Chapter 25 - A New Direction

"I can't believe that the week is almost over," sighed Scott.

"I know what you mean. It may not have been the vacation we expected, but this is a lovely place and I do want to come back again."

"It's odd to think that this may be the last time our family vacations together, even if our eldest child is not staying with us. I'm not sure I'm ready to have an independent child go off into the world to find their own way."

"Feeling like an empty-nester already, dear?"

"I suppose I am. Just because we aren't the first doesn't make it any easier."

"Peter will still be living with us, or perhaps Polly will, while she's in school. Oh my! I just called our son 'she,' didn't I?"

"One more thing to get used to, I suppose. It's almost starting to seem normal."

"What do we do, Scott?"

"We listen, we learn we love our child, we try our damnedest to actually live the things we have taught our children about love and tolerance."

"She does seem so very happy here, doesn't she?"

"I have to agree, much as I never thought I could. If I look hard I can see Peter, but a Peter who has found himself - or herself I suppose. Peter never was one of those people who was the life of the party, but Polly certainly is."

"What I can't believe is how relaxed and happy she is with the children here. They adore her. I can easily see her as a mother."

"So you want to be a grandma, my love?"

"Of course! But if Polly transitions will that ever happen?"

"That comes dangerously close to meddling in our child's sex life. We had better let the two of them make those decisions and support whatever they find best for them."

"You're right; it's not so easy when you actually have to live your principles."

"After finding Polly's personality within him, will Peter even be able or willing to be Peter again?"

"Don't ask me! I'm still amazed that I was actually thinking of Polly as my daughter!"

"And then whenever I see Polly serving dinner or working around the place I can't help but think of what a fine girl we've raised."

There didn't seem to be much more to say to that, so the couple sat comfortably together on the love seat and simply enjoyed the evening together until they were surprised by a knock on the door.

"Now who could that be?" murmured Irene.

"One way to find out," answered Scott and he arose and went to the door. "Russ! Come in, come in!" urged Scott.

"Why this is a surprise," said Irene. "We were just talking about how much we've enjoyed our time here."

"A subject that gladdens my heart. You are most welcome for the kind thoughts."

"What can we do for you, Russ?" asked Scott.

"Rose and I have been talking and we would like to have a conversation with you and your lovely daughter. Of course that includes Sheila, as if we could keep her away!"

"You've gotten to know them well, I take it."

"You'll pardon me if Rose and I feel like they are the granddaughters we have never had."

"How… I just don't know what to say, Russ," answered Irene.

"I hope I am not overstepping any bounds, but Rose is over at their cabin inviting them over so we can all talk together."

"Why certainly! Now you have me intrigued. "An air of mystery descends on the cabin in the woods," he intoned in a voice that would not have been out of place on a daytime drama.

"Scott! Really!" chided his wife.

"Well it is mysterious, you have to admit."

"But not for long, Mr Zimmerman. I hear them coming."

"Please! It's Scott and Irene."

"Of course."

"Hi Dad, Mom. What's going on?" Polly asked as she entered the cabin.

"You'd have to ask Russ, it's his show."

"Hey! You guys holding a convention or something?" asked Vicky as she came out of her bedroom."

"If there's anything conventional about this family I haven't seen it," quipped her mother."

"OK Boss," Sheila said. "We're all here so tell us why."

"Please, everyone sit down, this may take a while, "Russ asked. When everyone had found a place, he spoke.

"This hotel has been in my family for generations, all the way back to the 1920s. When I was a kid my grandfather ran it and I loved helping him during the summers. Then my father took over when he passed and my family moved in to run the place. The same when my own father passed and my lovely Rose and I took over. We had hoped to pass it to our own son, but he never came back from the Gulf War. That was hard, but this old place has been part of our lives since we found each other and we have been saddened that we had no other children to pass it on to."

"What Russ is trying to say," Rose added, "is that this place is more than a business, it's a livelihood and family treasure. We have been wondering for some time now just what will happen when we get too old to keep it up."

"I'm seventy-five years old now, and things are a bit harder these days. We have been blessed with employees who often feel as personally involved as we are. Two years ago I had a little heart problem, a kind of warning that I am getting older, and my assistant cook took over and even convinced his brother to come down for a few weeks to help him in the kitchen so that the place ran smoothly. That's the kind of people who we have been blessed to know."

"Last year Little Rose talked her friend Sheila into working for the summer and we found yet another friend and companion who really loved this old place. When we needed a replacement for Connie this year when she graduated and moved to Phoenix, Sheila found Polly for us."

"This is the way we have been blessed over the years," continued Rose, "with wonderful people who make our lives a joy. Sometimes we get too busy to remember to thank God for His blessings, but we really do appreciate all the Lord has done for us."

"I don't think it's too strong to say that our prayers have been answered with Sheila and Polly this summer. They have become far more than summer help, they have become family. They both have shown such interest in how this place is run that we hope that after they have finished their schooling they will consent to manage this place for us when we retire."

You could hear the proverbial pin drop. No one even seemed to be breathing. The silence went on until Scott spoke.

"Irene, I think we have a daughter that we can be very proud of. As far as I'm concerned, you are very welcome to consider our child your granddaughter."

"Oh Russ! I'm flattered but there are things you don't know about me," cried Polly.

"If you mean that you were once a boy, that doesn't change a thing. You have the passion for running a place like this, as does Sheila. If the Lord is willing we have time for you to get your Hospitality degree and learn the ropes during your vacations. You would work with us until you both feel comfortable taking over and then my lovely Rose and I will transplant ourselves to warmer climes and let you support us with the profits from this place. Sound like a good deal?"

Sheila and Polly looked at each other, then arose and embraced. "Grandpa, you have a deal!" they said together. "And Grandma, keep this big teddy bear out of trouble after he retires. You're going to have a job slowing him down."

"There is one catch, though," warned Russ. "We get to cater your wedding and you had better have it right here! Have you set a date yet?"

"We haven't even gotten our real engagement rings yet. Remember, we're poor, starving students until we become bigtime Hotel Magnates.

"When you guys get married, I get your room, sis." warned Vicky.

"You can follow in my footsteps and work here for the summer. Then you can have your own room."

"Does that mean I have to become your brother?"

"Smartass." replied her sister.

"Vicky!" warned her mother.

"There will be lots of details, and sadly the lawyers will have to get involved, but that's a couple of years down the road. When we're gone the place becomes yours, we don't have any family to leave it to and it will comfort us to know we have a new family to run our old home."

Epilogue

When the summer season ended, it was Polly who returned home. Not only were there lawyers involved, but there were doctors and professors and psychiatrists and ministers and plastic surgeons. The path wasn't smooth; some friends were lost and others gained. Perhaps the main regret Polly had was never being able to finish her Eagle Scout rank, but life is a series of comprises.

Two years later Polly again wore an Academic Gown and her friend Dave again had caustic comments about Polly wearing dresses, although he and his new wife presented Polly with a low cut dress as a graduation gift, the better to display the breasts Polly now did not need to glue to her body.

There was one other profession involved. Father Michael, having decided that the priesthood was indeed the path the Lord had in mind for him, performed the wedding ceremony. He still had some disagreements with the Church hierarchy, but he was sure that Jesus would understand skirting his church's opinions about ostensible same-sex marriage. After all, he knew that Polly was still technically male.

Thoughts of a simple, quiet ceremony had to be abandoned, as there were just too many friends who wanted to be there to celebrate the occasion. There were strong contingents from both the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. During the reception, Polly's old Scoutmaster Brock and Sheila's Girl Scout leader Mrs. Reid could be seen in close conversation with bemused smiles on their faces.

Some months later Sheila proved that the Catholic insistence that marriage was for procreation had not been violated.

With two sets of doting grandparents, more doting genetic great-grandparents and one set of doting adopted great-grandparents, the poor kid was nearly drowned in stuffed animals and all the accouterments of raising an infant. Great-grandmother Aggie was still thoroughly miffed that her grandson had gone and turned himself into a girl just so he didn't have to wear a tie in church.

The last we heard, guests at the hotel just loved their host cradling an infant as she checked them in.
Oh yes, the other proud mother was busy formulating some creative baby food recipes for when the time came that she could begin to feed her daughter.