Chapter 13

Two more years later...

Glenn and Sierra drove toward the townhouse where Marcus lived. Jackie sat in the back seat. He parked the car alongside Marcus’s unit and Jackie stepped out, climbed the steps and rang the bell. Shortly she returned to the car and sat in back with Marcus beside her.

Putting the car in gear, Glenn drove away from the townhouse. “Are you okay?” he heard Marcus ask Jackie.

“I’m scared,” she replied in a whisper.

“You’ll be all right.”

Glenn parked outside a medical arts building and the four of them went inside and found the offices of the urologist that Dr Langley had recommended. After handing the receptionist his medical insurance card Glenn joined the others in the waiting room. Jackie sat beside Marcus and held his hand in a white-knuckled grip.

The receptionist approached with a clipboard. “This is a medical history questionnaire and the parental consent form for the surgery,” she said. “We’ll need a parent’s or guardian’s signature.”

“Last chance to chicken out,” Glenn said.

“We’re doing this,” Jackie replied.

“I’ll fill these out and sign them,” Sierra said and took the clipboard. After filling it out and signing it she returned it to the receptionist.

“Jackie, we’ll be ready for you shortly.” The receptionist returned to her desk.

“Time to say good-bye to those ‘nads,” Glenn remarked and received a jab in his ribs from Sierra’s elbow.

A nurse stepped through a doorway and approached them. “Jackie? We’re ready for you. Dr Patel went over the procedure in your initial consultation. Do you have any questions?”

Jackie swallowed hard. “No,” she replied.

“Then come with me.”

She stood and Marcus stood to embrace her. “You’ll be fine,” he said and kissed her forehead. Jackie headed toward the doorway and gave him a last anguished look before disappearing through the door.

“Marcus,” Sierra said, “she told you what she’s having done and why.”

“Indeed. I think it’s barbaric that someone has to mutilate herself just to have her birth certificate match her gender identity.”

“There is some medical benefit,” she replied.

“I know. The fewer drugs the better.”

“She really has changed since she started hormone therapy,” Glenn remarked. “She’s a beautiful young woman.”

“She is beautiful,” Marcus replied, “a beautiful person. She’s quite popular at school.”

“Really? Sierra asked. “Do her friends know she’s trans?”

“She never made a secret of it. Some kids do stay away from her but most accept her as she is. I admire her. She’s smart and pretty and I love her.”

“You’ve been with her every step of the way,” Sierra added. “I’m sure she appreciates your moral support.”

“I want to be here for her.”

“Did you know she made the dress she’s wearing?”

“Yes. Jackie really has a talent for fashion.”

Glenn checked his watch. Fifteen minutes had passed, Then thirty and forty-five.

The door opened and Jackie emerged, supported by the nurse. Marcus rushed toward her and helped her return to her seat.

“Jackie did very well,” the nurse said, “she’s a brave girl and a good patient. The doctor is preparing some paperwork. He’ll be out in a few minutes.”

“How are you feeling?” Sierra asked.

“I am numb from my hips down,” she replied. “Strange feeling and makes it difficult to walk.”

“I had a similar experience,” Sierra remarked, “when I gave birth to you. My doctor gave me a cervical block so I wouldn’t experience the pain of delivery. I was numb all the way down, too ... but I wasn’t doing much walking.”

The doctor approached them. “Everything went well. Here’s a sheet describing how to take care of the incision. And here’s a sheet attesting to the procedure and that the patient has been rendered sterile. Please call immediately if she has any complications or sign of inflammation or infection.”

“We will,” Sierra replied.

“I believe Dr Langley has given her instructions on stepping down the spironolactone.”

“Yes, he has,” Jackie replied.

“Very good,” the doctor replied. “It’s been a pleasure working with you.”

With Marcus supporting Jackie they returned to Glenn’s car.

“Is the anesthetic starting to wear off?” Sierra asked.

“It is a bit, I am worried for how it’ll feel once it wears off,” Jackie said. “It’s gonna hurt to pee and poop -- I know it’s gonna hurt.”

“Dr Patel wrote a prescription for some Percocet. We can stop and fill it on the way home.”

“Does it contain opioids?”

“Oxycodone, I believe,” Marcus said.

“I will not take opioids,” Jackie replied. “I simply won’t. I’m still man enough to tough this one out.”

“We’ll re-asses that decision once the anesthetic wears off,” Glenn remarked.

“So, what happens next?” Jackie asked.

“I spoke to our attorney. Now that we have this exhibit he will draw up a petition for gender change and submit it to the court clerk. A judge will be assigned and a court date established. The whole process takes six to eight weeks. That’s why we’re doing this now, so that by the time of your sixteenth birthday we can head over to Motor Vehicles and get your learner’s permit.”

“What went on in there?” Sierra asked.

“First they had me empty my bladder and change into a hospital gown. They gave me a spinal block for anesthesia. I had to sit on the edge of the examination table and then lean forward and hold my ankles. Now I know why those gowns close in the back. The doctor applied something to numb my skin and then inserted a needle into my spine way low on my back. I could feel the needle going in but it didn’t hurt. Then they had me lie on my back while the anesthetic took effect. They said it would be only a few minutes. I kept pinching my thigh and it wasn’t long before I couldn’t feel anything.”

“Then, what?” Glenn asked.

“They had me put my feet up in stirrups and set up a drape around my waist so I couldn’t see what was happening and that was fine with me. The nurse sat with me and held my hand while Dr Patel did the surgery. I don’t think it took him twenty minutes. The nurse helped me get up but I was having trouble standing so she had me lie down again for about half an hour, and then I could stand okay. She helped me back into my dress and led me back to the waiting room. The worst of it was having total strangers poking around my private parts ... parts I’m not fond of.”

“At least it’s over,” Marcus said.

“Yeah, it’s over,” Jackie replied and brushed tears from her face. “I’m sorry -- it’s the relief.”

Glenn looked in his rear-view mirror and saw Marcus put his arm around her and she leaned against him.

“We’ll drop you off at home, Marcus,” Glenn said.

“Mom ... Dad ... Can’t Marcus stay for dinner? I need him with me right now.”

“If that’s okay with his folks.”

Marcus took out his phone. “I’ll send my mom a text.”

They arrived at the coffee shop. Marcus helped Jackie navigate the stairs while Glenn unlocked the apartment. Marcus led her to the sofa.

“I have to get back to the shop,” Sierra said. She slipped on an apron and headed down the stairs.

“You guys want to watch TV?” Glenn asked. “Play some games? We have cards and checkers.”

“I just want to sit with my feet up,” Jackie replied. “They said it would be a couple of hours before the anesthetic wears off.”

“Let’s try this,” Marcus said. He sat at one end of the sofa and coaxed Jackie to lean against him with her legs stretched out. “Comfortable?”

“Yeah ... For now.”

“I have some office work to catch up on,” Glenn said. “I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.”

“Okay, Dad.”

Glenn entered the shop through the rear entrance and headed for the office where he had his laptop set up. He connected with the bank’s network and began reviewing emails.

Sierra stepped in. “What are you doing down here?” she asked.

“Catching up on some office work.”

“Don’t you think those two should be chaperoned?”

“Why?

“Don’t you see how they look at each other? I’m sure they want to get their hands all over each other. Glenn -- Jackie is only fifteen and already she has a nicer figure than mine ... and a prettier face.”

“You know I find you very attractive.”

“Attractive covers a lot of ground. Jackie is drop-dead gorgeous, and they’re at the age when sex first rears its ugly head.”

“They’re too young,” Glenn replied, “and I trust Marcus. Besides -- is she really going to feel up to it?”

“I’m not sure I trust either of them to resist their physical drives. If I were a boy Marcus’s age I’d hit on her. A little necking and petting might be just what she needs to keep her mind off of it.”

“All right, I’ll take my laptop upstairs.” He disconnected it from its power brick and carried it with him.

Glenn opened the door and glimpsed Jackie hurriedly shifting from Marcus’s lap back to the sofa. Hmm, Glenn thought, looks like Sierra was right ... again.

“I thought you were working downstairs,” Jackie said.

“Your mom needed to do some office work so I got bumped upstairs.” He set his laptop on the kitchen table such that he had a view into the living room. “Don’t mind me.”

Glenn parked in the county courthouse parking lot. “Okay everyone, Dennis Lee should be waiting for us in the lobby.”

They went through the courthouse security checkpoint and Glenn spotted the attorney. “Dennis,” he called.

“Let’s find a room where we can talk,” Dennis replied. He regarded Jackie. “You must be our petitioner. Judging from the looks of you, if we ever needed a poster child for gender change, you’d be the one.”

Dennis led them to an empty conference room. He pulled a folder from his briefcase. “We drew Melissa Wang as our judge,” he explained. “I’ve never brought a case before her, so she’s an unknown quantity to me.”

“Wouldn’t a lady judge be more sensitive to our case?” Sierra asked.

“Some of the lady judges are tougher than the men. The case is pretty cut and dried. I can’t imagine even our toughest judges denying your petition. We’re in Courtroom C. Follow me.”

They sat on benches facing the judge’s desk. A bailiff announced the entrance of Judge Wang. A middle-aged Asian woman with short salt-and-pepper hair sat and reviewed the dossier the bailiff set before her. “Petition for gender change for Jackson Poole. Jackson, please come forward.”

Jackie stood before the judge and Glenn and Sierra stood alongside her. Judge Wang looked Jackie up and down, then turned to Glenn. “Who are you?”

“I’m Glenn Reston, Jackie’s adoptive father.

“I’m Sierra Poole, her mother.”

Judge Wang regarded Sierra. “You look familiar ... the name is familiar ... You work at The Coffee Spot on Westerly.”

“I own the shop,” Sierra replied.

“Wonderful. You have the best coffee. My husband and I like to stop in for a snack when we’re in that part of town. Now, where was I? Oh yes, where is the biological father?”

“He abandoned us before Jackson was born.”

“I see here a statement from Dr Dale Langley that he has been treating Jackson for gender dysphoria and is now proceeding with male-to-female reassignment therapy.” The judge again glanced toward Jackie. “From the looks of her, he’s a damned good doctor. I also have a statement from Dr Ramesh Patel that he performed a dual orchiectomy on Jackson thus leaving the patient sterile, thus satisfying that legal requirement. It’s a requirement I don’t agree with, but I don’t make the laws, I merely administer them.” She looked at Jackie. “This was what, about three weeks ago?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” Jackie replied.

“Did you heal up okay, dear?”

“Yes, but I’m still getting used to nothing being down there.”

“You’re fifteen ... I imagine you want this gender change so you can get a driver’s license that says female instead of male.”

“That’s right.”

“You know, if you’d like a name change, too, now would be the time to request it.”

“I’m happy with the name Jackson, Your Honor, so long as my friends call me Jackie.”

“Would you like me to call you Jackie?” the judge asked.

“Yes. Very much.”

“Then count me among your friends. Everything appears to be in order. The petition is granted. My clerk will draw up a court order and send it to the Registrar of Vital Statistics. That will go out this week. I believe that office is working on a backlog of about four weeks, so be patient. An amended birth certificate will be sent to you.”

“Thank you, Your Honor,” Jackie replied.

The judge turned to Sierra. “So, Mom, have you done anything to track down this deadbeat who abandoned you?”

“No, Your Honor. He vanished without a trace and may be living under an assumed name. I have no idea where he could be.”

“It might be worth your while to make an effort to find him. He probably owes you a small fortune in unpaid child support. I have no truck for deadbeat dads. Well, good day, folks.”

Dennis escorted them out of the courtroom. “If you’d like, we could take on the job of finding Jackie’s biological father. We could do it on a contingency basis -- no fee unless we find him and obtain a judgment against him.”