Cora waited him out. She’d learnt it was what he needed, time to gather courage to say the things he’d never been allowed to before. She watched his fingers play at his bag strap.

“I just, I hear what my parents said, that bisexuality wasn’t real. That if I could be with a man, why couldn’t I do it as a girl and only be with guys…”

There were many times Cora wanted to slap Jack’s parents. And the boy Jack had met at an LGBT meeting who had ignored any means of contact after the word “pregnant.”

“I thought I had to get it all done as soon as possible to prove a point.” Jack blinked, eyes moist, and looked up at the ceiling. Finally, he caught Cora’s eye again. “But whatever I do in the future, I know who I am.”

“Good.” Doctor Freiburg had been difficult to secure, but she’d managed it with a little begging. And apparently, it was worth it if Jack was feeling secure in himself. It was clear Jack still struggled, but the shadowed look in his eye had softened. “And how was the adoption agency?”

With a one-shouldered shrug, he fiddled with a loose thread from his jacket. “It was okay. I had to find Tom to sign the stupid papers, though.”

“Tom?”

“The guy, the father. The other father.” Red was tingeing Jack’s cheeks. He’d never mentioned the guy’s name before.

“Did he sign?” Cora asked.

Jack fell heavily back against his chair. “Once I finally got a hold of him, he couldn’t sign fast enough. What the hell should he have to sign for? They pretty much said if I couldn’t find him, the baby couldn’t be adopted.”

Red tape: there was always red tape. “I suppose it’s to protect everybody, make sure there’s no one to challenge the adoption later.”

“I guess.” Jack mumbled. “Still stupid.”

It kind of was, from Jack’s perspective. It was his body, and Tom had made it clear he wasn’t interested. “How was the rest of the meeting?”

“It was okay… I have a few families to choose from.”

Cora ducked her head to try to meet his eye. “Choices can be good. Do you want some help?”

Letting out a breath, he nodded. “Yes, please. I feel a bit…”

“Overwhelmed with the responsibility of choosing a home for the human you’re growing inside you?”

He snorted. “That. Yeah.”

“Great. I’m happy to help. And after that we could talk about what you want to do? Finish high school? Enrol at TAFE and get an apprenticeship?”

Eyes scanning the wall behind her, he shrugged again. “Okay.”