Once again, this is a true romance about a transsexual on her way to sexual reassignment surgery. If this bothers you, don't read it. If it does and you read it anyway, don't complain. You knew what you were getting into.
There will be one to two more chapters, in case you want to wait and read them all at the same time.
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The whole family was in an uproar at the next Sunday lunch. Nonna and Gina were over the moon. A few were looking at me with speculation. One of the younger ones finally asked the question foremost on all their minds.
"Are you rich?"
So that was it!
"No, Sophie, I'm not rich. But my job pays really well and I've always been conservative with my money. Tell the family to stop wondering. I can well afford this. If I couldn't, I wouldn't have asked."
Brian was so proud of me it was embarrassing. Without specifics, he told them I made well over three times what he made a year. He held me up as an example to the young women and girls there, telling them anything was possible if they worked hard enough.
One of the older men said something to him in Italian that made him color. There was a sharp exchange, and Brian actually got up and walked around the block. The air was a frosty for a little while when he got back.
I asked Aunt Rita what was said while we were cleaning the kitchen.
"Nothing worth talking about."
"Yes there is. I've never seen Brian so angry, as hard as he was working to control it, I could see."
She sighed.
"Cousin Endo told Brian to get rid of you. If you made that much more than he did sooner or later you would try to wear the pants in the relationship. He said if you had been single this long there had to be something wrong with you. He told him you would take his balls if he weren't careful. And I will not repeat what Brian said. Let's just say it was a good thing that he was nowhere near Brian's age."
I teared up. She hugged me, patting my back.
"Stop. It was just the bitter rantings of an angry old man. His wife left him a few years back because she couldn't take his controlling ways. She made a lot more than he did. The lifestyle he flaunted to every one disappeared overnight. The sad part was she did love him, but he drove her away."
Thinking about my secret, I blurted out what was on my mind.
"Maybe he should get rid of me. Maybe I don't deserve him."
She slapped me! Not a slap designed to hurt, but to get my attention.
"Listen to me, girl! You're the best thing that ever happened to him. He's so in love with you he can't see straight. Don't you ever believe differently!"
She called Nonna over and spoke to her in Italian, a rapid fire exchange I had no hope of following. Nonna pulled my apron off and led me to the kitchen door. Pinching my cheeks, she pulled me down to her level.
"I know you're hiding something from Brian, something big. You need to tell him, soon. He'll be rattled, but he'll still love you. I can see it, here."
She tapped a finger against the middle of her forehead.
"Now go. Spend as much time as you can with him before we leave."
He appeared by my side almost instantly. I never got used to it, he always knew exactly where I was in a crowd of people. I didn't feel his eyes, I would feel his smile, does that make any sense? Probably not, but that's what it was.
"Are you all right, honey?"
I clung to his arm like a little girl.
"No. I'm tired. Take me home, please?"
We pulled in front of his house. I didn't realize it at the time, but when I said home, his was the one I meant.
He didn't say a word, just pulled me inside, raining small kisses on whatever patch of skin he could reach with his mouth. Putting me gently on the couch, he went into the kitchen and made tea. We both preferred Earl Grey, with lemon, no sugar.
He brought the service in, sitting it on the coffee table, poured the water and sat the cups to steep.
Then he lifted me up on his lap like I was a feather. I could never get used to how strong he was.
Not being able to say anything, I put my face into his chest and wept. He didn't say a word, just let me cry it out. The tea grew cold. When I finally stopped he started kissing me.
Soft gentle kisses at first, getting firmer as his passion grew. Tongues came into play, his dominant. I was getting hotter and hotter, squirming on his obvious erection as I tried to suck his tongue out of his mouth. His hands started roaming. When he hit my nipples I thought I would pass out. I was moaning into his mouth as his hands slid under my skirt. I let him caress my smooth skin.
My brain finally kicked in and I slid off his lap. I looked at him with lust and sadness. I decided to come clean, and take my chances. I grasp both His hands in mine.
"Honey, I need to tell you something, something really important. Please listen to me before you say anything. I've never told anyone this before, but I..."
That's as far as I got before I broke down again. He put me on his lap again and held me close.
"Hush, honey. I know what you were going to say. It's all right, really."
I was so confused.
"You know?"
His smile was so sweet it melted my heart.
"Yes, I know. I love you too, have almost since I met you."
Wait. What?
Then it hit me. He loved me. HE LOVED ME!
I cried for almost another hour before I could compose myself enough to say it back to him.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be saying it to such a man. Finally reality set in. It was now or never.
"Brian. I really need to tell you...."
His home phone and his cell phone rang at the same time.
