Once upon a time, in a land nearby,
There lived a young woman whose spirit could fly.
Bea was her name and to it she did fit,
She was sweet like honey, without sting to her wit.
Secure and self-actualized, a modern-day gal,
Her optimism boosted other’s flagging morale.
Bea shared life with her partner, Beth.
Who, despite some issues, Bea loved to death.
Beth was troubled, built barricades to love.
Emotional stress; no visible illness to speak of.
Beth had suffered from early mental abuse,
And the unhealed scars it did produce.
She loved Bea in her codependent way,
As she tried to suppress the trauma each day.
With fits and rage, Beth chased demons at night.
That shut her down, balled her up tight.
Bea persevered with kindness and a smile,
Trying to maintain her own sense of denial.
But Bea didn’t have a savior complex,
And she couldn’t attempt to fix Beth with sex.
Beth was battling manic-depression,
And needed more than a therapy session.
One snowy day, Beth came home and announced,
“My psyche is down, with nary a bounce,
The sun doesn’t brighten; the air is unsweet,
I can’t push my health to the backseat.
I need to find help; alone on my own,
I can’t promise I’ll be back after I’ve grown.”
With heavy heart, Bea let Beth go,
To continue her journey, to strengthen and grow.
Bea’s confidence withered, her base shaken,
Surely, she thought, Beth is mistaken.
She’ll find herself, and return anew,
And her perception of life no longer askew.
Bea waited for days, turning to weeks,
With no word from Beth, no chance to speak.
Bea awakened one day, sick of the pain,
Vowing her loss would become her gain.
“Get back out there,” was the encouraging cry,
“You can’t sit and watch life pass you by.”
Bea finally emerged from the blanket of doubt,
Donned her best clothes and looked to go out.
She hit the bars, the community center,
Reconnecting, finding a way to re-enter.
She danced, drank and karaoke’d till dawn,
She sat through support groups, suppressing a yawn.
Bea partied with friends, denying new dates,
“I’m not ready yet,” she told those who await.
“I’m still in mourning; grieving the time,
All the while thinking Beth was all mine.
I need to be cautious, not in a rush,
Don’t need a flirtation, casual fling or crush.”
Socializing, networking was her new thing,
Having fun and laughing, and joy it did bring.
Bea went out at night, feeling happy and free,
As Beth faded ‘way to a distant memory.
One night at a club, Bea saw a young guy,
Whose charisma was contagious to all nearby.
Song after song, on the floor he remained,
Dancing and wiggling, his body unrestrained.
Like a moth to a flame, Bea sought him out,
Drawn to his confidence, his lack of self-doubt.
She learned from a friend that his name was, “Bill,”
And like Bea, found life was a thrill.
Bill’s mate had recently left for parts unknown,
Hooked on adrenaline, a drama queen clone.
Bill dealt with the break-up much like Bea,
Realizing there were other fish in the sea.
He was taking his time; just having fun,
Living like life was far from done.
Bill and Bea became friends, kindred pals,
Going to clubs, dinner, gay locales.
They talked and they laughed and shared good cheer,
Almost secretly wishing they weren’t so queer.
They knew they were soulmates, meant to share life,
But neither were prepared to go under the knife.
Not content with a union passionless,
“Companion marriage” would cause too much stress.
“If only you weren’t the opposite sex,” they’d lament,
Their emotional bonds glued like cement.
Bea told Bill, “I love the joy that you bring,
But there’s no overlooking that one little thing.
I’m used to a girl with long silky hair,
With curves and nail polish – you can’t compare.”
“My ‘thing’ is not little,” Bill laughed, “But I know what you mean.
I need a macho guy, a hot sex machine.”
Facing reality, they knew the deal,
Biology was inflexible, their fate sealed.
They shook hands and made a pact,
“We’ll be friends forever, that’s a fact!”
They shared all their dreams, made time for each other,
Building a love that supported not smothered.
They went to the movies, danced and drank,
Sometimes crying over this biological prank.
At a bar one night with Cosmos flowing,
The stars were bright, the wind a-blowing.
At the exact same moment, Bea and Bill leaned in,
Nose to nose, and chin to chin.
They pursed their lips and with some trepidation,
Threw caution away and embraced aberration.
Upon connection, sparks did fly,
A comet appeared and burst in the sky.
Everything around them faded to black,
In that instant, there was no going back.
They felt the heat, the rush of their blood.
Thoughts got jumbled, feelings did flood.
All of a sudden, Bea noticed a change,
Stubble disappeared and Bill felt strange.
His shoulders once broad began to soften,
“This feels good,” Bea thought, “We should do this more often.”
Under Bea’s hands, she now felt the curves,
Her mind playing tricks, she blamed it on nerves.
Their lips still locked, Bea felt her body react,
“I’m not attracted to boys, and that’s a fact!”
Her thoughts began to break the spell,
Bea pushed Bill away and tried to yell.
But before she was able to utter a peep,
She had to make sure she wasn’t asleep.
She rubbed her eyes, pinched her skin,
“This is some crazy dream I’m in!”
Standing before her wasn’t her Bill,
But a figure that gave her a romantic thrill.
A woman of beauty, with fiery hair,
Stylish shoes and high-fashion flair.
Bea touched her lips, that were once connected,
To this beautiful woman, fully unexpected.
Bea wondered aloud, “Where’s my wonderful friend?”
The woman replied, “He loved you so, he had to transcend.
“My name is Joan. I’m a gift from Bill,
He’s evaporated but he loves you still.
I embody all of him that you love,
Except for some parts I am free of.”
Bea’s mouth dropped open in stunned surprise,
But soon realized this was no disguise.
Bill’s sacrifice became perfectly clear,
His love for Bea made this woman appear.
With a burst of joy, Bea grabbed Joan,
And asked her to embrace what was unknown.
Said Bea, “I’m willing to see what’s ahead,
With love and trust, we won’t be misled.”
Holding hands once more, now Joan and Bea.
Skipped off together so merrily.
The heavens above echoed with laughter,
As Bill looked down, wishing them happy ever after.