Invisible String Of Love

A Shoulder To Lean On

Amid the blare of the television and Weather’s relentless barking, Clementine slumped against the sectional sofa, exhaustion tugging at her bones. Her mind spun like her dog tearing laps through the house—restless, relentless, unable to settle.

The memory of that night with Kiara resurfaced again, fragmented and blurred by the haze of unspoken feelings. She buried her face in her hands, the image of them laying down under the starry sky flashing behind her eyelids—two girls glancing at each other like they were about to say everything… but then looked away. And just like that, they’d turned back toward Innerleithen, retreating before anything could bloom.

Suddenly, Weather bounded into her lap, yanking her back to the present.

"Weather!" Clemmy gasped, then let out a breathy laugh as her hand instinctively moved to scratch behind his ears.

"Don’t do that, you little menace—I nearly died," her voice laced with affection. Weather whimpered at her mock-scolding, staring up at her with those oversized, watery eyes that made her sigh and smile all at once.

"Okay, okay, Mommy’s not putting you in time-out," she cooed, melting as she pulled him closer. "Just… warn me next time, alright?"

She peppered his fur with kisses, stroking his head as he leaned into her. “Who’s my good boy?” she crooned in a singsong voice. Weather’s tail wagged furiously, his ears twitching like he could already hear the praise coming.

"Mommy’s got a secret," she murmured, her voice dropping to a hush. Weather tilted his head, wide-eyed and eager.

"I met this girl," she whispered, almost like the words themselves were a curse. "She was... intense. Not scary—just... I don’t know. She made me feel all tangled up inside."

Her voice faltered, softer now, barely audible even to herself.

Then she sat up and clapped her hands. “Anyway! Let’s go for a walk, huh?” she chirped with sudden brightness. Weather bounded toward the door with a happy bark.

But Clemmy wasn’t thinking of sidewalks or leashes. The walk she needed was the kind that cleared her chest—one that led her away from the ache of Kai’s memory and toward herself again.

As Clemmy walked Weather along the pavement of her suburban neighborhood, the memory of Kai—once an ever-present ache—finally began to fade. In its place, however, came the weight of her neighbors’ stares, sharp and lingering. Being a Black transgender woman meant stepping outside was never just a walk—it was a quiet act of rebellion. She held pride in who she was, but the gaze washed away at her resolve, leaving her feeling exposed and alien in her own community.

This was the trade-off for freedom—leaving her parents’ house behind only to face the scrutiny of strangers. It wasn’t her fault, of course. Still, Clemmy knew too well that racism and transphobia had a way of following you, even into places that promised safety. Even here. Even now. And the knowledge of it sat heavy in her chest.

Weather suddenly yanked at the leash, nose glued to the ground.

“Weather! Stop!” Clemmy called out, trying to steady herself as he dragged her toward the edge of the subdivision. He didn’t listen. Instead, he pulled her through a narrow break in the wall, toward a row of apartments beyond.

“Jesus, Weather! Bad dog!” she snapped, breathless, as he finally paused to relieve himself. She sighed, rubbing her temple in defeat.

As she waited, her eyes drifted to one of the apartment windows, where bursts of color caught her attention—pink and red décor, energetic movement. Two girls inside danced to a hip-hop track, their joy so uninhibited it tugged a smile from Clemmy’s lips. And then a pang.