Episode 7 - The Big Choice

Written by: Fun But Shy Girl

Based on Characters Created by: Mark Reisman

Olive and Emmy were walking out of a synagogue holding hands as they were followed by their son Barry who was holding hands with Sydney and Harry's daughter Alisha. As Alisha walked, she said, "That was a pretty nice service. Although I was surprised to hear Jesus' name said so many times in a Jewish place of worship." Barry smirked as he said, "My mother isn't exactly Jewish the way most people imagine. She's Messianic Jewish. The leaders of this synagogue believe in Jesus as the messiah, but still practice many Jewish traditions and celebrations." Then a confused Alisha said, "So wait. Then do you celebrate Hannukah and Christmas here?" Barry then said, "Well most Messianic Jews don't celebrate Christmas since the scriptures and traditions don't command us to. Although upon marrying my mom, my mother has come around to celebrating both."

Then an older adult man walked over to Barry and said, "Barry, can I talk to you?" Barry nodded his head and said, "Sure. Alisha, I'll see you in a minute." Alisha then walked off as Barry said, "So what can I do for you Rabbi Thomas?" Rabbi Thomas then said, "Well your parents gave me permission to discuss this matter with you one on one. Now first I'd like to say, you are one of the most knowledgble students in my class. You can quote and speak of the scriptures better than any current student I have. However I just wanted to curiously ask you why you haven't shown any interest in preparing for your bar mitzvah. You certaintly have already done most of the work towards it already. All you would have to do is take one more class with me and others interested to be ready to do it." Barry suddenly looking a bit nervous said, "Oh. Well... I don't know. Um... can I think about it, and then get back to you?" Rabbi Thomas smiled and said, "Of course. You are a smart young man. It just be nice to have your formally recognized as a man per tradition."

Sydney and Harry's adopted daughter Valicity was walking down a sidewalk with Sophia's niece Kelly. As the two walked together, Valicity said, "Man. You were awesome on the track today." Kelly smiled as she said, "Yeah. Wish we brought a stopwatch. I think I shaved a few seconds off my best time." Valicity then said, "You know, it's fun whenever you come to visit your aunt and we can hang out. Is this gonna become a regular thing?" Kelly shrugged and said, "Eh, my dads think I''m at that age where I need a positive female influence around me. Either that or my brother alone is being too much trouble for them to handle." The two then walked into Olive and Emmy's house and saw Barry and Alisha had just walked in themselves. Valicity waved and said, "Hey. How was the trip to the synagogue today?" Alisha then said, "Pretty interesting." Then Barry said, "Hey Kelly. You wanna stay for dinner? Alisha and Valicity are already staying here all week while their parents are on vacation, so we already bought tons of extra food." Kelly looking a bit hesitant then said, "Eh, I better not. Aunt Sophia gets a little anxious when I'm away from her place too long, so I better go." Then Alisha said, "Okay. But if you want, you can come to our school dance this Friday. It should be a lot of fun."

Barry and Alisha then walked into the nearby kitchen, as Valicity looked at Kelly and said, "So do you wanna come?" Kelly looking hesitant then said, "I don't know. I don't really like going to dances if I don't have a date." Then Valicity looking a bit nervous said, "Well... if you want... do you wanna be... maybe... my date?" Then Kelly suddenly looked nervous as she said, "Well... I mean... are you asking because you wanna be nice, or... do you like actually wanna..." Then a very nervous Valicity said, "No. I mean... would you want to if I..." Then a very nervous Kelly said, "Well I'd only want to if you... um... I... I have to go back to my Aunt Sophia's place. See ya." Then Kelly quickly walked out the door. Valicity then fell to the floor, and looked at her phone, and brought up a picture on her screen of Kelly surrounded by hearts. Kelly then hit her head and said, "I am such an idiot." Meanwhile outside Kelly was looking at her phone with a picture on her screen of Valicity surrounded by hearts. Kelly hit her head as she said, "I am such an idiot."

Alisha and Barry were preparing food together in the kitchen, as Alisha said, "So why did you look so nervous after talking to that rabbi guy? Barry sighed as he said, "He's just asking me if I want to go through with my bar mitzvah. And I can't blame him because I've been stalling." A curious Alisha then said, "Why is that?" Barry then looked down as he said, "Because if I do, then I'd be cementing my place in the Jewish community, and... I don't know if I want to." A confused Alisha then said, "Why? Are you having issues with your synagogue or your faith?"

Barry turned his head and said, "No. You see the real problem is... I've been living in two worlds my whole life. My mom grew up in a Christian church, and my mother grew up in a Messianic Jewish Syagogue. When they got married, their compromise was that they'd alternate every other week which house of worship they'd attend together as a family. So I've litterally grown up attending both church and syagogue. And honestly it's been great for the longest time. Learning about the differences, and also the many similarities between both religons has made me feel very well educated. But just as I've been experiencing pressure to really become an adult per Jewish tradition by having a bar mitzvah, people at my mom's church have also been pressuring me to go through confirmation."

Alisha then said, "Wait. You mean the practice many Christian churches have where students go through a series of classes that leads them to confirming their faith and becoming recognized as grown members of the church community?" Barry nodded his head and said, "Yeah. Some people see it as a confirmation of baptism, while others see it as an even more important component of faith. But the point is, I've got leaders from my two houses of worship I attend trying to keep me standing still in just one of my worlds, and I really don't wanna choose one over the other." Alisha looking sympathetic said, "I'm sorry you gotta deal with that kind of choice Barry. But... at least you already choose me." Barry smiled as he looked at Alisha and said, "Best choice I ever made."

Valicity was laying down in a guest bedroom with a pillow over he face. Valicity was grunting into the pillow, and then yelled, "Ugggh!" Olive and Emmy then walked past the bedroom door, and stopped as they saw Valicity. Both Olive and Emmy walked into the bedroom as Olive said, "Hey Val. Everything okay?" Valicity sat up with her pillow off her face as she said, "No." Then Olive said, "Well... you wanna talk about it?" Valicity made grumbling noises as she turned her head away. Then Emmy with a sympathetic voice said, "Does this have to do you trying to ask Kelly out?" Valicity suddenly had a panicked look on her face as she said, "Huh!? I mean... how did you know!?" Olive then with a straight forward tone said, "Despite seemingly giving you teenagers space, we actually monitor you all way more than you realize. Just be glad we haven't unknowingly wire tapped you like we have with Barry."

Valicity then fell back on the bed and said, "Ugggh. It's just... Sydney and Harry have been like the perfect adoptive parents to me. So I just always assumed if I ended up with a nice guy like Harry, then I'd be happy like Sydney was. But now suddenly I started having these feelings for Kelly and... uggh. I just feel so confused." Then Emmy said, "Well, Sydney and Harry actually gave us permission to talk about this subject matter with you if it ever came up. So... have you been having feelings for other girls before?" Valicity groaned and said, "No. Just Kelly and only her. We've become like best friends over the years whenever we see each other, and now... it's just so confusing. This just wasn't part of the perfect plan I had in how my life was supposed to go."

Olive smirked as she said, "Nothing ever goes according to any perfect plan we make. And being over obsessed with it can drive you crazy. If you wanna know a little secret... Sydney and Harry had the same problem." An intrigued Valicity then said, "Seriously?" Olive nodded her head and said, "Yeah. Sydney wanted herself and Harry to have the kind of relationship her own parents had. So she decided she and Harry were gonna get married and have kids after they finished college, since that's what her parents did. However the two wound up moving in together senior year, but didn't tell their parents, because Sydney was worried about breaking down the perfect image of herself and Harry following the plan of how an ideal couple is supposed to be. However the cat was out of the bag when Sydney became pregnant with Alisha before graduation. Luckily however Sydney was still loved by all her friends and family, because we didn't love her for being perfect. We loved her because she's Sydney."

Emmy nodded her head and said, "Yeah, and my parents had a plan for me to marry a man one day, and got really angry when I didn't follow through on that plan. But they eventually came around." Then a curious Valicity said, "But... did you two ever have doubts if you were dating or marrying the right person?" Then Olive said, "Well there are always some doubts early in any relationship." Emmy then said, "Yeah, but you can't be over obsessed with questioning if you're dating the right person. My parents wanted me to date the perfect man, but... there is no perfect man or person out there. The only perfect man was Jesus. So I knew as a kid, whoever I was gonna date was not gonna be perfect. I knew one day I was going to marry a sinner. They just had to be a saved sinner that was kind, loyal, and loving in everything they did. And for me... that was Olive."

A curious Valicity then said, "And it didn't bother you after growing up in a church and in a more traditional family that you were attracted to a woman?" Then Emmy said, "Well to be honest... for years I've wondered if I'm a lesbian or bi sexual. But honestly... now what I identify as is... someone who only is interested in a kind person that is willing to give it their all for love, and I won't let their lack of a Y chromosome stop me from exploring that love. And for me, Olive is the best person that fits that description." A smiling Olive then said, "Aww. Thanks babe." Then Valicity leaned back as she said, "Hmm."

Kelly sat in front of Sophia at a kitchen table as she said, "Uggh. I feel so confused Aunt Sophia. People at school joke around that because I have two gay dads, I'll be like them. But I've never had these feelings towards another girl before. And now, I just... uggh. I don't know what to do." Sophia sighed and said, "I get it. You want the right kind of relationship, and you're not sure if you're on the right path. Your dad felt the same kind of confusion when he was a teenager too. And for awhile, I was worried about the path he was on too." Kelly groaned and said, "So how do I know if a guy or girl I know is right for me."

Sophia then gently touched a silver ring she was wearing on her left hand, closed her eyes and sighed, and then opened her eyes and with certainty in her voice said, "You'll know they're the right person for you because they're kind, responsible, and willing to give it their all for you. And if you find the right person who fits those qualifications... be open to what you're feeling, no matter who they are. Don't allow a few little personality quirks keep you from loving them. Don't allow any potential... disability they have keep you from loving them. And if their only flaw is they're lacking a Y chromosone... well, don't allow that to stop you from loving them. No relationship can ever be completely perfect; and you shouldn't ever rush things. But if this is someone you've taken the time to really get to know, trust, and respect... then don't wait to start things." Kelly then sat back in her hair as she said, "Hmm."

Barry was sitting on a couch in his family's living room as Olive and Emmy were sitting down in front of him. Barry sighed as he said, "Mother... mom... I wanted to talk to you about a deicion I've recently made. You know Pastor Black has been asking me about taking confirmation class, and Rabbi Thomas has been asking me if I want to go through with my bar mitzvah. I know each of you went through these respective traditions, and you both said they meant a lot to you, but... I've decided to not go through either. I want to grow in my faith, but I don't want to feel confined to one series of religious practices right now as I do. I hope you're not mad." With a smile, Olive said, "Of course we're not Barry." Smiling as well, Emmy said, "Barry, we never wanted you to feel like you had to choose one religon over another. Besides, salvation starts with your relationship with God. That's what's really most important. Religious practices and your worshiping community are merely meant to help you grow in that journey."

Then Olive said, "And whatever path or community you choose to grow in, we just hope you keep us as a part of your life, so that we can also continue to help you grow." Then a smiling Emmy said, "And we're already so proud of the kind of man you're turning into." Barry smiled as he said, "Thanks. So... since I'm a man now... can I spend time with Alisha in her room tonight." Then Emmy with a commanding voice said, "You're that much of a man yet." Then Olive said, "And remember, we have laser wires all around her bedroom door that are active at night. So no funny bussiness." Barry then groaned as he walked away, whle Olive and Emmy giggled.

Kelly stood in front of a door and rung the nearby doorbell. The door opened, and Valicity appeared as she said, "Kelly? What are you doing here?" Kelly then said, "Um... to talk to you about... going to the dance. Um... can I still go with you?" Then Valicity said, "Um... look Kelly. Let me be straight with you. I'm a little confused about my feelings towards you right now." Kelly nodded her head looking relieved as she said, "Me too. But... Valicity... I don't wanna wait forever to figure out my feelings. All I know is you've been one of my best friends for years now and... I'd like to begin getting closer to you as I figure out these new feelings." Valicity stood silent, looking uncertain of what to say. Kelly sighed, turned her back, and then walked away. Then suddenly Kelly heard Valicity yell, "Kelly!" Kelly then turned around and saw Valicity running towards her. Valicity then immediately kissed Kelly on the lips as a surprised Kelly kissed her back. Eventually the kiss ended, and a smiling Valicity said, "I'd like to try this out too." Then a smiling Kelly kissed Valicity back, as both girls hugged one another.

THE END