Months Later

“Aven, have you seen my other hat?” Reginald asked, turning over every pillow in the living room. “My one for excursions is normally on the stand, but it seems like it somehow went missing…”

“Maybe Max washed it and put it out to dry?” I shrugged, putting down my book.

“I thought you were doing the laundry now though.”

“Hm… I’ll ask her about it later. What do you need it for anyway? Aren’t you just going to work like usual?”

“Yes, but I’ve got to head out of state for about a week and wanted to start packing now… You know what? Just ask Maxine to pack me a traveling set when she gets back home.”

“I’ll do that!”

“Thanks, you’re a saint,” he sighed, grabbing his lunch box that I had packed him that morning. “Take care!”

“Have a good one,” I waved, watching him close the door and dash down the street.

As soon as Reginald was gone, I actually grabbed some nicer clothes of my own to go out in. When you’ve got a Hawthorne beside you, the tailor doesn’t care who you are; they just make the dress. Anyway, I put on a nice dress and locked the door on my way out. Why was I going to the park, you may ask? I may be living with fancy people, but I still wasn’t above spending an enjoyable afternoon with my own mother. The moment I saw her, we threw our arms around each other.

“Ah, honey, how’ve you been?” she smiled gleefully. “You looked so happy the last time we talked.”

“Max and Reginald are so generous with me,” I said gratefully. “Max’s been teaching me some more things she says normal women do. Like how to repair clothes and some houseworking tips.”

“I’m still not sure about you picking up that Maxine woman’s slack for all her housework. It seems like she’s using you to do the job of a maid.”

“She treats me well,” I said firmly. “We’re kind of like sisters, which can be a bit strange since Reginald treats me like his own daughter.”

“It makes me wonder why they wouldn’t just try to have their own then,” she wondered.

“Well… Max can’t have children, so they just live in a big house all alone. It sounds awfully lonely if you asked me.”

“Yeah…” Mum sighed. “It sure is…”

“Let’s go to that bakery down the road,” I suggested. “Just the usual places, if that’s alright with you.”

“As long as I can have an afternoon with my daughter, I don’t care where we go,” she sweetly smiled, putting her arm around me in a tight hug as we walked down the street together.

*   *   *   *   *

Months Later

“Aven, you’ll be fine, trust me,” Reginald reassured.

“But what if your family doesn’t like me?” I asked worriedly. “Or what if one of them calls me out as a man?! Or what if they recognize me from when I used to work at the candy store? Or what if-”

“Aven, most of them probably won’t notice you’re there,” he said. “People bring guests every year and they don’t get too much attention.”

“Or they’ll just pat your head, pinch your cheeks, and move on,” Max shrugged.

We were on our way to the Hawthorne family Christmas party. Normally they would leave me to watch the house when going to something with the family, but Reginald insisted that it was time to introduce me to them all. I was a bit excited, but also felt absolutely scared out of my mind.

My fear was quickly shoved out of my brain when I saw the house. No, it wasn’t a house, it was the Hawthorne mansion. Huge walls, lavish decorations, ornate detailing, and such impressive square footage that from the outside, the building looked like a looming monster getting ready to devour us.

“If you think that’s impressive, you should see the grand dinners,” Max chuckled as Reginald opened the door for us.

“It makes our family ones look like evening snacks,” he remarked.

“What?!” I asked, jaw dropping. “My family dinners already hardly compare.”

“Well, you need a large list of food when you bring the entire family together. You mentioned your folks were from up north in Canada, right?” Reginald asked.

“Mhm,” I nodded. “They moved down here after Britain let them self-govern themselves. My folks thought that it would bring war between the two like it did for the American colonies.”

“Interesting…”

“Enough politics,” Max interrupted with a frown. “I can’t eat those for a family dinner!”

“Alright, alright,” her husband laughed, giving in. “Just please mind your manners this time, Max. My folks may like you, but being proper is still important. That goes for you too, Aven.”

“Is she going to be there?” Max spat with a disapproving fold of her arms. Reginald tiredly sighed and put his arms around his wife.

“I don’t know. It depends if Mother made her come or not.”

“Who?” I butted in.

“If you’re lucky, you won’t have to find out,” Max said ominously.

“Oi, Reginald!” shouted a young man down the hall. One of the Hawthorne children for sure. “Are you going to make love with your wife in the foyer or come down to the living room and rub elbows with the rest of us?”

“Oh, shut up, Alex!” he jabbed back. “We’ll only be a moment more!”

“Go on ahead, Reginald,” Max beckoned, grabbing my arm. “These two ladies will take it slow and chat.”

“Now don’t go turning this respectable young woman into a troublemaker like you, Maxine,” he playfully scolded.

“I’d never,” she slyly teased, planting a kiss on his lips and watching Reginald join his siblings. “Aven, I should warn you about someone.”

“Who?”

“Do you know Beatrice Hawthorne?”

“Oh God…” I never wanted to hear that name ever again. That woman tormented me for way too long and ended up ruining my life. If I had to spend a night with her, then I might just… “Is she…?”

“Just be on the lookout,” she warned, guiding me by the arm to the living room.

There were so many people just talking and joking around; brothers and sisters pushing up against each other around and having a fun time. Reginald was at an upright piano against a wall of the room, playing a merry tune and watching Angel, Ada, and Alma dance around while trying to get their sister, Beatrice, to join them. I just watched her stare disdainfully at Max and I as we entered the room.

“Max!” exclaimed a man’s voice. “Who is that dashing young woman you’ve brought into our house? And does she have a free side of her bed to sleep on?”

“Have you no shame in your words, Alexander?” Ada scolded, hitting his shoulder. “You’ve already got a reputation around town. Don’t make a womanizer out of yourself.”

“With so many women in the world, do I have to pick only one?”

“You disgust me,” his sister groaned, rolling her eyes and walking away.

“Hey, Ada, I was just joking!” Alexander insisted, chasing after his sister. “It was just a joke! Don’t tell Mother!”

“Wow, this family… has a lot going on,” I noticed, watching them escape into the kitchen.

“You get used to it,” Max reassured. “There’s never a calm Hawthorne gathering.”

“I don’t know whether to be excited or nervous.”

“Oh my God, Max, who is this?” asked another Hawthorne sister excitedly. This time, I could actually recognize her as Angel, who stared at me starry-eyed. “She’s adorable!”

“Her name is Aven,” Max introduced.

“Well, let’s get you introduced to everyone then, Aven!” Angel said, enthusiastically tugging my arm.

Angel pulled me around the house, shoving me into the faces of all the Hawthorne family members. Nobody seemed to recognize me, which I was grateful about. The last thing I needed was someone recognizing me from my Adam days in the candy shop. Or maybe they did recognize me and didn’t care?

When it was time for dinner, everyone took their seats around this huge dinner table. It was a bit intimidating how they all seemed to know where to sit. Should I just know what seat to take? I didn’t want to blunder and take the chair of someone like Beatrice, or even worse, Mr. or Mrs. Hawthorne. Luckily, Max guided me to where to sit, which was thankfully right next to her. Unfortunately though, it was right across from Beatrice, who was still giving me the same mean snarl. She definitely didn’t want me in her family’s home.

“Don’t let her get under your skin,” Max whispered. “That’s just what she wants.”

Easy for you to say, Max. Beatrice looked ready to chop me up and throw me in her breakfast. Well, not that she looked like she ate breakfast. I thought I used to look scrawny, but she looked like a ghoul your mother would tell you about to keep you from staying out too late.

I tried to just keep my head down and eat dinner. Luckily, there wasn’t a lot of attention drawn on me, just like Reginald promised. Most of the talk was the Hawthorne men debating and chatting about recent business. Very boring, all things considered. While I stuffed my face so I didn’t have to talk, I couldn’t ignore Beatrice staring me down the whole time while she stirred around her food. What was that woman’s problem?

“Who’s the new kid?” Beatrice finally asked condescendingly.

“Her name is Aven,” Max shot with clenched teeth. Beatrice was apparently really good at lighting Max’s short fuse. “She’s staying with us for a bit.”

“And why’s that?” she asked, prodding further.

“She-”

“I think Aven can speak for herself,” Beatrice interrupted, wickedly smiling at me. “Go on then.”

“I-I needed a place to stay,” I whispered, trying to keep my voice as quiet as possible. It clearly wasn’t enough though, because Beatrice’s smile crept up even further.

“That’s all you need to know,” hissed Max, putting a hand on my shoulder.

“You’re a man,” Beatrice jeered, glaring straight at me. “No wonder you needed a place to stay. Nobody would take a man dressing as a woman. Max is the only idiot I know who would.”

“Dear, leave her alone,” asked her mother gently.

“It’s a man,” she said, crossing her arms and scratching her snake’s chin. “HE shouldn’t be wearing that. It’s bad enough it’s one of Max’s tacky dresses.”

“Well, excuse me for not being as fashionable as you,” Max said, clenching her fists. I just kept gulping down mashed potatoes and wishing I could’ve just stayed at home.

“Even if you were, none of it would fit you, honey. Not with that figure.”

“Excuse me?!”

“Don’t raise your voice at me,” Beatrice warned. “You know your place, you animal.”

Max gripped her plate, and I audibly gasped because I swore she was about to throw her plate at Beatrice’s head. In probably the biggest show of restraint and self-control since I had met her, Max stood up and took her plate away from the table. 

Now, everyone’s eyes were on Beatrice and I, and that bitter woman gave me a glare that could kill. I was already on the verge of tears, so I retreated upstairs, following Max. I found her sitting against the wall of the bathroom, so I sat down to join her.

“Are you ok?” she sighed.

“Yeah,” I mumbled, wiping my eyes. “I just-”

Suddenly, howling and shouting coming from Beatrice and Reginald blasted downstairs. The neighbors could probably hear their spat.

“Don’t worry about her,” Max said, putting her hand on mine. “She only tries to make everyone’s life miserable.”

“But why?”

“Who knows? I’ll be honest that I don’t really care,” she said bitterly. “But don’t let her put you down, ok? She’s not worth it.”

“She’s the one who got me fired from my job at the candy store,” I muttered with a depressing sigh. Oh yeah, that was a fun little fact that I learned from Mum. She had paid off Mrs. Lada to fire me. “Why can’t she just leave me alone…?”

“That snake can’t dictate who you are,” she said inspiringly, putting her arms around me in a hug. “Go out and be the beautiful gal you are, got it?”

“Ok,” I said, not being able to hold back a smile. How could being called beautiful not put a smile on my face?

*   *   *   *   *

The rest of the night was actually enjoyable since Beatrice didn’t say another word, which feels like a sad statement to say. I just clung to Max’s side and talked to the occasional person who stopped by us. Mrs. Hawthorne and Angel apologized for Beatrice’s actions while Elizabeth gave me a small flower bracelet, which I thought was cute.

“Before we leave, I want to introduce you to someone,” Reginald said, pulling me. “He wants to meet you, and I think maybe you’d like to see him.”

“Who is it?” I asked skeptically.

“He’s a friend I know well,” he said softly. “From work.”

“Alright…”

Reginald showed me to a kind man with short blonde hair and brown eyes. The first thing he did was grab my hand and kiss it. At that moment, my head went completely blank. Nobody had ever introduced themselves to me like this. I didn’t know how to react other than blushing intensely.

“This is Ms. Murphy, I presume?” the man asked, softly smiling and giving a kind look with his eyes.

“I- Um- I…” I said with perfect articulation.

“Aven here hasn’t had any relationships, but is the sweetest woman I’ve met,” Reginald said, making my face turn even redder.

“Ahem?” Max coughed with a frown.

“The second sweetest woman I’ve met,” he quickly corrected, probably to save his life that night. Reginald turned to me and gestured kindly at his friend. “This here is James. We’ve been talking about you, and well, he was interested in being your fiancé.”

“Wait… really?” I asked, dumfounded. He wanted to marry me? Why?!

“If you would be willing to accept,” James added. “It would be my honor.”

“I- Um…” I regained my composure and took a deep breath. “I’ll have to think about it.”

“When you have made up your mind, I would be humbled to be graced with your presence again,” he smiled, winking at me and admittedly making my heart skip a beat.

“I-I… I’ll… I’ll let you…”

“Aven will let you know if she’s accepted your offer,” Max interjected, saving me from more embarrassment.

“Until we meet again then, Miss Aven Murphy,” James smirked, walking off.

“Someone is turning awfully red,” Reginald teased.

“Did his charm get to you?” Max added.

“Oh hush,” I giggled as we started walking back home. Max and Reginald both wrapped their arms around me in a group hug.

“So Aven, you’re gonna get married soon?” Max further teased.

“I don’t know,” I chuckled. “Do you think he really wants me?”

“Well, I talked it all over with him, and he didn’t mind who you were, so I wouldn’t worry about that,” Reginald said. Oh, so he knew I wasn’t born a woman from the start? It felt kind of invasive that Reginald would give away my private information like that, but it made me even more flattered that James wanted me anyway.

“It’s just a big step…” I said, still indecisive. “I’ll just think about it.”

“Take it slow. Wouldn’t want to rush into a marriage you don’t want.”

“Are you trying to speak from experience?” Max asked sassily.

“Of course not!”

“Mhm, just making sure,” she nodded, clearly teasing him. “Just making sure…”

“Say that if I did want to give James a chance, could I still live with you both until I’m comfortable with him?” I asked. “I’m not too trusting of new people, and a relationship is so new that I’m not very keen on being alone with a man I’ve never known…”

“Of course!” Max exclaimed. “You’re always allowed in our home; that won’t change. At this point, you could consider yourself a Hawthorne.”

“I don’t know if I could go that far, but thank you,” I sweetly smiled, a warm sensation overtaking my heart. “That means more than you know.”