Chapter Five

After her last meeting with her mother, Frankie wrote her a letter. She suggested that they take some time to cool down and reflect. She never told Mathew why they parted ways but went ahead and found her husband a new doctor. The fact that Mathew had just left the ICU unit, helped her get him an appointment for the following week.

Mathew was quite appreciative. But, the most challenging event he faced was getting the blood work before his appointment. This was a formidable task because he wasn’t mobile yet. He needed Frankie’s help getting into the car and to the clinic. Fortunately, his wife was strong enough to bear most of his weight.

As they were driving home, he kept feeling his eyes closing. “I can’t believe I’d grown so weak lying in bed for a month. All that strength and weight just left me so quickly. I’m exhausted.”

Frankie patted his arm. “You had Covid and lived to tell about it. But, it left your body weak and drained. And after that, you contracted pneumonia which probably robbed you of what little strength you had left. But, in time, you will recover.”

Even though he felt better with his wife’s pep talk, he still fell soundly asleep when he was tucked into bed. He moaned, feeling his helplessness overtake his body and soul.

Two days later, they had to repeat the procedure at the doctor’s office. When they arrived and checked in, the receptionist smiled. “Mr. Wilson, you can go right into room number two. The doctor will be in to give you a full physical.”

Mathew smiled, “Can my wife accompany me?”

“Of course. But she’ll need to sign a form before we start. I assume you have no objection to her attending the consultation, too?”

“Right.”

Frankie had to help Mathew into the examining room. She helped him disrobe down to his boxers and put on a cotton gown. She laughed when she saw that he was using a safety pin to hold his underwear up. “I still can’t believe how much weight you’ve lost.”

“I think the Covid killed my taste buds, too. I’ve had no desire to eat.”

“Well, we need to buy you some over-the-counter liquids like Boost to build you up.”

At that moment, the doctor entered the room. He was young and quite handsome. Frankie was enjoying the show and noticed that Mathew had perked up, too.

After shaking hands, Dr. Charles started examining Mathew. “Mr. Taylor, do you have any objection if my nurse takes notes while we talk? I’m assuming that your wife can hear anything we talk about.”

“Sure.”

After the usual blood pressure, temperature, height, and weight, Dr. Charles began to touch Mathew everywhere while he dictated notes to his nurse.

He looked Mathew in the eyes. “Mr. Taylor, when did you start transitioning?”

Mathew’s eyes grew wide. “Transitioning?”

Dr. Charles nodded. “Sure. Your blood work indicated that you have several different types of estrogen in your bloodstream. And I can see the physical changes in your body already. Are you capable of an erection?”

Mathew blushed. “Only when I am waking up in the morning and have to urinate. After that, I am incapable of penetration. But, I’m not aware of any estrogen in my bloodstream nor of any changes in my body.”

Dr. Charles paused. He picked up his tablet. “You have copies of your blood work on the table, but let me point out what I’m talking about. Do you see this line here? Well, that estrogen product is commonly found in women’s contraceptive products. Are you taking birth control pills?”

“No, but my wife is.”

“Well, that birth control pill runs through your wife’s bloodstream and exits through her urine. Does that ring a bell?”

They both blushed, but Mathew answered. “Uh, yes. That does.”

“Mr. Taylor, I am not here to judge. But, if you aren’t transitioning, well, you have a choice. I’m just saying if what you’re drinking is a conscious choice, well, I recommend you make a choice. Stop swallowing, or your wife needs to stop taking birth control pills.”

Mathew nodded and glanced at Frankie.

“Now. Let’s look at the second line. This estrogen is given to someone who is transitioning. And this tells us that you are full of this product.”

Frankie asked the question. “Is this a recent thing?”

“That’s hard to say. Mathew is showing signs of the physical changes I see in trans women. But, it’s in it’s early development. From my observations, I would say Mathew is six months into transitioning. But, his breast development is unusually strong.”

The doctor indicated that Mathew takes the top of his cotton gown down. “Nipple development and aureoles are progressing well. And he’s already grown enough real breast tissue to fill an A cup.”

“And the third estrogen that the blood work shows comes from the Norplant product on the inside of your upper thigh. I can see that one. Looking at the undissolved portion, I’d estimate that it is one-third gone. That’s a three-month product.”

Both Frankie and Mathew were in shock when the doctor showed them the product. It was small but visible.

“The doctor who put this in entwined it with the major artery running through your leg. The estrogen is going directly into your bloodstream. Now, I do have a question. Did either of you know that this was being done to Mathew? Mathew, are you transitioning?”

Mathew shook his head. “No, I am not transitioning, nor was I aware of the three types of estrogen in my system. I didn’t notice the changes happening in my body either.”

The doctor shook his head. “Well, I see a thinning waist and generous amounts of fat settling in the hips and buttocks. And we’ve already talked about Mathew’s breast growth.”

“Can the Norplant be removed?”

The doctor shook his head. “Certainly, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It would be a dangerous and damaging surgery. As I said earlier, it’s very close to an artery. A mistake might cause the need for amputation or even death. If that artery is touched with a scalpel, well, it’s fatal.”

“You have control over two of the three estrogen products inside you right now. No birth control pills and no more injections or infusions. The Norplant will continue to add estrogen for another two months, so I predict you will continue to change. Your mind and body will continue to shift for a while. Then, we’d have to wait for the Norplant estrogen to finally leave your body. I’d say that in a year, you won’t have any estrogen in your bloodstream.”

“Will the body changes fade after the Norplant wears out?”

“Not without surgery.”

Suddenly, Frankie started sobbing and poured out the whole story of her mother’s intervention and all the other deeds she had done. Both the doctor and his nurse sat there with their jaws open.

After Frankie was done, the doctor shook his head. “I am very sorry to hear this, but you and I both know that your mother is a homicidal criminal and needs to be arrested. Even though, on the surface, she appears normal, it sounds like she is insane. I have an obligation to contact the authorities. Would you be willing to testify?”

Frankie nodded.