Tears began to fill Charles’ eyes as he spoke. “My dad is a deacon and he kicked me out of the house and told me not to come back until I changed. I can’t change. I have tried and tried. I thought he loved me. I was raised in church and that has been important in my life. Why does God want me to be miserable — putting me in the wrong body and saying that it is wrong and requiring me to live a life that I cannot?”

When Jake and Charles returned from the store, they found Lizzie Jane sitting at the breakfast table talking to Doc Brown.

“How did things so?” she asked.

“Oh, about as usual — seeing things I would like to have, but cannot afford them right now,” answered Jake. Looking at Doc Brown, he asked, “How are you today?”

“Oh, fine — just fine,” was the answer.

Lizzie Jane spoke, “Charles, why don’t you go into the living room with Doc Brown? I asked him to come over in case you want to talk about things.”

Charles gave Lizzie Jane a stern, but embarrassed, look. “Well, I don’t know if I have anything to talk about?”

“Charles, I am sorry for butting into your life, but sometimes we all need someone to talk to — you know — to express our feelings,” said Lizzie Jane. “No one is forcing you to do anything. I just thought ---“.

“It’s okay. I will leave,” replied Doc Brown. Looking at Charles, he stated, “However, sometimes I can help when it looks like there isn’t any help.” Doc Brown smiled.

Charles sat there a moment. ‘Why was this woman prying into my life? She said she knew, but she knew what? Oh yes, she noticed the mascara. Jake did not seem like he noticed anything. Could this doctor have anything to say that would help? I doubt it. He will just think I am a pervert. Oh well, others do, too, so what would one more hurt? I will be leaving soon anyway and be out of everyone’s life.’

“Okay, I will talk to the doctor,” he finally said.

“Good. Jake and I will put up the groceries,” replied Lizzie Jane.

“Put up the groceries? Why I never…” Jake felt Lizzie Jane kick him on the leg. “Oh, that hurt,” he mouthed to her.

Doc Brown and Charles retired to the living room.

“Sometimes you have a big mouth, husband,” said Lizzie Jane. “Doc Brown may be able to help. He is very understanding.”

“What is wrong with Charles? I found out that his dad kicked him out of the house. He told me that, but he seems like a nice thirteen year old kid,” said Jake.

“How do you know he is thirteen?” asked Lizzie Jane.

“He told me. We talked a little on the way to the store, but I never could find out why he was on that railroad bridge, ready to take his life.”

“Have you ever heard of Christine Jorgensen?”

“Oh, he was that nut that had his…” began Jake, but then stopped and said, “Oh — You mean…”

“Yes. I told you that my mother and I had a long talk — and he is not a nut! God has chosen me to be the instrument to help him. Of course, I don’t know why me.”

In the living room, Doc Brown sat across from Charles in an easy chair; Charles on the davenport.

“First, let me say that I have helped some people through a lot of problems and nothing surprises me anymore. It might do you good to talk about why you attempted suicide. I promise I will not laugh or make fun of you,” began Doc Brown.

“Suicide? That woman is a blabber-mouth and busy body,” complained Charles.

“No, she is a very sweet girl — one who wants to help somebody. She has even placed her own life in danger to come to a person’s aid. She is a Christian lady and an outstanding woman in this community. People here think very highly of her. She is sweet and understanding — and she wants to help you.”

“Well, I don’t know how to say it. My dad kicked me out of the house, calling me names and that is why I decided the best thing to do was to end it all.”

“Like I said, Lizzie Jane is a Christian lady. She wants to help you.”

“Sir, God doesn’t even want me. Why should she?”

“I will let her talk to you about that. She knows more of what God wants than I do. She died once and went to Heaven and talked to Jesus.”

“You expect me to believe that hog-wash?”

Doc Brown smiled. “I was there and she was dead. On top of that, it has been proven to many of us that she talks to her deceased mother often and her mother is in Heaven.”

“Why can’t people just leave me alone?”

“Because you are hurting. That is why Lizzie Jane asked me to come by. She wants you to come clean with us — me on the medical side and her on the spiritual side.”

“Spiritual side? God doesn’t love me. Christians have told me so.”

“And you want to take the word of people who are set in their ideas, right or wrong — who know nothing about how you feel?”

“They have told me that I am an abomination to God!”

“I will let Lizzie Jane answer that. I bet she has a good answer.”

Tears began to fill Charles’ eyes as he spoke. “My dad is a deacon and he kicked me out of the house and told me not to come back until I changed. I can’t change. I have tried and tried. I thought he loved me. I was raised in church and that has been important in my life. Why does God want me to be miserable — putting me in the wrong body and saying that it is wrong and requiring me to live a life that I cannot?”

“I will let Lizzie Jane answer the Bible questions. You don’t want to tell me your problem? If not, I will go, but I may be able to help you.”

Charles blurted out: “I am a girl in a boy’s body! Now, does it make you happy to know I am a pervert?” He suddenly burst into tears.

Doc Brown put his arm around Charles. “I knew what it was. I just wanted you to tell me. I have helped someone else through something similar to this and I think I can help you.”

Wiping the tears away from his face with his hand, Charles asked, “You have?”

“I believe the other person was intersexed. Now she is a prominent member of society.”

“Who was it?” asked Charles with a tear-stained, but a hopeful expression.

“I am not privileged to tell you. In fact, she doesn’t even remember it. The only memory she has now is one of being raised as a little girl. I guess that is God’s way of healing the mind. Nobody has the heart to tell her any different.”

“She is a girl now?”

“Yes, she is -- a beautiful, sweet young lady.” Doc Brown paused for a minute — then asked, “Do you want me to help you — medically?”

“Oh yes, so much so, sir.”

“Well, you are the right age to start. In a very short time, you will start developing into a man if we don’t do something to stop it. However, I am not going to rush into anything. I need a few more counseling sessions with you. I would rather for you to go to a psychiatrist, but we don’t have any around here and they are too expensive, anyway. I have had some courses in psychology in my training, so I believe I can substitute in this case.”

Charles stated, “No one has ever offered to help me before. I don’t know what to say.”

“It is okay. Since your father has kicked you out of your home, I think I can make arrangements for you to stay with Jake and Lizzie Jane. We will see if we can get the judge to set up a hearing in court to keep everything legal and get them appointed as foster parents. They have a nice new house — nothing fancy — but comfortable and they are a good Christian family. I think the judge will approve that.”

“Will that be okay with Jake and Lizzie Jane?” asked Charles.

Doc Brown smiled and replied, “I think — Yes — I am sure it will.”

Doc Brown, accompanied by Charles, discussed the issue with Lizzie Jane, who in return was asked to discuss it with Jake. Before Doc Brown left for the evening, everything was settled. Lizzie Jane and Jake would apply to be foster parents. They decided to let the children that had been rescued from Gorilla Island continue to stay with Uncle Jed and Aunt Maudie, except Linda. Jake and Lizzie Jane had already adopted her.

--To be continued

Copyright 2008 by Billie Sue Pilgrim