Sage led Tracy down the street as Rachel passed them in her mothers van. Tracy felt bad for being able to still have fun, but she wasn't that religious and Rachel's mom refused to push her beliefs on her. Rachel waved and the two girls waved back.

“So was it fun?” Sage asked.

“What? Waving?” Tracy replied, looking at her new friend. She had gone over some of the stuff that Sage had said the past few days, things were slowly wonder what Sage's true story was.

Sage began to chuckle. “No you goof. A sleepover? Heck Two sleepovers?”

“That was great. You two are so much fun.” Tracy said. “I kinda wish I was a real girl like you two.”

Sage laughed. “Tracy, I'm as much of a girl as you are...well maybe more, but the way you act? The way you carry yourself? Total girl.”

November 27th 1982
Livermore CA

Tracy lay on a blanket in the center of Rachel's room, with another blanket draped over her. Sage and Rachel had joined her on the floor. Both of them having stolen more blankets. “Man, today was fun.” Sage said as she lay on her back, looking up at the ceiling.

“Oh yeah.” Rachel replied.

“I...” Tracy's voice wavered a little. “Thank you for inviting me.” She said, her voice cracking.

Sage heard it and she moved over, laying next to Tracy. “Hey, you okay?”

“It's just that you two are so accepting of me.” Tracy replied as she looked into Sage's eyes. From behind her, Rachel lay down and the two girls wrapped their arms over her. “You've answered so many questions. I don't think I can repay you two.”

“Hey, you need friends and we're here for you.” Rachel said as she moved closer.

“Just be our friend and were even.” Sage replied.

In all of her life, Tracy only had one friend, Peter. But now she had two more friends and they accepted her as Tracy. Now with them and her mother and grandmother, she was getting a lot of people to support her. She began to shed tears of joy. She reached out to Sage and pulled her closer as she backed into Rachel. “Thank you. Thank you both.”

~o~O~o~

November 28th 1982
Livermore CA

Sage led Tracy down the street as Rachel passed them in her mothers van. Tracy felt bad for being able to still have fun, but she wasn't that religious and Rachel's mom refused to push her beliefs on her. Rachel waved and the two girls waved back.

“So was it fun?” Sage asked.

“What? Waving?” Tracy replied, looking at her new friend. She had gone over some of the stuff that Sage had said the past few days, things were slowly wonder what Sage's true story was.

Sage began to chuckle. “No you goof. A sleepover? Heck Two sleepovers?”

“That was great. You two are so much fun.” Tracy said. “I kinda wish I was a real girl like you two.”

Sage laughed. “Tracy, I'm as much of a girl as you are...well maybe more, but the way you act? The way you carry yourself? Total girl.”

Tracy stumbled, but caught herself. There is was again, she had heard it. “Really?”

“Yeah, Total girl.” Sage replied.

“Cool” Tracy replied. “So...um.” She looked at the ground for a moment, then up at her new friend. “Are you just like me? I'm a boy, but I don't want to be. Things you've said, you said you could be a boy or a girl. ”

“I'm...” Sage paused as they turned onto a street that led them into a trailer park, just down the road from Rachel's place. “Can we discuss it in the house?” Sage asked. “It's really personal and I don't want people hearing about it. Too many people don't understand this.”

Tracy nodded ”Yeah. I would have asked yesterday, but I wasn't sure if it was okay.”

“Oh Rachel knows. Hell, her mom and my mom have been friends for years.”

“That's cool.” Tracy noticed where they were. “You live in a trailer park?”

Sage's cheeks turned a bit red and for the first time since Tracy met her, she saw shame on Sage's face. “Yeah. It's not as cool as Rachel's place, or even your Aunt's place, but it's home.”

“I think it's cool. My Grandma and Uncle Tom both have trailers, although they live on farms.” She chuckled. “You should see my parents place. It's so old, there's holes in the floor. My mom used to joke that it's air conditioned in the winter time. And we've had animals come crawling up through the bathroom floorboards.”

Sage turned to look at her. “Really?”

”Yep, I had a possum come up through the floorboards while I was going to the bathroom. And it really sucks because I share a room with Vance and it's almost as big as Aunt Shelly's bathroom. The one with a shower.”

“Ugh. That could get messy if you keep being a girl.” Sage stated. “I kinda have it good. I have both a sister and a brother, but I share with my sister. She just a few years younger. Although there was a time when I shared with Moonglow.”

Tracy's curiosity got the best of her. “Okay, I got to know. Does he go by that at school?”

“Not all the time. His Middle name is Marcus. So he went by that when the other kids picked on him.” Sage replied. “Mom's going to help him get a name change, if he wants it, but to me he'll always be my Moony.”

“Moony?” Tracy asked.

“Yep. He's my Moony, I'm his Goldie.” They stepped onto a driveway with a VW bus parked next to a trailer.

“Goldie?” Tracy lifted an eyebrow. “How does he get that from Sage?”

Sage stopped at the top of the steps to a trailer. “My Middle name is Marigold.” she opened the door and stepped in. “And Andromeda is Romy to Moony and I.”

“Cool.” They stopped just inside the door and Sage called out.

“Mom, I'm home.”

A thin woman in her mid forties peeked around a corner. She had a warm smile and crystal blue eyes, plus red hair that fell past her shoulders. “Hello darling.” When she saw Tracy, she stepped into the living room and walked over, extending her hand. “And you must be Tracy. I'm Sage's mom, Persephone. Sage told me about you over the phone.”

Tracy blushed and took the hand lightly and shook it gently. “Hi.”

“Are you two hungry?” Persephone asked.

“Nah, Rachel's mom fed us before they went to church.” Sage replied. "I was just going to talk to Tracy about that thing we share in common."

“Good. At least she has someone to help her." Persephone said. "Thirsty? I got soda's in the fridge and kool-aid, but you'll have to ask Romy about that. She's all about the kool-aid.”

“Maybe a soda?” Tracy asked.

“Sage, go ahead and grab some. I've got to get back to my sewing, so you two just let me know when it's time to take you home. Oh and send your sister to me when you see her, that will give you some privacy.”

“Sure thing, Mom.” Sage said as she led Tracy from the living room to the kitchen. Tracy took a quick stock of the main room and noticed something missing. As they stopped in the kitchen she hooked a thumb back to the living room. “You don't have a TV?”

“Nope. Dad swears it rots the mind. So we just have the radio, and lots of board games. Plus I love to read.”

“Oh. That's kinda cool. I know my mom limits how much we watch, claims the same thing, but Dad is always turning it on.” Tracy nodded. She looked around the kitchen, which was like any other kitchen, nothing out of place at all.

Sage reached into the refrigerator. “So, we have Shasta cola. You ever have that?”

Tracy nodded. “My Grandpa likes it. You got Grape?”

“Ah.” Sage reached in and pulled out two cans. “A girl after my own heart.” She handed Tracy a can then gestured to the hall. “Come on, I'll show you my room.”

“Okay.” Tracy said, not opening up her soda yet.

Tracy followed Sage to a room with a large picture of a moon on it. “That's my brothers room. I think he's off with friends today.” One the other side of the hall was two doors. One was open, showing a bathroom, the other was also open, and a bed could be seen. On the door was a picture of the herb Sage and hand drawn picture of a star. She pushed the door open and a small blur plowed into Sage's waist. The girl had long brown hair and wore a simple shirt and shorts combo.

“GOWIE!” The little girl screamed as she hugged her sister.

Tracy took a step back as Sage patted at the girls back. “Romy, this is my friend Tracy. Tracy, this is Andromeda.”

The little girl turned face her and cocked her head. Tracy could see she was no older then five. She looked back to her sister. “Gowie? She doesn't wook wike a boy. Why did Wachel say she was a boy?”

It took Tracy a moment to notice the child wasn't using the letters R or L, but Sage didn't miss a beat. She bent down to look her sister in the eye. “She's like me.”

“Oooooohhhhh.” The girl held the simple word out. “So she's pawt boy too?”

“Something like that.” Sage chuckled. “But remember, this is a secret, like with me, so no one else can know.”

“Okay!” Then the little girl bounded back into the room.

Just before Sage could step in, Tracy grabbed her arm and stopped her. “She knows about you?”

Sage nodded. “She's a five year old. Hard to hide everything from her when she sleeps in the same room and hasn’t fully learned the whole knocking before you go into the bathroom rule.”

Tracy nodded as the logic of that made sense. Sage led her into the room. Two beds were against the far wall, one on each side of the room. Between them was a large dresser. A closet was set into the wall that was shared with the bathroom. One bed was filled with stuffed animals, and hand drawn pictures all over the wall. The other side of the room had posters of bands and a single stuffed animal on the bed, a large dog. It was also the only bed that showed recent use.

“You used my bed last night.” Sage said, trying to sound angry. “You slept with Mr. Woof!” She turned on her sister who wasn't phased by the tone her sister used.

“I was scared an you wasn't home.” The little girl stuck her lip out before she went back to the paper she had on her bed. She held a crayons in one hand and began making a new picture for the wall.

“Hey, Mom wants to see you.” Sage told her sister. “I think she's getting your dress finished.” The little girl didn't say a word, she just jumped from the bed, letting the crayons fall onto the paper as she streaked out of the room

“Come on.” Sage went to her bed and she sat down, tossing the stuffed dog against the headboard. “Have a seat.” She patted the end of the bed, then put her soda on the dresser.

Tracy opened hers and took a sip, then placed hers next to Sage's and took the offered seat. “So....” She had more questions now, but she wasn't sure how to proceed.

“You want to know about what I said?” Sage asked. Tracy nodded and her new friend smiled. “This could get confusing, I know it confuses me too. I didn't mean to tell you only part of the story, but it's hard to follow my story at times.”

Sage took a deep breath and continued. “Okay, when I was born there was something different about me. I was born with...how did the doctor put it. Ambiguous genitalia.” She reached over and opened her can and took a quick sip. “I was born at a cabin that my parent's were staying at in the mountains, during a huge snowstorm. When Mom took me to a doctor, they tried to insist I was a girl and tried to force them to make me go through operations. Another doctor said that they could sew up the opening or something like that. I'm not really sure...Mom knows the whole story.”

“That's close enough.” Sage's mother said as she stood in the doorway. She stepped in and shut the door to the bedroom. “I sent your sister to Abigail's, I figured you'd want some help with this.” Persephone moved to the other bed and she sat down, facing her daughter, but her head was dropped and her hands were in her lap. “The doctor tried to tell me you had to have the surgery done, hell, they almost forced it. They kept arguing which way to push you too. But I stood my ground. There was so many things that I felt uncomfortable about, I wasn't going to let them force me. So we found a new doctor, one who listened. And with him, we came up with a new plan.”

“I get to choose.” Sage said looking to Tracy. “I mean the boy parts are nothing to rave about, at least I don't think so. So Mom decided that from a young age I got to choose who I wanted to be. If I wanted to be a boy, I could dress as a boy, if I wanted to be a girl, I dressed as a girl.”

“See, the doctor told us she needed to be put into at least one sex. For school and other records.” Persephone cut in. “So We had her go to school as Sage, the girl, but I explained it to her daily. She had the right to choose who she is. There was no pressure. Not from me or her father.”

“They said they could do the surgery, but the Doctor wanted to wait till I hit puberty. This way I have had time to come up to a decision.” Sage replied.

Tracy looked at the girl. “Have you? I mean chosen who you are?”

“I'm a girl.” She stated. “I haven't even done anything as a boy in a years, just because I didn't want to. I never really thought of myself as a boy.”

“Is this what you meant by your all girl too? Maybe more?” Tracy asked.

Sage nodded. “It's hard to explain and don't ask me to show you, please. Even Rachel hasn't seen.” Her cheeks had begun to turn a shade of red that matched her hair.

“it's okay, I wasn't going to ask.” Tracy replied.

“Thanks.” Sage replied. Tracy leaned over and hugged her friend. “What was that for?”

“For telling me the truth.” Tracy rested her head against Sage's shoulder. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome. If you got any questions, I'll answer what I can. But this is why I said I understand.” Sage said.

Tracy nodded. “If I have them, I'll ask.”

The front door opened up and they heard the sounds of little feet running towards the room. Persephone got up. “Well, Romy's back. If you two need me, I'll be sewing. I'll try and keep her out of your hair.”

“Thanks Mom.” Sage said.

Her mother leaned over and kissed her forehead. “It's what I'm here for.”

As her mother stepped out of the room, she grabbed the little girl before she could come back in, then she shut the door again. After a few moments Sage looked at Tracy. A look of concern crossing her features. “You're not weirded out by me now, are you?”

“No.” Tracy smiled and put her arms around the other girl again. “Before, I had mom and Grandma who thought they understood and Peter who kinds knew. But you....You know what it's like.”

Sage smiled at that. “Rachel and the others know, but that's it, well and your Aunt and Uncle. But for most people, I'm just a girl who used to be a tomboy.”

“That's cool.” Tracy replied. “I still don't know what I am.”

Sage giggled. “Silly. You're Tracy. That's all you need to be.”

~o~O~o~

It was just past noon as Persephone drove the two girls back to Shelly's house. They had even picked up Rachel who had come running over after church before they left the trailer park. The three girls sat in the back of the VW bus, taking the short trip to talk some more. Tracy was just listening to them as Sage's mom brought the bus to a halt. She reached over and pulled the door open.

She froze as she looked at the car next to the bus. He eyes began to fill with tears and her breathing quickened. “Oh shit.” Tracy swore as she began to shake.

Rachel looked at her, then at the car. “What's wrong? You know that car?”

Tracy moved away from the door and she began to cry. As she aimed to sit on the seat, she missed, landing with a thud on the floorboard of the bus. “It's my dads.” She managed to say. “He's gonna kill me.” She lay down and curled into a ball and began to sob.

“I don't understand.” Persephone said, looking from Tracy to the two girls.

“Mom, her dad doesn’t know about Tracy.” Sage stated.

“Oh no.” Her mother undid her seat belt and sat there, thinking of a plan. “Tracy, do you have boy clothes with you?”

“Mom's car.” She sobbed out.

“Crap. I doubt Sage's boy stuff will fit you, that's all smaller then she is now. And Moon's clothes are way to big.” Persephone was quiet for a minute more. Then she pointed to Rachel. “Shelly's your aunt. Go inside, tell her mother you need the keys. Come back out and grab the bag, we'll do a fast change in the bus.”

“Right.” Rachel said as she jumped out of the bus and jogged off to the house. Sage had gotten close enough to hold Tracy.

“Hey, he won't hurt you.” Sage said. “Not while I'm here.”

“It wont matter.” Tracy put her head against Sage's chest. “He'll just do it at home.”

To Tracy it felt like an eternity, yet only a matter of minutes had passed from when Rachael left. Persephone turned and tapped her daughters shoulder, then she pointed to the door lock on the sliding door. Sage took the hint and she locked it, then went back to trying to console her friend as her mother got out.

She watched her mother walk across the green lawn of the town home community to stop a taller man who was walking with Rachel. She could see Maggie standing at the back of the town homes watching what was happening. Beneath her hands, Tracy kept crying, still curled up into a ball in front of the seat.

After a minute or two, Maggie moved close, standing next to Rachel. The man walked with Persephone to the van. Sage sat there as her mother gestured for her to open the lock, mouthing the words. “It's okay.”

“Come on.” She whispered to her daughter and held out a hand. Sage slowly climbed out of the bus, glaring at Tracy's dad. The older woman touched Tracy's leg. “Give him a chance.” She said, then she began to lead her daughter away. “I'll be in earshot.”

William didn't say anything, he just nodded. He wasn't sure what his child had told them, but he knew by his past actions, it must not be good. He stood there by the door as he watched his child, look at him with one eye, fear all over her face, then she tired to press under the seat. His heart began to break, seeing that much fear in his child, aimed straight at him. He had guessed that at times, his children seen him as a monster, and now he knew it was true.

He wiped at one of his own tears as he leaned against the side of the bus. “Sweetie, I'm not mad at you. I'm not going to yell, or scream, or even hit you.” He sniffled once, then wiped a finger across his cheek. “I know I haven't been the best parent. But Tracy, I love you. You're my child and I love you no matter what.”

The use of her girl name caused the one visible eye to look in his direction. He swallowed and shook his head. “I've been unfair to you and I can understand why you wouldn't trust me. I've probably ruined a great day just by being here. I know your worried about what I'll do. A million thoughts must be racing through your mind. But I won't hurt you.” He said.

More tears fell from his eyes and Tracy grew silent, listening to him and watching with one wary eye. “I can't even claim I understand what you're feeling, or going through. But I want you to know, I'm here for you. If you wish to be Tracy, or Troy, you're still my child. And I love you. No matter who you want to be, I support you.”

He stood there for a few moments, nothing but silence passed between then. His head hung down in shame as the proof of his rotten parenting skills were shown to the other woman and her child. He had messed it all up by coming to where she was. “I'm sorry Tracy. I'm sorry I failed you.” He whispered, turned and began to walk away, very slowly. He was about to pass the women who had talked to him when she held up a hand, then pointed to the bus. He turned and saw his daughter for the first time, wearing a now rumpled blue skirt and a white shirt, now showing some sort of stain on it. Her eyes showed that she had been crying and her hair wasn't combed back like Troy's had been. In fact, William couldn't see any of his son standing there. She took a step away from the van and asked.

“Do you mean it?” Her voice quavered, as if she was about to burst into tears again. “About supporting me?” She asked.

“Yeah.” He nodded. “I should have been doing it all along and I was wrong not to. But you have my full support now.” He waited a moment, then added. “Like you should have had all this time.”

“What if I don't want to be Troy again?” She took a step closer.

“Then I'll have the best daughter in the world, one who I'll protect with my last breath and support with every fiber of my being.” He went to one knee. “Baby, I know you have no reason to trust me. But give me the chance, please?” He wiped away another tear.

Behind him, Tracy watched as Rachel nodded and gave her a thumbs up. By his car, Sage nodded as well. She had never seen her dad cry, not like this. And the look on his face was genuine. “And you'll never hurt me again?”

“Not for being who you really are.” He stayed on the one knee.

Tracy looked to her mother who was mimicking Rachel and Sage. She began walking towards him, but the urge to get a comforting hug was too great. She ran towards him, hugging him tightly at the waist.

“I love you Tracy.” His tone was that soothing tone that all dads could use. He put his arms around her and held on tightly.

“I love you too Daddy.” She answered back.