Chapter 12

Rowan touched her cheek. The red lines from the electrolysis appointment that she’d gone to three days ago still hurt. She grabbed some cream and rubbed it in, and then added the cream to her travel bag. Even if she could pass off the clothing as ‘normal’ or at least gender neutral, the other items she was bringing on this trip gave her new life away. The cream, the hormones in prescription bottles, and the everyday products that she used like deodorant were all women’s now. At work, no one got that close to notice, and if they did, Wanda was right. If you were familiar to someone, they didn’t question you too deeply. They didn’t want to. And it was sort of illegal now anyway.

“I don’t understand,” Wanda said, lying back in the chair with a sigh. “Just be yourself. It’s not that hard. I mean it’s hard, but you’re not the problem. It’s—”

“It’s always other people and their prejudices, I know. I get it. But my family’s…just too much, Wanda. You’ll have to trust me on that.”