Previously, the Jensen home, Fairport, New York...
“You’re not the boy I thought you were….I think I’ve known for some time, but I just didn’t know what to say or do. So I’ve been reading…just in case.” The boy tilted his head slightly; his own tears nearly matching those of his step-father, but for entirely differently reasons. Once again, Jason took note of the change in the boy’s expression and one last time spoke to him in an effort to alleviate both of their fears once and for all.
“I married your mother for better or worse…..but in a way, I married you, since you were here long before I showed up. So now, for better or worse, and you can just get up and walk away or scream or hit me if I’m wrong. God knows I’ve been wrong before, and I’ll be wrong some times long after we forget this talk. But I realized then that I have …..a daughter.” As if to punctuate the word, he squeezed Caleb’s hands once again and before the boy had a chance to process what he had just heard, his stepfather pulled him close for a tentative hug.
“You know?” The boy….the child….the girl could hardly believe her ears. What had threatened to be the worst moment in her brief life proved to be the turning point as her stepfather demonstrated just how much she was loved. He pulled Caleb closed once again and kissed her on the cheek; a fatherly welcoming kiss…a defining kiss.
A few moments later Jason reentered the house, followed closely behind by his stepchild. All eyes looked to see how things had gone on, hoping for a glimpse of relief through the expression on Jason’s face. He smiled and went into the kitchen without a word.
“How…how did it go?” Sia lowered her head as if to anticipate bad news. Caleb …’he’ was still Caleb she imagined smiled instead and walked over to Lois, who sat nervously on the couch wondering what her two ‘men’ had talked about. Neither seemed upset, and Jason actually seemed in a very good mood, judging by the sound of his strong baritone singing “Dites Moi” from South Pacific. A harbinger? What did that song represent?
“Mom?” Caleb grabbed Lois’ hand and squeezed gently. She looked into her child’s eyes and saw nothing of the anxious fear she had beheld only minutes before. Instead, Caleb’s face was a vision of peace; the calmest and most serene look she had ever beheld. And it came to her, just as Jason had almost known and held no surprise; an odd recognition that went beyond any words she could use to describe that she knew she had birthed a daughter instead of a son. She cocked her head sideways and communicated as only a mother can with her child; a nod in return followed closely by relieved and near joyful tears.
“Dites-moi…Pourquoi…La vie est belle…” Jason continued to sing as he came back into the living room, holding a tray with wine and paper cups along with crackers and cheese.
“Your voice is so lovely,” Olympia said; an odd but fitting description for the song that Jason sang. He nodded in thanks and went to continue. And of course, as we all know, the emotion of the moment and the recognition of the singing made it nearly impossible for him to continue as he choked up. Caleb turned to Jason and sighed, the child’s tears nearly matching his…her stepfather.
“What do the words mean?” Sia asked. She had seen a presentation of the musical in her drama class at school, but had never learned the meaning.
“Well, my dear sweet daughter,” Olympia teased, and then she began to sing, her alto as rich as Jason’s baritone,
Dites-moi pourquoi la vie est belle,
Dies-moi pourquoi la vie est gai,
Dites-moi pourquoi, chere mad'moiselle,
Est-ce que parce que vous m'aimez?
Dites-moi pourquoi, chere mad'moiselle,
Est-ce que parce que vous m'aimez?”
And then she spoke the translation…
Tell me why life is beautiful?
Tell me why life is gay?
Tell me why, dear miss?
Is it because you love me?
Tell me why, dear miss?
Is it because you love me?
Olympia looked smiled at Sia and Spiros before turning to nod at Lois. Lois, in turn, looked at her husband and her child…her daughter, actually, with pride as well. And Sia just sighed softly,
“Baobei…” Treasure.
That summer….
Two young women lay on the wide divan; both were wearing very sheer color robes that barely covered them. Soft music played in the background; the sounds of erhu and zhonghu blending in a sweet harmony that filled the room along with the smell of incense.
“Oh– that feels amazing. Oh, right there. Oh, that's perfect. I should have done this months ago.” Callie laughed softly; she hadn’t gained any mastery over the expected giggle that her condition ‘required.’ And she likely might never attain a soprano voice, perhaps having waited too long? No matter, her companion enjoyed her soothing breathy alto just fine.
“Well, we wouldn't have been here weeks ago.” Sia giggled; she’d been doing that all her life, of course.
“That’s such a shame….but better late than never,” Callie mused.
“It’s still wonderful, no matter how long it for me to ‘arrive!”
“For me as well. You have such beautiful skin.” Sia said softly as she played with Callie’s ear. She sighed a contented sigh.
“There's no need for the show Si… I just need to relax with someone who's making no demands on me.” It really was just relaxing; both girls were enjoying as much cuddling as proximity would allow since things were already in a physical flux for Calladora Jensen. With summer replacing the school year, she was beginning her new life along with a delightful combination of starting and stopping things in her body. And truth be told, relaxing was just fine with them both.
“Most of my clientá¨le is male, do you know that?” Sia quoted the episode verbatim, causing Callie to laugh.”
“Not Danny Kalish? Surely no!” Callie protested playfully.
“Danny might have had eyes for me, but now he’s got cow-eyes for Marcie.”
“And what of you, Aspasia my dear,” Callie said and then giggled for the first time in her brief life ‘outside.’
“If I choose a woman, she tends to be extraordinary in some way.” She paused in thought and then continued as if prompted by a script girl off ‘camera.’
“And the fact is, I always have the exact same need you do. One can not always be one's self in the company of men!”
“Never, actually.” Callie cooed.
“So no show. Let's just... enjoy ourselves.” Sia said in an affected husky voice.
“You are so lovely.” Callie started to say until a voice came from down the hallway,
“You two get on your homework before dinner!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f4WRYyWG0E
zhong qu*
*Finale
Music from Serenity
composed by David Newman,
Greg Edmonson, and Joss Whedon
All quotes and paraphrases based
on dialog from Firefly and Serenity
Dites Moi
from South Pacific
Words and Music by
Oscar Hammerstein II and
Richard Rogers
Comments
Thank you for sharing this
"She looked into her child’s eyes and saw nothing of the anxious fear she had beheld only minutes before. Instead, Caleb’s face was a vision of peace; the calmest and most serene look she had ever beheld. And it came to her, just has Jason had almost known and held no surprise; an odd recognition that went beyond any words she could use to describe that she knew she had birthed a daughter instead of a son. She cocked her head sideways and communicated as only a mother can with her child; a nod in return followed closely by relieved and near joyful tears."
thank you, 'Drea, for such a wonderful story.
Thank you 'Drea,
And thank you too,Dorothy,for saying what I also wanted to say.
Indeed,a beautiful story.
ALISON
This story
is so very beautiful and wheter its finished or not I wish to thank you for the lovely story. Callie has such loving family and friends and her coming out was beautiful. I hope to be able to read more of her life and how things progress with Sia.
*Hugs*
Bekah