Chapter 25 - Summer of Changes

Exams ended, we all were able to store much of our stuff in the garage of our new apartment. I left all of Conrad's clothes behind, leaving the only vestige of him on my body, to be removed a soon as we reached home. Indeed, Julie's home would be my home, Connie's home, our home. This time the bus ride was without incident, and Sandra was there waiting for us.

I could hardly get a word in edgewise as mother and daughter caught up on each other's lives. Mostly it seemed to revolve around the upcoming wedding in just three weeks. When we got home, Sandra smiled and said "I'm sure Connie needs to freshen up before we do anything else. Doug is taking us out to dinner at six, so give him a show, won't you?"

Four hours? We could do it if we tried. Sharing a shower saved water and time, although not as much as it could have if we hadn't messed around a bit under the warm water.

Our matching bra and panty sets, of course. Garters or pantyhose? Well Sandra did specify a show, so garters - hers red, mine black - but we both had on some sexy black patterned hose. In deference to my undeveloped figure, long, full skirts with a slit up to there to show off the garters. Julie chose a frothy yellow thing with a lining to protect what modesty we were going to have, I went with virginal white, the better to contrast the black garters. Of course it had a slit up to there as well.

Since Julie had actual breasts to display, her pale blue blouse displayed them nicely. I had to be satisfied with a bright red sort-of-Chinese blouse with a high collar and long sleeves. The night was warm enough for sandals (I hoped my long sleeves wouldn't be too warm!) so we painted each other's toes and fingernails, and Julie braided my hair and did the Alpine Maiden thing with the long braids wound up and pinned in place. I had long ago become adept at styling Julie's hair, so braided and pinned hers in place.

Half an hour left for makeup, no problem. In the interests of time, Julie did my makeup as I was still learning and it took me a while to get it right. Looking good. A quick trip to the jewelry box where I recovered my engagement ring and placed it where it belonged, on my left hand. Some wrist sparkles, silver necklace for Julie, gold for me, some long, dangly earrings and we were ready.

Sandra's home has a beautiful wooden staircase from the upper floor, all polished wood and carved spindles holding up a banister just made for sliding down if you were a kid. It's also perfect for the dramatic entrance of two young ladies dressed for a night on the town.We were handed down and our hands kissed by a courtly gentleman who had to be Doug. He had been out of town when I visited before so I hadn't had the chance to meet him.

"Julie, you're lovely as always, and Connie, such a pleasure to meet you. You will light up any establishment with your mere presence."

I could get to like this guy! Actually, I did get to like him. He and Sandra had a long and loving marriage, blessed with love and happiness for the rest of their lives.

"I can see why Sandra hasn't been able to stop talking about you, sir. If I wasn't taken I would be tempted myself."

A little flattery is never out of place. We exchanged pleasantries and spent a most enjoyable evening together.
 

The next morning we gave Sandra the articles and a copy of Christine's book that we had special ordered from the bookstore. Giving her time to digest the information, Julie and I went out to the bridal shop to have our bridesmaid's gowns fitted.

No, I'm not going to give you a blow-by-blow account, this memoir is long enough already. You know I was in heaven, even fifty years after the event, my first dress fitting (other than a skating outfit) is a landmark in my passage to being a woman.

I was nervous when we returned from our fitting, what would Sandy think of it all?

"Sit down, girls, we have a lot to talk about." We sat. "It seems there is a whole lot more to your desires than I had realized. Even being in the medical field I had never realized what progress has been made. My male colleagues were squeamish enough about fitting men with breast forms, I must assume they couldn't or wouldn't talk about surgery like this. I can promise you that on Monday I'm going to be following this up. I can also promise I'm going to find an endocrinologist who won't shy away from treating you; that is if you want me to, Connie."

"I was going to ask as soon as you'd read the articles. I'm still in shock that something I thought was impossible for all my life is actually being done. I suppose since I went to such efforts to hide myself it would have made it hard to find out there are others who want to be women badly enough to have surgery."

"There's only one thing I would ask, you need to be sure that you and Julie are in complete agreement on what you will do with your lives together. Marriage is a shared responsibility. I really want you to talk this through completely. Not to seem like a nagging mother-in-law, but you need to think about children. Obviously this will affect your ability to conceive children. That's not a fatal problem, there are treatments, sperm banks and adoption available. There must be a million other things you need to know and discuss before you decide on what you will do.

"No matter what you decide, I love you and I'm here for you. I'm pretty good at browbeating doctors and bureaucrats, so just point me at anyone in your way and turn me loose!"
 

Sandra must have been working on overdrive, when she came home on Monday I had an appointment with an endocrinologist with experience in gender issues on Friday. She refused to say how she made an appointment with a top specialist in less that six months.

Some things are best left unsaid, blackmail and bribery are such ugly words.
 

Friday
"Ms Connie Cobb?" asked the Doctor

"That's me," I gave the doctor a finger wave. "This is Juliet Wheeler, my fiancee. We're in this together."

"I see, such decisions don't affect just the patient. Welcome, Ms Wheeler."

This was long before HIPAA, so the privacy routines you'd go through today were absent.

"I believe you know my mother, Sandra Alfaro," replied Julie.

"Ah, yes! A formidable woman indeed. If you've inherited half of her determination you'll go far, indeed. Now, let me make sure we are all on the same page. Ms Cobb, you are here because you feel you are transgendered and want to make your body match your preferred gender?"

"That's correct. "

"You present very well, Ms Cobb. How long have you been dressing as a woman?"

"Since I was thirteen, whenever I was able to do so. I intend to make that permanent as of now, too many people have become aware of Connie and there is no purpose in hiding her any longer."

"That's a very clear statement of your intent. So you are interested in hormone therapy and eventual surgery?"

"I think so. That's part of the reason we are here, to learn what is possible. I only found out recently that such things are possible."

"Now that surprises me, Ms Cobb. If you have been dressing as a woman for… ah, seven years if my math is correct, I'm surprised your psychiatrist has not already gone over all the options with you."

"I don't have a psychiatrist, Doctor. I grew up in a small and isolated town where I was afraid to let anyone find out that I wanted to be a woman. My parents were very supportive and I was given the opportunity to be a girl on weekends and holidays. I have no doubts I am a woman. Connie has been ice skating competitively for some years and even won several awards. In all that time no one has realized that I was born a male."

"You've never seen a psychiatrist for treatment? That's very unusual. Most of my patients have serious issues to attend to because of their gender variance."

"Like I said, I grew up in an isolated area and my parents and I just did what seemed right for me. I'm not sure why I would need a psychiatrist as I have no doubts as to my course in life, nor do I feel guilty about what I'm doing. It works, and I feel more alive as Connie. I had intended to just continue dressing as a woman for the rest of my life, not knowing that there were doctors who could help."

"Remarkable! Would be willing to allow me and some few others to use your life as a case study. Naturally, your name and any identifying details would not be used if it were to be published.

"Why not? I just might be able to learn as much from you as you can learn from me."

"Thank you. I must say your are quite out of the ordinary. I haven't ever seen such confidence and flexibility in a patient before."

"Blame Julie, she's my role model."

"Ms Wheeler, you are to be congratulated."

"It works the other way, too. I think I have gained a lot from knowing Connie."

Well, before we can do anything about treatment, we need some hard facts. I want to do a complete examination of your body so I know where we are starting from. I'm afraid it will be rather intrusive. It also means you need to get completely undressed so I can examine you."

"I rather expected that and dressed for the occasion."

"Then I'll leave a few minutes to allow you some privacy and return with one of my staff. That way we will both be assured that you have been treated with respect and nothing untoward will happen."

"With Julie here it's hardly necessary, but however you think it will work best."

And so I was examined - and he was right about the intrusive part. When I got dressed a nurse drained a couple of weeks supply of blood from my arm to run whatever tests needed running. When the results came back a week later they needed a lot of explaining as much of the terminology was new to me, but that comes later in the story.