Dreams, Secrets, and Transformations: Beyond the Enchanted Looking Glass

Ch 7 Family

Once Gerald had quickly changed out of the dress and heels, he re-placed them in the back of the spare bedroom closet, cleaned the makeup off his face, and headed to the living room.

There he found Brad, anxiously waiting for him on the couch.

Both felt more comfortable now, than they had with Gerald still wearing a dress, though Gerald knew things would never again be what they were before today. He was pretty confident that by this evening their entire lives would be completely changed. Although, to what degree he didn't yet know.

When Gerald went to sit down on the couch, Brad declined to sit by him, instead choosing to move to a chair off to the side.

Gerald knew he was going to have to drive this conversation, so he began.

"Son, how long have you been wearing your step-sister's things? Those ARE her things aren't they?"

"Um, y-yes sir, they were, but she was getting rid of them. I didn't steal any of it and and I don't know exactlyhow long," Brad mumbled with his head turned down, avoiding eye contact.

"Brad, look up here at me," he spoke gently, trying to encourage the boy to open up to him. "Once I returned through the mirror and my memories of Miranda's life changed to include a daughter, that she or, um, I had never had before, those memories told me how to find you, because I've learned how the mirror works. That comes through experience. I've been going through the mirror almost daily for over two years now. I dabbled with it off and on, occasionally before that, usually just to go hang out socially as a woman on Friday or Saturday nights. Then it became more frequent. The mirror only lets me through when I am dressed as a woman, and when I get through, I'm always Miranda. In fact, that's where I go to work everyday, now. So, tell me please, how long?"

"Over a year now, I guess," Brad admitted.

"Look, you obviously like dressing up as a girl and you now know I like being a woman, so you've got nothing to worry about and there's no need for any secrets between us."

Brad though about that for a second, took a deep breath, and exhaled. He was still a little apprehensive, but it felt as if a weight was lifted off his shoulders.

"Dad," Brad began, "B-being around Traci all the time, seeing how happy she was, and how her dad spoiled her, made me jealous, made me want what she had. It got to a point,  I began to wonder how my life might have been different if I'd been born a girl. Would my life had been as good as her's? Would he have treated me the same as her instead of ignoring me all the time unless he was making me do stuff so he didn't have to? Would he have spoiled me the same way he did her? Would he have loved me? Would you have loved me enough to have not divorced mom if I had been your daughter? Would I have had a closer relationship with y-"

"Son, no. You know your mom and I's divorce had nothing at all to do with you, especially not your gender. I love you, we both love you as you are."

"I think I know that now, Dad. I just... I just couldn't help thinking it. I wasn't feeling loved or wanted like she was. You were gone and I needed a man in my life. Without it I became insanely jealous of Traci and the relationship she had with her dad. So much I'd daydream about being a girl and having Traci's life. I thought about it all the time and began to wish I was a girl. I eventually started to wonder what I would have looked like as a girl, so I tried on one of Traci's dresses one day when everyone else was out, and pretended I was her. I liked it so much. I couldn't stop. I had to do it every chance I got, so I started doing it every time I could find the opportunity to be alone."

"In a way, I know what you mean," Gerald answered. "I wasn't jelous of a particular girl, just curious and started enjoying women's things when I was a little older than you are now. I stopped when I met your mother and though that would be the end of it, but the desire came back, stronger than before, so much so I wanted out and your mom couldn't handle my feminine side when she found out, so she and I decided to divorce. Mom used the situation to get nearly total custody. As soon as I got my own place, I quickly began to start a collection of items. A few of the items I took from your mom and a lot of it I took from the thrift shop donation bin at the laundrymat. Living alone, I've been able to indulge in it whenever I want. Quite a bit more since discovering the mirror. In fact, other than when you were coming to visit, I was living on the other side of the mirror."

"Really?!"

"Yeah. Like I said, it's where I work every day. Miranda has a day job working in a diner and is a performer at a cabaret, late Friday and Saturday nights. Of course, now that she has a daughter to raise, maybe that's changed. I guess I'll find out soon enough. Anyway, I've had my collection of things hid in the back of the closet because I feared it would be confusing for you knowing your dad liked to dress up in women's clothes, and would drive you away."

"Um, well, I think it actually makes me feel better now," Brad stammered. "I mean, I thought I was some kind of freak doing something that nobody else would understand. Now, at least I know there are two of us."

"There are a lot more than that," his father explained. "Like everything else in this world there are different levels people enjoy things. Different ways people enjoy things."