Krista

Aww, this was an Anniversary Anthology story, so I had a deadline and a theme to follow. I wanted it to focus around all the firsts.. like.. how they first met, the first time they said the "I love you," and then I needed it to end, so I chose to write about the anniversary of the death. I know it was a bit of a curve ball. If it was longer and a story I could work on now, he wouldn't have died at all. I would have had a terribly difficult time killing any character off within the theme I chose for this. And, for Happily Ever After stories, Roommates and Standing in Shadows definitely end happily. Thanks for reading and enjoying the story!

I sat patiently beside Mattie as he worked on his homework. Math, his worst subject. I couldn’t help remembering Alex’s expression when I told him that I had went into Accounting for college. The same expression was mirrored on Mattie’s face right now as he grimaced over a problem. He would momentarily look straight ahead, I couldn’t tell at what, most of the time. Wanting to concentrate momentarily on something that wasn’t math related. “Do you need any help, Matt?” I asked after a longer p

Transgender was a 'young' word back in the day when she would be dating and marrying, starting a family. Not a lot of people understood it, a lot of people still are confused about what all that the word entails. I believe she said that she still is sexually attracted to women. It is more or less realizing that you are born to the wrong body. It has nothing to do with sexual fantasy or anything like that. There are a lot of stigmas more so than being gay/lesbian attached to that word. So you have to imagine that there is also a lot of fear for someone to come to that conclusion as well. There is no reason to limit yourself to what you want (within legal reason), based on who you think you are. She probably wanted a wife and children. So she got married and had them. Now that being transgender is becoming a little bit more accepted.. with more people becoming more enlightened to that, then it is a better time. Also she is older, her children are for the most part grown up. So they can understand the transition. She would have had more to lose when they were younger, now they can make the decisions for themselves whether or not to accept and acknowledge the transformation she made. Sometimes people have to make decisions for themselves that are difficult and seem selfish, but if it is the difference between accepting yourself, not being afraid, and finally being happy... I don't think I could judge a person for that. Timing makes people so critical and it is sad. There is no way to judge what she felt or when she felt it. So there is no way to know when the appropriate time for such decisions are to be made.

I don't know much about that entire family... I want to keep it that way. I do think she is a brave person. Doing so as a public figure that a lot of people have opinions on. A lot of these people are unhappy for the majority of their lives, it is nice to see them finding happiness their own way. I couldn't imagine thinking/feeling that I was born to the wrong body.

Congratulations EagleIsaac! Well done. Too bad no one picked the finals correctly.. although it is always difficult to do these things really. I came in second! I'm proud to say that I topped Aj. I thought I was doomed when the Duckies went down, but yay!

*Whistles* Don't mind me shoving my poor taste in music into your faces.. Kelly Clarkson - My December Miranda Lambert - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Who We Are - Lifehouse Carnival Ride - Carrie Underwood

Aww. I believe he would suffocate as well. There are a lot of twists and turns left, I hope I don't go overboard. Glad you're liking the story so far.

Congratulations!!

Lol. I wouldn't put it past them too.. if they could get away with it. And, sometimes when people are reeling they don't think about things the way they normally would.. And yeah, Adam doesn't give up so easily.

Aww. He's still really reluctant about things.. Maybe he'll come to his senses.

Sometime during the night the dreams did come, but this time I woke up to someone holding on to my flailing arms. It took me a while to remember where I was before I collapsed on the bed, my ribs sending jolts of pain through me every time I took a breath. When Adam felt me relax he let go. “It’s okay,” he whispered and I felt him lean over me to turn on the light. Like every night I dreamed I woke up sweaty, but chilled. My teeth chattering, I pulled the tangled covers off me. “Sorry,

Aaron 'bedroom eyes' Rodgers better stay in the closet.. for meee.

Happy Birthday!

Well at least none of those automatically make me think of stripper poles or porno names.. so that's good. Jessa and Bode I like, but living here people will pronounce Bode completely wrong.. so I'd have to spell it Bodie.. lol.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Myr!

Better late than never? I didn't think it was a poem that was good enough to post. I do struggle with writing them and I have little knowledge of writing poetry myself. I just try to make something sound relatively good. Anyway, my mood has changed, so I'm willing to post this now. So, be a little gentle.. and I hope you like it. Please remember, The taste of my lips. My soft fingertips, As they send a chill through you. And you smile, And taste my lips again. I

I can! I'm awesome.

You evil little crap! Disregard that countdown y'all. Steven is up to no good.

Happy Birthday!

Thanks for reading! Lol.. you'd be surprised how many people fall for their therapists.. dysfunctional may be too light a term for what this family is.. definitely not SIS dynamics.

Aww yes. Daniel was a reluctant father, didn't really see him in the role at all. So I wanted him to be good at it now that he was. Maybe another way that Alex's influence helped him along - or maybe it was already there and he just couldn't picture it, until he had to. Aww. It is important. I'm glad you liked the scene. Sometimes it is difficult to see what we're taking from someone when we hold on to something instead of sharing. So, at least I wrote the scene where Daniel was finally going to do it, no matter how hard it would be still.

Aha! I'm in second place. Still a far cry from first, so congrats!

Happy Birthday Graeme!

They are unhappy, most of the damage they have done have been to one another. I think that is why it is so difficult to feel sorry for them. That and they treat the people around them terribly. Definitely difficult people. I actually hope they get worse, more desperate, as the story progresses. Maybe not to the point where it puts people off the story, but so far they have actually been fun characters to write for me. The father has been a bit.. lost in the shuffle. I've focused more on the relationship between Mother and Son and not Father and Son.. Thanks for reading, I hope you're enjoying the story so far.