Chapter one: part one

Part one of three. Chapter one description: intro to main characters and some of the main conflict.

 Meredith Collier (born Jean-Luc Collier just outside of Houston, Texas) adjusted the paper bags she was carrying in order to fish the key out of her pocket. Her long, brown hair was braided back for the most part, a few strands escaping to frame her oval-shaped face and dove grey eyes. In the spirit of true Colorado autumn, she wore a pair of blue jeans, sneakers and a loose grey sweater.

The residents were already decorating the boarding house for Halloween, despite the fact that the holiday was still a month away. As Meredith opened the door and stepped inside, she heard voices from the kitchen—or rather a single, feminine voice prattled on to an unheard companion and a baby babbled happily.

Meredith poked her head into the kitchen and sighed heavily when she caught sight of her least favorite boarder popping something into the oven.

Rae Bell was a heavy-set, homely woman with honey-colored hair in a tight bun on top of her head, brown eyes and a frilly apron around her waist. She turned and smiled at a teenaged boy sitting at the table beside her daughter’s high chair. Before she could open her mouth to say anything, Meredith dropped the shopping bags on the table and grinned stiffly at her.

“Hello, Rae.” She began unloading her groceries on the kitchen table. “I didn’t know you were cooking today. And who’s our guest here?”

“I decided to make pumpkin bread, Jean,” she said, an edge of ice to her voice as she rounded the table to pick Anna-Nicole, the baby, from the high chair.

“I’ve asked you to call me Meredith,” she sighed, setting the piecrust on the table between her and the stranger.

The other woman sniffed disapprovingly. “It’s not right that a man should go around presenting himself as a woman, Jean. I don’t care if others accept you as female, I won’t. You are a man, through and through.”

Meredith scowled but Rae was out of the room before she could protest.

The youth at the table was studying her with a curious frown. He was thin, with short, dusty blond hair and a small nose.

She sighed, forced a smile and extended her hand. “Meredith Collier. I’m the landlady here.”

The boy eyed her proffered hand suspiciously before carefully taking it. His grip was weak and his green eyes fearful. “Rae said you were a man.”

“Biologically, I am. For a little longer, at least. I’m in the process of fixing that.” She chuckled. “What’s your name?”

“Lyndon Dorsey,” he muttered, dropping his gaze to the table. “I…was looking for a place to stay and Rae said there was some extra room here.”

“Aren’t you a little young to be on your own?”

“I’m sixteen, sir…ma’am. And I’ve got nowhere else to go.”

“Ah. Well. I’m sure you’ll tell me why eventually. Let’s get you moved in, shall we?” She smiled kindly at him and surveyed the things she had bought as she stood. “Let me get this put away, first.”

He nodded. “Um. How…how much will rent be?”

Meredith paused in the process of putting a tub of butter in the fridge to glance over her shoulder at him. She pursed her lips, and nodded as she came to a decision. “Nothing for the first four months and we can decide from there. You in school?”

“Yes,” he muttered, taken aback by her generosity.

“Good.” She closed the refrigerator door and straightened, grinning at the boy. “I’ll show you what’s open at the moment, then. Follow me."

Reviews

[Philosophile. (Maddy)]

Your descriptions and writing here is wonderful- everything flows so well! Also, Meredith's gender identity was a complete shock to me! She sounds like such a kind, generous person. Overall, great job with this!