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Ethan comes out to her like it's a business proposal and it throws Abigail for a million loops until she realises what’s going on.
“So, just to be clear you’re telling me you’re transgender?”
Ethan seems thrown off that she would even know that word – honestly it surprised Abigail a little too; she really reached into the crevices of her brain to find that word and match it to what Ethan was saying, or—
“Is that still your name?”
“Hmm?”
“I guess I don’t want to assume but well, are you going to change your name to a girl name?”
“So you’re fine with this? Like you’re ready to just into logistics?”
“Why are you acting like you didn’t start this conversation as a pitch to convince me to audition to dance at a parade. You set the tone; I am just going with it.”
“That’s what they say about Abigail – always willing to go with the flow.”
“What did I say wrong? The tone you are taking makes me feel like I’m somehow fucking this up and I know I don’t have the best track record with reactions to people coming out but I really do feel like I am matching what you’re putting out here.”
“Nothing, nothing” Ethan replies shaking her head – which is when Abigail notices just how long her hair had grown out.
“You hair looks nice, I guess you always gel it so much that I hadn’t realised how long it had gotten; it suits you.”
“So let me get this straight, you’re very okay with me being a girl and you’re not breaking up with me in the most low-key way ever?”
“Well, I guess we wouldn’t be getting this straight per se.”
“Abby… I get that this is a lot and you also don’t have to decide anything right now – but I just want to get a little look inside your mind and what’s going on in there.”
“No yeah that makes sense,” she pauses, “I still care about you and this relationship in both a professional and romantic capacity but I think I do need to take some time to myself and think about if dating a girl is something that would be good for me – or maybe that's the wrong wording. Not good or bad but maybe fair? Both to you and me.”
“No yeah good, that’s more in line to what I was expecting. But to answer your question from before I do have a name I have been considering. I will warn you, it is a little different.”
“Well considering you had to live so long with one of the most basic boy names in the word I would only expect for you to make a more interesting choice.”
The reply comes after a bout of laughter, “I was considering Germaine.”
“Like the composer from Les Six? Good choice, I like her work” says Abigail, only taking a few seconds to place the name.
“And this is why you’re one of my favourite people. Yeah, just like the composer.”
“Well, I actually do need to head off, I have a lunch thing but it’s a yes to the parade, assuming it’s not against any school or company policies – but if it is, just keep it on the down low and send me over the plans.”
The grin that Germaine gives to that is unparalleled and the hug goodbye is short but firm and before Abigail has even left the building there is a text on her phone with more details about the event.