Don's Response

Synopsis:
Just prior to Jezzi's story Darling Dainty Donna and the family ganging up on Don for being mean to Bobbi I thought this story could be inserted instead. There is no meanness, no underhanded ploys, just a boy reaching out for answers from a family that he feels he has lost.........

by Danielle Leigh-Anne O'Bryan

I guess I have to admit that the 'sprout' looked damn cute in that Disney costume. I wasn't, nor am I yet sure, as to the reasons why Brandy wants my little brother to be a girl. What I really don't get is why he wants to be one. Prior to Brandy we had a really good relationship. He used to look to me as his big bro and I would teach him stuff that a young man needed to know. It was great. Our family was very close knit and we wouldn't think twice about helping each other.

Now I am all boy and I have never thought of being anything else but that never stopped me from helping Mom out in the kitchen or doing my share of cleanup duties around the house. Sheesh! I even did the laundry once in a while. I was the one to show 'sprout' how to seperate the clothes so we wouldn't get pink underwear. Now, I suppose he wouldn't mind that happening. Just because I kept a clean and neat room didn't mean I was limp wristed either. I just liked the idea of being clean and it was nice to be able to find things when I looked.

Yes, our Family was good. Then came Brandy. Almost over night she had twisted my brother into.... I don't know what. My parents changed as well. It was as if I didn't exsist anymore. Mother went gaga over the idea of having a daughter and dad, I guess he just liked to see Mom happy, I don't know. Our family suddenly didn't communicate anymore.

No one in their right mind would think of saying anything or doing anything when my 'sister' showed up at school. Brandy would have pulverized them and they new it. She had a black belt or something. I saw her take out three big guys once and I was suitably impressed. So deprived of a victim they started to take it out on me. All of a sudden I was having scraps all the time. It only got worse. Just last week three of the football squad cornered me in the gym change room and if Mr. Bosch, the coach, hadn't had come in I would have been wearing a cheerleaders outfit home.

I tried to get 'sprout' to see reason but he and the rest of the family, like, totaly ignored me. I had to do something. I went to the library and got some books about transgender stuff but I couldn't make heads nor tails of it. I was feeling more and more put upon. I was going to pop! Then one day in the library, Miss Jenson, the librarian, sat beside me. "I am so proud of you Donny. You are trying to understand, aren't you?"

I practically had tears in my eyes. Without even knowing why, I dumped my very soul on her. At first she was surprised, then angry. "I thought we were living in more enlightened times. I am so sorry for you Donny. What you need to do is call a family meeting. Let them all know at the same time how this is affecting you and how you feel it is affecting the family. Make sure that this Brandy is there as well. I think she is the pivotal character in all this. In the mean time I will see if I can find support groups that may help your family. Do not dispare Donny. I am here for you. Okay?" Her smile was like a balm to my soul. I smiled back and thanked her profusely. I went home to try to plan this family get together.

My chance came two days later as I had to go home early since I was head to toe in grease from my dumping in the kitchen garbage bin. Mother of course thought it must have been my fault. I never got the benefit of the doubt anymore. This was another thing I was going to bring up at the meeting. I got as cleaned up as I could then waited for dinner.

Everyone was home, even Brandy, for dinner. I was grateful for small favors. Mother just had to bring up my greasy affair. I held up my hand for some quiet. "We have a really big problem and we need to discuss it. Can we have a Family Meeting in the living room please. I am begging you to listen to me for once. This is so important to this whole family that if we don't have this talk there will be no more family." I got up and started to clean the table. Brandy snickered! "Hey girl, prior to your appearance here I always helped out. A fact that everyone has forgotten!" Was that guilt I saw in dad and mom's face?

"That is true Brandy. Before you came into our home Donny did almost everthing. I am so sorry Son. Yes, by all means, let's have that meeting. Something has happened to our loving family and I would like to find out what it is." While she was saying that she had gotten up, ruffled my hair with a grin, and helped to put the kitchen to rights as the others went out to the Living room. Well except for Brandy who watched, with surprise, as Mom and I made short work of the dishes and cleanup.

I made a quick dash to the front coat room and grabbed my school bag. It had gotten quite a bit heavier since a new addition had been added.

I got to the Living room and took my customary seat in the single seat by the couch. Dad was in 'His' Chair, Brandy and my...... 'sister' were cuddling on the couch at one end and Mom sat comfortably at the other end. I was going to start with "I guess you are all wondering why I gathered you here..." but thought better of it.

"Let me start by first apologizing to all about my atitude toward the sprout there but..." I stalled any other conversation with my raised hand. "Please let me have my say before I burst, Okay? Then we can discuss what ever you want !" I looked around and got the nods. "Okay. Here it is." I took a deep breath, sighed then jumped in with both feet! "I would be lying if I said I understand any of this stuff with the sprout and Brandy. I will probably remain in the dark because no one seems willing to help me understand. If not for the lady at the library we wouldn't be here." I opened my school bag and took out the printed info I had got regarding transsexualism and started to show them to everybody when Dad noticed my new aquisition.

"Jezus Donald. Why on God's green earth do you have a gun?"

I sighed, brought my pistol out and laid it on my lap. "That is another reason for this meeting. Will you just PLEASE give me the benefit of the doubt like you did before 'She' got here? I pointed at Brandy and I saw her stiffen. "Christ. Will everyone relax and let me have my say?"

For the first time in a long time My Father got my back. "Okay Donald, let's listen. This had better be good!"

I smiled my thanks at him. I hadn't done 'that' for awhile. It felt ...... Good. "Thanks dad." I waved the papers around as I told everyone about my trying to find answers at the library. Mom wanted to see them so I passed them to her as I continued. "I have found nothing that makes it easier for me to understand why my favorite little brother is now my 'sister'. I can't get my head around why Brandy wants my brother to be all femmy and I sure don't even 'begin' to understand why my little brother, right out of the blue, decides to be a girl. On top of all that I have ceased to be part of this family. Mom has her daughter and has completely forgotten our times together, Dad has his little princess to protect while forgetting that I used to need him too. Brandy has little sprout and doesn't want to share 'her' with anyone and finaly I have lost my little brother and someone who used to look up to me for protection, knowlege, and the fun we 'USED' to have. I have become ostrasized from the family. Only here though. The outside world still sees me as a part of this family though and I have to answer to all my old friends why I live with a pansy, a faggot, a wimped out dudette. I have been having more scraps in the last month than I ever have." I looked around at their shocked expressions.

"Why look so shocked? Surely Missy Bobbi and Brandy have been keeping you in the loop as to my school affairs. I'm sure that you heard how three of the football team grabbed me in the locker room and were going to put me into a cheerleaders outfit. If Mr. Bosch hadn't have come in I would have had to walk home totaly humiliated. Then today they dumped me into the kitchen garbage bin. I came home covered in grease. Mother dear blamed me of course." Mom had the decency to blush and hold one hand out to me and the other to her mouth.

"Ever since I lost my brother I have still been fighting for him. What have you done Brandy?" I pierced her with a solid glare. I still thought all our problems started with her. "I need this gun for my own protection now. I have no friends anymore. No one want to be asociated with the 'PANSY'S' brother. They probably think it is catching. God knows they think I am gay or something just because 'it' is." My voice had raised a bit and my anger and frustration were showing.

Bobbi was crying but I was on a roll. "I have actualy heard that there are three different factions. Oh, they all hate us and want to purify their town by removing us..... that's all of us by the way...... I'm quite sure that the master of kung fu here will leave us in a heart beat once they start on her too." I looked into Brandy's eyes with hate while fingering my gun. "You can be sure that will start soon. So as soon as she runs away where does that leave Bobbi and I. What about you and Mom, Dad? The town probably thinks that you're a poof too for putting up with having two gay kids. Even if that isn't true. I wonder if they will find some reason to fire you Dad? Then what? So you see why I am just a little tense over this whole situation."

Brandy had hugged Bobbi to her and was stroking her hair. "I'll never leave my Bobbi, I love her. I'll kill anyone who tries to hurt her."

"That's very sweet Brandy." I said sarcasticly, "You gonna kill the whole town? There are guys who are going to rape her then kill her, with you probably forced to watch. Then there are guys who just want to burn our house down preferably with us in it. God alone knows what the chicks will do!"

Now mom was crying and Dad had got up to comfort her.

"I rest my case..... Mom has Dad, Bobbi, and Brandy. Dad has the same, What do I have? Nobody. Just look at the social dynamics in this room." My eyes had started to mist but I would be damned if I showed it to any of these guys. "Well I guess you guys will be fine on your own. I'll go to family services tomorrow and get my emancipation from this family. Not that you will even notice. Just to be on the safe side I think you guys should move. That way my little goofy sister there can start over somewhere as the girl she seems to want to be. Brandy will have to find a way to stay close but love always finds a way eh? That way Mom and you guys will be safe. This town just isn't ready for Bobbi. Hey! I'm sorry I got on your case Lil' Sis but I had it really bad and I lost my family so........ what can I say."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Brandy stand up and head my way. Reflex, anger, and suspicion had me up with my gun pointed at her head. I heard Mom and Dad gasp. Bobbi got up and walked past a stuned Brandy right toward me. "Woah Lil' Sis, stop right there. I think you two have done enough to ruin my life. I sure as fu*k do not want to hurt you but I will not be hurt anymore either." The little shit ignored me and just kept coming. 'She' wrapped her arms around me crying over and over, "I didn't know, I am sooooo sorry Bro."

I was caught in a dillema. I wanted so bad to hug the stuffing out of my new Lil' Sis but I still had my gun on Brandy. In my mind she was the enemy. She was the Family wrecker. She sat down, burried her face in her hands and started to bawl. I mean those were real tears. From Her? I put the gun down and hugged Bobbi to me. Shit! I was crying. I didn't even see when Brandy got up and engulfed us both in a huge hug. "No, Big Bro, you 'are' part of this family and I am so sorry for not seeing that. Will you ever forgive me, us?"

Mom and Dad had joined in and the Family was whole once again. My gun went missing but I didn't care, I had my family back. Three weeks later we were all set to move. Our stuff had gone ahead of us to our new home. Dad had a new job, actually a better job. Bobbi was registered at school as a girl with all her Id fixed. Brandy was working on her parents to get them to move too. She would be coming with us for a while. Mom and Dad had agreed to be her guardians until her parents could get to where we were. Brandy had convinced them to get out of that hateful town. They had been shocked to hear what had been happening. They had heard the rumors.... but who really believed gossip. For once the gossip paled in comparrison to what was really going on. Dad got a really great price for the house. Wow! That town really wanted to get rid of us. Well, the feeling was mutual.

************************************

Three months later:

I, the rough and tough 16 year old kid, was 'Finally' going through puberty. The doctors called it late onset. I was a little shocked to watch my body develope curves. I was getting out of the shower one morning when Mom walked in on me. She took one look and fainted dead away. Of course I yelled for help, so there I was, in all my nude glory for the whole family to see. Big hips, small waist, and the beginnings of very respectable breasts. Sheesh! Maybe this would explain my incredible mood swings lately. That and the fact that the next door neighbour boy was looking better each day..... Oh! No. I was noticing boys?

So, I was turning out to be a girl too?

Poor Daddy. "Not another one!" He wailed!

Mother and Bobbi giggled.

Brandy just smiled............

Hmmmmmmm?

Was it time for another family meeting?

;-)

FINI ?