This story has some Christian stuff at the end. If this will offend you, please read something else.

Grant drove.

He spent Christmas with his folks in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, but now he had to get back to his job in St. Louis, Missouri. He had plenty of time, as it was Friday, and he didn’t start work until Monday. He figured he could just enjoy the drive. He would go to Omaha, then drop down through Council Bluffs to Kansas City, then cross Missouri to St. Louis.

Most of the trip would be on interstates, but for now, he was on US Hwy 26, a small, two-lane highway that went through some of the backwoods, or rather, prairies of Nebraska.

As he traveled, he thought about his situation. His parents understood, and surprisingly, didn’t mind the fact that he was transgender. In fact, they had suggested her name. Garnet. Grant could be used as a girls name but hadn’t been at all popular for many years.

When Grant had graduated from high school, he went to Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, receiving his doctorate by the time he was twenty-nine. From there, he had moved on to St. Louis and practiced medicine in a large hospital.

He had hoped that he could eventually come out as trans and live and practice as Garnet, but the hospital administrator was not at all sympathetic to trans people. Grant had watched as a friend, Jill, came out and was dismissed just six weeks later.

Jill was a very competent PA, but that didn’t matter to the administration. They looked for any mistake she made and then used that as a reason to dismiss her. They made sure there was a prominent black mark in her records as well, and as a result, she couldn’t find work anywhere. She had even tried to set up a private practice in a small town in Oklahoma, to no avail.

Because of that, Grant had decided not to make Garnet’s existence known to the hospital. He kept in touch with Jill and found that she worked as a checker in a pharmacy in Joplin. He wished he could help her, but he had no pull, and any fight he started with the hospital would simply end in his own professional demise.

His father was a doctor, and his partner had just quit, so the partnership was offered to Grant. Or rather, to Garnet.

“This is a rural area, Dad. They wouldn’t accept Garnet as a doctor.”

“I think you’re wrong, Grant. Times are changing. They might not be happy initially, but they’ll come to know you.”

“Yeah, and the guys will all think I’m gay, and just looking for a date, and if I specialize in women’s care, they’ll think I’m some kind of pervert and just wanting to see their intimates.”

“Grant. Are you going to tell them who you are? I’m not. Do you want to spend the rest of your life as Grant?”

“You think they won’t realize who I am? A lot of people will remember me.”

“Look. Garnet. Maybe they will, but it will take a while. By that time, you’ll have established yourself as a competent doctor.”

“Uh, huh. I’m not buying it, Dad.”

“I’ve got a lot of resume’s here already, Sweetheart. Yours is on the top.”

“I’ve never given you one, Daddy.”

“I don’t need one from you.”

The young man – No, woman, left the next day with a heavy heart. She knew her parents would do anything they could to help her, but it was such a scary proposition. She wished she could take the position.

She continued to drive, thinking about her situation all day Saturday as well. She decided to stay off the main roads, and on Sunday morning, she was near Ottumwa, Iowa, the hometown of the fictional Radar O’Reilly, from M*A*S*H. She saw a small church and stopped. Several cars were surrounding it, so she knew that the service was on. She parked and looked in the rear-view mirror at her face. The face of Grant looked back at her. She felt the tears starting and dried her eyes roughly.

She got out of the car, slammed the door, and went in. Sitting beside the door was an usher, who shook her hand and gave her a bulletin. The congregation was quite small, and she sat down in a vacant back pew. There were only about twenty people there in total. It was indeed a rural church.

She hardly heard the service, but when it was over, several people introduced themselves to him and thanked him for stopping by.

The minister finally stopped by the pew where she was sitting. Garnet had barely acknowledged the people who came by, but no one pushed it. It was apparent that the young man was hurting.

The minister sat down in the pew in front of Garnet and held out a hand. “I’m Gordon Fuller. I’m the pastor here, as you probably saw.” He seemed to be a nice man, and his eyes twinkled at his little joke.

Garnet didn’t say anything.

“And you are?” Pastor Fuller asked, still holding out his hand.

“Grant. Grant Hohlmann,” he said uncertainly.

“You seem to be troubled, Grant. May I call you Grant?”

“I s’pose. I...” Grant’s voice trailed off.

“Is there something you’d rather I call you?”

Garnet thought for awhile. She was very unlikely ever to see this man again, and as long as she didn’t say where she worked, it should be okay. “G...” She tried again. “Garnet.”

“I see,” said the minister. “You’re trans-gendered?”

“Yes.”

“Care to tell me what’s got you troubled?”

She started slowly and cautiously, but as she continued, the story began to spill out, as if a dam had broken. She cried, long and hard, and the Fuller moved to beside her. A moment later, a woman was seated on the other side, and between the two, they let Garnet cry until she couldn’t shed another tear.

“Garnet,” said the woman. “I’m Gord’s wife, Jen. Would you like to have dinner with us?”

“I don’t want to be an imposition,” Garnet replied. “Besides, I should get back on the road. I have to be at work tomorrow morning.”

“It’s not an imposition, Dear. In fact, I’d love to talk to you more. I understand you’re hurting, and it pains me to see the depth of that.”

“You probably both see me as some terrible sinner,” the young doctor said.

“You’re no more or less a sinner than either of us. We all sin, but I don’t think wanting to be yourself is a sin.”

“Just becoming myself is.”

The minister laughed. “I don’t see that either. You’re a doctor. You know that there are medical reasons for this. Is God so unloving that he would make you a certain way, then when you wanted to be that way, tell you no? That’s like taunting someone. God doesn’t do that to anyone.”

“But my boss does. I just wish I knew what to do.”

“It looks to me, young lady, that God has provided that answer. You just have to accept it.”

Garnet smiled at the minister and his wife. “Thank you,” she said.

“You’re welcome. Now, why don’t you come to our place for dinner? Jen makes a great pot roast, and I can guarantee her cornbread will melt in your mouth. Not to mention apple pie.”

Garnet smiled again. “Can I change first?”

---

Please don't forget to comment and leave kudos!

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