At that very moment bright lights flood the dream and it dissipates instantaneously as something lands on me…..

“Rise and shine Spencer!!” I hear a familiar voice say.  I come out of my sleep swinging my fists, hoping I connect.  I do.

“Ouch, Sis! Jeeze, I think you broke my arm!”

“God Damn it Glen! Get the fuck out of my room!” I yell my voice still heavy with sleep.

“Spencer Marie Carlin! There is no need for such language in this house.”  My mom says as she passes by my room.  Glen is still on my bed so I put both of my feet on his back and shove him off.

“Grumpy much?” he says scowling up at me from the floor.

“You’re lucky I don’t break your arm for real after waking me up like that.  Seriously…get the HELL out of here!”

“I heard that Spencer!” our mom yells from downstairs.

“Christ, does she have super-sensory hearing?” I mutter.

“I think she can see through walls too.” Glen says from his place on the floor.

I laugh.  I can never stay too mad at him long.  He is a really awesome younger (3 years) brother and we have been through a lot together.  We are closer than ever now, even though I have been away at college for 2 years to become a Veterinarian, only coming home for breaks and summer. 

————

Home is a small college town in Eastern Oregon…La Grande to be exact.  I, Spencer Carlin am a “country girl”…..a gay country girl.   Proof that the ‘gay gene’ can pop up in any type of family.  My parents, Arthur and Paula, own a very large Quarter Horse ranch and training facility.  Glen and I joke we were only conceived so that they would have free workers.  Anyway, since I have loved animals all my life I have always wanted to get my DVM.  My parents were thrilled with the career choice; they just weren’t thrilled about where I wanted to go to get my education. 

That place of education being UCDavis in Davis, California.  I wanted out of this little college town, sunny California sounded good to me and Davis has a great Vet Med program coincidentally.  So when I was accepted my parents threw out an ultimatum.  I could only go if I stayed with my Grandma who lives in Citrus Heights.  A suburb of Sacramento that is about 40 minutes away from campus….and all the fun!  I was desperate to get out so I took the deal.  I always knew my grandma was cool, but turns out she is completely awesome and living with her has been great actually.  She has a small studio off her house that is just for me.  She has her privacy and I have mine.