We are to sing seven songs at Heritage Manor, but once we are singing there, more residents continue to come out of their rooms to hear us. So we sing even more songs as the residents join in to make a joyful noise as they sing along.

Finally, we're ready to leave when one woman resident pulls me and Ryta into her room. “I hope you won’t mind if I say you are lesbians?” Ryta smiles and I have mixed feelings wondering if she is for real or guessing? “I am sorry if I offend you but even here they don't like me to acknowledge that I am. I hope you will come back sometime so we can visit longer.”

She is in her eighties and she is very sharp in her thinking. She tells us “My name is Melanie Strayer. When I was twelve I realized I like other girls. It was the night I kissed my first girlfriend Margaret. …It was hard to keep a girlfriend then, parents and society made it really difficult. I was beaten by family friends and raped by people I knew. They thought if they made it ugly enough I would stop. Like I had a choice. If I did have a choice, I was not going to be told by them who I was or wasn't.”

Melanie said, “I know I'm imposing but I wonder if either of you would give me a Christmas kiss?” I surprise Ryta as I kiss her first. She stands and I embrace her with a hug and share a kiss. It is not terribly romantic for me, but it feels important to her and I dare say nice to both of us. There is a tingling that surprises me. I thought it might be gross to kiss an old woman like her. I stand at the door as Ryta gives her a hug and a couple of kisses.

We visit for several minutes when Cathy finally finds us and says, “We need to be getting home. …Oh, I see you found someone of a kindred spirit.”

“Do you know her?” I ask.

“Yes, she’s part of the living history you don’t find in textbooks… “Hi Melanie, I am sure you don’t remember me, but you are one of the people I looked up too when I came out.”

Melanie said, “It’s Cathy Stone, right? Someone told me you and Bridgette are finally engaged. What got her to commit?”

“Partly her adopting this girl, Ashley, here and then me proposing again as I was tired of waiting any longer. I proposed again with the ring in hand and she said yes.”

“Ashley, I look up to your new Mom, Cathy. I remember her at a Gay Pride March when she was thirteen. Bridgette is important in her own right, so you are blessed twice. I want you to love Cathy like you love Bridgette. And I think you will do well to establish your own place and make a mark for yourself in the family.”

Cathy speaks up “Ashley lived under the streets of NYC for over four years. I think as you say she will make her own mark.”

“She was a boy then, wasn’t she?"

My eyes pop with surprise, “How did you know,” I ask?

She said, “Patty would be one of the few girls that lived under the street, except for a boy’s pleasure.”

“So you believe Patty was a girl?”

Melanie said, “I know she is a young woman. She was on the streets since she was thirteen. She wanted children so she chose to come off the streets. She sends me a card once a year and she just had her second child.”

Bridgette finally came in to get both Cathy and me, when she recognizes Melanie. “Melanie, I was hoping Ashley would have met you.”

We promise to come back and see Melanie before she lets us leave. Bridgette looks to Cathy and asks, “Would you like to come to stay with us for two nights at Christmas or for New Year’s Eve?”

Melanie decides to come, December 23-26. I guess it is Mom’s way of celebrating Christmas.

We walk to the car giving Ryta a ride home. I did not get to spend time as I wanted with Gabe, but Mom’s rule is making sure you do justice with your visits. I divided my attention with Ryta and Gabe.

On our way to the car, Gabe comes over and asks me, “Ashley would you go to church with me on Christmas Eve?”

“I will talk with my Mom and tell you tomorrow at school, is that okay?”

Cathy looked at me, “I hoped you would go with me, but I understand.” I didn’t realize that Cathy might want to go to church. “Your mother and I share many things in common but not everything like going to church.”

“Gabe and I will be fine if you come to the Candlelight Service with us.”

We first drop off Ryta at her house. Closer to Gabe’s home my phone vibrates and I have a text from Ryta, “When were you going to tell me about being a boy?” I am now anxious as I can’t tell if she is angry or just surprised?

We drop Gabe off at his house and I am too distracted to do much more than say goodbye.

"Mom now another person knows I was a boy. Ryta was there when we admitted that to Melanie. I am not sure what she is thinking. I just got a text and she is upset I hadn’t told her and I am worried.”

Mom says, “Call her now before she gets to sleep.”

I ask my Mom, “I am calling but what do I say?”

Ryta answers, “…Hello Ryta, I am sorry you found out like that. I meant to tell you but I’ve been scared.”

Mom thinks I am talking to her, “That sounds very good Ashley.” Cathy tells her I am talking to Ryta, and they both lightly giggle.

Ryta struggles against emotion but says, “I am upset you didn’t trust me, you should have. So is it a boy who is playing a game with me?” Ryta is hurt and I don’t blame her.

“O no! It is me Ryta.”

Ryta says, “Ashley, I will not be able to sleep until I talk to you. Do you think your mother will let me come and talk with you?”

With a pleading voice I ask, “Mom can we go and pick up Ryta so we can talk; neither of us will sleep until we do?”

I tell Ryta, “My Mom says yes; we will be over in just a minute or two. If you want to bring some school clothes and you can use one of my nightgowns tonight.”

Ryta is struggling for what to say, “I thought, you wanted to get rid of me, but I don’t walk quietly away like that. I don’t know how you can change and become a girl. But I like you and your Mom; I just want you to be honest with me!”

We're in front of her place, “We’re at your house, Mom’s just going to wait till you come out.”

A few minutes passed before Ryta came out the door. “Ms. Riley, was Ashley really a boy? I have trouble believing that?”

Mom asks, “Wait till we are home.”

Once there Ryta quickly asks again, “Has Ashley really been a boy?”

“Ashley was known as Jack. Once, Jack was following me when three boys jumped him and beat him up badly. Jack was the one charged with fighting and destroying property. Authorities asked me if I would take responsibility for Jack; because they knew I have helped people coming off the streets. But I have only worked with girls. So I told them if Jack were a girl I would have been willing to be a foster parent. I didn’t expect Jack to become Ashley.”

“Her Human Service worker was a mean B’ooch, and she wanted Jack to be tried as an adult and go to prison. So the Service worker, a judge advocate and I met with Jack. I shared with Jack as I said; I would only be a foster parent to a girl. I guess, Jack had as a street kid had been in enough trouble that he was labeled “Incorrigible”, and as such, they were open to extreme measures. They told Jack if he stayed a boy he was going to prison as an adult.”

Ryta said, “Just losing his Willy doesn’t make him a girl like Ashley!”

“Correct but through tests and the surgery they found Ashley’s female hormones were already more active than his male hormones. The loss of the testes aided her body to develop more freely as a girl.” I’m cringing next to Mom because I still embarrass easily thinking I was inadequate as a boy and now Ryta knows.

“Look she’s even a girl when you share Jack’s story? Do you think I am being selfish if I just see you only as Ashley?” Ryta comes and pulls me into a hug with my face pushed into her breasts as I stretch to be in her arms. I am happy hearing what she says but slow to respond.

Mom speaks, “It probably will help if Ashley is able to talk sometimes with a friend who also understands why she doesn’t know some things girls learn growing up.”

Ryta pushes me back to arm's length, "Is that why you are as interested in being a girlfriend and having space?” I smile and brighten up this is like something I wish that another girl would know.

“Yes, yes Ryta! I want you so much to be a friend and sometimes you think I am too girly for you. I am not girly for you, I’m girly for me.”

Mom intercedes, “Why don’t you two go get ready for bed and visit together. Ashley, make sure you two come out before you are going to sleep. I want to talk about the concert and caroling at the Heritage Center.”

I’m apprehensive about getting ready for bed with Ryta. I feel shy like I’m undressing before a girlfriend for the first time, even though it is not the first time with her. Ryta didn’t say anything until she gooses me from behind. “Why are you so timid all of a sudden? I’m the one who should worry if she is undressing in front of Jack?” She giggles under her breath then pushes me on the bed, hits me with my pillow and mercilessly tickles me until I begin to wet my panties.

We both take off our makeup and shower and finish moisturizing our skin and get dressed in teddy bear pajamas. Ryta is looking very pretty but other than telling her we are being friends and not being romantic, I kind of wish we would be romancing some tonight.

Ryta reminds me we are to go out and tell Mom and Cathy goodnight.

They are not in the lounge or the kitchen instead we hear them in the dining room and walk-in only to find Mom and Cathy making out with each orally doing the other. Strangely enough, they did not hear us come in. I turn around to hurry out of the room and knock but find Ryta mesmerized until I tug at her arm.

Once out of the room, we knock at the door and Mom says, “Wait a minute and we will be right out.” It took a few minutes. When they came out into the kitchen Mom asks, “How long were you out here?”

“Ms. Riley and Cathy, I’m sorry but we had actually walked into the room and you two were beautiful” Ryta is honest and upfront. “We’re sorry but you asked us to come and say goodnight. We thought you want to talk to us.”

“We do want to talk to you to make sure things are okay between you. I’m sorry and apologize for how you found us.” Mom and Cathy are embarrassed but not angry.

“You shouldn’t be,” Ryta goes on, “I thought you were so beautiful enjoying each other. I often feel guilty or dirty when I do something like that with another girl. You still look beautiful, like you are hot for the other,” Mom and Cathy look at the other and realize their breasts are still aroused. I am not sure if they realize the two of them give off a strong scent.

Cathy goes and hugs Mom from behind and kisses her on the neck. She whispers in Mom’s ear and they invite us to go with them to the lounge and talk.

Mom is sheepishly smiling, “We are more than a little embarrassed, but we don’t want you to have the wrong impression. I am glad Ryta that you saw us as two beautiful lovers. We too have felt as you have guilty or dirty about being a woman loving another woman. But we strongly believe feeling guilty or dirty is something wrongly learned from society and not healthy. We’re glad you spoke as you did.”

Ryta speaks again, “Hope you don’t mind, but how do you know to do as you were doing? I’d love it but I think I’d be afraid of freaking a girl out.” Mom and Cathy giggle but not at Ryta, seemingly they have been there and done that.

“Hopefully it’s a young woman one knows enough to talk to or to give a kiss and warm hug,” Cathy says. “Often you can sense if the one you like is tensing up or getting warm and passionate. Bridgette gets nice and warm as well as aroused with her breasts.”

Mom speaks, “A giveaway might be if the other goes and washes up and uses mouthwash or comes back sporting two glasses of wine. It’s often a sign that we want to really make out. We try not to turn down one another, but we respect the other if one needs to back off for another time.”

Cathy shares, “For me being intimate is for a special person, but there were times it just meant being horny and wanting sex. I’ve had two serious girlfriends before Bridgette; having someone I’m serious about and making out romantically makes a great difference for me.”

Mom brought Cathy’s hand to the inside of her leg and turned to Cathy and nibbled on her ear as she gave her a kiss, “It makes a great difference to ‘us’.”

“Wow, that’s neat,” Ryta’s enthralled. “I could go for that.” She quietly moves to slip behind me putting her legs around me having me lean back. She is now nibbling on my neck.

Mom changes the subject, “So who decided to go caroling and not tell their parents?”

“My Mom was working tonight so I just told her it is part of the evening. She asked me to say hello to Grandma which I did.”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t let me go, so I just did it and hoped the holiday spirit would take over,” I say.

“Well young lady, I was impressed with what you did and that precautions were taken. Since the guys made use of the Hall to get ready, I knew what was going on. It doesn’t change the fact you are going to pay dearly for being so inconsiderate. I want your phone and your computer. You will be grounded until Christmas Day. So after Ryta goes to school you won’t be seeing your friends.”

“That is four days Mom, you can’t be serious.”

“Unfortunately or fortunately for you I am serious!” I look to Cathy for help or sympathy, but I only see her whispering, “I told you so.”

“I will tell you it was a great idea and all of you did a great thing. I think you both have very nice voices.”

I mumble in disgust, and I am about to say something I would regret, but Cathy beats me, “I would think twice before you say anything young woman. It is you who causes most of your problems.” She’s right of course.

I want to storm off to my room but Ryta won’t let go. She whispers, “Stay and hear their compliments.” There are minutes of silence as everyone is letting me calm down.

I asked, “Did you know I gave Melanie a Christmas kiss? I thought it would be gross kissing an old lady.”

“No we didn’t know, but I guess it was an affectionate kiss. So you are surprised she tickled your fancy?” Mom continued, “There are women like that.”

“How did you get Teresa and Rob to give you a police escort,” Cathy asks?

“I called Teresa and told her what we were planning to do. She didn’t know if we could do it; that we might need a permit and pay for the escort. And I said ‘It’s okay that Jeff and his group could keep us safe.’ The next day she calls me back and says, she and Officer Rob would escort us.”

“She wanted to call you so I asked if that would go against my confidentiality. Even though I did tell her I had your permission.”

“Officer Rob called me and we reimbursed the police department for three officers for two hours each young lady.”

Ryta and I went to bed but it took a long time before we could get to sleep. We didn’t fully make-out but we did give in to temptation. It is a great closing to a great day, apart from getting into trouble.

Story to be continued…

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