thejoelstrom

1.8m followers

phlp328 @equalityforlgbtmz He’s a he and that will never change no matter how many surgeries he has! @itsjessicastrom @thejoelstrom

equalityforlgbtmz @phlp328 She’s a Trans woman and goes by she/her. Educate yourself, it’s not rocket science!

phlp328 @equalityforlgbtmz Say what you want, he’s a he will never change!! Educate yourself by reading the Bible!! Born a man, always a man!

equalityforlgbtmz @php328 The Bible? I’m sorry I’m not into that fairytale.

php328 @equalityforlgbtmz I’ll pray for you then

equalityforlgbtmz @php328 Please don’t

On the new season of Platinum Triangle, one of the most hotly anticipated storylines is Joel’s dad’s transition. Near the end of the first season Jessica came out, and moved out of the Stroms’ family home in Beverly Park.

Jessica’s big post-surgery reveal is on the current cover of US Weekly. Viewers are going to get to see everything that led up to it. Everything that happened after Jessica moved to Malibu. Everything Greta has missed and that Joel has tried to be there for, when his dad has let him. Jessica has had to do things on her own time, and she’s needed space…Joel gets it, even if it does hurt sometimes. Like, he learned that his dad was transitioning on Twitter. That was a surprise. But sometimes it’s easier to tell the whole world something than it is to tell the people you love.

Joel stares at the US Weekly cover. Jessica looks like Greta. The same big green eyes that always look like they’re seeing things outside of this dimension and are both haunted and amazed.

The nose was the first thing that changed. It kept getting smaller. Joel’s dad ran a hedge fund. Joel always saw him as being on top of the world. His dad built them the biggest house in the most exclusive and private enclave in Beverly Hills. He had a closet full of bespoke suits, designer watches, and a wine cellar that he was freakishly protective of. Lucas Strom had the look, but inside, apparently, he was hollow.

When his dad got his first rhinoplasty, Joel didn’t think it was that weird. A new nose is a rite of passage in L.A. He assumed his dad was just chasing perfection, like everyone else. He thought it was unnecessary, but not a big deal. Joel is used to his mom getting “touch-ups” biannually. He thought his mom’s labiaplasty was the extreme.

But by the third nose job, Joel knew it was about more than perfection. He didn’t say anything, but Greta couldn’t keep her mouth shut. She told their dad he looked like he had septum perforation.

Joel wants to show Greta the US Weekly cover but he doesn’t want to upset her. After their dad left, it’s like Greta feels disowned, and like she might disown you.

Down in the kitchen Joel makes himself a sandwich, trying to think about the best way to approach Greta with the magazine. She wouldn’t be so angry if she was willing to at least look.

While he’s eating, he sits at the kitchen island and opens Instagram. Lillian Rhode is recommended for him. Lily. Joel clicks her profile and Likes the selfie she posted. Lily isn’t anything like what he expected. He doesn’t know exactly what he was expecting…an off-the-rack version of Hailey Paley? But Lily’s obviously cut from her own cloth.

The magazine is on the counter when Greta comes downstairs after sleeping all day. She opens the fridge, pulling out a bottle of Perrier. She doesn’t let herself glance down at the cover but he knows she knows it’s there.

“Hailey’s cousin?” Greta asks, looking over Joel’s shoulder at his phone.

“Did you meet?” Joel asks.

“Not yet,” Greta says. “But she’s pretty.” She looks at Joel like she’s waiting for him to confirm that he’s attracted to Lily, but he does his best to hide what he’s feeling. The last thing he needs is Greta running to Hailey and creating drama over this. He’d like to get to know Lily better. Without any pressure.

Greta manages to avoid looking at the magazine on the counter as she turns it over to conceal Jessica’s face.

“Nice try,” she says, starting to walk away. “Tell Mom I went over to Idris’s house,” she calls back over her shoulder.

“Hey, Greta,” Joel yells after her. “There’s a Lambo in the pool. Know anything about that?”

“You, Joel Strom, are a reminder why it’s not always such a tragedy when the second embryo doesn’t take.”

The front door clicks closed behind her.