Meanwhile, at the Quesada residence...
Juliana noticed that the door to the master bedroom was shut. It was usually never shut except for when she and Millie went to bed(Or were *in* bed).
She opened it and saw Millie on top of the mattress, her knees pressed up against her body. She was holding her phone up to her face, the screen's white glow reflecting off of her large glasses. Millie looked like she had been crying a little as her eyes were red.
"Honey, is something wrong?" Juliana asked as she walked inside.
Millie turned her phone off and looked up at her wife.
"Oh, no, I'm fine. I just read this thread on Twitter earlier, and I got a little upset."
"Twitter still exists? I thought that billionaire bought it and fired everyone, and everyone is leaving it now."
"Well yeah, it's chaotic, but there's still people on it. I read this essay about Embracers today. You know, New Women like us?"
"Yeah?" Juliana said, unsure why that would upset Millie.
"Well, this lady who used to be a trans woman before The Great Change wrote about Embracers and her problems with them, and she made a lot of really good points. It all of it just really hit me hard, and made me feel bad because I saw a lot of myself in the type of person she was describing."
Juliana sighed and shook her head.
"Millie, sweetie, you're fine."
"Yeah, but like, I'm far from perfect. I know that I wasn't happy as a man, but I don't think that I was trans. Maybe I was deep down, but I didn't feel it in my bones. As Milton, I never dressed up in drag or anything. I didn't call myself Millie in my head. I alwąys thought of myself as a man, just a boring and awkward one."
"Yes, you used to be Milton Aaronsohn, and now you're Millie Quesada, the most wonderful woman in the world.".
Millie produced more tears from her eyes.
"Sometimes I don't feel like I am. I try so hard to be the perfect woman. I try to be the perfect wife and the perfect mother and the perfect teacher. That's why I closed the door. I didn't want Paloma to think her mom was some neurotic nutcase that can't handle life. I try and teach her to be strong, but sometimes I don't feel strong."
Juliana shook her heels off of her feet and crawled on top of the bed next to Millie. She held her and looked into her gorgeous face.
"You're so strong fucking strong, Millie Quesada. Look at how far you've come since The Great Change happened. Nobody is perfect. Maybe that trans girl on Twitter made some good points that you relate to, but she doesn't matter. Just care about yourself, and everything will fall into place."
Millie smiled that adorable dorky smile of hers and hugged Juliana.
"Thank you. You always make me feel better. Thank you for putting up with my crazy mood swings."
"I'm latina, I know all about being hot blooded, darling."
**
Emily was glad to be home for the holidays.
She hadn't seen her sister or her mother or her mother's girlfriend Hermione since last Christmas. Med school kept her really busy.
The young born woman heard a knock on the front door and answered it.
"Dad?" she said, stunned.
"Hey, honey" Savannah said with a smile. "Can I come in?"
**
Regina was glad about one thing.
At least she had Sheena to keep her company. The pitter patter of the little dragon as she walked around her apartment helped keep her a little bit sane. As sane as an ex physics teacher cum ex Sorceress Supreme could be.
She heard a knock on her front door.
The door opened with a wave, and Meiko Weir walked inside.
"Hey Regina, my mom was just curious if you wanted to come spend Thanksgiving with us over at our house?"