Transitioning

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"Please don't be embarrassing," I ask of Fortune as we walk up the steps to Michael's door.

"I'm not the one you have to worry about," he replies.

I give him a confused look.

"I'm sure you'll embarrass yourself Mika," he laughs. Mel barks, I hope it's not in agreement.

I roll my eyes as I knock on the front door. After a couple minutes a young girl answers. She's about five foot five. Her eyes are the same exact color as Ezra's, but her hair is a darker brown color. She must be Michael's 13-year-old daughter. I don't recall him saying her name.

"Hello," I say to her.

She gives me a smile. "You must be Mika and...the annoying brother?" she says as she pans over to Fortune.

Fortune glares at her and Mel barks in agreement. I can't help but to laugh.

"Correct," I tell her. "But you can call him Fortune if you want."

"Okay," she smiles. "My dad is outback with Ezra," she says as she waves for us to follow her.

I let Mel off her leash as soon as we get outback. Michael is sitting at a table with Ezra. Ezra seems to be in a better mood than yesterday.

"Awe," Fortune says as he points to the pool. "We should've brought our trunks..."

I shake my head at him and head over to Michael. "Hey!" Michael says as he stands up to hug me.

"Seriously just get a room," Ezra says as he jumps up from his seat to head inside.

"Not so fast," Michael says as he releases me. "You're grounded, which means you don't get to do what you want, so sit or go swimming."

"Why didn't you tell us you had a pool?" Fortune asks sadly.

I roll my eyes at him. "Ignore him," I tell Michael.

"You can borrow a pair of my shorts if you want. Ezra can grab them for you. Right Ezra?" Michael says.

"I guess..." Ezra replies as he waves for Fortune to follow him.

Fortune stops and turns to Michael's daughter. "Are you going swimming?"

"Um-no..." she replies and then sits at the table.

"She's thirteen!" I mouth to Fortune. He just shrugs before going inside. Moron.

"Meghan, this is-"

"Mika, I know dad," she interrupts him.

"Okay," he replies.

"Why don't you wanna go swimming with them? I promise if Fortune bothers you that I'll kick his ass," I tell her.

She just looks down and shakes her head no. Michael just shrugs it off, so I do as well.

--

Michael and I talked for what felt like hours. The more I know about him the more I want to be with him. He's an amazing guy. There's nothing to not like about him.

"Oh shit," Michael says randomly and jumps up. "I forgot to drop off the checks at the cafe. I need to go do that before I have twenty pissed off women chasing me down."

"Do you want me to go with you?" I ask as I standup.

"I do, if you want to," he replies with a smile.

"I'd love to," I tell him before placing a kiss on his lips.

"Ezra," he says as he walks over to the deck of the pool.

"What?" Ezra questions sounding annoyed. I'm surprised him and Fortune have gotten along so well.

"I need you to watch your sister," Michael tells him. "I should be back in an hour or two. Do not leave this house or you will be super grounded."

Yes. He said super grounded...

(Fortune's POV)

Mika and Michael have been gone for more than two hours, liars. I'd say it's been about three hours and I'm getting hungry. They better bring back food.

Ezra, Meghan, and I have just been lounging inside watching Pretty Little Liars. Not my choice. Definitely Meghan's choice, though Ezra didn't say no to watching it.

"Where's daddy?" Meghan whines after the third episode ends. As she reaches for the remote someone bursts through the door. It's not Michael and it's definitely not Mika.

"Landon!" The stranger shouts as he rushes over to Meghan. He grabs her by the arm and yanks her off of the sofa.

"Hey, what the hell?!" I shout as I stand up and attempt to make my way to help her, but Ezra pulls me back.

"Don't," he whispers to me.

"What do you mean don't?" I ask angrily. "He's hurting your sister."

"Get these clothes of now!" The man shouts at Meghan.

"Fuck no," I say as I try to get up from the sofa again, but am dragged backdown by Ezra.

"Stop it Fortune! You can't help her," he says to me sadly.

I give him a confused look as Meghan pulls her red dress over her head. I quickly look away, but then look back. "What the hell?" I question out loud.

"Take this god damn wig and makeup off! I told you that if you left the house like this again you'd regret it! One more time Landon and you'll wish you were never born!" The man shouts at Meghan(Landon?) as he yanks he wig off of her...his...head.

With tears rushing down her...his face, Meghan...Landon reaches down into the backpack on the floor that the man had brought and grabs what I'm assuming makeup remover wipes from the bag. She...he wipes all of the makeup of his face. He then pulls out a pair of grey shorts and red t-shirt from the bag and puts them on.

"Tell your father and you're dead!" The man says before slapping Landon hard across the face, causing him to fall to the floor. "Now let's go," he says as he grabs Landon's arm and yanks him towards a door. They disappear behind the door.

"Okay first, who the hell is that? Second, should we check on them? And third, Meghan is transgender?" I ask Ezra as I have a mini freak out.

"That's my mothers boyfriend Steven. And he'd break us both in two with just one finger, so no we shouldn't check on them. Last time I tried to he hurt me really bad. And yes, Meghan was born Landon, but she's Meghan. My mother and her boyfriend don't accept it. Unfortunately my dad can't get full custody of her," Ezra tells me.

As I let all of that sink in, Steven emerges again. He doesn't say a word to us and just leaves with the backpack. Ten minutes later Meghan...Landon comes somewhat-limping back into the living room. He sinks down into the sofa across from Ezra and I. His face is blank, expressionless. I can't read it at it.