Twisted Trans Sister

The doorknob turned with a click as Sodina readied the teacups at the little breakfast nook. Gwen stepped through the door and let her eyes wander around. This room was smaller than the king-sized bedroom, yet it was just as cozy. Relaxing cool colors made for a nice change from the other room. A small couch ran along the right wall and a small side table and white wooden chair with pastel-riddled cushions past that. On the opposite wall, a large armoire held another television, a little larger than the one in the bedroom, a VCR sat on the small shelf above it. A cute glass coffee table with a ceramic dish in the center, filled to the brim with treats, sat in front of the couch. Ben would empty that candy bowl inside thirty minutes, Gwen thought pleasantly.

"Thinkin' about your cousin?" Sodina inquired, reading the amiable expression on the redhead's face (one Gwen hadn't known she'd been wearing). She turned back to the brunette and nodded. "A positive attitude's always good. He'll be fine; a little bit of bed rest and he'll be good as new."

"I know," said Gwen, walking over to the breakfast table and taking a seat in the unoccupied chair. A full cup sitting on a coaster waited in front of her. "His energy is still strong. His physical injuries always tend to heal quickly…," she took a tiny sip of tea, "still… I can't help but worry about him. I only wish I could help out more."

Sodina brought her teacup to her lips, and after Gwen's statement she promptly put it back down on the coaster with a gentle clack, "You being here at his side will help him more than you can ever know. Trust me on that one."

She paused for just a second and continued, "…so you and he are cousins? And you're…"

Feeling the heat rise in her cheeks, Gwen put her cup back to the coaster and averted her eyes from the girl sitting across from her. She knew one day they'd have to answer to someone about their relationship. One day, not now. There was an advantage to this situation though; being that Sodina wasn't family or a person she'd known most of her life, it would be a little easier to talk about. It would be better in the long run too, she figured. Getting this whole situation out in the open at least once would help the family intervention down the road. Still, Gwen couldn't keep herself from trembling while she searched for the words.

"Yes," she exhaled with some difficulty, "Ben and I are lovers, and we have been for a few years now…"That being said, Gwen gained a surprising level of confidence. Verbal admission was the hard part, the rest of the story was cake.

Like a lifelong friend, Sodina listened to Gwen's story from beginning to end. She learned about how they grew up despising each other from the first time they met, to that eventful summer when they were ten years old. Over those few weeks, in some life and death situations––and just plain getting to know one another in the cramped confines of the Rustbucket––they really learned what the other was about, and began to understand the cousins' feelings. When she was told about the incident at the creek, that would eventually lead to their confessions a little later on, she couldn't help but laugh until tears blurred her vision.

Those tears weren't the last for the day. Soon enough, Sodina heard the tale of Ben and Gwen's revelation, and couldn't help herself from crying. It was so beautiful, the preadolescent transition of their rocky love/hate relationship to that of pure, unconditional love. Oh, how she wished she could feel the way these two clearly felt. So strong of a bond between the two, they were nearly killed for the sake of their beloved.

But there was no time for that, Sodina reflected, Nikki needed her. As tough as she was, she was still her sister, and she promised that she would always be there. Her father leaving hurt Nikki so deeply; she could never do that to her. Nothing like that would ever happen again––ever.

Ben groaned from the bedroom. He was regaining consciousness.

Gwen abruptly turned her head and stood from her seat, looking down the elongated kitchen that connected the two rooms. Sodina politely smiled and put her cup back on the table; time for her to leave.

"I'll take care of this," said Sodina, indicating the teacups and pitcher, "You take care of him now and I'll slip out this back door when I'm done."

"Thank you again––and sorry for earlier," Gwen quickly added, "later on we should get together. I'd like to hear your all's story, if you don't mind."

"Sure. Aside from getting my sis, I'll be here the rest of the day. We're in room 201, stop on by."

"Alright, I will," Gwen smiled and quickly made her way to the room in the front, "Bye!"

"See ya."