I would cross that bridge when I came to it, I decided. In heels.

“Dorothy was a child, and she missed her home. Her Aunty Em. I left home when I was 21, and I don’t think I’ll ever go back even to visit. It’s not home anymore. And I’ll be honest: I’ve always thought Dorothy was an idiot for going back.”

She cocked an eyebrow in question and I said, “Have you been to Kansas?”

Principal’s office. A tired looking woman is shown in. The Principal rises and welcomes the woman.

Principal: I’m very sorry to have had to ask you to come here Mrs Dupont but we have received complaints from several parents regarding your daughter in the locker room.

Mrs Dupont (sighing and near to tears): Oh, no not AGAIN! Why can’t they let sweet little Bobbie alone. She has not harmed anyone. And I thought the court order would have settled all that. It clearly states that Bobbie is a GIRL!

The Little Truck
By Sabrina G. Langton

***

Stories from the Real World.

Author's note: This is something that happened to me a long time ago, I still think about it everyone once in a while. It's weird but one specific moment sticks in my mind more than anything else, and it is not what you would expect. This isn't one of those s.e.x. stories that I am slightly good at, just a little remembrance, just a little dip back into the 80s when music was better and everyone was cooking for me. Hope YOU like it...

***

I have a wide grin on my face as I gaze at the other three women, all of whom are dressed identically to me in sparkly blue mini-dresses and high-heeled shoes (or, in my case, boots). The crowd is screaming with excitement, loud enough to bring my whole body out in goosebumps as we step forward onto the stage and raise our microphones to our mouths… before my phone rings, bringing me crashing back to reality. With a sigh, I pause the DVD and grab my phone from the coffee table, taking several deep breaths and trying to clear my throat before answering.

Nikki let out a long sigh as she was woken by the sound outside her flat. She'd lived in or near the centre of London for her whole life, so she was used to the sound of pedestrians, of traffic, of businesses and of the countless other sounds generated by the nearly nine million residents of the vast city. What she was not used to, however, was the sound of silence.

It had been exactly one month to the day since the Prime Minister had addressed the nation, saying the words that Nikki and countless others had dreaded to hear.

“Okay,” Sophie sighed into her phone as she laid in bed. “Thanks for letting me know. Stay safe.”

“Will do,” the receptionist said as she ended the call, leaving Sophie to groan with frustration as she stared at the ceiling. It had been over two weeks since she’d last had a shift from the airline, and while she was certain she wasn’t being persecuted (unlike when her first book had been published), it came as little to comfort to her- much like the knowledge that while she wasn’t going anywhere, nobody else was either.

This is a story I HAD to write last November. I kept spilling out of me. But it is too depressing to post in grey dull winter time, so I stalled its release until now.

Please do not read this if you are feeling down or depressed or are easily be pulled emotionally down!

If you are thinking about suicide, please get help. There are a lot of people out there willing to help whatever is the reason.
Suicide is never a solution!

Luv,
Louise

"I put my self-doubt aside. The question was, who did Liz think I was? And, could I be that person?"

“I- I’m sorry, what?” Paul asked, confusion and anger seeping into his voice.

“I- I’m also transgender,” Lucy said firmly as her grip tightened on her brother’s hand. “For- that is, ever since- ever since we started university, I- I’ve been living as a girl. Going to classes, going to parties as- as a girl.”

“I- I- just… what?” Paul asked.

“Luke, what are you sa-“ Sarah asked, only for her child to interrupt her.

Sunday

Now we come to the reason Aida and I spent the night - attending church in the morning. My cynical self couldn't help but compare the Gabriel clan with those B movie mobsters that spend week raping, pillaging, boozing and blackmailing, then go to church on Sunday to thank the lord for their blessings. That has to rate right up there with getting fucked by some dude at your own anniversary party. I wondered if we should sit a few pews away in case there was an unseasonable lightning strike.

People Watching At The Party

With that he wandered to greet the guests as they arrived. We seated ourselves in the shade of the big tent and indulged in some people watching. Since most of the guests were of her parent's generation, we weren't disturbed for quite some time as guests greeted one another.

“So then,” Susie asked Luke and Lucy as they and their friends sat around their usual table in the Student Union bar. “Looking forward to Sunday?”

“Ooh, yes, I’d almost forgotten about that!” Priya giggles as the twins’ blushes deepened.

“…Maybe a bit,” Lucy mumbled.

“Maybe even less than that,” Luke sighed. “Tough to get excited about your birthday when you know your presents are gonna suck.”

“Sorry if we’re putting a dampener on YOUR birthday, Gav,” Lucy said to the young man who was exactly one day young than her and her brother.

Friday

That was one of the longest weeks in my life. I strove mightily to get things in shape so I could take the next week off. With Aida pulling evening shift so she could get the weekend off to meet my parents our only direct contact was last night's comedy. It helps when you're the boss, playing with the schedule is a bit easier that way. Also, her people were excited that she would be meeting her fiancée's parents. They were in on the scam with her parents, but not with the scam with me.

The Realization

"Oh Lauren, I'm so sorry," cried Aida. "I was just so damn mad at that bitch with her 'bring your fiancé crap. She knew damn well that I don't have a fiancé."

"No, you've got a fiancée."