Life Imitates Art

Part 24 - Making Up and Making Up

Tessa_

As Molly and I leave Courtney to work her makeup magic on the bench, I feel a need to speak to Molly alone. Where better than the Gardens?

Amidst the vibrant greenery, I take in the lively colours of blooming flowers. Towering trees above cast shifting patterns of light and shadow on the pathways.

The gentle breeze carries with it the soothing rustle of leaves, but all I hear is guilt. I turn to Molly with a sincere expression.

"Molly, I want to talk about what happened earlier. I feel really bad about calling you a drag queen. I didn't understand, and I let my ignorance get the best of me."

Molly slows her pace, her eyes filled with understanding as she replies, "Tessa, it's okay. I know it might have sounded strange to you. I just wanted to help Max feel more comfortable, but I realise I might have been too direct about it. I'm sorry if I overstepped the mark."

I nod, a sense of relief washing over me. "I appreciate your honesty. I should have been more open-minded and not jumped to conclusions. It's just that this whole situation is new to me, and I didn't handle it well."

We come to the monument - a moment in time forever frozen and captured in the most dramatic of ways. Chiseled into history, the mark of a true legend. If there's ever something to remind you to live for the now, it's realising just how small you are.

"So... is it weird if I ask you some things just now? The sort of things I don't want to ask Max? The kind of things you clearly wanted to ask him?"

"Shoot. It's important to be open and let this drag queen help your brother 'slayyy queen'." She shakes her head with cringe. "Ew. Hated that. Even for a joke!"

Once we laugh off our equally dreadful RuPaul impressions, I get to the point with Molly.

"So what happened when you came out? Family-wise, I mean? If Max is going this way, I want to know what to expect from our parents."

"My mum was as perfect as she could be. As ideal a parent as ever. And that's really all that will matter. Your folks - your parents are together, right? I realise I don't even know that!"

I clarify for Molly that she is indeed correct. She continues.

"So your mum and dad will accept it if they love Max in the exact same way my mum remains my greatest boost. Even if she disagrees with certain choices I've made - she f*cking hates the orange hair - says it makes me look like a tin of Irn-Bru, the cheeky so-and-so - she's always backing me to do what I feel is best for me."

"It's a bold look for sure. Works on you, though. Might just be the attitude."

"One of the first things I had to learn was that this gender thing is 90% attitude and 10% appearance. I came to realise that I'll always be the weirdo on the bus, in the shops, in cafes, and even strolling through parks. Even at events, I seem to be a very rare anomaly. So I choose to express that and make absolutely sure that there is only one Molly like me."

"So Max should do the same? I've told him to wear whatever pleases him."

"That's all you can do. Just build him, or her, up as high as you can. Your brother will do the rest from there, but he'll go from the platform you and your family build for him."

"Thanks. That actually helps a lot. And I'm guessing you can't help much when it comes to transferring schools. From what I gather, you had quite the experience where you were."

She sighs and clenches her fists.

"Sorry. I have really bad PTSD from that place. You're alright to mention it as long as I'm alright to react that way when you do! It should clear up, just an initial shattering of confidence." Molly zones out for a full-on thirty seconds as we watch the still monument. Her eyes close, her breathing deepens, and she is like a new person when her eyes open.