This takes place two years or so after chapter 14
It has been two years since Luca's parents divorced and Lorenzo went to jail. Daniela has been working two jobs; the first one being at a thrift shop and the second one being at a Laundromat.
Luca is now 16 years old and helps his mother out financially by working at the laundromat and helping out with some of the bills if needed. He enjoys his job and enjoys working in general. He looks different than when he was 14.
His wavy hair is slightly below his shoulders and is streaked honey blonde. Both of his ears are pierced and on one ear he has two earrings.
He also got his tongue pierced as well as his navel. He wanted to get his eyebrow pierced as well as his nose, but he wasn't quite sure if he was ready to go that far with body modifications yet.
He already felt as though he went extreme when he got a tramp stamp of a purple tribal butterfly on his lower back. He doesn't regret it, he just wasn't used to having something so permanent. His style is now more preppy than when he was younger and likes to mix his feminine style with bits of masculine things so he feels true to himself.
Due to the fact Luca is intersex, he has slightly feminine curves about his body and women's clothes flattered his hips and waist.
That was why he started dressing feminine in the first place because he discovered that most of the women's clothes fit better on his body than the body type clothing for men like his boyfriend, Alberto wore.
It all started when Laurel took both of them clothing shopping for school when he was 14.
He already dressed preppy but he really did after he discovered how women's clothes fit his body.
At first, he was afraid that Alberto would not like the fact that he wanted to wear more girly things, but he was definitely wrong!
He was super surprised at Alberto's response when he called him to the changing room to ask him for his opinion on the purple cropped tank top that slightly showed his belly and hip hugger jeans he put on.
Alberto's look on his face was priceless.
He couldn't stop looking at how well the clothes fit on Luca's body and Luca knew straight up when he had a pensive look on his face and looked intently at something, he was definitely taking interest in what he saw. It was almost like he was in a daze when he looked at Luca.
When Luca asked Alberto what he thought about the outfit he had on, Alberto got a grin on his face and he blushed as he looked at Luca. He said that he really liked how the outfit looked on him and that he looked really nice. Not just nice, but REALLY nice. He asked him what his opinion was on him wearing things like this more often and Alberto said he thought it was a great idea as long as it made him feel good about himself.
Luca was shocked. He told Alberto he didn't think he would accept his wearing girls clothes, but Alberto smiled and said that he didn't care what he wore. He loved him for him and that was what mattered.
From that day forward, Luca continued to dress girly and preppy.
Alberto would buy him cute outfits from time to time to show his support. That made Luca feel so special and loved.
And as for Alberto, Alberto is now 17 and is as tall as a giant. He is 6 foot 3 and very handsome.
His hair is long and down to the middle of his back and he has a full mustache and goatee.
He got his ears and nose pierced as a gift for his 16th birthday and feels it really enhances his emo goth style that he completely embraces, more so than when he was 14.
He got his license but more than likely he wouldn't have it long as his epilepsy was not stable and he had to be at least one year seizure free to keep his license. He still has seizures but doesn't drive a lot because for one, he doesn't have a car and two, the only place he ever really went to on his own was school as he was on disability since he was 14 and didn't have a job.
Luca, on the other hand, did have his license and both Daniela and Laurel let him drive their car from time to time. Luca despite his age, is a very responsible driver and is very cautious when he drives which is totally different from other teenagers his age.
Luca says that it is exhilarating to feel the wind in his hair as he drives down the highway with the windows down. He says he wants to get a car of his own one day. But for now, he didn't have the money and cars were expensive. Alberto likes to tag along when Luca goes out driving and he too enjoys feeling the wind in his hair and the sun against his skin which had darkened much more than when he was 14.
He used to be light tan with a suntan but now he is a deep tan with reddish brown undertones. His hair had also darkened considerably. It used to be medium brown, now it is a rich dark chocolate brown, even darker than Luca's hair. It straightened out somewhat but it was still kinky and curly. It used to be super thick with tight, kinky curls but now it has more of a loose kinky curl and texture to it. It was super soft to the touch and Luca loved to bury his face into its cloud-like softness and run his fingers through it and smile.
Luca's hair used to be curly but as he grew up, his hair somewhat straightened out a bit and it turned into soft, wavy locks instead.
To be completely honest, puberty did wonders on Alberto, but Luca, well he was 16 and still hasn't hit puberty yet which was really concerning to his family as well as Alberto, who feared he had some sort of disease making it where he was stunted and couldn't properly develop, essentially harming his health.
Luca was the same height he was when he was 14, which was 5 foot 3 and he did not grow a single inch into two years he aged. It was very hard to tell that he actually was the age he was and stated that he was because he never grew any taller than when he was 13. Daniela was very concerned about this and feared something was terribly wrong with her son.
He didn't seem to be acting like he was hurting in any way by the way he was acting but Daniela just felt that something wasn't right.
So she made an appointment with a endocrinologist, a doctor that specializes in hormones in the body. The appointment was set 2 weeks from the day she made it which was roughly in August.
After she made the appointment, that night, she had a family meeting with both Luca and Alberto as well as her mother. They sat in the living room and had a family meeting to discuss what would go down.
Shortly after the divorce 2 years prior, the rent at the apartment she was renting became too much and Daniela as well as her mother had to move into a different place that was cheaper. Daniela after much searching and prayers settled on a two bedroom house that was conveniently placed by a beautiful lake.
The rent was doable and she was able to work with the landlord and have the rent made easier for her after she told the landlord her financial situation. The house would be roughly 20 or so minutes away but it was still close by where her jobs were located so she didn't have to drive too far.
Luca and Alberto were currently staying with Laurel in the house where she and her son lived in.
When Luca found out that his mom was going to have to move further away than where she was currently, he got worried and feared that he would never see his mother or grandmother again due to the fact that his mother worked very many hours and wouldn't have the time to take a trip out and visit.
So after a lot of thinking, Luca decided he wanted to move in with his mom. At first he didn't want to move because he knew Laurel was Alberto's mother and he was very close with her. However he also knew that if he did decide to move in with his mom and Alberto stay behind with Laurel he would never see him again in person because they would be in different schools and he didn't have a car to go out and see him. He hesitated at first to even tell Alberto but he never kept secrets from his boyfriend so they ended up having a family meeting the night he found out his mom was moving and he spilled the beans on everything that was going on and what he wanted to do. He was so afraid that Alberto would tell him that he had no intentions on moving and that scared him because he didn't want to lose his boyfriend.
But surprisingly during the meeting he got a different answer than what he thought he would get.
Alberto was quite calm when he talked and said that as he was very close with his mother he still wanted to move and be with Luca and that nothing would tear them apart.
That was when Laurel had a ingenious idea hit her. She stated that the boys had been spending the summer with Luca's parents up until now but since he planned on moving that would not be happening.
But instead she offered to have them spend the summer with her. Luca got worried at first and said he wasn't sure how that was going to work out because he had a job and had to work during the summer but he wanted to make it work so he said that he would do it if he was able to. There was no way that he was going to separate his boyfriend from his mother!
Alberto made it quite clear that as he could spend the summer alone with his mother, there was no way he would leave Luca alone for 3 months. He had grown very VERY close to Luca and couldn't bare to be apart from him for a long time.
Laurel said that when the time came they would figure out something but in the meantime just focus on moving. That made the two teens feel better and so they began to pack their things and get ready for the move. Laurel said that their room would still be there if and when they decided to move back or come for a visit.
So it was done. Luca and Alberto moved in with Daniela and Luca's grandmother. Daniela signed the paperwork so that way they could switch high schools and they both went to a new High School.
Due to the fact that Luca was a year younger than Alberto, that meant that Alberto would graduate school before he did and he would have a year left of school by himself. Luca wasn't having that so when it came to the test to determine whether or not he would be held back a year he intentionally failed it so that way he would be held back a year.
When it was all said and done he would end up graduating at the same time with Alberto. This was set in stone no matter where he went to school at. At first, Alberto was upset that Luca would risk his education just so he could graduate with him but had to understand that they did everything together and that was when he realized why Luca did what he did.
Once he finally realized what was happening he wasn't so upset anymore and let it slide.
Once all of the papers at the high school were signed and all of the moving was done, things slowly started to go back to normal. Alberto decided that he could still get to spend time to see his mother so when he was able to and didn't have any other things to do which normally he didn't, he would video chat with Laurel for an hour after dinner. Luca spent this time with his family while Alberto spent time with his mother on video chat.
And by doing this, everything just seemed to fall into place and everyone got what they wanted.
Everything seemed to be going great. The new school was just that-new.
But in a way, Luca and Alberto liked it that way because no one knew them there.
It felt like they were starting over. They never really had any friends anyway so it wasn't a big shock or stressor on them when they had to switch schools.
Due to the fact he was still in school, Luca mainly worked weekends at the laundromat with his mother with occasional hours after school and when his homework was done. Daniela would simply take a break, pick Luca up and then they would work the final four to five hours or so before closing. This wasn't every day but a good chunk of the days each week.
While Luca was at work, Alberto would stay at home and either video chat with his mom or help out Nanna, Luca's grandmother with things around the house or just go relax in the lake. He always managed to keep himself busy most days but there were other days when he didn't feel so hot that he would stay in bed.
Overall, despite being stressful at times, everything seemed to work out nicely. Home life was great as was work and school-as much as they could be.
However, Luca was about to enter a part of his life that would change him forever. He would have to make many difficult decisions that he wasn't going to look forward to making but had to be done and only he could answer them and figure it out.
When the day came for Luca's endocrinologist appointment, Luca was nervous and almost cried but he knew that it was important that he went so he dried the tears and sucked it up. Alberto went with him. Due to the fact that it was such an important appointment and he was under age, Daniela made it where both she and Alberto was able to go back in the appointment with him. That relieved some of Luca's stress but not all of it. Luca knew he was intersex and that he was born with both sexual organs. He also knew that he was going to have to make some really tough decisions based off of this and he wasn't sure if he was ready or not to make them or if he would ever be ready. Alberto said that he would be there for him no matter what he decided and that he always would be. This made Luca feel calm knowing that someone so important to him had his back.
When it was time for the appointment, Luca once again became nervous. Alberto was nervous but gave him a reassuring smile and patted him on the back telling him that everything would be okay and that he would be in the room with him and even sit beside him in a chair.
Luca gave a weak smile and nodded. He was really nervous about what would be going on during the appointment and what would be said. Luca was never fond of doctors especially after having to be in the hospital for long periods of time due to cancer when he was 13. And due to the fact that he would go with Alberto to his countless appointments and hospital stays made him hate medical even more. But he bit his tongue and he dealt with it and said nothing because he mainly didn't want to make Alberto feel bad over things that he could not control but that had to be done.
This time was different though. This time wasn't about Alberto or anyone else, it was about him and he couldn't escape things that were happening to him in his life.
Luca, Alberto and Daniela walked back together towards their room when their time came to go back for the appointment. Luca sat on the exam table with Alberto on his left and Daniela sitting in front of him. They waited a short period of time and then the doctor came in. He smiled and introduced himself and then Daniela spoke and told him what was going on.
The doctor sat still and listened to what Daniela was saying and took notes as she was talking. When she was through talking, he cleared his throat and then spoke the words that no one in the room wanted to hear but had to be said. Words that Daniela feared hearing ever since Luca was born.
The doctor said that due to the fact Luca was intersex and had both male and female reproductive organs, it made his body confused and unable to figure out which hormone to fully make enough to initiate puberty. It was rare but it did happen and Luca was one of them.
The doctor said that this could easily be fixed but was time consuming and involved surgery.
Surgery.
Luca didn't want to hear those words at all and neither did Daniela, who tried to hold back tears the best that she could and not make it evident that she was about to turn on the faucets in her eyes and let them flow.
The whole ordeal would be a two-step process. The first step would include giving Luca a shot that would kick start puberty. Luca was cool with this part. He didn't like needles but knew that if it came down to it and he had to have a shot then he didn't mind it. Alberto held Luca's hand as the doctor continued to talk.
The second step would be surgery to permanently reassign his body to the gender that he chose.
Due to the fact Luca was born Intersex, he has both female and male parts. He has a penis, one underdeveloped testicle and one ovary, a uterus and vagina, all of which are functional except for the testicle. Due to the fact that he identified predominantly as male, Luca had to make a tough decision. Fully convert to female and keep telling people he is a male with a squeaky voice or remove all female organs and have testosterone shots for the rest of his life as well as undergo a surgery to insert testicle implants. Either way, reproduction would be delayed if not nearly impossible without assistance.
Luca never really gave any thought as to what he wanted to physically be assigned to as he was content with his body being the way it was when he was born. But all of that now was going to change and Luca knew without a shadow of a doubt that he wasn't ready to make big permanent changes that everyone was telling him he had no choice but to make.
Luca fat frozen on the exam table. He felt all eyes in the room were on him and he felt as though the entire room was closing in on him and it was hard to breathe. He felt his heart pound in his chest and he felt like he was going to pass out. He took a deep breath and then asked how much time he had to think things over and figure out what he wanted to do as this was an incredibly hard decision for him to make in a life-changing one at that. One wrong move and it could entirely change his future the way he saw it and not for the better.
The doctor said that once the shot was administered that day, there would not be much time to make decisions and that they had to act quick but to answer his question he had a maximum of 3 to 5 days, if that, to make a decision on what he wanted to do.
Luca sighed and then said that he would take it and give them his answer within the period of time that he had.
The doctor said okay and then shortly thereafter, he left the room and a nurse came in to administer the shot. It didn't hurt at all but he was told to expect a rapid change within the next couple of days as this shot would kick start puberty and he would start having early onset symptoms of puberty.
After the shot was administered, everyone left out of the room and went back to the front desk where Daniela made an appointment for a week out. She then told the receptionist that she would have an answer within the following week. The receptionist said okay and to let them know what they decided.
After they left the office, everyone went out to the car. They went to go get something to eat for lunch. During the whole ride to the restaurant, the whole car was silent. Big changes we're going to take place very soon and very quick but no one knew what was going to take place. It was all left up to Luca to make the final and biggest decision of his life. A decision no teenager should have to make, but he did.
Luca felt like he was stuck between a rock and a hard space. He felt that if he converted to a full female makeup, he would make his family happy because he would have the ability to bear a child in return giving Alberto the chance to be a father.
However, he felt that if he had to switch to testosterone shots for the rest of his life, he would be living his life the way he wanted but in the process he felt he would be letting Alberto and his family down by not having kids. He honestly didn't know what to do and that scared him. Yet he knew he had to make a decision and had to make it quick because he had no choice.
He had less than a week to make the most life-changing decision he would ever make which scared him to the point of tears but he didn't dare cry because he didn't want everyone to know exactly how much this whole ordeal devastated him and scared him. He didn't want to come off looking and acting as though he was weak.
So he held in the tears and tried his best to smile the whole time they were at the restaurant eating lunch.
Alberto knew something was troubling Luca but he also knew how Luca worked and so he said nothing but kept silent the entire time.
Lunch was nice. Everyone went to a buffet and had all sorts of different delicious foods and got full. After they were finished eating, Daniela paid and then they all went out to the car and headed home.
Once they got home to the house, Daniela told both her mother and Laurel what was going on whilst Luca and Alberto went to their room.
Luca had a massive mental breakdown. Tears flowed from his eyes as he finally released all of the pent-up pressure he had in his chest. He cried and cried his heart out as Alberto sat beside him and tried his best to reassure Luca that everything would be all right. Whatever decision that he decided to make he would follow along and accept him 100%. Luca tried his best to smile through the tears but he just couldn't.
With tear-stained eyes, Luca looked up at Alberto and told him that he honestly didn't know what to do. He continued on to say that he felt that if he decided to go through and have the surgery to become 100% female then he would be making his mother and him happy because they would get a child out of it but if he decided on the other hand that he wanted to be male 100% like he wanted to do then he felt like he would be letting everyone down and they would hate him because he couldn't give them children.
Alberto at first couldn't quite take it in what his boyfriend had just got through telling him. He was in shock that Luca felt the way that he did and essentially it really hurt him deep that Luca felt he would be disappointing him by not giving him or his mother a child.
Alberto found tears start to build up in his eyes and stream down his cheeks. He turned to better face Luca and then put his hands on his boyfriend's shoulders.
In tears, he told him that he would never be disappointed in him if he couldn't give him a child and that he loved him for who he was and that was all that mattered. He continued to say that Luca should do what he felt in his heart was right for him and that would make him feel complete at the end of the day.
The decision that decision that he would make would be good with him. Alberto dried his tear-stained face and then proceeded to say that if he never got the chance to be a father he wouldn't be upset so as long as he had the love of his life beside him.
That's all that mattered and they could always adopt.
Luca looked up at Alberto with tears in his eyes and for the first time in several hours gave a smile and actually meant it. He then proceeded to tell Alberto what he ultimately wanted to do but was unsure if the doctor wanted to go through with it that way.
Alberto asked what the decision was and Luca told him that he wanted to proceed with the surgery to become male, however, he wanted to keep his vagina and uterus intact and freeze as many of his eggs that he could so that way one day when the time is right they both could become parents and everyone would get what they wanted in the end. Alberto smiled and then gave Luca a great big bear hug. He then told him that he thoroughly respected his decision on what he wanted to do and that he didn't think any less of him for what he wanted to do and how he felt.
Overall, he thought it was a good idea to do what Luca had planned and felt that he should tell his mother what he wanted to do.
Luca nodded and then they both got up and walked into the dining room area where Daniela was with her mother talking at the table while eating a snack since at least a good 3 hours had passed and she was hungry. She smiled when she saw Luca and Alberto walk into the room.
She motioned for them to sit down at the table, which they did.
Once they sat down, Luca cleared his throat and then with Alberto holding his hand and giving him a reassuring smile, he started to tell his mother and grandmother what his plans were and what he wanted to do regarding the surgery.
He told Daniela what he wanted to do. Daniela smiled and gave him a hug saying that she felt it was a good idea as well.
So the next day, Daniela call the doctor's office back and told them that they had made a decision and wanted to come in early to talk with the doctor to discuss further actions. The appointment was scheduled for that Friday.
When that day came everyone went in like they did before but this time, Luca sat confident on the exam table and told the doctor himself what he wanted to do.
The doctor smiled and said that that would not be a problem at all and that a lot of people had made the same decision. Due to the fact that time was running short and their deadline was coming up quick, the doctor scheduled the life-changing surgery for a couple of months out and then set up the appointment for Luca to begin the process for egg retrieval.
This was going to be a long process as Luca had to be injected with female hormones to make his body able to produce eggs fertile enough to be harvested and frozen for when he and Alberto felt the time was right to start a family.
The whole process took approximately 3 and a half to four months. 3 and 1/2 to 4 months of long painstaking days where Luca hated being in his body and being ashamed of puberty being started as female instead of male like he wanted. But in the end, he suffered through and did what he had to do.
There were pros and cons to the whole situation.
The pros were that the doctor at the fertility clinic was able to retrieve four eggs from the whole process which meant he and Alberto could have a chance at having four kids when they felt the time was right.
But the cons were that the whole process left him with irreversible changes that were not male, those of which were breast development that left him with slightly more than an A cup that quite visibly were not anything remotely close to gynecomastia, a condition to where males grow breast tissue, and feminine curves that made him somewhat closely resemble that of a Barbie which he didn't really care that much about.
He was used to having curves but made it harder for him to pass as who he truly was, a male.
Needless to say after all was said and done, the egg retrieval was a success and the surgery day came quicker than everyone had expected.
The day before the surgery, Luca was committed to a nearby hospital to have the surgery done the next day to remove everything reproductive wise except for his uterus and vagina.
Once Luca was admitted to the hospital, Alberto stayed with him while Daniela went home and packed a few things in a duffle bag.
She didn't know how long they would be keeping Luca in patient at the hospital.
When she returned, Luca and Alberto were chit-chatting and said that the doctor had already come in to discuss what further actions were going to be taken and that the surgery would take it place at 9:00 a.m.
Daniela smiled and then said that sounded good before putting the duffle bag in the nearby closet and sitting down to watch TV.
Due to the fact that the doctor would be removing female organs, Luca was put in the women's center surrounded by women either having similar surgeries, related to female issues or having babies.
So crying babies could be seen and heard throughout the entire stay in the hospital in the women's center.
Both Luca and Alberto were both at the point in their life where they would not mentally or financially ready to have kids and start a family of their own. Hell, they were both practically kids themselves and were way too young to even be thinking about having a baby.
The first big cry from a baby that was in the room next to them made Alberto moan and wonder if he even ever wanted to have kids to begin with. It shocked him completely on how two body parts coming together could create something with lungs so strong to make such a sound that could rattle his ear drums.
Luca felt the same way but didn't moan or groan. Instead, he just expressed his feelings in a different manner by keeping quiet and cringing ever so often when he babies would cry loudly. But at least after today, Luca and Alberto wouldn't have to worry about birth control and they could make love as much as they wanted without repercussions.
The next morning, Luca was prepped for surgery and wheeled back to the operating room around 9:30 in the morning. Daniela and Alberto sat anxiously in the waiting room, waiting for Luca to get out of surgery and to be wheeled into recovery. They both hoped that the surgery was a success and Luca made it out okay.
It felt like days for poor Alberto who was anxious about Luca being in surgery. It was only 2.5 hours but to Alberto, it felt like years. Daniela reassured Alberto that Luca would be okay and that he was resilient and a fighter. She gave Alberto a hug and Alberto smiled. This made him feel some better. He always knew Luca was a trooper and a fighter. Today just proved it.
Alberto sighed and then reclined back in the padded chair in the waiting room.
Soon, after the surgery, a nurse came into the waiting room to notify both of them that the surgery was a success, Luca was in recovery and if they wanted to go see him, they could do so now.
Alberto quickly got up faster than Daniela could count to ten and then waited for Daniela to get up from the chair.
A nurse showed them to the recovery room where Luca lay asleep in a hospital bed with a blue surgical cap on his head to keep his hair back and an IV in his arm. He tried his best to wake up when he heard Alberto and his mom enter the room.
He would have never known they were there if it was just Daniela walking as she had learned to be quiet.
However, here lately, Alberto couldn't be quiet to save his life and so Luca heard and remembered his footsteps as he walked into the room. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Alberto and his mom smiling at him. He faintly smiled back, still groggy from being put under anesthesia and slowly coming out of it.
Daniela smiled and then gave Luca a kiss on the forehead and then held his hand. Alberto leaned over and then gently kissed Luca on the lips and caressed his cheek before gently hugging him and sitting down next to him in a chair beside the bed.
Luca slowly reached over and held Alberto's hand and then tried his best to wake up. But the anesthesia had not completely left his system and he was a groggy mess.
An hour later, the doctor came in and told them that the surgery was a success and that he successfully removed the ovary Luca had and kept the uterus and vagina intact. He said that Luca would need to be on testosterone supplements for the rest of his life and that he would get his first shot before he went home tomorrow morning. He wanted to keep Luca in the hospital overnight just in case there were any complications after the surgery. He didn't expect there to be anything wrong but he just wanted to be sure and to be on the safe side just in case.
Daniela and Alberto said but they were both so relieved that the surgery went well and that everything was going to be okay. The doctor said that everything went well and besides being on testosterone for the rest of his life, if he ever wanted to carry a child in the future, he would have to be on estrogen for the entire pregnancy to ensure that everything went okay and then return to taking the testosterone as usual.
Luca didn't like that but didn't complain because he knew it would be in the future and would plan accordingly then. However in the meantime his main focus was to just wake up as it was hard for him to keep his eyes open since the anesthesia was taking its dear sweet time wearing off.
The doctor stayed for a while longer and then left out of the room.
Shortly thereafter, Luca was wheeled into a regular room to spend the night and later would be released the next morning.
Due to the fact he was still a minor, Daniela had to sign consent papers stating parental permission was to be given before any thing else was done and he left the hospital. She also had to sign for the surgery so it wasn't a shock to her to have to sign afterwards.
After she completed the paperwork, Daniela went back to Luca's room where he and Alberto were talking sweetly to each other, holding hands and kissing. Luca was more awake at this point and was able to sit up in bed and hold full conversations.
He was still groggy but was able to function and act normally.
He was also very hungry since he was not able to eat the night before the surgery. Daniela asked if he could have a plate of something to eat and she was told that a plate would be given to him around lunch time but in the meantime he could have a small snack.
Luca wasn't too happy about the fact that he couldn't have a full meal but accepted the small container of peanut butter and orange juice and graham crackers, even though he felt like he was in kindergarten having lunch he still accepted it because he was so hungry and his mouth was dry.
Alberto got up and went to the vending machine and got a few things for Luca to snack on before lunch time and Luca was so grateful for it even if it was junk food and potato chips.
He gave Alberto a kiss and Alberto blushed.
Daniela just sat there quietly smiling. She was thankful that they were in the hospital. Luca was sore after surgery so that way sexy times would not be initiated, at least not then anyway.
However how she was feeling was written all over her face apparently. Both Luca and Alberto said that sexy times would indeed commence after they got home from the hospital.
Daniela just smiled and then went back to watching TV, trying to get the thought of her son and boyfriend being intimate together out of her head. That was a visual that she did not want to have.
The next morning, Luca was released from the hospital and went home with pain meds and a script for testosterone.
Before they went home, Daniela turned the script into the pharmacy and paid the ungodly fee of $150 for her son's testosterone pills. She got the medicine and then everyone went home. Daniela made a good home cooked meal that was tasty yet diabetic-safe so both Luca and Alberto could eat while Luca rested in bed after taking a pain pill.
Daniela brought lunch to Luca in bed and after knocking several times and getting clearance to go in, she walked in and saw an incredibly high, half naked Alberto laying next to a topless Luca who was cuddled up next to him cuddled up in between blankets.
They were both covered up with the blankets from the waist down so God only knows if they were just half naked or not. Probably not though.
Daniela didn't really want to stick around to find out so she placed the tray of food on a chair next to the bed, smiled and then walked out of the room.
And she was walking out, Luca told her thank you for the food, and just as she closed the door and had her back turned, a butt naked fully baked Alberto climbed out of the bed and grabbed the tray and then got back into bed and put the tray down in the middle of them so Luca could eat. Come to find out, both of them were butt naked but only Alberto was high.
Luca wanted to get high too but feared that it wouldn't work out so well because of his having to take pain medicine. But he stated that he would more than likely get high later.
Alberto said that would be a good idea and so they both ate, initiated sexy times once again and then passed out shortly thereafter.
An hour or so later, Alberto woke up with incredible munchies and grabbed a blanket to wrap around himself and then slowly stumbled into the kitchen to try and find something to eat. Luca woke up shortly thereafter and did the same thing except he didn't bother to grab anything to cover up so he was just naked.
Shortly thereafter, Daniela came waltzing into the kitchen after hearing signs of life, to ask if they enjoyed the food she had made and given to them earlier.
That was when she saw a butt naked Luca and a half naked Alberto wearing a blanket like a toga sitting at the table eating cereal with milk. Luca waved hello and Alberto continued to eat as Daniela just stood there in complete shock, not knowing what to say.
She didn't know whether or not it was the fact of seeing her son completely naked sitting in front of her that shocked her the most or the fact that his boyfriend was the same way but was covered up in a blanket.
Either way, she was speechless and out of words so she just stood there with her jaw hanging open, looking like a blinded deer with headlights shining in its eyes before turning around and walking back to her room.
On the way to her room, she heard Luca busting out laughing like a crazy maniac and Alberto chuckling in between bites, trying not to shoot milk out of his nose as he laughed.
Apparently they both thought it was hilarious the look that Daniela had on her face. But in reality they were the only ones laughing.
After they got through eating and the dishes were washed, Luca put on one of Alberto's t-shirts and walked into the room his mom and grandmother shared and then apologized for practically traumatizing her.
Daniela said that she wasn't expecting to see them as they were.
Luca apologized for being butt naked in front of her even though she had already seen him naked since he was her son.
Still it wasn't right and he said he was sorry on behalf of both of them. He also thanked her for the food and said that it was delicious and that it was thoughtful of her to make food for them. Daniela said that she was glad that they enjoyed the food and that she hoped that he started feeling better soon.
Luca said that he would probably be hurting for the next couple weeks but would get used to it because he had to go to work and had school as well. Daniela agreed and then Luca nodded before leaving the room and going back to the room that he and Alberto shared. He told Alberto what he told his mom and Alberto said it sounded good and that he too felt the same way.
Alberto then said that he needed to get up and take a shower and get dressed and almost asked if Luca wanted to join him that realized he still had bandages from the surgery so he offered to help him wash up with a sponge bath instead. Luca said thank you and let Alberto help him with a sponge bath.
After Luca had his sponge bath, he got dressed and then Alberto took a shower while Luca talked with him and prepared to get stoned like he said he would. After Alberto got out of the shower he got into a gray tank top, a pair of loose boxers, and then they both walked outside to sit on the porch swing so Luca could get stoned. While they were sitting on the porch swing, Luca and Alberto talked and told each other their plans for the week ahead of them and school as well.
Alberto told Luca that once they went back inside and he laid down, he was going to call Laurel and tell her everything that had been going on and chit chat with her for a while. Luca nodded and then finished up smoking the last of his joint and then somehow managed to stand up.
Both of them walked inside to their room and Luca got into bed.
Shortly afterwards started to relax and get rested up to prepare for school and work the following week.
He was lucky that his surgery was on a weekend and that he didn't have to miss work or school. Daniela took some paid time off because of the surgery and said she would have to go back to work Monday.
Alberto was laying in bed next to him talking with Laurel on the phone. Laurel said that she hoped Luca recovered soon and that she was happy for his finally getting the body he deserved and wanted for so long.
Alberto continue to talk with Laurel for the next couple of hours and got her caught up with everything while Luca fell asleep.
Lunch and dinner passed quickly and everyone really enjoyed Daniela's home cooking as usual.
After dinner everyone got ready to go to bed and then fell asleep.
The next day, Daniela got up early to make breakfast and then she had some things to do to prepare for work the next day. Luca and Alberto helped out around the house and made sure everything was clean and they too prepared for their everyday tasks that were coming up the following week like school and Luca was preparing for both work and school, something he would never miss.
Months passed.
Luca hit puberty just as the doctor had said he would. He hit a growth spurt shortly after Alberto's 18th birthday in September and started to grow a small goatee. His voice dropped and he sprouted up to a height of 5 foot 7. He began to get slightly muscular and gain masculine features whilst still remaining somewhat feminine due to the effects of the estrogen he took that left permanent affects on his body. He hoped that the testosterone would have gotten rid of the effects that the estrogen had caused, but he was wrong.
And then on his 17th birthday he reached his final height of 5 foot 9, standing right even at Alberto's shoulders and there he stayed. He hoped to get somewhat taller but realize that this was just how he was going to end up being since everyone in his family was short. He accepted the fact that he was shorter then his boyfriend and remained grateful that he was alive.
Work continued to go smoothly and school did as well for Luca who continued to work hard and still get good grades. He was getting excited for the fact that he would be graduating soon but despite his efforts of wanting to try and graduate at the same time as Alberto, his attempts fell short as Alberto's graduation would be next year in the summer before school let out for everyone else.
Luca's only hope of graduating alongside his boyfriend was to really study hard and try to graduate early but even then that was pushing it. He had to accept the fact that even though he was smart he might not be graduating the same time as Alberto and that saddened him because they did everything together and this would be the first thing that they didn't do together.
However there were other things lately that came to his attention that made him even more curious than anything else. Shortly before his 18th birthday, Alberto started a savings jar. A simple pickle jar that was washed out with no label on it set on their dresser slowly filling up as the days and months went along.
Luca was getting really curious and thought perhaps that it was his saving up for an important trip or perhaps even a car as he had mentioned once before that one day he would save up and get a car so they could drive around and not have to rely on Daniela's vehicle to get them where they needed to go. He asked his mom and grandma if the money that Alberto was steadily building up was for a vehicle for them both or what was it for.
Neither of them said anything but just smiled and said to wait and see.
So from that day forward, Luca assumed that the money Alberto was so busy saving up would be for their future car as he was done asking people what the money was for and not getting answers. With this thought in mind he stopped talking about it and mentioned nothing else about it; instead, he just sat back and watched as the money slowly grew more and more.
Laurel as well as his mom and grandmother would ever so often put in a small wad of cash into the jar. Even Luca himself found himself adding a few dollars here and there to the savings jar after he helped his mom out with bills and did everything else he needed to do.
He didn't want to make it look like everyone else was just adding and he wasn't. After all this was a savings for a car for the two of them right?
This left Luca to think that Alberto was saving up for more than just a car but he didn't say anything and took his mom's advice and just waited to see what would happen.
A few months passed and soon it was time for Alberto to graduate high school.
After many failed attempts at talking to the school board about his possibly graduating early if he studied harder, Luca accepted defeat and admitted to himself and everyone else that he was just going to have to wait until everyone else graduated whether he liked it or not.
On the day of his graduation, Alberto gave Luca a hug and told him that he was sorry that he didn't get to graduate alongside him like he had planned and tried so hard to do. Luca smiled and said that he was still somewhat upset about them not graduating together but the sadness was starting to wear off as he accepted the fact that he was going to graduate with the rest of his class the following year.
Despite the fact that he was still getting over the fact that he could not graduate early, Luca told himself he would never miss any important occasions that had to do with him or his boyfriend. He put himself aside and cheered on Alberto right beside Laurel and Daniela as Alberto walked across the stage and got his diploma. Luca was so proud of Alberto and all he accomplished.
Having moderately good grades despite the fact that he was in and out of hospitals half of the time he was in school yet he still managed to graduate was such an accomplishment on Alberto's behalf. He could have easily dropped out but he didn't. He stuck with it and finished and graduated and Luca couldn't be more proud of him than he already was.
After Alberto walked across the stage, he ran down the stairs and towards the isle where his mom, Laurel, Daniela and Luca were sitting. He jumped for joy and said he was so excited he finally graduated. That was when Luca got up and gave Alberto the biggest hug ever and a kiss and then said "I'm so proud of you." Alberto smiled and then said, "Awe, thank you babe. Why is that though?"
"Because I am. You had a lot of opportunities to drop out of driver's education, drop out of school and be a bad kid, especially with your mental health as it is and your traumatic past that gets you down from time to time and your overall bad health that had you in and out of hospitals. But through it all, you never did and now your a grown man and I'm so incredibly proud of everything you have become and more.
You have grown up and matured over the years so much from what you used to be when I first met you when you were 14. If I didn't know you, I would almost say I don't even recognize you, but it is for the better.
I wouldn't change you for the world, mainly because you are my world, my everything, my very best friend, and more importantly, the love of my life.
I promise to never leave your side as long as I live and breathe. I love you so much Alberto Scorfano."
Alberto felt tears swell up in his eyes. He smiled the biggest smile ever and then said, "Oh baby, that is the sweetest compliment you've given me so far. I know you probably have said it before but it doesn't mean as much as it does to me right now. I feel the same way about you. You are my missing piece, the best thing that has ever happened to me and I owe all my progress and positive actions in life to you, because if it weren't for you lifting me up and building my spirits up and picking me up off the ground when I was deep in depression, I wouldn't be where I am today. You are my rock, Luca and my world and nothing will ever change that. I love you with all my heart, Luca Scorfano, and always will."
Alberto gave Luca a kiss and looked at Alberto in the eyes and said, "We aren't married yet. My last name is still Paguro." Alberto smiled and then said, "I know, but it just fits and sounds right. What do you think?"
Luca nodded in agreement and then gave Alberto another kiss before Alberto ran back up the stairs and onto the stage to sit with the rest of the students who were graduating.
After graduation, everyone went home and then Daniela made a huge homemade dinner for everyone. It was Alberto's favorite dinner and he was excited to chow down after he took his meds and insulin.
Dinner was delicious and both Luca and Alberto were too full for seconds so they thanked Daniela for the wonderful dinner, gave her a hug good night and then got ready for bed, falling asleep early.
The following weeks and months passed along slowly like a snail trying to compete with a rabbit who was actively faster than he was.
Life seemed to go by slowly for Luca in regards to school and work. Now that Alberto was no longer in school and was at home practically all the time made it hard for Luca at times to stick with it and make good grades in his studies.
He was so used to having Alberto sit next to him during class and go to the cafeteria and eat the crappy lunch that the lunch lady grudgingly made every single day.
Now that he was no longer in the picture, school got very lonely for Luca and it seemed like the days grew slower and slower as his graduation day got closer and closer.
The only thing that made Luca want to stick with it and make good grades was the fact he could video chat with Alberto during lunch on the days his mom worked and that helped him get through the day.
On the days that Luca was in school and Daniela was off work and had days off, Daniela would drive Alberto to the high school to see Luca during his lunch and they would eat together outside before Luca had to go back to class. They would talk about how each other's days were going and talk about random things and laugh. Occasionally they would give each other kisses and tell each other how much they loved each other and missed being together during school hours.
Alberto would always say that he missed Luca too.
It was the little things like seeing Alberto on his lunch break during school days that really made the days much easier for Luca.
Alberto would reassure Luca that everything would work out and this too was just a bump in the road that would be over soon. Luca agreed that this was just a small hurdle in their journey in life together and that school would be over soon for him before he knew it.
He just had to keep sticking with it and make every day count the best that he could.
And that's exactly what he did.
Luca woke up each day keeping track of the days before he graduated and marking them off on a calendar. He would continue to watch as the savings jar where Alberto was saving money grew larger and larger.
Eventually a new savings jar appeared on their dresser next to the full one. He was so proud of all the money that was saved up and he couldn't wait to see the car that Alberto picked out for the two of them!