The Trials of Dylan

M e r c y

AS SOON AS he walked through his front door the next day he heard, "Dylan?!" from the living room. "A moment please."

"Sure, Dad."

He walked in to find his parents seated on the familial sofa. His mother glanced at her husband signaling him to begin.

His father cleared his throat and said, "You know of course, we both love you."

Dylan waited, glad that the time was at hand.

"Isn't there something you want to tell us?"

Dylan put one delicate hand on his amble hip and the other under his chin, stared blankly into the cosmos and said, "I love you too?"

"Despite what you might think young man we are both pretty groovy."

"Groovy?"

"We know that not making the team must have hit you pretty hard."

"Don't worry. I've found other challenges."

"Dilly?" his mother said in a tiny strangled voice. "You've got breasts."

The high schooler stared down at what could no longer be denied. "Gee, you're right, Mom."

"And?" his father prompted.

"Well, at first I didn't care for them much. But over the past few months they've kind of grown on me."

"You like them?"

"Not how they feel. I'm not a pervert after all. But I like what they can do."

"Do?"

Dylan pulled his shoulders back and puffed out his chest. "The guy's really dig them."

"Guys as in men?"

"No. Guys as in, 'Hey, you guys all on the same team?"

"That's disgusting," his mother choked out.

"Don't knock it till you try it."

His father shook his head—angry and lost. "We'd like you see a doctor—a therapist. I think he can help all of us to get through this phase of yours."

Dylan nodded, "You might be surprised with the results."

Then before his father knew what was what his eldest son kissed him on his five o'clock shadowed cheek. "Goodnight, Daddy. I do love you, you know."

And then Dylan waltzed up the staircase.

⁂
It was September and the start of a new school year. Dylan was starting a new life at a different school. And it was time for him to bid goodbye to Maxine.

"I'LL MISS you Dylan," Maxine said.

"I'm not Dylan anymore."

"I like your new name. It fits you."

"And I'll miss you. But it's for the best. I'll be going to a new high school a couple of towns over. I'll have to redo the tenth grade. Only this time as a coed."

"You know of course that I love you." Maxine's eyes misted over sorry her friend could not both stay and go.

"I know."

"You were the best cheerleader I ever had."

"Goodbye, Maxine."

"Goodbye, Joy."

⁂
Dearest Maxine,

It's funny but it wasn't till recently that I figured out what it was I wanted from my kid brother. See, Ethan had bested me as an athlete, as a son in my dad's eyes, and even as the bigger brother. Without those titles who was I?

So in my own ditzy way I wanted to prove something. What I showed the world is that I am exactly the kind someone that a wonderful boy like Ethan can fall in love with.
And that's not too shabby.

Love always, Joy