âWhatâs up?â Benjamin teased her. âNever seen such a handsome little guy before?â
Janie was excited. âThis little guy is way more handsome than you, Benjamin. Sorry, but you donât stand a chance with me anymore!â
âYou could always consider moving on,â shrugged Benjamin. âSave yourself the heartache of looking at me every day.â
âShut up, youâre the one who needs to move on!â Janie finally tore her gaze away from Emmeline.
âI think Benjaminâs suggestion is a good one,â Emmeline twirled her mustache. âWhy donât we have a torrid love affair and leave those heartless men in the dust?â
Janie chuckled. âSorry, little cutie, youâre not my type.â
âWhat kind of guy do you like?â Emmeline asked, batting her eyelashes.
Janie glanced over at Benjamin.
âOh,â Emmeline said. âSo youâre into handsome guys like Benjamin? But what do I lack compared to him?â
âWell, youâre a bit more youthful,â Janie chuckled. âAnd honestly, youâre way more beautiful than he is.â
âBut Iâm not any more youthful than Benjamin,â Emmeline pouted. âLook, I even have a mustache now.â
âBut youâre different from him,â Janie said. âYou have a certainâ¦feminine energy about you.â
âIsnât Benjamin a perfect example of androgyny though?â Emmeline tilted her head. âIâm just as androgynous as he is, if not more.â
âHa!â Benjamin laughed.
He knew Emmelineâs cross-dressing template had always been modeled after himself.
âButâ¦â Janie frowned. âNo matter how you look at it, Benjamin still has a very masculine vibe. You are just different.â
âWhatâs wrong with me?â asked Emmeline.
Janie furrowed her brow, speaking carefully. âI hope you wonât get angry when I say this, butâ¦â
âI promise I wonât,â Emmeline raised her hand.
âYouâ¦well, youâre a bit effeminate,â Janie said.
Emmeline puffed out her cheeks and then burst into tears. âYouâre bullying me, Miss!â she wailed.
Janie was taken aback. Why did this little cutie cry so easily? Wasnât that more of a womanâs thing?
âIâm sorry, I didnât mean it that way,â Janie apologized quickly. âI was just teasing you.â
âI donât care. Iâm still upset,â Emmeline sniffled. âYou called me effeminate, and it hurt my feelings. You have to take responsibility for that.â
âResponsibility?â Janie grimaced. âI just said one thing. What kind of responsibility do you want me to take? I already apologized. I can apologize again if thatâs what you want. Iâm sorry, okay?â
âNo, no,â Emmeline pouted and kicked her legs. âApologizing is not enough. You also have to hug me.
Only then will your apology be official.â
âHug?â Janie was stunned. âLittle brother, donât you know the rules that men and women donât get too close? Are you out of your mind to ask me to hug you?â
âNot hugging is not an option, your apology lacks sincerity,â Emmeline continued to âcry,â
âAnyway, Iâm hurt, I feel bad, sob, I feel so badâ¦â
Janie was dumbfounded.
Did Benjamin bring her here to cause trouble?
Did she encounter such a jinx?
âLet it go, let it go,â Benjamin said to Janie. âIf he wants a hug, just hug him. Whatâs the big deal?â
âBenjamin!â Janie exclaimed. âAre you crazy? Although this kid is young, he is still a man. Are you encouraging me to hug a stranger? Are you still a man? I never thought you were such a despicable person!â
Janie huffed and turned to leave.
âHa!â Emmeline laughed.
Hearing the laughter, Janie turned back, looking at âhimâ suspiciously.
Emmeline stood up and gave her a big hug.
âJanie, Iâm back.â
ââ¦?â
Janie was stunned, tears streaming down her face. âEmma, is it really you? Youâre back, Iâm not dreaming, am I?â
âOf course, youâre not dreaming,â Emmeline lightly pinched her. âDoes it hurt?â