How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!
By
Rebecca Coleman

Note to readers: The “How I spent my Summer Vacation: I became a Girl!” is an ongoing in-universe serial that appears each Saturday Evening in the “Benton Evening Post” the story focuses on the ongoing struggle of Emil “Emily” Hannah Anderson as she strives to adapt to her new life in a small southern town that straddles the hills and the delta. The story chronicles her life as she tries to figure out what direction she wants to take.

-3-
Brass Tacks and Summer Bucket List

After my little outburst things seemed to settle down a little. Aunt Flora though kept looking at me, finally halfway through our meal she cleared her throat. The sound caught me off guard and caused me to look up from my plate of scrambled eggs and toast. I noticed Aunt Flora was kind of looking dead at me, like she was waiting for me to explain something.

“So, before I settle down for my post work nap. I want to know something. I want to know what is going on. Now, before we go on. I promise you I'm not mad or upset with you. I promise you I'm not going to send you away to those summer camps that promote conversion therapy. I'm not going to ship you off to military school and I'm not going to demand you get a haircut. I just want to know, joking aside, what to do with the get-up.” Aunt Flora said as she peered toward me.

“I don't know..” I said blushing a little. “I mean, sometimes I enjoy sleeping with my hair in pigtails. I mean since I started growing it out, I noticed I could and can do different things with my hair and I like playing around with it. And well my favorite heroine always wears her hair in pigtails. So I wanted to see how they looked on me , and I kind of liked that so I started sleeping with them..”

Aunt Flora nodded her head as she forked her eggs and nibbled on her toast.

“What concerns me right now is your emotional and mental state. You just lost your mother. Your older sister and older brother kind of stayed away. And while I did the best I could, I know there were days when it was just you and her and most of the housework, like cleaning and stuff fell on your shoulders. I also know that your grades dropped. Like really dropped. You flunked your Freshman year. At no fault of your own. The teachers and staff at your old school just failed to understand what you were going through. I mean shit your mom was dying in front of you..” Aunt Flora said softly.

“I guess.. I have been kind of withdrawn since the funeral.” I said, taking a deep breath. “Sometimes I want to escape into a world that is like an anime cause nobody seems to get sick in anime, nobody dies, people go on magical adventures and have fun.” I don't know where those words came from. They just seemed to bubble up like spring water from deep inside me.

“You know, you can still go on adventures, still have friends, and still be you? But the question remains, who's going on these adventures. Is it going to be Emily? Or Emil?”

“I don't know. Before mom got sick, I mean really sick, before the cancer started eating away at her soul and before the chemotherapy left her like a zombie. We used to play Monster and Maze all the time. It was fun cause mom really liked to piece together a really good story!” I said blushing.
“Your mother always wanted to become a full time writer. When we were little girls, we use to play Monster and Maze all the time. She was a big time fan of 'The Legend of' series. That back when it was kind of dorky for girls to play video games. Before the internet made it cool.” Aunt Flora paused and looked down at her eggs. “Your mom was a special woman.. and I know she would love you no matter what..”

“I asked my mom if I could make a girl character for one of our games once. And she was unsure at first, but after I begged her she kind of caved in and helped me. It was fun.. in our games of Monster and Maze's we were a mother and daughter pair adventures.” I said biting down upon my lip. “I guess that's when I started to think of myself as a girl.”

Aunt Flora nodded her head.

“Like I said, I can totally get behind this. I mean Eowyn kind of crossdressed by putting on armor and riding off to war. But like I get it, I do. Eowyn wanted to be included and she wanted to share the dangers of the fight with those who she cared for. So like, maybe I'm wrong but I see a little Eowyn in you. Or maybe I'm just dated and maybe a woman who puts on armor and rides off with six thousand of her countrymen and slays a witch king is not cool anymore. I mean I have no idea what you kids are into these days!”

I blinked and blinked again.

“Anyway I ramble. So today was kind of the first day of summer break. And since you're not going back to public school, you'll be repeating your Freshman year at St. Clare's Catholic School. Anyway depending on how this works out. I guess you might be attending St. Clare's as Emily instead of Emil. And if that's the case I need to get up with one of the sisters about changing your name. Should be an easy fix, just tell them that some careless hand forgot to add the 'y' at the end of your name.” Aunt Flora shrugged her shoulders.

“Oh....” I said blinking.

“So before I brush my teeth and lay down for an after work nap. I have a question. What would like to do this summer? I mean yes you can stay inside and watch anime and read manga all day and night. But I'm not going to have that. So.. I need ideas, unless you want me to fill in your free time for you.” Aunt Flora said, grinning as she leaned back in her chair.

“How about the beach?” I asked. “I would love to wear a bikini for once and play in the surf and the sand!” I said getting a little starry eyed.

Aunt Flora just shook her head.

“Not this year I'm afraid. But I'll tell you what I'll split the difference with you. How about we spend all day at a waterpark, you'll be surrounded by kids your own age. It's closer, and we can buy you a bikini there... for reasons of modestly!”

“Okay.. and there is an anime convention being held in Jackson too. I kind of want to go too. The voice actress of Miyuki Todorohi is going to be there! And I so want to meet here! Plus they're going to be like a mock J-Idol competition where you get to perform in front of a crowd!” I said nearly jumping out of my seat.
“Sounds fun.” Aunt Flora said smiling. “Sure we can do that, It's been ages since I've attended a convention though. I mean I was going to attend a CoastCon a few years ago  but Covid shut it down and life got in the way of things. But now that Covid is almost over, and life is settling back down. I think I would like to get back into the swing of things. Plus, it might be fun attending an anime convention with my niece.” She paused. “Though I really don't understand the whole 'Anime' thing I'm not going to knock it.”

“Really!” I said nearly jumping out of my seat.

“Okay, water park and anime convention. Got it. Next thing is to decide who will attend these events. Emil or Emily?” She said, helping herself to another cup of coffee.

“EMILY!” I said without thinking.

“That was quick. Okay then, then Em and I need to go to the mall soon and get her some new clothes. Also I need to start writing 'Emily' on top of your chore list instead of 'Emil'.

I blinked and blinked again and slowly I started to smile a little. It was the first time I smiled in ages. Maybe getting discovered was not a bad thing. Maybe this was the start of something wonderful. Maybe this indeed was the start of something wonderful.

-4-
A different point of View
(Aunt Flora point of View)

Well, I just got the shock of my life. I came home and found my nephew, now I think my niece dressed like she just crawled out of bed. Well I'm sure she has been up for at least twelve or fourteen hours at this point, watching those Japanese cartoons that she loves to watch. I sometimes wonder why so many young people seemed so enthralled with them?

Anyway, when I first walked in, I thought my sister had risen from the family plot and had taken on the form of her fourteen year old self. I mean Emil, no! Emily was the splitting image of her late mother, my sister, same brunette hair, same heart shaped face, same curving body, same sparkling eyes. I gotta quit thinking of her as Emil, because clearly it's Emily! Lord, I'm so confused right now. But I'm okay with being confused because for the first time in about a year I saw Emil, there I go again! Emily smiled. When I walked into the kitchen I saw a young teenage girl full of life, she was whistling and doing a little dance too. It was super adorable! And goodness those pigtails were adorable too!

What worries me is what the future will hold for my Emily.. I mean the teenage years are always stormy. And a few don't make it through the storm. She already had to bury her mother, and well, she held a lot of her grief in through the whole thing. Her brother was no help and her older sister, God she just kept checking her phone through the whole thing! God what thankless children my sister raised! Maybe I'm being too hard on them. But at least they could have shown some measure of decorum!

None of them even bothered to hug Emil! I mean EMILY! I swear I will get it right one day! None of them even bothered to introduce her to their friends. Everybody just overlooked her, standing beside the open casket holding her late mothers hand as she fought back the tears. Emily is the bravest, sweetest girl I know and if I could I would lasso the Moon and all the stars for her.
I know life is not going to be easy for her. Hell I don't even know if I can enroll her in Saint Clare's Catholic School now? And her mother's will is made out to Emil Anderson, not Emily Anderson.. so she is going to be dealing with her dead name for at least four years. This is going to be a fine kettle of fish, I mean I could always ask her to hold off being Emily in public till she turns eighteen and becomes a legal adult. But that would imply that I'm ashamed of her! And I'm not in the least bit ashamed of her!

No, I won't do that! I refuse to! Because I'm not ashamed of her. We'll just deal with each problem as it comes up. I have connections, I'll use those connections. I will use those connections to make sure nothing will ever happen to my Emily..