has at least $1 million in trust funds and savings. They either were awarded the money through lawsuits, settlements, or inheritances. John started off most with their own trust funds as well. Reyna's money comes from suing her former school and school district, Al's is from her parents' insurance money, her parents' criminal profits, and the sale of her old house." Al grinned then added, "We aren't joking. We will help you. You need the money right now and it'll be replenished before we can even touch the trust fund. We want to give it to you." Deborah kept trying to refuse to accept their offer so Lupe got the girls to talk about something else while Deborah sorted dinner for the four of them. Deborah finally relaxed, with Reyna grinning at Deborah the whole time. Deborah's phone rang about halfway through the meal. Her face grew red in embarrassment as she realized the three were staring at her as she said, "I'm alright mom, I'm just babysitting. I got to meet her neighbors, she's such an amazing girl. What do you mean you know? Is there anyone around here who doesn't know everyone else?" That sent the girls laughing as Deborah blushed at the unintentional outburst. Reyna asked who she was talking to after Deborah hung up. Deborah blushed as she told her, "That was my mom. I got to finally meet her last night. The one thing I always wanted in life more than to become a girl was to meet her and I got to do that last night." Deborah showed them a picture of Dorothy. Both girls gasped in shock while Lupe grinned, proudly telling her, "If those bastards only knew. Some day you might get the entire story but to boil it down, you got helped by the same people who helped your mother come East after she helped bring the family together in the first place. All of us owe some small bit of thanks to your mother, and it's a fitting irony that in a roundabout way she ended up bringing you back to her." Al grinned a knowing grin to which Reyna told her, "You two really did it, didn't you? You got her to tell you her secret and you got Ricardo to find Deborah!" Al nodded, then told Deborah, "Christmas Day Stephanie and I got your mother to tell us about her family and she told us about you and your mom. Ricardo started to look for you and sent two lawyer friends to find any information about you. They found out about the scholarship and where you went to school. It took what happened at the school to cause Aunt Valerie and Uncle John to bring you together." Lupe tried her hardest to keep a straight face but finally told her, "You two did the most amazing thing anyone could do, you reunited a mother and her child." Al just shrugged, telling her, "It wasn't right that I got such a good mom and dad and she had to grow up never knowing her mother and mom. We are just happy they are on good terms." Deborah hugged her then added a warm, "You did more than just that. You got my best friend to find her long-lost aunt and cousins." Reyna asked questionably, "Is that the girl Claire was talking about the last two days? She said she had another cousin." Deborah went on to tell the story of Sheila's life and how she became separated from the rest of the family. Reyna felt bad for her for being all alone but then grinned as she realized she just got dragged into the world of the Finns. Al added a swift, "She got four cousins alright, now she has another three dozen to boot." Looking at the time Lupe had to cut the reunion short. Reyna told her, "Uncle Miguel will be looking to meet you at some point, so don't get overwhelmed in seeing him. He always liked you and he will want to thank you for being a big sister to me." As Lupe and Reyna left Thomas and Rick Samuels entered. Both looked at Deborah and tried to avert their eyes. Deborah asked what was going on, both said, "You look like our former principal." Al groaned and told them, "That's because she is her daughter. She's Ms. Vega's long lost child." Rick and Thomas looked at one another then at Al seeking an explanation. Al told them, "Stephanie and I asked Ms. Vega about her family and she told us that she had a husband who became a woman and a son. Deborah was her son." Both boys looked at one another but simply said, "OK, you are the one on the hook if you cause trouble not us." Both laughed as they ran upstairs, narrowly avoiding a throw pillow as Deborah grinned at the joke. Al asked, "You wouldn't get me in trouble with her, would you?" Deborah laughed and warmly told her, "Not unless you actually get in trouble." Al was sent up to bed after taking her hormone pill as Deborah got comfortable herself. She checked on Al then on the boys. Al and Thomas were fast asleep while Rick was still up reading. Rick went downstairs to talk. He sat next to Deborah and told her warmly, "We all owe your mom a lot for all she has done for us. She helped Uncle John with Jaimie way back at the beginning. Then she helped Rebecca and Sam, then Iris and Rachel, now Al." Deborah sighed and admitted to him, "I always dreamed that she would be doing something to help people. My grandparents didn't know what she did for a living so I guess my dream came true." Rick smiled as he told her, "She took to Uncle John quickly, we always thought that maybe she had another reason than just friendship. I guess your mother was why she did." Deborah asked more about John. Rick told her his story up to that point, leaving out some of the less savory things like Roland Finn and the Clarence family. Deborah smiled as he told her about John becoming a teacher, she added a solemn, "He was like my mom. It has to be the only reason my mother would be so close to him so fast." Rick assured her he wasn't transgender but Deborah giggled, telling him, "I mean the way he teaches and his ideas for how to teach. My mom must have had the same ideals and methods. Your Uncle John filled in a hole in her life and made her feel better. Then when he wanted to help a child named Jaimie transition it was like she was helping my mom again. John helped her without knowing it." Olivia came home shortly after. Rick was still up but went to sleep immediately. Deborah tried to apologize but when Olivia was told that he was talking with her about her mother. Olivia sat with her for a short time talking about Richard's poring over her records. She had his initial assessment and he wasn't the last bit happy. Deborah told her she would wait until she had both his and Sarah Jones' views which Olivia grinned at hearing. Olivia added a soft, "He's going to tear a hole in your family, he didn't have to see much to know that you were criminally mishandled by people who should have been looking out for you." Patrick came by to offer Deborah an escort back to her home so she didn't get lost driving around the city after dark. Olivia took one look at the young man and a smile crept across her face. Seeing him smiling as he watched Deborah gather her things she mentally told herself, "The girls were right, that boy fell head over heels for her." Sheila was still awake when Deborah came in. She asked how the night went to which Deborah smiled and shed tears of joy as she told her, "They are neighbors with Reyna! The little girl who I saw as a little sister found her way East and is all girl now!" Deborah softly told her about the evening especially the reunion with Reyna and Lupe. The way she described it Sheila was herself feeling joy, they made a lasting impression on one another and to have found one another again was poetic justice. She told about Rick telling her about her mother as well, smiling as she told her mother's impact on others. In the morning Sheila left for the library early leaving Deborah to spend time alone. Patrick came by to keep her company, the two having nothing better to do. The two had a late breakfast and talked about their plans for the weekend with Deborah having nothing planned. Deborah tried to press him for why he had so much free time now. Patrick tried to evade the question then finally told her, "I was fired from my TA position. I was told I stepped over the line in confronting the professor, but it was really about me supporting you that caused the problems. The department is headed by a known sexist and now a confirmed transphobe; standing up for a young woman was more damning to him than standing up against someone who is being abused by one of his professors." Deborah tried to apologize but he grinned, telling her flatly, "There was a walkout by the other TAs. The school is struggling to keep up with the workload without their support. The dean is stepping in and put the professor on notice that he was being terminated for blatant sexual harassment and the disturbances due to the TAs quitting. He's also giving me full pay for the year due to an emergency legal fund. I was not going to be able to teach next year anyway as I get into the hands-on part of my graduate degree program so I now have plenty of time to focus on my classes and my thesis." Deborah asked what he was planning to do with his free time now that he wasn't teaching. He blushed and asked, "I'd like to take you out to a few places so you can get to know the area better. It'd be just the two of us and not anyone else." Deborah blushed and quickly shot back, "Are you sure you want to date someone like me? I'd lead to a lot of questions about your sexuality and your masculinity." Patrick shook his head in disbelief, telling her pointedly, "I could not care less what they say about my sexuality or masculinity. I like you for you, and if I want to date you the only person who can stop me is you. Only your opinion about our what is going on with our relationship matters. We already have the blessing of the family, mom made it clear that she liked you and she was alright with me dating you." Deborah was speechless. Patrick inched closer and kissed her full on the lips. Her heart fluttered for a second then she kissed him back, this time much deeper. Patrick broke the kiss and looked deeply into her eyes. She was smiling back at him, her face flushed and her body panting. Patrick put his arm around her shoulder and told her lovingly, "I have never cared so much about a person. You are just so darn easy to talk to and you understand me better than anyone. I think I'm in love with you." Deborah shed a tear at hearing that. She admitted, "I like you a lot. I can't stop thinking about you and I can't stop myself from feeling warmth whenever you are close by. I never experienced love before but if that is what it feels like to be in love then yes- I am in love with you too." The two just watched TV for a bit before getting their coats on to walk around. Jorge and Victoria were outside asked Patrick, "Did you finally ask her out or do we have to lock you two in a room together?" Patrick blushed and was left speechless so Deborah answered for him, "He loves me, I love him." With a grin on his face Jorge muttered a quiet, "About time he found someone." The two walked for an hour, stopping every now and then to rest and share the occasional kiss. They found themselves outside the Finn home and were forced to go inside to talk by Valerie. The twins immediately seized Deborah, dragging her off so Patrick and Valerie could talk privately. Valerie saw his silly grin and asked, "Did you finally take the leap?" He nodded, adding, "She said she feels the same way." Valerie smiled and admitted, "We all saw it, even the twins. You just haven't been yourself since you met her and since this whole mess started you have been acting more like an angry husband than a friend. The only person you have to endure now is Dorothy but I think that she already knows that you care deeply about Deborah." Valerie sat him down and laid out the recent events that happened. Sheila's former landlord was in jail awaiting trial for attempted murder and attempted arson with hate crimes being considered due to his threats against Deborah. His co-conspirators turned on him and were telling about previous arsons. She is getting a reward for that, it's not much but it will be enough to tidy her over for a few months. The man is expected to go to prison for decades now, not just for what he did to Sheila and Deborah." Patrick saw some hesitation and asked her to continue with the bad news. She sighed than admitted, "Kennedy's investigation hit a snag as people started to clam up once the lieutenant governor started to become involved. Kennedy found a way around it, they were going to get him to screw up big time at the governor's home in Endicott. Sheila and Deborah were invited as were Alice Rodriguez and her son and daughter and they were bringing Al Samuels along as well." Valerie grinned at telling him that. He asked why they were going to which she matter of fact way told him, "Raul is dating Avery, his granddaughter. He doesn't know it yet though. Christian wants to meet the young man who endured a beating for his granddaughter's honor. Sheila and Deborah are going as guests of John and I but they are really there as bait to ensnare the lieutenant governor into saying or doing something that would cause him to need to resign. Without him the investigation has nobody to stand in their way of justices for Deborah. Christian and he have been at odds for a while for no good reason, the man needs to go and this is the perfect way to get him to go." The twins led Deborah into the dining room where Valerie and Patrick were talking. Cat snickered and asked, "Is she your girlfriend? Jaimie said you love her." JD grinned and waited for him to answer as Valerie shook her head at the twins' brazenness. They were doing it on purpose. Deborah told them both, "Yes he is my boyfriend and I love him deeply." Cat grinned as she looked up her mother who asked, "How much did she pay you to ask that?" JD told her quickly, "$5 each, $10 if he kissed her." Patrick kissed Deborah to which the twins cheered. Valerie shook her head in astonishment as the twins walked away grinning over the new windfall from their sister. Deborah asked, "Do they always do things like that?" Valerie rolled her eyes and admitted, "They have a nasty habit of knowing what to say at the right moment to provoke you to do something good. It's in their blood, their grandmother's family is sly like that. They weren't entirely alone in this, I think Claire and Jaimie were planning this for a couple of days." Deborah let out a laugh. She turned to Patrick and warmly told him, "Your sister must really love you a lot to do that." Valerie added a swift, "His mother has been dropping hints that she wants him to settle down for a year and a half. Ever since my sister-in-law Karen's wedding he has been getting hints dropped that she wants him to find someone. Well he found you and you are perfect for him. We all saw it and we all agree you two are amazing together." Valerie called the twins over to tell them they were going across the street. Patrick figured out quickly what was happening and whispered, "You are getting another babysitting gig." The twins smiled and told her, "Benny!" which Patrick nodded at. Valerie introduced Deborah to Beth Herman and her five-month-old son Benny. Benny looked Deborah over and begged to be held, signaling that he liked her already. Valerie made small talk with Beth then dropped a quick, "Deborah was studying to be a teacher like you." Beth started to ask her about her studies and was pleased to hear she was studying English in the hopes of being an English teacher. Beth told her about her schooling and being a French teacher. The two talked shop as Benny bounced in Deborah's lap, enjoying the attention of her and grinning to Valerie and the twins to show that he was happy with Deborah's attention. Looking at the time Beth grinned and told Deborah, "Ben will be here shortly, I am sure he will want to meet you as well." Ben came in just after that, kissing Beth and grinning as Benny giggled at him then turned his attention to Deborah again. Ben introduced himself and asked what they were talking about. Deborah shyly asked, "You have a language, a science, and a history teacher, the only thing missing is a math teacher." Valerie grinned and added, "We have one, you mother was one before she became a principal. We also have a health teacher and a contracting teacher." Ben let out a chuckle as Deborah tried to get her head wrapped around that. Beth added in, "We also have five police officers, a deputy sheriff, a state trooper, and three federal agents. We have people from all walks of life, they just happen to have family in common." Ben and Beth both smiled as Deborah started to realize what she had gotten herself into. Ben added, "It sounds like a cult but it's just that the kids got so close to one another and we adults got to know one another and so many of us had no family of our own that we banded together as one. Valerie will tell you that the only people in this entire family who has anything close to a normal life is the Douglas family and even they have their own troubles." Valerie warmly told Deborah, "All of us are close, as the twins told you months ago you are one of us now." Benny hugged Deborah as Valerie said that, trying to make a point for her. She handed him off to Ben who put Benny down for a nap. Deborah thanked them for the pep talk and was met by hugs from both. Patrick in turn got a slap on the back and quick, "Took you long enough" which caused him to blush and ask, "Is there anyone who doesn't know?" Beth thought for a second then told him, "Nigel Jr. and Willie Jr. don't" which got the others to laugh. Chapter 10 Deborah and Patrick drove to Deborah's apartment and were greeted by Sheila's grinning face. She looked at the two holding hands and asked sharply, "Did you two finally see the light and stop dancing around?" Deborah smiled and nodded while Patrick blushed deeply. Sheila let a big sigh and told them, "We were waiting for you two to stop acting like middle school kids and start being mature, thankfully you realized your feelings before we had to take action." The two looked at her and smiled. She hugged them both and told them warmly, "I'd be a bad friend if I didn't want what was best for you and what was best was seeing you two together." Patrick asked if she was looking for someone to which she blushed and admitted, "I'm single and staying single for a while. I might find someone someday but not today. And don't think about setting me up with anyone, I'd like to make my own mistakes regarding men and not cause any trouble for you or David by dating one of your friends only to find something wrong with them." The three talked then ate dinner together. Sheila loved talking about the library and the staff, she had found her home and she was even told that she would be earning more there than she had before at the school's library. Patrick told her about losing his job but wasn't too broken up about it. He then told her that they were going up to Endicott the next day for some an important meeting with some VIPs. Sheila sighed and asked to not go, there were too many bad memories of the place. Deborah looked into her eyes and gave her a pleading look, hoping that she would change her mind. Sheila could see the hurt in her eyes and couldn't back out now, Deborah needed Sheila and she would be a terrible friend to leave her to do this alone. Sheila asked how the two got along with the other Finns which brought a smile to Deborah's face. She told Sheila about Beth and Ben and little Benny then about the twins and their deviousness. Sheila burst into laughter over the kids' actions, telling them, "You know how I always wanted family, it's things like that that drive that desire. Being an only child stinks at times, I'd loved to have had a brother or sister who was like that." Patrick smirked and muttered, "Just wait until they trick you then you won't feel like you missed out on something." Sheila asked he meant to which he told her, "Benny is incredibly cute but smart, he has used his being a baby to his advantage. Cat and JD know exactly how to work around their parents' conversations and spy on them for a price. Nigel Jr. and Willy Jr. can cry on cue and release bodily fluids when they don't get their way. Daisy used to use her cute, pleading look to get whatever she wanted out of you even if mom said she couldn't have it" Deborah was chuckling at the whole speech. Sheila just smiled and told him, "Be that as it may, I just always wanted a brother or sister. Mom was always busy with various charities and dad was always in meetings or away on business." Deborah asked her, "You could always help me babysit to see kids in action. It's not the same but it might make you see things aren't always rosy." Patrick started laughing hard at that. He wisely advised her to reconsider, knowing full well that Daisy was likely to make things tough just to show her how tough things can be. Deborah asked what he meant to which he pointed out, "Daisy will know why she is there and will try to act like a spoiled brat. It'll be a big show, complete with a tantrum, chase through the house at bath time, refusing to do her homework which will already have done, and finally refusing to go to sleep at her normal bedtime. All of which she will do just for fun." Sheila was both shocked and amazed. Deborah asked if she had done it before which Patrick sighed and told her, "She did it for David until he threatened to use his handcuffs on her. She immediately apologized to him and burst into tears, pleading with him not to do it. He caved, only to see her grin and tell him 'guess I went a little overboard.' He never tried to babysit her again, mom wouldn't let him and Daisy refuses to be babysat by him." Sheila firmly believed that she could handle Daisy. Patrick could see the resolve in her eyes and smiled at it. Deborah asked what he was thinking to which he proudly told her, "She's definitely a Peterson. If there's one thing we are known for it's being stubborn and not listening to sound advice. Daisy won't really give her trouble, I just thought she might like to hear a horror story." Deborah had to think then asked, "What did happen that night?" He started to laugh and admitted, "She found some of David's energy drinks and drank two of them. She was highly caffeinated all evening which was why she was all over the place making him miserable. Mom got angry with him for leaving them out and banned him from babysitting her for a year. He still won't watch her unless he has no other choice. Francesca used to watch her but with her new boyfriend she hasn't had the time to do it and the others are just as busy with sports and work and school clubs." He sighed and told Sheila, "The young kids are not typical kids. They know the rules of their parents and don't break them. It's one thing to be their friend, it's another to be their babysitter. It's really boring work." Sheila nodded, but added, "I'd at least like to try." Patrick left with a kiss and hug from Deborah and a snicker from Sheila. Sheila got glares from both but she just smiled and told them, "You just look so cute together." Both kissed again and snickered as she rolled her eyes at their display. The next morning the duo was up early preparing for the trip up to Endicott. Deborah had some doubts about the trip but Sheila kept her focused on the tasks at hand and got her dressed in a simple woolen skirt with leggings and sweater. She herself was dressed similarly, telling Deborah, "This isn't like Salem or Winnisimmet. The people up there are all rich and not afraid to be scathing in regards to wardrobe. The women are the worst offenders, especially women our age." They fixed their makeup and waited for John to come by to pick them up. John was already downstairs talking with Jorge and Victoria as the two appeared, and shook his head at their outfits. He pointedly told them, "It may be Endicott but our host is about as different as you can find up there. You don't have to make yourself look like one of them, he knows exactly who you are and won't accept anything that isn't the real you. I know you are from there but not all of the families are old money snobs." Victoria marched them both upstairs and had them change immediately as John and Jorge looked on in surprise. She just grinned the whole time, finding them the perfect outfits that both suited their personalities and accentuated their beauty. Coming down again Jorge expressed his approval while John simply told them, "Much better." John drove on to his house and was met outside by Alice Rodriguez and her two children and Al. Al immediately hugged Deborah while Alice looked on in surprise. John explained to the three, "The two hit it off the other night, they have some shared experiences that few can understand." Alice asked pointedly, "Is this the big secret Al was telling Stephanie about?" John shook his head, then watched as Al introduced Deborah to Stephanie by telling her, "Remember what we got your uncle Ricardo to do for us? It worked." Stephanie looked at Deborah then squeed loudly, hugging her tightly. Raul was told, "She is Aunt Dorothy's daughter!" Raul needed an explanation. Deborah saw the concern and warmly told him, "Yes I was her son, yes she knows about me, and yes she is fine with me being myself." He was visibly relieved but concerned, unsure as to how to act around her. Deborah pulled him aside and asked him, "Are you alright with Al?" He nodded silently. Deborah then asked, "If you are alright with her then what is the problem?" Raul mumbled softly, "It's not you. I don't want to say the wrong thing in front of Avery." Deborah snickered and hugged him, telling him, "I thought you had a problem with what I am." Raul softly told her, "I don't care about that, you try meeting your girlfriend's grandparents with your mom and sister teasing you all day." Deborah realized the real issue and rectified it, telling him, "Your sister and Al can go with the Finns, your mom and Sheila will go with us." He felt better at hearing that, but still had his concerns. John saw the relief on Raul's face as they walked over to the group. John nodded in approval as he told the girls to go with him and Valerie while Sheila and Alice went in the other car. The girls groaned but Alice could see they were causing Raul's embarrassment so she backed up John on that. In the car driving north Alice asked if they knew what was really going on. Sheila thought it over and despite not being told the full details told them, "It has to do with Deborah and myself. Someone very powerful is going to be there and they are trying to get their target to say or do something about us, getting themselves in trouble." Raul asked what it was all about to which Deborah mournfully told him, "I was outed at school." Raul asked what the big fuss was about, so she was transgender. Deborah grinned at hearing that but told him, "It was really about the best rooms on campus, those given to the Finn Foundation scholars. The girls in my dorm were jealous and got people to look into my past to get dirt to use against me then used it to get rid of me." Alice acidly told her, "That's against the law!" Sheila countered with, "The one who allowed it to happen was the one who was supposed to uphold the law, or rather oversee the people who uphold the law. It was his son's friends who did it for their girlfriends." Alice could see now what was really going on. She pointed out, "If that is the case then there are only a few people who have the power to bring down this person and I think I know exactly who he is. Raul, you are in for a shock but don't be frightened. His bark is worse than his bite. Everyone has to endure this kind of meeting when they are dating someone." This didn't sway Raul's fears. Deborah held his hand to comfort him, calming his nerves and giving him some relief but also bringing up additional fears over what may happen. Alice watched in the rear view mirror as Deborah's subtle gesture changed Raul bringing a smile to her face and confirming that she was beyond a doubt Dorothy's daughter as to her she was acting exactly like Dorothy right down to the unintentional gestures. Sheila, though, had the toughest time in the car. She hadn't returned to Endicott in several years and despite being the owner of her family's home she had never visited it since her parents' deaths. Her eyes were glued to the road, counting down the number of miles until they reached the I95 turnoff towards the old money town. Over in the Finn car Al and Stephanie were chatting away about anything and everything that popped into their minds. John whispered to Valerie, "Are we in for this same experience when Cat gets to that age?" Valerie nodded, adding a quiet, "At least they have to be on their best behavior. Cat will ensure that every ride is interesting in way too many ways." The girls heard the conversation and grinned at them, trying their hardest to come up with something to say but failing to find the right words. Al showed Stephanie something that popped up on her phone and started to laugh as Stephanie looked back to John then at the phone herself laughing hard. Valerie leaned in and snatched the phone, herself laughing as she showed John who started muttering below a whisper at the sight. Al calmly asked him, "Why were you wearing that and why was your hair like that?" John tried to fight the urge to curse at his sisters but told them harshly, "It was either that or wear nothing. I don't think you would have liked to see me standing there in briefs and a white tank top." All three burst into laughter at hearing that, Valerie finally admitted, "I'd have liked that but you have to admit you were pretty cute in those colors." John asked which one of the family texted the picture getting a quick, "Cat" from Al. John shook his heads and called Victoria on the Bluetooth device to, "Thank" her for that humiliation. Victoria burst into laughter as Cat answered and told John, "I didn't do it. JD did it." Al and Stephanie burst into laughter as John tried to fight the urge to yell so Al told her, "He's just mad because he was just talking about you and how you can be a bad girl sometimes." Cat laughed as JD added, "Just sometimes?" The girls went back and forth as John focused on driving, then following Alice's car off the highway onto the secondary roads into Endicott. Cat ended the call by telling her dad, "We love you" which got John to smile. Valerie saw the girls' grins and knew Cat was being sneaky in giving them something to do on the drive so John could drive without them bothering him. John just grinned and told the girls, "You two had your fun, she's a pain at times but she does things for the right reasons." Both shot back, "We know, that's how we know she's your daughter." Over in Alice's car Sheila started to notice the houses that they were driving past. She gripped the dashboard tightly as tension in her started to build up. They turned off the main road onto a smaller side road and Sheila's face started to grow redder. When Alice finally stopped Sheila let out a tear as she knew exactly where they were and who owned the property. Turning to Deborah she admitted, "We need to stop next door. There are some things that I need to pick up." Alice asked what she meant to which she told her, "My family owns the house next door, or rather I do. We aren't just in Endicott, we are at my neighbor's home." She had tears in her eyes as she said this. Deborah got out and walked with her as Alice and Raul followed behind. John parked next to them and followed them, Al quickly noticing they were entering someone's home and finally telling John and Valerie, "Sheila lived here!" The house was still furnished and looked like it was kept in immaculate condition. Sheila softly told them, "I have to pay someone to keep it clean once a month. I haven't had the heart to sell the place yet nor have I set foot in here since the funerals." They walked through the different rooms and stopped at what was clearly Sheila's room. She opened the door and the girls were all smiles as they saw a room that looked much like theirs only twice the size. The walls were pink and white with cream accents. The curtains were a different shade of pink with lace trim. It was a girl's dream. Al was practically drooling over the electronics. Multiple different game systems dating back decades lined one of the walls while several beanbag chairs stood in front of the large TV. Stephanie tried hard to center her and keep her focused, but she was lost in thought as she stared at the games lined up over the consoles. Sheila saw Al's reaction and admitted, "Dad and I would play a lot when he was home. It was just something we bonded over. He hoped to do that with his son but they never had another kid so I was his little buddy when he was home then mommy's little angel when he was away." They walked over to her parents' bedroom and Sheila let out a big sigh as she opened the doors. The room was huge and was decorated in a practical, utilitarian unisex style. Her father's suites and clothes were in one closet while her mother's dresses were in another. She kept well clear of both, instead going over the bed and nightstands. She walked over to her mother's dresser and inspected the jewelry case, opening it up and taking out a few items. She handed Stephanie and Al necklaces, telling them, "As much as I think the neighbors will be fine with you two, I can't say the same for their children. Don't lose these, one look at these and they will think twice about commenting on what you are wearing and where you are from." The girls looked down and saw gold and diamonds inlaid in the small pendants. Sheila added one for herself then had Deborah wear a couple of rings that fit her fingers. The girls were thrilled to wear something so expensive but felt bad that Sheila needed to think that they had to hide where they came from from other people. Valerie tried to assure her that it wasn't necessary but Sheila added, "You may think they are polite and nice but when you turn your back they will stab it without a second thought." Valerie shook her head and bluntly told her, "We could not care any less at what they have to say, you do realize that no matter what they think we aren't just some average family." Sheila tried to say they were but John told her, "Average families don't have almost $400 million in their bank accounts and they certainly don't have the capacity to buy up an entire town without breaking a sweat. They may be 'old money' but I doubt they are as rich as they try to make themselves out to be." Sheila asked solemnly, "Is that true?" John grinned and told her, "I guess Jaimie and Claire never told you that part about me. I may be a teacher but I don't have to be. I got lucky on a lottery ticket six years ago but I shrewdly invested in stocks and bonds and bought into and sold investments to get it to grow. And thanks to trusted family it grew to levels I had never dreamed of." Valerie added, "All of that money and he is still the humble gentleman who wears his heart on his sleeve. You don't have to put up appearances, he already knows the full story about why you are here. He is proud of you for being a human being not some rich brat that you could easily have become." Stephanie and Al reluctantly turned over the jewelry but Deborah was told to keep wearing hers, they were Sheila's own rings not her mother's rings. The group walked outside and Stephanie locked up, giving the place a look over and Valerie putting her arm around her shoulder in assurance. Valerie told her, "Your cousins will want to visit here." Sheila grinned, softly telling her, "Some of mom's things should go to Claire and Daisy, they were grandma's things originally and she would have wanted them to have them. Mom and dad kept all of grandma and grandpa's things, they deserve their fair share." As they walked over they saw that there were more cars at the neighbor's home. Stephanie noticed a couple of state troopers walking the grounds and Al noticed unmarked SUVs right at the door. As they approached a man asked, "Did you go to the wrong house, John?" Turning John grinned and told him, "We had to make a quick visit to Sheila's old house for some grief relief, she needed it before we could come over to your home." Sheila warmly told the man, "Hello Mr. James, nice to see you again." Al and Stephanie looked at one another and said, "How do they know the governor!" Chapter 11 John introduced Al, Raul, and Stephanie to Christian James, Governor of Massachusetts, and friend to the family. Sheila shied away from them, knowing the governor already and not wanting to answer any awkward questions. Deborah stood by her side as she tried to slip away but Valerie pulled them closer, whispering, "He knows everything, so don't worry." The group heard a distinct, "Raul!" shouted as they turned to see a teen girl running towards them. She reached Raul and gave him a big hug then kiss on the lips making him nearly faint in embarrassment and fear. Stephanie and Al were giggling like hyenas as they watched Raul turn to putty in front of the adults as his fear and anxiety gripped him. Christian turned to Raul and asked firmly, "Are you the young man who has stolen my granddaughter's heart?" Raul meekly replied, "Yes sir." Christian chuckled and proudly told him, "It's nice to finally meet you, Avery has told me so much about you. In fact she won't stop talking about you no matter how hard her parents try to get her to stop." Raul blushed as Avery gave him a hard stare. Christian greeted Stephanie and Al next, asking both, "Are you two joined at the hip or do you separate?" Both snickered as Alice replied, "They may as well be, they rarely do anything without each other." The girls gave her a glare but Christian just laughed hard. He asked Al warmly, "How are Richard and Olivia treating you?" Al smiled and happily told him, "Mom and dad are amazing and Rick and Thomas are the best brothers." Stephanie added, "She is being modest, they treat her like a princess." Christian loved seeing the two enjoying bickering, knowing Al's recent history he felt it was the biggest sign that she was fully recovered and thriving in her new environment. John caught his line of thought and whispered, "You know what they say about kindred spirits, those two are meant to be the best of friends. I just hope a boy doesn't get between them when they get older." Christian nodded, adding a warm, "I doubt they could, they are going to fight them off with a stick soon." The group started walking towards the house and stopped as Avery was mobbed by her three older cousins. Raul was soon the center of the three girls' attention as the adults stepped to the side to let him undergo the family's inspection. Christian whispered a proud, "They have been waiting since Christmas to get the chance to see Raul. I don't think they have talked to Avery once without asking when she was going to bring him up here." Isobel, the eldest of the James girls, walked around Raul and grinned. She pointed out, "He's a little bit built but not too overly muscular. Has he been working out?" Avery proudly told her, "He runs with Al's brothers and their cousins. They are trying to get him to join the football team next year." Sela, the middle James girl, looked over his hair and face. She nodded in approval while asking, "Has he been using special soaps? His complexion is flawless." Avery boldly told her, "He stopped using soap and uses body wash now. And before you ask, his mom told me that! He is using the stuff that I gave him for Christmas." Finally Zoe, the youngest James girl, looked at his clothes and shrugged. She pointed out, "He isn't trying to be flashy but he isn't trying to be grungy or goth either. He isn't dressed up but isn't dressed down either." Avery reluctantly told them, "I got him this outfit for Christmas, he was saving it for a special occasion. He normally dresses in simple t-shirts and jeans." The three girls whispered to one another then told Avery, "He's too good for you, we are going to have to find him someone better. I might have someone in mind but she may have an issue going back and forth to Winnisimmet." Raul's and Avery's faces went pale before they saw the three grinning and giggling. Isobel proudly told her, "We were just kidding with you, he's good for you. We were just joking about his looks and wanted to see your reactions. We already told you we liked him on Christmas. Actions speak louder than words and his actions showed he really likes you a lot." Christian asked where their parents were to which they all pointed at the house. The group walked inside as the three sisters started asking Raul all sorts of questions while Avery tried her hardest to keep a straight face. They did like him, he was simply undergoing their further inquiry so they could get to know him better and were treating him like siblings treat new beaus. Inside Paul James and his wife Alexandra greeted John, Valerie, and Alice. Deborah and Sheila stayed out of sight silently waiting for their cue to make an appearance. Both knew this was more about Raul and Avery than anything else at this point, plus Sheila didn't want to endure awkward questions from Paul until she had to. John and Paul separated from the ladies to talk privately. Paul asked what he knew about Christian's family to which John freely admitted, "He hasn't told me anything, he has kept his private life separate from his public life and this is the first time we have met anyone other than your mother." Paul looked over at the girls talking with Raul and warmly told John, "Well then you deserve to know the full truth. Your daughter made an impact on dad. Back then my wife and I had just gotten together as a family. My first wife had died years ago and Alexandra had just moved in next door after her bad divorce, her ex left her to run off with some bimbo that he fell for. Our daughters became close and over time Alexandra and I fell in love. During this same time Zoe came into our life. She was found to be abused by her mother and placed in foster care but her reputation as a bully severely tarnished her so no foster families would take her in. Alexandra and I decided to take her as our daughter and from that we grew closer as a family." John started to see things clearer. He asked, "Let me guess, this was roughly six years ago?" Paul nodded, telling him, "Dad listened to Zoe talk about the horrible conditions in the group home and the families who refused her. He started to work out legislation to make immediate changes but things were slow. It wasn't until your daughter met him that he finally got the needed voice to get him to force the changes and make the bill pass. Zoe started it but Jaimie finished it. Everything else regarding her after didn't matter to him, she was special to him and he has vowed to always help her in any way possible." John smiled at that, he had always thought it was a done by the legislature not Christian himself. Paul added, "He felt for Jaimie and investigating into your family he saw a group of people who were overcoming hardships. He loved seeing your family grow over the past five years, with so many being helped by you. He didn't get involved because he didn't need to, you were doing fine on your own and when he did get involved you had done everything ahead of time so he just added to things." Looking at Avery's smiling face, Paul himself felt happy. John asked, "Has she ever been that happy?" Paul shook his head, explaining, "Her mother tried to be on her own and get away from the family's cycle of politics and law. Her parents work hard and she enjoys your city but she and my sister had to always cover her tracks whenever she visited here because she didn't want people to use her family to get favors from dad. Raul has changed her pessimism and she is beaming with pride. She is proud of her family but even prouder of what she is and knowing that she has a boyfriend who likes her for who she is and not where she comes from. He broke her shell and let the young woman blossom." Paul stared hard at Raul and asked solemnly, "Did he do what the girls said he did. Did he throw away years of friendship for his sister and her friend?" John pointed at Al and Stephanie playing around with the girls and proudly told him, "He did exactly what Avery told you that he did, only they left out that the boys could easily have permanently hurt his former friends if they hadn't held back for fear of them being arrested. They weren't too keen on people ganging up on a defenseless person, especially one who is defending the honor of their cousin and sister." Paul smiled at hearing that, then grew solemn as he asked, "Was she really forced to become a young lady because of an accident?" John sighed and explained, "She was. She was told what happened and what her options were and she chose for herself what would be done. She is blessed with a naturally feminine body so she will become a beautiful young woman when her hormones start to work on her fully, but she never wanted any of what happened to happen in the first place. The real only positive to come from her transformation was that she found out more about herself than she had ever thought possible and after a hard look at her life and her feelings she is a normal girl with normal 12-year-old likes and dislikes and a new friend for life." Alexandra came over and asked John pointedly, "Does she know about your daughter and others in your family?" John grinned and explained, "She met them all and she knows about their own histories and is happy to be herself even if she is never going to truly be like her other girls. She is happy to do without the monthly inconveniences; she just wants to be Al." Alexandra smiled and told him, "That's good. She is turning out to be a great person all on her own. Avery speaks highly of her playfulness and loves helping her be girly." John grinned and pointed out, "She is seeing Avery as a cousin more than anything, the two are acting more like Avery the more they spend time with her." Alexandra grinned and asked, "Is that a bad thing?" John chuckled and pointed out, "Given that she could act like my younger daughter I'd gladly take her acting like Avery over acting like Cat!" Valerie and Alice came over and both admitted, "So do we, the last thing this world needs is another Cat." Alexandra and Paul finally spotted Sheila and Deborah standing off to the side talking to one another. Both made their way over with John and Valerie in tow. Sheila caught sight of them and whispered, "Here it comes" to Deborah. Alexandra offered Sheila a hug and warm welcome. Sheila meekly replied, "Hello" while trying to avert her eyes. Paul asked her pointedly, "Where have you been the last few years? We had been hoping you would come by once and a while." Sheila steeled herself then told them, "I finished my degree. Until recently I was employed in the school library and had an apartment in the city and didn't think it was wise to have to commute daily to and from Endicott. You know that I never liked living up here and there are too many memories to stay in the house. It was easier to just stay away and try to forget the bad memories up here." Both asked, "What do you mean until recently?" Valerie indicated that they should be told the whole story. Sheila drew a breath and told them, "I was fired for standing by Deborah against a bunch of whining bigots in the school. She was outed as transgender by someone which caused a big issue with the students. A couple of them told my landlord about Deborah and he evicted us then tried to burn down the house before we could fully move out. If it wasn't for my cousins and all their other cousins we would have died in the fire. Thankfully, they prevented the fire from happening." Christian was listening to the story and calmly asked, "Who are your cousins? I don't recall your father having family nearby." Sheila told him meekly, "Patrick, David, Claire, and Daisy Peterson." Christian grinned and asked Valerie, "Were you aware of your sister's other family?" Valerie shook her head, telling him, "Lilly was aware that Jerry had a younger sister but never met her or her husband. She would never have allowed Sheila to be all alone like that if she had known." Sheila added, "Dad and Uncle Jerry didn't fall out or anything, dad was just so busy that he never got around to talking with his brother-in-law. Dad never knew that Uncle Jerry had died." Paul sighed and admitted, "Your dad and I were friends for years and even I didn't know about your aunt and uncle. He wanted Jerry to have his privacy and would have had his wife look in on you to ensure that you were doing well. We will visit the city next weekend if it's possible, we have to meet them." John told them, "It's the earliest possible time to meet them, they are going to England February vacation to visit my sister's family." Alexandra asked about John's sister Karen's family, adding that Avery had told them about them. John proudly told them, "She married an honest to goodness English lord. His family owns a large estate in Lincolnshire and has lived on the estate for centuries. Her sons and daughters are all lords and ladies with my nephews all having or in line to receive their own titles." Christian giggled at the look on Alexandra's face, a mix of astonishment and disbelief. Paul wisely told her, "John is telling the truth. Dad told me he was going to invite an English lord and lady to our annual 4th of July cookout." John added, "It's a little odd to think that someone from Winnisimmet would be married to a noble but it happened. She was as surprised as we were but the family is accepting of us Yanks when the family paid them visits." Christian looked at the time and announced, "The theatrics should begin shortly. Deborah, know that you are my guest and I don't give a damn what the piece of garbage has to say about you being here. You are not leaving just because they don't like who you are nor will you be abused in any way. I don't care who he is, nobody will disrespect you in my home." Paul asked what was going on to which Christian told him, "This young woman, Sheila's friend and the daughter of a highly respected school principal as well as a member of the Finn Family, was brutally assaulted last week. She was assaulted thanks to information leaked by the head of public safety at the university. His son allowed and encouraged the men who assaulted her to do it. Our guest is protecting many of the people responsible for the troubles at the school." Paul thought for a minute then it hit him hard. He asked sharply, "She wasn't born a she was she. That's why the information was secured. Those bastards allowed a hate crime and the piece of garbage was covering it up!" Christian told him even sharper, "And he is gleefully hiding behind our guest, expecting him to bail him out. In fact he is coming along with our guest." Paul was trying his hardest to keep from hurting the man, Christian turned to John who saw Paul's anger and proudly told Christian, "Politics be damned, you raised him well." Christian shook his head and freely admitted, "He makes his mind up on his own, I only told him treat people with respect and they will treat you the same way. I can't make up his mind for him, but I could plant the ideas of what is right and wrong. What he does with that idea is entirely up to him." Paul calmed down quickly as he saw the others getting concerned over his outburst. Christian warmly explained to him, "I expected nothing less from you, son, that's why I told you. The girls needed to see their father get upset over this and see how people need to be treated." All six girls were grinning at Paul making him calm down even more. Isobel whispered to the others, "Dad is about to make someone regret hurting Deborah." Avery grinned then admitted, "If he didn't then grandpa would." Al added, "Uncle John looks more than happy to let the two of them handle this, I think he already tore apart a bunch of people at the school already." The girls asked, "Why did you call him 'Uncle John', we thought you weren't his niece?" Al grinned and told them proudly, "My brother told me that the girls started calling him uncle after he treated them like his own nieces at sleepovers and the name stuck. The boys liked the idea and kept it up so now all of the kids call the parents in the family uncle or aunt even if we aren't related. I like calling him uncle, he's the first uncle I had and he treats us younger kids like royalty. Except Cat, she gets treated like the class clown. Then again she earns the title." The girls asked if Stephanie and Avery were going to do the same but both tried to say no to which Al told them, "Try as you might, you got sucked into the family. It's only a matter of time before the two of you start doing the same." The three James girls giggled at that but admitted, "Grandpa likes him a lot and said you are more of a family than any other he has ever seen." Al added, "The kids told me there's more to being family than being related, we adopted kids learn that quickly." Chapter 12 The doorbell rang and the group went to the dining room to await the entrance of their other guests. The state troopers assigned to the governor's detail whispered something into Christian's ear to which he nodded then whispered to John, "Kennedy is just behind them." John nodded, then looked over at Valerie with a sly grin. That wasn't expected but Christian was a suave leader and didn't show all of his cards yet just in case plans changed at the last minute. Christian welcomed the group inside, moving them along and barely giving them time to shake his hand let alone mingle with him. Kennedy slipped in behind them, she didn't need any formal greeting as she had only planned on being there for the confrontation. Christian still shook her hand and smiled, letting her know all was ready for the inevitable. The group was led into the dining room without any small talk despite the guests attempting to corner Christian. His swift maneuvering prevented anyone from getting too close as he had at least one of the kids and adults take a few seconds of his time before moving in. Sheila could see Christian trying hard not to burst into laughter as he was maneuvering around avoiding talking to anyone. It was fun to him. The girls, especially Stephanie and Al, enjoyed seeing the faces of the other guests grow frustrated that Christian wasn't allowing them to talk. They especially enjoyed having the men pull back as Christian introduced each of them, with Al giving them the biggest and brightest smile as she inwardly thought, "These guys are slimier than a slug and as clueless as they come." The meal went smoothly as there was little talk, the food only being a simple meal meant to just tide people over until their real meals later on. Deborah was glanced at multiple times and at least one of the guests recognized her and was not happy to see her there. Christian knew that they were going to have words with him about Deborah being there and he awaited them eagerly, politics be damned it was his home and nobody insults his guests. By dessert the looks were hard to miss, especially as Deborah explained to Al what they were eating as she had never eaten some of the foods before. Al noticed the dirty looks and fought the urge to stick out her tongue and say something nasty with Deborah quietly whispering, "Don't give them anything to use against you." Al reluctantly ignored them which only caused the guests to grow more upset. Once the meal was finally over and the girls were excused as the fun was set to begin. Upstairs in the girls' bedrooms Al vented her frustration much to the delight and amusement of the trio. Stephanie giggled as the girls were rolling around laughing, she had to explain to them, "You won't believe how hard she was holding back saying something nasty to them!" Isobel asked her warmly, "Do you always act like that, venting I mean?" Al grinned and told her, "There are just some things I have a hard time letting go of from when I was a boy. I've always had a short fuse and a bad temper. Girls can act like this, right?" She had a pleading look in her eyes, she was genuinely unsure. Sela sat her down and explained to her pointedly, "Girls can do that and more, especially when you are more than justified in doing so." Zoe added, "It's the lack of self-control that usually separates us girls from boys. You had more there than any of us, we would have exploded before dessert." Raul knocked and told them, "Your grandfather is about to start the show." He quickly rushed off so he wouldn't get in trouble for being in a girl's bedroom getting giggles from the six girls. Avery quietly told her cousins, "See how much of a gentleman he is? Most boys would kill to get a chance to be alone in a bedroom with six girls and he just rushes away from us." This set the three off laughing as Al and Stephanie looked puzzled until Al finally realized what she meant then whispered, " having sex" getting Stephanie snickering. Downstairs Raul rejoined the fray. John joked to Valerie, "He ran back here quick, guess he's smarter than we give him credit for." Paul shot back, "He's not stupid, would you want your teenage son alone with a group of teenage girls and no parental supervision?" John blushed immediately at his faux pas as Alexandra gave them a sly grin at the whole exchange. Christian waited for the girls to come back and ended his little conversation with Deborah and Sheila. Little was actually being said, the two were all too eager to let him talk with them and make it look like they were discussing important things. All they really talked about was his wife's visit to a friend's home with Avery's parents that day, the little gathering was too quick to allow them to cancel so she couldn't be there and couldn't meet Raul yet. When he finally broke off the conversation it took only a few seconds before the first of the slimeballs to come to him. He pulled Christian aside and asked if he was aware of the background of the young woman attending the meal. Christian played dumb and asked, "What do you mean? Do you mean the one with the long dirty blonde hair and glasses? She's a longtime friend of my family and also my next door neighbor. We've known her since she was an infant." The man thought there was a little something off about his reply but he continued on, "I mean the other woman there. She isn't a woman, she's one of those tranny freaks. Do you really want one of those things in your house? What if the press found out? What would they say about the governor cavorting with one of those things? Your reputation will be in ruins." Christian grinned and shot back, "I know exactly who she is, Yancy. In fact I know her mother fairly well. She's a lovely young woman who is an excellent scholar who earned one of the highly coveted Finn Foundation scholarship. In fact, she was until recently a student at your university." The color from the man's face drained away as he stepped back from Christian. He was caught and he knew he was in deep trouble. Christian let him wiggle away as the next guy approached. He would be tougher, he was the lieutenant governor and someone connected to multiple powerful people. Normally he might be a threat, except he was in Christian's home with Kennedy and her colleagues nearby unseen by Yancy Quill and the others. The man wasted no time and asked Christian point blank, "Are you trying to kill your political career? You have a tranny freaks in your house and eating lunch with children! Do you seriously expect this to be kept under wraps? You can kiss any legislation goodbye! And don' think for a second I won't use this against you, I already have this documented and my people are just waiting to leak it to the press." Christian drew a deep breath and asked, "How do you know that? Where could you have possibly found out that information? Something like that is kept sealed up and unless it was disclosed by the person it should never be released. Doing so is a violation of multiple laws, especially when it is used to harm someone like you are trying to do." The man grinned and admitted, "My brother Yancy got it. The freak pissed off his future daughter-in-law so he dug into what made her so special. She's got a load of things going against her- declared to be mentally incompetent by a doctor, removed from her parents' custody as a baby because her father was a tranny freak- just like him. Hell that thing even somehow got those idiots at the Finn Foundation to feel sorry for it. He didn't deserve that money, it should have gone to one of those fine students- like Yancy's future daughter-in-law!" Christian grinned then pointed at Kennedy. He asked, "Did you hear that Kennedy, that sounded like a threat to disclose protected private information about someone for political gain. And he stated that he had obtained that information illegally and in his threats used multiple uses of hate speech." The man turned to Christian and told him bluntly, "Do you think you scare me? I'll leak it all! I'll ruin you!" Kennedy grinned then told him, "You are hereby under arrest for extortion and illegal possession of stolen data and disclosure of private information." The state troopers with her placed him under arrest while Christian told him sharply, "Nothing will save you now. We have taken preemptive action and gotten all six news outlets and the major newspapers to agree to kill any attempt by you to leak this information to the press. And by your own words you guaranteed your brother is not only out of a job but joining you in jail for his illegal actions. Yancy was already facing an investigation, you just ensured that he is facing prison time." Christian just grinned as the man was hauled away. His press secretary was awaiting Christian's word and sent a press release to the media. The governor grinned as within minutes the headlines stated, "Lieutenant governor attempts to extort governor by releasing private information about transgender student." The backlash as immediate, Christian simply told the outlets, "The young woman is the daughter of a dear friend and a model student who has been the victim of a systematic breach of her privacy by people who are supposed to protect the safety of students. The whole reason for the breach was pure jealousy by students over the young lady having been given a dorm room specially renovated for recipients of a highly coveted scholarship. She had done absolutely nothing wrong to deserve her private history released and has paid a heavy price for it to which the school will have to answer. Those responsible will be removed and those students responsible will be expelled. She asks that people give her peace and I stand by her request to do just that." Deborah was never named and nobody except the small number of people knew what provoked the extortion. Christian ended up getting even more popular among voters as his defense of someone who was being victimized by powerful people changed many minds about him. He accepted whatever happened in stride, what mattered to him was that Deborah had enabled the removal of multiple people from the school destroying the hold that the lieutenant governor had and letting it sway back to the hands of people with the interest of the school and students at heart not their political ambitions. An hour after the arrest the group drove back to Winnisimmet. Deborah was relieved to finally be back home while Sheila was relieved to have put some ghosts to rest. Patrick came by to ask about their day which led to him blanching as Sheila told him that he was being requested up in Endicott for a small get-together soon with er former neighbors- the governor and his family. Claire and Daisy came back soon after to spend some time with Deborah and Sheila. Both immediately asked about the trip, especially the arrest. Deborah reluctantly told them, "It was just a case of someone thinking they were bigger than they were and had more power than they actually had." Daisy grinned and asked, "Like Patrick when he babysits me" getting them all laughing as he tried to come up with the right words to counter her joke. Claire asked about the others at the meal. Sheila admitted to them, "My godfather, his wife, and their daughters were there." Deborah had to explain, "Her father and Governor James' son were best friends, and were even closer than your dad and her dad." Claire immediately understood and asked her to continue. Sheila drew a deep breath then told her, "The three girls are amazing. Al said they are like Jaimie, Miles, and Michael where one is the daughter of my godfather, one is adopted by both, and one is the daughter of their mother. I know Jaimie was adopted by her mom just after she was adopted by her dad but it's still sort of the same situation if you think about it." Claire grinned and nodded, Daisy was taking a bit of time to process it but finally understood and blurted out, "That's why the governor likes Jaimie so much!" Both Sheila and Deborah said, "Exactly." Sheila added, "Your uncle and my godfather talked quite a bit about that connection, and what brought them together was seeing someone who wasn't as fortunate as Zoe, although Jaimie did end up being in a loving home with more annoying cousins than she could have dreamed of." This set both girls off laughing as Patrick shook his head. Deborah snuggled close to him and assured him, "Some are cuter than others" which got Daisy to quickly say, "I know, I can't help being this cute." Sheila was now snickering hard as Claire tried to give her a funny comeback but gave up as Deborah's cuddling caused her to focus on the smirk on Patrick's face. Daisy finally asked, "Are we really going up there?" Sheila reluctantly told her, "Yes, we are invited up there. If it makes you feel better I have some things inside my house that rightfully should go to you two." Daisy asked what she meant to which Claire countered, "You are the eldest granddaughter, you should get the jewelry not us." Patrick tried to tell them, "Just take the gift" but Sheila told them, "It was supposed to be split up among the girls in the family but mom didn't know about you two so she never made arrangements to give you your share. All three of us should get them, and before you complain- yes, Daisy, you deserve a share because Uncle Jerry would have loved you as his own daughter even though you were born after he died. He would have loved you as much as he loved Claire."