Chatting with Angels

Chapter Six ~ Viola

Written by Jo Dora Webster

Who is Viola and what message does she bring to Monty?

What message does Kathryn the Artisan write to Princess Sasha?

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Chapter Six - Viola

Monty had calmed down enough to drive safely from Ellenwood where Kathy lived out to Acworth where he lived with his brother, sister in law and his two nieces. He was so glad that Kathy had signed on to getting him ready to play Princess Sasha. He didn't have to worry about the costume either because Kathy was so talented and artistic that anything that she made turned out looking wonderful.

She mentioned a list of things that he would need to get before their first practice. While he might be able to leave with Kathy anything that was used with his LARP costume, the practice wear that Kathy wanted him to get would be the first time that he would have possessed any female clothing since his parent's ultimatum

Monty had found out that if he was discovered with any more female clothing would mean expulsion from the house and probably from the family as well. He didn't want to raise any issues with his brother, Tim. Monty was living with Tim, so he planned to always store what he purchased in a locked chest where the items would not be accidentally discovered.

Monty was exhausted from the trip back from the LARP as well as the time spent over at Kathy's home. He entered his brother's home and did not find anyone in the common areas of the apartment. Monty thought about spending some time online as 'Gail' .Time spent as Gail was very precious but not as much as sleep right now.

Monty entered his room to gather things that he would need to take a bath and get ready for bed. Monty enjoyed a nice soak in the tub and he found that it really relaxed him. Upon exiting the tub he patted himself off dry and got ready for bed. In his bedroom, the bed looked inviting. He snuggled under the covers and went right to sleep.

Monty had never showed the aptitude to part his astral spirit from his physical body. He lacked the faith to believe that it was possible. The last time, he had help for it to occur. He only remembered it as a wild dream just as he would remember this encounter in the same manner.

As Monty lay sleeping, the flittering movements of his eyes indicated that REM sleep had come. However this dream was not like any that Monty had had before. For one thing she had transcended into what she believed was a physical female form. A waft of fragrance swept over her which called to mind her grandmother's perfume and the wonderful smells of fresh red velvet cake and fruit salad that signaled that Grandmother expected her visit.

As she opened her eyes, she was back in Grandmother's house decorated for Christmas. The deliciously warm flannel nightgown that she wore kept her snuggly warm as she pulled back the covers and her feet found the warm fuzzy bunny slippers and she pulled on her plush red velvet robe. She opened the door to her bedroom and went to the fireplace in the living room and found stockings hanging there for her two brothers Tim and Richard.

There was also a girly stocking hanging for little sister, Karen, for whom Christmas held the wonder of a child no matter how old Karen became. Karen was a miracle who had so severe birth defects that without emergency surgery right after she was born, she would have died. And with being born with Downs Syndrome, her child like faith in Christmas would never fade with the years.

Her child like faith in family told Monti that no matter what the reaction of the others in her life, that her sister would love her sister to sister. All she would have to do is explain that Monti was only born a girl on the inside but that she wanted to be a girl on the outside and inside like her sister Karen Karen had the child like faith in Monti that sadly some of the people who thought themselves smart would never have,

Finally Monty saw her stocking which had the name Tina on it. On the coffee table she reached down and felt the ceramic creche that Aunt Jerri had made for Grandmother that had adorned the coffee table on Christmas in Grandmother's house for as long as she could remember. She heard the voice of her grandmother singing a Christmas carol as she approached out of her sight down the hall. She delighted in seeing again the decorations which had always adorned Grandmother's house on the occasion of Christmas.

Viola had chosen to greet her granddaughter as she would have liked to while she still shared Christmas in the physical world. This setting was possible since the spirit form of Monti transcended the physical world. Still anticipating her grandmother to open the hall door and meet her in the Living Room, instead she now felt a presence of light and glory which manifested as an angelic visitor. The light and glory faded so that, Monti could discern the face of her grandmother as being the angel who had entered the room. Viola knew that her time would be too short but the message she conveyed was essential.

Viola broke the silence, "Greetings, Granddaughter, I have so little time to plant the seed of faith that you will need to survive the times ahead." She kissed her granddaughter on the cheek and gave her a hug as tears came to her eyes feeling her grandmother's love for her.

Monti composed herself and seized the chance to speak to her grandmother, "Grandmother! I love you so much and I miss being able to hear your voice, yet it echoes in my soul. And that you see me as I really am is such a blessing."

Viola dried the girl's tears with a handkerchief that Monti recognized as unmistakably grandmother's. Viola gave the handkerchief to Monti and spoke, I "My granddaughter, in order to grow the faith that you need, you must learn to make your promises without adding loopholes. When you promised your parents the first time that you would not dress as a girl, What was your loophole?"

Andi recognized that Grandmother had gotten right to business. As Grandmother started teaching her like she had done so many times in her life, Monti leaned forward and concentrated on what Grandmother was saying so that she wouldn't lose any word. Andi knew the answer to Grandmother's question and she answered, "That I would do it in secret so I would not be caught."

Viola continued the lesson with another question, "When you promised your parents the second time that you would not dress as a girl, What was your loophole?"

Monti knew the answer to that one too, "That instead I would mold my body with female hormones that I found and also to use a computer persona to appear as a girl in public."

Viola asked her granddaughter the final question and hoped that her granddaughter would see the connection, "And what loophole do you use now?"

Monti had to admit that she seemed to be making the same mistake over and over again. She contritely answered," That I am no longer living at my parents and I'm only getting ready for the Spring Game."

Her granddaughter needed to realize that she had to walk in truth, "Sweetie, you were raised better than that! How can any good come from deception?"

Monti agreed with her grandmother but wondered if she were strong enough, "Grandmother, No good can come from deception. I can't bear the consequences if I don't conceal some things."

Viola hoped that she would have the strength to bear the consequences "My little one, My Tina, there is a time for deception to be done away with so the truth can shine." She hugged Tina tightly and smiled, hoping Tina understood and would accept herself unconditionally.

A light gleamed in her granddaughter's eyes as she accepted her new nickname, as Viola's instruction changed focus, "Would you like to know the real reason that I gave your father the middle name, Montine, which your parents also gave to you?"

Tina brightened with the strength that she drew from Viola, "Yes, Grandmother! I'm glad that I'm your Tina! What a lovely nickname that you have given me!"

Viola explained, "Tina just as I told your father, there was a French actor with the last name of Montine who I admired. But that was not the only reason. God gave me a prophesy of things to come and I knew you would be born, my Tina, with your challenges and that your parents would give you the same name as your father. I had a close girlfriend as I was growing up named Montine which for a woman's name means 'A lovely rose'. I knew that you would need a name as well as your father so I named you Montine."

Tina smiled a familiar mischievous smile and asked, "Did daddy know Montine was also a woman's name?"

Viola was glad to give her granddaughter some joy to see her through the sorrow that was to come, "Yes, my Tina, That is why when he used every possible permutation of your shared name, he never went by the middle name and only used the initial. In the beginning when you started to go by Montine, he let it go because you were doing it believing it was a masculine name. Your parents had moved away from their roots, where it might be interpreted as a feminine name. Of course when you do your research now, you'll find that every first name Montine belongs to a woman. When you wanted Kathy and your friends to call you by a masculine nickname, Monty, it became even less of an issue to your parents."

Tina had a far away look on her face knowing how much she was loved, "Grandmother, How I love you even more for your gift to me. I'll treasure that my name reflects the me inside as well as the me outside."

Viola changed the focus again, "My Tina, You must increase your faith! Your condition is physical like the man in the gospel of John who was born blind. In that day like your own, people tried to blame either him or his parents for sin that caused his condition. People ascribe your condition to sin in your life. One day there will be a medical test that will should silence the accusers widely available. Until then they can only trust a person's own testimony as well as that of the professionals involved." Her granddaughter would be assaulted savagely by those who could only count their worth by casting down someone else.

Tina trusted her parents and the chance that they could have been right had hindered her from following the truth. She had to ask her grandmother about what they had said, "My parents told me that it was impossible for my condition to occur so instead of being female in my spirit, I had chosen to fake it and had deluded myself."

Viola winced as her son's words echoed which were in fear of how others might react instead of for Tina's well being, "My little one, you are protected by Jesus Himself. Jesus said that it would be better for them to be hung by a millstone and cast into the sea than to harm one of His Little Ones. To deny that any physical condition is possible through God's Perfection is clearly misinterpreted scripture. All manner of imperfection is in the human condition and it can not be perfect because Sin came into this world. The role that God has in a human life being born is still perfect but that is a proof of your condition instead of an argument against it. When God finds a female brain the life spirit that God breathes into it is a female spirit."

Tina heard her grandmother's words but something else was still troubling her, "What about the argument that 'God is not the author of confusion.', Grandmother?"

Viola knew that it was a case of circular logic which only seemed right because it assumed the thing that it asserted was the proof. She spoke to Tina with reassurance, "Tina, If God placed a male spirit in a female mind then God would be the author of confusion because that act would be entirely God's. We can trust that God is not the author of confusion and that every time God finds a female mind that he breathes into that a female spirit."

Tina knew that some pointed to the physical sex that they could see instead of the spirit's gender and asked, "Grandmother, which is more important, the body or the spirit and soul?"

She smiled knowingly that Tina had arrived at the crux of the matter and explained, "Tina, Jesus taught us that if part of our body offends us that it would be better to dispose of it, rather to let that offence plunge our body and spirit into everlasting punishment. Clearly the Spirit trumps the Body and Jesus endorsed altering the body if necessary to preserve the spirit which is eternal."

Tina realized that the incongruence of her physical body with her spirit was a congenital defect just as the Man born blind that her grandmother had spoken of before so she asked, "What did Jesus tell them when the asked if the man born blind sinned or did his parents sin?"

Viola realized that once Tina accepted that her condition was real that the next question she would wonder would be 'Why?' Fortunately the answer that Jesus had given so long ago was applicable to her condition too as she explained, "Tina, Jesus answered that neither the Man or the Parents sinned to cause his condition. He was made that way that the glory of God might be revealed. And you, my Tina, were made the way you were so that God's Glory might be revealed in you. "

Tina asked incredulously, "Grandmother, can God really use me to do His work?"

Viola smiled, hoping that Tina would act in faith, as she told her, "My dear Tina, remember that God uses the weak vessels of the Earth to confound the wise. God may be able to use you, sweetie, in ways you can't even imagine. As you follow Jesus on your journey, God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory."

Tina confessed her faith as the seed that Viola needed most to plant had sprouted, "Grandmother, I want to follow Jesus because He will never lead me astray."

Viola loudly voiced her approval, "Good Girl, Tina! My little one! God has sent you companions to help you on your way. Tina, do not forsake them to please another, so you will receive everything God has provided for you. When family and fair weather friends desert and shun you, Remember God is always with you and loves you just the way you are. Be especially considerate of Kathy, who is your God Sister. Together you will help each other in both your journeys."

Tina rejoiced, "It's good to know that I will never be alone because God is always with me!"

Viola kissed Tina on her forehead "It's time for my visit to end. You aren't ready yet to accept this encounter as real, but the truths that I have shared are planted in your spirit for when you need them most. Maranatha, Tina, till we be reunited, my love."

Tina hugged her grandmother tightly as if she would never let her go, "Maranatha, Grandmother. I love you."

The room faded from existence as Tina remembered her grandmother's love for her which had been especially vivid at Christmas. Viola looked on as Tina merged with Monty in body, soul and spirit. Her grandchild's eyes fluttered signifying that REM sleep was continuing. Monty hardly ever remembered his dreams, yet he embraced just as Tina had been only Monty only embraced a pillow.

In the morning a half asleep Monti partially awoke. She felt wonderful and totally rested. In her mind was a vivid flash from a dream. She perceived herself as a girl greeting an angel with so bright a face that she could not see clearly yet she had the impression that it was someone that she knew. With becoming more fully awake, Monti reasoned that it was only because she had been a girl in the dream that she had even remembered the little that she did of it. And she realized that in the here and now she was still physically, Monty.

Monty got up and went to his computer and logged into his email. Kathy was an early riser and did a lot of her email then. Monty was not disappointed and found an email from Kathy. She had been very creative in her email and I smiled as I read it.

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Unto Her Highness, Princess Sasha of the Goblins doeth Kathryn the Artisan write.

Your Highness I hope this letter finds you in good spirits this day.

As you have engaged me to tutor you for the upcoming royal court,

and have commissioned me to make your gown for that court,

I have need of the following items to be purchased:

The hair from a beautiful goblin maiden made into a royal wig

The finest tights matching your lovely green skin color

The finest opera gloves that also match your lovely green skin color

The makeup that gives you that lovely green skin color:

As for your plan to go incognito as a human girl prior to the court,

I will need as well the following items:

Makeup as befits a human girl

A dress that a human girl would wear

Shoes with a 3 inch heel that they call 'pumps'

A covering for the legs known as 'panty hose'

A curious garment to hold thy breasts called a 'bra'

A silk like undergarment called 'panties'

The hair from a blonde human girl made into a wig.

Before your highness returns to my abode to begin your lessons,

Be sure to have your lady in waiting when she gives you your bath,

To shave your legs and underarms and anoint your skin,

with the dew (a moisturizer) to be smooth all over your body.

I await with anticipation, your highness's return to my abode.

From there I will take Your Highness to the merchants,

To find a cloth worthy to make your royal gown.

In Service to Your Highness

Kathryn the Artisan

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It looked like Kathy was taking her teaching Sasha very seriously. She wrote the missive so Sasha would discern the modern items that Kathy wanted for the practice easily. Sasha had her shopping list and instructions now. Kathy wanted the accessories for when they would shop for the fabric. Kathy wanted practice clothing to begin Sasha' training to become a royal princess. If Monty could survive the shopping then the rest would be loads of fun. Kathy never did anything half way and Monti, or rather Sasha, could look forward to the time of her life.

Kathy rang the number of the apartment that Monty shared with his brother Tim, Tim's wife , Sabrina and their two daughters, Jessica and Jennifer. She remembered that in order to get Monty that she would have to ask for Wallace since that was the name that they knew Monty by. She placed the call and waited for the phone to ring. Sabrina was first to get the phone and greeted the caller with a cheery, "Hello." Kathy recognized the voice of Monty's sister in law, Sabrina and returned the melodious greeting, "Hi Sabrina! I'd like to speak to Wallace, please?" Sabrina recognized the caller as one of her brother in law's friends and said, "Just a minute, I'll call him to the phone.

Monty quickly got to the phone and responded with a cheery, "Hello".

Kathy responded to Monty, "Greetings your highness, Princess Sasha, Did you receive my missive?"

Monty, with a far away look in his eyes, replied, "Yes, Milady, I enjoyed your missive very much." Monty slipped away and for a moment the persona of Gail from online came to the surface.

"Your Highness, have you begun to get together the things that I have requested for our endeavor?" Kathy couldn't help but smile as she began to see Monti in her true self come to the surface.

"Aye, Milady. I took great delight in gathering all of the things that you requested." replied Princess Sasha of the Goblins as Monty revealed herself as the Monti for the moment that Della showed to Kathryn.

"That is very good, Your Highness, We can begin with our tasks, soon." Kathy guessed that she shouldn't have been surprised at the efficiency that Monty acquired the accessory items that together would make Sasha appear a realistic character for the LARP. She supposed that Monty had been equally adept at getting the practice clothes and accomplishing the tasks set for Her Highness, Princess Sasha of the Goblin's Lady in Waiting.

While breaking from the character of Princess Sasha for the moment, Kathy still perceived that Monti was still with her as she replied, "Kathy, why did you want me to gather all of that by myself?"

Kathy smiled and remembered what she had said when Bernadette had asked her the same thing after she had read the missive to Princess Sasha, Kathy wanted to gauge how dedicated that Monti is for this by seeing whether she can overcome the challenges by herself. She was still not sure whether Monti is ready to come out to stay now. "To see how much you wanted to be real playing Princess Sasha, Monty. How did you get everything together."

Monti replied, " I found some long white opera gloves on a close out table. I have managed to die those the same shade of green as the facial makeup that I wore for my first outing."

Kathy told her, "That's excellent. We may like to carry them along in a tote to check against the material that we will be purchasing to make your dress. What else did you find?"

Monti continued," I found a Halloween closeout which yielded an appropriate dark green woman's wig for the LARP appearance and an blonde wig for practice." Monti remembered that Mary had just styled Sasha' hair for her previous appearance in the LARP.

"Your own hair looked cute in the photo that you emailed to me from the LARP, Monti. If your own hair is used you might use a temporary hair color to turn it green for the LARP. Please, continue." Kathy explained. She asked for the wig since she could not be sure of circumstances for the next few months. If Monti's hair was cut in a guy's style, she needed a backup.

Monti said, "I found this cute dance shop and I found green tights matching the face makeup as well. I felt that with my legs and arms covered that the only makeup that would be required would be on my face and neck."

"That's excellent thinking, Monti. In most circumstances your legs won't show but when your skirt is hiked up it would be better if they were green since that would match the rest of you. How did you do with ordinary girl's stuff?" Sara asked.

It seemed as if it was Monty who replied, "The more common items that I would need for practice seemed near impossible for me to manage yet I eventually was able to get everything that I needed."

Kathy asked Monty, "Why was shopping for ordinary women's clothing and makeup so difficult for you? "

Monty explained, "When I'm by myself, I don't feel right about shopping for women's items. Instead of acting normally I would walk around and around the item that I wanted. Eventually I would work up my courage to pick up the item and rush to the cash register where I would pay for it and rush out of the store. Since I could not bring myself to reenter the store, I would shop in another store for the next item. Eventually I picked up each item on my list from makeup to shoes to underwear to a practice dress."

Kathy explained, "You know Monty, acting like that just drew more attention to yourself. I would imagine they thought you were shoplifting. You are going to have to bring the items to the checkout anyway. It would be better for you if you just confidently went straight to the area where the item that you wish is located and calmly pick out what you want and repeat that until you just have to make one trip to the register."

Monty sighed, "I guess you are right, Kathy. I had not thought of it that way. I'll try to be calm and maybe even enjoy myself the next time I'm out shopping."

Kathy giggled, "I'm glad you feel that way since I am assigning you to get another set of everything on the mundane list. You need a backup for when these clothes are in the wash. I had not thought of it before but if you are going to be a mundane girl the rest of the time you are at the weekend but not in costume then you'll at least want a different outfit for Sunday coming home and at the roundup than the clothes you will be wearing when you arrive at the camp. And if you are really daring, get all dressed up as a girl to shop for the second outfit."

Monty told her, "Okay, I will accept the assignment. I'll get the second set of clothes because it is clear that I will need them. I'm not too sure about doing the shopping as a girl. I'll let you know when I have accomplished this part of my mission."

Kathy said, "I will be looking forward to your completing your new assignment. Guess I will let you go. Bye Monty!"

Monty echoed, " Bye Kathy" They both hung up their respective phones.

Epilog

Both Monty and Kathy had a lot to think about. Monty did his shopping and practicing so that Monty was able to give a good performance in the second "Dark Weekend" LARP game as Princess Sasha. Many things happened to Princess Sasha. The crisis came for Monty and Monty realized that transition was really in the future. Monty would be no more and it was Tina who would go through transition. Monty told Kathy that she could not put off transition, and Kathy told Monty about the visit from the angel and the message she received. It was a month short of a year before when Monty asked to be Kathy's boyfriend. Instead she became Tina and instead of a boyfriend she became Kathy's girlfriend and new BFF. In October shortly after her revelation to Kathy, she began a medical transition and began life as her true self except at work and when she visited her parents.

The journey would be long and hard but all the things that Tina was scared that she would have to give up in order to transition, one by one was given back to her. One thing that Tina never dreamed that she would have to give up was her immediate family and she never got it back. She was granted a family of choice instead, including much later her Aunt's family and among them a special cousin that found Tina even though her parents were silent..

Tina went through all the standards of care just before the turn of the century. She had completed all the steps to make her eligible for gender confirmation surgery. Her job had evolved over the years from a cashier at a drug store to a Information systems specialist. She even transitioned on the job where she had many challenges at the same company she had started as a cashier. From that point Tina lived as her true self all the time. That transition on the job led to Tina exiting that company after Kathy died. Many things changed including moving out of the home she shared at the time with Kathy. Tina changed careers after competing training as a Certified Nursing Assistant.

She longed to have her GCS but in her native state, she was sometimes uncovered and all the time insurance disallowed GCS coverage. She met and was later engaged to a man who she had met through Starfleet International. All of a sudden things began to come together for Tina. Her special cousin found her and she spent a wonderful Christmas in Colorado with her cousin flying her out there as one of Tina's presents.. Colorado was special because they had laws against GLBT discrimination and not only would she be given insurance coverage but eventually it would cover GCS.

The next year in July many things happened. After her engagement with her special man happened, He married her in a special non-legal Klingon wedding from the DS9 episode, "You are cordially invited". They had one night together before they were parted for a year. Tina was invited to go live in Colorado with her special cousin until she had obtained a CO CNA license, which let her work and get into an apartment. When Tina moved out of her cousin's house, her special cousin moved Tina's partner to CO to share the apartment she had gotten.

Tina began to not be able physically to do her job as a CNA and she retired. As age 65 and Medicare approached, Tina began the process she had to abandon after she had completed all the steps to qualify for surgery. Two hospitals in Denver began to offer GCS for the first time. One of their medical systems was the one that Tina used for her medical care. Tina turned 65 and was well on her way to collecting her final things which would qualify her for surgery at her Hospital system. After a scare when she got an initial medical condition rejection for a firm date for GCS, She and her primary care doctor came up with a mitigation and she was given a firm date for GCS in October. Tina had her GCS and is now living her best life as her true congruent and complete self.