With only weeks before the ceremony, I agreed to leave the impending legal mess at the Clinic during my lunch hour to meet Drew and my mother at Hillary's home. Why? To look at and see if it would be a suitable location for our ceremony.

I tried to warn my mother that Hillary was different, but she merely assumed she was a lesbian. However, once Hillary opened the door, I could tell my mother realized she was much more than that.

"Hello, nice to meet you." Said Hillary, shaking my mother's numb hand. "Won't you come inside?" I looked at Drew who glanced back at me, smiling, or rather--- grinning under a mischievous stare.

As we were led through her Hollywood home and into the backyard, I could see my mother looking at Hillary's various body parts, trying to figure out and to confirm her assumptions that yes, indeed, Hillary used to be a man.

"Oh, this garden is beautiful." Exclaimed my mother, being led around the yard and the swimming pool.

Hillary continued, "As I see it, we could do the ceremony over here by the rear fountain, set up the buffet tables over here, and a small stage for dancing by the rear Eucalyptus trees." I watched my mother's eyes, darting at Hillary's thick wrists as she continued pointing across the rear yard. "I understand Mrs. Espinosa, you originally wanted to have the ceremony in a church?"

"Oh yes. That would have been what I preferred but they're so uptight. However, we are going to be using the services of a priest. Yes, this man, who, oh--- it's a secret--- you can't tell anyone..."

"Don't worry, I'm great with secrets."

"I bet you are, honey. So anyway..."

By the sudden expression across Hillary's face, I could see my mother's remark stung. But she was great, simply continuing to listen to my mother ramble and ramble and ramble.

"...my son Eric. It's a special day, you know? I want it to be everything that it can be. My husband agrees, that's why he's allowed me stay here for so long. I was staying at the Beverly Hilton but now I've got this charming kitchenette apartment in Beverly Hills. Oh, the shopping and the stars. It's so damn funny out here but anyway I've been having so much fun and I hope you don't mind me asking you this but I just have to, did you used to be a man?"

Hillary continued staring at my mother seconds after she stopped talking, almost as if she were still reading the subtitles of a foreign language film. Finally, Hillary responded with a simple, "I'm a transsexual, awaiting my surgery to become a woman."

I watched my mother smile delicately, looking as if she had just been told she had genital herpes. "Oh," she declared. "Really?"

And then she stepped away and as she faced the rear of the garden, suddenly broke down and cried. The three of us remained frozen, unsure what the hell to do next.

"Mom?" I asked.

She waved her hand, motioning she was all right. "Mom..."

"I...uh..." the sobs were beginning to intensify, her body shaking. "I just...want...IS ANYBODY NORMAL ANYMORE!? Gays, lesbians, and now transformers!"

"Transgenders."

"Whatever."

And then the most beautiful thing I've seen in a long time occurred. Hillary approached my mother and stood right beside her. Not invading her space, not touching her--- just standing there in silence. That was enough. That was what she could do and that was enough.

"I know it must be hard to understand." Mumbled Hillary. "And I think it's great you support your son the way you do."

My mother continued to cry, all her fear, all her pride, crashing together in that moment.

"My son..." Hillary's voice cracked, "has problems. He's a murderer."

My mother's eyes suddenly accented with the interest of a supermarket tabloid. "Really?"

Hillary nodded yes, tears now streaming down her cheeks. Here was a sight to behold, a transsexual and my mother suddenly bonding in the backyard where her gay son and lover were going to have a commitment ceremony.