Homecoming Princess (Revised) Princess Found   Part 10 By Arecee   Edited and proofed by Sephrena Lynn Miller “What was I thinking? Maybe you should ask your son, or I should more correctly say, daughter, was thinking? That is entirely the pertinent question at hand,” she answered back with a calm and authoritative manner to her voice. Miss Benson was pushing all the wrong buttons with my Mother. My Mom didn’t become successful by being stupid and she didn’t like to be pushed around, not at all! “YOU KILLED MY SON! You took him away from me forever! YOU BITCH!!”

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I went to bed and tossed all night long. I couldn’t keep my mind off what was going to happen tomorrow! Mom was so upset! And Miss Benson was in so much trouble too! And all of this… was because of…me! The only good thing that was in sight was Mom’s mentioning of her friend at work. I hope that when all of this trouble is over, that Mom will finally understand how I feel.
 
 
My alarm sounded. Uggh! I felt as though I had barely slept!

I pushed the snooze button and rolled over. This comforter felt sooo good! I snuggled back up and let my mind relax again.

“Lynn? Up and atom, Atom Ant,” Mom called through my door.

Uggh, Noooooo!

“You have to get ready for school sweetheart. It takes longer for girls, so get your tail moving.”

*sigh* I suppose so.

I sure am not looking forward to THIS morning!

I heard Mom walk off and I rolled out of bed and hit the shower. The water felt so refreshing and warm and woke me as much as it was going to. I soaped up using my Suave Bodywash and sort of hovered and stopped as I got to my breasts. I know these were forms and were still attached to me. But I tried shoving that thought to the back of my mind as I first started slowly swirling the bodywash in a small circle above them. Then I allowed my hands to cup and spread the rest of it around them. I savored this moment and the feeling. These are mine! And I feel absolutely perfect with them.

I wondered what I was going to wear today as I stood in front of my new wardrobe hanging in my closet with the towel wrapped around my chest, dripping slightly. I finally decided on a nice skirt and blouse. I’d have to see what the other girls wore in order to make my choices tomorrow, but there was no excuse to look like the boy I had before. I carefully lay my clothes out over my bed and then sat down in my desk chair with the hair dryer and began to slowly dry and comb out my hair.

I know I must have been running slow, because Mom opened my door and looked in.

“Still not ready Sweety?”

“No Mother. I’m not feeling good about today.” I was still running the hair dryer on my hair.

My mother’s face showed a small amount of displeasure, but she offered, “Ok I’ll help you get ready then, because it’s getting close to time.”

I smiled. I liked her wanting to help me.

We finished up my hair, I got my clothes on, and she began to deftly apply a small amount of makeup on me: eyeshadow, a little blush, and a light touch of lipstick. It all added to my look and complexion and was just a hint, and not too much.

My Mother looked over her creation. I could see that twinkle in her eyes as she looked me over.

“Hang loose for a second, dear. I can see a couple of things missing. I’ll be right back.”

A few minutes later, my Mother came back with a purse and a few pieces of jewelry.

“I never thought I’d ever enjoy moments like these with you Lynn. Never,” as she packed the purse with the small makeup compact, the lipstick, a small package of tissues, and the small bottle of perfume she had used on me.

“Those are yours now. You can buy more or better ones later, but for now, that’s from me.”

My eyes watered a little. Mom was really trying hard to love me, even though I know she wanted me back… as her son. Why does love have to hurt like this?

My mother giggled a little. “Lynn, Sweety, don’t you dare cry! We don’t have time to repair your makeup. Here.”

She slipped a delicate and thin gold necklace over my head. Dangling at the end of it was a little gold cross with squares of what looked like four bar shaped crystals making up the cross with a tiny face of a caring man with long hair and a slight beard in the center. Then she surprised me and slipped a small gold ring with a tiny red stone onto a finger on my left hand. She tested it slowly at first and found that it did, indeed, fit just right, before sliding it all the way up.

Mom, sort of sniffled. “These were mine honey, from when I was little. Both of these came to me from my Mother. That ring was given to me on my 12th birthday and has my birthstone in it.”

I looked at it in wonderment and wiggled my fingers and held my hand up to let the light shine on it from different angles.

"It's beautiful Mother!" I gushed, amazed she would give me something so valuable to her!

“It’s a ruby,” she emphasized.

I didn’t understand the concept of what that was supposed to mean other than it was just the name of the stone in the ring.

“That necklace was given to me also, by my Mother, when I was seven. She introduced me to church Sunday school and I began regular attendance then. It was out of her love for me to show me the meaning of what God was in a person’s life that she gave it to me. I’m giving these, to you now, to show you my love for you, as my child… and as my daughter.”

I was choked up! I couldn’t say anything.

I hugged my Mother tightly. She rocked back and forth and smiled.

“I love you Mommy.”

Her smile was one of pride.

“I love you too Sweety.”

“Ok Honey, let’s get going. I’m going to drive you to school since we are both going to see Miss Benson.”

Yep. And all hell was going to break loose.
 

*          *          *
 
I slung my purse over my right shoulder and followed her out from our house to her car. I got into the front passenger seat, sat down properly, and buckled up my seat belt.

“Maybe being a girl is making some positive changes in you after all,” Mom giggled.

“Thanks Mom,” I smiled. I knew now Mom, really was accepting me. It was hard on her, I could see that. I was determined to not let her down ever again or disappoint her. I was going to be her perfect daughter!

“I called Marilyn and got her voicemail. I left a message for her to call me back on my cell phone. I’m going to get the name of her therapist and see if I can get an appointment for you as soon as possible. I’ll call your school if I have to pick you up early, but I seriously doubt that it will be that soon.”

Mom backed the car out of the driveway and shifted it into forward motion.

“Honey,” she more seriously said as she slowed the car down to a stoplight, “While I’m talking to Miss Benson, I would like for you to refrain from interjecting into our discussion, Ok?”

I looked down to my lap and simply nodded.

“I heard your side of what has happened. I am not blaming you at all for any of it. But I will give your Miss Benson a piece of my mind and hear what that woman has to say about why things were left to go on as they did.”

She started accelerating the car again.

“I have also been thinking, too, about your safety. I’m going to purchase a cell phone for you this morning after our meeting. It’s for you to use for emergencies young lady, and not to call your friends. Maybe later, if things remain as they are, and you still show the responsibility that you are showing now, we’ll see about letting you have more cell minutes for friends. Agreed?”

I looked over to her and smiled. “Yes Ma’am.”

A cell phone! Wow!

“Thanks Mom! You’re the greatest!” I beamed.

“I certainly hope so, especially for what you’re putting me through.”

We made a left turn. I gently squeezed her arm, reassuringly.
 

*          *          *
 
We arrived at school and Mom parked the car in the visitor parking near the Main Office side of the building. Students were disembarking buses and some were milling about in front of the school.

“You’ll have to show me where the office is dear,” Mom said as we shut the car doors and she locked them with her clicker.

Mom followed me down the sidewalk and up to the front Main doors of the school.

I had to pause as a few boys and girls passed us and said, “Hi Lynn!” “ Looking good!” and “You sure look wonderful today Lynn!” I was greeted with more than my fair share of welcomes from both strangers and friends.

Then I felt myself surrounded in a hug from behind and a giggle. “Hi Lynn! Is this your Mother?”

I turned to see Laura in a cheerful mood.

“Hi Laura!” I grinned back, “Yes this is my Mother. Mom, this is Laura, a close friend of mine here at school. Laura, this is my Mother.”

My Mother was kind of surprised at what was going on. She fumbled with what to say for a moment and then managed, “I am pleased to meet you Laura. I’m Susan Collins, Lynn’s mother.”

Laura gently shook my Mother’s hand. “Likewise. You have one awesome daughter Miss Collins.”

I then mentioned, “Laura, I may be missing my homeroom and 2^nd period classes. I have a meeting with Miss Benson and I am not sure what’s going to happen.”

Laura seemed to frown slightly, but she had that look of understanding. “Ok, I’ll tell Mr. Copeland and Mrs. Harrison you are in the office, K?”

“Thanks Laura!”

“That’s what friends are for! See ya at lunch!”

She bounded down the hallway. There weren’t any sneers or evil remarks made by anyone passing about us. A few of the boys made some wolf whistles towards me and I overheard one of them saying how much of a foxy chick I am. I know Mom had overheard it too! She was seriously at a loss.

I guess she had expected a much worse scenario?

“Mom, they all think I have always been a girl,” I whispered.

“I know honey. I’m seeing it… and for the life of me… I just don’t believe it.” She shook her head.
 

*          *          *
 
We entered the main office.

Nancy Kramer looked up from her desk behind the counter.

“Oh, hi Lynn!”

Mom asserted herself and spoke, “I’m Ms. Collins, Lynn’s Mother. I believe that we have an appointment with Miss Benson?”

“Sure thing Ms. Collins. I see its right here on her list. I can certainly see where Lynn has gotten her good looks from.”

My mother started to blush.

Everyone loved Mrs. Kramer. She was always so nice and sweet and also knew every student in the school, by name. I couldn’t help but notice a small smile on Mom’s lips with the compliment she was just given.

Mrs. Kramer went to the back and opened Miss Benson’s door.

“Miss Benson? Ms. Collins and Lynn are here to see you.”

“Send them in Nancy. Thank you.” we heard from inside the office.

“Miss Benson says to come right in,” Mrs. Kramer said.

Mom and I walked through the swing door of the counter and into Miss Benson’s office. She greeted us with a smile.

“Good morning Lynn. This must be your Mother. I’m very pleased to meet you Ms. Collins, I’m Gloria Benson.”

Mom didn’t reply just yet, but I could see her looking Miss Benson up and down. I knew what she was doing… gathering her thoughts for the battle!

I sat down in the far chair in front of Miss Benson’s desk and noticed my makeup kit! I picked it up and sat it in my lap. Mom had still not budged from where she stood in Miss Benson’s office to sit.

“Have a seat Ms. Collins,” as Miss Benson went behind her desk and sat down and pulled her chair up to the desk.

“Miss Benson,” Mom said coldly, “I can’t say anything pleasant back as far as I’m concerned. I’m sure you know why I’m here this morning, and it isn’t for any pleasantries. So I won’t waste your time or mine by beating around the bush. So I have to ask you — WHAT IN THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?”

My mother screamed that last bit.

I’m sure everyone in the outer office heard that too! I was scared!

I watched Miss Benson’s demeanor turn cold, and then to confrontational. She wasn’t used to having a parent or student question her decisions about how she ran her school. I watched her compose herself and then she spoke.

“What was I thinking? Maybe you should ask your son, or I should more correctly say, daughter, was thinking? That is entirely the pertinent question at hand,” she answered back with a calm and authoritative manner to her voice.

Miss Benson was pushing all the wrong buttons with my Mother. My Mom didn’t become successful by being stupid and she didn’t like to be pushed around, not at all!

“YOU KILLED MY SON! You took him away from me forever! YOU BITCH!!”

Miss Benson seemed slightly taken aback but held her composure. My Mother then continued.

“Listen to me Miss Benson, and you listen well! I talked to my son and he explained what happened and why he did what he did. That still doesn’t explain what you did with regards to the prank. You pretty much didn’t let my son back out of the situation he was in. It’s what is called COERCION Miss Benson! And your subtle pressure did THIS to my son!”

My Mother was pointing towards me while she ground her teeth. I was truly scared!

“It was his decision,” Miss Benson calmly answered.

“His decision? HIS? Listen to me, you little bitch! I know just how easily Lynn can be persuaded to do things he doesn’t want to do and YOU took advantage of that! You could have nipped this thing right in the bud and done the right thing. The school might have been embarrassed, Well so what? That’s the breaks! Instead, you decided to make an example of my son, and turn him into a girl! Shame on you woman!”

My mother was crying now as she let her anger all out onto Miss Benson.

“You could have suspended him for being involved in this stupid prank, but nooooo, you thought he would learn a lesson because of your perversion. What about Mindy? I don’t see her dressing as a boy for this punishment! All I see is your hatred towards my son.”

“THAT WILL BE QUITE ENOUGH MS. COLLINS! Have a seat! And I will explain JUST what happened.”

My Mother seemed to regain her composure and actually sat down.

“First off Ms. Collins, I do not hate your son! Let’s get that out of the way! The truth is, I love your daughter as if she were my very own. She is a very special child and, to the contrary, since I discovered Friday morning that this was not a second prank being pulled on me, I have now taken an active interest in protecting and helping your child.”

“And secondly, there is no punishment! There hasn’t been! Lynn insisted upon doing this.”

Miss Benson turned her computer LCD screen around towards us and set a pile of folders on her desk in front my Mother.

“I have taken the opportunity to sequester these files from Central Administration’s Records for your ‘son’s’ attendance at Central Junior High. Please look at the paperclipped notes from ‘his’ teacher’s.”

My mother looked at them in bewilderment while Miss Benson continued.

“You will notice how all of ‘his’ teachers noted ‘his’ sweet demeanor and sensitivity and continual habitual committing of pranks and joking around — even back then! A couple of them were confused as to whether he was a boy or girl back then too! But none of them pushed to do anything about it! When your daughter, and I am going to use the term daughter from here on out, because there is nothing you can convince me of otherwise at this point that he is not a she, committed this prank, she put me and the school in a bind! True enough, at that point I should have disqualified ‘him’ and accepted the runner up.”

“However Ms. Collins, young Lynn here is very photogenic and a very special girl. When she and Mindy approached me after the contest, I had already sent the winner’s photographs to our Funding Sponsors. Both Mindy and Lynn then admitted that Lynn was actually a boy and threw a wrench into everything! So just what was I thinking? I thought that young Lynn should learn a lesson about pranks. That ‘he’ should either own up to it admit to it to everyone else and it would have been over, or else go on through with the Homecoming and do her best job at it. It was never to turn your ‘son’ into a girl.”

“Now, that was my mistake Ms. Collins, and I own up to that! Your daughter saw differently and wanted to do the right thing and go through with the Homecoming pageant. It was a desire on her part and she emphasized it to me. At that time I thought your daughter was actually a boy and had a talent of pulling off looking like a girl extremely well. As long as she did not slip up and ruin the pageant, everything was going to be alright.”

“But things went wrong. Lynn never told me about being on the boy’s water polo team and heavens be! If Coach Wilson had not been anywhere as supportive as he was in squelching this, we would have had lawsuits from other parent’s on our hands as well as the school board! I had to act and act fast to suppress what could have turned into a living nightmare for your child! I did that for your daughter!”

“I have also rearranged her schedule to take Home Economics instead of anything dealing with gym or physical education for this semester and in the future. That’s for safety precautions.”

“When young Miss Swanson approached me with Lynn this past Friday so that I could evaluate just how well ‘he’ could pull this off, to say that I was shocked would be an understatement! Here in front of me, in full dress, and looking every inch a girl much older than Lynn’s fourteen years, was a real life girl! Nothing of a boy existed! What was I to do? Every inch of her demeanor and the way that she spoke and carried herself, said that she was a girl. I fully got to see how Lynn was and I was thoroughly confused!”

“Later that night, I got to thinking that perhaps those two were pulling another prank on me yet again! I thought they were acting this out to make me feel that Lynn was a girl. So when we did the photo shoot Saturday morning, I pulled Lynn aside and asked her eye to eye if this wasn’t another of her pranks! Was she really a boy or not! She admitted to me it was indeed no prank, and that she was a girl. Isn’t that right Lynn Collins?”

My Mother looked at me. I could feel the coldness of her gaze upon me. Ouch!

I couldn’t speak, my throat was constricted. So I nodded.

“Yes! And she surprised me yet again by thanking me for having let her have the opportunity to be herself and be a girl. She said I had allowed her to find her true self.”

A replay of my words. My mother turned and looked at me again.

I nodded.

“I was literally floored Ms. Collins. In all of my twenty-one years as principal of this school, I have never had a child quite like yours, nor this situation. As further proof to back up my claim, here is a copy of the portraits taken for the Homecoming court, including a special selection of shots of your daughter. I want you to take a very good look at them Miss Collins and you tell me that this is your son!”

Miss Benson handed my mother a very large manila envelope. Tears ran down my mother’s cheek as she began looking at, and then cherishing, every pose I had done that day - including the seductive pose I had laying on the floor in my dress while I was looking at the photographer. As she flipped and looked at each picture, my Mother’s hands shook.

“I honestly believe that Lynn has been a girl far longer than either you or I have suspected. The way she acted Saturday all day from the time I had seen her at the photography session until the end of that night was a like a girl freed! She was very happy and enjoyed herself. I can definitely imagine that it was a very special time for her as well. I also have a copy of the Homecoming Pageant on both VHS and DVD here for you - both at the game and after. View this with her at home at your leisure. In it, you will see Lynn in most of the filming. Apparently she had somehow charmed our senior student who was doing the video production of the event.”

Miss Benson handed a clear taped box also to my Mother.

“Ms. Collins, I sincerely did not know that Lynn was really a girl inside all along. If she is truly not, she will have fooled me for a third time. And if that’s the case, I’ll retire right now.” Miss Benson said in a more motherly tone.

I had to say something now.

“Miss Benson, yes, I have always been a girl. I just did not know I was by label and was trying to be what both my Mother and father would have wanted me to be. I just knew that it was wrong and was having a hard time dealing with it is all. I am truly sorry that this has gotten you in trouble with my Mother and I want to apologize to the both of you. My being me is important! But not to get other people into trouble!”

“I couldn’t go back to pretending to being a boy once I found out that this is who I was. It got harder every day to try and pretend that I was still a boy, Mother, once I accepted that I was a girl and that I had been suppressing it all along.”

Miss Benson then added, “And another point, Miss Collins, everyone here at this school believes that Lynn has always been a girl: even her teachers! Which brings us to this point.”

“I noticed that myself… coming in this morning.” My Mother sadly looked over to me, clutching my photographs and film to her chest and then back to Miss Benson.

“Well… things did go this far and I want to know what we can do to fix it,” Mom sadly expressed. “Lynn told me that he has to attend school as a girl until Christmas, and you want to change his records to imply that he’s really a girl.”

“Yes, but that Christmas break period change was only if ‘he’ wanted to return to being a boy. That was so that ‘he’ could leave this school at a natural break, and attend one elsewhere within the district without this event or having posed as a girl hanging over his head. I would have altered the records temporarily for the few months until Christmas and then back to male if he chose to transfer. However, I do not think that is the case any longer. I can change the records to leave ‘him’ as a girl, but there will have to be medical documentation later that I will have to submit as to why. Which, again, is the reason that I asked you here to meet with me. ”

“I’m going to be straightforward with you Miss Benson; the damage has already been done! Lynn will be attending school, probably, as a girl from now on. And I’m not very happy at all about that! Because of what’s happened, Lynn is going to begin psychological therapy sessions to find out who he really is - boy or girl. And where it goes beyond that… I… don’t know…”

I could tell Mom was holding back the tears. She didn’t want her strength to be diminished by another show of emotion. I can't same the same for Miss Benson. Her tears were running down her face and dripping onto her desk.

“Ms. Collins. I want you to know that Lynn means a lot to me as well. She has been the most intriguing and talented child I have ever run across in all my years. If you look at her grades here, you can see that she is constantly on the honor roll and excels at whatever she seems to do. She has fire and determination. And I am just as interested as you in her education and her safety. Because of her attitude, determination, grades, and willingness to pull in for the spirit of the school, and that she has charmed me as well, I will offer my support and funding to help her in her needs, even if it comes from my own pocketbook!”

“Her well being, education, and safety is my concern too. I want her to attend this school and succeed. IS that acceptable to you Ms. Collins?”

“We’ll see. I’ll talk with you again once her psychological testing is done. Then we can proceed from there.”

Mom then turned to me. “Lynn, like I said, If I call the school, I’ll be picking you up. Okay?”

“Yes Mother.”

My Mother stood up and organized the photographs back into the folder and slid the box into her handbag. She then eyed Miss Benson fiercely.

“I do expect a call from you immediately if anything further happens to Lynn. Is that understood?”

“Ms. Collins, you have my word. I’m going to look after your child as if she were my own.”

My mother headed out of the office.

“I’m so sorry Lynn,” Miss Benson then whispered to me. “If I had only known.”

I felt proud for the way my Mother had stuck up for me, but for some reason I felt really bad for Miss Benson. I don’t think she had done anything that was really wrong. But I couldn’t convince my Mother of that… After all everyone thought I was a girl anyway and all this did was confirm his or her suspicions depending on the person you asked.

“Miss Benson,” I stood up and said. “I know you didn’t mean any harm to me and I feel you did no wrong to me. What you did was allow me the opportunity to be myself. I am forever grateful to for you for that.”

My Mother paused at the doorway as I said that. She turned around and stared at me.

“And I really did enjoy being the Homecoming Princess for our school.” I finished.

Mom irritatedly snapped, “Lynn, your likes or dislikes are irrelevant! What Miss Benson did was wrong! Period! End of story! What happens next ought to be of grave concern to you since it’s going to determine who and what you are for the rest of your life!”

“Ms. Collins,” Miss Benson interjected, “I am going to help with the expenses.”

“See to it that you do Miss Benson, or this won’t be the end of this! Now I suggest that you change Lynn’s records and refer to him as a her from now on!”

“I’ll take care of it right away,” Miss Benson answered.

Mom left without so much as saying a goodbye - even to me! She was really, really angry. And apparently not only at Miss Benson… but at me, too.

“Lynn, before you go to class, I want to convey how sorry I am about all this. I should have declined letting you be Homecoming Princess. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me some day,” she said.

“Miss Benson, I’m not angry with you at all. I’m actually glad that you let me be Princess! Otherwise, I’d still be a miserable boy doing pranks trying to find out who I was supposed to be. It’s just that my Mother was really shocked the other night when she came home and found me asleep on the couch in my dress after the dance. It’s I who should be thanking you,” I endearingly said.

“For what?”

“For allowing me to find that I’m really a girl. And I am very grateful for that. I’m much happier now.”

Miss Benson went pale when I said that. She hurriedly filled out a pass slip and handed it to me.

“Here go ahead and get to class. You let me know if anything is wrong, Okay?”

“I will Miss Benson!”

I left and politely closed the door.
 

*          *          *
 
I went to my 2^nd period class and the rest of the day was pretty much the same as it had been, every day the previous week: guys hitting on me, me thinking about them (while trying to concentrate on my schoolwork) and I would join the rest of the girls for protection and began talking with them or sitting with them during lunch.
 
*          *          *
 
Susan Collins left the school rather upset. After hearing that Miss Benson had allowed Lynn the opportunity to explore and become a girl, she couldn’t see straight! The way she saw things, was that Miss Benson was wrong - no matter what! And she couldn’t help but think that somehow, she too, was at fault, for failing to pay more attention to her son. It had been awfully hard to do her real estate business to support them both, but she really never had the time to spend with Lynn and supervise things. She now deeply regretted that she hadn’t.

Halfway back to the house, Susan’s cell phone chimed. She quickly pulled over to the curb, since this was a residential area, and parked.

She flipped her phone open.

“Hi Susan, It’s Marilyn! I got your voice mail. What’s up?”

“Hi Marilyn, I really need your help. I need the number for the psychologist that you saw back then.”

“Why would you be calling Bernard?”

“Something happened at my son’s school. And now… he thinks… he’s a girl,” Susan choked out with the sadness of losing her son.

“Oh my! Susan, I am so sorry. Do you know if it was gradual or sudden?”

“I honestly don’t know. The school has records indicating it could have been long term and I just didn’t see it. But Friday morning, Lynn left for school as a boy and came home as the Homecoming Princess for his school.”

“Your son was elected Princess? How did that happen?”

“It’s a long story Marilyn and I’d like to have lunch with you one day and tell it all to you, but for now, all that I can say is that it started as a joke, and now my son thinks he’s a girl,” Susan said, as the tears began to flow.

“Oh Susan, I’m so sorry! I wish I was there to help you. Why does he think he’s a girl? Being a girl is a very large step from pretending to be a one and winning Princess. There must be more going on that he hasn’t told you. Has he told you why he thinks he’s a girl?”

“He says that he is a girl, and was never a boy. And what I don’t understand is the enthusiasm and happiness he is showing now. He absolutely loves being a girl.” Susan stated with a defeated tone in her voice.

“I want my son back…”
 
 
Marilyn kind of sighed on the other end before asking, “Susan, what has the reaction been from the other students?”

“They all thought he was a girl already. They thought he was girl trying to be a boy. His clothes just confirmed what they thought all along, that Lynn was a girl in their minds. I never knew any of that!”

“Well that sounds very serious to me. What I’ve gone through in my transition is one thing and from my experience. All I can do is reference my experience and thoughts from my point of view. But don’t you worry dear, Bernard will get to bottom of Lynn’s problem. But from me, my experience, what I am going to say to you is what the truth sounds like from my point of view, Okay?”

“I’m listening,” Susan quietly replied.

“Maybe you had better get used to having a daughter. It sounds to me like you’ve had one all along and either didn’t see it or didn’t know it.”

Susan let her tears stream forth.

A minute later Marilyn spoke again, “Look, Susan, do you have a pen?”

“Yes,” she sniffled as she opened her purse to pull it out and something to write on with.

“Let me know when you are ready, dear.”

“I’m ready.”

“His name is Dr. Bernard Kingston. He is a psychologist, downtown in the new medical facility on Third Ave. He specializes in gender disorders. Here’s his number, 555-3270.”

“Thanks Marilyn, you’re a friend.”

“I’m looking forward to that lunch Susan. I really do want to hear all about this and maybe do whatever I can to help, if you would like it.”

“Thanks Marilyn, maybe you can help. And save next Wednesday, we will have that lunch.”

“Okay dear. Good Luck!”

“Thanks Marilyn. Bye.”

Susan disconnected the phone from her friend. A little less upset, but nonetheless distraught, she finished driving home. Once there, and having settled down in the kitchen, she dialed Dr. Kingston’s office.

“Doctor’s Kingston, Brown and Sheerer. How may I help you?”

“Hello. I’d like to make an appointment with Dr. Kingston, please” Susan said.

“Do you have a referral?”

“I was referred by one of his former patients, Marilyn Grant.”

“Oh Marilyn! How is she anyways?”

“She’s doing wonderfully and very successful by the way,” Susan said.

“How soon would you like to come in?”

“Is today too soon?”

“The doctor is very busy, but I think we can manage a consultation this afternoon, let’s say at four?”

“That will work for me.”

“Good. May I have your name?”

“Susan Collins.”

“And is this for you?”

“Heavens no! It’s for my son Lynn.”

“Could you tell me the nature of your concern?”

“Lynn thinks he’s a girl.”

“I see. Well you picked the right person to work with Ms. Collins. We’ll see you at four.”
 

*          *          *
 
The final bell rang and I walked down the hallway to my locker. I had a history assignment and had to collect my history book. I saw Mindy waiting there for me. We usually take the bus home together.

“Hey Mindy,” I non-chalantly replied.

“Lynn! Tell me what happened with your Mom and Miss Benson!” Mindy demanded excitedly.

“Nothing much really, except Mom let her know how she felt about all of this.”

“That isn’t everything girl. Spill!”

“Okay, okay. Mom was yelling at Benson. You should have seen the look on her face. She said it was Miss Benson’s fault, even though I feel it’s no one’s but mine. After it was over though, I really felt bad for Miss Benson.”

“God, I wish I was there.”

“Actually Mindy, I think you were better off not. My mother was saying things I don’t think you would have wanted to hear. I didn’t like hearing them either.”

I opened my locker and removed the book I needed. I relocked it and we walked out through the front doors of the school.

I saw Mom standing there at the entrance!

“Oops! Looks like my Mom has plans for me this afternoon,” I said.

“Maybe more shopping? You lucky girl,” Mindy giggled.

“I doubt that. She spent enough on me yesterday. I’ll call you tonight and let you know what’s going on.”

“Uhmm, Okay,” Mindy sadly said, feeling left out. “I’ll see ya.”

“Hi Mom.” I said.

“We have an appointment right now at four with Doctor Kingston. I was tied up at the office with a House sale I rushed through. I'm sorry I didn't get around to calling you. We need to leave now to make it on time.”

I started following her to our car.

“A doctor? Why do I need to see a doctor? Am I going to be examined?” I asked worriedly.

“No honey, he’s not that kind of doctor.”

“What kind is he?

I lowered myself into the car and shut the door. My Mother sat down and did the same.

“Well, you did that like a lady. I’m impressed. I never taught you or asked you to sit like that and yet you have done so without fail for days now.”

“Am I going to be getting some sort of shot? I’m not sick.”

“Lynn, dear, this doctor is a psychologist. He talks to people and determines what type of treatment they need. In this case — you. He specializes in gender disorders.”

“A shrink? Mother! I am not crazy! I know who I am, and I’m a girl!”

“Honey, calm down! No one said you’re crazy. Dr. Kingston will help you better understand what you’re going through and help you determine and decide who you really are, that’s all.”

I really felt betrayed by my mother! The more she spoke, the madder I was becoming!

---

 
To Be Continued...