Mullet Man Short Stories

A Different Kind of Talk

AN: Marcella is 10 here, just about to turn 11.

Marcella sat at the kitchen table, markers strewn everywhere as she colored. She reached for the pink marker, drawing some hearts around the card she was making.

"Hey, sweetie," Bella said, walking into the room. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Makin' a Valentine's card," Marcella answered happily.

"Who fer?" Bella sat down and looked at the card as Marcella worked.

"A girl," Marcella grinned.

"...ya like a girl."

"Mm-hm! She's really pretty and nice and her name is Ashley and I'm gonna give her this card so she likes me too," Marcella said, switching out colors again.

"...oh boy," Bella sighed, rubbing her face. "Marcella, we have'ta talk."

"Why?" Marcella frowned a bit, putting the marker down.

"Ok. So ya know how me an' Uncle Fidds, we both like boys an' girls?" Bella began.

"Mm-hm! Doesn' everybody?" Marcella asked, tilting her head.

"No, not really," Bella said. "We're bisexual. Most people like only boys or only girls- an' usually they like the opposite sex."

"Well that's silly," Marcella said. "Why would they do that when girls are really pretty and boys are really cute?"

Bella laughed and smiled.

"Yeah, Ah don' get 'em neither," she agreed. "But... well, it's sort'a in genetics. Like how yer born with brown hair an' eyes? Some people are born likin' the same sex, opposite sex, both 'r neither. Like how yer dad only likes girls. We don' know why, but that's how it is, an'- an' that's fine. But sweetie, you can' be too upset if it turns out this girl ya like likes just boys- if she's straight."

"Aww..." Marcella frowned. "But that's no fair..."

"Life ain't always fair," Bella sighed, running a hand through her daughter's hair. "Sometimes it just happens like that. No queer girl likes gettin' a crush on a straight girl." Marcella pouted and Bella smiled softly. "So yer bisexual, huh? Ya like boys an' girls?"

"Mm-hm," Marcella nodded. Her eyes lit up. "So just like you an' Uncle Fidds? We're like a super-special club?"

"Sure, somethin' like that," Bella laughed. "But with bein' queer- with likin' the same sex- there's some... gosh, Ah wish Ah didn' have ta have this talk with'cha, but it's gonna happen eventually- some people don't like that we like girls, sweetie. They think it's wrong, an' yer gonna run into some'a those people in yer lifetime."

"Why don't they like it?" Marcella frowned in confusion.

"Ah'll tell ya a secret," Bella leaned in to whisper to her. "They're big dumbies." Marcella giggled and Bella sat back, smiling. "An' there's gonna be people who try ta tell ya yer wrong fer bein' you, but no matter what excuse they use, they're the wrong ones, m'kay? They just don' get that y'can't help it. An' it don't matter who ya like, 'cause yer perfect the way ya are, ok?"

"Ok, Mommy," Marcella hugged Bella, and she hugged back tightly, kissing her head.

"Alright, Ah'll let'cha get back ta yer card," she said, standing up. "It looks real nice, hon."

"Thank you!" Marcella chirped, returning to coloring. Bella left the room, leaving Marcella alone to think.

Bisexual...