Drew Balor was at 1st fairway of Three Rivers Country Club in a tux pacing back and forth while taking a long drag from his cigarette. He wished he could calm down but knew he would not. His nervousness has been building up for the last year so how he felt has been par for the course for him. This state of mind all started by him asking Becky Stewart to be his wife. All the groom wanted was for this day to be perfect for who he saw as his perfect mate.

His concern about the day being what he felt Becky deserved was enough to have Drew a wound up tighter that a fishing line with a Marlin on its hook. Being in a place outside his comfort zone, a high-class country club, without who he wanted as his best man at his side added to the tension. Being turn down by his own brother hurt at first, but when he was given the reason Drew was more than understanding. It would have been hard for his brother to be best man when his brother was actually his sister.

On the day Drew asked the person he though his brother James to be his best man was the day that person could not live the lie of being who she was not. Too much time and effort have been put into therapy and accepting who she was. The sister that Drew never knew he had was already in the process of transitioning and being the best man would be a setback. There was no way she would want to organize a stag night, stand in a tux and lead while doing the first dance with a woman. She so wanted to be led while dancing with a sharp dressed man.
Her answer which was the last words she said as James the pretend younger brother was, I can’t be your best man. The first words he said to his brother as Julia was, “I am not man. I am a woman. I am Julia. So, I can’t I am so sorry Drew. I am sorry that I brought it up now. I can’t hide anymore. Please, please understand”.

Drew was stunned. Talking about the wedding brought his anxiety about the wedding to the forefront of Drew mind. Now hearing no added to his concerns. His concerns instantly went away when he heard the reasoning behind this. He did not question those first words from his sister. He might have not known what gender she really was, but he knew what type of person she was. His sister who he thought was his brother would never joke about something this serious. She was too thoughtful and considerate of others to be joking during a serious moment between two siblings.
Those few seconds it took Drew to regain his composure after being rejected and finding out this momentous revelation felt like years to Julia. All the doubts about if her becoming who she is to the public came rushing back. She started to beg for a response from her brother who face was as white as the gown Becky was going to wear at the wedding. “I said I am sorry. Please understand. Please be here for me. I am sorry. I do not want to hurt you, but I cannot be who I am not anymore. You said you love me.”

Drew was now able to talk. Julie, I do love you. I was not prepared to hear no from you. I saw you as my bro, my best friend. If that was not enough, then I just found out I have a sister. That takes a moment top sink in.

I am more than happy for you. You can be my best woman. While technically my second-best woman. You know Becky is my best woman.”

Julia was over the moon over her brother’s response. The best she was expecting from him was apathy. Those two were close but never really talked about gender and gender roles. That is just not a subject most men bring up when hanging out with other men. The only mistake in this was Drew calling her Julie, she was Julia not Julie. Having her name said right was important to her in the moment so it made her lose sight of the forest from the trees.

“My name is Julia, not Julie.”

Drew shook his head. Julia’s response was such a response James would have gave to him. Hearing it just confirmed to Drew he knew who his sister was even without ever knowing her name. “You turned down standing by my side on one of the biggest days in my life and tells me you are not who I thought you were, and you are more concerned about me getting your name right instead of giving me an answer. Yeah, Julia you are my sister.”

The emphasis Drew put on saying Julia was a huge sign to her that her brother accepted her for who she was. That it was easy for him because he already knew what type of person she was just not what gender she was. “Sorry, but that is my name. I want to be called the right name from now on.

I would love to be in your wedding, but I do not want to be the best woman. I would draw too much attention from you and the bride, plus I do not want to wear a tux.”

Drew did not like the answer but understood it. His sister must live her life, and she needed to be comfortable as who she is. He also had the perfect solution “Then you will be in the wedding as a bridesmaid.”

Julia was about to say no but knew better. She saw the look on her brother’s face, and he was not going to be denied having his best friend in his wedding. Plus, even with her answer going to be no, Julia so wanted to say yes. She dreamt of being in a bridal party, of going to a wedding shower, going along with the bride to pick out the bridal dress, of going to a hen night, and of course having a sharp dress man lead her during the bridal party dance.

Even with wanting to give the most enthusiastic yes in her Life Julia answer was “Only if Becky is happy with that.” Her hedging her yes could not hide the joy in her voice.

Drew knew Becky was going love Julia. How could she not, his fiancée already loved James and Julia is just a better version of that person. “So, it is settled.”

****************
Julia looked as amazing as she felt in the silver satin one-shoulder slit gown, she was proud of the confidence she had wearing it and knew it would have been no where near this level of self-acceptance with Becky and the rest of the bridesmaids. All the girls’ support and acceptance were natural. They took her into their group. Becky has fast become one of her best friends and the Maid of Honour, Abby Rhodes, was her best friend. Abby took a liking to Julia at first because Julia was taller than her. She knew how hard it is for a lady to be 6’0” so it must have been harder for Julia. She did not live her life as a tall woman until she became an adult. Then their mutual shared interest of walking in the woods, along with loving Britpop just cemented their kindship.

Even with loving who she is becoming Julia was sad with what she was losing. It felt like her and Drew were not as close as they used to be. Her older brother was never the open type of person with her emotions, but he seemed more standoffish the more she became Julia. She wanted the relationship to be the same as before but knew it could not. Brothers and sisters just have a different relationship than two brothers. It is not that they could not be as close, it is just a different type of closeness.

Julia brought up these concerns to Becky and her future sister-in-law dismissed them. She did give great reasons why. That Julia and Drew were having huge moments in their life. They did not have the time to just hang out. That Drew was nervous about the wedding. Just give it time and Julia will see how close her and Drew still are and will always be.

Knowing Julia’s concern and Drew’s desire of having his sister be his best woman made Becky come up with a great idea. Becky’s brother, Ian, stepped in to the role of being Drew’s best man. Those two have been growing closer for a long time. So instead of Ian being Drew’s best man he would be Her Gentleman of Hornor. Abby would be more than happy to step down. She knew how important Drew is to her new bestie. There was the added bonus that she would get to dance with Kumar Jones, the usher she had her eyes on.

Becky knew it was not the best time to spring this change of plans on people, but it was what needed to be done. Her brother was first to be asked, and he was more than happy to do so. Abby agreed to the change as soon as Becky asked her. The only holdout was Julia. Her answer was only if her brother had no issues with her being Julia. Her brother had to be fully accepting of her being who she was if she was going to stand beside him.

Julia went to her brother to lay everything on the table. She was scared but needed this to be done. She found her brother pacing back and forth smoking and said, “Do you have an issue with me being Julia.”

All the pend up anxiety nervousness and jitters came out right then. Drew did not want to deal with reassuring his sister of his love for her at this moment but knew he had to. “Yes, I do. I do have an issue with you being Julia. I have an issue with my little sister being taller than me. That is even with you shrinking by two inches this past year.

I have an issue with me little sister being the one who broke my record for receiving yards in high school.

I have an issue with my friends saying how hot you are. I know they are joking, other than Bill. He asked me to hook him up with you.

You know none of those are an issue. Here is the only real issue I have with you. You said no to being my best woman. That was time we could have spent together growing our new relationship. I love that you are in my wedding, but it should be you at my side as I form my family with Beck, not her brother. I love him, but not as closely as I love you. I love sharing with you and just wanted to share that with you also.”

Julia could not believe hearing those small-minded words coming out of her brother’s big mouth. She never thought the older brother who was so open to her growing up being so closed-minded. Then when the truth came out Julia was feeling a little embarrassed. She forgot her brother got sarcastic when he was nervous.

Julia smiled “Then you have no issue. Becky asked her brother and me to change roles, and he was more than happy to. He even offered to wear my dress with us being around the same build. I told him hell no. I was not chancing he was joking. So, give me the ring and let’s us get to the altar. You need to be there smiling to greet your bride and my sister-in-law.”