Grypha got home after her shift at the Huggamug, sat down and looked at her phone. Her mother already knew she had a daughter, but Grypha didn’t let her know she started transitioning at last. Grypha clicked on the contact saved in her phone and brought the phone to her ear.
“Hiya D- I mean Katie, how are you doing, why are you calling?” Asked Grypha’s mom on the other end.
“Hi mom, I’m actually doing great. Way better than I could have expected. I...came out to my friends they took it really well. Gave me a nudge to start presenting as a girl full time. And I got a part time job at a café as myself, so that’s great.” Answered Grypha, smiling despite the fact her mother couldn’t see it.
“O-oh wow, that’s a lot to drop at once on me. A job and and your friends know you want to be a girl, and they helped you become one?” Grypha’s mom spoke, somewhat confused.
“I’ve always been a girl mom, even when both of us didn’t know. And yeah, they helped me present as my true self. As for the job, it’s as a waitress at Huggamug Café, it’s near where I’m staying.” Grypha elaborated. Her smile turned into a somewhat sorrowful face. “Mom...do you have contact info for dad?” She asked.
“Yeah I got his phone and address I can send them to you, but why do you want them?” Asked Grypha’s mom.
“I...I think I need to tell him. I haven’t seen him since we moved, and I’m dreading it more than my other coming outs...but I need to let him know.” Was Grypha’s answer, clutching at her chest, feeling a bit of a panic coming on. “Email me the info, mom. I’ll... face him myself.” She continued.
“Alright sweetheart, I’m sending it now. I’m...glad you’re progressing towards being yourself, I guess, if that’s the term. Good luck speaking to your father. Talk to you later.” Replied Grypha’s mom.
“Yeah, thanks mom, talk to you later too.” Grypha finished, and hung up the call. Minutes later she got an email notification with contact information for her father.
Her parents divorced when she was turning 17, her mother and her moved and her father didn’t care for custody. Gave the option to visit every two weeks, but Grypha didn’t use it. He hadn’t been a great dad. The divorce at least led to her meeting her friend group, and they had hung out for 4 years. She looked up the address in maps. He was living in the same city, just a couple blocks away. She picked up her phone, dialed the number and sat there for a solid ten minutes before hitting call. Mom had kept him updated on how I’m doing despite me not speaking with him, he knows I’m in uni, just tell him you want to meet and talk at his place. Easy...easy...easy...come on girl you’ve come out to like 7 people already, you can do an 8th. Just press call and call him. Were the thoughts racing through her head, anxiety rising, breath getting shorter. She took a deep one and clicked call. It took a solid 30 seconds before she heard an answer.
“Hello, John Grypha on the line.” Came from the other side.
“H-Hi dad, it, it’s me…” Began Grypha. It took her a lot to stay calm.
“Oh, &@{#}, nice to finally hear from you after four years. What do you need son?” Replied John. Grypha didn’t even hear her deadname she knew that he had used it to refer to her, but it sounded like static to her.
“I need to talk to you about something, dad. In person. Are you free right now?” She asked.
“Sure, yeah, I just got home from work. You know where I live?” Answered John.
“Yeah, dad, mom sent me your address, you live just a couple blocks from me. I’ll be there soon.” She answered and hung up the phone.
She breathed quickly for a minute before opening the chat app to message Nana
Cry-phon: Hey, Nana, I’m about to come out to my dad, the address is 68 Shower Circle. He lives in the city. If you and the girls could like wait outside the place while I go in and then check on me in an hour after I go in?
SquishyStack: Oh gosh Grypha, you’re that worried? Sure yeah we’ll be there in a bit, see you there.
Grypha closed the app and got up to go outside.
She took the metro to get to the place in 20 minutes. As she exited the station her friends were waiting outside. They waved at her, she walked up to them, stopped to look at all of them and kept nervously going forward. Not much longer afterwards they were standing in front of the apartment building. Donna gave Grypha a nod, Nana and Alice put their hands on Grypha’s shoulders for comfort. She touched their hands and went to ring the bell.
“Who’s there?” Came John’s voice out of the speaker on the bell.
“It’s...it’s me dad.” Answered Grypha
“Oh, you. I’m on the fourth floor.” John said as the buzzer sounded. Grypha opened the door, looked towards her friends and then towards the elevator, making her way to it and going up to the fourth floor.
She knocked on the door once up there, and it opened. Her father standing before her. He was a bit shorter than her, his hair started falling out on his head. Wearing a suit and tie he looked Grypha over.
“What the fuck are you wearing. Why is my son in drag.” John asked.
“Because you don’t have a son that’s in drag, dad….you have a daughter.” Answered Grypha.
“I do not have a daughter. I remember fathering a son and raising him for 17 years.” Was John’s reply.
“More like 3 years with the amount of time you were gone. Maybe you would have noticed if you were around.” Said Grypha. “You never had a son. You have a daughter, her name is Katie, she likes games, goes to university, works at a café and has a wonderful group of friends. She’s standing before you. You would know this if you ever bothered to care.” Grypha was clenching her fist as she continued.
“Did your mother make you a tranny when she was raising you on her own?” Asked John. Grypha took a step back at her father’s use of the slur.
“First off, father, that’s a slur, don’t use it. Second off, no. She knew I was her daughter since I was 12. She told me to not tell you and to hide it, expecting you to react like this.” Grypha answered her father. She was expecting to have a panic attack interacting with him. Instead, she was getting heated up from his callousness. “I was always a girl, it took me years to realise it, it wasn’t a sudden realisation or decision but something that’s been a long time coming.” She continued. John laughed and shook his head.
“Oh this is rich. My son, the boy I carried in my arms when he was a baby, standing before me telling me he’s a girl like a delusional lunatic.” John said as he kept laughing. Grypha couldn’t hold it in anymore. She punched him right in the beak with the fist she had been clenching since the conversation started. John flew back into the room by at least 10 feet.
“It is not a delusion, I am not a lunatic, I’m not a slur and I’m not your son or a boy. You would know this if you ever cared. You were always away, just me and mom living together. And when you were around, you got drunk and didn’t care. Even when sober you dismissed anything and everything I did. Everything had to be exactly as you said, even a small deviation would not be tolerated and would be met with passive aggressive ridicule from you. You’re a nasty, egotistical, narcissistic, dismissive uncaring piece of shit. If you want to be part of my life, stop misgendering your daughter, and put in the fucking effort you never put in. Good. Bye. I hope you need to visit the doctor with a concussion with that.” Grypha said upon landing the punch. She slammed the door closed and ran down the stairs, high on adrenaline. But upon making it downstairs and seeing her friends, she just crashed. Her knees got weak and buckled, and she started breathing heavily.
“Did, did it go that badly?” Asked Nana as she approached Grypha to help her to her feet.
“I...I punched him. I punched him right in the face. He kept misgendering me, he called me a delusional lunatic and so I punched him. He flew back like ten feet. And then I slammed the door and ran down here. I can’t believe I did that. What did I think would happen when I told him? That he’d actually be a good dad? That he’d starting calling me his daughter? Of course he’d be the same dismissive asshole as always.” Grypha said, as she stood up with Nana’s help. Both her and Alice gave Grypha a hug as Donna looked on and started looking into her phone.
“John Grypha, 52, divorced, one child, Katie Grypha. Works as a project manager on constructions of piping and waterworks.” Donna started reading.
“Donna...why are you reading that out loud?” Asked Grypha, as she looked at Donna.
“I’m going through my file on him to see what kind of dirt I got on him. Oh wow, that’s, wow. I’m so sorry you had to deal with that during childhood. Yeah, that can work. Grypha I can hurt him more that your punch did.” Donna answered.
“He’s an asshole, but I don’t think I want him hurt more. There isn’t anything I can do to convince him or bring him around. Thanks for the offer though.” Said Grypha. “I need something to calm me down. You all okay if we hit the Huggamug for a slice of cake?” She asked, looking over her friends.
“Yeah, you need one Grypha.” Answered Alice as she lead the group to the metro station.
The group walked into the Huggamug Café and sat down at one of the booths. The moment they sat down, Kodi walked over.
“Hiya Grypha, you wanna do a couple more hours hun? Or is this a hanging out with friends situation?” She asked, notepad and pen for taking orders prepared.
“It’s a I-need-a-slice-of-The-Kitchen-Sink situation, Kodi.” Grypha answered as she sighed.
“Oh dear, sweetie, what happened?” Kodi asked, concerned about her coworker.
“I Came out to my father…” Grypha started, kinda extending the words ”...and punched him in the face for misgendering me and calling me delusional.” She finished, looking down and twiddling her thumbs. Kodi wrote down the order, gave Grypha a hug and went to grab the mystery cake. She put the slice in front of Grypha. As she did, Grypha’s phone rang. She took it out of her bag and checked who was calling.
“...It’s the punching bag isn’t it.” Asked Donna upon seeing Grypha’s worried face.
“Yup...wish me luck.” Grypha gulped hard and answered the phone. “Are you ready to apologise?” She said, ready to not take any shit from him.
“YOU’RE THE ONE WHO PUNCHED ME YOU FUCKING BRAT YOU SHOULD BE BEGGING ME ON YOUR KNEES TO FORGIVE YOU!!!” John’s voice was so loud that Grypha had to move the phone from her ear, with the rest of the group hearing it.
“And you WOULDN’T punch someone disrespecting your entire existence and identity? Oh right wait no one would disrespect you right. Except for your daughter who is living her best life!” Grypha told him, she kept her voice leveled, but Nana still started holding her hand.
“Fuck you, where you at, I want payback.” John angrily asked.
“Oh I’m just chilling with my friends at the place I work at. Maybe you’d know where that was, if you had bothered to be a good dad all these years instead of a distant neglectful egotistical abusive douchebag.” She answered.
“How dare you call me a douchebag young man-” Began John before Grypha cut him off
“It’s young lady, I thought I had established that right before I punched you in the face for not respecting that.” Grypha cut him off swiftly. There was definitely going to be a confrontational crash after this.
“Do not cut me off when I’m speaking son-” Continued John
“Daughter.” Grypha had cut him off once again. “I’m your daughter, my name is Katie, I work at Huggamug Café, and once again if you want to be in my life put in the effort. Goodbye.” She hung up the call and immediately tried digging into the slice of cake, but it was difficult with her hands shaking. Donna took out her phone and handed it to Kodi.
“John Grypha, there’s his picture. I’d suggest you blacklist him right away.” Said Donna while she looked at Kodi.
“Got it sweetie, if I see him approaching I’ll let you know.” Kodi answered as she wrote down the details. She went and put the information into the folder under the counter with blacklisted people information. Grypha meanwhile managed to get a forkful of cake into her beak. Swallowing it she sighed.
“I shouldn’t have told him the exact spot.” Grypha said before taking another forkful, continuing afterwards. “He’ll show up here in like 20 minutes and try bursting in through the door to drag me out and beat the living shit out of me.” She finished her sentence with another forkful of cake.
“If he tries anything I’m throwing his ass to the moon Katie. I skipped arm day so it’ll be good exercise.” Said Alice as she went and gave Grypha a headpat. Grypha nodded and continued munching on the cake.
15 minutes later, Rebecca was standing next to the door as John approached. He looked pissed off, no surprise about that. As he tried opening the door, Rebecca opened it and blocked it.
“You have to leave.” She said, looking John right in the eye.
“I’m not leaving until my bastard of a son gets what he deserves for punching me in the face for no reason.” John said.
“‘Son’? As far as I’m aware, you don’t have a son. My employee Katie had been distressed by your treatment of her. We do not tolerate close mindedness at the Huggamug café. If you do not leave in the next five minutes I’m calling the police.” Rebecca said. There was an aura of do-not-argue around her, John had difficulty keeping eye contact with her, even angry as he was. He huffed and walked off, sitting down in his car on the other end of the street. “The five minutes still apply. I’m keeping an eye on him.” Rebecca continued as she closed the door and walked towards the booth. “You were not kidding about him being nasty, Katie. I’m so sorry you had to deal with him today. Have the slice on the house, after seeing him in person, no surprise.” Rebecca said to Grypha before putting a hand on her shoulder.
“Thanks Rebecca. I’m sorry you had to face him for me.” Grypha said, looking towards Rebecca.
“I’m not surprised at all you punched him. Although I wouldn’t have expected it from you.” Rebecca replied chuckling a bit.
“We’ll accompany you home, Grypha.” Said Alice. “Let me know when you’re ready to go.”
“Thanks for the slice Kodi, Rebecca. I’m...ready to go. He’ll keep waiting anyways.” Grypha said as she stood up.
“I have a knife in a thigh holster under my dress, he won’t expect it if he tries anything more than talking.” Said Nana, lifting her dress up just enough to show the aforementioned holster. Grypha blinked in surprise a bit, but gave Nana a hug, and the group went outside.
The moment the group crossed the street, John opened his car window to start talking to them. “You the hags that made my son a drag queen? Let me discipline him for how he treated me.” He said, getting ready to exit the car before Nana place her hand on the knife handle.
“No, we’re the girls that gave your daughter a makeover into the cutest goth girl in town. Hoping she wouldn’t get mistaken for a depressed, half dead, sad boy like she had been for 21 years. It has worked for the past two weeks, so I’m surprised why you’re not wearing glasses with eyesight that shitty.” Replied Alice, rolling up her sleeves.
“So he convinced you all to feed into his delusion?” John said. But as he did the sound of air rushing out could be heard. None of them noticed Nana move fast enough to slash all of John’s tires at once, but she holstered her knife as she joined the group again.
“If you try following us on foot you’ll wake up in jail.” Nana said as she looked him right in the eye. “And if you don’t start calling your daughter your daughter right fast you’ll lose something dear to you.” She continued.
“John Grypha, 52 years old, divorced, one child, works as a project manager on construction work. Has avoided paying taxes for 4 years with a very difficult to trace paper trail. Doesn’t make enough a month to afford the bail out that he’d get if this information was provided to the authorities.” Was Donna’s contribution to the situation. “The information can be provided to the authorities within a minute, with police present in two minutes. I do not think you want to risk your comfortable life over not respecting your daughter’s identity, Mister Grypha. I suggest you take the metro home. Now.” She finished. John was definitely angry when Nana sliced the tires, but Donna’s threat made his anger turn to fear. He exited the car the opposite door towards the girls and started making his way to the metro station. The group waited before he was out of sight to continue towards Grypha’s apartment.
Upon entering it Grypha just crashed down on the couch and groaned a bit. A mumbled “Someone else please call my mom to tell her what happened today.” Was heard by her friends from her general direction.
“I got it my gal, I’ll call her for you. You’ve got guts though girl, more than I thought at first.” Was Alice’s reply as she went to call Grypha’s mom. Grypha rolled around on the couch so she was looking at the ceiling in the meantime.
“I don’t know how I could have handled today without everyone’s support….thanks for being there for me girls. I’m so unbelievably lucky to have you all.” Said Grypha as she began crying, Nana immediately sitting her up so she could give her a comforting hug. Grypha still hoped her father would get better, but she knew he probably wouldn’t. She hoped to never see his face again.
... you know ... I ... may be in a similar situation ... maybe not that bad and probably without any kind of support ... and personally I'm trying to delaying doing something like that as long as I can ... maybe it's not going to be that bad ... but still ... damn, I always end up like this when I read bad things that feel like a possibility ... a very bad possibility ... sorry, I tend to get really depressed sometimes
Hey. I hear you. It can be terrifying to face a situation which can go so wrong. But no matter what anyone does, you are you, they can't take away your self, and there will be people who stand by you even if some want to tear you down. Find your true friends, and know that you can rely on them and they can rely on you. We all can make it through what comes, if we stand with support behind us.
@Foundling_Fae thanks for the encouragement words... I still have to find those friends
... but I will try my best. Again thank you for your kind words 
@NekoMax well, as far as someone on the Internet can be, count me as one. <3
@Foundling_Fae Oh, thank you
you may be my first... or rather secon friend on the internet