“So no Tracy?” Shelly asked.

Maggie nodded. “Tracy was so lively on the way down here. I think she talked from home to Tracy, the town, where she changed. Once she changed, Troy was miserable.” She shook her head. “Maybe I shouldn't have let her be Tracy for the ride.”

November 26th 1982
Northern California/Livermore California

Maggie and her children had left just past nine. She had dressed for comfort, as did Vance, both of them in jeans and a t-shirt. Tracy was in a dark blue skirt and a white shirt. Tracy had packed two bags, one of Troy's clothes and one with Tracy's that she had pulled from her grandmothers house. Currently the young girl sat in the backseat. Vance had taken over the passenger seat. He had made the deal with Tracy that he could drive to Livermore and then to San Francisco in the front seat, but she got the front seat all the way home on Monday.

For the trip so far, the young girl had talked, non-stop. Vance was nose deep in a book, trying to ignore her rambling. “And I was thinking maybe we could try that for dinner on Tuesday, what do you think?” Tracy looked at the mirror, smiling at her mother.

Maggie smiled back. “I think that's a good idea.” She looked back to the road. “Kiddo, you still want to change back? If so we need to pull over at the next off ramp.”

“Can we?” Tracy's smile faltered. Her shoulders slumped as she sat in her seat, a frown began to form on her lips. “Please?”

“Sure sweetie.” Maggie told her child. “You could wear that to Aunt Shelly's if you want.”

“No.” Tracy shook her head. Her voice was much quieter. “I should change back.”

“But do you want to?” Maggie asked. “I'm sure Shelly wont mind what you wear.”

“I better not.” Tracy replied. “Uncle Frank may not like it.”

“I don't think he'd care.” Maggie said, trying to be as subtle as possible. She didn't want to just openly say they knew, but they did.

“I'll just change.” Tracy said as she pulled her bag of Troy's clothes from the floorboards.

Maggie pulled off the highway and found the first gas station she could find. She looked at the building, then in the mirror at her child. “Kiddo, the bathroom is on the inside of the building.”

“What?” Tracy asked. She looked through the big windows of the store and saw her mother was right. “I can't change in there. People would see me.” Her breathing sped up.

“Baby.” Maggie put the car in park and turned to touch her daughters knee. “Relax. We can get you to change without going inside.”

“W...we can?” Tracy asked.

“Yeah. I'll pull up behind the building. You can change in the backseat. Just a quick change. You've changed at the beach and you had on less then underwear at one point.” Maggie said in that motherly tone that commanded respect and soothed at the same time.

Tracy looked at her for a moment, then in the bag of Troy clothes. “Okay.” She said as she pulled out a pair of jeans and a shirt.

Fifteen minutes later they were back on the road, a much quieter Troy was now riding behind his brother. The next twenty miles passed in silence. Maggie kept looking back at her child, who just rode, staring at his hands that he held in his lap.

“You okay back there kiddo?” She asked. As they reached the outskirts of Livermore California. She pulled off the highway and headed for her friends house.

When Troy spoke, the joy that Tracy had in her voice was gone. He didn't look up at all. “Yeah mom.”

“I'm sorry Troy.” She said, before putting her full attention on the road.

Vance turned to look at his brother, who began to lay down on the back seat. The older brother looked at their mother and shrugged. “Is there anything we can do?” He asked her.

Maggie sighed. “I don't know.”

A few minutes later they pulled into the parking lot of a bunch of Townhouses. Troy waited for his mother to park before opening up the back door. He slid out with his bag of boy clothes, the skirt and blouse in a plastic bag. He hovered by the truck and as his mother opened it up, he reached over and stuffed the plastic bag into Tracy's bag.

Vance and his mother retrieved their bags and the three of them walked around the townhouses to the front door of Shelly and Frank's place. Troy stood behind them, his eyes focused on the ground. He wished he had the courage to have been Tracy here, but he knew that Frank and his Father were as close as his mother and Aunt Shelly were. He could only guess how fast his father would know.

Maggie rang the doorbell and a minute later the door opened up, showing a slightly chubby woman who was just under five foot tall. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail and she worn a simple floral print muumuu. “Maggie!” She stepped out and Maggie bent slightly at the knees so they could hug.

“Shelly!” Maggie stood up and smiled, then looked in the house. “Frank's not here?”

“He had some running around to do today.” Shelly said as Maggie moved slightly, allowing Vance to step up. “Hello Vance.” He bent slightly too, but less then his mother had.

“Aunt Shelly.” He gave her a smile as she kissed his cheek. It was the one thing that both boys liked about her. She may kiss their cheeks, but she never pinched their cheeks like some of their other relatives did.

Shelly stepped out to the glum looking boy at the end of the line. The two of them were about the same height. He was one of the few people that she was taller then. “Hello Troy.” She put her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

“Hello.” He replied, trying to muster some excitement in his voice, but he failed.

She noticed, but never said anything. “Well come on in.” She gestured to the door. “Vance? Can you and Troy take your bags to the Guest bedroom, the one your mother stays in? I'd like to talk to Maggie for a moment.”

“Sure.” Vance held out a hand as his mother offered him her bag. The two boys walked inside and went up the stairwell to the second floor. Shelly closed the front door and looked at Maggie.

“So no Tracy?” Shelly asked.

“No, and I told her it'd be okay.” Maggie sighed.

“It that why he was so glum?” Shelly glanced to the door, making sure it was still shut.

Maggie nodded. “Tracy was so lively on the way down here. I think she talked from home to Tracy, the town, where she changed. Once she changed, Troy was miserable.” She shook her head. “Maybe I shouldn't have let her be Tracy for the ride.”

“Why not?” Shelly shrugged. “Maybe he needed to be her for the ride to get his confidence. You know how many people like him are scared to even leave their homes?”

“But what do we do now? It's like someone flipped a switch when he got those jeans on.” Maggie wiped at her eyes before a tear could run down her cheek. “I....” She drew in a breath and shut her eyes for a moment. “I just want my baby happy.”

Shelly hugged her again. “Do you trust me?”

Maggie nodded. “Yeah.”

“Then let me try something. I'll play it by ear, but I got an idea.” Shelly gestured to the door. “Come on, lets get inside.”

It was late in the afternoon when Shelly and Maggie went up the stairs to the room that Troy and Vance were sharing. Both Maggie and Vance had been downstairs since they had arrived, but Troy had stayed upstairs. According to Vance he had been lying on the bed since he put his bag down, looking at the wall.

They went to the second guest bedroom and they saw Troy laying on his side, back to the door. Shelly walked into the room and touched his shoulder. “Hey, you okay?”

“Yeah.” He said without moving his head to look at her. “Just feeling blah.”

“I can understand. Everyone had bad days.” Shelly said as she sat on the edge of the bed. “You want to talk about it?”

He tired to shake his head, but as he was lying down, the movement was halted by the pillow. “Not really.”

“Baby, it's okay.” Maggie said. This caused Troy to roll over and look at his mother and aunt.

His Aunt put a hand on his shoulder. “I'm not going to lie to you. I never have before.” He made eye contact with her and she gave a comforting smile. “Your mother called me yesterday. She told me about what was going on.”

Troy looked at his mother, tears forming in his eyes. The anger came fast for the young child. “You told her? You said you wouldn't tell no one! You lied to me!” He rolled back over and faced the wall. “Just leave me alone.”

“Troy.” Shelly began to speak.

“Just leave me, please?” He made a sniffling sound as he lay there. He could feel her get up from the edge of the bad.

“No.” Shelly replied in a soft tone. “I want you to listen to what I have to say, then I'll leave you alone.” She was quiet for a moment, he didn't reply, so she continued. “I was hoping to see Tracy here this weekend. It's not that we don't want to see Troy, but I hear that my niece, Tracy, is a fun and friendly girl. Your mother told me because she trusts my judgment. If you're worried that I'll attack you for being Tracy, you're wrong. Frank won't either. His brother is gay and we both have friends like you.”

“I wanted to meet my niece. I even have some clothes that I feel Tracy may like.” Shelly said as she got up. “Just take a look in the closet in the other guest bedroom if you want. But mostly, just be who you want to be here. I want you happy, not mopey. We'll be downstairs if you want to join us.”

Shelly walked out of the room, gently shutting the door. As they got to the bottom step, Maggie spoke quietly. “Think she'll do it?”

“Who knows Maggs.” Shelly replied. “I mean it. I want her happy and right now, she's not.”

“It's all my fault.” Maggie shook her head. “I should have told her that you two were okay with this. I tried, but she was scared.”

“I just hope I didn't screw things up.” Shelly said as the two women took seats in the living room. Maggie took a love seat, Vance was leaned back in a chair, while Shelly had a couch to herself. They all sat there for a while, watching TV with Vance.

Half an hour later, they could hear movement in the upstairs bedroom, but neither women moved. Twenty minutes after that, Tracy made her way down the stairs. She had on a purple dress that had been in the closet. Her hair was pulled into pigtails and held there with purple hair scrunchies. Shelly looked over and nodded, giving her a big smile. She stopped at the bottom of the steps, Her mothers back was to her, so she draped her arms around her mothers neck and kissed her cheek. “I'm sorry Mama.” She whispered.

“Why?” Maggie turned her head to face the girl better.

“For getting mad.” Tracy replied.

“Honey, everyone get's mad.” Maggie said. “I can't fault you for that.”

“Thank you Mama.” She said.

“Well, let's see my niece.” Shelly turned from the TV, so did Vance. Tracy came around the loveseat and stopped, turning in a circle for them.

“Whoa, nice dress.” Vance replied.

Tracy smiled at him. “Thanks. It was in that closet.”

“I'm glad you came down.” Shelly said as Tracy moved closer. The little woman got off her couch and put her arms around her niece. “I know it may seem scary, but if you let fear control you, then you'll miss a whole world out there.”

“I guess.” Tracy replied.

“It's true.” Shelly replied. “Now do you think you'll be able to face your Uncle Frank?”

“Will he tell Dad?” Tracy bit her lower lip.

“No. I won't let him.” Shelly replied. Maggie stayed quiet. She had already informed Shelly about her talk with William, but Tracy still had no idea. “But he may have a surprise for you too, when he gets here.”

“Really?” Tracy looked wary. “Like what?”

“I'll wait, in case he couldn't get it.” Shelly said. “No point in getting your hopes up. But I need to make one thing perfectly clear. Will you listen to me?”

“Yeah.” Tracy shook her head.

“No, I mean really listen to me.” Shelly replied. “Listen and believe me.”

Tracy thought about it for a moment, then she replied. “Yeah, I'll listen.”

“And believe?”

Tracy smiled. “Yeah, I'll believe.”

“Here's what I got to say.” Shelly led Tracy to the couch and they sat down. She turned to face Tracy and she spoke clearly. “You are safe here. No one will attack you for being who you want to be in my house. If they do, I break their legs. Understand me?”

Tracy nodded. “Yes.”

“You don't need to hide when your Uncle comes home. You can be Tracy full time while your here. Do you want that? All the way till your almost home on Monday. Do you want that?” She asked, smiling as she did.”

Tracy's smile returned and got bright. “Yeah.”

“Good.” Shelly put a hand on Tracy's shoulder. “Now would you be willing to go out to eat with us while you're here?” Tracy's smile faded a bit, then Shelly spoke up again. “Remember, you're planning on going to Frisco like that. You'll be eating out with tons of strangers, walking with them and trust me young lady.” Shelly's smile widened. “You totally look like an eleven year old girl. No one will suspect.”

Tracy thought about it for a moment or two. She had planned to be Tracy, but hadn't planned on eating while in San Francisco. Then she remembered the trip down and stopping at a McDonald’s to use the bathroom. No one had questioned her there.

“Okay. I'll go.” She replied.

“Good. We're having Pizza tonight, but one of these nights, we'll be eating out.”

Tracy was about to reply when the sound of a key in the door lock hit her ears. She turned to face the door, going slightly pale. Shelly seen it and squeezed with the hand that rested on her shoulder. “Relax. It's going to be okay.”

A moment later A tall man, standing about six and a half feet tall walked in. Tracy knew some people found it funny that he was tall and thin and Shelly was short and chubby, but having known them all her life, she never cared. His hair was kept short and he never wore a beard of mustache. He had a large duffel bag over one shoulder and a couple boxes of pizza in his arms. He scanned the room, then moved to the table that sat near the kitchen entrance to set down the food and bag.

As he came back he offered a hand to Vance. “Young man.” He said as Vance looked up, smiled and shook it. “I got something to show you tomorrow.” The older man said with a big grin.

“Awesome.” Vance smiled at him, before turning his attention to the TV again.

Then he moved to Maggie. “Maggie, it's good to see you.” He gave her a light hug. When he let her go, he moved around the coffee table in the center of the room till he stood next to Tracy, who had begun to shake.

“And this must be my beautiful niece.” He bent down slightly and brushed a lock of hair from her face. “Can I get a hug young lady?” Tracy blushed as she slowly stood up and put her arms around him.

“Hello Uncle Frank.” Tracy said in a soft voice.

As he let her go, he dropped to one knee and smiled, looking her over. “Hello Tracy.”

“You pick up the other item?” Shelly asked, looking from him to the duffel bag, then back.

He pointed to the door. “Still outside.”

“What....what's outside?” Tracy asked as the door was pushed open.