A painful truth has to be revealed.
A short story for the February Music Motif Challenge.

I took a deep breath and steeled myself before opening the door to our apartment. This was the hardest thing I had ever had to do. I opened the door and entered. Seated on the couch was my love reading a magazine. Her short blond hair and blue eyes still took my breath away. She look up at me and noted the stress on my face.

“Sharon, what's wrong?”

“Ann, I've got to tell you something that I know will hurt you. That's the last thing I want to do but I need to do it now. To delay will only increase the pain.”

She started to stand up and come over to me.

“Please stay there. If you hug me, I'll never be able to get this out. I love you more than anyone in my life. More than I thought possible. But I'm not the person you think I am. I've always felt wrong in my body. I've always felt I should have been a man”

Ann looked surprised and started to speak but I continued.

“There's more. I never thought I could love someone like you. We have so much in common but I don't know if it can work long term. I've always been attracted to men not women. I didn't think I could ever fall in love with a woman.”

She look at me with tears in her eyes but I needed to finish this.

“I'm going to start on male hormones and begin to transition to being male. I know this will probably end our relationship, but I need to do this. I thought I could bury my feelings but I can't. I'm so sorry.”

Ann got off the couch and came over to where I was standing crying and shaking. She hugged and kissed me and said.

“You were right when you said we had so much in common. I have felt the same way and was working up the courage to tell you the same thing you just told me.”

I couldn't believe it. A wave of relief washed through me. We hugged and kissed laughing and crying and dancing around. We were both out of breath but calming down when she said between gasps.

“This … could … work.”

Which of course set us off all over again. We finally collapsed together on the couch looking fondly at each other.

“I know now what our special song has to be” I said and started singing. She picked up and sang along within half a bar.

Picture you upon my knee
Just T for two
And two for T
Just me for you
And you for me...alone.

We'll raise a family
A boy for you
And a girl for me
Can't you see how happy we would be...

We cuddled there wrapped in each others arms and I knew that whatever trials lay ahead we would face them together. And I would always have someone to watch over me. But that is another story.