Special thanks to Malady for his help in editing this!

This story is the sequel to One Sunday Morning, a piece I posted on 9/2/20. A couple of people expressed interest in what happened with Garnet’s friend Jill. I was rather curious about it as well. Thus this story started to take shape. For about a week, then sat on my hard drive for awhile. I decided I wanted to find out more about Jill, and started working on it again. Hope you enjoy!

A word of warning for those who might object. These stories have a definite Christian leaning.

One Summer Sunday – Sequel to One Sunday Morning

Garnet drove.

She was on her way to Joplin, Missouri, to pick up her friend, Jill.

They had worked together in Saint Louis, at a major hospital there, but when Jill came out as trans-gendered, she was abruptly let go by the administrator.

-=#=-

Five months ago, at the end of December, Garnet had walked into the same administrator’s office, dressed as herself, and told him in no uncertain terms that she would be Doctor Garnet Hohlmann.

The administrator didn’t say anything nasty about her choice, but he did ask if she was sure. In his face, Garnet could see disgust.

“I’m very certain. My father has offered me a position in his practice, and I will take it as soon as my time is up here. I am tendering my resignation now.” With that, she handed over an envelope.

The administrator opened it and scanned it. He could find no fault in it, and even the language was quite friendly. The hospital was blamed for nothing, nor was he. He looked up at her. “There is no need to hold you here any longer than necessary. I can accept this now, and you may take your remaining time as paid leave.”

“Are you certain, Sir? I don’t want to leave the hospital in the lurch because of my leaving.”

“There is no problem, Doctor.” He gave a smile, but it was only on his lips. None of it extended to any more of his face.

“Very well. I bid you a good day. I’ll clean out my office now.”

“Thank you, Doctor Hohlmann.”

Garnet did precisely that. She made her way to her office, amid stares. Oh well, she thought. Let them stare. I probably won’t see any of them again, and if I do… what of it?

She made short work of cleaning out her office, and when she exited, she was surprised to find several nurses ready to wish her well.

One hugged her and whispered in her ear, “Good for you, Doctor. I don’t know what that asshole said, but good for you.”

“I resigned. He didn’t say anything bad.”

The nurse backed off and gave Garnet an air kiss on both cheeks. “Good luck.” Then she went back to work.

Garnet had worked with her father since January. It hadn’t taken long for people to realize who she was, but many of them didn’t seem to mind. A few wouldn’t see her, but again, what of it? It wasn’t her concern.

Her school eventually sent her a degree in Garnet’s name, and she kept the original in case there was ever a problem. She doubted there would be, but just in case.

It quickly became apparent that the area was growing, and there needed to be more than two doctors. Garnet had just the solution, so she packed up for a road trip to fetch her friend, Jill.

Jill had jumped at the chance and would work under Garnet’s father.

Her father had seen Garnet’s work quality and had been very happy he had taken her on as a partner. He had little doubt that Jill would work as well as his daughter said.

-=#=-

When Garnet arrived in Joplin, she let her GPS guide her to Jill’s home, or rather, studio. When she saw the apartment, the term ‘studio’ seemed like wishful thinking. As a checker at a local pharmacy, Jill couldn’t earn enough to afford more than that.

Jill had already given her notice to the pharmacy, and fortuitously, Garnet arrived the day right after she officially quit. The pharmacist had looked at the black mark on Jill’s record and saw that it was nothing. He decided to give Jill a job, as it was clear that the hospital administrator was choosing any reason to let her go.

Unfortunately, he could do no more than give her a job as a checker, but it was enough for her to rent the studio and buy food. Most of her clothes and all of her furniture were second-hand. She had left Saint Louis with only some clothes, her stereo and CDs, and her car. The rest had been sold in a yard sale, earning barely enough money for gas across the state.

-=#=-

Once all of Jill’s possessions, or rather those that she wanted to keep, were packed into their cars, they spent several hours making sure that the studio was spotless, then they made their way to the landlord’s apartment. They knocked on the door and waited. After a few minutes, they heard footsteps inside, and finally, the door opened.

Standing there, looking at them from bleary eyes and smelling of beer and vomit, was a man wearing only a grubby t-shirt, boxers, and no shoes. His hair was dirty and in disarray. He appeared to have just woke up, and he glared at them.

“Wadda ya want?” he snapped, clearly mad at being disturbed.

“I’m moving out, Frank,” Jill told him sweetly. “I’d like you to inspect my apartment.” Calling it an apartment was a stretch, but that’s how Frank always referred to it.

“Come back tomorrow,” Frank said and slammed the door in their faces.

Without a word, Jill started knocking on the door again while Garnet fumed. The man was unbelievable!

Finally, the door opened again. “WHAT!?!”

“I won’t be in Joplin tomorrow, Frank. I need you to inspect the apartment now. I told you Friday that I was leaving Sunday.”

Frank made a face like he was sucking on a green persimmon, but he snapped. “Fine! Let me get dressed!”

“That will be fine, Frank,” Jill said calmly.

Frank stomped away and came back in a couple of minutes. He was wearing a pair of checkered pants that looked like something Herb Tarlek from WKRP in Cincinnati would wear. He still had the grubby t-shirt that didn’t quite cover his stomach, which was hanging over the waist of his pants. On his feet, he had a dirty pair of green tennis shoes with rips over the toes.

Garnet stared at the monstrosity of a landlord as he pushed past them and started up the stairs leading to the ‘apartment.’

“Who’re you?” Frank said as they made their way up the four flights.

“I’m Doctor Garnet Holhmann,” she told him.

“You a fairy too?”

“I beg your pardon!” Garnet said, face turning bright red. She felt Jill’s hand touch her arm and glanced at her friend. Jill silently shook her head.

“If I’da known Jill, or whatever her name really is, was a fairy, I’da never rented her the apartment.

Garnet wanted to slug the man but decided he wasn’t worth the effort.

They got to the door of the studio, and Jill pulled out her phone. Frank opened the door and entered. Immediately, his face took on a look of distaste as he moved his girth through the door. His eyes quickly took in the refrigerator. “What’s that? Where’s my fridge?”

“It died, as you well know. I found this one on Craigslist, and you okayed me replacing yours with it. I paid three hundred dollars for it. You’re getting a far better fridge than was here, for no money on your part.”

“I never okayed it!” Frank exploded, but Garnet could tell that he was lying.

Jill had her purse with her and pulled out a manila envelope. She pulled out several papers and handed what was obviously a photocopy of a signed paper, stating that Frank had no objections to the replaced fridge. He grabbed it from her hand and studied it. He then proceeded to rip it up and exclaimed, “Not my signature! You’re trying to cheat me!” He shoved the shreds into his pocket.

Jill sighed as Frank made his way into the bathroom. He lifted the toilet’s lid and grumbled, then took a mirror out of his pocket and scanned under the rim of the bowl. “Ya didn’t clean the toilet.” He told her, making a face. “Gonna cost me extra to get a cleaning crew in here.”

“This bathroom is spotless,” Garnet exclaimed. “I know because I cleaned it. Even being a doctor, I would have eaten off the floor until you walked in with your filthy shoes!”

Once more, Jill put her hand on Garnet’s arm, urging her to calm down.

“Well, Doctor, ‘fraid I don’ agree, and since I’m the landlord, it’s my opinion that counts,” Frank said with a smug look on his face.

Garnet was now furious. “Slumlord, you mean!”

Instead of getting mad, Frank just shrugged his shoulders with a sneer on his face. “Sticks ‘n stones, Doc. Sticks ‘n stones.” He turned back to Jill. “Even though your frien’s bein’ bitchy, I’m not gonna take offense. You’re not getting your deposit back, and you’re gonna have to pay an extra cleanin’ fee, plus for a new fridge. I’m not letting you stick me with that pile o’ shit.”

Jill sighed. She had expected something like this. She pointed to her phone. “I’ve got everything on video, Frank. My attorney will get a copy of this recording as soon as Garnet and I leave here. He already knows you were nice as could be until you found out I was transgender.”

Frank tried to grab the phone out of Jill’s hand, but she was taller than him, and he was mostly flab. He couldn’t budge her arm an inch.

“Fine!” he said. “I won’t charge you for the fridge or the bathroom cleaning, but I’m keeping the damage deposit for you breaking the fridge.” He glowered at her.

“Okay,” Jill said. She was prepared for that, and she considered it a victory. She walked out to the kitchen counter and set down two pieces of identical paper. “If you’ll just sign both of these papers to that effect.”

He stared at her for several seconds, then took the pen she was holding out. Grudgingly, he signed. “Why’re there two?” he growled.

“One is for your records, and one is for mine and/or my attorney.”

He snorted. “Attorney. Smart-ass fairy.”

With that, he slapped the pen down on the counter, then yelled at them to “Get out!” He followed them through the door, squeezing his body and grunting as he did so, then he slammed it shut.

Neither of the women would go down the steps in front of him, even though he insisted that he see them leave the property.

Finally, he stormed down and stood uncomfortably close to the bottom of the stairs as they pushed by him. They both got in their cars, started them, and drove off. Frank flipped them off as they left the parking lot.

Please don’t forget to comment and leave kudos!

--Rosemary