Curious but suppotive

(Robin's POV Monday morning)

I wake up with a hangover to find a new app called LifeQuest installed. It has a notification new quest has been received.

Quest: “Come out to your parents.”

Reward: “Your parents accept you for who you are, no matter what.”

Come out about what? Maybe yesterday's memories can clear something up. D&D was fun, even if Bart wanted to go full **** hobo. We went out for dinner. Pieter asked if I was comfortable in my skin. I said no. He asked if I would rather be a woman, and I said Yeah.

The group was talking about tasks.... for what? That doesn't matter right now. I ended up with a task that '****' me to be a woman all night until I got home. That was nice. Especially that Pieter knew it wasn't a joke, but me experimenting with my gender. The girls supported and coached me. A smile, a happiness I had yet to feel, creeps onto my face.

After dinner, Pieter brought us home. Like the mom friend he is. He dropped me off last. I invited him in for coffee. And we talked about what would happen if I came out to various people.

He said that most of our friends would be okay with it, but he doesn't know my parents well enough. He said he would help if I asked. I will text him to see if he can help be moral support when I come out to them.

"Uhhm......

I have a question.

Would you be able to sit in with me and my parents when I try to come out to them?

It would help me greatly. You were so supportive yesterday.

Playing it off as a gamble after I came out to you really helped get my feet wet. "

He texts back after a few minutes: "Don't worry, I will be there to support you. Do you need me to refer to you as a girl from now on?"

Almost instantly I respond: "Please don't do it everywhere but in private, and in texts with me, it is fine. And if all goes well with my parents in front of them." I had underlined it in the text I was dead serious he shouldn't forget.

"Will do, girl, and do you think 9 PM works?"

"Yeah, my parents are back, and they will still be awake."

Okay, nine o-clock I can keep sane until then. The tension will not get to me. Deep breaths in and out. I will go down for now.

Mom and Dad are sitting in the living room, eating breakfast. I say hi and make a mental note of all the small household tasks I need to do to alleviate Mom's workload.

"Mom, shall I cook tonight?"

My mom gleefully answers: "If you would be so kind, I wouldn't say no."

My dad follows up: "It's the least you can do whilst we are paying for everything."

Mom rebukes: "You know he does most of the housework work right? And if you don't, you don’t realise that you are a dunce." All Dad cares about is working out of the house.

Dad says: "Our Chantal is out of the house and has her own place even though she is 2 years younger." This song and dance again.

I smile and say: "Yeah, but she never comes home because of what?" They remain silent. "A friend of mine is coming over tonight. To hopefully help me have a conversation with you guys about something serious. He should be here around nine."

Mom surprised: "Ooh, is it a girl? I want grandkids remember?" Mom being so supportive of most things makes this so hard.

If I refute it, Dad will ask if I am moving out, and they will keep guessing subjects. I take a deep breath and, with my best customer service smile, say: "That is for you to find out tonight."

I check the fridge, no vegies, no meat, mostly empty. Great, this means I can make what I want or better put, what gets my parents in the best mood. Dad loves baked potatoes and steak. Steak isn't on the table with our budget. I can get something that works as steak, but is cheaper. Mom would love it if I made a spinach quiche. It works as a side, and I should make a salad that Mom can shove Dad's way for something healthy. On top of that, both quiche and salad can be eaten the day after.

I head for the store where I wander the aisles looking for tonight and the rest of the week. And if mom misses anything, I can always buy it later.

When I get home from shopping, I put everything in the places mom and dad expect to find it and clean the house. Weekend means mom and dad are home, and the dirt piles up. It also means I am not expected to clean the house so as not to inconvenience Dad.

I really don't know how Mom kept up with me and Chantal. We were menaces having friends over almost every day, or kids from the neighbourhood wandering in with us to grab something to go to the toilet or whatever it was that day.

In my free time, I look up stories and tips about coming out to your parents. That is a real mixed bag; For every positive story, you find a negative. Wait, this is global, let's try looking for stories in Dutch. It has clearly become more positive, but that is what I expected.

Dinner comes, and everyone loves it. Mom fusses over Dad eating vegetables. Saying: "If you don’t want salad, then eat at least some carrot, tomato or quiche." Dad follows up with: "That is for rabbits" Chantal would have laughed at that; I won't.

After dinner, I put everything in the dishwasher and turn it on. Mom and Dad go to sit in front of the TV and watch the news.

By the time the news ends, the doorbell rings. "Hi Pieter. This is my Mom and Dad."

Pieter approaches my parents to shake their hands: "Hello, Mr and Ms Naaktgeboren, I am Pieter."

My Dad goes: "Nice to meet you, Pieter. You can call me Rick."

My mom goes: "You can call me Maria if you want, Pieter. And never call me Ms Naaktgeboren again. I didn't assume my husband's horrible family name. If you need to address me formally, Ms Schrijver."

Pieter laughs: "I feel like with the current laws, it is indeed one of those names that might end up being lost forever at some point. Men can take their wife's name now." Dad glares at him, but Mom chuckles. "Well, we have to have a maybe heavier conversation, don't we, Robin?"

Mom tense says: "We have heard a lot about you, Pieter, but not in a romantic context. So could you enlighten us?"

Pieter says: "I won't. I am here to be moral support, Robin's friend. Not as something more."

Mom calms down at this, but Dad tenses. I start, but first swallow out of nerves. "Mom, Dad, I have been uncomfortable in my own skin for a while. I haven't seen my body, my relationship with others in a positive light." Dad wants to step in, but Pieter tries to signal to Dad not to interrupt. I continue: "Yesterday I got asked this by Pieter. He had noticed something I had been hiding from myself." I try to keep the tears out of my eyes. "He asked if I might rather have been a woman. I said yes. The guys were joking about giving each other tasks, and through some trickery, I ended up playing a woman for the entire evening. I loved the experience. I didn't want to stop when I got home, and to be honest, until this morning, I hadn't. That is a long-winded way of me saying I think I am trans and will plan to go to the doctor to get a referral to a psychiatrist to start research. And whilst I am home, I would at least like to be referred to as she/her. And thus live as a woman."

Pieter smiles softly: "You did good, girl. If you want to come out to the group, you are free to tell me. I will help you there as well."

Both of my parents are silent and pondering. Mom gets up and hugs me. She whispers: "I will help you where I can, sweetheart."

Dad says: "Doesn't mean I don't expect you to get a real job."

Pieter says: "What would you consider a real job?"

Dad responds: "If he works 24 hours, I am fine if he tries to keep the house clean."

I say: "There is no place here that will accept me."

Pieter: "In your education field or in general?"

I mutter: "Educational."

Pieter nods: "Two options I see, you start your own Game development company and gamble, or you try your luck at the catering place I work at."