Abby and I walked around the corner to her house to pick up the supplies for our picnic. After we had gathered the required supplies: sandwiches, blanket, picnic basket and some fruit, we headed off toward the park.

“Your dad tracks your phone?” I asked as we walked.

“Yes. He says he does it because he cares and has been concerned for my safety. He wants to know when I get home from school and get to school. I have to tell him that I’m going somewhere because he knows where I am. I made that mistake once. I got grounded for two weeks and my phone would only call dad…” We found a clear spot of grass and I spread the blanket out and Abby sat the picnic basket down and we sat next to it.

“You told mom that he and your mom started tracking your phone right after you transition.”

“I got the phone right after I transitioned. There had just been quite a few attacks on people like you and I out west. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I watch everybody.” Abby reached into the picnic basket and pulled out a bag of grapes. She offered me some, which I took. “Some of the attacks were bad. One of them occurred in a middle school, and we’re not that far away from being in middle school. My phone is on me all the time, if I leave the house without it, I get in trouble, if the battery dies, I get in trouble. So I make sure it’s charged and that I have it.”

“I have a feeling that I’m going to end up with a new phone some time today.” I said.

“Daniel, It’s Sharon. I have a question for you, if you could call me when you get this message, I’d appreciate it.” Sharon said, leaving Daniel a voice mail. She turned her attention back to her laptop where she was researching cell phones…

I walked over and threw the empty baggies that we had brought our lunch in into one of the many trash cans scattered around the park. As I walked back to the blanket, I noticed that Abby was watching me intently. When I sat down, Abby smiled at me.

“What?”

“You pull off being a girl better than I did last year. Your movements are graceful, you walk just like a girl does. Unless someone knew what was between your legs, you are a girl.” I blushed at the mention of parts of the human anatomy.

“I do? Have I always done that?” Abby pursed her lips together.

“Yes…”

“It would make sense, I am a girl inside…” I smiled. Abby smiled back and gave me a hug.

“I know you are. I actually wondered how long it was going to take before you finally did something about it.”

“I wasn’t planning on getting caught. It just kinda happened. I think that Mom knew though. Rachel had been complaining that someone was getting into her stuff for a while. If it wasn’t mom, then who was it.”

“I understand that. I just kinda knew and came right out and said to mom and dad that something wasn’t quite right and that I thought I should be a girl. They bought me a few dresses and that was when I started wearing dresses. They saw that I acted much more feminine than masculine. The rest is history…”

Abby and I walked up to her house and I stopped before we started up the driveway. Sitting in Abby’s driveway was Mom’s car.

“What’s your mom doing here?” I shrugged and started up the driveway. Abby followed me and pulled out her key so that we could enter the house. Right as Abby went to stick her key in the door, Nicole opened it.

“Hi Emma. Your mom is here.”

“I noticed.” I said holding the door open for Abby. I followed Abby and Nicole into the kitchen where mom and Mr. Jenkins were sitting.

“Hello, Mr. Jenkins.” I said, curtsying. Daniel chuckled.

“Why did you do that?” Mom asked.

“I’ve never done it and wanted to?” Abby giggled.

“Silly girls.” Daniel said. “Have a seat, girls.” Abby and I exchanged a glance and then sat at the table. “Abby, Sharon told me that you told her about your phone.” Abby glanced from me to mom to her dad.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No. But don’t go telling just anyone that I can track you phone.”

“Yes, Daddy.” Abby said. She sounded like she was about to cry.

“Emma,” Mom said. “I had been thinking about getting you a cell phone for a few months, so today I went and got you one. Like Abby’s it can be tracked, and it will only call four people after 9 pm. It will call me, Abby, the police and Abby’s dad.”

“Abby, your phone has added Emma and Sharon.” Abby and I looked at each other. “I’m sure that Abby has told you the rules that she has to follow with her phone.”

“Those rules are the same ones you have to follow with your phone. Emma, I know that right now you don’t have any pockets, We will go get you a little purse after we get dinner.” Mom said, handing me a cell phone. I looked at it. It was bubble gum pink. I flipped it open and looked at the inside of it. It looked like the phone that mom had used before she got her Android powered phone.

“Are you girls hungry?” Abby’s dad asked. Abby and I looked at each other again. This was almost like it had been scripted…

“Yes.” Abby said.

“I am too.” It had been about four hours since Abby and I had eaten our light picnic lunch.

“Then lets go get something to eat.” Daniel said. “Where’s Rachel?” he looked at mom.

“She’s sleeping over at Lizzie’s. So it would have just been Emma and I. What did you have in mind?” Mom asked.