Part 40 By Anistasia Allread Not Edited “Two weeks.” Erika commented. Mrs. Martin took a deep breath. “I hate it as much as you do.” Erika sipped at her coffee. The two of them sat in silence both missing the man that they loved. |
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Previously........
“My work is sending me out of town for two weeks on a business trip.”
“Can't you get out of it?” Mrs. Martin asked.
“No. I tried.” he shook his head. “It's a big project and I am the most knowledgeable one on this area in the company.”
“But I thought you were done traveling for them.” Mrs. Martin protested.
“I had hoped so too, but we can't afford to lose this account in this economy. I've got to go.”
Oh God, Erika thought. Please don't do this to me now. Please don't strand me here alone with my mother like this.
And now we continue........
After washing the dishes, Erika grabbed her backpack and slipped up to her room. “Homework.” she stated with disgust.
The raised voices of her parents could be heard although muffled by the walls. Erika turned on her stereo and and went to work on catching up on assignments that she had missed.
Her phone flashed with an incoming text.
Tricia : hey there, what's up?
Erika: Trying to catch up on my homework. Parents fighting again.
Tricia: What about this time?
Erika: My dad has to leave on a business trip for 2 weeks.
Tricia: Two weeks!
Erika: Two weeks of hell with just my mother.
Tricia: We'll figure something out. Which homework are you working on?
Erika: Geometry
Tricia: Yuck. Text me when you are done.
Erika put her phone away and went back to work.
Her phone flashed with another text. Erika sighed and flipped open her phone.
Samantha: I figured out what I want to do for my birthday.
Erika: what?
Samantha: Sleep over Friday after the game.
Erika: when is your birthday?
Samantha: Day after tomorrow, silly.
Erika: Sleep over Friday after the game. Okay.
Samantha: Saturday I'll drive us up to see Sasha so that we can get our hair done.
Erika: You can drive?
Samantha: I take my test Friday morning : )
Erika: Sasha's on Saturday, huh?
Samantha: : )
Erika: I'll ask. Doing homework right now.
Samantha: k. Text me when you are done.
Erika turned her phone off and tossed it across the room onto her pillow. “Homework.” she focused herself.
Erika watched as her father checked his briefcase for the fourth time to make sure that not only his laptop was in there but his other important papers.
“I don't want you to go, Daddy.” Erika complained.
“I don't want to go either, but someone has to pay the bills and keep your insurance so that you can get that tumor removed.”
“What if mom starts being. . . you know?”
“You have your cell phone and email. You can call me. Just make sure that it is important.”
“But. . .”
“No more, honey.” Mr. Martin directed a stern gaze at her, “I've got enough to worry about right now. Be a good girl while I'm gone. Your mother needs our help.”
“If she will let me be a 'good' girl.” Erika folded her arms over her chest.
“Hey now.” Mr. Martin put his brief case down and enfolded Erika in his arms. “I love you very much and I'll be thinking about you every day.”
Erika's protests melted with his show of love.
“You promise to take my calls?”
Her father nodded. “as long as I'm not busy.”
Erika released her father and finished peeling a banana. Her father went to the front door where Erika's mother stood waiting. Her mother leaned in and laid her head upon her father's shoulder.
Erika munched down her banana while watching her mom and dad having a tender moment. Her mother lightly placed her hand on her father's chest, her father whispered something to her then kissed her fore head. Her mother lifted her chin and took his lips and kissed him before pushing herself back with a sad smile.
Erika's dad shot Erika a smile before walking out of the door.
Erika sighed and poured her self a cup of coffee. Her mother came up behind her and grabbed her prepared mug off the counter next to her and sat down at the table with a heavy sigh.
“Two weeks.” Erika commented.
Mrs. Martin took a deep breath. “I hate it as much as you do.”
Erika sipped at her coffee. The two of them sat in silence both missing the man that they loved.
A knock came at the door, then the door opened and Samantha came in.
“So did you ask?” She asked.
“Not yet.” Erika admitted.
Erika's mother looked to her child.
“Samantha's birthday is tomorrow.” Erika explained. “She has invited me to join her for a sleep over at her house Friday night after the game.”
“Then Saturday we would drive up and get our hair done by Sasha.” Samantha stated to Erika's mother with pleading eyes.
“Please mom?” Erika asked. “I'll get all of my homework caught up before then. I did a lot of it last night.”
“The only problem I have with it is that it isn't proper for you to be sleeping with girls.” her mother shrugged.
“But Erika is one of the girls, Mrs. Martin.” Samantha clasped her hands in front of her. “Everyone who is coming knows Erika for who she is.”
Mrs. Martin closed her eyes and was silent for a moment. She nodded her head. “Alright.”
“Thank you mom.” Erika was surprised.
“Thank you Mrs. Martin.” Samantha burst with glee.
Erika pulled on her jacket grabbed her backpack and the two friends left for school.
Erika lay cuddled up to Tricia on the sofa. A movie provided background noise as she stroked the wonderful new texture of Tricia's short hair. The movie was one that she had seen before and could easily ignore as she delved into her own thoughts.
Dr. Lipdick and she had a very in depth conversation on hormones and hormone replacement. She was starting to understand that even with the tumor removed that she could develop into a woman by taking hormone blockers and replacements. She could get the tumor removed and rejoin the cheer squad around Christmas time. Another option that they spoke about was letting nature take it's course, to see how her body would respond once the tumor was removed, there was not guarantee that she would be flooded with testosterone.
Do I miss being a boy? She asked herself. Is there anything that I could be denying myself by becoming a woman? I don't think I'd like to shave my face everyday. Shaving my legs isn't so bad. Being strong? Woman can be just as strong, sometimes stronger; in their own way. Woman can play sports, run businesses, raise families. In fact by becoming a woman, I'm giving myself more choices.
There is that hormone issue though. She sighed inward, not wanting to disturb Tricia. If I decide to become a woman, I'll have to take hormones for the rest of my life. If I go the boy route, I won't have to. But I can wear more comfortable and pretty clothes. She smiled to her self.
“Whacha thinking?” Tricia asked.
“Not much.” Erika's fingers played in the blonde's short hair.
“You're awful quiet to not be thinking much.” Tricia nudged.
“I'm just going over the different arguments that Dr. Lipdick and I discussed this afternoon.”
“On which sex you will choose?”
Erika nodded. “If I choose to become a woman, I'll have to take lots of hormones, for the rest of my life.”
“You should talk to Leeza.” Tricia suggested. “She could tell you her experiences.”
“Is she coming home anytime soon?”
Tricia shook her pretty blonde head. “Not that I'm aware of. Probably won't visit until Thanksgiving.”
“Arrg, that's like a month away.”
“Sorry. I can give you her email address. I'm sure she would like to hear from you.” Tricia lovingly stroked Erika's arm with her fingers.
Silence fell between the two again.
“So are you thinking of maybe, possibly going back to being a boy?” Tricia wondered aloud.
“No.” Erika shook her head. “If I get this tumor removed, it will just be harder not being a boy.” She tried to sound matter of fact.
“Is it that bad being a boy?” Tricia asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Is it horrible being a boy?”
“I wasn't very good at it.”
“I'm not very good at being a girl.” Tricia sighed.
“What are you talking about? You are a beautiful, wonderful girl.” Erika was bewildered by this.
“I just don't think I'm very good at being a girl sometimes.” Tricia stated.
“You're one of the most feminine girls I've ever met.”
“Why? Because I wear pink?”
“It's more than what you wear. It's your kindness, your ability to accept others, your inner strength, your creative mind. It's your grace, your charm.”
“I've failed my parents.” Tricia closed her eyes with shame. “I'm attracted to girls. They won't have a normal family.”
“Tricia, your sister is a transexual. I think they consider 'normal' to be something different than others.” Erika smiled. She gave Tricia a squeeze.
“Are you angry that I cut my hair?” Tricia asked.
“Are you kidding? I love your haircut.” Erika told her. “I've only been running my fingers through it all night.”
“I thought that you might have been doing that because you missed it.” Tricia said.
“Absolutely not. It feels wonderful and looks very cute.” Erika smiled down at Tricia's beautiful eyes looking up at her.
Tricia flipped over and lept forward, pinning Erika to the sofa and capturing Erika's lips with her own.
“Besides,” Erika said after a few minutes of kissing. “Now it doesn't hang in my face and tickle my nose.”
The two giggled before their lips caressed again.
To Be Continued...
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Comments
a note from the author
I was feeling a bit guilty for having posted such a short episode on Monday so I figured I'd make it up to you all by adding this bit to it this week.
Hope you'll for give me for not following a schedule.
A.A.
It's just good to see
more about Erika...Thanks for posting.
Kirri
It's well worth waiting for,
even if it takes a while between posts. Thanks for such an engaging story.
Your fans understand that real life issues sometimes interefere with the muse, and the time it takes to write. We are a very loyal group, it's obvious by how fast the vote count goes up whenever there is a new episode, and the seemingly endlesss debate that follows each new story event. It's obvious to me that a lot of people like Erika and her friends!
Hugs
Carla Ann
BTW, this is my second attempt at this post, the first one evidently evaporated into the ether.
You are forgiven
And, we all appreciate this new 2x a week schedule. :-) Just kidding.
To be honest, I was surprised, and very happy to see this new installment.
THANK YOU,
Annette
telling exchange
>> Samantha: “But Erika is one of the girls, Mrs. Martin. Everyone who is coming knows Erika for who she is.â€
>> Mrs. Martin closed her eyes and was silent for a moment. She nodded her head. “Alright.â€
.
Whatever flashed thru Mom's mind in that second could probably fill a chapter. Could it finally be starting to sink in that Erika's friends know more about her child than she does right now, as she clings to a mental model of "Eric" that no longer has much basis in reality? I guess we'll see. Thanks for this tidy little chapter Anistasia!
~~~hugs, Laika
What borders on pure insanity?
Canada and Mexico.
.
Some New Stuff Here...
...unless I'm getting confused again. Erika is back to considering the male option, if not very positively, but he seems to be doing it without the usual assumption that it would mean that he'd be Eric the Plague again. Erika hasn't done that very often, even when she has tried: considering the possibility of being male in and of itself without submerging that into the Plague miasma. I think it's significant, even though we've sort of taken it for granted by now, that Erika still opts fairly quickly for the female side even on the more open question.
And Tricia, who used to say that she loved Eric or Erika equally, seems convinced now that she's only attracted to females. Not sure what that means to their relationship if Mom double-crosses Erika by barring her from taking female hormones or at least androgen blockers after the tumor surgery -- or whether Erika's decision above presupposed that Tricia wouldn't want Eric.
Looking forward to seeing Sasha's take on everything that's happened since summer. Thanks for the quick post, A.A.
Eric
(If Tricia's really concerned, as she seemed to state here, about inability to produce a "normal" family, she and Erika may want to talk about allowing Eric's male puberty to progress after the surgery to the point where they could save his sperm. I think it'd probably be possible to do that before the body makes any irreparable changes.)
Erika's Mom Is
Understandably cautious about her child at the sleepover until she is reassured about things. I do hope that she won't force the surgery issue with the Dad gone. If that happens, she's gone, or jailed for child endangerment. Because Erika would not agree with her dad away.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Slice of Erika's Life
This was a nice "slice of life" sort of chapter, except maybe for the talk about the tumor.
The wording seemed a bit awkward at times. You had Erika's name in a lot of sentences in one part. That was a little distracting. Still, for the most part I wasn't slowed down at all. I loved the text messaging scene near the beginning. That was cute.
The story seems so simple yet I have no idea where you're going next. That's a good thing. :)
Thanks and please keep up the good work.
- Terry
Beginning to reflect, Mom's actions
Rami
It looks as if Erika is beginning to reflect on what life would be like as Eric. I think that Tricia, stating that "I'm not very good at being a girl.†and “I just don't think I'm very good at being a girl sometimes,†cause Erika to not only say “What are you talking about? You are a beautiful, wonderful girl,†but to also begin thinking about the path to follow into the future. Things do not look so simple now.
Mom did the right thing to allow Erika to trust her and strengthen their relationship. But she has her fears. In her mind she does not see her child as Erika, a girl. While she is starting to allow her child to dress as a girl and interact with others as a girl, the person who she probably sees as Eric/a, she knows is Eric, a male, regarding his sexual abilities. She has fears about that.
Most, if not all parents would not allow their teenage son to go to a girls sleep over, even if they trusted him. Similarly, most parents of girls would prohibit, their daughters to have boys at a sleep over, even if they trust that child. In such a situation, passion could get out of hand or plain stupidity rule and the end result could be SDT, Aids or pregnancy. Mom is being very supportive by allowing Erika to attend.
Going back to what I said about an earlier sleep over, while the girls who would be there know about Erika and who she is, if I remember correctly, only Tricia's parents are aware of Erika being Eric. Again, the other parents are being deceived. Even if my true understanding of the situation was wrong, I for one would be angry and annoyed if I learned that a neighbor whom I trusted to host a teenage girls sleep over, allowed a boy masquerading as a girl to attend. I could easily imagine that a person discovering that could go to the police, or do something else about the situation.
I do not think, barring an emergency, that mom would go forward with the surgery. Despite their arguing about their child, they both love each other.
A.A. even a simple, straight forward chapter raises questions.
Thanks for taking the time to write and post it.
RAMI
RAMI
Woah...
I actually do sorta understand where Tricia was coming from there with the "not a normal family" bit... I know my parents are disappointed in my brother, and sadly, they've held up my "success" in his face. *sighs* Won't things get WONDERFUL there, when they find out that they only have the one son... Sorry, my issue, not anyone else.
I like the way you at least touch on many very important issues in the story, but then don't let them get in the way of the story itself. I find, it makes ME think anyway. Not that many of the issues I'd not thought about before. At least Erica's tumor is operable. And, as she's learning, she has options.
Interesting that Erica's mom doesn't like the fact her husband is away. The question is whether this is her missing him, or not wanting to be alone with Erica. My guess is it's somewhere in between. From personal experience (receiving end) I know how hard it can be for some of those who love us to change how they think of us and truly accept that we are not who they thought, and that they can live with this change (and more changes going forward).
Thank you for this story.
Annette
“I'm not very good at being a girl.”
giggles. nice to know some cis girls feel like that.