A Bridge For Me

A Bridge For Me



Chapter I









"Ekho!!!"

I stir around in my bed, not wanting to aknowledge that I heard anything.

"Ekho!! I know you're faking being asleep! Don't think that being your father for 15...Oh sorry 16 years hasn't taught me anything about your laziness." his excitement couldn't be missed. He was oozing positive energy through my door, and it hit me harder than the sun that was now trying to sneak it's way through my window. Crap, he wasn't gonna leave me alone. I thought I could have gotten away with the fake-sleep routine for another 15 years before he caught on. I rolled off of the bed landing on the ground ever so gracefully...You know on my face.

THUMP

"Ekho!! Oh my God Ekho are you okay!?" my day asked concerned. Conveniently he had just walked into my room, as I attempted the Bed-Head-Suicide. He always had a way of being awful with timing. Or perfect with timing...I couldn't really tell just yet. "Yeah Dad I'm fine, I just thought that maybe throwing my face into the floor might make me look so disfigured I could age backwards a couple of years. How do I look?" I asked still laying on the floor, pointing down towards my face. I tried my best to contort my face into something that not even a father could love. "Like you're 16!!!" He squealed, jumping up and down. He danced his way over to my blanket coffin and helped me off the ground. Well it wasn't so much helping as rolling me over and over until I flew out like a welcome matt. He seemed to be having too much fun playing with Taco Ekho.  It made me wonder if it wasn't him, who had just turned 16 and not me. I tried to give him a glaring look, but I was never able to contain my joy and love when I saw my father. I broke out a smile with him and started jumping up and down. Oh the things we do for our parents.



"Children!! Breakfast is ready, come down and eat before it gets cold!" That would be my mother, always up before...well anyone in the world getting everything ready so that the day went smoothly. My father gave me a look that said "let's not disappoint your mother" and kissed me on the forehead before running down the stairs no doubt taking them three or four at a time. I shook my head and looked around my room for some clothes. I tore off my pajamas and scanned for anything that might be wearable. It was hard my room was a complete mess I had spent the entire night with Nyx looking for an outfit to wear tonight. In then we had picked out a total of 0 outfits and had instead spent the whole day talking about who in the town had gotten cute enough for anyone to actually wanna "bridge" with them. The honest to God answer? Nobody. See the problem with living in a town where everyone knows everyone is that...well everyone knows everyone. There was not a single guy in town whose bed wetting experiences or first kisses to girl..or guy were even secrets anymore. There was nothing to interest me anymore.



I think that's what made tonight so nerve wracking for me. Just knowing that I would have to eventually share my soul with one of those guys. It was just creepy. I shook my head and headed downstairs towards the kitchen choosing to sit down on one of our many (three...we only have three) stools. My mothers back was turned to me when I first walked in, but I made a little throat clearing noise so she wouldn't get scared when she just turned around and saw me there. She swung around in typical Kali fashion. She was an older woman, but age had not yet had it's way with her. It seemed scared to touch something that looked so endless. Her hair still retained its color, not showing any signs of wanting to grey up anytime soon, and her body looked like it stole my youth while I was sleeping. I could only pray that when I turned 40, the universe would have pity on me and at least leave me with some shred of dignity. She gave me a wide smile which the quickly turned into one of pure horror. Her mouth flew open and the pan which she was holding fell to the ground. I stared at her trying to figure out the reason she looked so scared



"Ekho....darling....you...gah....your...." She couldn't seem to find the words, and it didn't help me at all because I still didn't know what the heck she was so scared about. No sooner did I have about 5 seconds to look around when my father walked out of the bathroom. "Well I can't wait to start this day off with a good.....GOD! GOOD GOD! Ekho!! Where are your clothes??" He said, the horror in his voice seeming to be an exact voice over of the face my mother was portraying. "What're you talking about I'm wearing...." I looked down and realized that I hadn't thrown anything on after I'd taken my pajamas off to change. My face turned beat read and I ran upstairs no doubt showing my family the fruits of their labor while I did. I put on a pair of shorts and a tank top, double checking my mirror to make sure that this time I actually put clothes on and then made my way down stairs. All this while my parents hadn't quite seemed to gather their bearings so I walked over to my mother and closed her mouth for her.

"I'm sorry darling, I think I started drooling..." she said. "Yeah, I think you might have gotten some on the eggs mama." She seemed distraught as she threw the eggs into the garbage and started on a new batch. I turned around to my father who seemed to be in much better condition although still in a little bit of shock.



"Well at least now I don't have to check you for any ouchies you seem to be in perfect condition Ms. Ekho!" said my Dad in a tone that was only fit for dogs and children under the age of .... no not even for children. "Oh my God Dad! Please no ewwww no that never happened! And if you tell anyone about this I swear I will never speak to you again!" "But if you never talk to me again, who's gonna tell you about that birthmark on your left cheek?"



I punched him in the arm playfully and sat down. We both started laughing wildly while my mom cooked. She would join us every now and them for a laugh but for the most part she seemed distant in her corner. I wondered what was wrong usually if my father was laughing so was she. After breakfast my mother helped me get ready for my Bridging ceremony. "Darling, do you have anybody in mind that you would want to spend the most time with?" She was concerned that my very un emotional nature was going to ruin the family I was sure of it. To tell her the truth I was a little concerned about how I was going to perform myself. I never had any emotional feelings for the boys in our town, in fact according to all of them I was one of the boys. I wasn't as good as a housewife as my mother. I couldn't cook, I didn't know the proper silverware to use when we ate salads the most obvious choice was usually the best one or at least so I thought until I realized it wasn't very civilized to eat with my hands. Thanks Dad for the advice.



"I don't know...I mean there are some cute boys.." There weren't any but I wasn't about to tell her that. "Blight is....nice...and ummm he's tall." That's right Ekho keep the awesome adjectives coming. "Well what about Sol? He's a very educated boy and he is single. Girls have been lining up behind him just waiting for the day that they turn 16!" She seemed excited about Sol as a suitor as if, it was the obvious choice of the universe itself. I stifled a laugh, not well enough though my mother stopped brushing and looked down at me. "What?" she asked quizzically. I couldn't not tell her the story was too good to pass up.

"Mama, the thing about Sol is that the girls are lining up behind Sol because people like what they can't have." She looked at me expectantly apparently not understanding the point I was trying to make. Alright then...how to go about this.



"Mama sometimes... there are people who like ummm we'll call them flowers... and then there are some people who like the gardeners....preferably male gardeners." I raised an eyebrow and nodded my head up and down. Nailed it. She stared at me and then said..

"Well I like flowers and gardeners, I mean you can't have one without the other right?"

Now it was my turn to drop my job and have my mouth hanging open. She didn't get it I didn't know any other way without spelling his secret out to her. She closed my jaw for me.

"Sorry Darling you were starting to drool. So anyways Sol is a gardner? That's no reason to think any less of him!"

I....she....it didn't....what.....



"Oh for the love of all that is holy, Kali honey??... Sol is gay! Ekho is trying to tell you that he likes boys. Girls only hangout with him because well...where there's Sol there's a gay!" He thought he was hilarious, well in all fairness most of the time he was. "DAD! That doesn't even make any sense! And I'm pretty sure that's not how the saying goes!" He chuckled to himself then proceeded to do whatever he was doing before dropping the bombshell. I looked back up at my mother who seemed to have a quiet understanding now. She looked sad that she hadn't been able to tell, but other than that she seemed okay... I think. I placed my hand on top of her hand that held my shoulder and gave her a weak smile. I couldn't really give her the strength she needed because I was going to need all of it that I could muster to get through this night. We finished my hair and I stood up, it was done up in a very regal way. Not at all like I would usually have it, but I smiled at my mom and gave her a big hug. "I'm so proud of you darling! You look amazing and everything is going to go amazing! Watch out for that Sol kid though I hear he likes gardening!"



"Oooooh, so close mama you were so close to getting it right that time!" I gave her a big genuine smile, and she did the same. For the first time in awhile it seemed like we connected. I wonder why I hadn't realize it had been so long. I'd have to ask her later. I pulled the Bridging Dress out of my closet, it was black silk and had a cut down the leg. Then I picked up some heels that my mother had bought me, speaking of cutting lets just say my feet were not going to enjoy this ride. With one last glance into the mirror, I had to catch my breath. I looked like a completely different person, it amazed me that there could be a girl underneath all that...Sarcasm and wit. I smiled at myself letting my gaze linger for a second before I heard my father call out to us from below. I knew he was going to DIE when he saw this outfit, and not wanting for his head to explode of excitement I made my way down the stairs. When I passed through the front door, into the outside world I heard my father gasp. One. Twice. Three times. "Dad...That's a little much don't you think?" I asked tilting my head down so that he realized he might be over reacting a little.

"WHAT!? Of course not my daughter is the most beautiful girl in the whole wide world! There isn't a single guy who deserves to bridge with you! How about we just drive around in circles and tell your mother that you went?"

I chuckled a little bit, no one knew how to make me feel better in the face of certain relationship death than my father.



"What?! And miss out on my possible lifetime supply of endless shoe shopping with Sol? Or miss out on the hundreds of bedwetting adventures I could have with Hayle? No Dad I can't miss out on this!!"

"Oh you're right...Oh before I forget here's a little gift for your Ceremony." He pulled out a crudely designed bag, that looked like something you gave someone on their wedding day. I stared up at him wondering what he could have possibly felt the need to buy for me. We were in no way poor but we didn't exactly have money that we could just be splurging. When I saw where exactly the gift was from I held my breath hoping he hadn't gone and done something dumb.



"Well don't just start at it open it!!" He said radiating with his trademark enthusiasm. Smiling I grabbed the back from him and pulled out a box. The box read To my amazing daughter with love, you always know that I'm thinking about you! I blinked a couple of times holding back tears. Realizing that this would be the last time in my life I was with my father and not trying to woo my potential mate. He kept looking at me towards the box, I decided I shouldn't wait any longer and decided to put both of us out of our misery. I opened the box and inside was a beautiful...diaper. I stared at him dumbfounded.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" he burst out laughing and grabbed his sides. I had no idea what was going on. I stared at him, he was dying. Whatever the joke had been I wasn't getting it.



"Dad! What the hell?! I thought you were getting me something sentimental!?"



"I.....I......Am! HAHAHAHAHAHAH me and your mother placed a bet on who you would choose out of Sol and Hayle and since Sol is out I KNEW it was.....going.to.be.Hayle! BAHAHAHAHAH so i got you something to protect you and himself from the bed wetting monster!! Nothing....but....the best for you bud! HAHAHAHAHAHA".



I knew it, at that point in time, my father had lost it. That's why my mother had been so sad all day she knew he was crazy too. I punched my dad playfully in the arm, but not before laughing myself. Once I started I couldn't stop, my father had always had that effect on me when he laughed I laughed. When he cried I cried. A few minutes later we had both calmed down and my father and I finished wiping the tears from our eyes.

"Oh my little Ekho, I'm going to miss this." he said, sadness suddenly replacing what had just been pure ecstasy.I knew this talk was going to have to come eventually the one where the parent basically has to give this big stupid goodbye to the kid. Everyone in town had to do it. It just seemed surreal that it was going to be me this time.



"Yeah I know dad me too...It's just all so sudden. I mean sure it's been 15 years but gosh you know?" He just nodded. Of course he knew, he always knew what I was feeling. We gave each other a big hug and then he held open my door and led me into the car. I stared at my house through the passenger seat window and tried to imagine what it would be like seeing it for the last time. I couldn't even fathom, it had been my home for so long. How does someone say goodbye to something that seemed to always be there. I felt like no matter where I went home would always be home. My father always said that a home is where the person you love is with. Yeah right I had always told him, I couldn't imagine me feeling for anyone enough to call them my "home". But I was going to have to try wasn't I? That's what the bridging was all about after all, trying to build a home with someone. I stared at the house until it was just another memory in my peripheral vision and then concentrated on the road in front of me. The road that would lead to my future no matter how bleak it seemed, and for the first time all day I felt ready.