EPILOGUE
There's not much more to tell. I mean, life went on, but it would be pretty boring to tell. Just the sort of stuff that I guess any teenage girl does.
Doris got into University of Chicago, just like I said she would. Now I'm studying like crazy, so maybe I'll have a chance to get into University of Chicago, too. I'm missing her already. She thinks I'll be okay with Zeke to comfort me and I can't get her to see that I need her, too. The hospital finally settled for enough to put me through any college I want, so at least I don't have to worry about paying for it.
Ursula's family decided to move so she could go somewhere else besides West High. They rented a place in Greenwood's district and rented out their own house and she started there in the fall. I don't know if she ever told anyone but me about what Kevin did to her, but at least she's a lot more cheerful now. She's still together with Dennis, but she also has friends from school. And the art teacher raves about her drawings, she says Ursula has real talent.
Getting my legal name and gender changed is turning out to be more of a problem than I thought. Every couple of weeks, my uncle's lawyer fills us in on the latest stupid excuses the state bureaucrats have found to not recognize that I'm not a boy any more. Teresa already has her license and I still haven't gotten my learner's permit.
I ran into Eric and his mother in the mall that summer. It was kind of awkward. It seems he'd told her that I'd dumped him, so she was mad at me. Also, he hadn't mentioned I was trans. We got all that straightened out, but she looked like he was going to get an earful later on. I sort of felt bad for him, but sort of not. Anyway, I guess that's sort of settled.
It's sad about my family, though. It's more like they're my aunt and uncle and Aunt Edith and Uncle Boris are my real parents. We see each other at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but that's about it. My life has changed in so many ways and they can't relate to the way I am now. And honestly, I can't really relate to the way they are, either.
Actually, I'm having trouble these days even relating to how I used to be. When I think of what happened back when I was Martin, it feels like it happened to somebody else.
I talked about that with Dr. Gordon in one of our last sessions ever. She asked if I thought it was more because I was a girl instead of a boy or more because of all the other changes. I couldn't answer her then, and even though I've thought about it ever since, I still don't have a good answer. For a while, I was sure that it was all because I got out of that Hell of a school and into a place where people were on my side helping me. But then I thought: if I'd moved in with my Aunt and Uncle but stayed a boy, I don't think I'd have ever been such good friends with Teresa. I don't think I'd have gotten friends I could tell everything to, people like Doris and Sylvia and Carol. Or even Dennis. I think I'd have been like Zeke, only like he was before I lectured him. Trying to be what I thought a guy was supposed to be like and not even trying to figure out who I really am. I'd have looked cool on the outside, but inside I'd have known something was missing.
But now I think: I don't really need an answer. Maybe it's like when you have a mom and a dad. You don't have to decide who did more to make you you. You're just glad they were both there. I'm glad I got out of West Hell and into Gabriel School. I'm glad I have a family that knows how to support me, even if it isn't the one I was born into. I'm glad I've got friends who have my back. And, last but not least, I'm glad I'm a girl.
(The End)
Comments
The End
Yes, this is the end of Melanie's Story (though not the end of Melanie!)
I wanted to tell a story about someone who had trans-ness thrust upon them (as I felt happened to me two years ago) and not only made peace with it, but ended up in a better place in the end, and I think I got there. So there's really not anything more to tell. I may make minor edits as people point out inconsistencies or holes, but no major changes or additions.
I may do a little reorganizing, because having ~ 50 chapter groups in a flat list is a bit unweildy. I'm thinking of grouping the chapters into 3 parts, so the page organization will be main story -> parts -> chapters/chapter groups.
I have a half-dozen stories that I've started but not finished, so I think it will be a while before I have any more to post (I don't like posting the beginning of a story before I've finished writing it.) And some of the stories I don't plan to ever post, because they're too personal.
Anyway, many thanks to all of the people who've read the chapters (especially those who've hung on until the end!), to those who've given them thumbs-up, and those who've commented. It may not seem like much, but it really helps me feel better about myself to see that other people actually are interested in and maybe like what I have to tell.
Thank you
I enjoyed the story. It had the taste of "real life" and flowed well. I saw that others had said the same thing for other chapters so I just kept reading. I could see where more expansion could be done but also realize that everyone has a "real" life that they must deal with that takes away from their writing time, so, you did end it in a nice place with this "follow up" to close.
Good luck and "talkative Muses" in your future efforts.
More != better
The difficulty with "expanding" on things is that expanding scenes or adding scenes can distract from the thrust of the story. I think one has to know the story one wants to tell and include or exclude things based on it. I'm not sure how well I did at that, especially since I guide my writing by what feels good rather than by any plan. I know I read the whole thing through at least a dozen times in the year or so since it was essentially done, not to mention each chapter multiple times as I was posting it, and haven't felt like making any big changes. (There were a few chapters I fiddled with right up to when I hit "Save". Chapter 47 in particular.)
Good point
Everyone has a style that works and I can't disagree with one that works so well for you.
Please keep up the great work.
Darn...
I'm sorry to see this story end. I really enjoyed Melanie's tale and I'm looking forward to see what you come up with next.
~And so it goes...
Excellent
Thanks so much!
Dahlia
Mighty nice
This is a very fine story. Relating to the experiences of the characters is easy due to excellent writing.
Any time we arrive somewhere, still standing, following a path not of our choosing, we see how much stronger we are than we first thought.
Others have feelings too.
I enjoyed your gender-change thrust upon them story.
Though the reality is most of us feel it was thrust upon us if not in the same way it was for Melanie. No one I know has set off to just play with it, it's a compulsion that's change or die stuff. I chose to change and have never regretted it. It was a long time ago.
Angharad