"	Gene's Story or How I Gained a Cousin A novel by Karen Lockhart Copyright 2016

CHAPTER 14

“C'mon Ginny, you're going to make us late! Just because the boss made googoo eyes at you doesn't mean you can come in when you want. Steve flirts with anything in skirts.”

With that, I headed out and started the Explorer. I heard the house door slam, and Ginny wrenched open the passenger door and flopped on the seat.

“Buckle up,” I said. “I don't want you hurt in an accident.” 'Besides, we need to talk about all this Thailand stuff,' I said to myself.

The rest of the ride was quiet, except me swearing under my breath at the idiots driving in the other cars. One of them was probably doing the same thing, except looking at me.

We got to the office and settled in, me checking the delivery slips for rebar to go in the foundations, Ginny to file her nails. About 10:30am I walked to the other office where Ginny sat.

“Alright, what's all this talk about Thailand? I thought the only people that went there wanted to have a sex change operation.”

“A girl can't think ahead?” Ginny said.

“Ginny, you've only been dressed like a woman for a few days. Surgery, hell, you should be thinking of a pedicure instead.”

“I want to be a woman, I always have! I'd see my sister putting on make-up, wanting to have her show me. I used to dress up in her clothes when she was away at school. I was jealous of the girls in school wearing skirts and dresses.”

“Oh, wow Ginny, you have Gender Identity Dysphoria, GID! I saw a story in the Boston Globe a while ago about a girl from Cambridge who has that. She's in that Amazon show called 'Transparent' about a man that changes his gender.”

“But let's forget about having any kind of surgery, at least for quite a while Ginny. I seem to remember that girl was on two types of hormones for a long time.”

“You're right,” she said. “The first hormone suppresses testosterone, that softens male features, and really slows beard growth, forehead ridge and that square jaw look you like so much. It also shrinks your friend to the point he won't rise to the occasion.”

I thought for a moment. “You know, a friend of mine was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and he was treated with a hormone that suppressed his testosterone and shrank his prostate. He also complained that his nipples hurt.”

“But he's still alive isn't he?” asked Ginny. “The other hormones are female hormones, these will help the process along; create a female figure by widening your hips, and create or enlarge breasts, sometimes to the point that breast enlargement surgery isn't necessary. Some never have SRS surgery, just plastic surgery to reduce the male features and look more female. They even shave the voice box and reduce the Adam's apple.”

“Phew, Ginny, you've done your homework on this, haven't you? I guess you are serious about it. Ok, some of this may be covered by insurance. What kind do you have? And in whose name?”

“Oh,oh,” Ginny said. “It's in Gene Thomas's name, now what?”

“You have a birth certificate in Virginia Hanson's name, a driver's license, and a charge card. No reason you can't sign up for Mass Health. The only question will be, is this covered? I'll make a few calls, the doctors and hormone therapy should be covered though.”

Ginny was visibly excited, “How about I open up a savings and checking account with some of Morales' money?”

“Did a social security card come in that package Steve got you? You need one to open a bank account, and probably health insurance too.”

With that, she turned her pocket book upside down, and fished around in the quite sizable pile that came out.

“Look, it's here, it's here,” she squealed, waving a battered red, white, and blue card in the air. “We're all set.”

“Good, let me have copies of everything, and I'll start the ball rolling. Now, let's see about a laptop for you. We'll use my laptop, I don't want to use the company's for on-line shopping.”

I quickly pulled up Ebay, and logged onto my account. “Here you go, Dell refurbished laptops. Do you want one like this, or a bigger screen?” I asked Ginny

“You know more about these than I do, buy the one that's best for me.”

“Here's a two year old, completely done over, D630 with Windows 7, a nice sized hard drive, and plenty of memory, wifi, and a good dvd/cd burner. Comes with a new battery. Only $150, free shipping, and if it's the same as mine was, you'll have it by Saturday. How's that?”

She could not believe it. “That's all? That fast? I figured I'd have to go to a computer store, have a salesman make me feel stupid, then sell me one with all the features I'd never need, just so he'd make a fat profit.”

With that, she jumped up and gave me a big hug and kiss.

“Would you two like to be alone?” There was Steve Brady, with a shit-eating grin on his face. “I can come back later if you want.”

Ginny's face was as red as a firetruck. “I was just thanking her for her help with a computer.”

“You didn't thank me like that,” Steve said. “All I got was the hug.”

I jumped up, ran over and gave Steve a big kiss on the cheek. “There, feel better?”

He laughed and grabbed a chair. “Instead of a kiss, can I have a cup of coffee?” he asked Ginny.

“Sure, how do you like it?”

“Like my soul, black and bitter, how else?”

We talked about the job for a while, then the upcoming Sunday Night Patriot's game.

“Well, I've got to go, see you ladies tomorrow.” With that Steve turned and went out the door, and got in his pickup.

“Why didn't you ask him about the insurance and stuff? He would know.”

“Ginny, do you want Steve to know that you're really a man, and we've been lying to him for a week? Or do you want me to quietly take care of things? Your call.”

“No, you're right, I didn't think. Ellen, would you please get me insurance coverage?”

“Of course. Come on, let's head home, and we can see about doctors for you. Save your money, in case you pay for the surgery yourself.”

Out we went, drove home, and had leftovers for supper. Uneventful huh?

After cleaning up, we sat in front of the tv in time to hear the end of the six o'clock news, “The Essex County District Attorney announced a major drug bust on the North Shore. We'll be back with that story and a fire in Revere, after these messages.”

To be continued

Many thanks to Bronwen for fixing the typos and grammar.