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“Trans—”

Fallon cut this one off before it could start. “People who don’t always feel like the way they were born. Like if someone who is born a boy doesn’t feel like they’re a boy but a girl or not either a boy or a girl… It’s complicated.”

“Like my friend Kate. Kate says she’s a boy, so we use boy pronouns for her.”

“Well, in this case, him, then.”

“Right. Him.” Brinley’s cheeks flushed. “It’s hard to remember sometimes.”

“It can be.” Fallon took her first bite of egg. She wasn’t a fan of over easy eggs. In fact, if given the choice, it was probably the last one she’d make, but Brinley had made them for her, so she would choke her way through them.

“So my dad called you a dyke and a cunt—”

“You really probably shouldn’t repeat those words.” Fallon sipped her coffee. “I’m not sure what your mom would say if she heard that.”

“Okay. So my dad called you mean things because he doesn’t like you.”

“Pretty much,” Fallon agreed. She glanced at the watch on her wrist. She needed to get going soon. She hadn’t expected to spend this much time with Brinley this morning.

“But why doesn’t he like you?”

“Again, that’s probably a question for him or your mom.” Fallon straightened her shoulders as she finished her plate. “I need to go to work.”

“Okay.” Brinley took another bite of her first egg. “Will you have a sleepover again?”

“I… don’t know.” Fallon pressed her lips into a thin line. Something about this morning was so wholesome but at the same time the warning bells were going off in her head, and she wasn’t sure which thread to follow.

Standing up with her plate, she returned it to the sink and rinsed it. Then she slipped into the bedroom with Savannah and pulled her jacket over her shoulders and buttoned and tied the fabric belt. When she looked up, Savannah was stretched out onto the bed, the blanket at her waist, revealing her gorgeous breasts.

Fallon’s entire body was ready to go again. That soreness between her legs was already easing, and she wanted it backagain. She wanted to be used and spent and exhausted in that exact way. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Fallon bent down and pressed her mouth to Savannah’s, holding the kiss but not deepening it.

“I need to apologize before you go out there.”

“Why? What happened?” Savannah turned onto her side, curling her arm around Fallon’s.

“Brinley’s awake.” Fallon brushed her fingers over Savannah’s cheek, combing her hair behind her ear. “She’s very curious.”

“She’s nine, of course she’s curious.”

Fallon nodded slowly. “She had a lot of questions, and I tried to answer, but I’m going to bet you’re going to have a whole lot more questions to answer than I did.”

“Wonderful.” Savannah frowned before her eyes lit up again. “Do I taste coffee?”

“Yes. There’s still some in the pot for you.”

“I forgot to set it last night.”

Fallon nodded. “Brinley told me where to find the coffee. Then I helped her make some eggs.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” Savannah slid her hand down Fallon’s arm to her wrist. “She’s not your responsibility.”

“She’s not,” Fallon whispered, bending down for another kiss. “But I’m not going to let a kid starve because her mother hasn’t taught her how to use the stove yet.”

Savannah chuckled as she dove her fingers into Fallon’s hair and pulled her in tightly. Their lips moved against each other, the kiss deepening. Finally Fallon pulled away with one more peck before she sat up and moved off the mattress.

“Text me about what she says. I’m curious what she’ll ask you.”

“Do I get a heads up at all?”