Family Trumbull, Judy, Marge, Bob, Nick,& Mark sat at The table, eating Apple pie. Then, Mark said, “I have an announcement. They all looked at him. Mark took a breath and said, “I want to add a wife to our family. Trumbull was surprised. Mark was The introvert of The group. He became part of Their polyamory soon after They founded Kyoto. “Well, we will need to vote her in. Is she someone we know? Mark said, “Yes, in a way”. Trumbell asked, “Well, who is she?”. Mark said, “Her name is Marla.
Judy interrupted, “Well, There is one problem. There’s 6 of us and There is 6 rooms and 2 bathrooms. A 7th member means we’d have to add another room and a new bathroom. You know we can do that, but Gilead is keeping things really busy right now…”
Mark took another breath, Then let it out slowly and said, “No, that won’t be a problem.
“How is that?”, Judy asked.
Mark said, “I am Marla. And I want to be your new wife.”
Mark spoke in a torrent, “You all must have noticed every Halloween & Costume party, I always go as a girl – as The Princess, The Stewardess, a Beauty Queen? The Princess, Stewardess & Beauty Queen were The costume, my being a woman was not. For whatever reasons, I am a woman and I can not pretend to be Mark anymore. I ask you now to accept me as Marla, your wife.
Judy said, grinning, “Marge and I knew. You gave us glimpses from time to time, placing clues in an artfully sloppy way. Besides, you had undies. We were just waiting for you to tell us”. But why now?
“Me too”, said Nick, not in the least surprised. Bob said, “I had no frigging idea.” Everybody laughed.
Trumbull said, “Nowhere”. Marla nodded. During the months I worked in NoWhere, I was Mark by day and Marla at night. I put on my dresses and makeup, and go on the town as Marla. I met people, made friends, went out on dates, and had relationships. My feelings were real and I realized, Marla wasn’t my alter ego, Mark was. There’s no going back. I love you all, and I need to love you as who I really am, your wife, Marla.
Trumbull said, “To tell you the truth, Marla, I knew too. As you all know me, I tend to see everybody’s true nature. Besides, Marla gave us hints. Body language, small movements. How you asked and danced with your husbands at those parties, the way you guided us by hand”. As a wife would”. Marla couldn’t breathe. “Are you prepared to be our Wife, Marla? Not only in the privacy of this home, but out in public?”
Marla said, “Yes, I am aware. I am not… without experience. Husband to you I am not truly, truly I am your wife. I want that more than anything in The world!”
Trumbull said, “Well, it is time to introduce us to Marla”. Mark said, “I’ll be back in two shakes of a Lamb’s tail.”. And 20 minutes later, slightly nervous in a dress and heels, was Marla. They all agreed, “Wow! You are a stunner!”
They put it to the vote then. Everybody said yest to Marla. She radiated joy.
They prepared for a wedding. A month later, with Mother presiding, the Trumbull family announced their vows and introduced their new wife, Marla to the Kyoto community. Marla must’ve danced with everybody. Much food eaten, must wine flowed, much flirting, much drama. A moment of joy under the gathering clouds of impending war.
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