Twist Me by Mia Monroe
Mitsu
“Grey, your phone.”
Grey groans, taking it from me as I flip on the lamp on the nightstand. It’s ten at night, so a call this late is worrisome.
“Mac, what’s wrong?”
I listen carefully, my concern deepening when Grey sits up straight.
“What hospital?” He nods. “I’ll be there in twenty.” He ends the call, rubbing his forehead. “Danny, a kid we mentor at the youth center, has been hurt. I need to go.”
“I’ll drive you.”
“Thank you.”
We climb out of bed, quickly dressing and heading for the car. Grey is tense, staring out the window as I drive. More than once, he twists his hair up in a loose bun, pulls it down, and then repeats the action. I’ve learned this is what he does when he’s highly agitated. I try to send him my energy, letting him know I’m here.
When we arrive, we hurry inside as Mac leads Grey to his location via phone. We step off the elevator and Mac rushes to Grey.
“Thanks for coming.” He nods at me.
“Of course. Is he okay?”
“I haven’t heard yet. They had to take him to surgery.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know much. He was with Lana. She called 9-1-1. Her parents wouldn’t let her come, so she found my number on his phone and called me. Lana told me she and Danny were hanging out at school and he fell from the bleachers, trying to balance on them. She was scared to call his mom, but she tried. The mom’s boyfriend answered and said it was Danny’s fault for doing stupid shit, then hung up on her.”
“Shit.”
“I’m worried about his mom finding out this way,” Mac says.
Grey turns to me. “Danny is transgender. As far as we’re aware, his mother doesn’t know yet.”
“I see.”
“Has his mother been contacted?” Grey asks Mac.
“I have no idea. Lana was barely able to talk. She was so distraught. I don’t know what to do.”
“Right. Maybe the center knows his last name? Has contact information? Or if the ambulance picked him up, they would have to file a report or something, right?”
“Yeah, I would think,” Mac says.
The three of us sit on a bench. It’s over an hour before a doctor comes out looking for someone.
“We’re here for Danny,” Mac says, standing up.
“Danny?” The doctor repeats.
“Uh, you have it as Danielle,” Grey adds.
The doctor nods. “Are you family?”
“Yes,” Mac lies. “I’m his brother.”
“His?” the doctor questions, looking at a chart.
“Danny is transgender.”
“Ah.” The doctor nods, and I bristle, waiting for a negative reaction. “Danny,” he says slowly, glancing at the chart, “is stable. He suffered a broken nose, a bad break in his arm, and a few fractured ribs. No internal bleeding though and no head trauma.”
Grey exhales, gripping my arm.
“Can we see him?” Mac asks.
The doctor looks suspicious until I intervene.
“Excuse me, Doctor. As stated, Mac and Grey are very close to Danny. Danny’s home life might be unstable. His mother’s boyfriend wasn’t responsive when notified of his injury.”
The doctor nods, studying us.
“It would do a lot for Danny if he knew Mac and Grey were here for him. They are all he has right now. Is there any way they can be allowed to see him?”
The doctor continues to study the three of us before speaking. “Well, you are his brothers. Of course you can see him.”
Mac and Grey both smile. “Thank you, Doctor.”
“I’ll wait for you here.” I pat Grey’s hand. “Go.”
He kisses my cheek before heading off with Mac. I sit back in the chair, gazing around the empty hallway. About ten minutes later, the elevator doors open and a woman rushes out, heading for the nurse’s station. I hear her say Danielle Pina in a panicked voice. She must be the mother. As she approaches, I see the strain in her face, the tear stains, the bruised eye. Her eyes settle on me, looking straight through me as she searches for her child.
“This way,” I offer, standing and pointing down the hall.
“How do you know?”
“I’m here with friends who were called to help. They’re with...your child now.”
“Oh, thank god she’s not alone.”
I nod, leading her to the room I saw Grey and Mac enter. When she gets there, Danny is sitting up slightly, smiling as he speaks with Grey and Mac. Mac is holding his hand.
“I’m here, baby,” Danny’s mom says.
“Mom.” Danny bursts into tears.
His mom rushes over and hugs him carefully. “Oh, my baby, look at you.”
“You know what happened?”
“Your friend Lana put a note on the door. I’m sorry it took me so long to get here, but I had to deal with Carl first. If it wasn’t for Lana, I wouldn’t know you were here right now.”
“What did you do to Carl?”
“I told him I never wanted to see him again, that you come first, and that if he came near me or you again, it would be his last day on earth.”
“Mom,” Danny whispers in awe.
“We had a little tussle. The neighbors called the police and I filed charges. I’m sorry I let him be in our lives.”
“It’s okay, Mom.”
Danny’s mom seems to notice Grey and Mac. “Who are you? This man said you’re friends, but you’re adults.”
Grey looks nervous as his eyes shift to Danny.
“Mom. I have something to tell you.”
“We can leave,” Mac offers.
“No,” Danny says. “Please stay. You might be all I have left in a few minutes.”
“What are you talking about, Danielle? There’s nothing you could say that would make me leave you.”
“I think Carl doesn’t like me because he thinks I’m a lesbian. He says rude stuff about gay people all the time.”
“Oh, baby. Is that what you want to tell me? You like Lana that way?”
Danny shakes his head. “No, Mom. I’m not a lesbian.” His eyes shift to Grey and Mac for support. “I’m a boy.”
“A boy?” She releases a confused laugh. “What do you mean?”
“Um, I mean even though my body looks like a girl, my brain is a boy. I’m transgender, Mom.”
All the color drains from her face as she stares at Danny with a broken expression. “Oh.”
“Grey and Mac volunteer at the youth center I go to. I’ve been going for six months. They teach you stuff there, like how to tell your family and friends, and how to tell the girl you like, how to get help. I’ve been seeing a counselor and everything.”
“How long have you known?”
“Since I was like, two.”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“I didn’t know how. Then I was waiting for you to leave Carl. I knew he wouldn’t get it. I wasn’t sure you would get it.”
She nods, looking shell-shocked. “I see.” Grey moves quick, supporting her just as she falls faint.
“Mom!” Danny moves quickly but flinches from the pain.
“Relax,” Mac says, gently holding his shoulder.
Her eyes flutter. “It’s a shock.”
“Of course,” Grey says. “When you’re ready, there are lots of resources at the center to help you both. Mac and I can answer questions too.”
“Are you...both…?”
Grey nods. “We are.”
“Oh.” She squeezes Grey’s forearm to stabilize herself. “Okay.” Her eyes shift back to Danny, who looks terrified. “This is a shock, but like I said, there’s nothing you could say that would make me leave you. That’s still true. I’ll have to learn some things, so I hope you can be patient with me.”
Tears stream down Danny’s face. “You don’t hate me?”
“How could I hate you? You’re my baby. I’ll get used to it.” She half-laughs. “I got over the fact that you weren’t into girl things a long time ago. I can handle this too.”
Danny wipes his face. “Can you call me Danny?”
“Sure. I can call you Danny.”
After we say our goodbyes, the three of us head to the elevators. We ride down to the parking lot, and once we’re at the bottom, Mac squeezes Grey’s hand.
“Thanks for being here tonight.”
“Of course, man.”
“This isn’t the best setting for this, but I’ve been avoiding telling you something. I can’t put it off much longer.”
“What’s wrong?” Grey asks.
“I got the promotion and my second date worked out really well. We’re inseparable.”
“That’s awesome. Why do you look sad?”
“You know how the job was gonna be in Daytona?”
“Yes.”
“Actually, they want me for the Denver store. I didn’t want to tell you until I knew for sure if I got the position.”
Grey’s face falls. “Denver. You’re leaving Florida?”
“In three weeks. He’s coming with me.”
“Oh.” Grey nods. “You’re leaving.”
“Yeah.” He rubs his arm. “But Denver’s cool. You and Mitsu can come visit.”
Grey nods, looking numb.
“And you have Mitsu now and all your friends at the bakery and Black Heart. You’re not alone.”
I rub Grey’s back to remind him of my presence.
“I guess it is time to move into the next phase of our lives,” Grey says, somberly. “I’m happy for you. You deserve this.”
“I’m happy for you too, Grey. I still have time before I go, but I want to make sure you know you have to be there for Danny.”
“Of course.”
“We’ll always make time,” I add.
Mac smiles. “You’re so perfect for him. I’m so glad he found you.”
“I feel the same way.”
On the ride home, Grey grips my hand, leaning back with his eyes closed.
“I’m sorry about Mac.”
“It’s okay.” He smiles, shifting his gaze to me. “I think I sort of knew it was coming. We haven’t seen each other as much. Our schedules don’t align anymore, and then I met you and he met someone. Inevitable. But I know we’ll stay friends.”
“Of course. I’m just sad to see you sad.”
“I’m not sad.” He smiles. “I was thinking. This is the next phase, right? This is the part where I grow up a little more. Settle down. Get some pets. I’m ready for all of it.”
“Good.”
I pull into the driveway and we shuffle back inside, peeling our clothes off and falling into bed. Grey cuddles close to me.
“Mitsu?”
“Yes, beloved.”
“Thank you for being there for us tonight. For Danny.”
“I will always be where you need me.”
“I know.” We’re silent for a few minutes. “Mitsu?”
“Yes?”
“I want to marry you.”
I pull back to look at his face as he smiles up at me. “What?”
“It doesn’t have to be any time soon. Maybe we’ll wait a few years. No rush, but yeah, I think it would be amazing to be your husband.”
“What changed your mind?”
“Realizing it’s not about the piece of paper. It’s so much deeper than that, isn’t it? It’s saying that I give my entire life to you. I still think I could do it without a legal ceremony, but I want to give you the happiness you’ve given me. I want your dreams to come true. I want you to feel loved to the bottom of your soul, like I do. I want you to know you’ve erased every fear I ever had. If it’s something I can give you, why wouldn’t I?”
“Your love for me leaves me speechless. I feel loved. Wholly and truly. I guess it brings out the romantic in me. It created a desire for things I never thought I’d have. I would be honored to have your hand in marriage, but we have time. It’s good to know we’re on the same page though. The future looks beautiful.”
“Amazing. I love you more than all the stars in the universe.”
“That’s a lot.” I kiss his nose. “But, Grey, I love you more than all the words ever written.”
“Oh, damn. That’s a lot.”
“Yes, I win.”
“Nope. I love you times infinity.”
“Times infinity? I don’t know if I can top that.”
Grey grins, snuggling closer. “So I win?”
“This round.”
“I’ll take it. You’ll have to come up with something more than infinity.”
“Lucky for me I have forever to do it.”
Grey’s features soften into a smile so sweet, my stomach flips. “Forever sounds good to me.”
“Forever it is then.”
* * *
At lunch the next day, Grey keeps trying to catch my eyes, so I know something is on his mind.
“What is it, beloved?”
He laughs as his cheeks blush. “I’m nervous.”
“About?”
He exhales. “My mom invited us for dinner tonight. She wants to meet you.” He frowns. “It’s so soon, and you have no time to even think about it. I can put it off if you want. I know it’s a lot so—”
“Babe.”
His eyes shift up to me.
“I’d love to.”
“Really?”
“It would be an honor. If you’re ready for that, I am.”
He smiles. “I’m ready.”
Later that evening, we enter Grey’s parents’ home. It’s a nice moderate home in an upper-class neighborhood. It’s a strange juxtaposition to see the house he grew up in contrasted with the man he is today. His long hair, tattooed flesh, and rock star vibe is out of sorts with this upper-middle-class environment.
We see Grey’s mother first, standing at the stove stirring something. She twists around, and I’m stunned by her height and beauty. Grey got a lot of her looks. Her face lights up as she hugs her son. Then his father enters, even taller than Grey. His hair is white, his eyes crystal blue. Grey’s stunning looks are clearly inherited from these two people.
“Mama, Dad, this is Mitsu.”
I bow slightly. “Pleasure to meet you both.”
His mother smiles. “Oh my goodness, you’re so handsome and sweet.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
I shake his father’s hand. His cheeks flush, just like his son’s. “We’ve heard a lot about you. It’s great to meet the man making my son so happy.”
I pat my chest over my heart. “He is my world, sir.”
As we sit at the table, Grey’s mother smiles. “I love that our family is expanding. Grey tells us your parents are gone.”
“Yes.”
“Well, you have us now. We’re big on holidays and family dinners.”
I grab a roll from the basket passed to me by Grey. “That sounds wonderful. Thank you for being so welcoming.”
“Grey loves you. That’s enough for us.”
As I glance at Grey, he reaches over to squeeze my hand. I’ve always wondered how it would feel to know you’ve met the person you would spend your future with.
It’s better than words could ever describe.