“And you're worried that you're doing something that may hurt him later?” Shelly asked.

“He's only eleven. He doesn't even know about that yet.” Maggie groaned. “At least I hope he doesn't. I'm not ready for my baby to grow up that soon.”

This is one of the first chapters that will focus on a different character. Namely Maggie, Troy's mother. Troy is shown, but I felt like bringing in Maggie to hear her side of the story.

November 25th 1982
Northern California

Maggie stepped out of her mother-in-laws house and headed back to her own. She wanted to place a call before her boys or husband came over. She needed privacy, even though the call would be about one of them. She was stopped at the front gate as her youngest son came racing out of the house to stop her.

“Mom!” Troy called out, almost tripping on the steps. He managed to find his footing and kept jogging to her. “Mom, can I ask you a question?” He began to bounce in one place, waiting very impatiently.

“Sure kiddo, what's up?” Maggie asked him, trying not to laugh at his excitement.

He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “I...I was wondering.” He looked back at the house and made sure no one was outside. “I was wondering if Tracy could ride down tomorrow? At least until the Town of Tracy?” He did his best puppy dog eye look and waited again.

“I don't see why not. You want to be Tracy while your down there?” She asked.

“Maybe at the Presidio and in San Francisco?” He began to smile.

“But you don't like to leave the house here, why there?” She raised one eyebrow, genuinely curious.

“Because, no one knows Troy there.” He replied.

“What about your Aunt and Uncle?”

His enthusiasm died off a bit. His voice was almost a mumble as he spoke again. “I'll be Troy there.” Then he perked up again. “but when we take off we could stop in Dublin, then I'm Tracy, till we come home.”

“I don't see why not. Your dad will be gone when we leave, so you can shower and leave the house as Tracy.” She said,

“Cool.” He heard the door open and he turned to see his brother looking out at him.

“You took the drying towel.” Vance called to him. “I can't finish without you.”

Troy looked at his hands and saw that his brother was right. Maggie laughed. “You better get back in there and save me a slice of pie, I'll be back in a few minutes.”

“Okay Mom.” Troy hugged her, then ran back for the house.

Maggie continued on to her house. She took a seat in William's chair, which had the phone by it and then dialed Shelly's number. She waited while it rang, twirling the phone cord with one finger.

A happy voice answered the call. “Happy Thanksgiving. Cooper Residence, Shelly speaking.” In the background Maggie could hear talking.

Maggie smiled at that. Her friend was always big into the holidays, even though most of her family were either gone, or on the other side of the country, so she usually had friends over who were in the same boat. “Shelly, this is Maggie.”

“Maggie!” Shelly exclaimed. “It's not bad news is it? I mean you just called yesterday. Not that I object from a call today.”

Maggie almost sighed, but instead she let out a laugh. “Not bad news at all. I just wanted to let you in on a few things.”

“Dare I ask?” The other woman said.

“Look, well...maybe...actually I need some advice on things. It's....It's about Troy.” Shelly could hear the uncertainty in her friends voice.

There was sound of movement, then it went quiet and Shelly spoke again. “There, sorry I got away from the crowd.” She said. “Whats wrong with Troy?”

Maggie sighed. “I don't know how to say this.”

“Start from the beginning. We can work through the issue together.” Shelly replied.

“Okay.” Maggie settled back in the chair. She took a few breaths to both calm the nerves and summon her courage. “I've had suspicions that Troy was wearing my clothes for a while. Back in August, Modine found him in a skirt. Since then we've let him wear girls clothes, but only when he was at Modine's and when Conner wasn’t home.”

“I see.” Shelly said. “Does anyone else know? Like William and Vance?”

“Vance knows. He almost caused some problems a week or so back, but he seems to be getting better.” Maggie said. “William doesn't know yet. Neither does Conner.”

“And you're afraid of what they'll do when they find out?” Shelly asked.

“Well That too. I'm just not sure what to do. Do I let him keep wearing the girls clothes?” Maggie shook her head and sighed again. “We bought him his own girl clothes, stuff that fits him.”

“And you're worried that you're doing something that may hurt him later?” Shelly asked.

“Yeah.” Maggie choked on her reply. She wanted to help her son, but this had been a growing fear. She didn't want him being a mental wreck in the future, something he could blame on her.

“I see. Does he do it because he wants to be a girl? Or does he get some form of enjoyment out of the dresses? Maybe sexual pleasure.”

“He's only eleven. He doesn't even know about that yet.” Maggie groaned. “At least I hope he doesn't. I'm not ready for my baby to grow up that soon.”

“It'll happen soon Maggie, no matter how much you don't want it to happen.” Shelly said. “So has he told you why he does it?”

“He said he does it as a relief. When he's Tracy, he doesn't have the problems that Troy does. There's no Vance, or William or Conner. Just Tracy, Modine and Me.”

“I see. So it's a release, like a role he plays to relax.” Shelly tried to work it out slowly.

“In a sense. But his friend noticed that he's happier as Tracy. I've seen it, so has Modine.” Maggie said. “But he's afraid to go outside, in case people see him.”

“I can understand that. It's a scary world out there.”

“There's more Shelly.” Maggie sat forward, looking at the clock, making sure she hadn't been gone too long. “He wants to go tomorrow as Tracy.”

“So I should expect to see your daughter tomorrow?” Shelly asked. There was no harsh tones in her voice, but a sense of joy.

“I don't know.” Maggie replied. “She wants to leave the house, but she's willing to change into Troy when we get to Tracy...well Tracy the town.”

Shelly gave a slight laugh. “Maggie, what do you think of Tracy? The girl I mean?”

“Well she's well mannered, friendly, fun. She's taken over the cooking here in the house. She's been doing the house work too. She's been a breath of fresh air.” Maggie stated.

“Maggs? You hear what your saying?” Shelly asked. “You've referred to your youngest as a she.”

Maggie leaned forward, shaking her head. “Maybe a part of me enjoys having a daughter. It's the one thing that I've always regretted, no daughters and now I have one.”

“Tell you what. What if you could talk her into being Tracy when she's here? I know Frank won't mind, hell his brother is gay and Tracy isn't the first Transsexual we've met.”

Maggie thought about it for a moment. “Well, I can ask her, but I'm not too sure she'll go for it.”

“Offer it to her, if not we can offer when she's here.” Shelly said. Maggie could hear a light tapping noise over the phone, then a hushed voice, then Shelly spoke up again. “Maggs, I got to let you go, they need me back in the party. But let me stress one thing, okay?”

“Sure.” Maggie replied.

“No matter what, that child is the same one you've raised. Don't start thinking you did something wrong. All the lessons of right and wrong? All the times you've tucked him or her in at night, that is all the same child.” Shelly paused for a minute. “There is nothing wrong or sick about him. He's just different, just like the rest of us. But the best part, is he gets to discover himself or herself and you get to be there with her, or him. Understand?”

“I think so.” Maggie answered.

“Look, I do need to get moving. We can talk more tomorrow when you get here.”

“Okay. Thank you Shelly.”

“You're welcome Maggie and Happy Thanksgiving.” Shelly said.

“You too Shelly. Give my love to Frank.” Maggie said before she hung up the phone. She sat there for a moment, thinking about the possibilities. She stood up, seeing how she had been gone just under eight minutes and she went out the front door. She came to a halt as she saw her husband leaning against the back of her car.

“William.” She was slightly stunned that he was there and now slightly worried. “Everything okay?”

“I came over to get my pennies. Dad wants to play pinochle tonight after we have pie. Not that I'm surprised, it's almost tradition.” He tried to smile. It was the one thing that William, his brother and his father did at each holiday that the family got together. The three of them would sit down for a game of pinochle. They often put money on the game, but only pennies. “I would have come in, but you were on the phone.”

"Why not?" She raised an eyebrow. “You live here too. You've heard me on the phone before.”

He took a deep breath and shook his head. “I never could lie to you, could I?”

“Not really.” She answered with a smile. “So tell me what's going on.”

He gestured to the door. “I heard you through the door.”

Here is another cliff hanger. I didn't want it turning out to be a killer to read. So coming soon, the thrilling conclusion....what will William do???