Part 44 By Anistasia Allread “You should be quite grateful for having a mother that cares so much about you.” The officer told Erika. “There are a lot of kids out there who's mother could care less about what they do. At least yours cares.” |
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Thank God, Dad is coming home today. Erika hugged her pillow. She took a deep breath and squeezed her pillow as she squeezed another tear from her eyes. Pink Floyd played to drown out outside noises.
The time with her mother started off fine, but something snapped after Halloween. It was like her mother became possessed or something. She knew something like this was going to happen. Just knew it. She thought about calling her dad and telling him to come home early, but decided that interrupting his business trip would only hurt her cause in the long run.
So what if she hadn't called her mom 'on the dot' she was only an hour late getting home. Her mom didn't have to have such a cow. It wasn't like she was robbing a bank or doing drugs or anything. She was just having fun with her friends on Halloween.
The screaming match after she got home was enough that a neighbor called the police. Her mother was hysterical; foaming at the mouth as she screamed. More than a few dishes were broken by the time the cops showed up. Erika found herself quickly and quietly sequestered in the garage with one officer while another officer had her mother cornered in the living room. Erika's eyes looked like she was wearing a bandit's mask from the smeared mascara. The officer spoke to Erika in firm almost detached tones and through her sobs got Erika's side of the story.
The two officers then met in the middle of no man's land, the kitchen and discussed in low tones what they had gotten from each of them. The officer who had initially questioned her mother walked over to Erika.
“Do you feel safe enough to stay here tonight?” the officer asked
Erika was bewildered. “huh?”
“Your mother was pretty upset by your lack of consideration.” He stated. “I think she's calmed down a bit now. Do you feel safe enough to stay here and sleep in your own bed tonight? Or would you rather us take you someplace?”
'My lack of consideration?' Erika thought. “Uh, I guess I'll be alright here, officer.” Erika snuffed. Her dad was already going to have a conniption over this. If she went somewhere else for the night, he'd probably have a heart attack and where would that leave here? Alone with that woman for eternity.
Her lack of consideration? Was that what her mother was telling the cops? She wanted to tell the police that the real issue was that her mother was having issues with her transition. If dad was here, he'd have put mom in her place before this even started. Dad would be concerned with her being an hour late, but wouldn't blow it into world war three.
“You should be quite grateful for having a mother that cares so much about you.” The officer told Erika. “There are a lot of kids out there who's mother could care less about what they do. At least yours cares.”
Erika had to close her eyes so that he didn't see them roll and bite her tongue to keep from snapping back at the officer. 'Just get this done and over with' she thought to herself. 'Get them out of here so that daddy doesn't have even more to deal with when he gets home.' Erika just nodded.
“Okay, I'm going to go speak with your mother again.” he nodded and walked away.
The other officer who had spoken to her in the beginning came back. “How are you doing? Feeling any better?”
Erika nodded.
“Can I have your cell phone number?” the officer asked.
“What for?” Erika was suddenly wary.
“So that I can call you in a little while to make sure that you are doing alright.” he readied a pen. “We'll drive by in an hour or two to check on you too.”
Erika nodded and gave him her number.
“Here's my card.” The officer handed her a small card. “If you need our help again, just give us a call.”
“Thanks.” Erika nodded. She followed him back into the house. She and her mother both avoided looking at one another the avoidance was like a clear ice wall thrust between them. Erika climbed half way up the stairs as her mother showed the police out the front door. As soon as they had left her mother turned and stared daggers at her. Silent rage pierced her like an ice pick. Erika felt numb. What was wrong with her mother? Her mom's lips trembled as she spun away and stomped into the kitchen.
Erika heard things slamming around as she retreated to the safety of her bedroom and to the comfort of a shower.
--o0o--
Erika was partially awake when the door to her room was opened and the lights were flicked on.
“Get dressed, you have someone coming by to see you in half an hour.” her mother stated without emotion.
“Who?” Erika asked.
Her mother turned and walked briskly away.
Erika looked at her clock. It was late. It looked as if she had missed church. After last night maybe church was taken off the list of mother-daughter things. Erika stepped into the shower and carefully washed and warmed her body, being careful not to get her hair wet. Sasha said that a misting was fine, but not to stick her head under the shower spray.
'Who would be coming by to visit?” Erika wondered. 'Samantha and Tricia would have called. Could that policeman be stopping by to check in on her?' She bit her bottom lip as she pondered.
Out of the shower, Erika scrunched some product into her damp curls before standing in front of her closet.
“What to wear.” Erika wondered aloud. She had a couple of pairs of Capri as well as a pair of cords and two pair of jeans, but she really enjoyed wearing skirts. They felt so liberating and she felt a freedom of movement that jeans just didn't offer. Erika decided upon a long full circle skirt with lots of ruffles at the bottom. She paired it up with a nice button down, collared blouse. Erika twirled in front of the mirror and giggled as the skirt flared and spun around her legs.
She pulled on some bobby socks and slipped her feet into some flats as an after thought before heading down stairs.
She found her mother sitting at the dining room table clenching a hot mug of coffee in her hands. The stormy look on her face proved that this latest war wasn't over yet. Erika quietly smeared some cream cheese on a bagel and nibbled at it while leaning against the kitchen counter.
Her mother practically jumped out of her chair when the doorbell rang. Erika started to follow but the look from her mother froze her to her place.
She could hear her mother greeting someone in soft tones.
“Right this way. We were just finishing up breakfast, could I make you some thing?” her mother oozed sweetness.
“a cup of tea perhaps?”
Erika's mother entered the great room with a tall balding gray haired man following behind her.
“Erika this is Father David; Father this is. . . Erika.” her mother paused before saying her name.
Father Dave smiled, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. “How are you?” He asked looking Erika up and down.
“Fine.” Erika managed. Why was her mother bringing a priest to the house? Who was this guy?
“Please have a seat.” Erika's mother invited as she began brewing some tea.
“Who is this?” Erika whispered.
“Father David. He's here to talk with you.”
“With me?”
Erika's mother nodded. “Go sit down and listen to what he has to say.” her mother hissed.
Erika's heart began to pound. This wasn't cool. Something was up. Every bone, every fiber in her body screamed for her to flee. Her brain kept flashing back to last night and the embarrassment of having the police called and how her father would feel about that when he got back.
“Your mother tells me that you have a medical condition.” Father David greeted as Erika sat opposite from him.
Erika nodded. “A brain tumor.”
“Do you get head aches from this tumor?” he asked.
“No.” Erika answered cautiously.
“Do you have hallucination? See things, perhaps hear things?”
“No. Why? Are you a doctor as well?” Erika asked.
“Eric!” Her mother snapped.
'Run!' her mind screamed, 'Run now!'
“No, I'm not a doctor, although I do have some training in that field.” Father David cold smile did little to reassure Erika. “I'm just trying to figure out why a nice young man would want to dress like a young woman.”
“So why exactly are you here?” Erika's stomach trembled. She swallowed hard to keep the contents where they were.
“Your mother has concerns over your well being.” Father David stated.
Erika's mother placed the tea in front of the man. Father David blew on it before taking a sip. “Perfect. Thank you.”
Erika fixed her mother with a hard gaze. “So my mom called you this morning because she is worried about my well being?”
Father David nodded. “I think that having concern for your soul is concern for your well being don't you?”
“I can't believe you!” Erika screamed. “You called a priest to lecture me on my sins?” Erika bolted to her feet.
“Sit down, Eric!” her mother screamed back.
“I can't believe this.” Erika glared at her mother. She charged towards the door.
Her mother's hand shot out like an iron hook to grab her by the arm. “Come back here!”
Erika jerked her arm free and sprinted out the door and down the side walk.
She didn't realize the cold even though she was chilled to the bone, her toes frozen her fingers numb. She didn't notice that she was wet even though her blouse clung to her skin, her curly hair stuck to her face, her shoes sloshed with each step. She didn't notice where she was walking to until she found herself standing in front of Tricia's door. She knock, but just stood there, fuming, humiliated and pissed.
The door opened.
“Erika?” Mrs. Pearson was surprised. “Erika are you alright? You are soaked to the bone. Come in hurry, lets get you dry.”
Erika numbly, silently followed Tricia's mom into the living room.
“What happened sweety?” She cooed.
“My mom and I had a fight last night.” Erika mumbled.
“Tricia!” Mrs. Pearson called. “Tricia, get my sweats out of the dryer and bring them here!” Tricia's mom unbuttoned Erika's blouse and peeled it off from her cold, wet body. “You are freezing.” She commented.
“Erika?” Tricia entered the room carrying the pink sweats.
“Take her into the bathroom, strip her out of these clothes and stick her in a hot shower.”
--o0o--
Erika sat curled up on the Pearson's sofa wrapped in a blanket sipping some tea. A concerned Tricia and her mother sat next to her as Erika explained, without giving too many humiliating details, of the previous night's battle and the morning's surprise.
“Have you called your father?” Mrs. Pearson asked.
“I don't want to interrupt his business trip.” Erika stated. “It's embarrassing enough that he has to come home to the story of the neighbors calling the cops on us.”
“I think he'd like to know.”
“I'll tell him when he gets home. Besides, I ran out without my cell phone. I don't have his number.”
“Well you can stay here until he returns.” Mrs. Pearson gave Erika a comforting smile.
--o0o--
Later that afternoon Mrs. Pearson drove Erika and Tricia over to Erika's house. Mrs. Pearson stood in the Foyer as Tricia and Erika ran upstairs to retrieve some clothes, her books and cell phone.
“Just think of it as we're giving you two a break.” Mrs. Pearson told Erika's mom. “Girls sometimes get over emotional and they butt head with their mothers. You both just need some cooling off time.”
“I just don't want her to be a bother.”
“She's no problem. If anything she keeps Tricia out of trouble.”
Erika saw her mom dissappear back into the kitchen as she and Tricia came down stairs with her duffle and small suit case.
--o0o--
On Tuesday Erika was called down to the office. She stopped in her tracks when she saw her mother waiting for her.
“What do you want?” Erika asked.
“I'm here to take you to your appointment with Dr. Barts.”
“I'm not going.”
“What do you mean? Your father and I pay good money for you to see her.”
“I'm not going until you go talk with her first.”
Erika watched as her mother's eyes blazed and her lips pressed into a stone hard line. She took a deep breath and let it out.
“You are going to Dr. Barts.” she stated flatly.
“No. not until dad gets back.” Erika stood her ground.
“Get in that car, now.”
Erika turned and walked out of the office. Instead of going towards the car however, she turned and returned to class.
After lunch, she got called to the nurses office.
“Dr. Barts called and wanted to speak with you.” The nurse held the phone out to Erika.
“Hello?”
“Erika?” It was Dr. Bart's voice
“Yes.”
“Are you alright?”
“Currently.” Erika stated. “Did my mom see you today?”
“Yes. She is very hurt and angry.”
“Good.” Erika wanted to spit. “I'm hurt and angry too.”
“I'm sure you are.” Dr. Barts agreed. “Will you come see me this afternoon?”
“I really don't want to talk to anyone until my dad gets back.” Erika explained.
“So you want to keep this bottled up for a few more days” it was a statement.
“I want to digest what happened and cool off before I talk.” Erika could feel her ire rising.
“I understand.” Erika could visualizing Dr. Barts' head nodding. “Can I convince you to return home?”
“I don't know.” Erika said truthfully.
“I've got your mom calmed down and she said she would leave you alone until after you two and your father came to see me.”
“Can I think about it?” Erika asked.
“Sure. I'm just trying to help smooth things over.”
“I need to get back to class.” Erika wanted off the phone.
“Call me if you need anything, Erika.”
“Thanks.” Erika handed the phone back to the nurse.
--o0o--
Erika hugged her pillow and buried her face into it to wipe away the tears. She turned and looked at her clock. Time was creeping at a snail's pace. Her dad was due home in an hour or so.
Mrs. Pearson and Tricia drove Erika back home this afternoon. She grabbed a soda from the fridge and locked herself in her room. She turned on some Pink Floyd and fell into her bed.
'God, I'd wish Dad never left.'
--o0o--
to be continued...
Comments
Psychotic
This is really getting out of hand! Erika's mother could go off the deep end at any time, not that she's not already sliding over the edge. Erika needs to be far removed from the current environment. Portia
Portia
Menopausal Mom?
Yes, mom needs to be in the care of a Doctor and a Shrink; her own, not Dr Barts.
In a parallel situation I had when I was around 14 or 15, my Mom beat the hell out of me, and even caused a massive internal bleed in one of my eyes. In retrospect, I was emotional and upset and was really disrespectful to her. I ran away from home and went to a friend's house. They offered to adopt me on the spot, but I wound up returning to my parent's home after a stint in Juvie. I was too afraid of my step father and just knew that he would somehow get me.
Many years later, I think that I should have been adopted. It would have meant a free ride through college, perhaps, but with Vietnam beginning to heat up, I may have wound up being sacrificed on the altar of the rich there.
I really understand Erica's fears very well.
Khadijah
And her Mama sang:
Hush now baby, baby, don't you cry.
Mother's gonna make all your nightmares come true.
Mother's gonna put all her fears into you.
Mother's gonna keep you right here under her wing.
She wont let you fly, but she might let you sing.
Mama will keep baby cozy and warm.
Ooooh baby ooooh baby oooooh baby,
Of course Mama'll help to build The Wall...
~~~Laika (with some Pink Floyd)
And remember...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifLqzLEB3E0
What Was She Thinking?
WOW! I NEVER expected this to happen, but all things considered, her mom was due to try to pull something. Can Erika depend on Father David to keep things confidential? At least Barts is trying to help and knows more than Erika or her mom has revealed.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
ok her mother did it
ericas mother wont accept her, and she has become a danger to her well being. It is time for social services to step in and remove her. SHe may become as bad as her friends father that hurt her. It is so sad :(
What makes it even worse is the childs love for the dangerious parents that keeps them there where they keep the abuse a secret so the parent wont get arrested. They rarly speak out until its too late :(
thats what makes it so sick
Please erica wash your hands of the sick abusive woman before its too late, speak out loudly SHe doesnt love you so stop protecting her from the consequenses of her actions
OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RAMI
POOR ERIKA! She has so much to deal with, and now mom truly is trying to loose her "CHILD" forever, and perhaps destroy her marriage.
There was an understanding in the family, if not actual promises that mom would not resort to the type of action she took by bringing
"Father David" into the picture. Her word to both of them was broken. Whatever occurred the night before, even if Erika was at fault for not making curfew was uncalled for.
It is scary that the fight between mother and child got so bad and so physical that the neighbors had to call the cops. The volume must have been terrible. It is also surprising that the police left Erika with her mom.
Did mom call Erika's Cell phone to see where she was? Did Erika get a call and ignore it? Was Erika either tipsy or high went she got home, which would have provoked mom to act in a negative way? What did Erika say when Mom asked her why she was late? Did Erika resort to improper language or gestures?
Dr. Barts calling Erika out of class and asking her to come to his office is unprofessional. It calls unwarranted attention to Erika while in class.
That mom listened to Erika is a good sign, but perhaps her actions are too late.
I do not see the ending as a cliffhanger, and there is no reason to suppose that dad will not return home, but A. A. could really surprise us this time.
RAMI
RAMI
Excellent points
It never occurred to me that Erika's father might not come home 8(.
That would be horrible.
One gets the impression bringing a priest in is like bringing in somebody to perform an exorcism. I am sorry but Erika is not possessed.
My mother once referred to my condition as if it was an addiction. I crossdressed when I could as a kid and would never stopped even when mom found my stuff. She kept hoping I would stop but I never rubbed it in her face if I could avoid it so she had no reason to get as bad as Erika's mom has gotten.
I am afraid she will have to stay with Tricia even after her father comes back. Her mother could very well still hurt her even if her father is around. She is that unhinged.
Still, Erika has a far better support network then I had as a kid - read 'none' - so I had to wait impatiently until I was an adult to do anything substantial. In the mean time unlike Erika, testosterone took its deadly toll. I hope there is a reconciliation as Erika has enough burdens without feeling (unwarranted) guilt for breaking up her family.
This is excellent though as the 'Erika's Mom' plot line was kinda leading to this crisis point.
Wow.
Kim
Mom is still harboring
thoughts on how to rescue her son.
Hello Anastasia!! ^___^
I have seen it myself. Some people see black and white answers for the problems. There is nothing in between. Mom, sees the tumor as what is causing the problems for Eric's life and the why he is that way. There is nothing gray for her there.
But, Eric stills remembers the times in school and those dark days. He wants to forget those times. He wants to be a new person, a new soul, have a new life. Erika does not want to go back to being Eric. He stills has school to do deal with. Erika is not free yet from the frontal attacks on the brain and the body. The bullies are still at school. Then there is mom who is not supporting this problem.
The priest is her choice to confront Erika without her intervention directly, but it is. The brain tumor did tip the hormone balance, that has to be accepted. Mom thinks by removing the brain tumor, her son will grow up normally. It took maybe 15 years to get to that point. It will take just as long to tip it back. Of course, each body is different. It may be stuck in this pattern for the rest of her life. It is a physical problem not a spiritual problem. But, yet they do overlap sometimes.
Erika is trying to find refuge from the mayhem. So, she ran to Tricia.
Thanks again for another chapter AA. Have a wonderful week. I'm still job hunting friends.
Rachel
Hard to know what's really going on
The tumor tipped the hormone balance, yes, but hormones don't change one's inner sense of oneself as male or female; if they did, then all transsexualism would disappear at puberty (barring a physical situation like this that throws a monkey wrench in the hormone equation).
Brain tumors, though--those can change one's sense of oneself, even one's entire personality.
Now, Erika didn't show any signs of being aware of being transsexual before her Camp Kumoni experience. Some people identify strongly as one sex or the other (usually the one that matches their body, otherwise they're TS), while others less so, and some really not much at all. There's really no way of knowing for sure if she's a "typical" transsexual but just unusually un-self-aware, or one of those "don't-really-care" people who could accept either identity but finds her life is much, much easier when people see her as a girl.
And there's no way of knowing if any of that isn't just due to the brain tumor anyway. But on the other hand there's no way of knowing that if that were the problem, that removing the tumor would have any effect. The brain is just too complicated and too poorly understood to be able to say one way or the other.
All of that, of course, is irrelevant to the completely disrespectful approach taken by Erika's mother. Yes, Erika has been disrespectful to Mom. Erika's a teenager. Teenagers are often disrespectful even if they don't mean to be, just from inexperience. Mom's an adult. Mom's a parent, and supposed to be responsible and mature, and to set a good example for her daughter by not responding to casual disrespect with even deeper disrespect. What's her excuse?
P.S.
Best of luck with the job hunting.
You Have To Wonder?
You have to wonder if Erika will find herself on the receiving end of more serious violence at the hands of her mother. It is like her mother is a pressure cooker. These arguments are like steam being let out, but it is building up for a major blow up. I think it is just a matter of time before she does something to Erika that will put her in Intensive Care and land her mother in prison or the Psych ward. It is time for her to lay out her cards and get to the heart of why she is being so hateful over this. What made her so bigoted in her attitudes? Erika's father is the supportive one . Her mother needs to learn to love her child unconditionally, but doesn't believe in that apparently. Getting the Priest involved was a very bad idea. She has destroyed any trust that she ever had with her child and it is sad.
Priest = no trust
I'd be worried that Mom was going to forcibly take her to some sort of wacco religious camp to deprogram her or something weird.
I actually think that Mom is the one with the problem.
Khadijah
Religious Bigoted Psycho Mom!
I just knew she was going to be like this! I'm relieved my gut feeling I expressed earlier is now vindicated!!!!! *does the happy dance*
Now...
The Mom needs to be admitted to a mental health facility and needs treatment. Maybe need to see what her church pastor has been slipping her each week in communion too!
Ugggh. If after some period of treatment, if the Mom doesnt change, Erika and her father will have to consider divorce for Erikas safety and ability to grow and be herself.
I stand by that conviction utterly! =^.^=
In retrospect, a parent has to know when she/he can pass on something to their child, and when that child refuses to want to do something. The choosing of a person's religion is a personal choice. Its far better for Erika to choose that religion and her way to enter it for answers and help, rather than having the parent ram her own opinions on home like that.
And...
The mother has to realize she cant force Erika to live life the way she wants her to live. Erika has to live her own life her own way. And trying to force someone to be a gender they are not is apt to cause more immense harm and possible suicide than anything else. So, how does that rate Erika's mom being fit for a parent?
Sephrena Lynn Miller
BigCloset TopShelf
TGLibrary.com
Time now Erica
i think, to put some distance between your mother and yourself....Mom is not be trusted at the moment...Who knows what might she might do, If things do not turn out as she wants!!!
Kirri
Wow...WOW.
Where did this come from, you knew her mother was having second thoughts... But where did the left turn off the mountain come from. Did Gloria Swanson or Joan Crawford tag in??????????????/ Mary.
I started hearing
the theme from "The Exorcist" in my head during one part of this chapter. Be worried Erica, be very worried. Glad she had a place to go.
Dr. Barts was wrong also
in what was talked about on the phone at school. I would think that she would be more worried about Erika's safety first - whether Erika was staying someplace safe and to contact her father rather than try to convince Erika to go back home yet. That is way off base for a Psych to urge someone back to a psycho predator like Erika to Erika's Mom. Anastasia, out of this entire explosive chapter, that is the only flaw I saw in an otherwise great buildup of a cliffhanger ^^
Sephrena Lynn Miller
BigCloset TopShelf
TGLibrary.com
Except...
I'm not sure Dr. Barts was aware of the safety issue, as she'd only heard Mom's side of it when she called Erika, and Erika didn't enlighten her.
Intense!
I wonder what Erika's mother told the police, obviously not the truth. While only what her mother perceives as the truth. Bringing in a religious demagogue, only points to Erika's mom's rigid beliefs. Black and white died with the 1950s. Today everything is multicolored hues.
Erika needs a supportive environment. Her mother is only insuring that Erika will never consider becoming Eric again. The mother's insensitive efforts are only strengthening Erika's resolve. Erika is finding love, acceptance and friends, something she never experienced as the Plague.
Time for a time out for mom. Mom has the problem not Erica. Her actions are trying to make them Erika's. Erika needs to be in a non-threatening situation. Mom should only be allowed to contact Erika in a supervised environment. i hope her dad does not try to rationalize his wife's behavior as he did when she took Erika to that evil church.
Anxious to see where you are taking this. Thanks for a well written thought provoking story.
Hugs,
Trish-Ann
~There is no reality, only perception~
Hugs,
Trish Ann
~There is no reality, only perception~
I just had a strange thought, yes me
Is Erika NOT her dad's child?
Is mom afraid that if Erika becomes a woman, dad will learn she is not his genetic child but that of some affair mom had or even an unreported rape? But that would likely also come out after the brain surgery from blood testing in case transfusions are needed. Mom has a lot of repressed rage/fear but why? Her reactions are over the top for the circumstance. there is something we as readers and poor Erika do not yet know about mom or her past. Ghods, Is mom really Erica's mom? Is she adopted, the mom's sister's child, stolen from a hospital, is mom TG, a former man pretending to be his twin sister who he's killed and is now living HER life ... Okay that last one was a bit extreme, sounds like a plot for All My Children, but still, what is with mom?
Why the grasping at straws, turning to religion, even threats of violence to *persuade* her son to stay male? If it isn't some sort of late onset mental illness it could be some variant on PTSD, Erika is a good, loving child and is bending over backwards not to hurt mom or dad and that could get her hurt, even killed. Instead of a few plates mom could have grabbed a knife or a gun and Erica would be dead or maimed.
Powerful stuff.
Personally I was, still am to some extent, pulling for Erik to make a triumphant return having been bolstered by his time as Erika but things seem to point to Erika as the way forward. But I want that as her/his free will decision, not one that is cajoled or as it is now to some extent, HER rebellion against a untrustworthy and increasingly pushy mom. In trying so hard to force Erik to be a man mom is forcing Erika to remain a woman. So sad.
But then neither parent was much of one in the past. Remember the start of this whole saga how neither saw how badly their son was being abused in school and in the summer camps they shoved him into as *loving parents.* It was like he was a an accessory to their home, not a child. Mom or dad of the month they are not, but then that is sadly all too common in RL.
Not too thrilled with the psych doc either but then Erika is a little to blame in to telling the doctor all that mom has said and done. She's allowed by her very reluctance to talk Mom to influence the doctor. Even the cops did not fully believe mom, why else the request for Erika's cell and the invite for her to call if she ever felt threatened. Just stabndard procedure in domesic abuse cases? Bit then the would have removed Erika to a safe foster home on a temporary basis. They didn't by mom's crap why should Erica or the doc?
Wow!
John in Waauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
A Fan of Eric
RAMI
John - I used to be one of Eric's greatest champions, I wanted the boy to be given a chance. But, over time, it seemed that "the feminine mystique" and the calm he could associate with it destroyed any chance that that would or could experience a "normal" male development as a person who is not the plague. I am glad to see that there is at least one remaining die-hard champion for Eric.
RAMI
RAMI
Problem could be more conventional
Erika's mom could have been intersexed herself or maybe somebody in her life she 'lost' could have been TS or Intersexed. We do not know enough about her to make a supposition.
But I think that is the kind of trauma is maybe why she has her back up so badly. Or .... she just has a broomstick stuck up her butt. Who knows ?!
Kim
Maybe mother & daughter
will have a bonding experience when they both get their brain tumors taken out.
Mom's seems very large and feisty.
I'm glad Erica ran out of the house like that. There's no dialogue possibly with someone who shows up at your house knowing they have just what you need whether you want it or not; be it religion, politics, some psychobabble self-help system; They have no need to listen to you, and because of this attitude you're effectively just meat to them. A notch in their righteous belt...
~~~hugs, Laika
And remember...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifLqzLEB3E0
Running out
Yeah, I "ran out" on a similar "conversation" I was having with an old acquaintance I'd reconnected with on Facebook, when it became clear it was more of a conversionation--she was using every underhanded cult trick in the book to try to shove her NARTH-esque agenda on me, to get me to doubt myself and see the "error of my ways," and not making any attempt whatsoever to understand where I was coming from. I finally just had to tell her to bugger off. Sometimes that's just what you have to do.
KEEP IT COMING
keep up the good work and and the next part be longer it just as you get in to it stops till next time but it is still a good story
I would be going crazy if I
I would be going crazy if I was in Erika's shoes right now. I can understand going to see a counselor about it, but having a religious man come into my home trying to understand something very personal...I wouldn't have stood for it either. I think it's time for Erika to have a huge talk with her mother... her reasons for doing this, how she feels. all that. I understand it's a slow process, but the mother can't undo what's been done and act like Erika is a disease on her son. Each of us are born differently, a lot in the wrong body. But we make the best of it. Erika is making the best of what she can. and she knows the consequence that bringing back Eric will bring. Her friends support her though, what ever Erika decides to do, she will have support at least. Her father as well. but I'm left wondering if Erika's mom has OCD. Obsessive compulsive Disorder. Could be, I know what it's like. You know something should be this way, but it's not, so you keep fussing with it till it works the way you expect it to.
I used to be broken, I used to be lost. Unsure of what I was, until he found me...
Never be afraid to push yourself to new limits. While you might not see the path, you will be amazed at what you can achieve.
Ok, even I, who have been
Ok, even I, who have been trying to be fair to Mom all along, have trouble with this one...
I suspect that she probably spent that hour sitting thinking about Eric (she will be thinking of Eric, not Erika) dead in a ditch, dressed as a girl, and having to deal with all of that.
Did she try to call Erika? Was Erika's phone on or off? Erika certainly should have called...
The reaction was over the top.
Calling in Father nimrod, would be less of a problem, if he had been the family priest for a significant time, but that is not the case. Did she just go to the yellow pages, and look up righteous bastards?
I don't have a problem with Dr. Barts contacting the school and making sure that Erika was okay... She could not have been sure to reach her any other way. Convincing her to go home... hard to say, but since Dad was due home that night, probably okay.
I am definitely waiting on pins and needles to see how Dad handles this one, and all 3 of them need to go to Dr. Barts, pretty much immediately. This has to stop.
Erika NEEDS to get the surgery done.
Dr. Barts, Erika and her father, need to get Mom to understand that surgery is not going to suddenly make Erika want to be Eric again.
Mom needs to figure out what her real problems are, and she needs to do it quickly, or she is going to lose her husband and her child.
Thanks for the update A.A. I've been missing P&P...
Hugs,
Kristy
Tell me son did someone give you Gay?
I can see it now, "the child just needs Ta be deprogrammed don't ch see, a good crewcut an the good ol' switch will beat that 'GAY' right otta 'em."
GHAWD some of these so called adults are frightening!
Momma can't handle it so she goes shopping for anyone who will agree with her.
Does no one stand up for a child, or like some authorities they just don't want to get involved?
Interesting Way...
...of presenting the chapter, chronologically speaking.
When Mrs Martin announced the visitor, I was expecting a full-fledged armed intervention by the God Squad, though I suppose they wouldn't have wanted to be announced. (Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.)
Still, I was a little surprised -- Erika having had so much experience as the Plague in the past -- that she wasn't prepared for something a lot worse than what she got. She had a full hour to take an elementary precaution like checking in with a friend by cellphone and telling her to phone 911 if Erika didn't phone back in two hours. Counting on her mother to be in her right mind that morning seems like an awfully long chance to take under the circumstances -- certainly their first encounter that morning couldn't have brought much reassurance that last night was an isolated incident.
I'm inclined to disagree with the people who are coming up with soap opera explanations for Mrs Martin's behavior. What some people seem to me to be missing is that she's convinced that Erika's brain tumor leaves her one false move away from death. Under the circumstances, being out of touch for an hour certainly could take her through the roof, though it'd be inexcusable if she didn't try to reach Erika's cellphone first before panicking. (As someone noted, we haven't been told enough about that night to know whether a failure to connect that way would have been her fault or Erika's.)
As for the "save your soul" thing, we already knew that Mrs Martin thinks that way -- sadly, as most people here know, many mainstream parents disapprove for reasons not all that different. Again, if she's concerned that her child may have to meet his maker very soon, Halloween night may well have inspired this. And we don't know where that minister came from; presumably all he has is Mrs Martin's side of the story, and he hadn't shown yet that he'd refuse to listen to Erika's. (I certainly agree that it would have been foolish for Erika to hang around and find out.)
Eric
Plague or no...
She's nnot used to team tactics, like calling a friend... because she's not used to having friends.
imagin if they did divorce and her mother did get custudy
because she was against erica being a girl and she would make him be a boy. In the US current judicial system with many old time bigot judges, that is a strong posibility.
Much as I'm an Erika fan, ...
... I've been both a teenager and the parent of two teenagers and have "been there, done that" in both roles. In my opinion, the whole blow up is mostly Erika's fault. Had Erika been home on time, or had she done what just about every parent asks and called to let her mother know she'd be late, the whole scene could have been avoided. Every parent's nightmare is the "dead in a ditch" one, and, given Erika's situation, for her mother it was was probably more along the lines of "beaten and raped by boys who discovered her secret and dead in a ditch". Teens forget, but Erika had more reason than most, knowing how her mother was, not to; if she didn't forget and just didn't call because she expected her mother would say, "Get home NOW!" she should not have been surprised at her mom's reaction. It doesn't appear as if mom touched her, and when things were thrown, they were thrown by mom in the kitchen after Erika was out of the way. I think Erika may be VERY unpleasantly surprised by Dad's reaction to the whole thing. I do think the whole priest thing was out of line, but that most likely wouldn't have happened if Erika had just called.
BE a lady!
You can tell I'm old!
I just read the other comments. My kids were grown and gone before cell phones. I never considered that Mom could have called Erika. Sorry. Hopefully AA will enlighten us all as to the phone situation.
BE a lady!
Don’t apologize
RAMI
Don’t apologize
Yes, Mom could have called Erika, perhaps she did, A. A. did not tell us.
It is still the kids responsibility if they want to be treated as an "Adult" to act that way.
The blow-up was not the major problem here. It was the ambush mom set up with the priest, who did not come to help Eric, but (and I am one who believe that there is a soul) just to save his soul. The priest was not even ready to converse with Eric, before it seems condemning him to - since I am not Catholic - I guess hell fire.
Mom sure blew that part.
RAMI
Never
Never did I believe that her mother didn't take her to that one church on accident especially after they found a nice church that Erika liked and wanted to go back to. If her Father ain't around the mother sure loves to undermind everything. Erika should have called her father to let him know what was going on but not to have him rush home. Or she should have called the cops to inform them what was going on. But at least she got out of there. Another thought is that she should have also included Sam because Sam was her first friend even if it was only so she could know of her sister better Sam for the most part has proven she is very understanding.
Train Wreck
I shuddered but I just couldn't look away. It was the train wreck syndrome. *shudder*
This was an interesting chapter. I like some of the descriptions. I especially like the description of Erika as she walks out into the rain and finds herself on Tricia's doorstep.
I don't know what to think about Erika's mother. There is no way to rationalize or condone such behavior in my opinion. I can only hope someone like that would get professional help in the real world.
I'm still enjoying this story, though I think I'll ride back in the caboose for awhile. It should be safer.
Thanks for the story. Please keep up the good work (and try to stay dry and warm).
- Terry
This situation is so unstable
that drastic action will be required.
The safest approach would be for Erika's father to insist the mother leave the house for the time being until she can reach a point in therapy to allow Erika to chart her own course in the gender issue.
Erika's father will not be able to take another trip for fear of what his wife might do to their daughter. As a juvenile, Erika could be reported by her mother as uncontrollable and taken to a juvenile detention facility and placed in with boys, as her "primary sexual characteristics" would suggest. Or her mother might arrange for a full-on religious "intervention."
This problem with the mother is clearly beyond religious conservatism on display. Mom has a very unreasoning issue with Erika's transformation. Her histrionics show that she is more than just "opposed" to Erika's path, she is not simply implacable. The woman appears to be approaching a point where she might do anything to "fix" Erica. Even if that ends in tragedy brought on directly by her actions.
SuZie
SuZie
Erica’s mom
There might be a divorce in her parents future if her mom can’t stop this shit, or her mom is going to cause her to be outed.
hugs :)
Michelle SidheElf Amaianna
Mom blew it
yeah, Ericka should have called, but bringing in that priest just shows she still doesn't believe Ericka is real