My Wonderful Obsession - Part 25 free porn video

My Wonderful Obsession Part 25: Back to School At first, the jiggling bed seemed to be an unexpected part of my dream - and the tapping sound did too. Then I awoke with a start and sat up, looking around and trying to figure out where I was. Mark's bare butt was next to the bed - he was hurriedly pulling on his tee-shirt and boxer shorts ... and then I remembered. I was about to ask him what was up when I heard the tapping sound again. Someone was knocking on the door of the cabin, and I realized that we'd slept in. Oh crap! I lay back down and pulled the warm blankets up around me one last time, and scanned the room again. The red-and-white checked bedroom curtains were brightly illuminated by dappled sunshine streaming through the trees outside. Thank God - the storm was over and nice weather was back! Then I heard Mark's voice talking with another guy whom I guessed was Bob. The door closed, and Mark appeared back in the bedroom. "Time to get up, sunshine!" he said in an all-too cheery voice, but then he redeemed himself by plopping onto the bed next to me and planting a big luscious kiss on my lips. "Is that supposed to make me get up faster?" I kidded him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him closer for another kiss. "I happen to like laying here - 'specially when you're with me ..." "You mean 'lying here,' don't you? Unless you've turned into a chicken." "That was yesterday," I giggled, choosing to take his kidding a little differently than he'd intended. "First it was almost getting eaten by all the bears and mountain lions, almost being hit by lightning, then crashing the car ..." "Hmm - now I can SEE why you like it better in here!" He proceeded to smother my face in kisses. "But you're gonna have to show your pretty face next door in fifteen minutes. Think you can be ready by then?" He was smiling broadly as he gazed at me, which I took as genuine appreciation of me or my looks. For some reason a wave of emotion passed over me and my eyes felt wet. "I can if you can," I promised, wiping my eyes with my hands. "Uh, would you mind handing me my pajamas? They're on the floor somewhere." He found my missing items on the floor and I ordered him out of the room so I could slip them on. I know - after that night, Mark was already familiar with every part of my anatomy, but now it was broad daylight and there's no way I was going to let his eyes have the same kind of access his hands had during the night! I emerged and went straight into the bathroom - and when I got a look at myself in the mirror I nearly died. My hair was a total mess and my face looked even worse, if that was possible. I'd neglected to remove my eye makeup from the evening before, and it was now liberally spread all around my eyes and cheeks in smudges and smears. "Oh my God," I said aloud, as it dawned on me why Mark had been smiling at me, commenting about my 'pretty face.' That rotter! So much for my promise to be ready in fifteen. I jumped into the shower and did my best to wash my hair and face with the tiny bar soap provided, then toweled off and scooted up to the loft, calling out to Mark that the bathroom was all his. Boy, was it chilly up there! While I was putting everything from the previous evening back on, I noticed the loft window was half open. 'So THAT's where the cold breeze came from,' I thought as I closed and latched it. Funny thing - if I'd noticed that earlier, the night's erotic events might never have taken place. Ten minutes later I was all set and much nicer looking than when I got up, though my hair was still a bit damp. 'Nobody's perfect,' I told myself, remembering that famous last line from 'Some Like it Hot.' Come to think of it, wasn't my situation a lot like Geraldine/Jack Lemmon in that movie? Our hosts greeted us like long-lost relatives (I got another warm hug from Sharon) and got us seated at the table, which was already set. She'd prepared a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, and biscuits and gray, served with coffee and orange juice. Mark and I were both starved, no doubt from our night-time activities, so we dug right in. "Did you sleep well?" Sharon asked me, looking me in the eye. I had a full mouth, so I just nodded. Then I swallowed my food and said, "I was upstairs. Mark got the bedroom." "And were you warm enough?" "Uh-huh." I looked over at Mark, and he answered "I was too. Thanks again for the accommodation." "Our pleasure," replied Bob. Did we lie? At the time, I didn't think so - at least not technically. I DID sleep well - just not for long. And I was VERY warm - but only when Mark and I were making love and sleeping in the same bed. That bit of awkwardness over, we all got back to chatting, joking and laughing with each other as though we were lifelong friends - just like the evening before. One thing that struck me, something I'd noticed the evening before, was how Sharon was always touching Bob - on his arm, his hand, even his face. If she got up to get something, she always let her hand slide across his upper back or neck. And if she was standing next to him, one hand would always be resting on his shoulder. And you could tell Bob loved the physical attention - he'd look at her with an expression of pure adoration. But there was a problem. Sharon, who was seated across from me, seemed to be staring at me a lot, especially when I was doing the talking. When I realized she was doing that it began to bother me a lot - and I started wondering if I'd said or done something to give myself away, like the 'Megan incident' during Sunday dinner with Mark's family. Or if Sharon was just more perceptive and observant than most people. I had no doubts at all about my ability to fool every man out there, but every woman? Not as likely, especially when you factor in something women are famous for: their intuition. On top of that, the bright daylight allowed her to see me in much greater detail than she could the evening before. So I avoided returning her stare by looking at the guys, or my food, but every time I glanced back at Sharon she was still focused on me. I could feel my face slowly turning red. Well, I turned out to be right about one thing: Sharon's perceptiveness. She must have sensed my growing discomfort, because out of the blue she suddenly apologized to me. "Oh Sandy, I'm sorry - I've been staring, haven't I? And I'm making you feel uncomfortable ..." "Uh, maybe a little ... is there something wrong?" It was scary even asking that, in case I didn't like the answer. "Oh no, honey, nothing's wrong. I'm just captivated by you. Sandy, you're so pretty - I'm sure you already know that. But there's something about you - I can't put my finger on it, but it makes you such a fascinating person to be around ..." I didn't know how to respond, but luckily my white knight, Mark, rode to my rescue in a backhanded sort of way. "I think she's pretty fascinating too," he said, winking at me. "Well said, pardner!" laughed Bob, whom I gathered was oblivious to the drift of our conversation. "Take it from me, ya never wanna stop givin' your lady compliments." "Sound advice," agreed his wife. And there was at least one other awkward moment - Bob asked me if I'd seen a mouse during the night. "I thought I heard you yell," he said. "You did?" I replied, feigning innocence. Just my luck - our hosts were light sleepers! But once more, Mark came to my rescue before I had a chance to turn red again. "Yeah, I heard it too," he said, telling the truth (so far, at least). "I thought you must've been having a bad dream." So much for the truth - if that was a dream it was the most vivid one I ever had, and there was nothing bad about it! "Oh, yeah - I remember now," I fibbed. "I think I was dreaming that a big bear was chasing me while we were on our hike." Bob laughed out loud. "It was probably Mark!" We all joined in and even though Bob was more correct than he could have realized, I felt I got away with that one. Then Sharon changed the subject, but she opened with a surprising off- the-wall question. "So are you two planning to get married some day?" She winked at me and directed the question to Mark, who nearly choked on a piece of biscuit. He took a quick sip of orange juice to clear his throat. "Uh ... we haven't actually talked much about that ... yet." Bob seemed to be taken aback by his wife's question too. He just kept his mouth zipped and all eyes were on the hapless Mark. I felt sorry for him but I really wanted to hear his answer! "But you make such a perfect couple," Sharon pressed on. "I know you're both young, but you have the same interests, you like the same activities - and you're obviously in love with each other." Mark nodded his agreement, and I reached over to squeeze his bare knee. Our eyes connected. "Yes we are," I said sincerely, keeping my eyes locked to his. I felt them begin to water again. "Mark's the most wonderful guy I ever met." I don't know what prompted me to stick my neck out even farther, but I added, "I can't imagine marrying anyone else." I glanced over at Bob and Sharon, who had been paying attention to me but then shifted back to Mark for his expected response. But now HE seemed to be tongue-tied! Obviously, Bob wasn't going to let him off the hook - he gave Mark a playful punch in the shoulder. "C'mon buddy - your move! You got a beautiful girlfriend here ... look at 'er, she's getting all emotional. She needs you to make an honest woman out of 'er." "I'll say she's beautiful," agreed Sharon. "She's a real gem, Mark." When she said that, I felt my face turn red all over again. 'Things are starting to get out of hand,' I thought. Then something unexpected happened - I began to cry! Mark immediately leaned over and put his arm around my shoulders to comfort me. "Sandy, I'm sorry," he whispered - "I didn't mean for you to think I didn't love you ..." Sharon looked mortified. "Oh Sandy, I'm SO sorry. I should never have started this. I feel so awful." "It's okay, really," I sobbed. "I don't know what's wrong with me - like, I hardly ever cry and this is like the fourth time today, already. It's got nothing to do with you, or Bob or Mark ... it's just me." Sharon immediately took charge and led me to the bedroom, leaving two surprised men behind and closing the door behind us. She grabbed a couple of Kleenexes and wrapped her arms around me while I continued to cry softly on her shoulder. At that moment I could easily imagine Sharon as a big sister. "Honey?" she said after we stood there for a minute or so. "Uh-huh?" "I hope you don't mind me asking - are you pregnant?" The question almost shocked me - no one had ever asked me THAT before. "Uh, no ... no, definitely not." "How do you know? Have you been having sex?" "No," I fibbed. But the only sex I'd had that could get anyone pregnant was the year before, with Julia, so it wasn't technically a lie. "Well, that's a good thing - you should be saving yourself for marriage, you know." I nodded and replied, "Uh-huh." "And you say you don't normally cry like this?" "Not really ..." "Sandy ... does Mark treat you well?" That was another odd question. "Oh, yes - he's amazing. He's such a gentleman. He always treats me like gold." I began sobbing again as it reminded me how much I loved him. "Always?" Then I understood what she was driving at. "Yes! He's never ever mistreated me, like physically or verbally or anything." That statement seemed to please her. She nudged my chin up so she could look at my tear-streaked face. "Well, you ARE a lucky girl, Sandy. Sounds to me like Mark's a keeper." "Yeah - he really is. I love him SO much." "And the rest of your life's going well too?" "Pretty good ... I can't complain." "Hmm. Okay, well sometimes our emotions can get a little carried away when we're about to start our period. Maybe that's all it is. How long is it since your last one?" Another question I'd never been asked before ... I had to think fast! "Uh, like maybe ... two or three weeks?" "Well that's probably all it is, then. You're just having a little PMS attack. If all that happens is you cry a lot, consider yourself lucky. I get pretty ornery myself. My poor Bob!" That made me laugh a bit. "But why's this happening now?" I asked myself, not realizing I'd said it out loud. Sharon assumed I was asking her. "Sandy ... you're only seventeen. You're a teenage girl and your body's still changing. I don't think mine settled down till I was in my mid- twenties." "Really?" was all I could think to say. Sharon was right, my body WAS changing - just not exactly the way she thought. "Yes. You'll be fine, honey. Don't let a few tears worry you." Sharon gave me a squeeze when she said that, and I squeezed her back. "Thanks for being so understanding," I said sincerely. "I'm sorry for causing such a fuss." "You're no trouble at all honey," Sharon laughed. "In fact, you remind me a lot of myself at your age." After making sure I was fine and helping me get my face fixed up, Sharon led me back to join the guys. "Are you okay?" Bob asked me. He looked concerned look on his face, but not as concerned as the one on Mark's. "She's fine," Sharon answered for me, giving Bob a wink that must have communicated what the 'problem' was, since he smiled and nodded in return. Then she addressed my boyfriend. "Sandy's a very precious girl, Mark, and you're a very lucky man to have her. She loves you more than anything. You just keep looking after her and you'll have a wonderful life together. I promise." Mark and I just stared at each other and I tried hard not to burst into tears again. But it wasn't easy! Someone we'd only just met had basically told us we were made for each other, and that should get married and live happily ever after - exactly what I wanted more than anything in the world. Mark rose to the occasion. "I know - I AM a lucky guy," he said in a low, serious voice, while looking into my eyes again. "I love Sandy too - and I hope we can be together forever." My eyes filled to the brim with tears, again, and Bob spoke up just as they began to overflow. "Well, there ya go - and you got two witnesses right here. No backin' out now, kids." We all laughed and I'm probably not the only one who felt thankful to Bob for lightening the mood. But I must admit I was totally floored by what had just taken place. To me, Mark's words (in front of witnesses no less) were the same as a promise of marriage. After what had just taken place between us during the night, it was exactly what I needed to hear. And you can bet my emotional state changed pretty quickly from mushy, tearful sentimentality to giddy excitement. But Bob must have sensed it was time to change the subject. "So Mark, what time d'you expect your Dad to get here?" Mark glanced at his watch. "He said he'd be here around nine-thirty - it's almost nine now." "So no rush," said Sharon. "Anyone for more coffee or juice?" Another drink sounded like a good idea to me, and as we all refilled our glasses and mugs we started chatting about the upcoming school year. They already knew about my situation, but not Mark's and he explained his plan to work in his Dad's business for a year or two before going to college. Sharon asked what Mark and I liked best about high school, and we both answered in unison: "Drama!" She leaned closer, looking interested. "You mean you both studied acting?" "Yeah - but the best thing was the stage production ... right, Sandy? I nodded enthusiastically. "Totally. We did a musical last year - 'Fiddler on the Roof' - do you know it?" Sharon's eyes widened. "KNOW it? I was in it in high school myself. I played Tzeitel." "You DID?" I squealed. "That's so cool. I played Hodel, your sister!" Of course, I avoided telling her about my male ensemble role. "Really? That's amazing!" "And Mark played Perchik." "And that's how you met?" "Yeah - except another girl had my part and I was just her understudy. I had to watch Mark romancing her, and even kissing her." I shot him a stern look for effect. "I can't imagine what that must have been like - you must have been so jealous!" she exclaimed. I looked at the ceiling. "You have no idea," I pouted. "Well, that explains how you fell in love," Sharon said with a grin and a wink at me. "What do you mean?" "I mean, you must have gone all out to win him for yourself." "Hmm - never thought of it that way," said Mark, who also gave me a wink. "But Sandy never had to compete ... trust me." "Aw - that's a nice thing to say, Mark." "See?" I jumped in. "Isn't he the best?" Sharon nodded and then changed the subject a little. "You two never told me you were singers." "Well, truth be told, I'm not much of a singer," Mark responded. "But Sandy - she's incredible. She's been taking voice training for years. You should hear her sing 'Colors of the Wind' from 'Pocahontas'." "MARK!" I scolded him. "You're embarrassing me." "I'd love to hear you sing that - or anything else," said Sharon, who sounded very interested for some reason. "Maybe some other time," I said, feeling centered out. "You don't want me to spoil your nice morning more than I already have." "Is she always this modest?" Bob chuckled. "You have no idea," Mark replied, putting a pained look on his face. "Yes I do - I'm married to someone just like 'er." "Maybe they could sing us a duet," Mark suggested helpfully. "Good plan, Mark! What about it, ladies?" "Sounds like the boys are ganging up on the girls, Sandy," laughed Sharon. "They're probably not going to shut up unless we sing for them. Do you remember how the Matchmaker song goes? "Do I remember?" I laughed, "That was only, like, three or four months ago for me. Must be a lot longer for you." "Don't worry about me," she smiled, rising from the table and taking my hand. "I can manage. Let's just sing it as a duet - okay?" That sounded fine with me! Sharon led me over to a place in the cabin where the morning sunlight was brightest, cleared her throat and nodded at me. Then she began singing, "Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match, find me a find, catch me a catch ..." She had the most amazing, clear Broadway-style voice! I quickly joined in. It felt totally wonderful and natural to be using my voice in front of an audience again, even such a tiny one. Sharon grabbed a broom from the corner and did all the dance moves like a pro, handing it to me at the appropriate times. She let me sing solo for some of the parts, to hear what I was capable of, I guessed. The guys had shifted their chairs to be more like a proper audience, and they began clapping along and cheering. When the song ended they both got up and gave us a standing ovation! Sharon and I just beamed at each other and hugged before sitting back down. "You're such an amazing singer," I gushed, and I really meant it. "Look who's talking," she responded. "You have a lot of talent, miss Sandy. I think you could pursue singing as a career." "I've told her the same thing," Mark jumped in. "But what about you?" I asked her. "You're a way better singer than I am - you should be doing that." "Okay, I confess," Sharon smiled. "I AM involved in it. I volunteer with a small musical theater group in Knoxville - when I'm not helping Bob with his business, that is." "Wow, that's so cool. What do you do for them?" "Mostly direct. But Bob can tell you I get asked to do everything else too - like box office, stage management, costumes ..." "I'd LOVE to do all that stuff. "Could I come and help some time?" "Sure, if you'd like. But it would be even better if you could perform. Maybe after you graduate?" "Oh, yeah - I almost forgot. But I'd quit school in a minute if I could be in a theater group." "Oh no, you don't," Sharon laughed. "Remember, volunteering means no pay. You need to finish school, and get a degree too." "You sound like Mark's sister," I said. "Yeah, that's Marci, all right!" laughed Mark. "So getting back to auditions," Sharon nudged, "when do we get to hear 'Colors of the Wind'? I think it's time we heard a real solo." "Go Sandy!" agreed Bob. "Oh, I dunno - I only sang that once, and it was like four months ago." Bob fixed me with a serious stare. "Ever heard of singin' for your breakfast?" I glanced at Mark for support, but he just grinned and shrugged, the meanie. So I reluctantly got up, took a deep breath, said 'Here goes nothing' to myself, and launched into the song I performed the first time Mark ever saw me dressed as a girl. Actually, I was surprised at how it all came back to me. I hadn't forgotten a single word, but I really missed my piano accompaniment, especially for the loudest part near the end. I was just starting into the last couple of lines when my eyes caught a movement outside one of the windows, and then I recognized the face of Mark's father gazing in. That totally threw me, and the others turned around to see what had made me mess up my song. Mark jumped out of his chair and went out to greet his Dad while Sharon came over and gave me yet another big hug. "Sandy - that was simply spectacular. I absolutely love your voice. It has such a beautiful quality - I don't think I've ever heard anything quite like it before. And you can hit all the high and low notes without even warming up! You MUST keep singing." I was about to thank her when Mark and his Dad entered the cabin. Introductions went all around and Bob congratulated the elder Mr. McCowan for locating the place. He chuckled, winking at me, "It was no trouble at all - I could hear Sandy's voice all the way out on I-seventy-five!" That got a big belly-laugh from Bob, which made the joke all the funnier, and in two seconds everyone was laughing - even me, the butt of the joke! Sharon offered Mark's Dad some breakfast, but he said all he could really use was a coffee. Then he thanked the Stevens' for rescuing and taking care of us 'kids'. "They were a lotta trouble, lemme tell you," said Bob with a big grin. "They're all yours!" Mark laughed, "I think you owe them big time for towing and babysitting services, Dad!" "Uh-uh, buddy," corrected Bob. "We do what we do 'cause we love to do it, not to get paid. Anyhow, this pretty young lady paid us up in full with that song." He pointed in my direction with his thumb, and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy to be a 'pretty young lady' in Bob's eyes. After Mr. McCowan finished his coffee we all went next door so Mark and I could retrieve our personal items. Sharon came up to the loft with me and I was relieved that the bed at least looked slept in. But I was beginning to feel quite guilty for lying to our hosts about our sleeping arrangements, not to mention my true gender. After I took one last wistful glance into 'Mark's room,' we exited our little love nest and made for his Dad's car near the lodge. "So what do you think we should do about the Toyota?" Mark asked him as we approached the stricken Corolla. "Already looked after, son," he replied. "A tow truck will be out here this afternoon to haul it to a Toyota dealer in Lexington. They'll phone us an estimate." "Gee, thanks Dad. You're a pal." Sharon overheard. "Mark, you ARE a lucky guy. You've got the nicest girlfriend and the best father in the whole world, too." Mark's reply was pretty classy, I thought. "You're so right ... but you forgot to include yourself and Bob. How lucky can a guy get - the first two people on the scene last night were both angels, just like Sandy said." Sharon beamed back at him. "Well Mark, it was a real treat getting to know you and Sandy. I hope we can see you both again soon." Then we exchanged contact information to make sure that would happen. Before climbing into the car, I couldn't resist giving Sharon a nice big hug. "I'm so glad you and Bob came along when you did," I said in a low voice, as tears filled my eyes yet again. "I just loved spending time with you. And I SO loved singing with you. It made me think about how you and Bob are kind of like our matchmakers ... you know?" She laughed, "Oh, you two were already a match long before we met you." "I know, but that's not what I meant. Remember? In 'Fiddler' the matchmaker sets people up for marriage, right? Don't you think you kind of did that for us?" Sharon gave me a squeeze and said, "Maybe we helped a little, but it's really God who brings people together in marriage. You two just have to follow through. Just keep looking after each other's needs, respect each other, and know that God wants only the best for you." I just kept nodding, not sure where this was going. She continued, "You're both still so young, and so full of promise ... but I truly believe that when you know in your heart that it's God's will, you shouldn't wait long to get married. It's not healthy, Sandy." This was sounding interesting. "Uh, so how old were you ...?" "I was eighteen and Bob was twenty," she replied. "But you know men - they need a bit longer to grow up ..." That comment about men made me giggle. "Oh, I know exactly what you mean." I was thinking of my brother, not my boyfriend. At that moment Bob came over. "I guess this is goodbye, little lady." "Thanks so much for everything," I said as I hugged him. "I hope Mark and I can be like you and Sharon when we get married." I guess I said that too loudly, because Mark's Dad caught it. "Did I miss something? Is there a wedding happening soon?" "Uh, don't get excited Dad," said Mark. "If it happens it won't be for a while. And don't mention anything to Mom - you know her, she'll get all excited." "And I won't?" he chuckled. It was me who started the whole thing, so I thought I'd better help Mark out. "It's okay, Mr. McCowan - Mark and I were just joking around." He looked straight at me with the same sparkling blue eyes his son had. For a moment, it struck me that this would be Mark around our silver wedding anniversary, and a major tingle went up and down my spine. It made me want so badly to marry him right away! I'd not only score the best husband in the world, I'd get the best father - a father of my very own - in the bargain, too! "I don't mind jokes like that," said Mr. McCowan warmly. "But Mark's right - be careful around his mother! She'll take you seriously." "But I AM serious,' I thought. And let me tell you, after that I was even more determined to have the life I wanted. ***** I had the back seat all to myself for the drive back home, and I made good use of it! Not only did I get to nap a bit, I also got some much- needed time alone with my thoughts. And what a jumble of thoughts they were! One thing I realized was that Bob and Sharon had made a huge impression on me. Their marriage was an exact model of the one I wanted to have with Mark. Sharon seemed to have a kind of 'servant' relationship with her husband, but he obviously had huge love and respect for her. 'Wow,' I thought - 'reminds me of that talk at the ladies' retreat a couple of years ago ... looks like it really works!' Sharon had also mentored me - about being a proper young woman, getting married and being a wife. Needless to say, I felt very blessed to have spent some time with this person and wanted badly to visit with her again sometime soon. And yes, I did think a lot about what had happened between me and Mark only a few hours earlier that day. If you'd asked me beforehand, could I ever let him touch my male parts, I'd have said 'NO WAY!' But it happened, and strangely I didn't feel as weird about it as I should have. I'd be thinking about that for weeks before I finally sorted it all out. But what was really on my mind was how I'd turned into a bundle of raw emotions while in bed with him. And that hadn't changed afterwards, judging by how many times I burst into tears during breakfast. 'What's going on?' I wondered. 'I've NEVER been emotional like that before.' Even thinking about it was enough to make me tear up again. Then it hit me. 'How could I have been so stupid?' I almost said out loud. Sharon's guess had been right on the mark - no, not about me being pregnant, but that I was having my first-ever PMS attack! Hadn't Dr. Cooper warned me about exactly that? Yes she did, but I guess I kind of dismissed the whole notion because, after all, I wasn't really a girl and only girls are supposed to get PMS, right? The realization made me giggle and I had to stop myself before the men up front noticed I wasn't really sleeping. Those powerful new hormones I'd received were turning me into a female in more ways than one, and in a funny sort of way I felt rather pleased about it. At least I'd feel that way until my shaky emotional state started to cause some real problems in my life. ***** It must have been one or two in the afternoon when the two McCowan men dropped me off at home. Mark was in the process of retrieving the plastic bag that contained my grimy, wet hiking outfit from the trunk when Mom appeared at the front door. "Sandra - thank goodness you're home safe," she said aloud as she descended the steps. Mr. McCowan and Mark went over to meet her. "Mrs. Johnson, this is my father," Mark said. "Hi, I'm Matt," said Mr. McCowan as he took Mom's hand. "Nice to meet you at long last." "I'm pleased to meet you too. Sandra told me all about you. And thank you so much for bringing her home ..." "My pleasure," he laughed. "I wasn't about to leave her in Kentucky. You have a wonderful daughter, and we all love her very much." 'So his name's Matthew,' I thought, as it dawned on me that I hadn't heard his first name before. Mark and I left the two adults chatting on the driveway while we stepped up to the porch. "So, how are you feeling?" he asked with a note of concern in his voice. "Fine - why wouldn't I be?" "I just wanted to make sure everything was okay between us ... after everything that happened - you know." "Uh ... it was a bit different, wasn't it? But I guess I'm cool with what happened, if you are." "I am. But you got me worried, you were so emotional ... if you want to talk about it sometime ..." "Yeah, I think I'd like that." Just then his Dad called him. "Well, I guess I need to say goodbye for now. Uh, Sandra?" "Uh-huh?" "I just wanted to say I had an amazing time with you. Thanks." "Uh, you're welcome. I mean, thank you too. Thanks for taking me with you ... and for being so good to me." "I try. Sharon was right, you know. You ARE precious. I love you, Sandra." As he said those special words, he put his arms around me. "I love you too, Mark." Those damn tears again! "Hope everything goes well at school this week. When can I see you again?" "Maybe on the weekend? I'll be working most nights this week, but not Sunday." "That's too long - I'll miss you too much." "I'll miss you too ..." "I might have to bike over - they probably won't have my car fixed that soon." "I can bike too - maybe we can meet somewhere." "Sounds like fun." Mom and Mr. McCowan were still talking to each other, so Mark and I stole a quick goodbye kiss, and he trotted back to the car. After Mom and I said our goodbyes to Mark's Dad, we retreated into the house where I found that Mom had some lunch prepared for the two of us. 'Oh brother,' I thought, 'I bet this means she wants to talk.' So I decided to go first. "Sorry I couldn't make it home last night," I said as we took our seats at the island. "You heard about Mark's car?" "Yes I did - but I wish you would have told your brother where you were. I wanted to come and get you." "What for? We were fine, Mom. We met the nicest couple, and they put us up for the night, fed us and stuff ..." "But what about the sleeping arrangements? I'm sure they didn't have two spare beds." "As a matter of fact, they did." This is where I had to tell one of my many little white lies, again. "I had a single bed in the loft and Mark got the spare bedroom. Like I said, Mom, we were FINE." Mom looked at me with a mix of concern and annoyance. "Alexander, you seem to be developing an attitude lately, and it's not like you. I'm beginning to think this ... this gender change thing is causing too many problems ... and I'm worried your relationship with Mark is getting too serious." Now I was getting annoyed - Mom seemed to be questioning the two most important things in my life. "WHAT problems?" I shot back. "Everything's going perfectly as far as I'm concerned. I thought you were okay with what I'm doing. And my name's Sandra, remember?" Mom seemed to be a bit shocked at my response. "Yes, I remember - I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. Everything's happening so fast ... I'm not very good with all this change." Mom's quick retreat made me feel kind of shocked at the way I'd reacted too. "I'm sorry too, Mom. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just that I finally feel like my life's going where I want it to go. And I can't go back NOW ..." "I know - I'm just having trouble accepting that. But I don't know how we got off on the wrong foot - I wanted to talk to you about school. I had a phone call from the principal yesterday - he got the letter from Dr. Cooper and he needs us to meet with him before classes start tomorrow." I'd expected something like that. It meant there was one more person I'd have to convince to let me have my way. "But I promised Kath I'd walk with her tomorrow. Can I meet you there?" "Oh, that should be fine. I have to leave early anyway - one of my clients wants to see me at eight." ***** The next morning felt almost like old times - Kath and I walking together on our first day of school and talking about our hopes and fears for the upcoming year. It was just a little different, though - we were both well aware that this time would be the last, and there was that other thing, too. It was the first thing Kath wanted to talk about. She never even asked me about my weekend! Good thing, I thought - school wasn't a long enough walk to get into that story. "I can't believe you're really going through with this," she exclaimed when we met in front of her house. "I knew you were out of your mind but I didn't think you were insane." I laughed, replying a bit sarcastically, "Thanks for the vote of confidence, my oh-so-loyal friend. I can always count on you for support, can't I?" "You know me - I call it as I see it. And I'm not the only one who's gonna do THAT today. You sure you're ready for this?" "I hope so ... to be honest, like, I don't really know. And I probably won't till I've made it through my first day." "Well at least you're not wearing a skirt - that'd be a bit much, even for you." "Yeah, I thought about it but chickened out and went for these jeans instead. I was thinking it might be better to go easy for a while ... you know, just a bit at a time ..." "Not a bad strategy if that's what you were actually doing. Okay, let's see ..." Kath looked me over carefully head to foot and passed judgment. "So you're going easy with the girly do, the girly top, the girly tight jeans and the girly ballet flats. Pretty brave if you ask me. BUT, no makeup, no jewelry, no earrings - smart girl. Lemme see your nails ... hmm, no nail polish but they're a bit long, aren't they? Oh, but you ARE wearing jewelry - Mark's ring?" "As if I'm gonna take THAT off." "And you make fun of ME for being too loyal - hah!" "What are YOU going on about - isn't that the chain Ben gave YOU?" Kath fingered the delicate gold chain she had around her neck. "Yes - and your point is ...?" "Just that we BOTH have guys we're loyal to, that's all." Kath couldn't argue with that, so she simply changed the subject ... sort of. "So what exactly did your nice doctor do to get you into school looking like this?" "She wrote a letter for me. I haven't seen it, but I think she said I was, like, more of a girl than a boy now, because I have a hormone problem. And she was going to tell them that I needed to live like a girl from now on. Scary, huh?" "That's unreal. But it's not hard to believe, is it? They just have to take one look at you. And your voice - it never went low like all the other guys." "It's a good thing - I wouldn't want to look like a girl and sound like a guy." "Wouldn't bother me. Say, do you think she'd write a letter for me? Maybe I could go to school as a guy from now on." "And exactly how would that be different from what you've been doing all along?" Kath answered my question by whacking me in the shoulder with her backpack. "I thought you were gonna be nice to me - remember what you promised?" "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Okay, that wasn't nice - I apologize." "Thank you. And it WOULD be different - like, I'd get to use the boys' room." "Being a girl never stopped you before," I kidded her, remembering the time at the theater. Luckily, that just made her laugh. "Which brings up an interesting point - which bathroom are YOU planning to use?" Her question stopped me dead in my tracks - I'd never even considered that. NOW I felt nervous. "Uh, good question. Do you think the other girls would, like, freak out if I used theirs?" "They might. Everybody knows who you are, Sandy." "Oh shit. I'm screwed. There's no way I can go into the boys' bathroom looking like this. Like, they'd murder me. What am I gonna do?" "Didn't you say you had to check in at the office this morning? Ask them. Or you could just hold it in all day ..." "I might have to," I moaned. We parted company in the foyer and I went straight to the main office as I'd been instructed by Mom. She was waiting for me just outside the door. "Hi Mom, thanks for coming," I said. "I'm glad I don't have to do this all by myself." We walked into the office and I stepped up to the counter. "Can I help you, young lady?" asked a middle-aged secretary seated at a workstation. "Uh, yeah - I'm supposed to see the principal." "Your name please?" "Sandy Johnson. And this is my Mom." The woman scanned what looked like an appointment calendar, then looked at me more closely. "Alexander Johnson?" She had a puzzled look on her face. "Um ... yes, that's me." So awkward! I noticed that another secretary had looked up from her desk at the mention of my real name, and now she was staring at me too. "Please come in. Mr. Marshall's expecting you." Mom silently followed as we were led into the 'inner sanctum.' Little miss goodie-two-shoes that I always was, I'd never set foot in the principal's office before. I hoped my first time wouldn't be as bad as some of the stories I'd heard from my classmates who'd been hauled in there for disciplinary reasons. Mr. Marshall, a fit-looking, grey-haired middle-aged man, was speaking with Mr. Nelson when we entered the room. They both greeted us and introduced themselves to Mom. "How was your summer, Sandy?" asked the drama instructor without batting an eye at my appearance. "Uh, it was great, thanks." "Good - nice to have you back this year. I'll be seeing you in class." With that, he excused himself and closed the door on his way out. "Please take a seat, Mrs. Johnson. You too, Alexander," instructed Mr. Marshall. We complied and then he sat down at his desk across from us. I noticed a sheet of paper in front of him with Dr. Cooper's letterhead on it, and the word 'CONFIDENTIAL' in bold type near the top. He got right down to business without any pleasantries. "As you probably know, your doctor contacted the school last week about your, uh, medical condition." "Yes sir," I nodded. This was feeling very weird for me and I began to regret my decision to attend school as a girl. Why couldn't I have waited till high school was finished? Mr. Marshall continued, "Your situation is very unusual, Alexander. I've never seen anything like it in my twenty-eight years as an educator. I spoke to a number of my colleagues at other schools and they haven't either. Well, there was an incident I was told about, where a female student refused to wear anything except boys' clothing to school." That anecdote made me smile. If I'd been lucky enough to be born a girl, I thought, there's no chance I'd ever waste that gift by dressing like a guy! He went on. "Mr. Nelson just reminded me that you performed in the musical last year - in a girl's role. I remember there was some kerfuffle about a girl in the boys' dressing room. That was you, I take it?" "Yes sir. I was understudying the girl who had the part, and I ended up having to perform it like, three or four times. She was supposed to be on for the last show but she got sick." "I saw that performance but I had no idea that one of the sisters was really a boy." "Yes sir, I played Hodel, the second-oldest." Mr. Marshall smiled, "That's what he told me. Well, you certainly were convincing. And your singing voice - it was quite good too as I recall." "I've been taking voice lessons since I was fourteen." He just nodded. "Well, you're very talented, Alexander. Are you thinking of pursuing singing and acting?" "I'd love to, sir. But it's pretty hard to get into - I mean, you know, to make a living and all ..." He smiled again and said, "It sounds as though you've considered all the pros and cons. But you do have talent, so I'll just wish you all the best. You ARE going to try out for this year's play, I hope?" "Oh, definitely. I wouldn't miss it for the world." Surprisingly, Mr. Marshall's friendly small talk was putting me at ease. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard, after all, I thought. "Back to your doctor," he continued, scanning the letter on his desk. "She says you have an issue with a hormonal imbalance. Apparently it's causing you to develop physically as a female instead of a male. I suppose that would explain why you were able to perform so convincingly as a girl in the play. And, uh, you certainly don't look much like a senior boy to me. Or sound like one for that matter." I just nodded in agreement and glanced at Mom. Her lips were sealed. "There's a lot more detail in this letter, but I'll skip over that and get to the main point. Dr. Cooper has requested that you be permitted to attend school as a girl from now on. Now I don't have a particular issue with it, but as I said, this has never come up before, so we don't have a specific policy covering your situation. I'll have to take it to the district superintendent for a decision, but in the meantime you should start classes like everyone else. I would ask that you refrain from dressing too overtly like a girl. What you're wearing today is about as far as I think you should go." "So no skirts and no makeup?" I asked tentatively. "That's the idea," he confirmed. "I don't think it's wise for you to push the boundaries too much, in case the request gets turned down. You don't want to be switching back and forth from one sex to the other, do you?" 'I've already been doing that for, like, three years,' I thought. But he was right, just the same. "I understand, sir." "That's good." He looked at Mom and me. "Do either of you have any other questions?" I looked over at Mom, who just shrugged. "Um, I have a question," I said, remembering what Kath and I had discussed earlier that morning. "What should I do about, like, going to the bathroom? I don't really feel comfortable using the boys' ... and some girls might not like it if I used theirs ..." Mr. Marshall smiled and shook his head. "I'm glad you brought that up, because it hadn't occurred to me. Hmm ... I suppose the easiest solution is for you to use the staff washroom just outside the office. It's available for men or women. How does that sound?" "Oh, that'll be great. I was worried I'd have to hold it in all day." He laughed and said, "No need for that, Alexander. Now, you'd better get going - your first class has already started." "Thank you so much for helping my daughter ... I mean my son, Mr. Marshall," said Mom as we rose from our chairs. "I know this must be difficult for you and you must have so many other problems to deal with ..." He smiled at her and replied, "It's really no problem, Mrs. Johnson - I'm sure it's more difficult for you and your son. Things are a little different nowadays, aren't they? Anyway, if all my other student problems were like this one, my job wouldn't be very tough at all." "Thanks, Mr. Marshall," I added in my high voice as we exited his office. I hoped the sound of my voice would help to cement into his mind the idea that I was no longer a male student, despite the preference he seemed to have for using my male name. "That went pretty well, Mom," I said before we parted company. "But you heard what he said," she cautioned. "The school district can still turn you down." "I know - but I'm feeling kind of lucky these days. We'll see ..." ***** My first class was English Literature. Another piece of luck - Ms. Griffith was the teacher this year, and she already knew the 'other side' of me from Fiddler. Just the same, when I opened the door and walked in, you could have heard a pin drop. I'm sure I heard everyone suck in their breath and hold it! "Well, hello Sandy," Ms. Griffith greeted me as though nothing was out of the ordinary. "Did everything go well in the office?" "Uh, I guess so," I replied nervously. "Mr. Marshall said I should come to class ..." "That's good. Please take a seat. We were just reviewing the course outline for this semester, so you haven't missed much." "Thanks." The only empty desks were near the front of the room, naturally. That meant everyone would find it very easy to check me out. 'Oh well,' I thought, 'I did ask for it, didn't I?' But nothing major happened during that class, or the next one. It WAS a little unnerving going from one class to the next, though - I was sure that everyone in the corridors was turning their heads to stare at me. Kath stuck close by, ready to fend off anyone who got out of line, but by the end of the day the worst that had happened was when my drama friends saw me and, like Kath, questioned my sanity. Mind you, I hadn't managed to bump into good old Justin Bradford, having changed direction whenever I saw him, and it was my good fortune that he wasn't in any of my classes that semester. During our walk back home, Kath expressed her amazement at how well it had gone for me - but you already know how I rationalized everything that year. All the closed doors that had opened, and all the barriers that had fallen; every success big or small, I took as signs that my life was on the right trajectory. But the storm clouds I thought had cleared only the day before, were still lurking just over the horizon. And they wouldn't be leaving me alone for long. To be continued ....