We Are Free

A Different Kind Of Friend

Tuesday comes and I go to the parent teacher conference and the kids go to Anna's. Zac needed someone to watch Zane and I took him. I show up and the school.
    "Hi Jace." She greets me.
    "Hi." I say.
    "We can sit down and talk about Emily."
    "Okay um this is Zane he is my nephew my brother needed someone to watch him so I brought him with."
    "Okay that's fine." We sit down and she pulls out a folder I put Zane next to me in his car seat I take him out and put him on my lap with a teething ring. She opens a folder and pulls out a piece of paper.
     "Okay as of right now these are her grades she has all A's and B's which is good. She is a remarkable student and I don't have any behavior issues nothing with her she participates and is hands on she loves to learn and everyone loves her."
     "Okay that's good."
     "In here is work that wasn't sent home you can keep this folder but there is this one thing that I wanna show you." She pulls out a piece of paper with a drawing on the bottom and writing on the top.
    "She did this in class we asked who your hero was and she wrote this." It said "My hero is my brother Jace. He is only 16 but he does so much. He works hard so we have food, clothes, a house, water, and many more things. He makes sure I have clothes to wear and three meals a day. He cleans the house and makes sure that I have what I need. He is my hero because he shows me I can do anything if I just put my mind to it."
    "She put something on the back." I flip it over and it had a picture on the top and writing on the bottom. The picture had a girl in the sky and a girl under it. It said "My brother is my hero, but I also have an angle. She is my mom she is up in the clouds. She watches over me no matter where I am. I talk to her every night before I go to bed. I miss her very much every day. I'm going to make her proud. There is many reasons why she is my angle but I will only say one. She loves me."
     "Wow."
     "Yeah."
     "Um did she just do that?"
     "Yeah, she always shows remorse for her mom. When we do activities about her family she always mentions her mom."
     "Wow I have no words."
     "She is a very bright little girl and I really enjoy having her in my class the teddy bear though."
     "Yeah my mom got it for her I can't take it from her. Has it become a problem."
     "No not at all I was just wondering what it was about because she brings it with her every day."
      "Yeah it helps her stay connected to her. She tells me that are mom lives inside the teddy bear and as long as she has the bear then are mom is with her."
     "That is very true she is a very sweet little girl. I really enjoy having her. You can take this paper home as well and I look forward to seeing her tomorrow."
I put Zane back in his car seat and we leave I put him in the car and pick the kids up. I also pick Halo up and we go home I eat some food. Halo gets in the shower.
     "Hey Emily." I say.
    "Yeah."
     "Can we talk?"
     "Okay." I tell her about the picture at the conference.
    "I did it because it is true."
    "It was very sweet."
     "I miss mommy she was a good person and she is always watching over me she is my angle."
     "Awww sweetie." I give her a hug and she looks at the picture.
     "I know I'm safe if mommy is with me and she is always with me so no matter what I'm always safe."
     "Yes you are and no matter what you do she will look down at you and be so proud of you."
     "You think so?"
     "I know so let's go hang this up." We hang it up in her room and I give them baths. I put them to bed Halo and I chill on the couch.
    "How was her conference?" Halo asks me.
     "Good she has all A's and B's and her teacher said that she is a true asset to the class and she is very fun."
     "That's good."
     "Yes it is I'm proud of her she has over come so much in a short amount of time."
    "Yup how's councling going?"
    "Good I'm not so upset as much as I was. I have found a better way to deal with most things."
     "That's good."
     "Yeah I just hope that no matter what I don't become depressed again that really sucked."
"Yeah it did."
"It's a scary thought to think that I could end up back where I was. I don't want that so I have to do everything I can do. I don't want to end up where I was and if that means to keep doing what I'm doing then that's what I'm going to do."
"Well your doing a great job."
"Thanks."
"I told my mom that we did it."
"What did she do?"
"She said that I better be protecting myself."
"We did."
"Yeah and I told her that then I told her that I go some birth control in my arm that's good for 4 years."
"What did she say?"
"She said that she is proud of me and since I'm going to be 20 next month that she won't tell me what to do. She will let me make my own decisions and trust me to make the right ones but I do know that no matter what if I need her she is there."
     "Yeah she is and that's a good thing, me, I have Zac."
     "I feel bad for you."
     "Many people do."
     "Well he is a good teacher."
     "Yeah he is. Wow 20 your old."
     "Shut up Jason."
     "Ohh my name I'm so scared." I say doing a fake shiver.
      You should be."
     "But seriously I'm really happy."
     "Me to I got home from work today and my mom said the weirdest thing."
     "What?"
     "She said I spend so much time here that I should just move in with you."
     "Well that is true you do spend a lot of time here."
      "I just don't think we are ready for that kinda cominment yet."
     "Yeah I agree we still need more time."
     "That's okay though there is no rush."
     "No there isn't." We kiss again. I really feel good about what's going on in my life. I'm on cloud nine about everything. To me my life is perfect I don't need any thing else. I have everything a person could ever want and need.
     Tuesday I pick Emily and Andrew up from Anna's. As soon as I walk into the door Emily runs up to me.
"Guess what?!" She says.
"What?"
"I made a friend."
"Really that's great honey."
"Her name is Ava."
"That's wonderful sweetie you can tell me all about it when we get home."
"Okay." We leave and go home. I start dinner and go through Emily's backpack. She tells me about her friend.
"She has really, really short hair is only past her ears. She was wearing a really pretty dress. I played with her at recess. She only has a mommy her daddy left when she was young."
"Really."
"Yeah, but she is different really different."
"Well of course she is she is a new person."
"No, it's not that."
"Then what do you mean?"
"She is transgender. She has a boy body not a girl body."
"Well that's okay."
"Really?"
"Yeah of course it is that don't mean nothing. She is speacial in her own way. You can be friends with her. No matter what if she is in this house, she is a girl and will be treated just like one."
"Yay, she gave me her phone number. We wanna have a play date!"
"Okay I will call her mom."
"Okay what would we do.
"Well I can take you to lunch and the park. I'm not sure though. We will figure it out."
"Okay." I finish dinner and we all eat. After dinner I do the dishes. When I'm done with the dishes I give both kids a bath. They go down for bed after their baths it was 7:30. I grab the paper with Ava's mom's number on it. I call it.
"Hello." A female voice greets me.
"Hi my name is Jace and I'm calling because my sister met your daughter at school today. She came home and told me about you and your daughter Ava."
"Oh yeah, Emily told us about you Ava mentiond something about wanting a play date."
"As did Emily."
"Well, I would be more than glad to have them do a play date. There is just one thing that I don't know if Emily told you or not. Ava is transgender."
"Yes Emily did tell me and that is 100% okay that Ava is transgender. I have no problem with it. She will be treated no different at my house."
"Okay that is wonderful um I have to do some things this weekend."
"Well I only work Monday through Friday so if Ava would like to come here for a play date that would alright."
"Okay if you don't mind me asking who would be at your house?"
"Um me, my little brother, Emily, and my girlfriend."
"Alright would your girlfriend mind?"
"No not at all."
"Okay I'm just protective of Ava because she is transgender."
"I understand completely. So what day would work for you?"
"How about Saturday at 11:00."
"Sounds good I will provide lunch so no need to feed her before she comes."
"Okay that's wonderful thank you."
"Yup bye."
"Bye." I hang up and go to bed. I feel good knowing that I did this for Emily and that she has a friend. The week flies by and I decide I'm going to take them for lunch then we will go to the beach. I call Ava's mom to let her know. Saturday comes and Halo spent the night at my house.
I get up Saturday morning with Halo next to me. I start making breakfast. Emily gets up she had a big smile on her face.
"You excited?" I ask her.
"Yeah." Both her dimples are showing she was a spitting image of are mom. Her dimples, hair, nose, smile, eyes, everything. She turns in a circle her night gown flows out with her as she dances around the kitchen smiling. Halo gets up and comes up to me.
"Hey babe."
"Hey."
"Emily is so excited."
"Yeah the people at school view her as a freak a misfit. They do it because she lives with me. So for her to meet someone who is also a misfit in her own speacial way and to finally have a friend she is on cloud nine."
"Yeah, I'm happy for her."
"Yeah Ava and her mom moved to the area because Ava's school wasn't accepting to her being transgender so they moved."
"That's sad all that little girl is trying to do is be happy."
"Yeah it is sad but what can you do about it really."
"You are right." I finish breakfast and we all eat. After breakfast I give Emily her swim suit. I also hand her a pair of shorts.
"I'm going to leave my shorts on when I go swimming."
"Why?" I ask, I most likely know the reason. She knows that girls have different bodies then boys and she knows how as well.
"Because I don't want Ava to feel bad because she has to wear a skirt or shorts."
"Well that's very kind of you." I leave the room and she puts her swim suit on. Halo, Andrew, and I put are swim suits on. Halo puts her clothes on over her bikini and Emily puts on her shirt.
     I clean up the house a little bit. Around 11:00 I hear a nock at the door. I open it and there was Ava and her mom. Emily comes to the door and hugs Ava. They go inside and I invite Ava's mom inside. Halo comes to the door.
     She introduced herself and they shake hands. Halo puts her hair up.
     "Um here is her bag it has a towel, plastic bag, some clothes, and a hair brush. She is allergic to bee stings there is an Epi pen in here for her." Her mom says.
     "Okay." I say taking her bag.
     "She don't have any food allergies."
     "Okay sounds good."
     "It was very nice to meet you if you don't mind me asking how old are you?"
     "I'm 16 ma'am."
     "Wow you are so young I truly have nothing but respect for you. You are an amazing young man."
     "Thank you."
     "I will be back around 2 to pick her up."
     "Sounds good." She gives Ava a hug and leaves. She also gives me Ava's car seat. I put Ava's car seat in my truck. I put it in the middle so that way they can be by each other. I go back inside and Ava and Emily were playing with Flint. Halo was playing with Andrew.
    "Okay we have to get going." I say to Halo.
    "Okay." She responds to me. I grab towels for all of us and Ava's bag. We all get in the truck. We go to a restaurant. We go inside and they all have to go potty. Halo takes the girls I take Andrew. We head to the bathrooms. Ava gets kinda sad.
     "What's wrong sweetie?" I ask her getting down to her level.
     "Which one?" She asks me.
     "You can use the girls bathroom." I tell her.
     "Really."
     "Yeah your a girl go ahead." She gets a huge smile on her face. She goes in and we all meet up at the table we order food and wait. Halo sits next to me.
     "Have you herd from Tweedle Dee?" I ask Halo.
    "Zac no, Zane hasn't been feeling good that was the last time I herd."
    "Me to I hope Zane is okay I should text him."
     "You do that."
     "I will. " I text Zac and he responds saying that Zane has a cold. They bring are food and we all eat.
     "Halo how old are you?" Ava asks her.
    "I am 19." She says.
    "Why are you shorter then Jace?"
    "Well girls are taller then boys. Then around 12-16 boys often get taller then girls. Jace for the most part has always been taller than me, he is just tall for his age."
     "Oh I always though it was age wise."
     "No it's just how life works."
     "Oh." We finish lunch and go to the beach we all get out Emily takes her shirt off. Halo takes her clothes off. I take mine and Andrew's shirt off we leave them in the car. We go into the water and there where small waves. We splash and play in the water.
     Around 1:30 we get in the car and leave. We go home. Emily gets dressed and I give Ava her clothes and she get dressed in my bathroom. I get dressed so does Halo and Andrew. I put Ava's wet clothes in the plastic bag. She brushes her hair and I put her bag by the door.
     Around 2 her mom picks her up. After Ava leaves I put the kids down for a nap. 2 weeks later it is Saturday again. Zane is 5 months old. He is feeling better Halo's birthday is tomorrow. We decide to go to a trampoline place for her party.
     My job is to keep her busy. So all day I keep her busy while Zac, Anna, Emily, Andrew, and Zane set up. When 3:00 rolls around I take her to the trampoline place. We walk in and I cover her eyes.
     "Where are we going?"
     "You will see." We walk some more until we get inside I uncover her eyes. They all shout suprize. She covers her mouth.
    "No way this isn't happening." She hugs me and every one else. She was in total shock. We all start jumping and playing on the trampolines. Zac helps Zane and jumps with him. We run around and play. 4:30 we have snacks and cake with ice cream. Halo sits on my lap. She gives me a bite of her piece of cake and I give her a bite of mine. We kiss.
     "Get a room." Zac yells at us.
     "I have one we just have to use it." I wink at Halo. Anna shakes her head Zac high fives me. Halo puts ice cream on my nose. I wipe it off with a napkin. She opens presents after. I save mine for last. I hand her my present I wrapped it in red wrapping paper. She takes the wrapping paper off. She opens the long black box. When she opens it she gasps. She takes it out of the box.
     "It's beautiful Jace. Oh my god!" She hugs me and we kiss. I put it on her wrist. It was a dimond braclet. When I put it on her she kisses me cheek.
     "Thank you I love it."
     "You are welcome." We keep playing. Around 5:30 we clean up and leave. Halo comes home with me and I make dinner. We eat dinner and I give both kids a bath. I put them to bed. When they are asleep Halo and I go to my room. We lay in bed. We cuddle and she looks at me. We kiss we start making out. She looks at me I nod my head. She takes my shirt off.
*Morning*
I wake up and my blanket is on the floor. I grab it and cover up. I look at the time. It was 8:38. I face Halo she was still sleeping. I put my phone down. I grab Halo's waist and pull her close. She opens her eyes.
    "Did I wake you?" I ask her.
     "No I have to pee."
     "Okay." She gets up and puts my shirt on she goes to her bag and grabs a pair of shorts. She goes into the bathroom. When she comes back out I have put on some shorts. She sits on my lap and we kiss.
     "I love you so much."
     "I love you to." We kiss again then get up. We start making breakfast. Andrew gets up and comes into the kitchen. He sits in a chair and watches me and Halo. Emily gets up and sits down. We all sit down and eat breakfast.
December rolls by and it is the 10th Halo and I are still a couple. Emily is doing great in school still. Andrew is doing great he is doing a lot more. It is snowing outside and the creek has frozen over. We go ice skating on it. It is Friday and Halo is going to spend the weekend.
     After I get out of work I go to Anna's. I pick up the kids. When we go home,  I go through Emily's back pack. I go through her folder and see a pink piece of paper. I pull it out and it was a dance form. I call her into the kitchen.
    "This dance form." I say.
     "Oh all the girls where givin one." She says shrugging it off.
     "Do you want to do it?"
     "I don't know."
     "It's ballet you could learn dance and ballet."
     "Yeah."
     "You wanna do it?"
     "Yeah.
     "Okay I will fill out the form."
     "Okay." I make dinner and when I put them to bed I do the dishes. After dishes I look at the form it was $50 for 6 months. She will get a t-shirt and it gives me a list of things I need to get her. A tutu, ballet slippers, a leatard, and practice ballet slippers. I fill out the form and put 5 ten dollar bills in an envelope with the form. I put it in her back pack. Halo and I go to bed. We lay down and cuddle.
    "I was thinking that tomorrow we go to dinner." I say
     "Yeah."
     "Yeah well tomorrow we have to get Emily her stuff for ballet. Then we could go for dinner."
     "That's sounds nice."
     "Then maybe when we get back we can have some very speacial quality time."
"Why wait?"
"I like the way you think.
We kiss and she puts her hands on my chest. I grab her waist and lift her shirt off her body.
*Morning*
I wake up and look at Halo her hair was a huge mess and fanned out on the pillow. I smile at her and pull the blanket up so she is coverd. I get up and put on some shorts. I grab my phone and leave the room. I start making something for breakfast. Halo gets up and comes into the kitchen.
     She puts her arms around me waist and her head on my back. She can't reach my shoulder. I turn around. She lays her head on my chest and we sway back and forth. When we finally let go she puts her hair up in a messy bun she hasn't brushed it yet.
     The kids gets up and we eat. After we eat Halo and I go to my room. We get dressed. After we get dressed we go into the bathroom. I put deodorant on and Halo starts to brush her hair.
      "Can I brush your hair?" I ask her.
      "If you want to." I take the brush start on the side of her head her hair was down to her lower back. When I brush through the one side, I move to the back. I brush the back of her hair. Her hair was a messy with snarles all over in it.
      "Maybe next time I will put my hair up."
      "Yeah that's a good idea." I finally finish her hair and she starts to put it up in a hair style. When she is done she does her make up.
     "You ready yet?" I ask.
      "Almost."
      "How much longer."
      "5 minutes if that."
      "Okay I'm leaving."
     "Okay." I leave the room and make a list of things I need to get. Halo comes out of the bathroom. She looks at me and we kiss. We get the kids ready and leave we decide to take her car. We go to the ballet store. I get Emily what she needs. When we are done at that store we go to Walmart. I get house hold things.
      "Hey Jace I need to go to the pharmacy section I will be back." Halo says.
     "Okay, I will be here." She leaves and comes back a few minutes later. She puts a box in the cart and I know what it is. I look at her.
     "Don't say a word."
      "I wasn't going to."
      "Okay good." We continue shopping. When we are done we leave the store and head home. I call Zac and ask him if he could watch the kids. He says he will if I watch Zane tomorrow. I agree to it. 5:00 Zac comes over and Halo and I leave.
      I was wearing a button up shirt and some jeans. She was wearing some jeans and a blouse with a tank top under it. We go the a restaurant and get a booth. We sit down and take are coats off. We order are food and wait.
      "This is nice." Halo says.
      "Yes it is."
      "What should we do tomorrow?"
      "Not sure we do have to watch Zane though."
     "Yeah true."
     "We can do a craft."
     "What kind?"
     "Finger painting."
     "With Zane?"
     "Yeah why not."
      "How will that work?"
      "It will."
     "Okay." Our food comes and we start eating.
     "How are Emily and Ava doing?"
     "They are doing good. They wanna have a sleep over. I have no problem with it. I just don't know when or where."
     "Yeah well you will have to get in touch with Ava's mom and see what you can do."
     "Yeah I know but her mom works 2 jobs so it is hard to find a time where they can talk. I told her that if she works at the shopp she can make 2,000 in a week."
     "What she say?"
     "She said she would think about it."
     "Yeah she is brave to raise Ava on her own I just can't imagine Ava's medical treatment in the future."
     "Yeah I know that's one thing I don't have to deal with but I also have two kids she only has one."
     "Yeah and she seems really nice.
Jace:She is she is a really sweet person but when Ava was diagnosed transgender her husband left her. He didn't want to deal with it and she said you accept Ava or you leave so he left."
     "That is sad I mean how can you just throw away your family and disown your own child. It is cruel."
     "Yes it is I would never turn my back on Emily or Andrew no matter what because they are speacial and unique in there own way."
     "Yes they are and they deserve all the love and support they can have and they have that."
      "Well it just proves that every child deserves a parent but not every parent deserves a child."
     "Yes that is true."
We finish dinner and leave. We head home and when we get home the kids where in bed. Zac was feeding Zane.
     "Hey." I say.
      "Hi." He says.
      "How were they?" I ask him bracing myself.
      "They were good. I wasn't though."     
      "What did you do?"
      "Well I had the bright idea to give them ice cream right before bed." I shake my head. Halo does the same thing.
     "Well at least it wasn't chick bait."
      "Hey why would I use them I have my own to do that with."
     "Since when has that stopped you."
     "Yeah true."
     "Are they sleeping?"
     "Um I'm not sure."
      "Well I hope so." I go into Emily's room and she was laying on the floor sleeping. I put her up and lay her in her bed and cover her up. I pick up her toys and put them away then I check on Andrew.
     He was alseep in his bean bag. I pick him up and put him in bed. I leave his room and go back to the kitchen. Zac was rinsing out Zane's bottle. He puts the lid on it and puts it in his diaper bag. He puts Zane in his car seat and leaves.
     Halo and I sit down on the couch. The next day it is Sunday Halo goes home and I clean the house, the kids help me. I make sure everything is ready for Monday. I give the kids a bath and do dishes. I put them to bed and take a shower. When I'm done with my shower I go to bed to.