Alison was an ordinary mother, at least that’s what she told herself to keep her heart uplifted should any biased members  of society take offense to her views that value not putting children in boxes before they’re old enough to understand things for themselves.

She lived at home with her five-year-old child whom she never labeled as a girl or boy except for on their birth certificate which demanded such things.  So Alex was her son in the eyes of the law and had all the things that society had decided were male but she let her child play and explore themself without the confinements that society had put on “boys.” Alison had chosen a gender neutral name for her child to give them some wiggle room should they find that strict borders of ‘boy’ weren’t right for them.

AIison sat on the couch, reading a book about gardening, something that she’d been meaning to get into but she hadn’t had the chance because she was raising her only child alone.

This was my choice. I’ll be happy with it until the day I die. Alex will always be my priority (within reason, of course.)

The couch bounced up and down as Alex sat down beside her. “Mama?”

Alison looked up at them, closing her book as she did so. “Yes, honey?”

Alex stared at their feet, grimacing as they shrunk under the confusion that wore them out. 

“I don’t feel like me.”

Alison slid closer to her child, stoking their sleek, brown hair. “Look at me, my darling child.”

Alex shifted their gaze up, at a snail’s pace to meet their mother’s warm brown eyes that matched their own. All they saw was love in their mother’s eyes. Love and relief.

“I love you, my dear.” Alison put an arm around her child. “Want to go on an adventure?”

She didn’t even need to ask.

The aforementioned adventure was a trip to a second-hand clothing store. Alex took in the rows and rows of colour. To them, it was paradise.

“What are we doing here, Mum?”

“We’re shopping for clothes, of course. Go on, explore! We’re going to get you whatever clothes make you happy.”

A slow smile spread over her child’s features. Alex tried on lots of different clothes. In the end, they gravitated towards the “girl’s” section. They tried on blouses and skirts and dresses galore.

Alison and her child left the store with a generous bag full of colourful clothes. It wasn’t a quantity that she would normally buy but her child was happy and that was all that mattered. She wanted to make sure they’d have enough to get them started. It brought a smile to her face to see her child so happy. This was what she lived for.

“Mum?” her child asked when they got back inside their house.

“Yes, dear?”

“I’d like you to meet your daughter.” Alex took a deep breath. “And I don’t want you to call me Alex anymore.”

Alison bent over to kiss her daughter on the forehead. “What would you like me to call you, my darling girl?”

“Alice.”

Alice ran over and hugged her mother as the two of them cried.

***

Thirteen years later…

Alice sat beside her mother as the two of them drove off to her endocrinologist’s office. This was only the intake appointment and had been a day years in the making.

“You okay, darling?” her mother asked.

Alice nodded. “Yep! Just a little bit nervous.”

Her mother removed her hand from the steering wheel for a brief moment to pat her daughter on the knee. “Is this what you want?”

“Yes.”

“Then you don’t need to worry.”

Alice’s mother parked the car and turned the engine off. Neither woman made a move to get out of the car.

Alice bit her lip. “Have you ever wished I’d stayed Alex?”

“No, my dear.” Alison gave her daughter’s hand a squeeze. “That was always a place holder. I always wanted you to be the one to choose your name; whichever one made you comfortable.”

Alice sighed. “I’m so glad you’re my mother. Do you know why I chose Alice for my name?”

This was met with silence.

“I wanted to name myself after you, the best mother on this planet.”

Her mother laughed. “I’m sure it’s debatable.”

“Not a chance. If who I am shouldn’t be up for debate then neither should you.”

This got a smile from her mother. “I raised you well.”

With that, the two of them got out of the car. Once the doors were locked, they walked hand in hand into the building.