Page 63 of Is She Really Going Out with Him?
“My self-respect. Others’ professional respect. This whole thing is proving a massive distraction, and I’ve got a lot on my plate.”
“That’s just an excuse.”
“An excuse?”
“Yes. I can say this because I’m your sister, but sometimes I think you use work or the kids as an excuse to say no to stuff. Stuff that feels scary because it might not work out.” She must see my face fall because now she reaches out to put an arm around me. “All I’m saying is, sometimes it’s okay to think withsomething other than your head,” Lottie says, thrusting her pelvis inappropriately, just as Jess appears beside us.
“How’s Ethan doing?” she asks, taking off her headphones and peering at the pitch.
“He hasn’t touched the ball, but he’s having a wonderful time,” Lottie tells her.
“Look at me!” shouts Ethan as he runs past us, waving his stick in the air.
“Wouldn’t it be great to be Ethan,” Jess says, and we both laugh, knowing exactly what she means.
“To go through life with the confidence of a seven-year-old boy? Heaven,” I say.
“You okay, Jessie?” Lottie asks, and I turn to see Jess’s expression falter.
“What’s happened?” I ask, reaching out to squeeze her hand.
“At break, Penny told everyone I was changing my pronouns. Now everyone is calling me they/them,” Jess says, rolling her eyes as though she’s over it, but I see from the set of her jaw she’s not. “Which would be fine if I wanted to identify that way, but I don’t.”
“That is not acceptable. Have you told your teacher?” I ask.
“No, Mum,” she says, pulling her hand away. “What’s the teacher going to do? Call a meeting about my pronouns? That’s exactly what Pennywantsme to do.” She holds out her hand. “Can I have the car keys? I’m going to put my stuff in the car.”
“What am I supposed to do about this Penny girl?” I ask Lottie once Jess is out of earshot.
“Nothing,” says Lottie. “Just be supportive. Make sure you give her time and space to talk to you about it. Maybe’s there’s more to it.”
“Like what?” I ask. “Did she say something?”
“No, I just sense it. Jess is like you, she bottles things up.”
“I don’t bottle things up,” I say indignantly.
The whistle goes; the game has finished. Ethan runs over to us waving his stick in the air. “Did you see me? Did you see me?”
“You were brilliant,” Lottie says, grabbing his stick and jumping up and down with him. “Such excellent running!”
“Did you see when I nearly got the ball?” Ethan looks at me with huge, excited eyes.
“Yes, you were so fast!” I say, giving him a high five.
As we all pile into the car to drive home, Ethan leans forward from the backseat.
“Mum, what’s that on your arm? Is that a tattoo?” he asks in dismay.
“What?” Jess shrieks, leaning over him to see. Looking down, I realize the plaster I’ve been wearing has come off.
“Oh.” I swallow uncomfortably.
“When did you get this?” Jess asks, slack-jawed.
“It was a mistake. I’m getting it removed,” I say, putting a protective hand over it.
“How do you get a tattoo by mistake?” asks Lottie.
