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Image Credits: Title Picture purchased and licensed for publishing from 123rf.com. The model(s) in this image is in / and are no way connected with this story nor supports nor conveys the issues and situations brought up within the story. The model(s) use is solely used for the representation of looks of the main character(s) of this particular story. ~Sephrena

Divider licensed for use in publishing from Photoshopgraphics.com ~Sephrena.

Author's Note: Remember way back when I said this would be the last chapter? Well, it isn't! It was going to be, but I somehow found more of it within me. So stick with me and more will be coming. ~Kayla.

Legalities: Archiving and reposting of this story *unchanged* is permitted provided that: 1) You must have contacted the author, Kayla, and have asked permission first and received said permission to host this particular work. 2) No fee be charged, either directly or indirectly (this includes so-called "adult checks") or any form of barter or monetary transfers in order to access viewing this work *and* (3) PROVIDED that this disclaimer, all author notes, legalities and attribution to the original author are contained unchanged within the work. 4) The author of this work, Kayla, must be provided free account access at all times the work is hosted in order to modify or remove this work at her sole discretion.

The characters, situations, and places within this work are fictional. Any resemblance between actual people (living or dead), places, or situations is entirely coincidental.

This work is the copyrighted material of the respective author. ~Kayla.

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Chapter 7
 
The knot in Kelly’s throat felt as if it was about to choke her as she looked into Tommy’s eyes.

Everything she feared was coming to pass - he hated her! She knew he hated her... and she would never be able to face him again.

“Y…yo..you knew”? Kelly asked, on the verge of crying.

“I’ve been thinking about you ever since I first met you…” he paused. “There’s no way you’re a natural blond.” Tommy smirked a little at the discombobulated look on Kelly’s face.

“Wh…what?” she stammered out.

“Your face is more suited for brown hair. Kell, as much as I like girls with cute short hair, I think an almost buzz cut is just a little too much.”

Tommy's smug smile was finally getting to her. She could feel herself getting red-faced.

“You…. You butthole! How long have you known about me?” Kelly exclaimed.

Tommy pulled one of his pillows in front of him. “Hey! I’ve only known about the "you being Randy thing" since the other night, you know, when I took a bullet for you? But the hair, I’ve been wondering about that for a while now.”

Tommy's voice had become more gentle and caring. Kelly slumped down into a nearby chair. She suddenly felt as if a ton of weight had fallen off of her shoulders. The relief was intense, as was the shock and realization that Tommy did know about her. What was he thinking? What would he do? What was going to happen now?

“You…*sniff* mean y-you're not upset about me... lying... to you?” she asked.

A tear trickled from her eye and slowly meandered its way down her cheek. Tommy reached out with his hand and let his finger catch the tear before it went below her cheek. Kelly watched as Tommy brought the tear to his lips and gently kissed it. Kelly, trying to stifle her crying, was even more stunned when Tommy's hand gripped her arm and he motioned for her to lean over towards him. Kelly felt herself embraced with his arms: a warm, loving and caring embrace. It felt like home.

Kelly had to suddenly catch herself to keep from falling down onto Tommy. Her mind was awhirl with emotion.

Tommy whispered into her ear as he held her, “Kelly, I was confused at first. I was even angry. But after a long talk with your mom and mine, they told me about your sister and everything you’ve been through. And while we were talking, I realized something…”
 
 
The Day Before...
 
Sam walked into Tommy’s room and made her way over to the bed where her son lay sleeping. She sat down in the chair beside his bed and just listened to him breath. She smiled, knowing that he was going to be fine.

Awhile later someone opened the door to their room. She looked up to see Trudy as she walked in.

“Is she awake yet?”? Sam asked.

“No, not yet. But the doctors say she could wake up at any time.” Trudy sighed. “I’m still worried though.”

“Well, she’ll be fine. With everything that has happened and then you seeing her, it was probably just to much to process at the time.” Sam explained as Trudy leaned against the wall.

“I know. But like I said I’m worried, I think she should have woken up by now.” Trudy was vacantly staring out the window across the parking lot.

Sam was about to ask something else when she heard, “Mom is that you?”

Both She and Trudy turned to see Tommy, who was awake and opening his eyes.

“Oh, sweetie your awake!” Sam almost yelled. She had to restrain her self to keep from jerking him up into a tight hug.

Tommy started to try and prop himself up into a sitting position.

“Sweetie no!! You’ll open your wound again!” Sam said as she put her hand on his.

Tommy grimaced and pushed her hand away and winced as he slowly moved himself into a sitting position.

“Here let me help you,” Trudy offered as she pushed a button on the side of the bed, making the upper torso portion of it rise slowly into a more sitting like position. Tommy, seeing that the bed doing what he wanted, gave up and lay back down as he was lifted into a half sitting position.

“Are you ok Sweetie?” Sam asked as she fluffed an extra pillow behind his head.

“Yeah mom,” he winced while placing his hand on his side. “It really hurts.”

Sam looked at Tommy’s face and noticed that he had this strange look about him - as if he was in deep thought.

“Mom is it true?”

Sam knew what he was talking about, there would be no avoiding it. She took a deep breath.

Tommy saw her slowly nod. Anger gripped him.

Sam saw the dark look on Tommy’s face.

“Stupid!” he said as he closed his eyes and shook. “I’m so STUPID!!” he yelled.

“Sweetie your …”

“NO!! I cant believe I didn’t notice it before! She, He... I … I cant believe I made out with a boy!!! Oh my God!!! I mean, I cant believe I was in love… with… wi… with a freak!!!” Tommy angrily spat. His tirade was cut short as he grimaced in pain clutching his wounded chest and lay back crying.

Sam felt as if an ice cold dagger had pierced her heart!!!

(SMACK!!!)

The slap echoed through out the entire room.

Trudy stood there stunned.

Sam was breathing heavily.

“Now you listen to ME! If Kelly’s a freak.. THEN WHAT THE HELL AM I?” she yelled. “What - the - hell - am - I??!”

Sam stared intensely at Tommy with tears in her eyes.

“Mom! I-I didn’t mean it like that...” Tommy said as he rubbed his cheek.

“Then just how did you mean it?” she sniffed.

“I don’t know!” Tommy began sobbing. “I just feel like my heart’s been ripped from my chest! I mean I loved her... and she lied to me... and I... I...”

Sam wrapped him in a gentle hug being careful not to hurt him anymore.

“Sweetie its okay.”

Sam just held her child to her as she let Tommy cry his frustration out.

“You just found out something about someone you love, and it was a big shock. But rest assured, if you listen to your heart, everything will be alright.”

Sam started dabbing at his tears as Tommy looked up at her.

“Sweetie I know it’s hard to learn something like this now, but you also have to think about Kelly. You don’t know all that she’s been through, and what she done and wanted either. And I know that you still love her. And she loves you more then anything in this world. I have seen it for myself and heard it from her straight. She told me before you two got serious and she was really miserable too trying to figure out what to do. But son, when it came right down to it, you helped her when she really needed it.”

“Tommy?” he heard a woman speak. He looked over to see a woman dressed like a nurse standing over on the other side of his bed. He realized she was the one who had raised his bed up. She now sat down beside them on the bed.

“My name is Trudy Bishop. I’m Ra… I mean Kelly’s mother.”

“I know what your going through right now. I was just as shocked as you are now when my daughter Katie told me about Randy. I wanted to confront him then, but she convinced me to wait until Kelly was ready.
It was because I listened that I was able to come to terms with her and accept her. So please, Tommy, let me tell you a little about my daughter.”
 
 
Trudy spent the next several minutes telling Tommy about everything that Kelly had been through.

Afterwards, Sam decided to be honest with Trudy and they revealed who Sam really was and they all talked for the better part of the afternoon.
 

 
After a while, Tommy asked if he could go see her. Trudy and Sam both felt that was impossible knowing the shape he was in, but asked for his doctor to come in anyways and see. The doctor was called in and he looked over Tommy. He confirmed their suspicions that he couldn’t be moved from the bed for at least a couple of weeks.

The doctor said, “Well as far as I can tell, there’s no real damage other then soft tissue that seems to be healing nicely. And if it keeps up, your son should be able to go home in as little as three weeks.”

“Oh that’s great three weeks in here and I‘ll lose my mind.” Tommy said. The doctor laughed at that and left.

Sam gave him another hug and both her and Trudy left to so that Tommy could get some rest.
 
 
Alone, hurt, and depressed, Tommy lay there thinking. He knew that he had plenty of time to think. He was going to be laid up in this room for a long time. He then began to think of everything that’s happened in his life.

He thought of the past couple of years since his mom had died and his dad took over the role. He was seven when she died. He still remembers her and how happy he was back then.

Then he thought of all the pain and sadness since her death. Of how he always felt as if he was in a dark tunnel and he was alone.

Even though he still had his dad, even with all the changes, and he had taken on the role of mom, Tommy still felt terribly alone.

Then Kelly's face.

That shy nervous look she always had. Scared, but determined. She really didn't want to start the relationship they both had. Tommy just now realized it. It was he that had started the pursuit! Why?

She was always willing to give him the chance, had a forgiving heart, and tried to be positively upbeat. She was doing that while hiding her secret. That took a lot of effort to do what Kelly had done. And she had done it for him.

Then Randy's face. The short brown haired boy always acting tough in school. Always trying to pick on him, but not in a too mean way. “Come to think of it,” Tommy mused, “It seemed to me I was the only one he did pick on.”

Why?

The images of both Randy and Kelly's face seemed to blur and meld in his mind as he compared the two images of the same person.

Finally, Tommy saw a light at the end of that tunnel of his grief. It took on the form of a cute shy blonde girl.

Kelly.

Someone who had filled the hole he had in his heart and life. Someone who had awoken him to a greater joy and had given him purpose. Tommy's life had a meaning and he had felt great! He had someone who understood him, wanted to be with him, and took an interest in everything he did. And he found he cared about her as being the most precious thing in his life.

Why?

Then he thought of his dad becoming his mom.

She was still the same person and had the same happy go lucky attitude and everything, but he was just in a different package.

Although Tommy had resented it at first, eventually he realized the sacrifice his father had made and he came to accept and respect his dad as he is now. His father did change some to accept their situation and slowly evolved into the mom he knew her as now.

“So why is Kelly any different?” he thought out loud. Kelly was still Kelly even when being Randy. Kelly was so nervous about liking Tommy that he chose to pick on him to hide it. Tommy reasoned that Randy was never even really Randy at all. Randy was a front Kelly was using the entire time to hide behind. Kelly was the true person within.

Just a different package.

One she was trying to bring out.

Then it hit him.

“I love her,” he said.

He looked out the large window in his room and stared at the people coming and going to the hospital out in the parking lot.
 
 
Back to the Present...
 
“So you see? You and my mom aren’t really different, and I knew if I didn’t give you a chance, then I would be letting not only my mom down, but myself as well. It's because you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Kelly's eyes widened.

Tommy paused and smiled. “But I also realized something.”

“I’m in love with you. And it doesn’t matter who or what you are or were, you're still my girl and you’ll always be…”

He was going to say more but was abruptly cut off when Kelly suddenly gave him a big hug.

“Kelly.. Kelly *ouch!* you're pulling on stuff! It hurts.” Tommy squeaked.

“Oh crap! I’m so sorry.” she said as she sat up. They both stared into each other's eyes.

“It’s okay,” Tommy said.

“Well, I think I’m going to leave you two be for now. Kelly, I want you to be very careful with Tommy.” Kelly’s mom said as she eased out the door.
 
 
Right as Trudy turned around she almost ran into someone.

“Oh Doctor Larson. How are you?” she stammered.

The tall blond doctor smiled and looked at her.

“I’m doing fine. How’s your child?” he asked.

He wasn’t sure what Randy preferred to be called, so he didn’t want to offend her by asking her how her son was.

“Kelly’s doing fine now and so is Tommy.” she smiled.

“Oh, so it’s Kelly is it?” he smiled.

“Yes that’s what she likes to be called, it’s also what I would have named her had she been born a girl, so it fits perfectly.”

“Well I think it’s a very pretty name.” Doc Larson smiled. “But I did want to talk to you about something.”

“Oh... you mean what you asked me before everything happened?” she asked.

“Well yes about that, if it’s not a good time…”

“Doctor I would love to go out with you,” she stated. “After all that’s happened I could really use a night out.”

“Great! Then I’ll get back with you,” he said as his pager went off. After glancing at it, he said, “I have to run but I’ll see you later.”

He took off down the hall.
 

 
Later, Trudy was walking down the hall when she came across Bobby and Sam holding hands.

“Trudy, how are the kids?” Sam asked.

“I think they're going to be fine, but I’m really worried about how things will be when they get out.”

“Haven't you told Kelly the news?”

“No. I don't have the heart to yet. I'd rather they get settled with their revelations about each other before they find out about that.” Trudy said.

As it turned out, one of the guests at the club who witnessed what had happened was a student at Kelly’s school and knew both Randy and Tommy. The only one who had been recognized so far was Tommy.
 
 
The next day, through the miracle that is Facebook, My Space, Twitter etc., just about everybody in town knew about what had happened. There had been the cell phone photos and videos that had been taken by the many people who were there, some even had pictures of Kelly crying, and Tommy being loaded onto the ambulance.

And after that, a local tabloid published an article that had on their front page telling of a young transvestite and her lover attacked in an alley - Hate crime or an Ex’s jealous rage? Names were withheld and the faces on the pictures had been blurred out of course. But still, the damage was done. Tommy was connected with the incident.

“I’ve been trying to call the tabloid, but every time I call, they hang up on me when I tell them my name.” Sam sighed.

“Yeah me too,” Trudy said.

“And don’t even get me started on Facebook” Sam said. “I’ve been getting all kinds of messages on Facebook from all over the place, most of its good but a lot of it is not. I don’t even know how people found my page.”

“Me to. As far as them finding us, it’s the Internet, you can find anything there.” Trudy frowned as she looked back towards the kid's room.

“So what are we going to do?” Bobby asked.

“I don’t know.” Sam said.

“Well lets go and see how the kids are doing” Sam said.

“The two of you have fun. I’ve got to get back to work.” Trudy said as she walked off.

They waved goodbye to Trudy.
 
 
Sam and Bobby walked in and watched as the kids snuggled on the bed, Kelly had put her wig back on and they seemed quite happy.

“So your mom's not really your mom and you don’t have an aunt that’s like me.” Kelly asked.

“Yeah I hope you don’t hold it against her but my mo...”

“Oh, hey mom!” Tommy loudly said as he nudged Kelly. Kelly slowly sat up when they walked into the room.

“I see you two have made up,” Sam praised as she walked over to the bed.

“Yeah, hey, have you guys got a hold of the newspaper yet?” Tommy asked.

“Newspaper? What newspaper?” Kelly asked, feeling she had been left out on something.

“Here,” Sam offered as she handed Tommy her folded newspaper from her purse.

Tommy unfolded the paper to the front page. There, showing in big print, 'Young transvestite and her lover attacked near a downtown restaurant - hate crime or Ex‘s jealous rage?'

It went on to explain some of the eye witnessed events and even went on to list the names of some of the people involved, except Randy and Tommy.

Tommy exploded. “How the hell can they do this!!! Is this even legal?? I mean don’t they need some type of permission before they can do this?”

Kelly was on the verge of tears. Tommy put down the paper and pulled her close to try to calm her down.

“I don’t know, but once we get a hold of the paper we’ll take care of this!” Bobby determinedly said.

“I know some people who work for the Jackson Press and I’m sure they’ll know who to talk to. And as soon as they get back from their business trip outside the country, I’m sure they’ll help.”
 

 
 
To Be Continued...

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