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Ryland's POV

We decided that I would speak to Annie first, and then Shane would, so it would feel intimidating having both parents in the room. When I asked about Alex, she finally told me who this person was, but she wanted both of her dads to hear.

"Baby.." I said, poking my head out to get Shane. "She's ready to talk.."

"Is she okay?" Shane asked, and I nodded.

~

"So... Alex is your imaginary friend?" Shane asked. "Can we ask... why you drew Alex instead of yourself on this picture?" I pointed to her drawing. "It says that's you.... and it the paper about our family.."

"You said your name is Alex.." Ryland finished my sentence. "Do you not like your name?"

"I don't know if I can tell you..." Annie started to cry again. "I know I said I would... but I can't..."

"Well.... who would you be okay to tell? A doctor?" Shane asked. "We can all go together..."

"I want Aunt Morgan to take me..." Annie said. I looked at Shane as we shared a shrug.

"Sweetheart.." I said. "Can we come with her?"

"I guess..." She said.

~

The next day, we let Annie miss school to go to the family counselor with us, and Morgan met us there. The counselor asked to speak to only Shane and myself at first, so we could explain what we believed was going on, but she called in everyone shortly after.

"Hi Annie.." Mrs. Stevens said. "How old are you?"

    "I'll be four tomorrow..." She said.

    "Wow!" Mrs. Stevens smiled. "Well, that's exciting..... Now why do you think you're here today?"

    "Am I sick?"

    "Well... no..Your family is worried about you..." The doctor said. "Your dads told me about some school work you've done? May I see it?" Annie handed her the papers. "Wow.... Okay... Who's Alex, sweetheart?"

    "I don't know if I can say it..." Our daughter started to cry again. "The kids at school will make fun of me... more.."

    "Well, how about you tell me why they tease you..."

    "I like a girl.... and her sister pushes me..." Annie said. "But I don't want her to know I like her.... I'm scared she'd hate me..."

    "I think she'd be fine with you..." Mrs. Stevens said. "Does she know Alex?" Annie shook her head no. "Does anyone know Alex?"

    "Yeah..." She said. "But May doesn't... Alex is better than me..."

    "Now, I don't find that true.." Morgan spoke up. "You're pretty amazing..."

    "I'm not..." Annie cried more. I looked at my husband and sister, and they both sighed. "I wish I was..."

    "Annie.... Would you be okay talking to me.. without your family in here?" The doctor asked. "And family... if you're okay with it.." We nodded. "Annie?"

    "Yeah.." She said.

~

     The session took about twenty more minutes, but when Annie was coming out of the room, Mrs. Stevens asked to speak with Shane and me. Morgan sat with Reid and Annie.

    "She opened up a little bit.." Mrs. Stevens said. "Annie did say the bullying is not only because she likes May.."

    "Then... what else?" I asked.

    "It's rare at such a young age to know... but Annie told me she's a boy.." I looked at Shane in shock, and he shared the same expression. "Almost as soon as you both left, she said Alex is who she wishes she was.... who she wants to be... one hundred percent.."

    "So... what now?" Shane asked me.

    "I'd say.... We let her breathe for some time.... observe anything out of the ordinary, and if Annie knows then.... We will help her.." I said. "Our own kid.... being transgender?"

    "And at only four?" He said.

"It's rare.." Mrs. Stevens said. "But yes... she explained how she knows being gay is okay.. because of you both.. but she knows that she's not gay. She told me she's a boy. I feel like.... if you both would talk to her... ask her about her feelings for May... and try to get her to speak up, maybe we can get further with this. From there, it's all up to you.."

"Will there be anymore appointments?" I asked.

"Not for now, as you have the information you need... but I will give you my card, and my personal phone number on the back. You can call whenever I'm needed. If we need to meet in person, I will do home visits. I normally don't.... but Shane.... Ryland.... My kids love your videos.." She smiled. "My daughter, Rose, is twelve, my other daughter, Wynter, is sixteen, and I have a son, Braiden, who is four.. The girls would love to meet you guys.."

"Well, we are always happy to meet fans.." Shane smiled. "Thank you so much.... for everything."

"My pleasure.." Mrs. Stevens walked us out, and Morgan carried Reid to our car before pulling me aside to ask what happened. I told her Annie thinks she's transgender, and my sister's expression immediately changed to complete shock. Shane helped Annie into the car, but she buckled herself, and waited for me to get in as well.

~

The next day was Annie's fourth birthday, and although she didn't want any friends over, we invited May, and a few of the kids from their class that Mz. Drew said were friends of our daughter. We invited Mrs. Stevens's son, Braiden, to the party as well, along with his sisters who helped us manage having eight four-year-old children in our house. Wynter brought in several presents for Annie, making her extremely excited.

"This is all for me?" Annie asked, and Wynter smiled. "Really?"

"Happy birthday, cutie.." She gave Annie a hug, and walked with her to play with the other kids.

~

"We're going to have to say something to Annie..... eventually..." I said as we stood, watching our kid open up gifts. Shane sighed.

"I know..." He said. "Should we stop calling Annie.... Annie? If.... If this is really happening..."

"We don't know if it is or not... She's four... She doesn't know everything she wants with her life...."

"But she's grown up with two members of the LGBT+ community.... two dads who have taught her everything any four-year-old wouldn't normally know about life...." Shane said. "Alex.."

"This is terrifying..." I said, laying my head on Shane's shoulder. "Our baby.... going through this at such a young age.."

"It's better to go through it now.... and not when she's a teenager, and things are harder to change..." He sighed, wrapping his arm around my waist.

"Daddies!" Annie said. "Wynter got me a hat! It says Shyland!" She continued to open up presents, after putting the hat on.

"That looks adorable on you, sweetheart.." I smiled.

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