Beauty and the Vial: Tested

Chapter 7 ~ Dennis and Alex

By Jo Dora Webster

How will Alex cope with picking up the pieces after Adella’s departure?

---

Chapter 7 ~ Dennis and Alex

When I woke the next morning I had returned to be a thirteen year old boy. I was convinced that Gail Adella indeed had died when I brought out the portrait of her and lusted for her. I was Alex again. All was normal yet I remembered vividly my experiences as Gail and understood her emotions and desires then even though the ones I had now were different.

I went through my old morning routine. I pulled on my a-line t-shirt and boxers and athletic socks and finished with a polo shirt, khaki's and tennis shoes. This was a lot simpler than my previous morning routine. I was glad that this was again very comfortable for me. I came down for breakfast and Great Aunt Montine no longer had that look of misgiving.

"Welcome back, Alex. Now that you have what you wanted, are you sure you made the right choice?"

"Aunt Montine, I want to thank you for the wonderful 6 weeks that you have given me. You told me yourself that I had chosen to be outwardly the boy you see before you in order to retain a connection to my family. That connection is very important to me and more important than a life as Adella, now.”

” You are welcome, Alex. I had suspected that would be your answer, but at least now you have a taste of what being your true self is like. The magic remains, while I can wield it, to return you to being Adella if ever your priorities change.”

”I still wonder how the magic was performed and I don't have a clue of the origin. That's not important now."

"You have a very adult way of looking at this. That's why it surprises me that you couldn't risk any more time as a woman."

"It was the right choice for now. I know I'm a boy and I'd like to find out what being a man would be like. I would lose a whole lot to be a woman of 25. I don't know now if what I'd be gaining would be worth all of myself that I would lose. When I'm an adult for real, I'd like to have that choice again and I might make the other choice."

"I would never force you into something I could tell you didn't like. I'll do what I can so you can have another chance later if you want it."

Aunt Montine, Thank you with all my heart for all you have done for me and especially for your gift of Gail’s summer."

Great Aunt Montine gave me a big smile and an even bigger hug.

"I love you Alex, just as you are. I promise that one day that you will know the secret of the magic that I used."

"I do miss the closeness. We were like sisters especially when I was Adella. I'm so glad you still love me, Aunt Montine! You mean a lot to me. I love you, too."

"I smiled a big smile at her and gave her a big hug. She returned the hug and gave me a kiss on my forehead. I knew then even though things would never be the same as when I was her niece that everything was okay.

~ ~ { { - O - } } ~ ~

I didn't want to spend the rest of my time in Denver, thinking about my time as Gail and Adella. I knew about the teen club so I decided to go there to see if Alex could make friends with some of the people that Gail had known.

I remembered when Gail had first gone there and met Gerald. What surprised me is that a stunningly beautiful woman was making her way over to me. My teen hormones were running wild. As she got closer, I recognized her as Jane.

I shyly turned away from her, even though I realized that the reason that it had taken me a little while to see her as Jane was that I was fixated on her boobs. I was hoping to meet a girl my age to make friends. I was just not ready to meet Jane as Alex, so I did my best to make myself unnoticeable. However Jane had other ideas and she was coming right up to me and spoke to me.

”Hi there, Don’t you know that it is not polite to stare at a girl’s boobs like that. Let me let you in on a secret. There is a reason I keep my boobs covered up. When these babies are uncovered, psionic beams shoot out and turn any guy’s brains within range into mush. You don’t want that to happen to you, do you?”

Jane had a cute giggle which morphed into a laugh as the silence continued. I was speechless and that’s exactly how Jane wanted me to be. My goodness she was a college woman and I was all of 13. What possessed her to give me the time of day. While I finally erupted in a guffaw, she very patiently was waiting on my response. I had to finally, say something.

”You are so right. My cousin would have read me the riot act had she caught me doing something as crass as that. I don’t have an excuse for my behavior. I’m so sorry to have treated you like that. I’m not used to having to deal with raging guy hormones and I’m failing less at being a gentleman but I won’t be satisfied till I have them under control.

”I don’t think any of us totally get them under control. At least, you see what the problem is and that can help you prepare to manage them even if you can’t bring them under control.”

”I hope that you don’t take this the wrong way. I was just wondering. Why are you spending time with me?”

”Why not you?”

”I’m just a child and you are a woman. I was just wondering how you could relate to someone like me. Why are you making the effort to get to know me?”

”My friend did something similar for a boy very much like you. She said that she learned something by making the effort to get to know him. I miss Adella and looked up to her, and doing something that she might do, gives me some happiness.”

”Adella? My cousin that went back into witness protection to be with her family was named Adella. I miss her so much.”

”Are you the nephew living at the mansion for the summer? I’m Jane. What’s your name?”

”My name is Alex.”

”Well Alex, your cousin Adella was my best friend. I miss her so much. Maybe we could be friends, too.”

”I’d like that very much, Jane. When will I see you again or more importantly, where?”

”I work at Olive Garden so you could visit me there and we could arrange to have some time together to console each other over Adella leaving.”

”Okay, I’ll see you there, sometime. Thanks for being my friend, Jane.”

”Thanks for being my friend, Alex.”

~ ~ { { - O - } } ~ ~

I knew Jane's schedule over at Olive Garden, so I went to eat lunch there so I could see her. While I had no hope of dating her for real, we would be friends since I was Adella's cousin for her sake. Of course as Adella, I would not want to date her so this came out about even for me or as close to even as it could be.

”Welcome to Olive Garden. I’m Jane and I’ll be your server today. Hi Alex, It’s great to see you again. I’m glad that at least one man is looking me in the eyes while I’m wearing this uniform.

”Guess that I’m a quicker study than I thought. That and not wanting those psionic beams to mush my brain. I’m glad to see you again, Jane. I’d like the lunch special with some sweet tea, please?”

”I’m very glad to see you again, Alex. Would you like to spend some time talking after I get off from work?”

”I’d like that very much, Jane.”

”Thanks. I’ll be back soon with your sweet tea and get the kitchen working on your order, Alex”

Jane was back soon with my sweet tea with lemon on the side and some other goodies for the table. She gave all of her tables special attention and mine was no exception. She seemed to be getting on with her life. I was glad of that even though I missed the closeness of being a girl having another girl as a BFF.

The fiction of going into witness protection made things easier to make a clean break even though I was still here since Adella was the kind of girl who would not risk her families safety with email no matter how many anonymizer's and IP spoof servers that it might go through to get to the destination.

I kept telling myself that I was being friends with Jane to help her with her grief that I caused. Deep down I missed my life as Adella. Life is so unfair sometimes. Why couldn’t I keep my family and still be Adella? Jane came back with my food. Her smile lighted up the entire room and it was contagious and I smiled right back at her.

”Here’s your lunch, Alex. I hope that you enjoy it. Are there any other things that you would like to go with it?”

”Everything looks perfect, Jane. Thank you very much. I can’t think of anything else that I would like right now.”

”I was thinking that perhaps there might be a way for you to understand the mystery of the teenaged girl. I’ve got to go shopping, so perhaps we might go shopping together and you can observe some teen girls in their native habitat.”

I smiled really big when I heard that since Great Aunt Montine had said something similar to me at the beginning of all of this. Been there, done that and got the negligee thank you. It would be a really good place to talk to Jane so I decided that I would go for it. Sort of.

”That sounds a bit scary to me, Jane? Are you sure that is wise?”

”You’ll love the info that you are able to find, Alex. You’ll go with me?”

”I would not miss it, Jane. Thanks for inviting me. When should I meet you?”

”I’ll be off at 5 o’clock. Call me over if you discover you need something for your meal.

Jane was off waiting on other tables. I saw Dennis come in and go sit at one of Jane’s tables. He didn’t look too good so I guess he was taking Adella’s leaving pretty hard. I wanted to run to him, look in his eyes and tell him that I would never leave him again. But I couldn’t. I was no longer Adella. I distracted myself with eating the wonderful meal. We did our best to serve the best food at Olive Garden. Not we, they. I did not belong anymore. It hurts.

I composed myself before Jane was through taking Dennis’ order and her attention was back on me for a moment as she went into action getting things for Dennis. The meal was wonderful.

Even though it hurt knowing the true situation, I did want to be there for both Jane and Dennis in the only way that I could. While Great Aunt Montine did the deed, I was complicit. She could never have done it without my being willing. I made my bed and now I had to lie in it and deal with the consequences of my actions.

I guess that I was delaying talking to Jane again, since I did not call her over. I finished my meal quickly. With my plate cleared and the tip hidden underneath it, Jane noticed and brought me my check.

”Here’s your check, Alex. I hope that you enjoyed your meal.”

”The food and the way you cared for me were wonderful, Jane. Could that be Adella’s Dennis over there? He looks like the picture I’ve seen with the two of them together. I’ve never had the chance to meet him."

”I can introduce you two. Why don’t you visit with him while I bring you the charge slip to sign?”

”I’d like that. Thanks Jane.”

I picked up the bill wallet , placed my card inside and handed it to Jane. We both walked over to Dennis’ table where Jane introduced me to him.

”Dennis, this is Adella’s cousin, Alex. He wanted to meet you and I hope you don’t mind me bringing him over. Alex, this is Dennis.”

”Hi Alex, I wanted to meet you. I wondered why our paths never crossed while I was dating your cousin. Jane, I’m glad you brought Alex over. Would you like to sit for a moment while Jane brings your card back?”

”Hi Dennis, I wanted to meet you too. Thanks for inviting me to sit down.”

Jane left to bring me back the charge slip to sign. I sat down opposite Dennis. I could not help but think back to the wonderful times I had sat across from him and lost myself in his eyes. It was a little jarring since all the love was still there but there was zero attraction. I was permanently in the friend zone if I could get there but it was of my own doing. I hope this goes well.

”Do you like baseball?”

”I love baseball!”

”Would you like to meet at Coors Field to see the Rockies whip the Braves? It would give us a chance to talk and get acquainted. I sure miss your cousin so maybe we could swap stories about her?”

”That rocks! I want to go. Thanks for inviting me, Dennis.”

"No problem, Alex. Here’s my card. Call me this evening and we’ll work out the details."

Jane walked up with the bill wallet with pen and charge slip inside. I signed the slip , took my card and returned the bill wallet to Jane. I got up and excused myself and left Olive garden leaving behind two smiling faces. I went home to the mansion and pondered what does a guy wear to a shopping trip to the mall?

As much as I wanted to get Great Aunt Montine’s wisdom on dealing with my two best friends, I was still a bit angry at her for the whole Adella thing. I guess it was lucky that Jane and I (as Alex) never had any chance at any romance before Gail and mostly Adella becoming her best girlfriend. The difference in age was too great especially at this time in both our lives for me to romance her.

It seemed to me that the best thing that I could do with my knowledge of both of them would be for me to help them find each other. I would work on pointing Jane to Dennis during our shopping trip. I would work on pointing Dennis to Jane during our baseball game. After that all I would need to do would be to get them to go out on their first gate and somehow I knew that fate would take over from that point.

~ ~ { { - O - } } ~ ~

I solved the dilemma about what to wear. Really I did not have much choice since one set of guy clothes pretty much look like any other. I accepted my role as caddy to Jane in the shopping trip. While Jane was motivated to follow Gail Adella’s example in being nice to the novice boy (which was me now), I wanted to direct Jane’s attention toward Dennis as well as share her grief for Gail Adella’s parting. As we went from place to place in the mall we had a chance to talk.”

”There is Claire’s over there, I bet what you really want, Alex, is a nice set of earrings in your ears together with a trip to Vicky’s and finish it off with Macy’s best LBD. Am I warm?

”I can tell that you are still grieving for Gail Adella, Jane. But it won’t help to turn me into a replacement for her. A knockoff rarely meets expectations of the original. Besides wouldn’t she be angry at you for messing with her favorite cousin’s gender?”

”You are right of course, Alex. I do miss Gail Adella so much. And you are right that she would be mad at me for turning her cousin into a knock off of her. Can we still be friends. I guess there are other ways that I can teach you about what girls want besides the total immersion method.”

”Of course we can be friends, Jane. I miss her so much too. You know the way that I saw Dennis looking at you, it seems that he’s considering making you his friend. How would you feel about that?”

”Of course its too soon now even if I were willing. I just could not do that to Adella, to take her boyfriend.”

”She told me, Jane, that she wanted you and Dennis to be friends. You could comfort him and if you both received the blessing of love, she would be very happy for you. With her having to give him up, she wanted a good woman to be there for him and in her book you are the best woman ever, Jane.”

”That’s so sweet of her, Alex. I’ll give him a chance and try to help him for Adella’s sake. It would make me happy too if the outcome that Adella wants for us might come true.

That was enough for my mission to be accomplished. The shopping trip was successful in my book. While Jane tried to push me at some of the girls there my age, I managed to stay on focus to spend time with her helping her to heal and I feel like it may have worked.

~ ~ { { - O - } } ~ ~

You know the kind of grunting and motions that guys make as they are going thru a crowd. The guys really don’t like to give way nor take it in a friendly mood when forced to give up some of their personal space. As we made our way to our seats at Coors Field to see the Rockies play the Braves, it was exactly like that for Dennis. I guess I could blame it on a little Gail Adella influencing me but I put on a reasonable facsimile.

“Dennis, what is with you, man? This is guy heaven and you haven’t even smiled yet. Let me get the beer wench in the hot pants over here and get us both something cold,”

“Nice try, Alex but you have to wait about five years until you get to taste a beer. It is a good idea for me to loosen up. I’ll let you call her over but the only beer bought will be for me by me, Got it Alex?”

“I got it! Can’t blame a guy for trying. I guess you have pulled yourself out of your funk to have caught that so quick. “

”I guess so but your cousin was the one. I know with my head that she would want me to be happy but I’m not sure how to be happy now. Hey watch out Alex! Ball!”

I already had my glove on and judged where it would fly. I leapt up out of my seat and speared the ball in my glove and squeezed it tight. I saw Dennis and I on the Jumbotron. I brought the glove down so I could take the ball out of it and raised it high to prove to the world that I had caught the ball,

This one came from El Oso Blanco — Evan Gaddis. I knew enough to hold on to that ball and get him to sign it after the game. The Polar Bear was showing the promise to go to Cooperstown when his playing days were over. Wow, could he hit, and the next pitch was one that Gaddis hit out over the fence for a home run! I wish that I had not chosen to make like a Rockies fan while in enemy territory but I was glad that Evan was playing for the Braves in Atlanta just a stones throw from Lamur, GA where I usually lived.

“Way to go, Alex! We’ll get the usher to let us know how we can get Evan to sign it, I can tell that you want him to sign it by how tight you are holding on to the ball.”

Just then I was gripping it so tightly that it popped out of my hand as I was jostled from beside me. Dennis made a perfect catch and handed it back to me.

”I guess holding on to anything, even happiness, can let it slip through your fingers, Eh? I guess I should ease up and relax a little. Maybe you should too?”

”You have me there, Alex. What did you have in mind?”

”Adella told me before she left that she hoped that you would give Jane a chance. She’s been hesitant too but I told her what Adella said. She’s looking at you in a different light and it appeared to me that she liked what she saw very much.”

”I’ll give you that, Jane has been growing on me. If Adella picked her out for me, then I trust her. But there is something more isn’t there?”

”You’ve seen Stephanie around. She’s a girl my age that I met at the teen club. I would really like to take her out but we are both too young to car date yet. I was hoping that maybe you and Jane would like to … uh … well …”

”Double with you and Stephanie? I think maybe us riding shotgun on the two of you might be just the thing to let Jane and I get over our doubts. It’s a good plan Alex. You ask Stephanie and I’ll ask Jane. If they both say yes, I’ll have to square it with your Great Aunt and her parents. If they all agree then it will be a go! Good job Alex!”

We got kind of bored with the Rockies leading by three after the seventh inning stretch. The Rockies had brought in their reliever and so had the Braves. While we were up already we decided to go check out the stadium and perhaps get a snack to tide me over at the concession, We had made our way into the standing room pavilion in the outfield by the time the Braves were up in the eighth.

The Braves had loaded up the bases and up to the plate came El Oso Blanco again. With the crack of the bat and his swift compact swing told me to be looking for the ball here in center field. I handed the foul ball to Dennis and judged my leap again just right in a near repeat of what I had done to snare the foul ball.

When I pulled the ball out of my glove to show it, I did it only for a second, Then I joined the other Braves fans doing the Tomahawk Chop and doing the Florida State Seminoles chant that the Braves had adopted when Neon Deon from FL State was playing for both the Braves and the Falcons.

I know that I disappointed the home town crowd who wanted me to throw that ball back on the field. But once they realized I was just a transplanted Braves fan then the understood. Dennis was so embarrassed by me but it was all in good fun.

An Usher came up with a certificate for the ball attesting that it was an official home run ball hit out of Coors Field today by Brave Evan Gaddis. He also held out two baseball caps, one a Rockies cap and the other a Braves cap. I took the Braves cap as she expected me to do. Then she led us both to a special place by the Braves dugout to watch the rest of the game and be ready for Evan Gaddis to sign my ball when he had a chance.

I was beaming with pride as the Braves had already made it through the bottom of the eighth inning one two three on like 5 pitches by one of the new whiz bang relievers. Unfortunately the Braves were retired in order as well taking about as much time. Evan who was catching spent the inning first taking off the gear and had to almost immediately put it back on for the bottom of the ninth. But before he put it on he came out to sign his grand slam ball for me and the foul ball that I had caught as well.

The Rockies lost by that one run that Evan Gaddis had driven in with the Grand Slam. It was all good for both of us. You see we both had contacted our ladies by cell and both had agreed to the double and were excited. Dennis had even contacted Great Aunt Montine and since she already trusted him dating Adella, she gave her blessing. Stephanie’s parents talked to both Dennis and me. They agreed to the double, pending we both come to a family dinner before hand which they also invited Jane and Great Aunt Montine to come, too.

Dennis and I bonded over the game and the plans for the double, which became the basis of a good friendship between Dennis and I. I had grieved as much over Adella and the relationships that she left broken that I could never mend as Dennis had his loss of Adella. I had switched from grieving for Dennis to grieving with him over Adella.

~ ~ { { - O - } } ~ ~

My pointing them at each other seemed to be successful even before the Double Date. We all met up with Stephanie’s parents and they put on a great dinner party for all of us. When Great Aunt Montine vouched for both the maturity of Dennis over his treatment of Adella, and that she knew me to be a perfect gentleman and very sensitive to caring for ladies, Stephanie’s parents gave their consent.

For our part both Stephanie and I were looking forward to the Double Date. We both had conspired to make that the thing that broke the ice between them once and for all. While we both found the other very attractive, this was not about us getting together. That made it so the pressure was off both of us for the date. We both had to fake a little anticipation just to keep up appearances but we both knew the real score.

Dennis ate regularly at Olive Garden. Jane had found out that Dennis was an avid archer and she joined in on the archery practice group that Dennis was already a member. Even though they spent a lot of time together they had not bridged the gap from friendship to romance. But both were ripe for doing just that and we hoped that the Double Date would push them over the edge.

Had Great Aunt Montine just pointed me to the real social scene of the community at large instead of focusing on the sorority of the local neighborhood, that whole experiment could have been avoided. Now with being one of the girls for a time, I knew where the real social scene was in the area and I joined it. Now conspiring with Stephanie, I spent the majority of the time at the Teen Canteen with her. Part of it was to keep up appearances but as time went on, I could not deny a real attraction to her.

~ ~ { { - O - } } ~ ~

Finally both the day was here for the double date and all the preparation was over. Even though I put a little extra effort for this double date than normal, I knew that my preparations were nothing compared with the ones that Jane and Stephanie had conspired together to make. Jane was fully in older sister mode taking Stephanie under her wing to aid her chances to land me while Stephanie was playing Cupid to make sure that Dennis fell in love with Jane at first sight of her.

While I was in the car with Dennis on the way to pick up both Jane and Stephanie, I offered up a silent prayer in hopes that I might still be heard.

”Goddess Aphrodite, I beseech you to hear my petition even though my outer shell no longer is filled with your gift of beauty, my inner woman is true to you. I beg a boon for my friends Dennis and Gail who were harmed the most by my beauty departing. Each has a spark for the other, please fan those sparks into your full flame of love which only you can give so that they be forever devoted to each other. Please grant me wisdom so that I may not offer myself only to withdraw that offer from Stephanie or the rest of the friends that Gail was granted here. When I offer myself may it only be in accordance and blessed with thy perfect Love. Please grant my petition, Aphrodite.”

”What was that Alex? I hope you said one for me too?”

”Yes it was a prayer and I included you in it too.”

”You are a lucky guy, Alex to have a girl like Stephanie interested in you. I’m lucky too to have Jane.”

Since Jane was helping Stephanie get ready, we only had one stop to make to pick them up. We both did the traditional sitting on the couch waiting thing while Stephanie’s father, who was a military man, put the fear of Goddess into both of us. I guess that he was being Jane’s Father, who was back home, by proxy tonight.

When he departed to check on how they were doing, It gave us a chance to whisper.”

”Hang tough. It’s a rite of passage for males and we are getting the complete deal, Don’t worry, you’ll get your chance to scare your daughter’s date and then the score will be even.”

”Look Dennis!”

Stephanie’s Mother had exited the room at the top of the stairs with a smile on her face.<?p>

”They are ready, Honey. Get ready for their big entrance. “

Stephanie’s parents descended the stairs and one picked up a camera and the other a video cam and started capturing the moment. We watched wide eyed as the two most beautiful women in the world, Stephanie and Jane, walked gracefully down the steps in their most exquisite gowns. Us guys were done up as if for a prom but the ladies were the ones who really shined.

“Wow, Stephanie, your smile is so radiant and so is the rest of you!”

“Thank you, Alex. You look sharp.”

”Jane, your beauty was never greater before this hour which overwhelms me!”

”Dennis you are both handsome and smart to get us tickets to the ballet so we could really dress up nicely. I guess we need to line up so Stephanie’s parents can take the traditional pictures of Stephanie and Alex,”

We both avoided the pinning thing by getting wrist corsages for the ladies. We helped them slip them on their wrists and we lined up. When all the pictures were done, Stephanie's mother who was also in the Military, took over the final briefing before they let us all go out the door. We managed to help the ladies into the car after holding doors for them and closing them when they were safely inside. Then we got in and Dennis drove us to the Arts Center where the Ballet was being performed.

The date was a success in that we expected that Jane and Dennis would bind into a couple over the evening. They did so famously and both Stephanie and I were very pleased with our ability to play cupid.

What neither Stephanie nor me had expected that the same setting had the same effect on both of us. I saw Stephanie in a new light and I felt an overwhelming love toward her. I saw the same look of love in Stephanie’s eyes directed toward me. As the performance went on, there were plenty of times where PDA’s seemed appropriate to the emotion revealed in the performance. At the end of the performance, we too were a couple. Only we both held back knowing that the summer’s end would separate us.

~ ~ { { - O - } } ~ ~

In the aftermath of our Double Date, Jane and Dennis became an item. At first it was their shared grief that bonded them. Fortunately before that faded, they also discovered that they really had both common interests and chemistry together. But the key to all of it was that when Dennis and Jane saw each other for that Double Date, it was as if that was the first time that they really saw each other. It was love at first sight and from the way that they related, I was sure that Aphrodite had heard my prayer and had given them a forever love.

I believe the prayer I prayed for myself worked. I knew that I felt true love for Stephanie but I felt that it was unwise to start something that was soon to be terminated with all that distance. However, we all found out that Stephanie’s parents who were both in the Air Force were mysteriously reassigned to Lamur AFB in my home town of Lamur, GA, Stephanie’s family had already found a house near ours in Lamur and they all were working hard to get things packed for the movers. When the summer ended, they were due to be back on active duty at Lamur AFB and Stephanie would be going to my high school.

Stephanie confided in me that she had been holding back because she knew I would be leaving after the summer but she loved me too. Wow! We started going steady right there and then. Having been a girl, I knew what she needed from me and I gave her that as well as the restraint to not pressure her over a line neither of us should cross that young. I was the perfect gentleman that Great Aunt Montine had declared me to be when we all met for that Dinner Party..

I did not at this time have to worry over my life as Alex disappearing. Somehow I knew that at some point in my life I would have to surrender all in service to the Goddess. I hoped that before that happened that I might bring some of my family along to knowing that the true me was Gail Adella. I hoped that time would allow me to not lose everything as I might have if Gail Adella had never left.

The story that Gail Adella had to disappear again into the witness protection program and further attempts to find her could put her in danger, made the rounds of Gail Adella's friends including the sorority. When the sorority had become convinced that Gail Adella had indeed disappeared from the face of the earth, they planned a memorial service to celebrate their memories of her.

They had permission to hold it in the local Baptist church. Great Aunt Montine and I sat together with Gerald and of course Dennis and Jane. The five of us were seated together in the place of honor as Gail Adella’s family. They held it very informally staring out like a memorial service with the prepared program but evolving into a wake as the impromptu sharing of stories began.

When the memory portion came up they went around the circle of friends and family. Each gave either warm moments or anecdotes from Gail Adella's time with them. I knew that I wanted to convey to them again Gail Adella’s feelings toward them all. I waited to the end and read the entry that Gail Adella had made in her diary that last evening before the change from Adella to Alex had taken place as though it were a personal letter to me from her. This day was my most important memory of Gail Adella that was not from being her.

The wake was what convinced me that Dennis and Jane had once and for all turned loose of Gail Adella. I felt that this was the best for their well being. My conscience was clear even though my great love as Gail Adella for Dennis and being BFF with Jane were the main obstacles to my returning to life as Alex. Now that I knew that Dennis truly subscribed to the idea that it was better to love and lost than not to have loved at all. I felt content that Gail Adella had passed from being an object of affection to one of the great memories of their lives.

Shortly after the wake was over, Stephanie saw me off as I flew back to Lamur, GA. I was so excited that she would be following in a few days when her family had gotten everything packed to move to Lamur. Great Aunt Montine said her goodbyes from the mansion prior to my departure to the airport. She never left her home for any reason so I understood her not going to the Airport to see me off. I had said my goodbyes to everyone else at the wake. I would miss Denver and planned to return to visit along with Stephanie to see our friends. However I vowed that I would never let my Great Aunt transform me into Adella Gail again.