Raquel looks at her reflection in the full-length mirror mounted on the back of her bedroom door. It finally took her eighteen years to become how she felt inside herself. A smile appears on her cute youthful face.

“Are you ready to go yet, Raquel?” Larry comes walking out of the main bathroom, fully dressed.

“Yeah, I’m ready, sweetie.” Raquel turns around to look at her boyfriend.

They have been living together since they started college. They had met two years ago while she was still living with her parents and was in high school. He went to a private school, and she went to a public school.

It was by pure luck that the two of them met. She had gone to Kmart to exchange some gifts she had been given as birthday gifts. Gifts she had no interest in and didn’t want. Every year she always received gifts she had no interest in from her parents and relatives.

Her parents knew how she felt but kept giving her things meant for a boy. She has spoken to her parents about how she felt. She never felt like she was a boy but a girl on the inside. That hadn’t gone over very well with her parents.

Any time she showed interest in anything girlie, she was punished. They sent her to a religious conversion camp that their church sponsored.
They hoped the church would make her see the error of her way. She learned how to play the game with them and convinced her parents that she was cured.

What she did instead was whatever gift or article of clothing they gave her for Christmas or her birthday. She saved and would return them and buy what she wanted. She kept where she stored her female articles of clothing secret.

It was at Kmart that she met Larry. He was there buying a gift for his younger brother. As luck would have it, he was looking for what she was returning.

Since that day, they have gotten to know one another. Larry and Raquel started seeing each other after that day. She kept it quiet from her parents when they began to get nosy about what she was doing. She pretended that Larry was on one of her after-school teams.

“Well, if you’re ready, let’s go.” Larry looks at his girlfriend with a proud look on his face.

Tonight was a special night for her. She was receiving an award for a picture she had taken and submitted. This was the first award she had ever received for a picture she had taken.

She started getting into photography when she was sixteen years old. The guy that used to come to her high school to take their pictures for the school yearbook had sparked her interest. She had questioned him and watched what he did. He took her under his wing and was willing to teach her.

So, after school, she would work for him. She learned everything he knew and did some research of her own. One day while she was helping her parents clean out their attic. She found an old 35mm Canon camera and telescopic lens that had been put up in the attic.

Her parents didn’t remember whom it belonged to and told her she could. So, she took the camera and lens to her employer, who taught her how to clean and use it properly. He even taught her how to develop the film and what film types she should use.

So, during her high school years, she became the school’s photographer. She would take pictures of events or club activities held by the clubs. She gave the photos to the school’s newspaper team.

She would do side jobs after school with her employer’s permission. Sometimes he had so much work that she wouldn’t get home until late. The clothes she wore were gender neutral when she lived under her parent’s roof, but when she moved out to attend college. She started dressing more and more like a girl.

She looks at Larry, and a smile appears on her face. He looked handsome and dressed in the suit he was wearing.

“I’m ready.” Raquel walks over to Larry and kisses his cheek, leaving behind an outline of her lips.

Larry spotted his face in the mirror and saw the outline of her lips on his cheek. He looks into Raquel’s hazel eyes. “You did that on purpose.”

A mischievous smile appears on her face. “Maybe.”

She removes some tissue from her clutch and wipes the lipstick off his cheek. She tosses the used tissue into the trash.

“There, all taken care of.” Raquel loved leaving an outline of her lips on Larry’s cheek on his neck.

Larry shakes his head as he walks out of the bedroom. He grabs his car keys and walks down the stairs toward the parking lot. He knew Raquel was following him because he could feel her heels click each time she took a step.

“I wonder what they are going to serve for dinner?” Raquel knew the last dinner she attended was with her mentor.

They had served Cornish hen, some greens, and mashed potatoes with a chicken-based gravy. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t something she would order for herself.

“Maybe they will have a steak this time around.” Larry was hoping they would.

“Steak or some type of chicken or veal would be nice.” Raquel loved veal.

“What is it with you and veal?” Larry looks at Raquel standing on the other side of his BMW.

“I just like veal or a country-fried steak.” Raquel opens the passenger door.

Larry shakes his head as he gets into the car. He looks over toward Raquel as she puts her seatbelt on. She looked gorgeous in the little black dress she was wearing. It showed off her slim body and modest breasts. He knew she was taking aftermarket estrogen pills she bought online from Florala Incorporated.

Larry drives them to one of the fancy hotels in downtown Charlotte, N.C., where the event is being held. The award committee was using one of their banquet rooms for the ceremony.

“So, are you going to become a camerawoman?” Larry looks over toward Raquel.

“I’m thinking about it. I think it would be a good thing for me to pursue. I love the camera and enjoyed some of Mr. Nasby’s assignments.” Raquel has been exploring working behind the television camera.

“Well, you need to be careful out in the field.” Larry knew how curious Raquel could be.

“I know.” Raquel has had some close calls from some of the shots she wanted.

After thirty minutes of driving, Larry pulls into the parking lot of the Madison Hotel. He parks the car. He gets out and walks around the vehicle to help Raquel out. He holds his hand out to her and shivers when she places her hand in his.

“Why, thank you, kind sir.” A smile appears on her face as she lets him escort her toward the hotel.

They check in at the front desk and are informed that the banquet hall on the second floor was where the event occurred. The two take the elevator up to the second floor and exit. They walk into the banquet room and are greeted by the committee giving the award to Raquel.

They spend the next two hours at the event. Raquel enjoyed herself, talking with other contestants who had entered the contest. Larry stood nearby and watched as Raquel enjoyed herself. God knows she had stayed by him when he went to the country club events and other activities he was active in.

On the way home, Raquel covers up a yawn. She was pleased to win first place in the contest and some brand-new camera equipment. She has been thinking about buying a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera. She loved all its features, and the one she was allowed to use once had taken high-quality pictures.

“I have to say. The food was pretty good this time around.” Larry liked the food they served.

“I know. It was extremely nice for once.” Raquel couldn’t believe how excellent the food had been.

Once they arrive home, Larry and Raquel change into their night clothes and lay down in bed. Raquel had taken off all the make-up she was wearing. She also put on her favorite silky nightgown. She loved how it made her shiver as it rubbed against her skin.

She snuggles up against Larry and inhales his musky scent. If her parents could see her now, they would have a cow. She closes her eyes and falls asleep, snuggled against Larry.

For the next few days, Raquel is busy with college and work. She barely gets enough time to spend with Larry because she is engaged. She learns that a position for a cameraman assistant is available at the local network television stations. She applies for the job and gets an interview.

When she arrived for her interview, she couldn’t believe how many people had also applied for the same position. The interviewer was an older man who had been in the business for over twenty years. He had even gone overseas and filmed some of the fighting that had taken place.

Out of the twenty people that had shown up for the position, it came down to her and three others. They needed someone for a gaffer position, and two guys there were perfect for the work. Which meant she and one other were trying for the same job.

She had an imposing resume with her photography talents, but the other person had worked as a cameraman for his school’s news team. As luck would have it, both of them are hired on. The one guy would be working in the studio with a cameraman named Jacob Knight, and she would be assigned to a mobile news team. She was to assist the cameraman and the field reporter and ensure nothing happened to her.

A field reporter had gone out into the field by herself with a camera to cover broken water pipes on a bad day and got hit. Ever since that incident, the news agency she worked for made it mandatory for all field reporters to have a news team to keep them safe.

The team she was assigned to was a cameraman named Chuck Upton, and the field reporter she was working with and told to keep safe was Elizabeth Strong. Elizabeth habitually puts herself in a dangerous situation to get the scoop. Chuck was an Irish man with a heavy accent to his speech but was extremely good with a camera. Elizabeth was of mixed race. Her mother was Asian, and her father was black.

He was a lovely man and could trace his family history to when his ancestors were brought to North Carolina as enslaved people. She met him one day when he stopped by to see what they were up two. They were out in the field reporting on a shooting that had taken place at a neighborhood convenience store.

He came over to talk with his daughter and meet them. The cashier had been shot over three hundred dollars in the cash register. The security camera in the store didn’t capture a clear image of the shooter, but it did show that a white guy had shot the sales clerk.

“They need to put in better cameras.” Raquel looks at where the security cameras are in the store.

“Maybe they will.” Chuck couldn’t believe he got saddled by a newbie.

He looks at Raquel. “What made you want to be a camera person assistant?”

“I love taking pictures. I have a side hustle of taking pictures at weddings and special events.” Raquel loved her new job.

She didn’t love it when they had to go out into bad weather. She made sure that she wore something bright when the weather was terrible. That way, she wouldn’t get hit. She also ensured that the field reporter she worked with was kept safe.

She came home one day soaked to the bone from being out in a thunderstorm. A car slamming on its brakes and hydroplaning almost hit the field reporter. She managed to get the field reporter out of the way just in time. If she had been a second later, she would have been struck.

She was not only soaked but muddy as well. She removes her wet, dirty clothes and steps into the shower. She enjoys the hot water cascading down her slim, fit body. She worked out with Larry down at the gym three times a week.

After her shower, she puts on a pair of panties and a pair of silk shorts. She doesn’t bother putting a bra on and grabs an old Ratt t-shirt that comes off the shoulder. She found a shop specializing in old t-shirts from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s.

Her parents haven’t seen what has been done to her body yet. She didn’t care if they did or not. She was tired of living by their rules and trying to be what they wanted her to be. Since attending college, she has been experimenting and learning about herself.

She sits at her workstation and reviews the pictures she took from a gender reveal party. She couldn’t believe some stupid, silly things they did at the reveal. She selects the best photographs and puts those on a thumb drive. As for the other pictures, she prints them out of her high-quality printer.

It had been a prize she received from a contest she had entered. The photo she submitted was one of some teenagers dancing and celebrating. You could tell how the teenagers were enjoying themselves.

She puts all the pictures and thumb drives into a bubble envelope to be mailed off. She hopes the couple that hired her likes the images. After all, some of them were weird.

Once that is resolved, Raquel steps into the kitchen and starts fixing dinner. She knew Larry would be home soon. She likes living with Larry and enjoys the cuddle time they spend with one another.

While she chopped the vegetables to add to the roast, her cell phone started ringing. She presses accept on the screen. “Hello?”

“Raquel, I have a big favor to ask.” Leann is hoping Raquel will do the favor.

Raquel immediately recognizes the voice. “What’s the favor, Leann?”

“I need a photographer for an event coming up. The person I hired before calling you said they wouldn’t do it because it went against their religious beliefs.”

“Did they ask for a deposit?” Raquel knew she had asked for a deposit on clients she had never worked with.

“Yes, and they refuse to refund it.” Leann was going to sue the company for bailing and keeping her money.

“No problem. When is the event?” Raquel looked at her calendar to see what was opened.

“Two weeks from now. It will occur on Saturday at the end of the second week.” Leann hopes Raquel can help her.

Raquel looks at her calendar and notices she has it free. The day before, she had a party she was hired to shoot.

“I’m free that day, Leann. What time does your event take place and where?”

“The wedding is at two o’clock and might continue well into the night afterward.” Leann knew it was going to be a huge event.

“All right, I’ll come early and set everything up.” Raquel knew she might need to ask Jessie if she wanted to earn some money.

Jessie has helped her out so she could focus on specific jobs. Jessie was a transgender teenage girl that was kicked out of her home when her stepfather found her dressed as a girl. Her mother didn’t mind, but her stepfather was conservative.

Unfortunately, there was nothing her mother could do to stop her husband. She tried, but he wouldn’t listen to her. So, she helps Jessie without her husband knowing.

“Thanks, Raquel, you’re a lifesaver.” Leann was glad that Raquel could do her this favor.

“Any time. I’ll see you in a few days to discuss what you want.” Raquel had a field assignment with her job.

“Okay, bye.” Leann ends the phone call.

When Raquel hears the call end, she dials Jessie’s number. She hopes Jessie is available to work with her.

Antonelli Restaurant:
Jessie hated being a dishwasher, but because of how young she was. She couldn’t find anything better. She didn’t do physical work well and had no formal training. She did some amateur photography, thanks to Raquel taking her under her wing to train her.

She finishes the latest batch of dishes before taking her fifteen-minute break. She steps outside and sits on top of an upside-down five-gallon bucket as she is sitting there on top of the bucket. Her cell phone starts ringing. She pulled it from her back pocket and noticed Raquel calling her. She presses accept on her display.

“Hey, Raquel. What can I do for you?” Jessie wonders what Raquel wants.

“Are you busy on the 25th ?” Raquel was looking at her calendar.

“Is that a Saturday?” Jessie wasn’t sure.

“Yes, it is.”

“I normally work Saturdays, but I can switch with the other dishwasher or call off.” Jessie has tried to be more reliable than the other dishwashers they have had.

“Don’t call off, Jessie. I don’t want you to lose your job.” Raquel knew how hard Jessie had to find a job.

“I won’t.”

“Good. I’ll be heading to talk with the client in a few days. Would you like to come along?” Raquel knew Jessie liked taking pictures like her.

“Would I? God, yes.” Jessie liked working with Raquel.

“All right, be at my place at nine o’clock Thursday morning.” Raquel had the day off from work.

“You got it, Raquel, and thanks.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll see you on Thursday.”

“Bye, Raquel.”

“Bye, Jessie.” Raquel ends the phone call.

Raquel sets her cell phone on her desk and works on a few emails. After checking her emails, she reviewed the pictures she had taken to sell. It was a picture of some birds she had caught at the right moment.

She posts the image online, along with a few others. Once she finished that, she got up and walked into the kitchen to fix herself some lunch. She didn’t have to meet up with her news team until three.

She fixes herself a nice grilled cheese sandwich and has some potato chips. After lunch, Raquel gets ready to meet up with her news team. She hopes Elizabeth Strong doesn’t do anything stupid.

WCNC NBC Channel 36:
Raquel spots Chuck putting new equipment into the van. She asks him, “So, where are we going today?”

“Don’t know. Elizabeth got a tip, and she’s been holding it close to the chest until you got here.” Chuck knew how Elizabeth was about her tips.

“Well, I’m here. Where is Elizabeth?” Raquel puts her safety vest on.

“I’m coming.” Elizabeth runs towards Chuck and Raquel.

“Where are we heading, Elizabeth?” Chuck walks around to the driver’s side of the van.

Raquel gets in the back with the equipment. It was rare for her to ride up front.

“3145 Main Street.” Elizabeth gets in on the passenger side of the news van.

“What’s happening down at 3145 Main Street?” Raquel was curious.

“You’ll see, Raquel. Get the portable field camera ready.” Elizabeth was excited about the tip.

“All right.” Raquel works on prepping the field camera.

When they arrived at the address, a crowd was already outside. There were a bunch of rough-looking men harassing a bunch of people and people in drag.

“What the hell is going on here?” Raquel hands the first camera she prepped to Chuck. She gets out of the van and follows Elizabeth.

Elizabeth was moving towards the crowd, with Chuck following behind them. She stops talking with some men to understand why they are down here.

“Sir, why are you and your group here protesting?” Elizabeth points her mic at the guy.

“We’re here protesting the deviant people they allow around our children.”

“Are you talking about the Drag Queens?” Elizabeth holds the mic back towards the man.

“I’m talking all about their kind. People like that should be taken out and shot.”

Just as he says those words, all hell breaks out. The men behind start attacking the people protecting the drag queens.

“Shit!” Raquel moves forward to grab Elizabeth before she gets hurt.

Raquel manages to grab Elizabeth but takes a fist to the face. She gets caught by a beaded person. She is forced to defend herself as several people punch her. As she falls to the ground, she curls up in a fetal position to try and protect her head and face.

While she is on the ground, hurting and bleeding from being punched multiple times in her face. She feels several more people fall on top of her. Some of their blood dripped down on her. The last thing she hears before she passes out. It is the sound of police sirens.

When she comes to, she finds herself in a hospital room with her rib cage bandaged up. There was a cast on the lower part of her right arm. The top of her head was wrapped up as well.

She spots Larry sitting next to her medical bed. He was slumped back against the chair, sound asleep. She reaches over to him as pain shots throughout her body. She grits her teeth as she shakes Larry’s arm.

Larry wakes up and spots Raquel reaching over to him. He could see she was in pain.

“Sweety, sit back and relax.” He stands up and gently moves her back against her pillows.

Raquel does as she is told. She moves her pillows behind her back and lays back. She looks up at Larry. “How long have I been out?”

“Only two days, sweety. Chuck contacted me as soon as possible and told me what happened.” Larry couldn’t believe what had happened to Raquel.

When he arrived at the hospital, he was informed that she was in emergency and unconscious. She was taken to a private room to recover when she came out of the emergency room.

“How is everyone else?” Raquel was concerned about Elizabeth and Chuck.

“Elizabeth has minor bumps and bruises. Chuck is fine, but I feel sorry for the guy who tried to take his camera away.”

“Well, those bastards deserved what they got. I wish I were better at defending myself.” Raquel couldn’t believe how quickly she was taken down.

“Don’t worry about that, sweety. Your doctor will more than likely discharge you tomorrow morning.” Larry gives Raquel’s hand a little squeeze.

Raquel is released the following day. Her doctor’s orders are to take it easy and no more fighting. She had several bruised ribs so that she would hurt for a while.

Her work gets in touch with her and wants her to tell them what happened, even though Chuck had it on video. So, she tells them what happened. They showed her the video of what Chuck caught, which matched what she said. She also saw the face of the person who struck her first.

The station lawyers would handle everything, giving her a week off work with pay. They were also covering her medical bills for the injuries she sustained.

When Saturday arrives, Larry helps her get dressed. Jessie drives them over to Leann’s place. She was supposed to be at Leann’s home on Thursday but couldn’t because she was injured.

“Are you sure you’re up to this, sweetie?’ Larry looks at Raquel as she sits on the car’s passenger side.

“I’m sure. Besides, I have my trusted assistant to help me out. Isn’t that right, Jessie?” Raquel looks at Jessie in the rearview mirror.

“Whatever you need, Raquel.” Jessie was eager to please.

Raquel shakes her head at Jessie’s enthusiasm. She knew Jessie was willing to prove herself to her, just like she did when she first started.

“Good, because I’ll depend on you for this job.” Raquel knew how she looked. She hopes Leann doesn’t hold it against her.

Larry puts up to where the venue will be and helps Raquel out of the car. They walk towards the building, with Jessie walking behind Raquel. While Raquel talks with her friend, she’ll take a few test shots. That way, they can see how they need to set up everything.

Leann spots Raquel walking toward the building and can’t believe how banged up her friend looks. She had heard about the commotion down on Main Street with the Proud Boys and the supporters of the LGBTQ community.

“You look like something the cat threw up, Raquel.” Leann looks at her friend.

“I feel like it, Leann. Let me introduce you to my boyfriend, Larry Watson, and my assistant Jessie Penn. She’ll be doing all the heavy work for me.” A smile appears on Raquel’s face.

“It’s nice to meet you, Larry and Jessie.” Leann shakes each person’s hand.

“And you. So, how long have you known Raquel?” Larry was curious about Raquel’s friend.

“We attended the same gay conversion camp together. We learned on the first day that the people running the place were in it to con money from our parents.” Leann hated the place.

“So, how did you guys overcome what they were trying to do to you?” Jessie was curious.

“We frustrated the people who ran the place. We purposely read the wrong verses in the bible and sang the hymns. They made us sing so badly that they told us to mouth the words.”

“Did they wise up to your tricks?” Larry looks at Leann when he asks that question.

“Nope, and when they asked us to share our feelings. We made up crap that was so stupid that they believed it.” A smirk appears on Raquel’s face when she thinks about those moments.

“Now, let’s see what we have to work with.” Raquel was ready to get to work.

Leann gives them a tour of the place and informs them what she wants. Raquel makes notes as Jessie takes pictures. The area where Leann wanted the wedding party to take their photographs would need some work.

Raquel makes sure Jessie gets the lighting measurements and such. Larry listens to Leann’s wants and wonders if Raquel is like her friend.
Because he could see that their wedding could become a major production if Raquel wanted what her friend enjoyed, he had to ask her about it.

They spend two hours at the reception venue and where the wedding will be. By the time they left, Raquel had needed her pain pills. Her bruised ribs bothered her as she sat panting on the car’s passenger side.

“Are you going to be able to handle this, sweetie?” Larry looks at Raquel with a concerned look on his face.

“I’ll manage.” As Raquel leans back against the headrest and closes her eyes.

“Don’t worry, Larry. I’ll make sure she doesn’t overexert herself.” Jessie will make sure Raquel is taken care of.

“Thanks, Jessie.” Larry drives them home.

The Day of The Wedding:
Larry helps Jessie with the equipment while Raquel supervises. She took a few pictures of the venue before people showed up. She makes sure to get everything the bride wants. She gets a group picture of the bridesmaid, the other bride, and her bridesmaids.

During the wedding and afterward, Jessie and Raquel get plenty of pictures. Everything the brides wanted and then some. Raquel knew she would be busy looking for the right images to send to her friend, but she had plenty to choose from.

Larry helps her pack everything up, and on the way home, they drop Jessie off. Larry looks at Raquel as he drives them home. “Have you ever thought about how you want your wedding?”

Raquel carefully turns to look at Larry. She had a puzzled look on her face and wondered where this was leading. “I think I would like a small wedding. Just family and friends. Nothing too big or financially expensive.”

“So, nothing huge like your friend’s wedding or some of the ones you have been hired to do?” Larry looks at Raquel.

“Nope, just something small and intimate.” Raquel knew Larry didn’t want to get married until he finished college like her.

When they arrive home, Larry helps Raquel up to their apartment. While she is undressing, he grabs her equipment and brings it in. He thinks about what she said while carrying her equipment inside the house.

Several Years Later:
Raquel looks at herself as she finishes putting the final touches on her face. She couldn’t believe this day had finally arrived. She looks at her mother. “What do you think, Mom?”

Raquel’s mother looked at her and couldn’t believe how her little girl looked. Her old wedding dress looked lovely on her daughter. She had been a little surprised when Raquel showed up at home dressed as a woman. However, over time she accepted that her little boy was a little girl instead. She knew that, but she didn’t want to accept it.

“You look lovely dear. Now, let’s not keep your guest waiting.” Katelyn escorted her daughter to the yard as the piano played her chosen music.

Katelyn escorted her daughter up to Larry while Jessie took their pictures.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony….”