The Perfect House

Chapter 41: decisions

Nothing at this stage, Flori decided. Both he and Macy were about to do their mid-year assessments, and then Macy would return home for the break. Rob and Adele's wedding was set for the second weekend of the break and Macy was going to be Adele's chief bridesmaid while Flori was to be Bobba's best man. Macy would be back home and he would get his chance then.

Over the following weeks, Flori changed from being gloomy and unsociable to being anxious and fidgety. He managed to calm himself enough to do well in his assessments, and then came the break. He went home still wrestling with his thoughts, but there was something that he could do and should do immediately, and that was to speak to his parents. Yes.

"Mum, Dad, I've made a decision. I've given it a huge amount of thought and (big breath) I've decided that I want to be Florina; I don't want to be a male Florian anymore. I want to transition to a female and live as a woman . . . it's a big deal, I know, I know . . . but will you guys be able to handle that? I mean, if you don't like it, can you at least put up with it? Please, please, this is so important to me." Tears were starting to form in his eyes.

His parents looked at each other and exchanged amused chuckles.

What???

Bill, his father, was shaking his head, "So as we suspected, this what that monumental sulk has been all about?"

"Yeah, I have to admit that that is half of it."

"And the other half is Macy, I guess?"

"Yeah."

"Darling," Val, his mother, spoke with caring concern, "Dad and I have been talking about you as Florina for quite some time."

What again?

"We felt some concern at first as we began to realise how much you were enjoying your female role, and we began to wonder if it would lead to a life-changing decision, but we knew that it was a decision that you would have to make for yourself . . . and we didn't want to put any pressure on you, so we decided that it was up to you to start the conversation."

Florian was gaping at them.

His father laughed, "Bloody hell, Flori. For three years, this family has had Florina for at least ninety per cent of the time. It has only been the last six months that Florian has returned. Even the neighbours got to know you as Florina. You told them at first that it was a uni stunt you were involved in, but they stopped believing that after a while."

"Flori," his father added, "I don't think you realise just how much you've been behaving like a girl. Even when we went to Europe last year and you supposably reverted to Florian, you spent more time with your mother looking in dress shops, jewellery stores, art galleries and so on than you did hanging with me and the boys."

"Bull . . . Mum?"

"We did do lots together, darling, and I loved it."

Flori stood there frowning and reflecting. "Well maybe. I suppose we went into that Parisian boutique that had that yellow floral dress . . . er, three, four times."

"Yes, and I should have listened to you, Flori, I regret not buying that dress now."

"We can always go back."

"Hey, settle down," interjected Bill.

"Sweetheart," Val spoke with a smile, "we could see that you liked being a girl, that you were enjoying it and you seemed a lot brighter. And your relationship with your young brothers changed. Previously, you mostly got on pretty well with them, but as Florina, you were more playful and affectionate with them. They liked that, they liked it a lot and these last six months they've been missing Florina, and to be completely honest, so have Dad and I."

Flori was gazing from one parent to the other somewhat lost for words. He fixed on his father, "Dad, am I an idiot?"

"Oh, yeah," his father replied nodding while assuming an amused condescending expression.

Val was trying to put on a stern face, "Stop it, you two. Now, this is a serious matter and there is a lot to consider, so let's start working out how to proceed."