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

CHAPTER 12

We drove along Shore Drive headed for the restaurant. The view was beautiful. In the distance a lighthouse was flash, flashing, guiding shipping away from the ledges off Nahant, our destination.

I quickly found a parking space near the bar entrance, and in we went. The hostess guided us to a table by the window.

“I love your sweatshirt,” she said to Ginny, while handing us menus, “Where did you ever find it?”

This made Ginny feel good. “I got it at Walmart for only ten dollars.”

“I'll head there tomorrow,” she said. “Would you girls like something to drink?”

“I'll have a Bud light, how 'bout you Ginny?”

“Sounds good, I'll have the same.”

We were both quiet, staring at the sight of the lights twinkling on the ocean, not one hundred feet from where we sat.

“I think I'll have a lobster roll,”I said. ”Be careful, there's two kinds, one has chopped celery and mayonnaise mixed with lobster meat in a toasted roll. The other is hot lobster meat in a roll with drawn butter on the side, They both come with French fries. I'm having the one with drawn butter.”

Ginny though for a minute, “I guess I'll have the lobster salad, sounds a little different.”

The waitress came back with our beers and took our order, leaving us alone with our thoughts.

“A penny for them,” I said.

“It's this whole male/female thing, I'm torn in two different directions. On one hand, I've never been more happy in my life, but eventually I'm going to come back to earth, as Gene. When that happens, Gene has the lifespan of a gnat.”

At this point the waitress came with our meals, “Would you like some ketchup?“

“Yes, please,” we said.

Neither of us said anything for a while, the only sound was chewing. I started to laugh, “Sounds like a squirrel working on an acorn.”

Ginny started first. “What shall I do, I need help with this.”

“Oh gosh, I don't want to tell you to dress up as a girl, but...”

“I'm not dressing as a girl, I am a girl!”

“Then the choice is easy, do you want to be a complete girl?”

“In the future. I've been checking out gender reassignment surgery online,” she said. “Scared the stuffing out of me.”

“Hey, let's walk before we run; I think first you need to see a psychologist to see if a woman is really what you want to be for the rest of your life, then a doctor for hormones; then we can talk about surgery. But first we need to find some ID for you; then you can get a driver's license, and a passport.”

“That could be easier said than done. I don't know anyone with connections that wouldn't get back to Morales and company,” said Ginny. She
paid the bill with cash and left a ten dollar tip for the waitress.

By the time we got back to my condo, I had an idea.

“I'll ask Steve Brady for help, he knows everyone.”

The alarm went off at 5 AM, waking both of us. I hit the shower first, afterward it was Ginny's turn. I tossed on my jeans, boots and denim shirt, then made coffee. Ginny came into the kitchen, and grabbed a newspaper. While my back was turned she took my coffee, and took a sip, “Yech, hazel nut!”

“That will teach you, make your own.” I hurried around grabbing my laptop, and briefcase.
“Shake a leg, let's go. By the way, that dress looks good, the cutlets make all the difference.”

“Cutlets, what are cutlets?” Ginny asked.

“Those new boobs of yours, we call them cutlets, you know, like chicken cutlets?”

She roared “Now I get it, cutlets.”

We arrived at the job-site just as the foreman was opening the gates, stopped at the trailer, opened it up and went inside. Wow it was cold, I turned up the thermostat to 68 and sat at my desk.

I looked up Steve's cell phone number and gave him a call. The darn phone went to voice mail,
“Steve, this is Ellen, I need your advice on something, please call me back.”

I tucked into my work, and lost track of time. Next thing I knew a shadow fell across my desk.

“Alright beautiful what's wrong?” It was Steve.

“Grab a coffee, and I'll tell you.” Without coffee, would anything happen?

“Look, Ginny ran out with nothing, no credit cards, no money, and no driver's license. She needs ID,” I said. “But not in her name, we'll use Hanson, my name.”

Steve thought for a moment. “That's why under the table.” Not waiting for an answer, he said, “Give me a day or two, I've got an idea on this. Let me get out of here. I'll see you two tomorrow, I should have a solution by then.”

He grabbed another cup of coffee, and hopped into his truck, roaring out the gate onto Route 99, and then, Route 1 North.

Ginny walked up to my desk, “What was that about? He was in and out in fifteen minutes. Does he do this all the time?”

“Only when he's getting phony ID for my cousin,” I chuckled. “He knows everyone worth knowing.”

“ID for me! Really, he can do this?”

“We'll know tomorrow; in the meantime, back to work peon.”

After this the day went by slowly. I put out a bunch of brush fires, none serious. Finally it was time to head for home.

Ginny and I changed into more comfortable clothes. For me this meant changing boots for boat shoes, and a gin and tonic. For her, jeans and a tee shirt, and a cold beer.

“How about baked ham, roast potatoes and green beans for supper? Later I've got blueberry cheese cake for dessert.”

“Wow, don't ever leave, I was going to call for a delivery of Chinese food.”

“Tomorrow night,” she chuckled, “I have to pay my way, you know!”

We were just finishing supper when the phone rang.

“All set,” I heard. “Have Ginny wear a nice top, she's going to have a photo session.”

“Steve Brady, you work fast. I'm not sure I want to work for you,”I teased, I think you are connected to the wise guys.”

“No chance of that, If I was do you think I'd be getting these dinky jobs? I'd have a big bridge job with the State.” with that he hung up.

“Who was that?” Ginny asked. “Who's mob connected?”

“That was Steve, he said you are all set, and to wear a nice top tomorrow for photographs.”

“Photographs?”

“Yeah, how else do you get IDs, in a box of Cracker Jacks?” I kidded. “Are you ready to be reborn? Tomorrow you will be Virginia Hansen, age 22, from Swampscott, Mass., my cousin.”

“Really, really? You're not yanking my chain to get me going are you? If so, it's not funny.”

“Ginny calm down, it's set, let's go to bed. We'll talk more in the morning.”

We headed for our bedrooms. I turned on the television for the weather and caught the end of a story about a drug bust up north. All I heard was MacDonald Trucking. Any way, tomorrow was going to be cloudy, with a high temperature in the 50's. Not bad I thought as I fell asleep; good working weather.

To be continued,

Many thanks to Bronwen for fixing typos and grammar