Page 75 of Pity Parade

Trent takes a long hard look at my hands before saying, “You’ve got nice hands. They’re not very big.” That’s a strange thing to say, and Paige and I share a side-eye. Then I notice Trent staring at my throat.

“Is something wrong?” I ask him.

His face flushes bright red before he answers, “No, not at all. Why do you ask?” He seems exceedingly nervous.

“The comment about my hands was kind of weird,” I tell him.

He inhales deeply before saying, “I’m sorry. I just can’t seem to get it out of my head what Heath said.” Then his eyes widen like he didn’t mean to say anything about Heath.

“What did Heath say?” I ask.

“I shouldn’t repeat it. I mean, it’s none of my business one way or another.”

Everyone at the table is now highly interested in whatever Heath told him, so I encourage, “Come on, you can tell us.”

“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

Now I’m the one getting nervous. “I assure you, Trent, you can say whatever it is in front of Paige and Prim. I’ve got no secrets.”

Trent briefly glances at our table mates before announcing, “Heath thought that you might have once been a man. He said that’s why he didn’t go out with you after the first time.”

“What?!” Oh yeah, I practically shout that at the top of my lungs. “He told you I was a man?”

“He said he didn’t know for sure. He thought maybe …”

If Heath Fox were here, I’d wrap my hands around his neck and strangle the life out of him. What kind of thing is that to tell a total stranger—even if it were true? Which it most certainly is not. “I was born a girl,” I tell Trent. “And I’ve been one my whole life. I also intend on staying one.”

He looks relieved. “Okay, good. I mean, I don’t care and if you were born a boy that’s cool, too. You know, to each his own. Or her own ...” he hurries to add.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Heath told Trent I was trans to keep Trent from being interested in me. And that makes me furious. How dare he? It’s not like he’s interested in me for himself. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Paige senses which way my mood has turned and takes over the conversation. “Anyone else excited about the fireworks on the Fourth?” As far as subject changes go, it’s an odd one. I mean, we’re a good month away from fireworks. Unless Heath comes back to Elk Lake sooner. Then I’m certain there will be another explosion that will rock the town.

Prim announces, “I love fireworks! I understand the park district has gotten an additional fifty for this year’s celebration.”

I don’t really care, but I ask, “Why is this year special?”

“It’s Elk Lake’s one-hundred-and-fifty-year anniversary,” Trent says. “And we’re a town that likes to celebrate.”

I try to imagine what my Fourth of July will look like. Will it be with Daniel? If not him, Nick? All I know for sure is that it won’t be Heath and if he knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay in Chicago.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

HEATH

I wind up staying in the city longer than I planned. Jeremiah Engle was out of town when I first got here, so I decided to stay put until he got back. That happy day is today, which puts me at nine days in the Loop.

I’ve been tempted to call Trina, but I’ve resisted. I really want to tell her about my news in person—the news that I’m ready to come back to the land of the living and date her exclusively. I’ve also been tempted to call Daniel to make sure he left Elk Lake when he was supposed to. The only reason I haven’t is because I know that Trina had pretty much turned on the idea of dating him after their first day together.

I walk around Navy Pier while waiting for Jeremiah. We’ve had all our business lunches at his favorite hot dog cart, Windy City Wieners. It’s one of the reasons I was looking forward to working with him. Jeremiah is as salt of the earth as you can get.

When I finally see him, I’m surprised he’s not alone. He’s with a young woman and they’re talking animatedly. They almost appear to be arguing. As such, he’s so preoccupied he doesn’t even notice me until he’s practically standing in front of me.

“Hello, Jeremiah,” I say to him.

He jolts upright in surprise. “Heath, hello. I hope I haven’t kept you.”

“It’s been nice spending a little time on the pier,” I tell him. Then I introduce myself to the woman next to him. “I’m Heath Fox.”

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