Mending Bridges
By
Rebecca Anna Coleman
I took a deep breath as I walked into the dinning room of McDonald's. The air inside smelled of greasy french fries, freshly brewed coffee, random pieces of cow that had been ground up and smashed into hamburger shaped patties. And mystery parts of chicken that had likewise been ground up and formed into nugget-like shapes that had then been deep fried in three or four week oil at temperatures that would boil the skin from your bones. All in all it reminded me of my childhood.
Beside me stood my big sister, we kind of looked like two peas in a pod. We both had blonde hair, blue eyes, only she was a head taller than me and her breasts were slightly bigger than mine. On and my hand was in a cast.
“Are you sure about this?” I said, taking a deep breath as I peered up at the menu. “I mean it's not like you to take somebody out to eat.”
Jamie blushed a little and then smiled.
“Sure, I owe you one anyway. Plus. I have the McDonald's App. I can get some really sweet deals with that app. Plus I get a hundred points for every dollar we spend.” Jamie said proudly as she held up her phone.
I shifted my eyes away from the board and peered toward Jamie. A small smirk played across my face. She saw me smirking and she just rolled her eyes and crossed her arms under her breast and flipped her nose up in the air.
“But the main reason I'm taking you out to eat. Is because I feel that you and I need to talk about something. And plus,the older sister has to take the little sister out to eat sometimes. It's expected of her.” Jamie said in a defeated tone of voice.
“Good enough for me.” I said as I drew near the cashier taking orders. She was a brunette woman with brown eyes and she looked tired. She greeted me with a small smile and in a pleasant tone of voice said.
“Welcome to McDonald's.” She said, “Would this be dined in or carried out?”
“Dine in.” I said looking up at the menu. I want to tell you I was weighing my choices. But the sad truth of the matter was everything on the menu contained enough salt to pickle a wale and enough fat to kill you. So it was just a matter of picking your poison.
“Okay! Please go ahead with your order.” The girl said.
“Okay! I would like a twenty piece Chicken McNugget please. No sauce, just like five salt and pepper packets. A large coke-cola and large fry.” I said blushing a little. I was very much aware that I'd just blown my diet out of the water. In fact I would go as far as to say I shot it to Hell and back.
“Okay and for you?” The girl said peering toward Jamie was standing behind me.
“I'll take a BigMac with a large french fry and large coke-cola..” Jamie, like me, was blushing up a storm. She then turned to me and whispered. “I guess we've both cheated on our diets.”
I smiled and shifted my eyes toward her.
“I won't tell if you don't tell.” Jamie said in a slide tone of voice.
The girl blinked and just kept pressing a few more buttons on the machine. And then after about thirty seconds she said. “Okay! Your total comes to thirty dollars and fifteen cents. Would that be cash, credit, debit, or personal check..”
Jamie smirked and held up her phone. I'm sure she showed the clerk one of those fancy deals you get on the app.
“Okay.. So with your reward app.. your total comes to twenty dollars and ten cents.” The clerk said. Her voice is still dull and lifeless. Her eyes seemed dead too, kind of like the eyes of a fish that had just been pulled from the water and tossed on the bank to struggle for the next ten to fifteen minutes of its life as it fought to flop itself back to its watery home and salvation.
Jamie nodded her head and reached into her purse and pulled out a bank card. She then tapped the card reader with her card and the clerk watched as the tiny little print spat out a long line of paper.
“Thank you for your order. Your order number is 666.” She said, smirking.
“What the..” Jamie's eyes went as wide as saucers. As she looked down at the piece of paper.
“I think that's a sign from above.” I said, whistling a little. “Like maybe that should be your Halloween costume this year.”
Jamie blushed and shoved the piece of paper into her purse.
“So.” She said, hoping to change the subject. “Did mom ever get around to buying you a phone? Or are you still using that old flip-phone you had since you came down from Vicksburg?”
I flushed.
“I'm still using my old flip-phone.” I said blushing a little. I quickly braced myself for the cutting remark that was too bound to follow. I mean Jamie had been civil up to this point but how long was that going to last.
Jamie blinked and then looked at the screen.
“Well. A certain somebody has a birthday coming up. And well, I know she is going to be getting a lot of clothing. A lot of make-up and a few hundred dollars in gift cards and a much needed update on her laptop.” Jamie said grinning.
I blinked.
“So. Like I was thinking somebody needs a new phone. And I'm due for an upgrade soon and you can get a lot of trade in credit for my phone. And so.. one day what would you say if you and I head down to that new phone shop that just opened in the old Woolworths building on Main Street... and I'll get you a new phone..”
I blinked.
“I mean I can't have Lily hogging the fun.” Jamie said smiling. “Somebody has to turn you into a proper Southern Belle.”
I paused and peered toward Jamie. I was wondering where she was driving this change.
“I'm going to clue you in on Mississippi, all the middle-size towns are kind of connected. I mean think about it, each Friday night you travel in a big, red and white bus to towns both in the Delta Region and in the Red Hill region.” Jamie said. “I mean from Benton you many travel to Yazoo City cause our team is going to play Manchester Academy. Or deep into the delta to play Sunflower Academy or maybe to that mystical city in the heart of the Delta the home to the most handsome Southern Gentleman and the most alluring Southern Belles Washington Academy.” Jamie said grinning.
I nodded my head.
“And sometimes we go toward the coast to play at Gulf Academy or Stonewall Academy. And nine times out of ten, a handsome footballer catches your eye and you're hot, their hot, that skirt is short, the summer nights are hot and humid. And all you can think about is getting back on that bus so you snuggle up with a handsome boy and let him finger you while he plays with your tits with his rough hands and you both french kiss. I mean there are no lights on that bus.”
I blinked and blinked.
“Jamie!” I said turning around. “I'm dating Cerridwen?” I paused. “Or have you forgotten?”
Jamie smirked and peered toward the L.E.D screen. There were still three orders away from ours.
“I've not forgotten. I'm just saying. Some of them like to jerk off transgender cheerleaders. I mean. They can still go inside you, just gotta make sure they use some lotion. And the thing is.. in those hot, humid late summer nights. You might want them inside you. Makes falling asleep on a three hour bus ride home easier and more enjoyable.”
I paused.
“I mean.. Then once you ride him and he's fast asleep, you can move on. And before long in the three or four hours it takes us to travel back from Washington Academy, you've fucked the whole football team. I mean I'm sure you'll be sore as hell the next morning and dripping with you know. But hey! War stories.”
I shivered.
“Should a big sister really be telling her little sister this?” I said looking sideways.
“Yes and no. I'll let you decide that. But just because your hand is in a cast. Does not mean you can't ride them like a bonko bull.”
I peered toward Jamie. I could not believe what I was hearing. I would have never imagined in a million years that blonde haired, blue eyed, petite, and demure girl that was my older sister would even suggest such things.
I did not have long to ponder because soon the cashier appeared again. This time she was holding a brown plastic tray that seemed overflowing with McDonald's fare. The sight of the golden fries and golden brown chicken nuggets made my mouth water.
“Order 666 for Jamie Sarah Potter..” The girl called out.
Jamie smiled as she collected the plastic brown tray. She then peered toward me and smiled as she motioned toward one of the empty chairs.
“After you sis.”
To Be Continued
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.
Mending Bridges
By
Rebecca Anna Coleman
Part III
Sometimes miracles fall out of the pockets of God. In this case I think two miracles had fallen out of the pocket of God. The first miracle was that Jamie had taken me out to eat, and the second miracle was the ice cream machine of McDonald's was working. Jamie though was just smiling as she placed three boxes of warm apple pies down in front of me along with a dish of soft serve ice cream.
“So.” Jamie said, taking a deep breath as she once more settle down in her seat and peered across the table at me. I quickly noticed that she too had three boxes of warm apple pies and dish of soft serve ice cream. “I owe you an apology.”
Something told me it was my turn to sit back and let Jamie talk. So I focused on my apple pie. McDonald's must have been having a good day. Not only was the ice cream machine working but the apple pies were well warm.
“I've been a bitch.” Jamie said, taking a deep breath. “First off, I kind of lost my cool at the pie toss. I was so focused on making money. I never once considered what your feeling were. Heck I never even considered what you were going through. I guess I was too caught up in my own little mellow drama to really focus on you.”
“And maybe I was wrong.” Jamie said again. She seemed to be building a good head of steam, so I decided to just let her roll on with what she was going to say. After all, I had a warm apple pie and a dish of sweet, soft serve ice cream to enjoy.
“No, I was wrong.” Jamie quickly corrected herself. “I mean the last three volunteers to play 'Dotty' have all been transgender. And if I was you, I would volunteer to feel included. The Pie toss was my idea and I forced you into that. But I should have known something was up when you said you wanted 'breast'.” Jamie paused.
“And it was my own hubris that caused our little tea date to go off the rails.” Jamie quickly added.
I thoughtfully nodded my head and took another bite from my warm, apple pie.
“And I kind of went off the rails when you broke your arm too. I mean your arm is still broken.” Jamie said pointing toward my arm that was in the cast.
“They're going to break things again soon.” I said sighing. “It is not healing like it is supposed to. So there going to go in, rebreak it, and then operated on it, and put it back in a cast for like a week.”
Jamie shuttered and all the color drained from her face.
“When did you find this out?” Jamie said as she took another bite from her apple pie and spooned a spoon full of ice cream into her mouth.
“Last week.” I said with another sigh. “So I finally got your wish.”
Jamie tilted her head to the side. If this was an anime I guess a large, red question mark would appear floating around her head right about now.
“My career as a cheerleader is over.” I said finishing off my apple-pie.
“Daisy...” Jamie said, taking a deep breath as she peered toward me. “I'm sorry. I was being a bitch that night. I've been a bitch since you came out of the closet.”
I nodded my head.
“I guess it all happened so fast. One morning you appeared at breakfast and mom just casually said you would be living with us till you finished at Benton Academy. And I mean nobody told me, Lily seemed to clued in and I guess that kind of boiled my blood a little. And then a week later you broke your arm.. and while I should have been worried sick, I was just annoyed. And well when the nurse called you back, she called you 'Potter' and that hurt me, cause nobody told me.. I felt like I was being left out of the loop. Like nobody really trusted me anymore.”
I nodded my head.
“But all that in the past.” Jamie added.
I raised an eyebrow.
“I can't take back how nasty I was to you. I can't take back how much of a shitty person I've been. But I would love the chance if I could make that up to you. Because we're family now.” Jamie paused. “And I'm going to be honest with you, I've never been a big sister before, I know there might be a steep learning curve.. but I'm going to make a go of it.” Jamie said, sighing.
I blinked.
“You're my little sister now. I mean you're always going to have your family in Vicksburg.. but I'm going to be your new big sister. And I'm going to do my best to teach you everything I know about being a girl. And then I'm going to support you, stand by you and help you when you go out into this world.”
I blinked again.
“Being a sister is a lifelong obligation. You gotta be there, you gotta be there for the good times, and the bad times. The happy times and the bad times.” Jamie said. “And for me being a big sister, means I'm being invited into your life. It means I get to share in all of your special moments. Like I know you might be toasted at a debutante ball and that means I get to help you pick out the gown and help you get ready! And I get to help you pick out your prom dress! And your wedding dress! Those are all special memories that only big sisters get to have with their little sisters.”
I blinked again.
“What I'm saying..” Jamie seemed to be fighting back tears. “Is Daisy Isabella Potter.. Would you please accept me as your big sister? Even though I have done terrible things to you. And I don't deserve to call you big sister..
I smiled and reached across the table and hugged Jamie. A bridge was mended that day, a bridge that I thought was forever burned. A bridge whose ashes had been carried downstream and swallowed by a huge catfish. Was a crowded McDonald's the best place for this to happen? I guess.
The End.