Sincerely, The Stranger You Call Sister

Year 1: A Loving Family

"Hello" -Normal speech.

"Hello" -Parseltongue.

'Hello' -Thoughts/Silent telepathic twin-speech.

Hello -Writing.

...................................................................................

Dear Little Brother,

'Family' doesn't always mean or equal love.

You remember my old friend Clarissa? The one I told you was writer, and who I would help pick out names for? Well, she was a lesbian.

(You can already see where this shite is going, can't you?)

Her parents and siblings didn't have a problem with it. Her two older brothers were in fact completely blasé about it when she came out -all "Oh? Huh. Alright"- and that was that. Maybe a joke here and there about their parents never having a son-in-law...

Her parents were a bit disappointed -at least her mum was, at first. Maybe she thought she wouldn't be able to offer as much advice when Clarissa started dating as she first hoped? But anyways, any slight disappointment didn't stop either of her parents from loving and supporting her.

I can remember how utterly relieved Clarissa was afterwards. She didn't really think that her family would throw her out simply because of her sexuality, but with all of the shite people and fucked up stories on the Internet? Well, she couldn't help the doubt that sank it's greedy claws into her.

She actually called me later that day, crying and laughing at herself over how silly she had been. But she sounded so goddamn happy despite her tears, so relieved and carefree as if a mountain had been lifted off her shoulders.

And I was happy for her. Glad that she wouldn't have that type of shite in her life -only, she did.

It was her Aunt and Uncle that became the fucking problem.

Growing up, and before she 'came out of the closet,' Clarissa had been fairly close to her extended family. Visited most Holidays, and texted her only cousin on that side time to time, Abigail who was only a couple years younger than she, because they liked similar shows. Would recommend series and movies to each other and all that shite.

Her Aunt liked to knit, and would always knit Clarissa, her brothers, and her parents something come their birthday or Christmas. And her Uncle was a professional chef, so eating supper at their place was always a treat.

(It helped that they only lived an hour away.)

Then they found out. And, oh, what a shitstorm that had been!

Suddenly the Aunt -the bitch- didn't include Clarissa in the yearly gifts, Abigail wasn't allowed to talk with her anymore, and when Clarissa's family wouldn't visit without her, her family wasn't allowed over.

Her Aunt and Uncle even tried to convince her parents to send her to a summer camp for fucking conversion therapy! Conversion therapy!

"Only wanting the best for her" my pasty arse!

It really hurt her. Cut her to the core, that family members would turn on her like that. Personally, I was all for storming into their house and giving them a piece of my fucking mind, and then fling horse shite both inside and outside of their house -curtsey of Chase and Adrien- but while it made her crack a smile, Clarissa refused to disclose their address.