CHAPTER 5 - Coming Out.
Isha was waiting at Brighton train station for her brother to come and get her. Her train had actually been on time, and annoyingly her brother was stuck in traffic. It couldn't be helped though. She found a quiet place to stand, where he could pull up, and waited. She had dressed simple in jeans and a plain grey t-shirt, tight to her slender body. Her parents would probably like something a bit more 'Indian', but that was tough.
She fluffed her long dark hair up, ignoring the looks of a few men that walked past. Noticing the look from one slightly older woman. Isha was very pretty and often got attention.
Isha always had mixed emotions going back home, she loved her family, loved them deeply and without question. She couldn't wait to see them, but anxiety came from the truth, she felt, she had to keep from her parents. She never lied to them, but she had never been fully honest with them either.
She didn't think either of them would take it well, but her dad was the one she was most worried about. It wasn't a religious thing. Most sorcerers believed in Mother Nature as their God of sorts. Their power was from the earth, so all things of this planet were to be protected and worshipped. The problem was her parents family values, the importance of getting married and having lots of kids was held close to their hearts. It was old fashioned but it was how they were brought up. The Indian culture is still strong in their family.
Her parents would have had more children if they could have. She had Isha first and then a year later Sahib. Then there was a larger gap, it had taken them a while to conceive Meena, they had impatiently had to wait 4 years. They wouldn't have stopped there, but complications meant they couldn't have anymore. They had both taken it hard, but then put all their hope in lots of grandkids.
Isha knew these days that just because she was a lesbian it didn't mean that she couldn't have lots of children, but she knew her parents wouldn't understand that. She could hear her dad now ranting on about a child needing a mother and father. She felt sick just thinking about it.
Suddenly a horn blared and she jumped. Her brother sat behind the steering wheel of his car and waved, laughing away about making her jump. She walked over, threw her bag in the back and jumped in.
"Take your time," Isha said, leaning over and giving her brother a hug.
"Hey its not my fault no one from our world has invented a way to ride broom sticks, or use chimneys, like those stupid films you used to make me watch," he replied.
"Never heard you complain about watching them," Isha said.
"Only because I liked that pretty girl," Sahib said. "The one you were obsessed with."
"I wasn't obsessed with her!" Isha lied. She had been, it was her crush on one of the lead characters that had first highlighted that she was different to what she was brought up to be perceived as normal. She couldn't have cared less for the boys, it was the girl that she fancied.
"Yeah right," he said. Pulling away from the train station. "You used to sit there drooling." Her brother knew her 'big secret'. She hadn't told him, he had worked it out. He was the self proclaimed genius of the family.
Isha laughed. "Fuck off," she said.
"Don't let Dad hear you talk like that. He grounded Meena for a week for saying Piss off," he said.
Isha laughed again. "She was brave," she said.
"Oh she didn't mean to," he said. "It just kind of slipped out. It didn't help that I snorted with laughter."
"Brilliant," she said. "I bet she loved you."
"Of course," he replied. "How are you sis?"
"Good thank you," she said. "I'm enjoying the new job." Only a slight fib. "It's great working with Effy." The last bit was definitely true. And she was enjoying the job, it was just a few things that had happened so far that were getting to her a bit. The Sun Nymph didn't sound as legendary as she hoped, she sounded more like a bit of a shit. Then there were the doubts Effy was having about how The Hunters Guild were dealing with some of the demons, and Isha could see her point. She was worried about what The Guild would do when they found this nymph. She also had some insecurities about an aspect of her relationship with Effy, but she pushed that away quickly, she didn't want to think about it.
"And Effy okay?" he said. "You two okay?" He had worked out about her sexuality by the way she talked about Effy. It hadn't been difficult.
"Very good, thank you," Isha said. "Living together is going well so far. How about you, all okay?" She deflected the conversation.
"Yeah I'm fine. New jobs great," Sahib said. He worked in a bank in the normal world. Not all sorcerers chose the sorcery way of life, there was more money in other jobs. "You should tell them you know."
"What and give them more reason to be disappointed in me," she replied.
"They're proud of you Ish," he said.
"No. They're proud of you and Meen," she said. "I'm just their fuck up."
"That's not true," he said. "You're independent. It might not be exactly what he wants, but he knows you go after what you want. Anyway you won't be the only disappointment soon. Meen wants to be a Hunter."
"HOLY SHIT!" Isha shouted. Sahib laughed. "I better get my news in before Meena does then." She didn't mean it, she didn't feel this weekend would be the one.
Sahib drove them to their parents house. The traffic was bad but it gave them a nice chance to catch up. When they got there Isha went in with her brother and said an emotional hello to her parents, it had been a while, and then Isha popped upstairs to see her sister. Her loud music had masked Isha's arrival.
Isha knocked on her sister's door. "Come in," Meena said from inside, the volume of the music lowered. Isha opened it and went in.
Gone were the days when her little sister would run happily and hug Isha, sadly, but Meena did still get up and give her sister a hug.
"Is she coming this weekend?" Meena said, trying to act cool.
"Hi sis. How are you sis. Haven't seen you in ages sis," Isha said, rolling her eyes. "Glad to know you're more excited to see Effy."
"Is she coming?" Meena said, this time not hiding her excitement.
"No she's not," Isha said, watching her sisters face deflate. Meena was desperate to meet Effy, not because she was Isha's girlfriend, which Isha had told her about, but because she was a Hunter, and in her eyes Effy was the most awesome person ever. Even though she hadn't met her yet.
"That's sad," Meena mumbled.
"I'm here you know," Isha said, exasperated. "I'm in The Guild too."
"I know sis and I'm proud of you," she replied. She smiled at Isha. "I want to join Ironside College next year."
"Yeah Sahib said," Isha said. "Dad's going to love you, especially the Hunter part."
"He'll get over it," Meena said. "We can't all do what he wants for the rest of our lives."
"That's true," Isha said. She knew he would get over it. Meena usually got away with most things. Even though she was the most rebellious out of all them, she could never do anything wrong. It had always wound Isha up, but she loved the fact her little sister was strong headed.
"How are you anyway?" Isha said. She had noticed how Meena kept looking at her phone. "Talking to someone interesting?"
"I wish," Meena replied. "Boys are so annoying. I can see why you don't want anything to do with them."
Isha laughed. "Yeah that's the reason. I find them too annoying," Isha said. "Anyway, stay away from boys till you're older."
"Yes dad," Meena said, smiling. "I'm 16 you know?"
