Mending Bridges
By
Rebecca Anna Coleman
Part II

I took a deep breath as I watched Jamie collect the plastic brown tray that was heavily laden with a mountain of food that I'm sure contained enough calories to power a nuclear power plant. Feeling like a lost puppy I followed closely behind Jamie. A few seconds later she eased the brown, plastic tray down upon a nearby table and then she stepped around and pulled a chair away from the table. She then motioned for me to sit down.

“Why?” I said as I watched Jamie pull the chair out from under the table.

“Cause, right now one of your arms is in a cast.” Jamie said in a matter of fact tone of voice. “And I feel bad cause the last time you and I had a lunch date, I ended up snapping on you. So I kind of want to make amends.”

I blinked and smiled a little as I eased down upon the offer chairs. Jamie then pushed me toward the table. She then stepped around and took her seat. She was seated right in front of me. A small smile graced her face as she started to pass everything out.

“So.” Jamie said, pausing.

“Hmm?” I said tilting my head to the side.

“Would like to grace the food?” Jamie said, blinking. “I mean you are the niece of a local Episcopal Priest. I feel like you should kind of grace the food.”

“But you brought it.” I said returning Jamie blink with my own. “I feel you should the one to say grace.”

Jamie shrugged her shoulders.

“I still need to go to confession..And I know you go to confession twice a week.” Jamie countered.

“I go to confession twice a week because of the things Cerridwen and I get up too.” I countered.

“Well one of us needs to say grace before the meal gets cold.” Jamie said.

“Okay.. I'll say it.” I said as I bowled my head.

“Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.” I chanted. Having been raised in the “High” tradition of the Episcopal Church I'd grown used to chanting most of the prayers.

After I finished gracing the food I looked up and I noticed Jamie was peering at me, she was smiling, a very wicked smile. It kind of worried me.

“You have been hiding something from my dear sister,” Jamie said in a playful manner as she reached over and picked up her hamburger.

I did not like where this was going. So instead of giving into her teasing I reached over and took my box of chicken nuggets and smiled as I popped one of them in my mouth. I then rolled my shoulders and held up my hands.

“You've been hiding your wonderful singing voice.” Jamie said as she leaned across the table.

I felt my cheeks start to bloom with color. As I popped another chicken nugget into my mouth.

“I mean.” Jamie said smiling. “You know St. Mary's Episcopal Church does need somebody, a special somebody to perform the yearly solo of 'The First Noel'.” Jamie paused. “I mean, normally Lily performs it. But I guess this year we can shake it up. Like instead of the singer being in normal choir vestments you can cosplay as an angel.”

I paused and popped another chicken nugget in my mouth.

“Picture it girl. You're standing in the middle of a packed church. The spotlights on you, and your wearing an anime inspired angel costume complete with glittering wings and your golden blonde hair styled in two perfect pigtails.” Jamie said with a smile.

I blinked and popped another chicken nugget into my mouth.

“I mean, you might even make the pages of 'The Mississippi Episcopalian' that would really put our tiny parish on the map.” Jamie paused. “But I do have one question that has been bugging me. When did you drop your last name, and adopt mine?” Jamie asked. She then took a long sip of her cola.

“Pardon?”

“When did you decided to drop your old last name and take on mine?”

I paused.

Jamie sipped her coke.

“So, okay about a week after you and I 'talked' about the events that transpired at the pie toss. My uncle well wanted to talk to me. You see my uncle had made the short list of priest who could the next bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas.” I paused and took a sip of my coke. “Anyway, that a major promotion for a priest and considering he'd had been forced into the priesthood by his overbearing mother. This was kind of a once in a lifetime chance.”

Jamie nodded.

“Anyway, it seems I've not been the nephew my uncle wanted. For one I'm dating a transgender girl, two I've come out as a transgender girl, three the girl I'm dating is a pagan, four while I'm sure some of the Southern dioceses are trying to catch up with the rest of the world, there quite a few who refuse to change.” I took another sip of my coke.

“Anyway I had a choice, I could either get a long overdue haircut and break up with Cerridwen, cause, I'm going to have your nephew come out as your niece would hurt your chances of being promoted from priest to bishop. And two I had to be willing to leave Benton Academy and follow my uncle to Little Rock.” I said, sighing.

Jamie blinked.

“Oh it gets better, my grandmother totally flipped her collective shit and went on the war path. She tore into my dad, blaming him for being transgender, she tore into my mother too because she birthed me. She then said that it was my mom and dad's fault that I'd decided I was a girl trapped in a boy's body. She pointed to my sister, who is a total tomboy as proof. And to my adopted big sister as further proof.” I took this chance to pop a chicken nugget into my mouth.

“Okay that all kinds of fucked up.” Jamie said, taking a deep breath.

“So, my grandmother mustered all the political power she could, called in ever favor she could think of. You see my grandmother belongs to the bourgeois class of Vicksburg. She knows all the movers and shakers. And She threatened to have my dad and mom kicked out of the Vicksburg's Country Club. And she even went to the parish priest of St. Katherine's and demanded my dad from the Vestry Board and my mom be removed from the Altar Guild.” I said, popping another chicken nugget in my mouth.

“Okay..” Jamie was looking like a deer caught in the headlamps.

“And since my dad is a big time lawyer. And well most of his clients come from the old aristocracy of the city and much of the bourgeoisie. All of whom meet and use the country club as kind of an informal meeting place. If my father was blackballed from this important social circle it would be the end of his career. Not only that but granny went after my two older sisters and started to put pressure on the priest, the headmaster of the school, and the board of trustees.”

“Shit..” Jamie said.

“I don't want to do this anymore..” I then popped three chicken nuggets into my mouth and I think I didn't even take the time to chew them before I swallowed them.

“I understand.” Jamie sighs. “So you've been through hell.”

I nodded my head.

“My uncle also fumed at me for playing 'Dotty' cause when my grandmother saw a Youtube clip of it... well she wrote a strongly worded email to my uncle and told him off for allowing me to volunteer for a stunt. She also indirectly called me a 'Freak' and a 'Sissy'.” I sighed.

Jamie swallowed hard and took another sip of her coke.

“Would you like something sweet?” She then offered. “Maybe one of their famous deep fried apple-pies and like a dish of ice cream?”

“Sure.” I said, hanging my head down.

“Coming right up.” And with that Jamie pushed her tray back and pushed her chair back. She then stood up and walked around me toward the front counter. As she walked beside me, she reached down and touched my shoulder and gave it a little squeeze.