Telling mom and dad

I met Lauren a little after breakfast in the lobby. "Sleep well?" she asked. "Yeah pretty good, and you?" I answered. "Probably not as good as you," she says with a wink. I look at her, puzzled by her comment. Seeing my confusion she give up on the implied comments. "Our room is right next to yours, I heard you". I feel my face getting red. "Oh.. hehe. sorry about that." I laugh trying to hide my embarrassment. "Don't be. Be thankful you have a man that rocks your world like that," Lauren says. "John's not doing his job?" I ask her.

"He used to, but ever since the pregnancy, he seems to think that I might fall apart if he's not careful. He treats me like mom's best porcelain cups". she explains.

"I heard some men do that once the woman gets pregnant. They don't want to damage the baby or something. He probably just needs some time to adjust." I reply.

*Honk honk*

Nick pulls up on the curb outside. We get into the car and head for mom and dads.

No amount of preparation would have prepared me for this. My mind racing with all the ways this could go wrong. This could be the last time I spoke to my parents. They might hate me now, never wanting to see me again after what I was about to tell them.

When the car pulled into the driveway I thought I was about to have a panic attack. Dad was in the garage. In the last few years, he had started brewing beer. It looked like he was in the middle of making a fresh batch. Nick cut in. "This might work well. I'll go talk to dad, and you to slip inside to mom. Looks like he's in the middle of a brew, and I can keep him occupied while you explain to mom." Seemed like a good enough plan as any so we let Nick go first, and as soon as he was in the garage Lauren and I quickly made for the front door.

"Lauren how good to see you" mom smiled as we met her in the kitchen. "nice to see you to mom" she replied giving mom a hug. "And who's your... friend..." her words trailing off as she looked at me. Oh God, she knows! My mind going a mile a minute. My heart pounding like it was trying to escape my chest. I looked so much like her. It must be like looking in some weird time mirror.

"Hi, mom. It's me, Aaron. But It's actually Erin now." She just sat down and started crying. Clearly, she needed no other proof. "Oh mom, don't cry," I said sitting down in the chair next to her and leaning in to hug her. "It's still me, I just look different." she hugged me back and I felt much relieved that she at least didn't hate me immediately.

I told her the story about what had happened, and how it all was for the better. I was much happier now than I had ever been as Aaron but quickly pointed out that I was never unhappy as Aaron, and that this was just the better me. It took a little while but here immediate concern seemed to be lifted. She apparently thought that I was **** like one of the terrible stories you hear on the news.

"And Paul. He's good to you?" she asked. My wellbeing apparently her main concern. "He's the best mom. Couldn't wish for a better man." I said. "Yeah, he treats her like a princess" Lauren shoots in.

We hear the door from the garage open and Nick came in with dad. The smell of boiling grain, hops, and yeast floated in. Lauren made a quick exit in what I assumed was a b-line for the bathroom.

Dad on the other hand did not cry. At first, he didn't understand what we were saying. And when he finally did he just turned around and went back into the garage. Mom went after him and told us to just wait inside. There were some raised voices. Nick and I just sat there looking at each other. Lauren came back a few minutes later, and eventually, mom did as well. "He's not happy," she said. "I'll go have a talk with him," Nick said.

I, mom, and Lauren went into the living room. We talked for a long time as I patiently tried to explain everything to mom. She was clearly gonna need some time to come to terms with the change but seemed accepting at least. After a while, I got up and went out into the garage to talk to dad.

"Hey, dad. What are you making?" He didn't answer, just kept on working. "Grow up dad. No one said you have to like it. But you at least need to talk to her. " Nick interjected. They had always had a pretty tight bond. And out of everyone in the world, Nick was probably the one guy my dad respected the most.

"I don't understand this Aaron," he said. I thought it best not to point out that that wasn't my name anymore. "What don't you understand dad? If you just ask I will try to explain it".

"I don't understand how you can just one day wake up and decide to be a woman".

"It wasn't quite like that," I said, even though it kind of was. "It was only supposed to be for a few days to help out Paul. I was only pretending, but then the pretending felt so much better",

"I'm sorry Arron but that just makes no sense to me," he said. "Dad," Nick chimed in.

"You know how you used to drink only Budweiser? You thought it was a totally fine beer right. And then you had that IPA at Doug's party. Now you only drink craft beers, and bud's not really that great. Not everybody will agree with you on that, and some people still prefer Bud. That's how he felt when he tried being Erin. And he decided to keep being Erin forever."

What the fuck? Nick just compared me to craft beer. I was about to tell him he was a moron but was interrupted by my dad.

"Huh..." dad said. Pondering Nick's terrible analogy. "Yeah okay, that makes sense," he said.

WHAT???!?!?!? My mind was blown. This was the thing that made dad understand.?

Things went a little better after that. I had a long talk with dad, and eventually, mom made us dinner. We left late in the evening to go back to the hotel and promised we would be back tomorrow with our respective partners.