Chapter One

 

No one was every going to mistake Brigid for a cis woman. She stood just over six feet tall, and that was without the heels. Her shoulders were broad, her voice was deep, and her hands were large with long fingers. That being said, she was beautiful. She had long, wavy brown hair and big green eyes that sparkled with humor.

By far Brigid’s greatest feature, though, was her sunny disposition. She was raised in a small southern town where kindness and hospitality were seen as a way of life. The lesson had stuck, and now she could talk to anyone and make them feel welcome in less time than it took to pour a cup of coffee.

That southern town had taught her a lot, but not all of the lessons were good. The teasing started in the sixth grade and turned to bullying by the time she reached high school. Friends she had known her whole life suddenly started calling her names like faggot, he/she, and freak. When a boy beat her up on the bus, while the driver quietly looked on, her parents finally pulled her from the school.

Brigid remembered the day clearly. The pain and humiliation had faded over the years, but the indifferent look on the bus driver’s face would stay with her forever. The man couldn’t have cared less if she lived or died. It was one of the most gut-wrenching moments of her life, and it taught her a valuable lesson. It taught her the world was not always going to embrace or accept her.

At that point, Brigid had had a choice. She could conform and hide her true self, or she could fight for what she knew to be true. She chose the latter. It helped that she had the unwavering support and love of her parents. Many trans teens weren’t as lucky. Some succumbed to the depression and shame and hid their true selves, while others committed suicide.

Brigid’s parents knew the statistics and didn’t want that to happen. They tried to understand and protect her, but it was difficult. When they finally dropped her at the airport four years later, there were some tears, but there was also a look of pure relief on both their faces.

That had been twelve years ago. Brigid still talked to her parents on a regular basis, and they occasionally came out for a visit, but she’d never been back to that southern town again. Instead, she’d put down roots in California and immersed herself in the San Diego LGBTQ community. They’d helped her find a job, a place to live, and a doctor who understood. The prescriptions helped change her body, and a visit to the courts changed her name. For the first time ever, she could live the life she was meant to live.

It wasn’t always easy. The world was a dangerous place, and even as an adult Brigid encountered hatred. This took the form of insults, discrimination, and occasionally even some pushing and shoving. Ever the optimist, she shirked these encounters off and got on with her life.

That all changed the day her roommate, Kiki, was attacked.

Her trans friend had gone clubbing with a group of coworkers. When a migraine hit, she decided to leave early and walk to her car alone. Along the way she was approached by a group of drunken men. They hurled insults at her and pulled on her hair. Then the encounter became violent, and she was pummeled by fists and a bottle one was carrying. Fortunately, some bystanders intervened. Kiki was rushed to the hospital and spent two days in intensive care. The men were eventually caught and convicted, but this did nothing to heal Kiki. Her body was recovering, but her soul was completely shattered.

Brigid’s was as well. That bubble of optimism she’d wrapped around herself evaporated, and she was left feeling just as lost and scared as she had in high school. She needed to slow down and find peace again, and she decided the best place to do that was in a small town.

After some serious research, she landed on Penny Lane. It was a little burg about an hour east of San Diego, and it too was LGTBQ friendly. It also happened to have a bakery for sale. Brigid and Kiki pooled their money and bought the bakery. The plan was to fix it up, turn it into a coffee shop, and live in the spacious apartment upstairs.

That had been a year ago, and the plan was working. Both women were slowly starting to breathe and let their guard down again. Brigid worked in the front of the store. She filled the orders and schmoozed the customers, while Kiki hid in the back and baked the pastries. Eventually, they started turning a profit, and they hired some staff and extended their business hours. Things were definitely looking up.

Brigid reflected on this as she idly wiped the counter with a rag. Never in a million years would she have seen herself back in a small town, and yet here she was. What’s more, it felt good. She looked through the door that led to the kitchen and saw Kiki bent over, meticulously decorating some petits fours. That made her smile. Then she looked out the front windows and saw the sun was just beginning to rise over the rooftops. They would be opening soon, but for now she could bask in the peace. She realized it felt a lot like hope.