I thought, 'Shit, how on earth does she know about me?'
I said, “What do you mean Susan?”
“Well I saw what you wearing under your shorts the other day when you bent over and exposed a waist band that looked a lot like you were wearing a pair of pink panties, am I right?”
“Um-er—well—ok, so what happens now?”
“Why should anything happen Jason? I told you we have something in common and if you will just listen to me I will explain a little bit about myself.”
I sat on one of the boxes and listened to what Susan was about to reveal to me.
After she was finished I said, “Wow Susan I had no idea, you look real to me.”
She replied, “Now it's your turn Jason. I will help you if you want? My Mum helped me all the way and when the time comes I will have the full operation as well.” I sat there and was dumbfounded for a few minutes but then started to open up to Susan. My life would never be the same from then on.

I said, “Susan, I would not have guessed in a million years. How long have you been a girl?”

She replied, “All my life!! Jason, we are born that way.”

“That is not what I meant, how long have you been living as a girl?”

“Oh I cant remember the exact date but when I went to kindergarten and I wanted to play with the girls and not the boys and no matter how much they tried to make me change I would not except being a boy.”

I replied, “So your parents let you do it?”

“Well my Mum did. My Dad left just after I was born and he disappeared into the woodwork so I have never seen him.” She then said “Jason, have you been wanting to be a girl for long?”

I replied, “In a way I was a bit like you and always wanted to play with the girls too, but my dad would have been horrified if he knew. He was a kind man but I don’t think he would have understood and he did spend a lot of time playing with me when he came home from work and on weekends.”

Susan said, “Does your Mum know?”

“She has sprung me only recently when I thought I was home alone and I was wearing one of her long dresses.”

”What happened?”

“Nothing, she just said 'Make sure you hang that dress back up when you are finished with it.' ”

We talked a bit more and Susan said, “We had better get to work or we won't have a job. Do you want to talk more about it later?”

I replied “Yeah I’d love to Susan - when we finish work ok?”

We went back to sorting out the boxes of books and didn't talk much more till it was time to go home. We went out to the front of the shop and told Miss Cline the owner and our boss that we had just about finished sorting out all the boxes and would finish the job tomorrow afternoon.

She replied, “Ok dear, make sure you both go straight home. It is not safe for young people like yourselves to be on the street at night.”

I said, “I will make sure Susan gets home safe Miss Cline, she lives just down the road from me.”

“Jason dear, I wish you would call me Abbey, I have known you since you first came into this shop, when you came in with Mary to buy some children’s books and that must be at least ten years ago and I also knew your father bless him.”

I replied, “Ok, I suppose it makes sense Abbey.”

I thought to myself 'It doesn’t feel right, but if it makes her happy than so be it.'

Susan and I said good night and went out to the bus stop and caught the bus that took us straight to where the cemetery was.

I asked Susan, “What street do you live on?”

“Elm street.”

“Hell Susan, that is only one street down from Becket street. I never realised you lived so close.”

We got off at the bus stop outside the cemetery gates and she said, “Jason this is not where I normally get off the bus, that is another block away.” I

replied, “Well I know a short cut and we can take that with the help of my Uncle Albert.”

Susan said. “I don’t understand Jason, this cemetery is at least a block in size and the gates have a big padlock on them.”

I replied “Watch and learn all about my Uncle Albert.” I concentrated and said in a normal voice “Uncle I have someone I want you to meet. Open the lock please.”

The lock moved and clicked open. Susan stepped back in fright and said. “I'm not going in there.” I had to grab her by the hand to stop her from running away up the street.

I held onto her and said, “Susan it is quite safe, he is a harmless spirit and will protect you just like he does me. Well he is harmless to me but not to bad guys like Justin and his stupid brother Dave.”

Susan held onto my hand so tight it was hurting me and we walked through the gate and closed it behind us and the lock clicked shut. That made Susan jump and let out a little scream.

We stopped under a lamp and I said “Susan let me explain about my Uncle Albert.”

After about ten minutes of convincing her it was safe to go on she said, “So it was you that lifted that kid of the floor and held him there like a little toddler?”

“Yeah but it was really Albert doing all the lifting.”

Susan said, “Ok but I am still shitting myself.”

I lead the way to Albert's domain and told Susan not to be frighten if she saw a bit of a mist surrounding me, that was just Albert's way of connecting with living people. I told Susan to sit on the little bench seat that all the graves had in this cemetery.

Once she was seated I said, “Uncle, please don’t do anything to scare Susan.” I sat next to Susan and held her hand so the connection between me and Albert would be stronger I said, “Albert do it now.”

There was a fine shimmery mist around me and Susan and Albert said “Don’t be scared Susan, I will only hurt bad people.” It was the clearest I have heard him in my head.

Susan said, “Wow I can actually hear him in my head as clear as a bell.”

Albert said, “Now Jason I haven't told you before but I know about your little hobby, not that I mind but you have to be aware that it will make life a little harder and I will probably have to work overtime to keep you out of trouble.”

Susan was letting go of my hand now and it seemed that she was accepting Uncle Albert’s spirit and started to ask him questions.

It was getting late so I said, “Uncle we will come back tomorrow but we have to get home, Susan's Mum will be worried about her.”

Albert said, “Susan I like you, you're a good kid and I will look after you just like Jason.” Albert's mist dissipated and we got up and walked to the other side of the cemetery and through a little gate that I found when I first came through there to take a short cut to get home.

I gave Mum a ring on my mobile and said, “I am walking a friend home and I will be home in about ten minutes.”

Susan's home was much like ours, built over a hundred years ago and falling down from lack of maintenance, but in this area it was all occupied mainly by single mums and old people. We walked up the front steps and Susan took out her key from her purse and fumbled so she dropped it. By the time she picked it up the door opened up and her Mum stood in the doorway and said, “Susan you are late, I was starting to get worried about you. Why didn't you ring you have a mobile.”

“Sorry Mum I sort of got waylaid by Jason. By the way this is Jason Smith, he works with me at the bookshop and he lives just around the corner.”

Susan's said Mum said, “Hello Jason, it's nice to meet you. Susan doesn't have too many friends, least of all bringing them home to meet me. Jason your mother isn't Mary Smith is she?”

I replied, “Yeah she is, she volunteers down at the charity shop on Wednesdays, you have probable met her there.”

I had to get home or Mum would start to get panicky and ring my mobile, so I said “I’ll see you tomorrow Susan, and it's nice meeting you Mrs Beck” They went inside and I made my way home to have a long talk with Mum.

I opened the door and said, “I'm home Mum, what's for dinner?”

“Hello dear, go and wash your hands and you'll find out.”

”Yes Mum.” I went to the bathroom and washed my hands and walked into the kitchen and said. “Boy that smells good Mum.”

“Jason it's one of your favourites, oxtail and potato stew.”

“Yum, maybe I can take some for tomorrows lunch?”

Mum replied, “Jason I made enough for at least three days, it is just the thing for winter meals.”

Before I was even half-way through my stew I said, “Mum what’s for desert?”

Mum rolled her eyes and replied, “What would you say if I said there is none dear.”

“Mum don't make with the jokes already”

“Ok it's home made ice-cream and and jelly.”

“Thanks Mum”

Mum said, “Jason who was it that you walked home?”

“Oh just Susan from the book shop. I introduced her to Uncle Albert tonight and she is ok with it.”

“That's Lilly Beck's daughter isn't it?”

“Yes Mum and she lives just down the road.”

Mum replied, “Yes son I knew that. So you two are becoming friends than?”

I said. “You could say that Mum, but there is something that you probably don't know.”

Mum replied, “Oh you mean about Susan being a transgendered girl?”

“You knew!!”

“Well yes, I thought it was common knowledge.”

“Well Mum I have something else to tell you.”

“Yes dear I think you very well may have at that.”

I said, “Mum where do you want me to start?”

“Try at the beginning dear, it's not that hard.” I told Mum how I have felt all my life “But because I never wanted to hurt Dad I let it slide and today Susan confronted me about it, and she says she wants to help me and be my friend.”

Mum replied, “Jason I have known about you since you were about three years old.”

I replied, “Mum ,why haven't you said anything till now?”

She replied, “Jason I knew that eventually you would tell me, I just didn't want to push you either way, but if this is what you really want to do, than I will support you all the way.”

I said, “Mum where do I go from here?”

She replied, “Well dear you already know Susan and her Mum. I am quite sure that they will be only too happy to direct you to the right way to go about being who you want to be.” I looked up Susan’s home phone number and made a call!!!

Albert’s spirit

To be continued.

Next time: Susan helps to smooth the way.

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