Everest
Jessica Tomlinson
Everest touched his face. Despite being the same person as he was yesterday, something felt right. He knew what had happened, but it still felt like a dream. His mother must be struggling, she never wanted this for her daughter, but now she doesn’t have one.
Everest was nervous, after they had had such a big fight last night.
They gripped their hair, until remembering that it was too short now. It felt right, Everest knew this was right. He worried for his mother, until hearing her shrill call, “Melody, come down here please!”
Everest expected this from his mother yet still felt disappointed. He almost responded, then his brother came in. Everest stared, fearful. Then he dropped some clothes. As he left, Everest looked at the clothes, they were perfect. He put them on and peered into the mirror. They then said,
“Even if I’m not who I’m supposed to be, I like this. I like the real me.”
Everest then continued trying on more clothes, excited. He heard someone walking up the stairs, probably his brother again. He shrugged it off. As he heard the shrill ringing of his mother’s voice, chills rushed down his spine. He turned away from her, holding back tears.
“Daughter, I only want what’s best for you.”
Everest couldn’t bare to look at her. He knew that she would never understand all of the pain that he had gone through.
They both stood in silence.
Then, with a wavering voice, Everest spoke. “If you want what’s best for me, understand you have two sons, not a daughter and a son.”
Everest had begun to cry and was clutching onto the baggy jogging bottoms, still trying to hold back tears. His mother tried to reach out and touch his shoulder. Everest batted her hand away and yelled,
“Don’t touch me!”
She stared at Everest, hurt by her son’s actions. She took a sharp inhale and told Everest,
“Listen son, I love you. I’m sorry if I haven’t been to kind since you transitioned. I will respect your decision. It scares me that you can’t talk to me about these things.”
“Mom, I’m sorry. I was just so scared you’d hate me or not support me. I’ve dealt with so much transphobia from friends and teachers, I thought you’d be the same.”
Everest’s face was covered in tears as he stared at his mom.
There was a moments silence where the only noise was Everest’s sobs. His mom opened her arms to her son. Everest immediately ran into them.
They hugged for over an hour, just happy to have a mother-child bond once again.