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Half Sisters - Episode 71: Undertow (Patreon)

Published:
2026-02-16 05:27:01
Edited:
2026-02-17 03:01:20
Imported:
2026-02
Tags:

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Content

"The course of true love never did run smooth." - Shakespeare (yeah, I'm going there)

This is a Sandy episode. Nikki's been hogging the spotlight lately with her dates and her horses and her "war paint." But it's time to stick with our girl from Boston for a bit, because Josh just flew a thousand miles to surprise her and sometimes the most romantic gestures are also the most complicated.

What starts as a very good morning (🔥) turns into a perfect afternoon at a hidden swimming hole. Sandy nerds out. Josh sweats. Snakes are discussed. And then a conversation happens neither of them was ready for...

Can't wait to hear your thoughts.

P.S. As always, download the PDF for best quality / resolution! The web viewer doesn't show it at the original size.

Files

Comments

Firewalker

Lmao shoutout to Buc-ee's

Jade Diaz

This episode contains the most glorious panel in the history of art. Also some beautiful pictures of Buc-ees.

Emory Ahlberg

Nikki has to get her Buc-ee's top! 😉 (and brisket)

Tiki D

This chapter is very emotional between Sandy and Josh involving acceptance, self discovery (From Josh's perspective all about there for his friend/lover, while Sandy is still finding herself), and true love. I even like the sex scene between the two in terms of being free with each other. Emory, I have an idea for the pin-up option. How about doing a mini story based on the reverse gender of our main characters? It could be from stories like Jack & Jill, Homecoming, Maid for Life/Half Sisters, etc. Couple of examples, like Jack (One of Xu's employees and still male) and Melissa (Mason's female counterpart) from the shower scene from Chapter 3 making out in it, unlike Jill and Mason. Scott (still male) and Joshlyn (Josh's female counterpart) having sex while showing much of a gentleman and lover around her.

Jade Diaz

I can see why you would think that, but… No! I was talking about Sandy’s magnificent tits. And only slightly less beautiful is a fully operational battle… I mean gas station with a beaver mascot.

Jade Diaz

Correct ✅✅✅✅

Crewchick

Very sweet. Well, crisis averted... for now. Let's see how things work once school starts. Also, could get awkward when Jessica comes back into the story. I doubt a threesome will be the answer. I admit I was disappointed not to see more of Nikki's story. But I have a feeling this was the calm straightaway before the roller coaster takes its next major drop or whips around some major curve at breakneck speed. Also expecting there will be some significant flashbacks to Clinic 12 in the weeks ahead.

Crewchick

The last panel is an amazing picture of Nikki. Her smile is electric. I notice Nikki is wearing make-up almost daily. Though this still may be a day or two after the date. I am not sure where the Ritz of Passage falls into the timeline and cannon. But this Nikki looks much different from the pre-date Nikki living at her Dad's. That Nikki wore mostly over sized jerseys and sweats. Wore girl clothing and put on make up only when absolutely necessary and was binding her chest. We have only seen her at the mall twice, but she appears to have a growing wardrobe of girl clothing she now seems quite comfortable in. I know she learned make-up at Clinic 12, and probably had it drilled into her. Though, before the pre-date salon treatment, we did not know quite how good Nikki was at applying her own make-up. She told Sandy the date was a one and done, after which she would never wear girl clothing again and that she would likely never where half the stuff she bought at the mall. Now here we are a day or two after the date, and we see Nikki living with her Mom, doing her make up, and wearing and seeming quite comfortable in her girl clothing. Nikki had the morning after breakdown, the obvious anxiety and avoidance on this horse ride with her Mom. I thought part of her, especially after the breakdown, would be anxiously awaiting a call from Hutchinson telling her the date failed, Zach is still game, and she is now off the hook to be Zach's beard and can return to her old life. Never gonna happen! But that is what Nikki has been hoping and planning for all this time. I would think that would be another source of major devastation for her. That was her her Dad's whole plan, do the date right prove Zach is gay and be off the hook. Not getting that call means Nikki is on the hook to live as a girl 24/7 in the public eye at St. Christopher's. That seemed like an impossibility for pre-date, chest binding, sweats wearing Nikki. That does not appear to be quite the impossibility we are seeing here in post date Nikki. Maybe not liking it, but at the same time quite natural and at ease with it. I am still trying to get my head around that. It just seems like a fast transition with very little awkward stage. Clinic 12 can be used to explain a lot. But at some point, if it accomplished as much as it did, it would have had to have broken Nikki to a major degree. Such a Nikki would presumably be more accepting of the permanence of her changes and not gotten caught up in all the talk of getting her old body back and going back to football. Or her Dad's all meet diet. She would have been focused on presenting well. Not just for Hutchinson to protect her family and keep him off her back. But also for her general safety and acceptance of her new reality.

Jenny S

I feel the same way when I go to Buc-ee's :P Phew, the relief that washed over me when that conversation between Sandy and Josh went well. More clear boundary work to be done, but I think those two lovebirds are gonna be okay (or at least until Emory drops the next bomb from her infinite bomb drawer)

Kris Greg

What a sweet episode with Sandy & Josh. They are an adorable couple. Nikki better come away with some Beaver Nuggets. The fudge & jerky are also good.

M4TR1X16

I understand Josh perfectly, I had a relationship with a trans girl and I always had that concern that something bad could happen to her and more living in a transphobic country.

Ella Cherry

They’re such a great couple!

Maggie Heels

Aaaaaaaaand I did "the mistake" again... read this at work with my buddy on my left... and... "something caught my eye"... twice... to both of them actually... ❣️❣️❣️❣️

Nolwenn (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-14 23:00 I don't know buc-ees, but it seems exceptional when you see how much happy is nicky. 🙄 Nice episode josh is definitly a good guy.
2026-02-16 15:11

Gemma

Fantastic images. In particular I loved the look of exasperation on Josh’s face as he pleads with Sandy. Also, always nice, ‘sexy time images’ with these two. I was so pleased Sandy had the courage to be do direct with Josh rather than the issue of his ongoing presence at St Christopher being an ongoing lingering issue. I am also pleased she asserted herself and her own independent decision making when when Josh initially minimised and suggested she was brainwashed and what she wanted was influenced by Mrs Ferris. I can understand how he came to this view based upon Mrs Ferris’s checkered last. Whilst Josh gave wanting to protect Sandy as one of his prime reason around his decision to come to St Christopher, I also wonder if a part of him also felt insecure about their relationship and all the attention Sandy would attract from potential suitors (male and female). Hopefully their mutual declaration of love would help put his mind at rest, if this is an unspoken underlying fear he may have. I am so pleased Sandy now will have the space she needs to truly find herself and be all she hopes and wants to be. Another nice episode, setting the scene for both Sandy and Nikki’s time together at St Christopher’s.

Ellen Mellor

Another fantastic instalment with a very welcome focus on Sandy to remind us that this is a story with dual protagonists. Josh is (mostly) forgiven in that he realises his mistake and - eventually - apologises for it. Although his suggestion that Sandy is being forced is deeply sexist. I'm so glad that she stands up to him and forces him to realise how shitty he is being. Can you please explain for this ignorant Brit why Bucc-ees cases such an immense reaction from Nikki? As ever, the art is outstanding. The water scenes are perfect and I love Sandy's bikini. Just a shame we didn't get a back shot... The snake was also gorgeous. It looks like it's getting ready to leap out of the screen. That final image of Nikki's gorgeous smile made me smile in response. At long last, she actually looks uncomplicatedy happy. Long may it continue. I mean, it won't but a girl can dream.

Crewchick

Ellen, great call regarding the bikini! Absolutely stunning! AS for Bucc-ees, don't feel bad. It apparently is a Texas thing. I am an East Coaster and barely even heard of it, let alone had any idea of the cult following.

Emory Ahlberg

Thank you, Tiki! I wanted to show that intimacy isn't just physical - it's that scary vulnerability of being fully seen. That gender-swap idea is wild! You know I did a pinup of "Joshlyn," right?

Tiki D

I know. I can't for you to try my gender swap idea in the future.

Emory Ahlberg

Thanks, Diana! I definitely wanted this chapter to feel like that deep breath you take before plunging underwater. Things are going to get messy fast once classes start. And yep, Nikki's mind is a minefield right now. We can’t just ignore the trauma of Clinic 12 and keep the story honest. I think what we're seeing with Nikki's presentation is that she's currently feeling pretty vulnerable and is trying to pretend like NONE of this bothers her. That said, the LAST PAGE render was a mistake which I'll be correcting. She wasn't supposed to be wearing that much makeup lol. EDIT: Just fixed it!

Emory Ahlberg

LOL - Thank you, Jenny. How'd you know I have infinite bombs? Yeah, I wanted to give the readers (and the characters) a moment to breathe and feel secure before St. Christopher’s starts. They should enjoy the relief while it lasts!

Emory Ahlberg

LOL... Oh, Beaver Nuggets are absolutely to be secured - probably three bags minimum.

Emory Ahlberg

Appreciate you sharing that. That fear is something I drew heavily from my own life and the lives of my friends. It’s a constant hum of anxiety that never fully goes away when you love a trans person in a hostile environment - i.e. the whole damn world.

Emory Ahlberg

Thanks, Ella! They really balance each other out. Josh grounds Sandy when she gets too caught up in the "new," and Sandy pushes Josh to want more for himself.

Emory Ahlberg

Thanks, Maggie! Sorry for making you cry at work! (not really) There’s something so raw about a guy like Josh, who usually tries to be the tough protector, just completely crumbling because he’s so terrified of losing her.

Emory Ahlberg

Thank you, Sarah-Wade! They really fought hard to get to this moment of peace.

Emory Ahlberg

Buc-ee’s is honestly hard to describe if you haven’t been there - it’s basically a massive gas station on steroids with immaculate bathrooms and a cult following. For Nikki, I think it represents a slice of pure, chaotic normalcy that hasn’t been touched by Hutchinson or Second Dawn. It’s just snacks and crowds and a giant beaver mascot. Sometimes happiness is just being anonymous in a convenience store with a bag of corn nuggets! LOL

Emory Ahlberg

Thanks, Gemma! After spending so much time under Mortimer’s thumb and Mrs. Ferris’s roof, she absolutely had to be the one to define the terms of her life going forward. I think you're right that part of him is worried that Sandy is entering this world of wealth and academia where he doesn't fit, and he might get left behind.

Emory Ahlberg

Thank you, Ellen! Yeah, his "savior complex" comes from a place of love, but it’s definitely wrapped in this benevolent sexism where he assumes Sandy couldn't possibly choose her own path or define her own womanhood. I'm glad Sandy shattered that immediately because obviously they can’t build a real relationship if he only sees her as a victim. Regarding Buc-ee's... Hmmm... imagine a gas station the size of a cathedral, completely dedicated to brisket, beaver-themed merchandise, and the cleanest toilets on Earth. For Nikki, I think it represents a chaotic, joyful neutral ground... a place that is pure Texas.

Pet Jeffery

I'm sorry to be the skeleton at the feast, but this episode, for me, set an extra set of alarm bells ringing. I can't help feeling that if Josh really loved Sandy he'd try (really hard) to persuade her not to be an out trans woman in Texas. There are places in London where I wouldn't go and, unless I've been grossly misinformed, Texas is an entire state into which I wouldn't venture were I American. At least the English bigots here have only their fists and boots; in Texas they would surely have guns. And, in taking the role of the trans woman's boyfriend, isn't Josh just placing a target on his own back?

Crystal Peaches

It’s so lovely to see Sandy accept her truth and Josh’s love for her, and lesson that you need to love yourself before anyone can truly love you. Josh may still be a little insecure but they can overcome that as long as the trust each other. I do hope tha Nikki finds that true and allows herself to feel happy as the beautiful girl that she has grown into, but there is something much trauma involved in her journey something tells me it won’t be easy. Xx

Crystal Peaches

Joy is an act of rebellion. Loving our lives authentically is the biggest retaliation tha we can make against the hate and bigotry although of course that involves danger, we can’t let peoples hate and bigotry define who we are and how we live .

Pet Jeffery

Nolwenn, yes, Nikki too. I wonder (or maybe I would prefer not to wonder) what happens to the trans woman's roommate.

Pet Jeffery

Crystal Peaches, I'm not saying that we shouldn't rebel through joy, just that it's wise to pick the right place for it. Maybe it's just that I'm getting old. I'm 79, now, and increasingly frail. Another transphobic attack like the one in Forest Gate would probably kill me. And it seems to me that rebelling in a place like Texas, where the bigots have guns, might kill anybody.

Ellen Mellor

The sexist bit is making the big, life changing decisions for both of them without consulting her at all and then, when she pushes back, he jumps to the worst possible conclusion and reacts with anger rather than considering that she may have a mind of her own. Yes, the possibility of her being further manipulated is there and, potentially always will be, but there are far better, kinder, more considerate and - yes - less sexist ways of checking in with her. Please note, this is just my interpretation and is no more or less valid than yours. I'm not saying you are wrong for seeing it that way, it's just that this is how I see it.

Thomas Tolliver

I can feel his fear for her. But I know Emory won't let anything bad happen to Sandy, right? Right!?

Pet Jeffery

Nolwenn, people can certainly hurt each other with knives, but that's very different from using a gun. A knife wielder needs to be within arm's reach of the victim to use a knife. (Up close and personal.) Someone with a gun doesn't need to be close enough to see the victim's face. I remember travelling through Yugoslavia in 1968 (aged 22). I was deeply shocked to see military policemen at the railway stations armed with sub-machineguns. Until then, the only gun I'd ever seen was an air pistol owned by my brother.

Robertlouis

Hmmm. If you think Buc-ees has the cleanest toilets on earth, you’ve never been to Japan! And I used to visit Texas a lot on business, mostly DFW and Austin, and I never saw a Buc-ees along a freeway and no one ever mentioned them.

Robertlouis

Poor Josh. I suspect that he doesn’t have that much experience and that Sandy may well be his first serious love, so it’s no surprise that he’s mixed up and driven to emotional extremes. Sandy, in contrast, continues to show astonishing maturity, along with that determination that’s seen her through so many hard times. Having experienced how frighteningly right wing attitudes exist and are openly expressed in Texas, plus the brazen public display of serious weaponry, I’d be scared for both girls too. Sandy is being seriously brave. But the scenes between Sandy and Josh are beautifully handled, both in terms of dialogue and illustration. Very touching. Nice job, Emory.

Emory Ahlberg

Thank you, Robert! Yeah, Josh is operating on raw, unrefined emotion right now. He loves hard, but he hasn't learned how to love without trying to control the outcome yet. That’s a lesson that only comes with time and trust. Sandy’s maturity comes from years of having to be her own safety net long before she met Mrs. Ferris. She knows that true safety is an illusion, so she chooses bravery instead. You’re right about the setting, too. I treat Texas as a character in itself - it’s beautiful and wild, but that undercurrent of threat is always humming in the background, especially for two girls-who-used-to-be-boys trying to carve out a life there.

Emory Ahlberg

Thomas, I love these characters as much as you do, but I can't make any promises! A story without stakes is just a diary entry. 😉

Emory Ahlberg

Thanks, Crystal! Sandy is accepting that she is a trans girl now, but I don't believe she thinks she was one before meeting Mrs. Ferris. It's simply the best category for her now, and she wants to live authentically. But you're right... If she had let Josh come down as her "savior" without establishing her own agency first, the power dynamic would have been ruined forever. Of course, Nikki is fighting a completely different battle. For Sandy, femininity was a discovery that she is enjoying. For Nikki, it was a weapon used against her by men like Davis and Hutchinson. Untangling that trauma to find happiness is going to take a lot more than a makeover and a motorcycle ride, but I believe she has the grit to get there eventually!

Emory Ahlberg

I didn't want to interrupt! But this is a great discussion! It's all about the core conflict of the series. Pet, your fear is visceral and valid. Trust me, I feel it every day in my own life. I wrote Josh's breakdown in the creek specifically to give voice to that terror because I feel it too. You're right that Texas (although not JUST Texas) presents a lethal threat. But if Josh tried to force Sandy back into the closet "for her own good," he would be doing exactly what Mrs. Ferris and Mortimer did to Scott. He would be just another person trying to control her reality. He realized that the only way to love her is to stand in the line of fire beside her, even if it puts a target on his own back. Crystal nailed my philosophy here. If Sandy hides, the bigots win without ever firing a shot. Joy and visibility are her weapons. Nolwenn, I'm glad you brought up the collateral damage. Sandy is taking a risk that impacts Nikki. Sharing a dorm with an out trans woman puts Nikki under a microscope she's desperately trying to avoid. But just because it will impact Nikki doesn't mean that Sandy shouldn't live her truth.

Emory Ahlberg

I love this debate. Nolwenn, I think it's valid to see Josh's actions as a clumsy romantic gesture fueled by genuine fear. He sees Mrs. Ferris as a monster, so the idea of Sandy calling her "Mom" sets off every alarm bell in his head. He is operating on trauma logic where he assumes she must be a victim. But I also agree with Ellen. The sexism is the assumption that Sandy is incapable of making her own informed choices. Josh bypassed her consent - transferring schools, moving states - because he decided he knew better. That's what you call "benevolent sexism" and it can feel very suffocating. That's why it was important for Sandy to reclaim her agency from everyone, including the man who loves her. Josh needed to learn that protecting her doesn't mean owning her decisions. And Nolwenn, your English is great! I’m glad you’re part of the discussion! 💕

Pet Jeffery

I think that it's worth adding, here, that there is an important difference between endangering Josh and endangering Nikki. Josh is (as nearly as any of us are) a free agent. Nikki has no good choices. It's the difference between putting a volunteer and a conscript into the firing line. The two things are not morally equivalent. It's an issue of consent.

stacy C

That last pic is weird....it looks like Nikki genuinely smiling.....amazing what AI can do hehe x

Ellen Mellor

You're not being harsh at all. You're making your point clearly and with strongly which I love. Also, your grasp of English is excellent. One of my points is that sexism is boring. It is everywhere which is why Josh assumes that it's okay for him to make this decision for both of them without talking to Sandy. I don't actually think most cis women would do this. If she did, it would be as big a red flag for me as it is with Josh. However, I also feel that Sandy wouldn't be as nervous about bringing it up. The potential for violence that exists in any relationship is heightened in any heterosexual relationship because of the inherent power difference. His capacity to harm her is much higher than hers is to harm him. The fact that he didn’t shows that he's one of the 'good ones'. I also don't think that Josh was being intentionally sexist. He was just showing his privilege as a cishet, white man in a culture that is designed specifically for people like him. Society has taught him that it's okay for him to act this way. I'm afraid that I disagree with your statement that calling 'everything' sexist means you end up doing nothing. I don't think anyone calls everything sexist, in fact, I have just called out this one specific out which, yes, absolutely comes from a place of love but also makes the assumption that Sandy is incapable of making her own decisions and hasn't thought them through. I'm certain that a trans woman - even a relatively now one like Sandy - is extremely aware of the danger she is in by being openly trans in Texas. Also, if a man is so worried that every decision he makes is going to be called sexist, maybe he should be doing nothing. Like racism (and homophobia and transphobia), it's not enough to say you're anti-sexist, you have to actively show it. And that means recognising your privilege and questioning your actions if they will effect a woman or a POC or a gay person or a trans person. I'm not going to get into intersectionality here, where we need to look at where those issues crossover (ie a POC, lesbian trans woman) because this essay is already far too long but also it's losing sight of the fact that this is just a story. I think that - in a postmodern 'death of the author' way (I have an English degree - can you tell - which means I'm a qualified pretentious wanker) - both interpretations of the text are valid and don't have to conflict. (You hear that Emory? You're dead to me! DEAD! ) I think the important thing is that we both enjoy the story and worship at the altar of Emory's genius. Thank you so much for engaging with me and for being so thoughtful and forthright. It's really made me examine myself and why I reacted to Josh's actions the way I did. 💜

Ellen Mellor

I have this awful tendency to write long. I blame it on the ADHD.

Emory Ahlberg

Nikki loves her Buc-ees! No AI here, just Daz Studio and Photoshop haha