THE PRICE OF inHERitance

Facing the Changes

Ellie sat on the couch, his arms wrapped around himself, as if holding his body together would somehow stop the flood of emotions. The past few weeks had been nothing short of a nightmare—a constant reminder of the irreversible changes he was forced to endure. Lizzie sat next to him, quiet, her eyes filled with worry, but not knowing what to say.

His reflection in the mirror across the room was a daily reminder. His hips, fuller than before, his chest with the unmistakable outline of breasts, and worst of all, knowing that inside, his reproductive system had been changed. The weight of having a uterus and ovaries was crushing, but more than that, the knowledge that periods were now a part of his life made him feel trapped.

Lizzie finally broke the silence. "Ellie, I know it's a lot. But you can talk to me. You don't have to carry this alone."

Ellie let out a bitter laugh, his voice softer and higher than he remembered. "Talk about what, Liz? That I now have a uterus? That I'll get periods? That I can never be the same again? What's there to say?"

Lizzie sighed. "I'm just saying... you're allowed to be angry. To feel whatever you're feeling. This isn't normal. None of this is."

Ellie turned to face her, his expression a mix of frustration and despair. "You think I don't know that? I can't even look at myself without wanting to scream." His voice cracked, and he paused, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I never asked for any of this. I didn't want to be a girl, Lizzie. I didn't want to—"

He couldn't finish. The words got stuck in his throat, like a knot tightening with every breath.

Lizzie put her hand on his. "You don't have to be strong all the time, you know. It's okay to break down. You've been through something horrible."

Ellie blinked, fighting back the tears. "I just... I don't even know what's happening to me anymore. My body's changing so fast. The hormones, the... emotions. It's like I'm not even me anymore."

Lizzie looked at him, a mixture of sadness and anger in her eyes. "Vivian had no right to do this to you. I tried stopping it, but I was too late."

Ellie's mind wandered back to the hospital. The sterile lights, the doctor's impassive face as they explained the procedure. He hadn't had time to process it then, and now it was like a tidal wave crashing over him. He knew he had ovaries and a uterus. He knew that periods were now inevitable. But the reality hadn't sunk in until Lizzie spelled it out.

"Periods..." he whispered, almost to himself. "How am I supposed to handle that?"

Lizzie shrugged, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, you'll need a good supply of pads and tampons, for starters."

Ellie shot her a look. "Not helping."

Lizzie gave him a small smile. "Okay, maybe not. But seriously, I'm here for you. Whatever you need."

Ellie leaned back into the couch, his body sinking into the cushions. "I feel like my life's been stolen from me."

"I know," Lizzie said quietly. "But it's still your life, Ellie. They can change your body, but they can't take away who you are. Not if you don't let them."

Ellie sighed. "Who am I, though? I'm not... me anymore. I don't even know who I'm supposed to be."

Lizzie squeezed his hand. "You're still Ellie. You're still my sibling. And whatever happens next, we'll face it together."

Ellie didn't say anything for a long moment, his mind racing with the weight of everything he'd been through. The loss of his masculinity, the transformation into something he never wanted to be, the looming reality of being biologically female in a way that was far beyond anything he could have imagined. It was all too much, too fast.

But Lizzie was there, solid and unwavering. And for the first time in what felt like forever, Ellie allowed himself to lean on her, just a little.

"Thanks, Lizzie," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

She smiled softly. "Always."

The next morning, Ellie woke up feeling different. Not physically, but emotionally. There was still anger, still confusion, but there was also a sense of acceptance beginning to form. His body was still changing, and the hormones were making him more emotional than ever, but for the first time, he felt like he could face it.

As he got out of bed and looked in the mirror, Ellie took a deep breath. He wasn't ready to accept everything that had happened, but maybe—just maybe—he could find a way to survive it.

---

Later that day, Vivian stood in the kitchen, her usual cold demeanor softening just slightly as Ellie entered the room. Lizzie was at the table, sipping coffee and eyeing their stepmother warily.

Vivian cleared her throat. "Ellie, we have an appointment with the hormone specialist next week."

Ellie stiffened but nodded. He had no choice in this, no real say in how things would go. The only thing he had control over was how he would react.

Lizzie shot Vivian a sharp look. "You can't just expect him to fall in line with this. He's been through hell."

Vivian raised an eyebrow. "This is for the best, Lizzie. Ellie will adjust. And in time, he'll understand."

Ellie clenched his fists. "Understand what? That you stole my life? That you turned me into something I never wanted to be?"

Vivian's face remained calm, as if she had rehearsed this conversation. "You're not losing your life, Ellie. You're gaining a future. One that will benefit us all."

Ellie's anger flared, but Lizzie placed a hand on his arm, grounding him. "Let it go," she whispered. "For now."

Ellie exhaled, the tension slowly easing out of his body. He wasn't ready to fight this battle just yet. But one day, he would. One day, he'd find a way to reclaim what had been taken from him.

For now, though, he had to endure.

---

That evening, as they sat in the living room, Lizzie tried to lighten the mood again. "Hey, maybe we should plan something fun. A day out, or something. Just to get your mind off things."

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "Fun?"

Lizzie grinned. "Yeah, you know... something that doesn't involve hospitals or hormones."

Ellie couldn't help but laugh, though it was a tired, strained sound. "I'll think about it."

Lizzie nodded, satisfied. "Good. One step at a time, right?"

Ellie smiled faintly. "Yeah. One step at a time."

And with that, they both settled into the quiet, the weight of everything still hanging over them, but somehow a little lighter than before.