“I can’t believe how Danny and ma were fawning of that little fruitcake” Adam growled as he and Bethany made their way down Cedar Road on their way to Lefty’s Lakeside Grille. Adam had just come from a meeting with his mother and siblings with the family attorney. The estate of his father had been finalized and all that was left was for the papers to be signed. His mother had decided that it should be a family event, which when he got there he found out why. His brother Alex was still listed as an heir and the way the will was written, Alex was to be a partner with him and Danny in Quinn Construction. Adam was in shock over that, he guessed the old man had forgotten about changing the will after having disowned Alex at Christmas. In his eyes, he would always be Alex. The little dress wearing fairy, brother. A brother which he had no time for.

The other thing he wanted to make sure of was that his girlfriend didn’t get sucked into this acceptance thing like Danny had. It was sick watching the way Danny and Alex got along. They were brothers, brothers don’t sit and laugh like that! And now he was going to have to sit through dinner with them. Not only them but their girlfriends as well, who just happened to be roommates with Alex. So, as he drove down the road he admonished his longtime girlfriend Bethany.

“Don’t get sucked into their little fucking games Bethany! I don’t know what Katie did to Danny, but he is sucked in and so is mom.” Adam exclaimed. Bethany just sat and nodded her head. She didn’t understand why someone would want to switch genders. She just thought it was sick, and she didn’t understand that rich bitch and how she not only put up with it but embraced it. It was all extremely disgusting to her. She had worked with Katie at Lefty’s years ago and got along OK with her. But she also knew that Katie and Alex had been best friends for years. Bethany was grateful that they had finally arrived at Lefty’s. Hopefully Adam would not be such a jerk in public. Thankfully he rarely was, but when it was just the two of them he would rant on and on about everything. The man was never happy and that included his outlook towards her. And it had started to get old, but she loved the man and was hoping to someday marry him. She prayed that once that was over with and they had settled down, things would be better

Bethany and Adam entered the bar and found Charlotte, Danny and Alex along with their girlfriends. She and Adam still couldn’t call it Alexa. She still didn’t get it, he would always be a male, not man, in her eyes. As she and Adam walked up to the bar, she could feel the tension in her boyfriend’s grip. Charlotte recognized that the last couple had joined the group. “Hello Bethany, glad you could make it. Come over and have a drink, our table will be ready shortly.” Bethany nodded she nodded and slid up to the bar next to Charlotte. Katie was all smiles and invited her over to join the club. “Hell, you are in already in the club.” Alex asked if she wanted anything and then ordered up the requested Coors Light. Bethany noticed a change instantly in the three people in front of her. Katie was trying to make Bethany feel welcome by bringing up their past here at Lefty’s and it did help her relax. But each time she felt relaxed, she would catch Adam giving her a look.

The other thing that struck Bethany was how the other three were dressed. All three wore very stylish dresses, and she noticed various men in the bar were checking them out, all three of them. First, she looked down at what she was wearing. Nice stylish jeans, her favorite 4 inch heels a mauve silk blouse topped by her favorite waist cut leather jacket. Very appropriate for a place like Lefty’s and quite better than most of her girlfriends. She felt a bit undressed as he looked back up at the three roommates. And that’s when it hit her for the first time. Alexa, she meant Alex, made a very attractive woman. But as she studied him further she realized there was happiness in him. Maybe he was sad as a boy. As she looked over at her boyfriend she could understand a bit. She turned her view back to the group, and loudly said “Alexa, can you get me another beer?” The question shocked Alexa for a moment but she shared a warm smile with her brother’s girlfriend before turning around and ordering up the Coors Light. Soon all four women were laughing away, making comments about their relationships, their lives. However, the discussion ended quickly as the Quinn Brothers began coming over the group. An obviously irritated Adam came up in a bad mood “What are you hens cackling about?” Bethany immediately slunk back from the group. As the group began to move to the dining room, Adam grabbed Bethany’s arm and held her back.

“What do you think you were doing back there?” Adam asked, the flush of anger starting to overtake his face.

A confused Bethany looked at Adam. “I was just laughing with the girls.”

‘There were only two girls and that fruit bag.” Adam snarled.

For the first-time Bethany stood up to Adam. “When are you going to admit that Alex is now your sister named Alexa?” The anger built to a near overflow level as he stared at his girlfriend.

“Never!” He growled. Grabbing Bethany by the arm he led her into the dining room. This is where the next test took place. There were two seats left, one next to Danny and one next to Alexa. Adam quickly sat down next to Danny, leaving a sad Bethany to stand there. She quietly took the seat next to Alexa. She remembered a time when Adam would hold out her chair. She noticed something though as she took her seat. Alexa flashed her a sympathetic smile. Bethany was taken aback by that. At that point, she started to become a little more accepting of her boyfriend’s new sister. The two shared a giggle over the Danny and Katie relationship, only to have the fun stopped by a glare from Adam.

Dinner went fine, except when she tried to order, and Adam basically told her what she was going to order. The control he had been trying to exert over the last few months had started to get to her. As soon as dinner was over, she excused herself and went to the rest room. None of the other girls volunteered to come with, which she found odd. Women almost always go the rest room in pairs. It was another point that was driven home to her about how ostracized she was due to her boyfriend’s attitude. As she stood fixing her make up in the mirror, she noticed the sad look in her eyes. She had never been like this before. And she began to think why she was this way. As she stood there a resolve began to come over her. She had had enough of Adam and his ways. Who was he to say who she could speak to. Katie, Jenny and especially Alexa had all been nice to her. Yes, Alexa she thought. Alexa was as much woman in mind in spirit as the other two. A smile came over her and she strode out the bathroom a changed woman. The smile changed and her thoughts of her boyfriend were hammered home as she heard Adam scream at Katie and then practically drag Bethany out of the restaurant.

“I can’t believe all those people in their defending that little fairy in there. They all must have a screw loose!” Adam yelled out as they made their way outside of Lefty’s. Bethany stopped and yanked her arm from Adam’s grip.

“You’re the one with a screw loose. That is your sister in there and she is happy. But because it goes contrary to some 1950’s view you have, you won’t accept it.” Bethany said to Adam. For the first time in six years, she was standing up to Adam. She could see the rage in him reach a level she had never seen. She also noticed Adam begin to form a fist.

“What?!” Adam screamed out in anger. Bethany stood her ground.

“That is your sister. What are you going to do, hit me because I am friends with her?” Bethany said. The feeling of standing up to him was empowering. Bethany felt better than she had in months. Just as Adam was about to say something, Bethany noticed Roger and Judy Nelson coming out of the restaurant. They were friends of her parents and proved to be a perfect distraction. She turned to the couple. “Hi Roger, Hi Judy. Do you think you could give me a ride home?” Roger could see the anger in Adam’s eyes and new it would be good idea.

“Sure, no problem.” It kind of was Roger thought, but keeping something bad from happening was more important. The Nelsons led Bethany to their car, leaving Adam confused and shaken. As they were driving off, Judy turned and asked what was going on.

Bethany replied, “Adam is just being his father’s son.”