True Blessings

Chapter Three

When staying at his grandpa's home, Sammy stayed in his father's old room upstairs. He carried his backpack to the room, placed it on the bed and emptied it, moving clothing to an old set of dresser drawers and closets.

As he put a shirt on a hanger, his phone rang. Looking at the screen, he saw Alice's name and quickly grabbed it.

"Hi," he said.

"Is everything okay?" Alice asked.

"Yeah. But I've only been here a few minutes."

"True."

Sammy set his laptop on a rickety metal desk, opened it and pressed the power button. The chair was also metal with a thick cushion that had been added as the original padding had worn.

He sat, elbows on the desk.

"I had a laugh, leaving the mall. Grampa gave the charity people a hard time."

"Why is that funny?"

"Because Grampa used to tell them there wasn't a god, and call them crazy and comment about their 'sky daddy' and how they could pound sand. Tonight, instead, he accused them of not being Christian and using their faith to be hateful."

"Is he finding faith?"

"He says he's not. He says he found friends who are religious who helped him when he came out as transgender and felt he needed to be accepting and kind."

He gave a chuckle. "I think it was the most decent discussion we have ever had."

Then, he heard Christie call his name from the foot of the stairs.

"Hold on."

He stood and stepped to the door.

"When the news returns from commercials," Christie told him, "they're airing a report on the Texas flooding your father is being sent to. I thought you might want to see?"

"I would," Sammy replied.

He lifted the phone to his ears as he started down the stairs. "Let me call you back, Alice."

"I heard. I hope the news says the flooding isn't bad and your dad doesn't need to go."

"Me, too. Bye."

"Bye."

Christie had returned to her favorite recliner with a cup of coffee.

"You know," she said, sitting the cup on a table next to her, "your friends are welcome to visit you here. I only prefer they do so when I'm home – same as your mother and father do at home."

She knew his friends were likely hesitant to be at the house but felt, since he might be with her for some time, she needed to let him have visitors.

"I'll tell them," Sammy said.

The news returned and the news anchor appeared.

"An unusual, out-of-season tropical depression, dumping more than three inches of rain per hour over Southern Texas, has caused extensive flooding and forcing evacuations in low-lying areas from Galveston to Brownsville, and into Eastern Mexico. The President has ordered National Guard units into the area to assist with flood control and shelters."

The scene changed to an airport showing soldiers in camouflage uniforms, carrying large duffle bags. Sitting forward, Sammy scan the crowd of soldiers then pointed at one.

"There's Dad!"

The soldiers were called to formation and Christie smiled proudly to see Arnold in uniform, stepping to attention.

"Yes, and he looks so handsome in uniform."

Sammy heard the pride in her voice and was surprised, considering the way he and Aunt Jen treated her.

"Do you still love Dad?"

"Yes, I do."

"Even though he has said you're sick and need help?"

Christie frowned. "You have, also, Sammy. Think of the comments you made at the mall earlier. They hurt, too. But I still love my son, and I still love you, Sammy, despite your thoughts. I only wish your aunt, father and you would read the links I sent them about gender dysphoria."

By Sammy's confused look, she guessed he didn't know she'd sent them to Arnold. She wasn't surprised.

She lifted her coffee cup again and sipped it, then rested it on her right leg.

"I am seeing a doctor," she said. "Did your father tell you that?"

"He said you were, but thinks the doctor is a quack, taking your money. I meant what I said at the mall – I read the reports on rapid-onset gender dysphoria and they convinced me!"

The scene on the news changed to Texas, outside Corpus Christie, showing floodwaters flowing down the Nueces River. Christie said nothing while they listened to the reporter giving statistics of the damage caused by the flooding.

"It sounds as though Arnold might be there three weeks," Christie said.

"I hope that's all – I want him home for Christmas."

"I know."

The anchor returned to the screen, informing them the weather was next, and another drug commercial appeared.

"Rapid-onset gender dysphoria is a myth, Sammy," Christie said.

"Then why would someone claim it as fact? And why do kids suddenly claim they're girls or guys when they never complained before? Like you!"

Christie looked at him silently for a few moments, then asked, "Are you willing to listen to me explain or have you formed an opinion you won't sway from?"

Sammy stared at the TV, saying nothing.

"I thought myself as a girl all my life, Sammy. As far as I can remember, I felt more female than male. But in my youth, it wasn't something I was going to tell my father. He would have beaten me."

Sammy remained silent.

"When puberty came, how I felt worsened. I tried to be a man to make my parents happy, but it was difficult! I didn't want to be that man. I spent my afternoons in the woods, supposedly hunting, but I had a little shelter where I stored dresses and makeup and spent the time working on homework dressed as a girl.

"I never understood what I felt and most people in my town considered gays and lesbians and crossdressers as sick people who should be locked away. I didn't want to be locked away so I struggled to be the man they expected me to be!"

Sammy still said nothing, but the cock of his head led Christie to believe he listened.

"Thanks to the Internet, I learned why I felt as I did. Others learned, also. Those children coming out have realized what they feel, and as puberty starts to force their assigned gender, they are crying from the pain.

"Sammy, I came out for the same reason. As those children, I also learned what I felt all my life wasn't a horrible sickness but a condition recognized by doctors and psychologists worldwide. Me becoming Christie was the medicine I needed for treatment."

Silence filled the room and Christie realized her coffee had cooled. She drank the rest of it then stood to get more.

"You're my grandchild, Sammy and I love you. I hope you love me enough to learn more and try to understand."