I made it safely to Boone from Anderson. I won't lie, it was frustrating, and I suffered more than one nervous breakdown in transit (I thought for about 2 and a half hours that I had missed the shuttle to Indie and wouldn't be able to make it at all) but it went relatively smoothly despite it all. 12 hours between bus and terminal, and an hour long cab ride, and I arrived in Boone, where, oddly enough, it was cooler than it was in Anderson, roughly 200 miles farther North. Suppose it's because Boone is a mountain town.
Boone is a developing area, and on top of that a college town. It's relatively small, but there's opportunity here. I have an appointment with Vocational Rehabilitation services on the 11th, too, and hopefully they'll be able to help me find employment like they did for Ash.
Oh yes, Ashley. I'll be honest, she wasn't quite what I had expected, but I don't honestly know what I was expecting really. I knew she was a he, that doesn't bother me in the least. And so long as an emotional connection can be maintained, I don't honestly care what she looks like. Something I learned through building internet relationships: it's not the physical part that really matters, though it is necessary to be able to feel your loved one next to you.
We slept together last night. Not sex, we simply shared a bed. It was nice, feeling her warmth beside me, hearing her breathing as I lay in the dark. Insomnia or not, it was pleasant. It was different.
I think things will be quite different from now on. And, for better or worse, I welcome that.