The end of the year and I'd just graduated from high school. We had been on the avocado farm for over three years - the longest we'd ever stopped anywhere - but it was finished. The people we had borrowed the farm off had sold it; we had to be out in two months.
The timing seemed pretty good. Mum and Dad had lined up a gig on a cattle station up north. But our family was starting to break up now. Hector had a local job and a serious girlfriend; he would be staying here.
Jerry would be going with the folks. He wasn't much of a student and he was keen to get back onto a cattle station - he liked that lifestyle.
I had been accepted into a university in the city and was planning to study a business course. Aunt Hilda had invited me to come and live with her.
So everything was all arranged. Everybody sorted out. The inheritance scheme rolling along nicely.
And I was about to throw a major spanner into the works.
"Mum, Dad, I can't deceive Aunt Hilda any longer. I've got tell her that I'm transgender, that I was born a boy."
Mum was nodding, an understanding smile on her face. I think she must have had her suspicions about my changing attitude.
My father was looking disappointed, "Any chance I can change your mind, Sheri?"
"No, Dad. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
"Okay," he smiled glumly and there were a few moments of silence.
Dad reached across and took Mum's hand, "Well, dear, we may have missed out on the booty, but we have gained a beautiful daughter."
Mum let out a relived laugh and added, "We certainly have."
"Thank you," I responded with a shy and apologetic smile.
My father was thinking and gazing at me levelly. "Sweetheart, I hope you will be prepared to give a modified version of the truth, otherwise there could be trouble."
"Dad, all I want, is to tell Auntie that I'm transgender, that I wasn't born as a girl, nothing else matters. I don't want to get anybody into trouble."
"Fine," he smiled at me, "then let's try this . . ."