Chapter 8 –

“Doing the dishes this early in the morning? It is Saturday. You should be in bed, Honey.” Grandmama trundled into the kitchen finding Jean cleaning up some dishes at 6:30 am.

“I prepared an egg and bacon casserole for breakfast. Should be done in about twenty minutes, Grandmama.”

“You are happy, aren’t you?” Jean was smiling ear to ear.

“Yeah, I am kind of happy.”

Grandmama tried to resist smiling but failed, “What is his name?”

Jean looked at her grandmother with a look of surprise and a bit of pride. “How do you know I am happy because of a boy?”

“I was a teenage girl once too, you know?”

Cam walked into the kitchen and heard the exchange. “Well, who is he? I want to vet him. I polished up my shotgun earlier this week. Oh, did you just make just make a fresh pot of coffee? Oh boy does it smell good.”

“Yes, Dad. It is fresh coffee. And his name is Hank. And he asked me if he could take me to a movie today. It is being shown at the College. It is a French film, so we get extra credit. I think it is called Au Revoir Les Enfants. It is about two boys forming a friendship at school.”

“Okay. So, is he picking you up?”

“Well, no, he is fifteen after all. Almost sixteen in fact. His mom is driving both of us to the film and then driving us back.”

Cam said sarcastically, “So it is not a real date?”

“Camille Jacques Laignaux. Stop it. She is going out on her first date.” interjected her grandmother. “I seem to remember a fifteen year old boy I drove to the school dance one time with his darling fourteen year old ...”

“Okay, Ma! I get it.” Cam just laughed. Jean looked at him inquisitively. “I know it is a double standard, Jean. But you are my daughter and ...” Jean came over and hugged him before he could say another word. She began to cry.

Cam looked puzzled as to why Jean was hugging him and crying too. He looked to his mother who chuckled. Pointing to her and then hugging her back, he mouthed at her, ‘Why?”

“Because you love and accept your daughter so much that you would defend her honor.” Grandmama beamed.

“Oh.”

“Its important to her dear. That is all you need to know.” Mrs. Laignaux had just come in and saw the whole thing. As she poured herself a cup of coffee, her daughter Jean let go of her Dad. She went over to get a kleenex and blow her nose. She gave her Mom a morning kiss.

“Thanks Mom, I knew you would understand.”

“Understand what? What did I do right?” Cam asked. The women just giggled.

“What time is the movie showing?” asked Grandmama.

“12:30 to 3:00 at the community theater on the Community College campus. Two bucks gets you in.”

“Is he paying?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll give you some money anyway. Boys can be distracted and do the dumbest things.” Dad said.

“Jessica and Sammy have soccer games today. I will have to take them. Who is driving you to the theater, Jean?”

“Hank’s Mom.”

“What are you going to about lunch?”

“Good question. I think we are going next door to a fast food place afterwards to grab something to eat while we wait for his mom to pick us up. His treat.”

“Seems a little late for lunch. Do you know if they serve food at the theater?”

“Probably not. She ought to have a small lunch before she goes.”

Jean pulled the casserole from the oven. She placed it on the breakfast table and put out serving spoons. Mrs. Laignaux called upstairs to Jessica and Sammy while Jean put out the dishes and silverware.

Grandmama poured milk and orange juices for everyone. After they all had gathered and said Grace, they began to eat.

“Dad?”

“Yes, Sammy?”

“How come you don’t pray for Camy anymore. You usually say something about him when we say Grace these days.”

“You know, you are right. It is just with Jean coming into the family, I thought it might be best to hold off for a while mentioning something sad.”

Jean looked at her dad and mom as if she had an idea. She turned to her brother and stated, “You know Sammy, we could pray for him to be blessed and protected where ever he is next time. Maybe changing the prayer will bring him home even faster.”

Jessica mentioned, “I love that idea. Now that I have a sister, it would be nice for Sammy to have a brother too.”

Cam nodded and asked for everyone to pray again. This time he asked for Camy to be blessed and protected where ever he was. “We will have to ask the intercessors at church to modify their prayers too.” he added.

When Jessica found out that Jean was going to be on a ‘date,’ she said,“I was hoping you would come to my game, Jean.”

“Oh, I am certain it won’t happen again. This is just for extra credit in French class. We are going to see a film called ‘Au Revoir Les Enfants.’ It is about World War II I think and two boys who become friends in France. One is Jewish and the other is Catholic. So, it really isn’t a normal date. Especially since it is just for class.”

“Oh, okay. But, can we spend some time together this weekend?”

“We’ll see. But I know we can next week for sure.”

***
Nelson picked up the phone and called his contact in Tucson. “Hey Consuelo, how are the DNA samples coming?”

“It looks like we have isolated about five individuals. Right now, we are in the process of replicating the samples for further testing. I think we may have something for you in about ten days.”

“Thanks.” Nelson hung up the phone. His next move was easier. He messaged Bishop with the information that DNA test results were expected in about eleven days.

***
Sammy was toweling off his face after his shower when Jean opened the door to the bathroom. It was her turn to clean the toilet in there and she didn’t think anyone was using it. Jean saw her brother naked and realized that he didn’t look that much different than he did at that age. For a split second, she looked at his penis and flashed back to being the bathroom years ago looking at herself in the mirror wondering about this thing that was between her legs. She apologized immediately to her brother and closed the door.

Standing outside the bathroom door waiting for him to come out, she began to think about her life as a boy for the first time in years. She wasn’t that miserable being a boy yet. There were fun things to do. Playing tag and running around the playground at school with the other kids. She smiled remembering Dan Folsom running into the basketball pole and knocking himself out. It wasn’t funny then, but he got teased about it. Then she remembered seeing him the other day at Fairview High. He had grown to be about five foot eight. He was built like a football player and had handsome features. She had seen him naked when they skinny dipped in Culver pond one hot afternoon in May.

That was before she was kidnapped. She didn’t think anything about what it was like to see a boy naked or skinny dip around them back then. Why would she? She was just like them. Sure, she was a little embarrassed at the time. The comments from the other boys about you don’t have anything we haven’t seen already convinced a young eight year old Camy that he wasn’t anything special either.

Funny, now the way Dan looked at her the other day was very different. It wasn’t with recognition of his old friend from his youth. Rather, Jean could see his wheels turning and it was clear that he was undressing Jean in his mind. Being precocious and having developed early, Dan was drooling at her body because he was programmed to lust after the female form. Jean had become a ripe fruit to be picked. And, while it was disturbing on some levels, it was also exhilarating on a sexual level. It was intoxicating to be seen as an object of desire. To know that a flash of her breast could cause him to be putty in her hands was hard to believe and powerfully intriguing to her now.

She tried to imagine what it would be like to be a typical clumsy 9th grade boy with his acne and changing voice talking to one of her new girlfriends. There was a laugh. Had it not been for the kidnapping and surgery, he could be in the boys locker room now gazing at naked boys and comparing their equipment to his own like any other guy might do. Would he want to or would he even care if he were still a boy?

“Hey Sammy, I am real sorry for walking in on your like that.”

“No problem Sis.” Sammy headed off to his room with the towel wrapped around his waist.

Jean took the cleaning basket and went into the bathroom. She stood and stared at the mirror. She put down the basket and reached up and pulled her hair back as if to see what a boy version of her would look like. For the first time since her release, she felt something she hadn’t felt before. Anger. Why?! In a very angry tone, she said, “Can you tell me why?” She lowered her voice and her eyes got fierce. “The choice was mine to make, not yours Mr. Jack!”

Sammy poked his head around the door. “What choice? Who is Mr. Jack?”

“Oh, nothing Sammy. It is something I can’t talk about. Not until the police have cleared things up.”

Dad was in the next room and heard what she said. He came around the corner, went into the bathroom. Jean just looked up him. He held her in his arms. She started to sob angry tears. “It’s okay. I can take it. Go ahead and vent.” Jean found herself pounding her dad’s chest. He closed the door and took it like a man.

Jean put the seat down on the toilet and sat down. “Dad, it just pisses me off. I can never have children of my own flesh and blood. I can never be like you. I admired you. I wanted to be like you too at one time. Not just mom.”

“I know Honey.”

“Dad, I need to know. If I hadn’t been, you know, would you have accepted me like this.”

“Oh my. I have been asking myself that question a bunch of times over the last few weeks. I have to be honest. I would have had a hard time at first. But, yes, I love you too much to have held on to that. I guess I found my answer when I realized that I didn’t keep you from playing with you baby sister Jessica and her dolls way back when. I thought it was cute that you would play with your baby sister like that. I admired your nurturing behavior. I still do. What ever talents you have because of the way you are wired upstairs, I think you are awesome.”

Jean hugged her dad. “Thanks Dad. I needed to hear that. Sorry.”

Cam hugged her back. “No worries. You can talk to me anytime, Sweetie. I am here for you.” Jean nodded and smiled. She went back to cleaning the bathroom while Cam opened the bathroom door only to find Jessica with her hands on her hips looking up at him with accusing eyes.

“What do you mean ‘play with you baby sister Jessica?’ Who is she really, Dad?”

***
Paul thought carefully about his next move. He had to get out the word that Camy had returned home and was a girl now. His quick trip back to Mexico to do plastic surgery on a cartel member might give him a chance to do it in a way that makes it international. Just one possibility he thought. He was a pilot. He could fly to here first.

Arriving in El Paso early on an early morning flight, he headed off over the mountain pass to exit 0 on I-10 on the border of New Mexico and Texas. Behind a sign announcing New Mexico, he saw a gentleman waiting. He pulled up and rolled down his window. “Can you smell the cows, mi amigo?”

“No, the wind needs to blow from the east, mister.”

“Good. What do I need to do?”

“Driver will be here in a five minutes. Grab your suitcase. I will drive your car to Deming and return it here on Sunday to wait for you.”

“What about border inspection?”

“No worries. I am an American. I look like you too.”

In an hour, Paul found himself in a tunnel being secreted to the Mexican side. The tunnel was too valuable to use for contraband or illegals to cross. It was specially for high value assets to pass between the two countries undiscovered. The fact that it hadn’t been found meant that it was a gentleman’s agreement that whomever came through it was allowed by the CIA. A deal, ironically, which Paul had brokered. Once on the other side, he was introduced to a cartel member who needed his special talents as a plastic surgeon. He also found out the disturbing news that he would be needed for a few more weekends. That would be fine, he thought.

Back in Deming, Paul’s rental car came to a Motel 6 and stopped. The driver went in and checked in using Paul’s credentials and went in for the night. He rose when someone knocked at the door. “Hello, who is it?”

“Just a plumber. Just verifying that all went according to Hoyle.”

He opened the door. “Yes, the fix is in.”

“Good. Here is your payment. You will get paid each time for the next few weekends that you do this per our agreement.”

“Thank you. It is a pleasure doing business with you. Am I allowed to ask why you need him to do the surgery?”

“No. It is on a need to know basis. Just do your job.”

“Got it.”

***
In the master bedroom, Grandmama, Cam, and Mrs. Laignaux sat in a semi circle around Jessica. Jean stood off a ways from the group who were explaining to Jessica what had happened.

“So, Jean is really my sister. I mean my brother, but now my sister.” She looked at Jean up and down as if she was searching for something indefinable that would connect the dots.

“Yes, Jessica. And there is a bad person who wants to still harm her. Do you know the couple who has rented the house across the street from us?”

“Yes. They are cops. They have been watching our house night and day for the last several weeks. And, where ever we go, we are watched by electronic monitors placed on our cars, your bikes, and other items.”

“How long will we have to live like this?” A little panic was in her voice.

“The police tell me that they are rapidly solving the case. They think they can find Camy’s, I mean, Jean’s kidnapper by the end of next month or so.”

With Jessica in agreement, the adults left the master bedroom leaving the two sisters sitting on the bed.

“It is extremely important that you not even tell Sammy or your best friend.”

“It is just creepy to find out your ‘new sister’ is really your old brother.”

“Jessica, I love you. I used to change your diapers. I played dolls with you as a toddler. I hope you can accept me as a girl. Please?”

“Did you like being a boy?”

“I don’t really remember. I wasn’t very fond of being a boy. I was just beginning to realize I loved playing with your toys and that I was a girl inside. I was fascinated by how different you were built than I was. And, I was jealous that I wasn’t built like you too. I had just begun to fantasize what it would be like to be a girl.”

“Did you put on girl’s clothes?”

“Yes. I was talking to Melissa way back then, a girl who lived down the street from us, and telling her about you and Sammy. I asked if I could try on girl clothes so I could see what it felt like to be a girl. It was so much fun and I enjoyed it.”

“And then?”

“Then I was kidnapped. And the choice was made for me.”

“Are you okay with being a girl?”

“Yes and no. But, it is just ...”

“Just what?”

“When I see a baby now and realize that I can’t be a daddy or a mommy to my own flesh and blood, it hurts. Mr. Jack took that away from me without asking. I loved taking care of you two with Mommy. It was a lot of hard work for Mommy, so my helping her take care of you was really important. There was something in me that wanted more. I wanted to be able to breast feed you too like Mom did when you were a baby. When I held you, burped you, and sang to you, I felt girly. I started to know what it was like to be a girl. Then, I knew I was a girl and then, at the same time, I knew I wasn’t and a part of me thought about being your daddy.”

“How about now that you are a girl?”

“Oh, I love it more since coming home. Like when you and I were, what did you call it, surfing the net. We were looking at outfits and sharing opinions about what looked good and what didn’t.”

“Can we go shopping for real?”

“You bet. I would love that more than anything.”

Jessica began to cry. “I never thought I would see you. And here you are.” Jean teared up too. They didn’t need to say anything more. They just held on to each other and bonded.

Finally, Jessica said through her tears, “I am so happy to have you back.”

Through sniffles and sobs, Jean exclaimed, “Me too!”

“Jean, when I grow up, I could give you one of my babies. I don’t like to see you unhappy. I think you would make a wonderful mommy.”

Jean picked up Jessica and put her on her left hip. Jessica wrapped her arms and legs around Jean. Holding on to each other they went downstairs talking about where they would like to go shopping and what they would like to buy.

As Jean walked by Sammy holding Jessica, he grimaced at the sight of the two of them holding on to each other.

“Girls!” He went back to playing Minecraft.

Copyright © 2017 by AuP reviner