Dani’s jaw dropped all the way to the sticky wooden tabletop. Simon, sitting across from her and Ryan, looked to be in a similar state of shock.
“Just a water?” Simon asked once the waiter had walked out of earshot.
“Yup,” Ryan said with a sheepish grin. “It’s not a big deal, I’m trying to drink a little less is all.”
Through all the dinners Dani had eaten with her roommates, Ryan had only ever drank a beer with his meal. She had seen him drink water plenty of times at the gym or in the mornings, but at night? When he didn’t even have to drive home?
Dani collected herself, and said “I think that’s really cool. You seem to care a lot about your health so I always thought it was weird you drank as much as you did.”
“Ouch,” Ryan said. “But you’re right, it was starting to take too much of a toll. Don’t think I’m going cold turkey though!” He stretched his arms up and to his side, landing his hand on Dani’s leg once it was under the table and out of sight.
A warm shock ran through Dani.
“Speaking of turkey…” Simon started.
“Yeah, what’s good to eat here?” Dani blurted out. She opened up her menu to hide her now-red cheeks from Simon.
I don’t want to make him feel weird after everything he said. Ryan’s playing such a dangerous game putting his… his hand.
She peered down and looked at his fingers resting on her thigh. If there had been a way to teleport home with him at that moment she would have abandoned the restaurant in an instant.
“No,” Simon resumed his thought. “I was gonna ask how long you guys will be gone for Thanksgiving. I’ll probably be away for a day or two to reconnect with my family a bit. The schools will be out anyway so I’ll have nothing to do here.”
Dani’s excitement ended. She hadn’t told either of her roommates about the text she received on Halloween. Her mother’s demand that she not show up for the holiday.
“Right, yeah I plan on crashing at my dad’s place after dinner,” Ryan said. “Too far to bother driving at night, especially if I’ve had a few drinks.”
Simon smirked. “Planning on ending your sobriety that soon?”
“I didn’t say I was quitting quitting. Just slowing down!”
The two ended their bickering and focused on Dani.
“What about you?” Simon asked her. “Are things with your parents… better?”
“No,” was all she said for a while. She set the menu back on the table before speaking again. “I won’t be going anywhere for Thanksgiving.”
Ryan and Simon both looked down and did their own silent scans of the menu. Eventually, however, Ryan spoke up.
“Ya know, I’m sure your family wants to see you.” He turned toward her and gently squeezed by her knee in support. “Even if you don’t all agree on things it might be good to–”
“My mom said I can’t show up unless my hair is short,” Dani said. “They don’t want me there, they want,” she paused for a deep sigh. “They don’t want me.”
“Oh,” was all Ryan could say.
She had tried to forget the fact her family was cutting ties with her. After getting high for the first time with Rachel and breaking down crying, she felt embarrassed to even broach the topic again. Instead, she forced herself to think positively about what she had gained instead of what was lost. Her new life might be lonely, but it would be hers. Freedom to be who she wanted to be and have the body she wanted.
It hadn’t made her feel much better.
“Well what if you come to my grandma’s?” Simon asked.
That was the last thing Dani expected to hear. Well, not the very last. Still, it was something she hadn’t predicted at all.
“Seriously?” Dani asked in disbelief.
Simon nodded, not an ounce of doubt showing anywhere through his face or body language. “Yeah, why not? My family always goes to her place and you know most of them, right? They always love having more people and would be happy to see you again.”
Would that really work? I guess I always got along with his mom and sister when we were in high school, but that was years ago.
“Do they know about…” Dani gestured to her entire person, “the trans stuff?”
He hesitated. “Well, no,” Simon said. “But I don’t think they would mind. You remember one of my uncles is literally gay, right? Not exactly the same, but things have never been weird with him so I don’t see why they would make a special, bigoted exception for you.”
Dani knew he was probably right. Not a single story about Simon’s family was anything but wholesome. It annoyed her when they were younger and she compared the stories to her own family. Now, however, she was grateful a family like that existed.
“Maybe,” she said. “I’ll have to think about it. You can tell your mom about what’s going on with me if you want.” Her voice grew softer and softer as she realized she might not have to put up with a lonely few days in the apartment. “See if she thinks it’s a good idea.”
A new thought popped into her head.
What if I went with Ryan to his family? He’s always talking about how big his family is, what if I tagged along? Now that Simon has offered, I bet he’ll ask.
She looked over and saw Ryan’s eyes glazed over, pointed lazily at the menu while he nodded along in silence.
“I can’t believe I never thought about spending a holiday with a friend,” Dani said with all the grace of an automated phone call.
Ryan didn’t flinch.
I must have been too subtle.
“It’s just the whole spirit of Thanksgiving, being with people you care about.” As she spoke she set her hand on Ryan’s, still on top of her leg.
Alright, if that doesn’t get him to ask then I don’t know what–
“I’ve heard that the salmon is actually their best dish here,” Ryan said.
Dani immediately flicked his hand off of her knee.
“Oh, I think I’ve heard that too,” Simon said, oblivious to what was happening on Dani and Ryan’s side of the table.
Dani scratched the back of her neck and looked around for their waiter. “Yeah, I’m sure it’s great.”
***
The soft knock on the door told Dani that it was Simon.
“Come in,” she said without peeling her eyes away from her phone. She was back in her pajamas and chatting with some of her online friends after the confusing dinner.
Simon poked his head into her room with an elated smile. “Hey, so my mom said there shouldn’t be any problem with you joining us for Thanksgiving. Even after I told her you were trans and stuff.”
Dani set her phone on her pillow. “Really?”
It was the first time anyone who wasn’t her age had taken the news well. Though to be fair it was the first time she had told any older people besides her parents.
“Yup, she’s gonna check with my grandma and a few others to make sure nobody is confused, though. Some of them might remember you.”
“You don’t have to go to that much trouble, I can deal with an awkward moment here or there.” She realized she was smiling with no restraint.
I’m actually going to have a Thanksgiving this year…
“I tried to tell her but I think she’s just excited to see you again.” Simon chuckled to himself. “So if you want to back out let me know as soon as possible, don’t want to get her hopes too high.”
“No, I want to go. I won’t back out, okay? Promise.”
Announcement Read ahead four chapters right now on Patreon! As well as the bonus chapter, and my other exclusive sci-fi story!
Dani’s jaw dropped all the way to the sticky wooden tabletop. Simon, sitting across from her and Ryan, looked to be in a similar state of shock.
“Just a water?” Simon asked once the waiter had walked out of earshot.
“Yup,” Ryan said with a sheepish grin. “It’s not a big deal, I’m trying to drink a little less is all.”
Through all the dinners Dani had eaten with her roommates, Ryan had only ever drank a beer with his meal. She had seen him drink water plenty of times at the gym or in the mornings, but at night? When he didn’t even have to drive home?
Dani collected herself, and said “I think that’s really cool. You seem to care a lot about your health so I always thought it was weird you drank as much as you did.”
“Ouch,” Ryan said. “But you’re right, it was starting to take too much of a toll. Don’t think I’m going cold turkey though!” He stretched his arms up and to his side, landing his hand on Dani’s leg once it was under the table and out of sight.
A warm shock ran through Dani.
“Speaking of turkey…” Simon started.
“Yeah, what’s good to eat here?” Dani blurted out. She opened up her menu to hide her now-red cheeks from Simon.
I don’t want to make him feel weird after everything he said. Ryan’s playing such a dangerous game putting his… his hand.
She peered down and looked at his fingers resting on her thigh. If there had been a way to teleport home with him at that moment she would have abandoned the restaurant in an instant.
“No,” Simon resumed his thought. “I was gonna ask how long you guys will be gone for Thanksgiving. I’ll probably be away for a day or two to reconnect with my family a bit. The schools will be out anyway so I’ll have nothing to do here.”
Dani’s excitement ended. She hadn’t told either of her roommates about the text she received on Halloween. Her mother’s demand that she not show up for the holiday.
“Right, yeah I plan on crashing at my dad’s place after dinner,” Ryan said. “Too far to bother driving at night, especially if I’ve had a few drinks.”
Simon smirked. “Planning on ending your sobriety that soon?”
“I didn’t say I was quitting quitting. Just slowing down!”
The two ended their bickering and focused on Dani.
“What about you?” Simon asked her. “Are things with your parents… better?”
“No,” was all she said for a while. She set the menu back on the table before speaking again. “I won’t be going anywhere for Thanksgiving.”
Ryan and Simon both looked down and did their own silent scans of the menu. Eventually, however, Ryan spoke up.
“Ya know, I’m sure your family wants to see you.” He turned toward her and gently squeezed by her knee in support. “Even if you don’t all agree on things it might be good to–”
“My mom said I can’t show up unless my hair is short,” Dani said. “They don’t want me there, they want,” she paused for a deep sigh. “They don’t want me.”
“Oh,” was all Ryan could say.
She had tried to forget the fact her family was cutting ties with her. After getting high for the first time with Rachel and breaking down crying, she felt embarrassed to even broach the topic again. Instead, she forced herself to think positively about what she had gained instead of what was lost. Her new life might be lonely, but it would be hers. Freedom to be who she wanted to be and have the body she wanted.
It hadn’t made her feel much better.
“Well what if you come to my grandma’s?” Simon asked.
That was the last thing Dani expected to hear. Well, not the very last. Still, it was something she hadn’t predicted at all.
“Seriously?” Dani asked in disbelief.
Simon nodded, not an ounce of doubt showing anywhere through his face or body language. “Yeah, why not? My family always goes to her place and you know most of them, right? They always love having more people and would be happy to see you again.”
Would that really work? I guess I always got along with his mom and sister when we were in high school, but that was years ago.
“Do they know about…” Dani gestured to her entire person, “the trans stuff?”
He hesitated. “Well, no,” Simon said. “But I don’t think they would mind. You remember one of my uncles is literally gay, right? Not exactly the same, but things have never been weird with him so I don’t see why they would make a special, bigoted exception for you.”
Dani knew he was probably right. Not a single story about Simon’s family was anything but wholesome. It annoyed her when they were younger and she compared the stories to her own family. Now, however, she was grateful a family like that existed.
“Maybe,” she said. “I’ll have to think about it. You can tell your mom about what’s going on with me if you want.” Her voice grew softer and softer as she realized she might not have to put up with a lonely few days in the apartment. “See if she thinks it’s a good idea.”
A new thought popped into her head.
What if I went with Ryan to his family? He’s always talking about how big his family is, what if I tagged along? Now that Simon has offered, I bet he’ll ask.
She looked over and saw Ryan’s eyes glazed over, pointed lazily at the menu while he nodded along in silence.
“I can’t believe I never thought about spending a holiday with a friend,” Dani said with all the grace of an automated phone call.
Ryan didn’t flinch.
I must have been too subtle.
“It’s just the whole spirit of Thanksgiving, being with people you care about.” As she spoke she set her hand on Ryan’s, still on top of her leg.
Alright, if that doesn’t get him to ask then I don’t know what–
“I’ve heard that the salmon is actually their best dish here,” Ryan said.
Dani immediately flicked his hand off of her knee.
“Oh, I think I’ve heard that too,” Simon said, oblivious to what was happening on Dani and Ryan’s side of the table.
Dani scratched the back of her neck and looked around for their waiter. “Yeah, I’m sure it’s great.”
***
The soft knock on the door told Dani that it was Simon.
“Come in,” she said without peeling her eyes away from her phone. She was back in her pajamas and chatting with some of her online friends after the confusing dinner.
Simon poked his head into her room with an elated smile. “Hey, so my mom said there shouldn’t be any problem with you joining us for Thanksgiving. Even after I told her you were trans and stuff.”
Dani set her phone on her pillow. “Really?”
It was the first time anyone who wasn’t her age had taken the news well. Though to be fair it was the first time she had told any older people besides her parents.
“Yup, she’s gonna check with my grandma and a few others to make sure nobody is confused, though. Some of them might remember you.”
“You don’t have to go to that much trouble, I can deal with an awkward moment here or there.” She realized she was smiling with no restraint.
I’m actually going to have a Thanksgiving this year…
“I tried to tell her but I think she’s just excited to see you again.” Simon chuckled to himself. “So if you want to back out let me know as soon as possible, don’t want to get her hopes too high.”
“No, I want to go. I won’t back out, okay? Promise.”
Announcement Read ahead four chapters right now on Patreon! As well as the bonus chapter, and my other exclusive sci-fi story!