April 10
Mike always found his brother’s approach to his parents to be intensely humorous, he watched how faithfully committed his older brother had been in his need for approval from their absent parents. The weekly conference call days after school with their parents via a group skype had become more and more of a dying routine within the Bradshaw household over the years. Their father had decided since the family could rarely ever be in the same place, let alone the same time zone, at the same time it would be productive to hold these family meetings as if it was the best substitute for an actual family dinner night.
Mrs. Bradshaw had always been the biggest success story being an editor for multiple major magazines after her article in The New York Times landed her in time magazine in the year that followed Miles birth, she was a poor Puerto Rican who had took the world of journalism on by storm. And now she sat at the head of a fashion magazine that made traveling perpetually her entire life. While Mr. Bradshaw had been recently made CEO of an international networking firm that also made him virtually nonexistent. The two had provided a privileged life for their two sons Markus and Miles, just without them. The brothers even shared a full time nanny whose role had become more of a groundskeeper rather than an actual caregiver since the brothers started high school and their personal lives had gone through puberty.
Their large scale home had been their mother’s dream home. Miles could count on his hands how many times his mother actually lived in the house. The five bedrooms, large pool and garden.
Miles made no attempt to try and hide his black eye from the large split screen with both his parents still preoccupied by whatever tasks they already had in front of them. Markus gleaned wide eye at the massive dark swollen spot that used to be his brother’s left eye. Miles grabbed one of the sodas Robin, their housekeeper/ nanny had placed on the large scaled dining room table. Miles and Markus sat across from each other at one corner of the table as the flat screen hung above them.
Markus made a fist and pretended to punch himself in the face, as if reacting a brawl that he was concocting in his head. Miles modestly shook his head with a small level of delight, a smirk followed as Miles eyeballed the screen. Both brothers wondered if either of their parents would notice the mark on his face. There had multiple times in the past that such events had gone unnoticed and the duo had become accustomed to the joke known as their parental units.
Robin brought out plates of fried chicken, corn, rice, and a sweet potato and placed the plates in front of the two brothers. “Today, we do soul food fellas. I got a new recipe for the sweet potatoes. Mrs. Bradshaw sent me a link last week and I’ve been waiting to try it on ya.” Robin gave a small chuckle. Robin had been with the boys since they were in preschool. She was a short slim black elderly woman, her hair had turned a shiny silver gray.
“Robin, if you don’t just call me Val miss thing, you’re making me sound old.” Mrs. Valerie Bradshaw complained jokingly.
“Ma I’m almost 18, I hope you are some type of old.”, Miles laughed.
“Boy hush, you know your mama young as they come because you know like I know-,” Val said,
“-black don’t crack.” the entire family said in unison.
“How’s everything fellas, school this week was fun? Markus you decided on an extracurricular activity besides playstation?” Markus Bradshaw Senior asked.
“You know what pops I joined the newspaper yesterday, they say I can do photos in the community outreach section.” Markus spoke as he chewed.
“Newspaper at school, nice, looks good on your college transcript son.” Senior said.
“Community outreach is,” Val started yet her tone quickly reached a screech, “MILES WHAT HAPPEN TO YOUR FACE!” Val screamed out moving her face as close to the screen as possible. “Get over here right now! What happened!?”
Miles shook his head as he took another bite of his sweet potato, “Ma it’s nothing, I just had tryouts for captain of the team today. And yes ma I made captain.”
“This is why I did not want him playing no crazy ass sports Markus, what happen to basketball, hell tennis? My child looks like he’s been hit by a bus Markus! Markus senior you pay attention to me!” Val looked like she was ready to jump through the screen.
“V, the boy plays rugby, its basically football without pads from my understanding of it, in any sport the kids are bound to get hurt one way or another. That is quite a shiner Miles you sure you didn’t over do it?” Senior raised his eyebrows.
“Pops it's a dog eat dog world out there. Plus this year the team is in full form. We’re taking the championship this year I can feel it. As me leading us the way, we’re unstoppable. I hope you guys can come to at least one of the games this year.” Miles’ pitch changed from ambitious to sloken.
“You have a lot on your plate this year don’t you, your student body vice president, the chess club president, you’re on the track team, now this captain of this rugby thing, don’t overdo it Miles.” V shook her head getting back to whatever tasks she had been lost focus on before.
“You’re the one who told me to do as much as I could my senior year, and you completely avoided my other statement I see. You know what, fuck it!” Miles got up from the table and stormed out.
“MILES JEFFREY BRADSHAW what did you just say? You get back here!” V yelled out to the screen.
Senior coughed up, “Val did you even listen to the boy?”
“Yes, he just cursed me out, far as I’m concerned.”
“We both need to clear a weekend and go home Val, that’s all that’s about, and we have to go to one of these games.”
“You’re probably right, I’ll have my office contact your office to free up some dates.”
Markus started laughing, “This has to be the only family that has other people scheduling time to spend with their own kids. It's ridiculous to say the least. Miles is just trying to impress you people. Thank god I haven’t picked up on the need of your approval, it's like a never ending mountain of disappointment with you two. But on the bright side Robin’s sweet potato is a slam dunk. The woman really needs her own cooking show.” Markus on the while chewing his food and stuffing his face, neglecting to even take a look up at his parents to receive a reaction.
January 2
Bobby looked at his holiday cards from multiple relatives, he looked over all the cards with his birth name written on them. He understood that most of them hadn’t been aware of his decision to transition from the tom-boy Debbie to the teenage boy Bobby. He understood, that didn’t mean he wasn’t annoyed beyond belief. The holidays were a serious thing in his family, especially New Year’s since this was the time of year his grandparents had come over to the states from El Salvador. This year his parents had planned a homecoming for his whole stateside family. To much of his surprise hadn’t received any resistance when he told his parents he didn’t want to go back to the motherland.
His parents shared the same level of unease when trying to explain their daughter’s new reality. Bobby’s parents were still struggling with the basic concept of a transgendered person. Bobby’s mother had had the most challenging time especially with their daughter’s name request. To avoid conflict she decided on referring to Bobby as Love or Lovely. Bobby knew that it was her best attempt at tolerance and acceptance. While Bobby’s papi who always seem to know that his daughter was way different just called him kid, no matter the situation. He had rallied for him when he wanted to try out for the football team when he was in middle school.