Sacculina 5.

LIST OF CHARACTERS

Charlotte The narrator (and sort of heroine).
Jessica Charlotte’s Maternal Aunt.
Isobel Charlotte’s French long term friend.
Franchesca Charlotte’s Italian long term friend.
Jack American Gap-year student at the Faculty.
Pete American high school jock
Bill Pete’s crony also a macho high school jock.
Terry The supplier of the party music.
Bob Terry’s friend and owner of the pick-up truck.
Tom Arlott Jack’s dad.
Charlie. Feminised rapist who now has external female genitalia.

The remains of the evening were spent discussing Jack’s prospects after he transitioned. To the best of Jack’s knowledge, the transgender protection laws were not much in evidence in the Carolinas and what few there were, were not much enforced. He had researched them extensively and consequently he was worried about his position at the college. He was beginning to regret his return to the Carolina college instead of remaining at Stanford. It had been a promotion with higher pay but job security was an unknown factor especially for transgendered individuals.

For my part I accompanied Aunt Jessica back to the UK the following spring as we fulfilled several consanguine responsibilities to our family. It was only while discussing things with my parents that Aunty Jess learned of Jack’s issues and my continued intentions to wed him. Later that summer, Jack and his immediate family came over to formally meet mine and the arrangements for our marriage were finalised. I was a virgin still when we got wed as Summer was ending and the first leaves were beginning to turn in the first days of September. I must have conceived on my wedding night.

To his family’s delight I casually let drop the fact that I was pregnant while grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins were gathered around the thanksgiving table with Jack’s immediate family and welcoming me as the newest family member to my first thanksgiving dinner. This was a large family gathering of three generations at the old homestead where Jack’s grandparents still lived with a couple of Jack’s aunts and their families. Jack’s father was the oldest son but he no longer lived at the old homestead. I was fascinated when I turned up with Jack’s family at the thanksgiving dinner.

Jack’s granddad was preparing to ceremonially carve the turkey while Jack’s grandmother and mother were gleefully whispering explanations to me about all their own little, private, family traditions that many American families enjoyed in addition to the national traditions and conventions attached to their nation’s identity.
The old patriarch called for silence and after a brief quiet contemplation he started giving thanks for the blessings the family had enjoyed since the last thanksgiving.

After a general statement of thanks, he then listed a special thanks for each individual’s fortunes and as he came to the end of the list of names his knife hung poised over the turkey for the first ritual slice.

“- - - - and we also give thanks for Jack’s wonderful good fortune in finding a wife prepared to accept his true condition. and Ruth’s good fortune with graduating from college, and Rachel’s good fortune at being accepted for state university, and now finally and especially we give special thanks for and welcome to the new addition to our family Charlotte, who has been so kind and generous as to take Jacks hand in marriage. “

He paused briefly for effect as all eyes turned on me and I deemed it the ideal time to add the bombshell that was another blessing to the family.

“And for the twins - - - - who I believe will be the first great-grand-children. “

I added just for the pleasure of seeing the delight on every face around the table.

At first nobody twigged my words and the grand-father’s lips twitched with irritation at being interrupted during what was to all the family, an important family ritual. An awkward silence descended around the table before Jack’s mother suddenly realised what I had said. She let out a gasp and stared wide eyed as the realisation dawned.
Her squeal of surprise alerted the rest of the women who quickly added their delighted cries as Jacks mother scuttled around the table to hug me. The old patriarch still hadn’t grasped it and he frowned as he spoke.

“Will you sit down woman we are not finished yet!”

“You stupid man! Did you not understand her? She’s pregnant!!! Jack’s going to be a father! You are going to be a great-grandfather!”

“And that Mr Arlott, is the biggest family blessing of all!” Declared Jack’s grandmother as she too rose to come around the table to hug me.”

In short order all the men had joined the womenfolk in grasping what was afoot and a large bottle of finest bourbon was quickly produced. As the women gathered to celebrate the one thing that was entirely theirs, the men sheepishly kept their places whilst filling every glass around the table. Such was the portent of the event that even the youngest children were allowed a tiny sip to toast the occasion.

Eventually old Ma Arlott, the grand matriarch brought order to the table and old man Arlott was able to complete his ritual thanksgiving. The only difference being that I was taken from the ranks of younger women and placed amongst the older women where I was exhaustively pumped for information. Great excitement was occasioned by my conception of twins for whilst there was a regular history of twins in my family, there had never been any in Jacks’. Never was a thanksgiving meal better enjoyed amongst the Arlotts.

As always after the meal, the younger males and children either played a sort of mixed family style football out in the yard or watched the big thanksgiving game on the TV while we women discussed babies and other family concerns in the kitchen. The clearing up became a social mechanism and proved to be anything but a chore. Naturally, as dishes were washed and bowls returned to rightful owners I learned a lot of their family lore. The novelty of my expecting twins was of enormous interest to the whole matriarchy and it elevated me temporarily to the main item of family concern. The baby’s names and genders were discussed especially in the light of Jack’s intended future gender solutions.

It was at this stage as the girly banter rattled back and forth that I first detected the occasional intimations of transphobia from some of the relatives. Eventually, one of the cousins touched upon the issue more specifically.

“D’ you know Charlotte, I think you’re a saint to take on his problems. Do you really think you’ll be able to live with him once he removes all the important bits?”

“I don’t see a problem. Jack obviously doesn’t consider them to be the important bits to his happiness, indeed he considers them to be a block to his happiness.”

“But what about your happiness? I mean, what about satisfaction, what about fulfilment; wont you feel frustrated and don’t you think he’s being selfish?”

“No. He told me about his problem before we finally agreed to marry and he’s been up front about everything ever since he realised his problem. I’ve gone into our marriage with my eyes wide open.”

“But you’ll be sleeping with a woman!”

“I’ll be sleeping with Jack or Jamie as she prefers, once her transition is completed.”

“Is it true, you’re thinking of a second pregnancy before he takes the big step?”

“Yes.”

“Who are you trying to please, the family or yourself?”

“Both?” I answered quite openly.

The cousin raised her eyebrows thoughtfully.

“Well I admire your courage and singlemindedness.”

“Will I have your support?” I asked her bluntly.

She stuttered uncertainly for my unexpected question had caught her off guard.

“Well; I, I would have to ask the opinion of my church.”

I shrugged dismissively as I turned and caught Jack’s mother and grandmother rolling their eyes in disapproval.
Jack’s mother took up the baton on my behalf and replied with ‘tongue-in-cheek’.

“I don’t think Charlotte needs any religious approval, she comes from England and they’re a right bunch of Atheists over there.”

I added a slightly cynical smile to my provocative nod of agreement and the cousin decided she was stepping into dangerous waters. For a moment there was a thoughtful silence around the kitchen table as family members silently debated where they stood on the issue. Fortunately, they had the good grace to remain silent until the grand matriarch weighed in.

“Well, obviously there are going to be differences of opinions amongst us. We are after all a large family. However, many of you are descended from this old body of mine while the others are joined to it by marriage so I shall state here and now. I expect loyalty at least to me and that means no discord or strife around me or this family when you are with me under this roof. What goes on outside this house is nothing to do with me but I ask for tolerance where and when it’s wanted. I support my grandson in this journey he feels he has to take so in this house he is always welcome."

I breathed a silent sigh of relief for at least the rules had been set thus enabling Jack and me to move forwards. Fortunately, the advent of my twins had stymied most of the family’s objections to ‘the oldest grandson’ changing gender. The family line was being perpetuated. Some months later, this was reinforced when tests showed that I was expecting a ‘pidgeon-pair’

This development sealed my acceptance by all the family and left me free to continue with my research work at the university. I gave birth to a healthy son and daughter in the following June

Two years later, I became pregnant again and we decided to keep the news a secret again until the approaching thanksgiving dinner. The last but one thanksgiving had been made so enjoyable by the first arrivals that we decided to use the same formulae. As old man Arlott prepared to slice I dropped the next bombshell.

“It’s more twins everybody!” I declared.

“And I’m starting my hormone regime next week!” Jack added.

Jacks words however were lost in the excitement and emotion of my announcement as his tearful mother hugged me tightly.

“Thank you Charlotte, thank you so much.”

“That goes for me as well,” his grandmother added.

I savoured the pleasure of being the centre of attention again as the womenfolk congratulated me on ‘a-job-well-done’.

“It’s not me you want to congratulate,” I declared, “It’s Jack you should be praising. He delayed his transition just to please the family.”

Once again the cousin who had already marked her card as having a transphobic streak, raised the parenting issue.

“Don’t you think it will affect your children having their father masquerade as a woman?”

I answered bluntly and rather loudly. “No!”

Heads turned at my declaration and the table fell silent so I seized the opportunity to end the controversy once and for all.

“I noticed that none of you heard Jack’s words as I announced my pregnancy. So, I’ll repeat them now I’ve got everybody’s attention. Jack is starting his hormone regime on Monday and starting to live as a girl, or more correctly, a woman. This time next year be prepared for some big changes.”

Jack quickly spoke up.

“It’s okay darling, I can fight my own battles.”

“I know love but now everybody knows you’ve got a staunch ally.”

“Staunch allies, girl, staunch allies!” His mother added forcefully. “Don’t be forgetting our support.”

“Here, here!” His father and sisters chorused.

With the issue of Jack’s transition now brought fully to the table, it was an opportunity for everybody to have their opinion. Old Ma Arlott however, still maintained that Jack was to be treated with respect when under her roof and this stipulation kept any family dissention to a moderate and courteous tenor. We travelled home that weekend feeling much happier and relaxed.