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Here's Chapter Seven everyone. Sorry if it seems longer, than the others. It just felt like it should be longer, if that makes sense.

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Mathew’s Secret Desire

Chapter Seven

Mathew and Sara, sat in one of the examination rooms waiting for George to show. His nurse had ushered them into the exam room almost as soon as they had arrived. Now they were just waiting for him to finish what ever he was doing.

Sara looked up at the wall clock, and saw that it now showed five-thirty. She was about to get up and stretch, when the door opened and George entered, followed by his nurse.

“Sorry for the delay.” He said closing the door. “Last patient just wouldn’t leave.”

“That’s okay.” Sara said with a smile. “I had planned on a late supper anyways.”

George sat down on the stool and brought up Mathew’s medical records on the computer. After a quick scan, he turned to Mathew and Sara.

“Speaking of food, I assume you haven’t had anything to eat since breakfast this morning?”

“No Doctor Allan.” Mathew said. “Just what you said I could have.”

“That’s good. Why don’t you take off your t-shirt, shorts and shoes and stand on the scale, please?”

Mathew did as he was asked, and when he was down to his underwear and socks, stepped onto the scale.

George stood and looked down at the digital dial and read off the information to his nurse.

“Weight: 35.6 kilograms. Stand against the height scale facing me please.”

Mathew stepped off the scale and stood with his back against the wall. George then took a ruler and laid it on top of his head.

“Height: 1.4 meters. Okay, hop up on the table.”

Once Mathew was seated, George took the Blood Pressure Cuff off the wall and wrapped it around his left arm. He then pumped it up, then slowly released the built up air pressure.

“Blood Pressure 118/78.”

George then took another device off the wall, and looked in Mathew’s eyes, ears, nose and down his throat. He listened to Mathew’s heart beat and breathing, all of which, George said were good.

Mathew was then asked to lie down on the table, and George then proceeded to poke and tap his chest and stomach areas. After he was done that, George spoke to Mathew.

“Okay Mathew. I need you to pull your underwear down for me please. I’m going to have to check your crotch area.”

Mathew looked at his mother with a concerned look on his face, but she smiled and nodded, saying it was okay and to go ahead.

After a second’s hesitation, Mathew lifted his butt off the table and pulled his underwear down to his knees. George did a quick check of his crotch, then told Mathew he could pull his underwear back up.

Once he had done that, George had Mathew sit up.

“Now Mathew.” He said. “I’m going to take a blood sample now. I know you don’t like needles; trust me, not many people do. But I need you to be brave for me okay?”

Mathew nodded. George smiled and ruffled his hair. George then turned and took a rubber band out of a small basket, with test tubes in it, and tied it around Mathew’s upper left arm. He then waited until he could see a vein show, then proceeded to insert the needle.

“Okay all done.” George said after a moment. Mathew looked down to see a pink band aid over the spot were the needle had been.

“I’m sorry.” The nurse said smiling. “We ran out of blue ones.” Then she winked at him.

“You can take those to the lab, Nancy.” George said. “And ask them to process those stat!”

“Right away Doctor!” The nurse said, then looking at Mathew, she said. “I wish you all the best.” Then she took the basket and left the room.

“Don’t worry about Nancy.” George said as if reading both Mathew and Sara’s minds. “She’s a trusted nurse.”

Then to Mathew he said.

“You can get dressed now.”

“How long will the tests take?” Sara asked as George sat back down.

“Well, under normal circumstances, the processing could take up to a week, depending on the back log.” George said. “But I’ve ordered a rush on them so I should have the results in a couple of days.”

“Then what happens?”

“Once I’ve looked at the results. I’ll be able to determine what kind of blocker to use.”

“So do we have to see a specialist for that?” Sara asked.

George shook his head.

“No.” He said smiling. “Not many people know, but I minored in Endocrinology, in Med School. So I’m more than capable of dealing with Mathew’s medication.”

Seeing that Mathew was dressed, Sara stood.

“Thank you George.” She said. “We really appreciate what you and Brenda are doing.”

“Sara, it’s our pleasure.” He said following Sara and Mathew to the front doors of the clinic. “Like Brenda said, we consider Mathew family, and want to see him, I mean her, happy; just like you and Fred.”

George opened the doors to let Sara and Mathew out.

“I’ll have Nancy call when I have the result, and a chance to look them over. Then we’ll go from there.”

“Okay thanks. Bye George.”

“Bye Doctor Allan.” Mathew said.

“Bye sweetie.” He said waving.

Sara and Mathew got into the car and drove off.

At the same time that Sara and Mathew were at the medical clinic. Fred was over at the law office of Mathew’s friends father.

The waiting room, was decked out with traditional Japanese artwork and decorations. After about five minutes, a receptionist came up to him.
“Mister Stevens?” She asked. “Mister Sekozawa, will see you now.”

Fred stood up and followed the receptionist down a hall to Daichi Sekozawa’s office. She opened the door and Fred entered.

Daichi Sekozawa, sat behind his desk. He stood and came around to the front and shook Fred’s hand.

“Fred, how are you?” He said in his baritone voice.

“I’m good Daichi. How are you?” Fred said sitting down.

“Oh I can’t complain.” Daichi said moving to sit behind his desk. “What can I do for you?”

“Well.” He began as he rubbed his hand across his chin. “We have a situation regarding Mathew.”

“Nothing serious, I hope?” Daichi said concerned.

“Depends on how one looks at it.” Fred said. “Mathew has just been diagnosed as being Transgendered.”

“Ahh I see.” Daichi said understanding.

“And Brenda Allan, suggested we get a lawyer to handle any legal problems that might crop up along the way.”

“A wise precaution.” Daichi said. “I take it, you and Sara would like me to be the one to handle things?”

“Yes we would.” Fred said. “If your willing to do so. If not maybe you could recommend someone who would.”

“I have dealt with this before.” Daichi said. “And Mathew has been a good friend to Hinata, so I will be more than happy to help you.”

“Thank you Daichi.” Fred said relieved. “It was Mathew, who actually suggested you, so I’m pleased.”

“Well Mathew’s a good kid, and Hinata speaks very highly of him.”

“Is there anything you need from us?”

“For now, I’ll need Brenda’s written diagnosis, and the results of any medical test.”

“Sara has taken Mathew to see George as we speak.”

“Ahh good. I’ll call George and ask for a copy of the results, when they are ready.”

“Thanks Daichi.” Fred said. “I know this is going to be a long and difficult journey. But Mathew’s well being is more important than anything else.”

“I can sympathize with that.” Daichi said. “When Hinata came out to us, we were shocked at first. But then we realized, like you, that his happiness was more important. So we accepted that he is gay, and have never looked back.”

“Didn’t you have problems with Hinata’s coming out?”

“Yes at first.” Daichi said. “While Hinata’s mother and I were at first in denial, and did everything we could think of to ‘change’ him. All we saw, was a child, who was becoming more and more withdrawn.

And the more we tried to change him, the more withdrawn, he became. Until one day his mother found him unconscious in his bedroom. He had swallowed a number of my sleeping pills.”

“Good Lord!” Fred said shocked.

“Yes, that was the straw that made us see the light. That what we were doing, wasn’t in Hinata’s best interests.”

“That explains why we didn’t see him for almost a month, last year.”

“Yes it is.” Daichi said. “Which is also why I am willing to help you and your family with any legal matter’s that come up.”

Fred was silent for a moment. When he spoke again, he thanked Daichi for being willing to help.

“As I said, I am more than willing to help. Just make sure you give Mathew all the love and support you can, because he is going to need it.”

“There’s no fear of that. His mother, sister and I, already accept the change. It’s just the rest of the family I’m worried about.”

Daichi nodded, understanding.

“Well I better be going.” Fred said rising. “They should be finish at the clinic by now.”

“I wish you all the best.” Daichi said rising as well and shook Fred’s hand again. “And please, do not be afraid to call me day or night if any problems arise.”

“Thank you Daichi.” Fred said. “Let’s just hope nothing does come up.”

With that, Fred left Daichi’s office and headed home.

Two weeks later, Mathew, Sara, Janice, and Fred, we’re all sitting in the same examination room at the clinic, with George. On the computer monitor we’re Mathew’s blood test results.

“Now all this medical speak, is going to sound like a foreign language.” George said chuckling. “And to most people it is. “So I’m going to summarize it for you.”

George addressed his next comment directly at Mathew.

“Mathew. According to the information here. By all accounts, you are more female, than male. Your testosterone levels, the stuff that makes you a boy, is lower than it should be.

While your estrogen levels, the stuff that makes your mom and Janice girls, is higher. It’s not high enough to have countered the effects of the testosterone. So to fix that, I’m going to prescribe a blocker.”

“What’s that?” Mathew asked.

“A blocker, is a chemical that will stop your body from producing any more testosterone. Once your body stops production, it should also allow your estrogen levels to rise.”

“So I’ll start to look like mom and Janice?”

“That’s right little sister.” Janice said. “You’ll start to look like mom and me.”

“That’s jumping the gun a bit Janice.” George said. “There’s a slight chance, that his estrogen levels may not rise on their own.” Then turning back to Mathew, he continued.

“If that turns out to be the case. Then you’ll have to take an estrogen booster to get the levels to rise.”

George turned back to the monitor, and scanned the information. His brow furrowed as he looked for the information.

“I knew I’d seen it. And that just might be the case, according to this.” He said turning back.

“So, I would strongly recommend, starting him on a combination blocker/booster. And I would also recommend, going with an implant. That way, you don’t have to worry about taking pills everyday.”

“What would all that entail?” Fred asked.

“Well we would need to have an implant made with the correct amount of the blocker, and estrogen booster. And it would have to be implanted on the body, say the underside of the arm.”

“Where would that have to be done. At the hospital?” Sara asked.

George smiled and wagged his finger playfully in Sara’s direction.

“I knew you were going to ask that.” He said reaching into the pocket of his lab coat, and pulling out a sealed test tube. “So I took the liberty of having this made up.”

Inside the test tube was a small, about 3-centimetres-long, 2-millimeters-wide, white coloured ‘rod’.

“That is what I’d like to use.” George said letting everyone have a good look at it.

“Now time is crucial. From my examination earlier, Mathew appears to have not entered male puberty yet. The sooner we get going on this the better.”

George looked at both Sara and Fred before continuing.

“Now on a serious note. I want to stress, that once this is implanted and starts working, I can’t switch. Once it’s in, it’s in!”

“Brenda made that perfectly clear, when we had a family meeting the other day.” Fred replied.

“And we all decided.” Sara said, stressing the word ‘all’. “To go ahead with the procedure.”

“Good!” George said standing. “I’ll let you have a moment to decide who wants to stay, and who’ll wait in the reception area.”

George left to get things ready, while Fred, Sara, and Janice decided who would stay. In the end, it was decided, that Fred would stay, since Sara had taken Mathew the first time.

Janice decided to stay as well, mainly because she felt a stronger need to be with her soon to be little sister, than she had before. George came back in the room a couple of minutes later carrying a metal tray, followed by Nancy, the nurse from before.

“I see we’ve decided.” George said setting the tray down on the counter. He then turned towards Mathew and said.

“Alright. I need you to take your t-shirt off and hop up on the exam table and lie down.”

George then turned to Nancy while Mathew did as he was told and spoke softly to her. When Mathew was on his back, George turned back and pulled out a small arm rest. He had Mathew rest his right arm on it. He then took a strip of cloth and gently tied Mathew’s arm to the rest, all the while explaining what he was doing and why.

Once that was done, Nancy stepped up and rubbed the inside of his bicep with an alcohol soaked cotton ball. The coldness of the alcohol made Mathew giggle a little, despite his wrinkling up of his nose, at the smell.

After the alcohol had evaporated, Nancy then too a piece of blue coloured plastic, and stretched it over his arm. She explained that the back was sticky, and it also was covered with the same stuff, the Dentist spreads on your gums before injecting the freezing.

“I’ll be giving you, what we call, a local anesthetic.” George said. “So you won’t feel any pain, when I do the procedure.”

George saw that Mathew was beginning to look scared, so he leaned down and smiled at him, and said in a calm soft voice.

“Relax honey. Your doing fine. It’ll all be over soon.”

Mathew looked less scared after hearing that and he gave his dad and sister the thumbs up.

“Alright.” George said putting on a surgical mask, and washing his hands. “After Nancy has scrubbed we’ll proceed.”

Before George asked Nancy for the anesthetic. He turned to Fred and said.

“Would you take a towel and drape it over Mathew’s eyes. It’ll help keep her calm.”

Fred stood and folded a towel, and the draped it over Mathew’s eyes, then sat back down.

About thirty minutes later, Janice entered the waiting room and gestured for Sara to follow her. When they both entered the exam room, Nancy was just finishing wrapping gauze around Mathew’s arm.

“Well Sara.” George said as they entered. “You have one brave little girl there. Didn’t make a sound.”

Once Nancy was out of the way, Mathew sat up and gave Sara a hug.

“Oh sweetie, I’m so proud of you!” She beamed.

“Same here, darling.” Fred replied.

“Me too sis.” Janice said.

Sara then helped Mathew put his t-shirt back on then sat down on the table next to him.

“Okay. Like any medication, there are possible side effects.” George said seriously. He took a sheet of paper off the counter and handed it to Sara.

“If at any time, she starts feeling any of these symptoms. Call me immediately, and get her to the hospital!” George said stressing the last words.

“Some of them can be mild, but others can be life threatening! So call me no matter what!”

“Will do.” Fred said as Sara nodded.

“You’re included it this too Janice!” George said looking squarely at her.

“Understood. I won’t let anything happen to her.”

“I know you won’t.” George said softening his tone.

Sara helped Mathew off the table, as George reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a sucker, and handed it to Mathew, who immediately tore the wrapper off, and popped it in his mouth.

“Now I want you to take it easy for a few days until that incision heals. No lifting anything heavy. Okay?”

“Okay.” Mathew said taking the sucker out of his mouth.

“Good girl.”

George then told them, he wanted to see Mathew in a week’s time, to check the incision, and possibly take the stiches out at the same time.
Armed with the information they needed. Mathew and the rest left the clinic and headed home.

April was sitting on her front porch, when she saw Mathew’s dad’s car pull into their driveway. She immediately jumped up, and ran across the road.

She waited until Mathew had gotten out of the car, before she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.

“I knew you’d do it!” She said excitedly.

“Careful April.” Janice said coming around to Mathew’s side of the car.

“Sorry Janice.” She said.

“Why don’t you kids sit on the porch.” Sara said. “And I’ll bring out some lemonade?”

“Okay mom.” Mathew replied, as he and April headed for the porch.

Mathew and April sat at the small table that was in one corner of the porch. April proceeded to pepper Mathew with all sorts of question, with things from, what the blood test showed, to the implant in his arm. Mathew did his best to answer them.

“Your dad said the stuff that makes boy’s look like boy’s, testos, something.”

“Testosterone.” April said.

“That’s it. Your dad said that stuff was lower than it should be, and the other stuff, that makes girl’s look like girl’s…”

“Estrogen.” Sara said appearing, holding a tray with two glasses, and a plate with some cut up carrots and celery.

“Yeah. He said it was high, but not high enough to make me look like a girl.”

Sara set the tray down on the table, and Mathew looked at the plate of carrots and celery, then up at his mom, with a questioning look.

“No more junk food for you, young lady.” She said loud enough for only Mathew and April to hear. April couldn’t help but giggle at that.

“What about the implant?” April asked pointing to the dressing on his arm.

“It’s a combination testosterone blocker and estrogen booster.” He said glancing down. “It will stop me from becoming more like a boy, and make me look more like a girl.”

He paused for a moment, and April reached out and grabbed one of the glasses of lemonade. She started to take a sip, when Mathew suddenly looked up and said.

“I wish it makes me look like Janice tomorrow.”

April nearly choked on her lemonade when she heard what Mathew said. She even managed to spray Mathew with some, before she managed to start laughing.

“What’s all the commotion out here!?” Janice said suddenly appearing.

“Mathew said he wished he looked like you by tomorrow!” She managed to say, as Mathew picked up a napkin, and wiped his face. “I suddenly had a picture of him with big boobs!”

This made Janice start to smile, then laugh, as she formed a mental picture of an eleven-year-old with boobs as big as hers.

“That won’t happen overnight, little sister.” She said. “Who knows, you may get boobs like mine, when your older.”

Mathew finished wiping his face off, and grabbed his glass of lemonade and took a drink.

“What are you doing tomorrow?” April asked.

“I don’t know.” Mathew said after swallowing.

“I have to go down to Madame Blotski’s dance studio, to hand in my registration form for this next term. Why don’t you come with me?”

“I don’t know.” Mathew said scrunching up his face.

“Oh, that sounds like a good idea!” Sara said coming back out.

Mathew looked at his mother.

“But Doctor Allan told me to take it easy…”

“Take it easy, yes!” Sara said. “He never said anything about not laying around the house.”

“Please Abigail?” April said using his girl name for the first time. “I promise; I won’t make you dance or anything.”

“Well…” He said slowly.

“Go on sweetie.” Sara urged. “With you out of the house for a bit, it’ll give your sister and I, a chance to come up with some ideas, for redoing your bedroom.”

Mathew looked from his mother, to his sister, to April, and the all had ‘pleading’, looks on their faces. He looked down at the plate of veggies, then sighed.

“Okay.” He said.

April squealed and clapped her hands together rapidly.

Sara and Janice, then went back into the house, and Mathew and April, spent the rest of the afternoon chatting.

The next day, April rang the door bell, and waited for someone to answer. A few moments later, Janice opened the door and greeted April.
“Good afternoon, April. Come in.”

“Good afternoon, Janice.” She said entering the house. “Is Abi, err, I mean Mathew ready?”

Janice waited till she closed the door before speaking.

“She’s just finishing her lunch.” She said. “You know, you can continue to just walk in. You don’t have to start ringing the door bell.”

“I know.” April said. “But I felt I should start being courteous again, and not just barge in like I use to.”

Sara appeared in the entry way at that moment and saw April standing there.

“I thought I heard the door bell.” She said. “Hello April.”

“Hello Mrs. Stevens.” She said.

Sara raised an eyebrow in confused amazement. Janice saw that and said.

“I know right? April has decided to start being courteous again, and not walk in like she use to.”

“Oh poo!” Sara said shacking the dish towel she had in her hand at April. “Like your parents said about Abby. We consider you apart of the family. So just come in as always.”

April hesitated as she thought about how to respond.

“We insist!” Sara said.

April smiled and said. “Okay.”

A second later, Mathew also appeared in the entryway. April immediately noticed that he wasn’t wearing socks, and his legs looked slightly darker in colour.

“Are you…” She said, her voice trailing off.

“Wearing the pantyhose, she took from Hilroy’s? Yes!” Sara said, with just a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Mathew looked down at the floor for a second as Sara continued.

“Now remember, Abigail.! You stop at Hilroy’s and give Mrs. Norton the money for those, and apologise!”

“Yes mother.” She said solemnly. Then to April, Sara said.

“Make sure, she goes into Hilroy’s and does that!”

“ I will.”

Sara smiled, then told the two of them to get going. She and Janice watched them get on their bikes, and ride off down the street, till they were out of sight. Then Janice closed the door, and followed Sara, back into the kitchen.

April and Mathew stopped at the first intersection they came to. They both got off their bikes, and April pushed the button to activate the traffic signals, so they could cross.

“How did your mom find out about those?” April asked casting her gaze down at Mathew’s legs. She didn’t say pantyhose, as there were a couple of other people standing on the sidewalk, with them.

Mathew glanced down at his legs, then back up at April.

“She found them while I was sick.” He said.

“Oh.” Was all April said as the traffic lights changed, and they walked their bikes across the intersection.

They continued on until they got to Hilroy’s. April stopped, but Mathew rode on for twenty meters more before he realized, April wasn’t beside him.

She was still seated on her bike, with her arms folded across her chest, when Mathew came back. She had an annoyed look on her face.
“Why did you stop?” He asked stopping.

“Don’t you have something you have to do here!?” She said indicating the building with a tilt of her head.

Mathew looked at the building and sighed.

“You’re not going to continue, until I do this?”

April grinned mischievously.

“Nope!” Was all she said.

Realizing there was no way out of it. Mathew got off his bike and proceeded to put it in the bike stand. At the same time April got off her bike and did the same thing Both he and April, then locked up their bikes and together walked into the store.

They found Mrs. Norton in the boys clothing section, after asking one of the other sales people. There were a couple of other people there, and Mathew suddenly felt the urge to turn around and leave.

April sensed Mathew’s sudden change, and she proceeded to placed her hands on his shoulders, and pushed him forward until they were both standing next to Mrs. Norton. Sensing that someone was next to her, she turned to see Mathew and April.

“Why hello you two.” She said pleasantly. “What can I do for you?”

“Hello Mrs. Norton.” April said firmly. “I believe Mathew has something he has to say and give to you!”

“Oh?” Mrs. Norton said, her curiosity peaked.

“What is it Mathew?”

“I umm I…”

“Can you at least tell me what this is in regards of?” Mrs. Norton asked.

“Ahhh…”

“Oh for crying out loud!” April suddenly said. “It’s regarding the pantyhose he took, and are now wearing!”

Mathew suddenly felt his face become hot! He spun around and looked at April in utter shock and disbelief! She on the other hand, grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him back to face Mrs. Norton.

“Now give Mrs. Norton the money, and apologise!”

Mathew hesitated for a second, then stuck a hand into the pocket of his shorts and pulled out an envelope. With his hands trembling slightly, he handed the envelope to Mrs. Norton, all the while, the other people in the aisle watching.

“This is the money for the pantyhose, I took.” He said firmly, fighting back the urge to break down and cry.

Mrs. Norton took the offered envelope and stuck it in the pocket of her smock. She then looked at Mathew and waited. April gave him a poke with her finger, after a moment.

“I’m sorry to stealing them, and will never to it again!”

Mrs. Norton regarded Mathew for a moment, then said.

“Apology accepted Mathew.” Then in her usual friendly voice said. “Now why don’t we put this behind us. Where are you two off to day?”
“We’re off to Madame Blotski’s.” April said cheerfully. “I have to hand in my registration form for next term.”

“Oh that’s nice April. Hope you’re still enjoying dancing?”

“Yes I am, very much.”

“Good for you.” Mrs. Norton said. “Well I shan’t keep you. Have fun this afternoon.”

“We will.” April said, then turned and walked away, followed by Mathew.

When the two of them were out of earshot, one of the other people who were in the aisle, came over to Mrs. Norton.

“I can’t believe you let that child walk out of here.” The woman said.

“Excuse me?” Mrs. Norton said.

“That boy.” The woman said. “I can’t believe you let him walk out of here after what he did.”
“And what should I have done? Forced him to take his shorts off and take the pantyhose off right in the middle of the aisle?”

The woman opened her mouth to speak, but Mrs. Norton continued.

“No! He payed for them, so he can keep them!”

“But.”

“And another thing. He also apologised for taking them. So as far as I’m concerned, the matter is closed!”

With that, Mrs. Norton turned and walked away.

Mathew and April exited the store and stopped to get their bikes. April knelt down to unlock hers, but hesitated.

She had a heavy feeling in her chest and an almost sickly feeling in her stomach. She slowly stood up and turned to face Mathew.

“Mathew.” She said as quietly and as sympathetically, as she could have, given the amount of traffic noise.

“Let’s get going!” He said curtly. He bent down and quickly undid his bike lock and pulled his bike out. He got on it, and waited for April to retrieve her bike. When she was ready, she started off in the direction of Madame Blotski’s Dance Studio, with Mathew behind her.

Madame Blotski’s Dance Studio, was part of the Recreation Center and had its own entrance. Mathew and April rode up to where a number of other bikes were parked, and put theirs in the rack. After locking them up, they then went inside.

April stopped in at the office, and dropped off her form. She then suggested showing Mathew the studio, which he begrudgingly agreed to.

Most of the class rooms, were pretty much the same. Some were bigger or smaller, and April said that was because of the ages and group sizes of the kids.

The last room they came to, was the main performance hall. It was the same size as the largest gym, in the rec center, but the vast majority of the space, was taken up with the stage, seating and the orchestra pit.

“Nice room.” Mathew said sounding less brisk than he had been earlier.

“Lets go in.” April suggested. They went in and up on the stage.

April showed Mathew, all what went on backstage. It was really fascinating to hear, especially since it was April telling him, and listening to her describe the ‘feeling’ of being onstage, it made Mathew start to feel less and less mad at April.

After a moment, April stopped and told Mathew to sit in a chair off to one side. She then went over to a portable sound board, that was used for rehearsals. She selected a song, and then started dancing, when it played.

Mathew watched April dance, and was so engrossed, that he didn’t see that someone had also come up on stage, and was standing next to him.

It wasn’t until he caught sight of movement, that he turned and saw a woman standing there.

The woman looked down and smiled at him.

“She is very good, yes?” The woman said with a Russian accent, although Mathew didn’t know that at the moment.

“Yes she is.” Mathew said turning back to watch April.

“You are friend of hers?”

“Yes.” Mathew said with a hint of sadness. “I’m her best friend, though I don’t feel like it at the moment.”

“Oh!” The woman said. “There problem between you?”

Mathew sighed.

“I’m angry at her, for making me do something I didn’t want to do, but I had to do.”

“I no understand what you mean.”

For some reason Mathew felt he could tell this strange woman what he had done, and why he was mad at April.

“A few weeks ago, I took this pair of pantyhose, from Hilroy’s clothing store, without paying for them.”

The woman looked at Mathew with a some what cross look on her face.

“You stole them!?” She said. “Why you do such thing!?”

“I’m going through some changes.” He said after a moments pause.

“Ahh!” The woman said understandingly. “You are that friend.”

Mathew looked up at the woman, just as the music ended. April stopped her dancing, and looked back towards Mathew and suddenly stood straight up.

“Madame Blotski!” She said concerned, then ran over.

“Miss Allan!” Madame Blotski said in a commanding voice. “You know rule about being here without supervision. Yes!?

“Yes Madame Blotski, I do! And I am terribly sorry. But…”

Madame Blotski raised her had to stop April from speaking.

“I hear no excuses! I came see why music playing, and what I find, is you dancing, while friend sit on side!” Madame Blotski said, then changed her tone to a gentler one, before continuing.

“Your friend and I have nice chat, while watching. You should not cause him to be angry with you. Now apologise to him.”

“Yes Madame Blotski.” April said softly, bowing then raising her head. “Mathew. I’m truly very sorry for what I did, and making you mad at me. I apologise, and hope you can forgive me?”

“Well?” Madame Blotski said looking at Mathew.

“I forgive you, April.” He said with a lopsided grin. “I know I’m also to blame, and I apologise, for making you do what you did. Can you forgive me too?

April smiled and gave him a big hug, which he returned.

“You’re my very best and special friend, Mathew.”

“There! We all friends again, yes?”

“Yes!” Mathew and April said in unison as they released each other.

“Good.” Madame Blotski said smiling. “Now you both go, and no let me catch you here unsupervised again.”

“Yes Madame Blotski.” They both said in unison, then left the stage.

Mathew and April exited the dance studio, and went to get their bikes. Mathew bent down to unlock his, but April stopped him.
“Mathew wait.” She said.

“What?” He said straightening. When April spoke, she sounded the most sincerest and apologetic, he had ever heard.

“I want to apologise again, for doing and saying what I did in Hilroy’s. I had no right to embarrass, and humiliate you like that. I care about you so much that, I don’t want to loose you.”

Mathew saw that April had tears in her eyes, which caused him to tear up as well.

“I don’t want to loose you either.” He said trying to hold back, but failing, as he felt a tear run down his cheek. “It’s my fault for having to make you do that.”

Mathew wiped his eyes with his arm.

“I guess Janice was right, when she said I sometimes need a mental kick in the butt, to get me to do something.”

This caused April to giggle, despite trying to hold back her own tears.

“Anytime.” She said and hugged him.

All of a sudden, Mathew felt something hard, hit him on the back of his right shoulder. Whatever it was, hit with such force, that besides crying out in pain, it also knocked both him and April to the ground.

April pushed Mathew off of her, and despite his writhing in pain, she thought she heard the sound of some body, laughing. She tried looking for the source, but a crowd had started to form, which blocked her view.

“What the heck was that!” Mathew said through clenched teeth as he sat up.

“I don’t know.” April said sounding angry.

Just then someone knelt down beside Mathew.

“Are you okay, son?” The man asked.

“I’m fine. Something hit me on the back.”

“Let me see.” The man said starting to grab a hold of Mathew’s t-shirt.

“My dad’s a Doctor!” April said tersely as she brushed the stranger’s hands aside. “I’ll let him look at it!”

With that, she helped Mathew to his feet, and after unlocking both bikes, they rode off.