An unlikely ally

Your mother reaches a hand toward you before lowering it again. "Jesse, Elsie, I know it's hard. It's the hardest thing you'll ever do. But breaking up is the right choice. The only choice."

Unexpectedly you hear Peg say in a low voice. "Is it Helen? Is it the right choice? Was it the right choice?" Your aunt's eyes are focused on her coffee mug, you could sense strong feelings bubbling just under the surface of her calm demeanor.

Your mom looks at her. "Not now Peg." She says but then immediately continues. "We did the right thing...you know we did..."

Peg doesn't look so convinced. "I mean...you found John, had a nice family. But...were you really happier with him?"

"Peggy, you know I love you." Your mother was turned toward her sister now. "But...it's wrong Peg. We're family. They're family, they need to do what we did. They need to do the right thing." It sounds like they had been in exactly this situation themselves when they were young!

Peg looks up at the pair of you. "Look at how happy they are Helen. Do you remember when we were that happy?"

Your mom turns to you, tears still streaming. "Peggy, you're making this worse! I won't have this! What will people say?"

"Does it matter?" Peg finally looks up at your mother, tears were now sparkling in her eyes as well. "Does it really matter?"

"We're going to move away Mom." You say. "No one will know us where we're going."

"You're leaving!?" You mom's world was falling apart around her. "No, you can't. Don't you see it will never work. You'll get found out. And even if you don't, then what? You can't marry. You can't have kids."

Peg once again clears her throat to interrupt. "You know that's not true Helen."

"Shut up Peg! We were just lucky with Chloe. Don't you remember the hospitals, the extra schooling. Chloe defied the odds, she doesn't prove anything." Your mom wails. You are left stunned for a moment.

Holy shit! Your mother was Chloe's...dad??? That made Chloe your sister and your cousin, this was fucked up!

"Yes, we got lucky with Chloe. But that's not what I am talking about Helen. You know it's one of the things I've been researching. Sure, looking into our condition was paramount in my research, but I've also looked into this as well." She reveals. Your aunt was a brilliant geneticist, it suddenly explained why she went into that particular field of study. "If these two want kids...I can help them with that." She looks at the pair of you lovingly, and a bit envious about what you had together. "It has to be a careful and supervised process, but there is a way."

You feel El squeeze into you at this unexpected news. You hadn't even been thinking about a family, but knowing it was suddenly an option left you a bit bewildered. This was all so much to take in.

"Jesus Christ! Why are you telling them this Peg!?" Your mother was beside herself. "Why!?"

"I'm telling them because I don't want them to make the same mistake we made Helen. I'm sorry, it kills me to hurt you Helen. You know that. But this is about them now." She stands to leave, this time your mother doesn't try to stop her. She goes to hug her but your mom pulls away from her. "I'm sorry Helen." Peg says sadly. She approaches the two of you and gives you each a light kiss on the cheek. "Let me know if you need anything." She whispers and then heads out to the living room.