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True Family and Friends A Winnisimmet Tales Story By Efin Copyright 2015 Looking In Publications All rights reserved This book is a complete work of fiction. Any possible similarity to another work is completely coincidental and unintentional. Situations are made up based on the author's own feelings and are in no way based on reality. This book is dedicated to all of the transgender fiction authors. Reading so many different styles of writing and so many stories over the years inspired me to write this book. Hopefully some enjoyment can be brought to you as your works have brought to me. This book is also dedicated to the hardworking writers at Big Closet Top Shelf, without whose suggestions and comments this story would not have been able to be written. Prologue John Finn was a rich guy in search of something. A chance breakdown in Missouri set his life on a new course. Over the next year he met a series of events that cascaded for him to create a new family that consisted of the woman and her son who would become his wife and son, and finally the boy who would become his daughter. After encountering a nasty court case that left their darkest secrets out in the open and left them among bigoted and hateful people the new family left for John's hometown of Winnisimmet, Massachusetts. There the family was met with a better reception and a new life as well as discovering true family and friendships, both old and new. Chapter 1: Meet Your New Student It's late August in the city of Winnisimmet, Massachusetts. A 12-year- old girl stands outside her new middle school with a scared look on her face. She hesitates at meeting the faculty and principal, fearing their reaction to her big news. Jaimie Finn wasn't your average 12-year-old girl. She is special. She was born a boy but after a rough start in life, she is now living as a girl. She had survived being brutally attacked at her old school which left her permanently impotent and required the removal of her testicles. It hurt a lot but left her with a new resolve to live her life despite the opinion of others and truly become the woman she was supposed to be born as. Jaimie wasn't alone; she had the love and support of her new newly adoptive father, mother, and brother as well as hundreds of others in the city. She was a celebrity in this small city, but that doesn't matter once inside those doors. She was a new student but her circumstances required a special meeting with the faculty and staff who would have to learn of her situation. Alongside Jaimie were her father John, her mother Valerie, and her brother Michael. The four of them shared a strong bond, brought together by a series of chance encounters over the past 14 months and a love that few could deny was stronger than any normal bond. Outside the school's library, Jaimie met her new principal, Alice Rodriguez. She had met Jaimie in April and had testified on her and John's behalf in June. But this was the first time she met her as a student, one whom she had been happy to have. Jaimie was hesitant to go inside but Alice assured her all was well. She spoke to Jaimie about what to expect and that if anything were to happen she had the full support of the school and the city. Inside the crowd was anxious. Two dozen teachers and a dozen support staffers were milling about awaiting the meeting. They rarely got called before the principal in such a manner. A few quietly speculated that there was going to be trouble or that something bad had happened to the budget. When they saw the four newcomers enter alongside the principal the crowd immediately quieted. Alice spoke first. "What I am about to say to you all does not leave this room and if it does whoever is responsible for divulging the information will be fired. I want to introduce you to Jaimie Finn. She is going to start school here next week alongside every other student. The reason I am introducing you to her today is that she is special. She is transgender and is undergoing treatment for her gender issue. Normally this would possibly create a problem but there is more to her story." "Sadly last June she suffered a severe beating that caused her to have to have an orchiectomy meaning she is impotent and unable to develop into a man. The reason I am telling you this is that without the ability to develop into a man there is no basis to segregate her from others during physical education or during restroom breaks. She is to be treated as any other girl. She is to be afforded the use of the girls' bathrooms and locker room. She is just as any other girl her age now, only with a growth that can't be corrected until she turns 18." "I know some of you have a problem with this because there will be outrage from parents but know this: she has every right to an education here and I am standing firmly in her corner. Any harassment will not be tolerated; any bullying by you or your students will be severely punished. Jaimie is a special person, she is smart and generous and is an asset to the school so treat her right." "Jaimie is responsible for getting our new tutoring program started. She is responsible for getting a lot of students summer jobs. She is responsible for improving some of the curricula at both this school and the high school. She is a rare student who improves all around her, so again, treat her right." Alice let her speech sink in. She looked around the room with quick motions of her eyes seeing a mix of concern, surprise, disgust, and disinterest. She noted who reacted negatively and made a mental note to keep an eye on them. It was clear to all that the teachers had questions for Jaimie but were afraid to pry. Several were clearly disgusted at the thought of a transgender student. There were whispers from a few who voiced their outrage. Most kept their opinions to themselves. Jaimie remained silent, watching the whispering and hearing mixed conversations. Alice spoke to her telling her, "This went better than expected, it will be rough when the parents find out but don't worry- you aren't going anywhere, kiddo." She winked at Jaimie who felt better. Outside the library, Jaimie met her new teacher, Mrs. Eagleson. She is a medium height middle-aged woman with short brunette hair and glasses. She was not inside as she was speaking with John and his Valerie. Jaimie was scared but took her hand with tears in her eyes saying, "I am sorry for the trouble that is going to happen." Mrs. Eagleson crouched down to look her at eye level and said, "Sorry for what? You are just being you and you have a right to be here. It takes guts to do what you are doing and I am proud to have you as a student" Jaimie smiled and thanked her, adding, "This is going to be a lot of trouble for you." Mrs. Eagleson expected this answer and said, "Jaimie, I have put up with a lot worse. I won't let bigots get the better of you, I know what you are capable of and I know you are a good hearted person. Let them complain, I'll just say you have every right to be there and if they don't like it they can transfer their child or teach their kids themselves." Jaimie liked her already. Michael popped his head outside telling Alice that there might be trouble. "Apparently several of the teachers refused to accept Jaimie's right to be there and demand she be removed from the school." He sounded serious and was holding back tears. Valerie stepped forward and accompanied Alice to the library and told them without hesitating that, "I am told that several of you are vehemently complaining about my daughter. It is your right to do so. However, it is also the right of the school and the city to protect students from people like you. Should you continue your protest, know that the city and school department has decided to stand behind Jaimie. Furthermore, we spoke with your union representatives and their legal counsel last week and have been given the written statement that they will not stand for any discrimination from any member." "What this means is you will not receive any help from the union should you violate her or any other student's rights. You are alone in this and if you continue your job will be terminated. The union has also said that it will ensure that anybody fired for discrimination will be blackballed preventing you from obtaining a teaching job anywhere in this state." Valerie rarely used her serious tone of voice and never talked legalese in front of the kids so to do so in front of Michael, this only meant trouble. Alice continued, "The city won't accept discrimination from anyone especially, not a public employee and if you believe in taking the legal route know this- Jaimie's mother is a prominent attorney working for one of the high-powered law firms in Boston so unless you have millions squared away which I know none of you have you will lose your fight and you will be left bankrupt, without employment, and with a black mark on your resume. You will be done in education. Do you really want that? If you still feel strongly that she should not receive an education here then please turn in your resignation so we can find replacements for you." Not one word was said; those in disagreement were shunned and ignored. It was going to be a long year for them; nobody will risk their jobs to support someone who is throwing away their own job. Mrs. Eagleson was getting an earful from some of her colleagues. She turned to them and told them, "I have spoken with her prior teacher and principal. I know exactly what she is like. I know how she acts, how she thinks, and how she learns. I am waiting with open arms for her to be in my class, she is going to be an asset to my class and this school. You know nothing about her beyond one simple fact. When you have actually learned more then maybe you can talk about her but until then save your criticism. She doesn't deserve it and you are only making yourself look like a fool." Alice and Mrs. Eagleson walked out of the library with their heads held high. They made their point. Mrs. Eagleson pulled Jaimie aside again and told her, "I haven't encountered a student who has others so thoroughly pleased to have in their classroom. Your previous principal and teacher sing high praises and regret not having you in school. I look forward to the fight because this is one that every teacher wants to have- the fight for a great student." Jaimie fought back tears hearing her say that. John and Valerie thanked her for the support while Michael asked, "Any chance you can give me a little benefit of the doubt?" Mrs. Eagleson gave him a blunt, "No," then laughed, telling him, "Your teachers said the same things about you but also added that you just need some more encouragement. I expect you to try your hardest to make sure that you get the best possible experience from your time here." The Finns bade Mrs. Eagleson farewell and left. John leaned down and told the two, "It's not so bad now is it?" Jaimie looked up and said, "We still have to deal with the kids. I am scared more of them than the teachers." Michael promised to protect her saying, "They will have to get through me first." John took the kids out to eat for lunch. He made a few phone calls to let his sisters and mother know how the meeting went. He also let his longtime mentor and city councilor Louis Reagan know and asked him to be free for the upcoming parents' conference. Louis asked about Jaimie and Michael, checking to see if they needed any more help coping with the school change. John assured him they were fine but wanted support. Chapter 2: A New School Year Jaimie and Michael were nervous. This was their first day of school and they were going to be middle school students. Jaimie wore her best dress and Michael wore his best polo shirt and slacks. Their mom and dad dropped them off early and watched them as they met other kids in the schoolyard. The yard was full of students milling about. Kids were playing games and talking. There was a little roughhousing but no teasing or other harassment. Michael was protective of Jaimie, he felt he had to be. Her being transgender meant kids were going to target her and he needed to protect his sister. He held constant watch over anyone who went near her and tried to listen to what they said to her. It was embarrassing to each other but he had a duty to perform and he took it seriously. Jaimie didn't like having Michael have to protect her. It was embarrassing, she wanted to just be herself. She didn't like the constant attention, she hated the stares and most of all she hated the whispering. Every person who walked by her gave her a weird look, she couldn't tell if it was because she was new or if they knew her secret. It was nerve- wracking and she hated it. She kept telling herself that it was just the first day and they were as nervous as she was but it was little comfort. While awaiting the morning bell Jaimie several girls standing along the walls called her over. They introduced themselves as Jenna Connors, who was the de-facto leader, Claire Peterson, and Courtney Lawrence. Jenna had long blonde hair that went down to her back put into a tight ponytail. Courtney had light brown hair in a braid that went down to her shoulders. Claire had dark brown hair that went down to her neck. All three wore similar blouses in differing colors but matching slacks. Jenna asked where she was from, noticing she hadn't gone to the school the year before. Jaimie quietly replied, "I didn't go here last year." Hearing her Midwestern accent got the impression that she was brand new to the area. Jaimie told them the truth, "I'm Jaimie Finn, we just moved here from Newhall, MO." The girls were surprised, "We never met anyone from so far away before." Jaimie just laughed and said, "Dad is from here, so it's like returning home for us." They asked about her old school, her old hometown, her family out west. Jaimie told them about the school and the small town but left out her true past. She wasn't going to reveal that she was adopted or that she was an orphan, that was a bit too personal. The three girls enjoyed the conversation and Jaimie felt like she was one of them. They looked over and asked about the boy keeping a close eye on them- Michael. Claire asked, "He's new, anyone know his story?" Jaimie looks over and told them the truth, "That's my brother Michael; he's keeping a close eye on me. He doesn't trust anyone here yet." The girls laughed when Courtney asked, "Why is he keeping a close eye on you?" Jaimie looked down at her feet and mumbled, "bad things happened back west and he doesn't want them to happen again so he keeps an eye on me." The girls were about to pry into her story but the bell rang, the school year had started. Jaimie and Michael walked to their new classroom, with Michael eyeing the girls suspiciously. Jaimie simply said, "Cool it, not everyone is out to get me" but it didn't stop him from watching. Jaimie and Michael stopped short of the door and took a deep breath, knowing that this was either the start of a good year or the start of another bad one. Either way, this was a start. Inside their new teacher introduce herself to them. They already knew her but just for formality sake, she did it again. "Hi, Jaimie and Michael. I'm Mrs. Eagleson. I hope you are going to have fun this year and hope this new school is a positive change from your last." The kids simply replied, "We hope so too," then took their assigned seats. Michael was near the front and Jaimie was close by along the wall. They were specifically placed so that Michael wouldn't hurt himself trying to save Jaimie and Jaimie would be able to help others. Her teacher was expecting her to take full advantage of her abilities to help other students. Class started as soon as the last of the 24 students trickled in. Mrs. Eagleson introduced herself to the class and asked everyone their own names. Jaimie and Michael were given odd looks as students knew they were not from around here. She then handed out the school rule book and painstakingly went over the rules and regulations that the students must adhere to. Jaimie felt she knew what her teacher was doing and gave a look mouthing, "Should I tell them?" which she got a simple nod. With the rule book read and students agreeing to adhere to it Mrs. Eagleson then asked what they did over the summer everyone kept a keen eye on them. She asked every other student what they did allowing each of them to recall to the class their summer adventures. Finally, the last two were up. Michael told that they had moved from the Kansas City area after their parents got married. Jaimie said the truth, she became a girl. The class let out a collective gasp and Mrs. Eagleson told the class that it was the truth. "Jaimie used to be a boy but is becoming a girl. Last Spring she came to this realization after several therapy sessions. Her whole life changed around after this realization and she paid the price for it by being bullied by other kids. One of them hurt her so badly she had to have surgery to remove part of her boyhood so now she can never become a man even if she wanted to. She is living as the girl she always wanted to be. I tell you this because as part of your rule book there are specific rules pertaining to the treatment of students suffering her condition. So please, adhere to the rules, don't be bullies. Because if you break the rules you will be expelled from this school with the full force of the law brought down on you." The students saw the seriousness on her face and shivered at the sight. Jaimie was scared. Michael tried to look tough. Mrs. Eagleson asked Jaimie and Michael to tell a little about their old hometown and their old school, using that as a segue to the next talk. The kids were still in a state of shock but listened to them, hearing about their old school's program and how their dad set it up. Michael even added that he helped set up the first two sessions which Jaimie groaned at, before adding, "And I led all of the discussion groups while you struggled with the classwork" which the kids laughed at. The two started to smile again and things started to get back to normal. Mrs. Eagleson announced, "Thank you, Jaimie and Michael, your father has graciously set up a similar program here at the request of Principal Rodriguez and is being opened to all students. I hope all of you here will take advantage of it so as to not fall behind in your schoolwork." The morning went by fast after that and soon it was lunchtime. Michael led Jaimie out but was stopped by the same girls from earlier. Jenna asked Jaimie, "Is this all true? You were a boy?" Jaime just nodded, expecting the worst. To her surprise, they said, "You look amazing. Who picked out your clothes?" And with that, they chatted away leaving Michael watching closely. Courtney came up to him and asked, "You must be lonely watching her all the time. Why do you do it?" He looked down and said, "The one time I didn't cost her dearly and she could have died from it." She seemed to know what he meant and said, "Come on if you are going to watch her at least join us too" pulling him toward them. She led him to the group where they were chatting about Jaimie's clothes, hairstyle, and makeup. Michael somehow felt comfortable with Courtney, the first time he felt that way around a girl that wasn't his cousin Hannah or Jaimie. As Michael and Courtney sat at the table Jaimie was telling the girls, "Dad said no makeup until I'm in high school, mom said he is just being protective and doesn't want his daughter growing up too fast," which got the girls laughing. Michael nodded saying, "It's true, she's a daddy's girl." The girls asked him what he liked to do and asked him if he had any girlfriends. Michael blushed and said, "I am single, never had a girlfriend. I used to play little league and peewee football when I wasn't hanging out with Jaimie. You girls are the first ones who put up with me for more than a few minutes." Michael listened to the girls talking and started to enjoy himself but got sidetracked looking around at others staring at him and Jaimie. Jaimie told the girls the story of how their family got together. She told them about her trip to the school last spring and her debate in the high school. The girls looked at her funny but Courtney said, "She's telling the truth, my brothers told me about that!" Michael added, "She got a standing ovation from all the students and teachers at the awards night because of that" which awed the girls. They were so enthralled with talking that the kids barely noticed time was up and headed back to class. Michael was stopped by two boys in their class who asked him, "What's up with all the girls? How did you manage to get them to give you the time of day?" He just looked at them and said, "They know I won't leave my sister's side so they invited me to eat with them. They seem to like what I had to say enough to let me stay so maybe it's being nice and talking to them that are the keys to getting the time of day from them." The boys looked surprised and watched the girls as they walked, listening to what they were saying and taking what Michael said to heart. Mrs. Eagleson knew what she was doing. The morning theatrics were choreographed to allow the impact to sink and dissipate allowing the kids to settle down for real learning that afternoon. The kids were eager to get the year started and she fed off their enthusiasm. She gauged their abilities with packets filled with work they should know from the previous year and as a way of seeing who was going to be a challenge to break through and who didn't need so much attention. As expected, Jaimie was well ahead of her classmates in most subjects. Michael was on the borderline, he had some things he needed to work on but otherwise, he was right on the curve. The bulk of the class was behind and needed refreshers, though. Mrs. Eagleson used those who were ahead to help those who were behind, with Jaimie paired up with the person she felt was most behind. The best student partnered up with the one who needed the most help proved to be interesting. Jaimie had a lot of patience but her partner Miles Arnold seemed to not want to deal with her. She tried everything she could think of to get through to him but he ignored the help. Finally, she asked, "Why won't you let me help you? I just want you to improve." She didn't like his response, "My father hates people like you and would whip me if he heard I was talking with one. I don't want him to be mad at me, I am sorry but you can't help me." He was almost tearful at telling her that but he held firm in refusing her help. Jaimie moved back and understood what he meant saying, "OK, then I guess I can't do anything. I'm here if you want help." She asked if she could help someone else which she got a nod of approval. She was severely disappointed in not being able to help someone; it was a rare defeat for Jaimie and she takes it personally. Mrs. Eagleson leaned down to Jaime saying, "Give it time, eventually, he will come around and accept your help despite had father's feelings. You have a positive effect on people so don't worry about it." After the one-on-one session, the kids were given a few packets to take home. These were going to help her determine what amount of time they needed to spend on their science and history work. The packets were just generalized work, but it was enough that they would take a while to do. Jaimie looked at hers and sighed. She knew she was in for a long year looking at the expressions on the other kids but she also knew she would be counted on to help them move forward. She hoped she didn't have other kids take the same reactions to her helping them that she got earlier. Class ended quicker than expected and the kids started to filter out. In the schoolyard two boys came up to Jaimie and asked her, "Is it true, you were a boy?" Jaimie knew they were up to no good and backed away, looking for Michael. He was being detained by another group of boys, carefully out of sight and sound. Jaime was on her own and dealing with trouble for the first time. The boys asked her again if she was a boy, Jaime could only say, "Yes I was." The boys started to call her names and tease her but stopped suddenly. Jaimie was on the verge of tears when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw a group of older girls surrounding the boys, all with scowls on their face and the look of death in their eyes. They looked down at Jaimie and smiled, the leader of the group saying, "We heard you were coming to school here, sorry we weren't able to see you before school." Jaimie was puzzled. She asked them, "Do I know you?" Another girl came up beside her and said, "No, but we know what you did for us. You got us jobs this summer, everything we have for this year is thanks to you. We owe you a lot." Jaimie realized they worked the summer jobs program; they were repaying the favor to her. The girls encircled the boys. They held each of them and looked them each in the eye and said, "Jaimie is under our protection. Anything happens to her, you will regret it. Spread the word, nobody says one bad thing about her or else. The same goes for her brother, touch him and you will regret ever being born." The boys said, "Why are you protecting that freak? It isn't from here; you don't know it and so why are you protecting it?" The kids looked scared and waited for a response. The only answer they got was, "We owe her a lot. She isn't from here, but she did more for us than anyone has ever done. She is one of us, and we protect our own. Now beat it or pay the price." The boys were released and ran off telling the others and anyone who would listen Jaimie was to be left alone. Michael ran to Jaimie. He looked up at the girls and tried to protect Jaimie, but she stopped him. "They saved me." Michael backed down and thanked them, "You didn't have to do that for her, you didn't have to risk your reputations and popularity for us." The girls laughed and said, "She stood up for us, we stood up for her." Jaimie just smiled and said, "Thank you," hugging the girls and smiling saying, "I'll make it up to you in some way." The girls quickly shot back, "You don't have to, you paid us back more than we ever could." The kids told her about their summers. She learned just how much her simple comment had gotten people to give over money to the program. Jaimie was known throughout the middle and high school for this simple offhand remark, the kids loved that someone who didn't know them cared enough about them to say something and they loved that she had done so to adults without thinking of the consequences. They owed her a lot and would gladly stand up for her. Watching this whole thing happen was Alice Rodriguez. She was talking with John who looked ready to bolt out the door after Jaimie and Michael but was calmed down when the principal pointed out the girls approaching the boys. She smiled and said, "I told you she had allies. Word got around fast that Jaimie stood up for all the kids in the city with the jobs program; she made a lot of allies in the schools. She is going to have a lot of kids looking out for her now, and I expect the word is spreading that she is not to be messed with." John was stunned, he expected the worst. He saw the girls surround the boys and stand beside Jaimie. Within seconds they had a look of fear in their eyes and were running off telling others whatever the girls had said. Jaimie was being hugged and started to smile. John felt relieved. Alice said, "The worst is coming tomorrow night, I expect the parents to be concerned about Jaimie." John nodded in agreement, saying, "I hope they don't have pitchforks and torches handy." With that joke, he left and picked up the kids heading home listening to their tales of the day. Jaimie told him about Jenna and the girls. She said she thought they might be angry or weirded out but seemed genuinely interested in her. Michael told him about the boys pulling him aside and asking about the girls letting him eat with them. John laughed; Michael had unintentionally become a member of the girl group. He said, "I think they are jealous that you figured out girls by accident. It normally takes years to do that, and some guys never figure it out." Jaimie was about to say something when Michael glared at her. She finally got the courage and said, "Well it helped that you were my brother. The rules are that you don't date your friends' siblings, right dad?" John nearly choked for a second as Jaimie said the word date. He shot back, "Normally yes, but there are cases where friends' siblings fall for each other. It could happen, but it might not. It all depends on the person." Jaimie and Michael couldn't fathom what he meant, Michael finally said, "They were cute but I can't see myself liking one of them." Jaimie shot back, "Liar, which one?" Michael blurted out, "Courtney. She has pretty eyes." Jaimie didn't know what to say. John looked at Michael and saw he was embarrassed but there was a hint of truth, perhaps he did like her. At home, Valerie was told what had happened. She squealed at Jaimie making some friends on the first day. John recounted what Michael had told them about Courtney which got a big hug and, "My little boy is growing up," from her. Jaimie rolled her eyes and said, "It was just one comment, it's not like he asked her to marry him." Valerie said, "It's a huge thing for a mother; it means he is noticing girls. And I am glad that was the thing he noticed if he had said another part of the body I'd be disappointed." Michael asked what she meant, John quickly said, "best to not ask." Jaimie whispered, "Her boobs" into his ear making him blush in embarrassment. He said, "I never noticed them; I was too busy looking at her face." Valerie shot Jaimie a warning glare then smiled and said, "best answer possible, son." Chapter 3: The Parents Have Their Say After being told the day's events John told her that the worst was yet to come. "Tomorrow night we have to deal with the outraged parents and through them the eventual bigotry from other kids." The kids were concerned but said, "The kids said they would protect us, I hope they meant it." The kids finished their homework and ate dinner, deciding to turn in early instead of watch television. Jaimie was a bundle of nerves and didn't want her parents to see. Jaimie called her cousin Hannah to get her advice on what to do. Hannah listened to the story and could only tell her, "I trust the kids; you were all they talked about all summer. They heard I was your new cousin and they said they were going to find a way of repaying you. Just trust them; they have more to lose than just your friendship." She hung up after a short recount of her day but left Jaimie filled with a sense of relief. Over in his own room, Michael was sorting through his feelings. He felt that he let Jaimie down but he felt relieved that Jaimie found some friends. He hoped that he could make some of his own; he didn't want to ride her coattails the next six years. He asked Jaimie what he should do and she told him, "I think you should give me some distance. Find your own friends. You can still be friends with the girls, but don't be a stranger to the boys. I think they may be more open to hanging with you since you are in the good graces with us girls. Especially Courtney." She let that last part out as a tease, both to make him feel better and to get him riled up. He felt relieved. This was his chance to be his own person and Jaimie was pushing him forward. Mentioning Courtney stung but he felt his heart flutter a bit at remembering her pretty face. The next morning the kids left for school early. They wanted to get a jump start on the day and hopefully meet more people. Jaimie looked around the schoolyard and saw the girls from yesterday and walked over, but was stopped by two boys. The boys looked serious. They asked her, "Were you really a boy?" She did what she did yesterday and was honest, "Yes I was." She expected the worst and braced for their teasing or punches. The boys looked at her and said, "We had trouble believing what happened out west and just wanted to get the truth. We told our moms about you and they said if you think it is a rumor then quash it and ask so we did." Jaimie thanked them for being honest and not hurting her. Michael came over and looked at Jaimie but the boys backed off. They knew he was her brother and just said, "We are cool, we aren't going to hurt her." They introduced themselves to Michael. The lead boy was Richard Samuels Jr. with him were his cousin Will Riley Jr. Richard was tall and skinny with short brown hair and a constant smile. Will was slightly shorter with lighter brown hair and quiet yet joking nature. They were in Jaimie's class but didn't have the chance to talk with them yet, being so busy with their packets that they missed their chance to talk the day before. The quick question about being close to the girls was all they managed to get due to the hectic day. Michael introduced himself and with the pleasantries out of the way they invited Michael to hang with them. He gladly accepted as it was the first time in a long time others had wanted to hang out with him. All Jaimie could say was, "About time you found some boys to play with," which got them all laughing as they ran off. Jaimie just walked away relieved. The girls saw what happened and asked if she was OK. Jaimie just said, "They just wanted the truth and that was it. They took Michael off our backs for us." The girls laughed with Claire adding, "At least he is giving you some breathing room," which got them giggling again. The bell rang and the class got underway. Mrs. Eagleson greeted everyone and asked Jaimie how things went after school. Jaimie could only say, "Things sorted themselves out," and didn't elaborate. It was an uneventful day, they simply went through the subjects and by lunch, everyone was utterly bored. Lunch was interesting as more kids heard the news but didn't believe it. Jaimie got stared at and looked over by everyone but nobody bothered her. The girls chatted away and Michael hung out with the boys allowing Jaimie to just relax. It was the first time that she felt like school was a good place to be. The rest of the day was as boring as the start. Mrs. Eagleson was saving her best work for two weeks into the year, telling the kids that it was standard to review as much as possible before starting new things. Jaimie was a big help to the others in the class as she enjoyed helping them get up to speed. There was one huge surprise to her. While her literature, writing, and history comprehension was beyond comparison she found herself actually being just barely above average in science and math. Mrs. Eagleson looked at her with shock rechecking her papers, but Jaimie smiled saying, "I can't be perfect in everything, I'm glad I am average in some things." Her teacher just smiled and nodded as others snickered at Jaimie's joke. After school things got problematic. Jaimie and Michael refused to stay home from the conference, saying, "If they are going to talk about us we should actually be there so they can look us in the eye and say things." Jaimie tried her hardest to break through but it took a last minute phone call from Mrs. Eagleson and Principal Rodriguez to tip the scales in her favor. Back at the school, the gym was packed with dozens of parents. They knew what was going on and there were a lot of angry faces. Dozens of conversations were taking place overlapping one another creating a loud mass of confusion. Jaimie was scared but stood tall. Michael was beside her and wouldn't let go of her arm. John and Valerie had their game faces on ready for the arguments. Alice reassured Jaimie again before stepping forward to address the crowd. To Finns' surprise, John's longtime friend and Jaimie's closest ally Louis Reagan was there. Jaimie hugged the man and quizzically asked, "Why are you here tonight?" Louis looked at her, beamed a big smile and said, "I am representing the city tonight and bring their full support for you. Plus I couldn't let my little angel go this alone." Jaimie hugged him tight and could only muster a soft, "Thank you." Jaimie's embrace had not gone unnoticed by the crowd. Almost everyone in there knew who Louis is and they know he is the most powerful person in the city. Her being close to him meant the city was behind her no matter what. Louis is a shrewd politician. He didn't need to say a word, just being close to her was enough to turn many minds. Others were outraged and let their insults fly, but they were quickly shouted down by the crowd. Jaimie had the majority in her favor without a word being said yet. Alice called the conference to order and started her prepared speech. "I know you are here tonight because you were told by your children about our newest student. We won't lie to you and tell you it's not true, we confirm she is transgender. She is undergoing treatment and has been so for over four months. She is not your average child; she has an exceptional mind and knows no boundary to her kindness towards others. She is willing to help anyone who needs help and does more than her fair share in the classroom." Eyes began to roll at the speech but most listened intently. Alice continued, "We know you have reservations about having a transgender student in the classroom. She didn't ask to be how she is and we aren't going to stop her from being who she is either. She has every right to an education as your children and she has every right to be here as your children. She has our full backing as well as the backing of the school district, the city, and the state. We will fight for her rights as we would any child. She will continue to attend classes here until she graduates at which point she will attend classes at the high school who I am pleased to state that after last April's visit are even more eager to have her as a student." Alice had the crowd enthralled and let the hammer down. "We have a strict policy against discrimination and we uphold it to the highest standards. This means that we won't accept any form of discrimination by anyone based on their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender status. This includes bullying by other students and faculty. If you feel that you can't accept her right to go to school here then, by all means, pull your child out of school or transfer to another school district because she is not leaving this school and she is not going to be harassed for being who she is." The crowd roared with applause. Alice had done a miracle and calmed an unruly crowd. The hard part was facing their questions. Most questions were simple, "Will she get special treatment" questions. This was answered with a simple, "No." and, "She has said multiple times that she refuses any special treatment, she won't be treated differently for being who she is." There were some insulting remarks about allowing a "fag" or "queer" to come to the school but these were shut down fast and the parent booed at. Then there were the serious questions. One parent asked about bathrooms, Alice replied, "She is to use the girls' bathroom and locker room like any other girl." The stunner question came from one of the mothers of the girls Jaimie was friends with, Jenna's mother Anne Connors. She asked, "If she is allowed to use the bathrooms and locker room as the other girls how do we know she won't be doing anything lewd?" This got a serious reaction from the crowd; she had a point in their eyes. Jaimie walked forward. She said simply, "It can't happen because I lost the boy parts that cause that stuff." There was a gasp from a few people but most were speechless. Alice asked Jaimie, "Do you want to tell them or should I?" Jaimie said, "I think I should." Jaimie told them, "Last June I was beaten on my last day of school. The boys kicked me so hard that they caused my testes to need to be removed. The damage caused my penis to become impotent. I couldn't do what you think I was going to do anymore. I have been on girl hormones so long now that all that is left is just something I pee through." Jaimie looked at the crowd who were shocked to hear the truth, especially coming from such a young kid. Alice let it sink in then simply said, "Does that answer your question?" Anne nodded and winked at Jaimie and said, "She is no danger to anyone." There weren't any other questions, the parents were content with what was said and they concluded the conference. Jaimie shied away letting John and Valerie take the bulk of the crowd's sympathy and support. Jaimie got a surprise as she was slinking away. Anne came over and asked to speak with her, explaining who she is and giving her a big hug. She told Jaimie, "Jenna has been talking nonstop about you. She asked that I ask that specifically so nobody else would. She thought it would be easier coming from a friend's parent than someone who didn't know you. I had my concerns but what you said proved them unjust. She thinks highly of you and told me that you had gone through rough times before. Courtney and Claire are good kids but Jenna has taken to you strongly, almost sisterly. You are welcome in our home anytime and you have our support if you ever need help." Jaimie smiled and thanked her for the support. She told her about the kids in class being decent to her and that they were the first to know in the school. Anne was concerned but Jaimie simply said, "It had to come out at some point. The kids in the class were told already, they know all the details. She has been nice to me and better than anyone has been to me before. I hope you allow us to be friends after tonight." Anne happily said, "How could I not. You are one of the best things to come to this school in a long time." She parted on those words and left Jaimie feeling better about school. John and Anne talked for a few minutes which made Jaimie feel relieved that she meant what she said. The next day the aftermath of the conference was apparent. A few students were not in school and their return was left in question. Kids heard that some were being put in private schools but most were being "home schooled" which many expected wouldn't last long. Jaimie was saddened that they would miss out because of her but Jenna assured her it wasn't her fault. For Jaimie and Michael, things were quiet. The girls were closer than before, Jaimie was a full member of their group and accepted as a just another girl. Michael got some offers to hang out with other boys and spent most of his time playing sports in the schoolyard. Class was a cinch, the kids knew who to go to for help and they knew that Jaimie would return the favor by going to them if need be. After two weeks the fun started. Real new classwork and homework had begun. Jaimie was thrilled while Michael was ambivalent. He just wanted to get the new stuff over with. Mrs. Eagleson gave them packets of work that they needed to do before the end of the week and tailored each packet to the individual students. Jaimie had a larger amount of work to do than Michael, which she grumbled about but saw that it was actually less work overall. It was Michael's turn to grumble when he saw she was done faster than him. John watched the kids doing their homework and laughed at the fun. They told him bluntly, "Why don't you do some of your own!" which got him thinking that maybe it was time to do something with his downtime He looked online and applied to Salem State, which accepted him as a student in their history program with a minor in secondary education. He was late in getting accepted so it helped that he made a nice donation to the school's program but that is beside the point. He had put his money where his mouth is and was going back to school. The kids got what they demanded; John now had homework to do just like them. The kids promised to make things easy for him so he can study but couldn't promise he wouldn't have trouble on his own. Chapter 4: Music Room Encounter The third week of school meant not only the start of regular schoolwork but also gym, art, and music classes. The school hired an outside contractor to conduct music education. Normally this was fine but this year they got someone who was new to the whole area and had never encountered such diversity in a school. Ms. Hennessy was a short elderly lady. She was strict and had a short temper. She was hard on her students and they had little respect for her. She was warned about Jaimie by one of the other faculty members. She was also reminded that the school would not accept any form of discrimination which she ignored saying, "I'll do as I please." Multiple times in the past two weeks the staff tried to warn her about following the rules but she would have none of it. Jaimie liked music. She couldn't play instruments very well but she liked listening to all kinds of music. She was a big fan of the current teen pop stuff (she was a tween girl after all) but she didn't shy away from other forms. In Ms. Hennessy's class, she felt that she could be at home for a while. No pressures to help others just listening to good music and learning notes and instruments. Ms. Hennessy noticed her right away as Mrs. Eagleson's class entered. She knew the name but now had a face to go along with it. She stared at Jaimie and listened as the kids talked openly with her. None of them treated her like a leper, none shunned her. She was offended that they openly accepted her. She wouldn't let that happen in her class. Jaimie sat down and talked with Jenna and Courtney. They were talking about the newest song they just heard when Jaimie was approached by Ms. Hennessy. Jaimie looked up and saw anger in her eyes; Jaimie stopped talking and just stared. Ms. Hennessy stated without hesitating that, "I will not allow an abomination to spoil my class. You may be here because you have to be but I won't let you ruin others' learning. Get out. Wait in the hall. You will be retrieved by your teacher when the class is over." The girls stared in shock. One of their classmates, Eric Vincent, heard what she said and went to retrieve the principal. Eric owed Jaimie for giving him some pointers on his writing and this was the first chance he had to repay her. Eric was back a few seconds later with Principal Rodriguez in tow. They slunk back into the room and watched as Jaimie gathered her things and started to leave. Jaimie was on the verge of tears and asked, "Why?" Ms. Hennessy said without pause, "I won't let you little freaks take away from my class. I don't care if the school says you have rights get out of my class." Jaimie was at the door when Principal Rodriguez finally said something. "Jaimie, have a seat. Ms. Hennessy, gather your things. Your contract is terminated; leave the school right now. The only person who ruined your class is you." Ms. Hennessy tried to argue but was shut down fast, "You were warned. You were told that the school won't accept any form of discrimination when you signed your contract. There is no recourse, you will never work in this school district again and I'll guarantee you won't work in this state again. Enjoy your new free time; I am sure you will have a lot of it." The kids were surprised that the principal stood up for Jaimie in such a manner. Jaimie sat down and tried to hide her embarrassment but the girls were alongside her propping her up. Eric came over and told her, "If she did this to you she would do it to us all." She thanked him but he said, "repaying you a favor" with a wink. Mrs. Eagleson came as quickly as she could and thanked the children for being on their best behavior. "Due to Ms. Hennessy's lack of interest in the rules and the laws music will be postponed for a while. But I think we might have some alternatives. How about we go back to class and I put on a musical?" The kids cheered, it may not be the best alternative but it was a clean break from boredom and classwork and it did have music. After school, Jaimie went to the principal's office. She had to ask what was going to be done about music since others were going to miss out due to her. Alice thanked her for her compassion for her classmates and told her, "We had someone on standby, we expected her to do something so we had an old friend ready to take over. He will handle the music classes for the rest of the year so nobody will miss out. He is an old friend of mine who is trying to break into the music education field but lacked the references; he would have been hired had we not had a stronger candidate." Jaimie was still remorseful. She tried to keep apologizing but was cut off. Alice wouldn't hear of it. She stated strongly, "You did the school a service, we only hired her because she was highly recommended but once she made her little snide remark to another teacher we had a replacement ready. He did me a personal favor by clearing his calendar for the fall and I guarantee you he will personally thank you when your next music class comes. He knows about you, and has friends who are like you so you are safe in his class." Jaimie looked up with surprise but could only muster an, "OK," and went on her way. At home, John was concerned about her day. Michael kept quiet not wanting to spoil the story. Valerie heard through the grapevine after school about the firing but kept it to herself. Jaimie finally told the whole story to him complete with what happened later. John could only sit with his mouth open in shock but calmed down when Jaimie started to laugh at his expression. She told him that it was all planned out and expected and that the real music teacher would be coming shortly. Michael hadn't heard that part and let out a loud, "Nice!" which got eyebrows raised. He looked and said, "What? Can't I enjoy a class that isn't all facts and figures and equations?" That got the family laughing again with Jaimie saying, "You mean there's a class you actually like?" And with that, they had a peaceful dinner devoid of school talk minus the occasional question about John's classes. The next week the class met their new music teacher. He got right down to it and had them choose the music they wanted to listen to and critique the songs. The kids loved that they were controlling the class and enjoyed that the teacher took an interest in their points of view. The teacher pulled Jaimie aside and thanked her for making it possible to teach. Jaimie tried to shy away from it but he told her, "This was something in the works for a while. You have more allies and friends here than you realize. There are people who care about your well-being and who see the greatness you bring to your school." She smiled and thanked him as she headed off. Chapter 5: A Little Embarrassment Goes A Long Way The third Friday of the school year brought the annual first football game of the season. Bryan Morris was playing his first game for the Winnisimmet High School Infernos and his twin sister Hannah was a cheerleader. Excited for their cousins Jaimie and Michael wanted to go cheer them on, with Michael reminding John that he promised him the year before to take him to a game in his hometown. John reluctantly agreed to go knowing Michael would not let the issue rest. The stadium was spartan with just lights, a scoreboard, and aluminum bleachers on each sideline. There was a rubber running track around the field which Jaimie was intimately familiar with as she had fallen face first onto it the previous April. Michael was surprised at how small the crowd was. He was used to thousands at a home game but this game had barely 100 people attending. John told him, "We are a small city with a small school, and sports just aren't that big here. Remember what I told you last year, we would play in front of even smaller crowds when I was in school." Michael was unhappy at the crowd but pleased that his dad told him the truth the year before. He wasn't too disappointed, it was a game and his cousin was playing so he had a reason to cheer. Hannah saw the three and came over, hugging John, Jaimie, and Michael. She was dressed in the familiar red, black, and white uniform that John had grown up watching, proud to see the tradition of sports participation continue for another generation. Hannah asked them what they were doing there and Michael said, "I dragged dad here, I didn't believe how small the crowds were so he said see for yourself." She looked up at her uncle and laughed. The other girls thought he was joking. Jaimie smiled and said, "Our old hometown had crowds in the thousands even if the team stunk." Michael nodded saying, "It's true, that's how dad first met Jaimie." Jaimie looked up at John trying to figure out what Michael was talking about. She remembered the incident a year before but didn't remember John. He said, "Don't you remember the guy saving you from the boys about to beat you with a large branch?" Jaimie blushed; she didn't remember who saved her only that someone had. Hannah was laughing at the little memory session and told the other cheerleaders, "believe me, seeing it myself in person I can safely say that there is nothing else to do in that place after dark." The girls laughed and went back to their preparations. Jaimie talked with Hannah for a bit, she hadn't had much time to talk with her once Hannah's school started. Michael sat beside John waiting for the kickoff and looking around at the empty stands. He eyed the football team as they were finishing their stretches and doing simple drills, and asked John, "Do you think I could play for them in two years?" John nodded saying, "I'd be surprised if you didn't. You love sports, so I expected that you were going to ask to play soon." Michael smiled saying, "Thanks, dad," and watched the players again. After Michael's question and the answer they noticed three boys, who were at the very most new freshmen, sit down close to them and started to talk about the cheerleaders. Ever the parent John kept an ear out for Hannah's name. The boys eyed Jaimie talking with Hannah and let out a huff. One of them said, "I can't believe Hannah is talking with that tranny kid. Why? She could talk with anyone else why is she talking with that freak?" The second said, "Maybe she knows her. She must know that this will ruin her reputation." The third said, "Stop drooling over her; there are hotter girls on the squad. She will be untouchable soon if she keeps talking with that freak." Michael got up and walked down to Hannah and Jaimie, telling them what he heard. Hannah scowled at the boys who knew he heard everything. Hannah motioned to the other girls to come over and told them everything Michael told her. Jaimie was stoic, she saw her father sitting right behind the boys and motioning to them to, "Hold off," while he did his magic. John leaned down and put his hands on two of the boys' shoulders, telling them, "boys, I can tell that you are new to this school so you might want to listen to what I have to say. You see that young lady whom you called 'tranny' and 'freak?' Well, she has done more for your city and your school in one day than you boys will ever do in your four years." He stood tall over them and asked, "Tell me, did the three of you work this summer?" They were scared and shocked and could only say, "We worked the summer job program for the city." John nodded and said, "You can thank Jaimie for that. She got the funding for your jobs." He asked them, "Did you boys get referred to a tutor to help get your grades up yet?" They nodded meekly, John simply said, "That's Jaimie's doing. She told the principals about her school's tutoring program and had it copied here." He then asked the most important question, "Did you hear the rumor around school about the little kid, the 6th grader who debated and beat one of your teachers last year?" The boys all nodded while one said, "That's just a rumor, though, it couldn't have happened!" John let out a laugh and said, "Not only was it true but I guarantee you will see the video at some point and if you watch her tonight you will see students and teachers stopping Jaimie to say hello to her. It happened and she made a lot of friends and allies." John let the bombshell drop. "Do you know why Hannah is talking with the 'tranny' or 'freak' as you call her? She is her cousin. She is family. She is Jaimie's biggest supporter and is extremely protective of her. You see that young man next to Jaimie? That's her brother and he heard everything you said about Jaimie. He has already told Hannah and by their looks the whole squad knows. By halftime, the entire football team will know and through them, the school will know. And recall I said she had a lot of allies? That means there will be a lot of angry people that have a bone to pick with you." The boys started to tremble. They kept looking at the girls and at John alternating back and forth. John let the boys in on his big secret. "Do you know why I am telling you all of this? Hannah is my niece. Jaimie, that darling you have called 'tranny' and 'freak' is my daughter. She has a gift of bringing out the best in people and a lot of people enjoy that, and as you have already professed have benefited from. So to save you from yourselves I have something to tell you that I think you should listen to closely." The boys were scared now; they could see the scowls on the girls' faces. John leaned in close and said, "You have three options. Option 1 is you slink away while only the girls know what you said. This means the word gets around the school and you will have to deal with hundreds of angry students and teachers that are going to make your high school days a living hell. Option 2 is you stay put and deal with the aftermath from the football team and cheerleaders directly. It won't be pretty and I can't guarantee that they won't take it easy on you." The boys were in a state of utter panic now. John continued, "Option 3, which I strongly recommend you take, is to follow me down to the fence and repeat everything I tell you to say and apologize to Jaimie in front of the squad for your harsh words. She is forgiving, and you may salvage a potential relationship with the girls." The boys chose option 3. They followed John down to the fence where Jaimie and Michael were standing. Hannah gave them a death stare but saw John was on the verge of laughter didn't say anything. The boys repeated everything John said, "We are sorry for saying bad things about you, Jaimie. Please forgive us. We do not know what you are going through and you do not deserve to be talked about in such a crude manner." Jaimie thought for a second then laughed it off saying, "That's not the worst we heard from people, just please have some consideration for others' feelings." Hannah leaned into John and got him to get the boys to say something further. "We are sorry for seeing you girls as pieces of meat and not considering that you have families too. Please forgive us for not thinking clearly." The girls gathered together, looked at the boys, and laughed saying, "Apology accepted" and got back to their pregame stretching. John walked the boys back to where they were sitting and said, "The girls actually had an interest in you but you ruined it with your words. You now have to work to earn their interest back. They are going to take you to do volunteer work that they needed help with. You are going to be unintentionally doing them a favor but they won't let you regret your poor decision. They know you are good boys who just need someone to steer them clearly so they are going to take you under their wing. Think of it as a ticket to the promised land, because they actually do like you and wouldn't do this for anyone else." The boys didn't say a word after John sat them back in their seats. John noticed one of the boys constantly looking at Hannah and asked his name. The boy mumbled, "Pete," trying his hardest to not say anything else lest John humiliated him more. Pete had a clear crush on Hannah. John knew Hannah was a tough girl who didn't soften easily, Pete working with her might soften her heart but at the very least he would learn how to act around girls. Enjoying her dad dressing down someone Jaimie hugged John saying, "Where did you learn to talk like that?" John simply said, "I learned it from you." Jaimie gave him a puzzled look but laughed, it was true. Jaimie was a master of getting through to people and John had done exactly what she would have done. Poor Michael was groaning at the father/daughter lovefest and just shrugged it off. He was waiting for the action to start. The game was a blowout loss for Winnisimmet but at least Bryan got to see some action. He was a third-string lineman so he barely played but he did get in towards the end. He made some nice tackles and got the loudest cheers from Michael and Jaimie. The other members of the crowd looked over at them as if they were crazy but they ignored them, only caring about cheering on their beloved cousin. After the game, Bryan came over and hugged his cousin telling her he was sorry he couldn't see her so much. Jaimie told him about the boys and he was ready to chase them down until Hannah said, "They were Jaimied by Uncle." Jaimie looked up at her to see what she meant to which she explained, "Getting put in your place by someone with an overwhelming logic that you can only surrender. It's a new word in the school, all thanks to you." Jaimie was still puzzled but finally got what she meant, that whole debate spurred on a whole new word that was fitting. Back at home Valerie was told about the whole event and just laughed it off saying, "People keep saying you two are perfect for each other, guess this just proves them right." Michael just lets out a groan, he couldn't stand seeing Jaimie getting the attention but did love that she had won over more people. Michael kept to himself but John noticed there was something wrong. He'd talk with him as soon as possible, he didn't complain but Michael was going through something that needed talking about. Jaimie's constant drama was also having an impact on him, Michael didn't show any signs but it was having an impact. Chapter 6: Friendships and Truth The kids were quiet all weekend. They visited their cousins and stayed over their grandmother's house on Saturday night to give their parents some time to themselves. Michael was still acting a little odd. He was quieter than normal and not smiling as often. John tried to ask him what was wrong but he wouldn't give him a straight answer. Michael would change the subject or clam up, saying he had homework to do. John thought it might be time for some counseling to help him adjust to his new life more; he had been through as much as Jaimie and needed someone whom he could confide in. Valerie was concerned that he might not like it but conceded that it might be worth a shot. The two kids were vastly different in their personalities. Jaimie wore her emotions on her sleeve but Michael wouldn't let on that he was troubled, bottling his emotions up while keeping a solid fa?ade for the benefit of others. This might give him a chance to get his frustrations out. Monday morning Jaimie recounted the football game to Jenna, Courtney, and Claire. They were thrilled to hear that the boys were put in their place. When it was mentioned that Bryan was playing the girls got dreamy eyed and fawned over him. Jaimie could only laugh and say, "He's my cousin, I wouldn't know if he was cute or not" which the girls laughed at. Across the yard, Michael was hanging with Richard and Will. Michael was welcomed as one of them, he had earned their respect over the past two weeks with his knowledge of sports and video games and athletic ability. Plus they liked that he had an inside track into the mind of girls through his friendship with Jaimie's friends. The boys talked about their weekends and Michael mentioned the football game. Will and Richard looked at him funny asking, "Why did you go to that?" He told them the truth, "My cousin plays and we used to go to all the games back in Missouri." Will asked if he was going to any other ones but Michael couldn't answer, only saying, "It depends on Dad and Jaimie, she might not want to go and Dad may not want us to be around people who don't like us." The boys knew he was right but offered a solution, "We'll go with you and Jaimie can hang with us, your dad can keep an eye on us." Michael liked the idea, he hadn't asked for anything since they became a family so he hoped his father would agree to this. Plus Jaimie always got what she wanted; he felt it was time to get something he wanted despite Jaimie. After school, John told Michael he had a doctor's appointment that afternoon. Anne offered to take Jaimie for a few hours which the girls were thrilled about. Michael tried to fight going but gave in, he didn't want to take away from Jaimie even if it meant he had to make another sacrifice. At the doctor's office, he was led to another area and knew it was the psychology department. He figured out that John thought there was something wrong and was making him get help even if he didn't want it. John filled out the needed forms and handed them to the receptionist. He saw his look of defeat and admitted, "I know there is something wrong; I have known you far too long to not see it. Please, I know you don't want to talk about it with me but at least talk to someone who will listen better than I can." Michael was silent but nodded in agreement. His dad was right as always, and he knew better than anyone that he could spot something wrong with you especially if he knew you well. Just as their talk ended the receptionist called Michael's name. A middle-aged doctor came forward and offered his hand. He introduced himself as Dr. Charles Dane. He is a medium height, slightly overweight, bald man, with a perpetual smile and understanding expression. He spoke in hushed tones that made Michael feel at ease as they went into a small office while John waited outside. Inside Michael sat down but didn't look up. Dr. Dane asked him a series of questions to establish his background. He told the doctor about John, his mom, Jaimie, the move, Jaimie's gender change. He didn't mention his feelings at all but the doctor pried it out of him. "You have gone through a lot but you haven't mentioned how you felt. You have made a lot of sacrifices for your sister, you have taken a lot of teasing and near beatings for her yet you haven't said how you feel." Michael was stone-faced; he didn't want to tell anyone his true feelings. Dr. Dane could see the twitching in his face as he fought to say something. Dr. Dane insisted, "It's unhealthy to keep them in. I know you are angry and bitter and disappointed but you need to let those feelings out. Don't worry about how others will feel, it's how you feel that matters. Your family is concerned, your dad knows the feelings you are holding back better than anyone which is why he brought you here. Please, just let them out." Michael had tears welling up, he was holding back so much and finally, couldn't anymore. "For the past five months, it has been nothing but Jaimie. Dad has been focused on her and all but forgot about me. Mom has been good but she has been busy working to get the move and legal stuff sorted out but hasn't been there for me. I miss the old days when we would be together without a care, without having to look over our shoulders for someone wanting to hurt us. Even when we do something I want Jaimie's problems to take center stage. I miss just being a normal kid. I miss the old days of playing with Jaimie in the park by ourselves. I miss dad playing catch and mom watching. I miss it." He started to cry. He finally said what had been bothering him and it felt good. Dr. Dane could only wait until he was feeling better and then give his reply. "Did you ever talk to your parents about this? They understand and they love you as much as Jaimie, perhaps they didn't know you felt this way. They may not have realized that you felt abandoned or ignored. This has been a tough time for all four of you but they don't mind read, maybe if you talked to them about this they might be willing to make some changes so you can have some enjoyment and normalcy?" Michael hadn't thought of it that way. He could only say, "I thought we had to keep our feelings bottled up and not complain. The boys always made fun of people who cry or complain, I didn't want that to happen to me. Mom and dad love us unconditionally but I just didn't want to take away from Jaimie. I guess I should have told them." The doctor nodded and said, "Those boys, they were boys you knew in Missouri? The ones who hurt your sister and made your life miserable before your dad came into it?" Michael nodded. Dr. Dane then simply said, "Maybe that was true out there but back here they complain about everything. I wouldn't have much of a job if they didn't." Michael laughed at that, saying, "OK I guess I should tell them." John was led into the office. Michael looked a lot better, which John smiled at as he sat down. John was told, "Michael has something that he needs to say" which John eagerly awaited. Michael let loose a string of complaints. He told him, "I miss the old days, the games of catch, and the trips to the park, the swimming, and the walks. Since April none of that has happened without Jaimie getting center stage and getting all the attention from you and mom. I miss it being just us, I miss our guy time. I miss not having to watch our backs or listening to people complaining about us. I miss it." John hugged his son. He could only muster a simple, "I am sorry, I truly am." Michael looked up and wasn't convinced. "I just want to do things without having to cater to Jaimie's needs. Just you and I. I just want time away from mom and Jaimie. I want our old guy time. It's not the same when it's Bryan and us. I love him but I miss it being just us." John shook his head in agreement saying, "I'll make time for just us." This time he got serious and look Michael in the eyes, "You should have told me, you know I will do anything for you. Jaimie isn't the only person in this family, you have a say and you should have said you wanted some time together. I know you love your sister deeply but you shouldn't have to give up your happiness for her. Please don't do that." Michael started to cry. It was exactly what the doctor said would happen, John listened and understood. He couldn't stay angry or bitter anymore, he would tell them what was wrong and he would get his guy time with his dad. John just hugged him and said, "We will talk with your mom and Jaimie, they might like their girl time as much as you enjoy our guy time." Michael hadn't thought of that and was happy. On the way home, John got a surprising call. Anne asked if the girls could stay at their house on Friday for a sleepover. John was on the verge of cheering and quickly replied, "Your timing is impeccable; I was going to ask if Jaimie could spend some time with Jenna." She laughed and they made the arrangements. Jaimie would be happy to have her first sleepover and John and Michael could enjoy their time together alone. John looked at Michael and asked if he wanted to go to the game. Michael laughed and said, "I was going to ask you when we got home, my friends want to go." Michael got his guy's night and his friends got their wish. Valerie was very happy that Michael was feeling better. Michael tried to be stoic saying, "I just want some guys time with dad every once in a while, I love Jaimie but I need some time apart to do some guys things with dad like we used to." Valerie looked at John who simply said, "He hasn't asked for anything since Jaimie came along, and he has gotten the backseat to all of Jaimie's problems." Valerie had forgotten how much Michael had given up without complaint and agreed. John got the last word on the subject, "It's good to take some time away from you ladies every once and a while." This got Michael laughing and Jaimie and Valerie rolling their eyes. John had to dodge a pillow that Valerie flung giving back a hearty, "I love you too!" Valerie called Karen and Leslie and made it a girl's night at Karen's house. Valerie was getting her own night off with her new in-laws. John told them not to stay up too late or enjoy too much wine. Valerie replied, "Well, in that case, we better get more bottles." He could hear his sister cackling over the phone, she was in for a fun night with them. Chapter 7: Football and Friendship Jaimie and the girls met the next morning to discuss plans. Michael found the boys and told them that they were good to go on Friday evening. The girls were wondering why Michael wasn't staying, Jaimie only told them, "He wants 'guy time' whatever that is." The girls looked over at the boys and were imagining anything and everything guys would do without girls and could only giggle at the thoughts. Jaimie shook her head with a smile saying, "It's not what you guys are thinking, it'll be them going to the football game then playing video games until early morning." Michael told the boys that his dad was going to pick them up after school and take them out to dinner. They would then go to the game and see his cousin in action. Richard asked if Jaimie was coming, Michael, gave an adamant, "No," but said, "The girls are having a sleepover; it's just us guys at the game." The school day was boring as usual but the kids didn't mind since their minds were solely on Friday evening. Jaimie was thrilled to finally be a real girl and do girly things without boys being around. She loved Michael but wanted some time away from him as much as he wanted time away from her. Jenna asked Jaimie if she could come to her house after school but Jaimie could only refuse. Jenna pressed her for the reason. She tried most of the day to get the real reason. After hours of being pestered Jaimie reluctantly admitted, "I have to talk with my gender counselor. She wants to see me every week and I can't miss an appointment." Jenna looked at her funny and asked if she could come along. "Mom is working late and my grandparents are so boring, I'd love to go along with you." Jaimie was reluctant but didn't want to give up a chance to be around her new friend. "OK, you can come. I don't know if you could stand the boredom for an hour, though." The girls texted Jenna's mother telling her she was going with Jaimie then piled into the car. Michael got a ride from Richard's mom Olivia Samuels. He didn't want to wait around in the doctor's office while Jaimie had her appointment and jumped at the chance to hang out for a while. Jenna saw his relief and smiled, saying, "Guess you two finally get what you want now, he's as happy to be apart from you as you are from him." Jaimie laughed, knowing she was right. At the doctors, Jaimie and Jenna chatted up while waiting for Jaimie to be called. John just watched, seeing her more active than she had ever been. When her name was called Jaimie introduced Jenna to her doctor, who was surprised that she had made a friend so quickly let alone one that would go to her appointment with her. Dr. Alison Eliza is a tall, skinny woman with long red hair and freckles. She is fiercely protective of her patients especially the children so seeing Jenna with Jaimie was a huge surprise. Inside the office, Jaimie recounted the events of the past few weeks. Dr. Eliza just listened and made notes. She was new and Jaimie was meeting her for the first time but she was aware of her past from her discussions with Jaimie's previous psychologists. When Dr. Eliza asked about the girls' treatment of her, Jaimie was more than happy to spill that they treated her as one of their own. "They like me for me, they know what I was and they know what happened to me but they still like me. Jenna has been by my side the most; she treats me like a sister." Dr. Eliza asked if Jenna could come in so she could ask a few questions, Jaimie didn't object. Jenna was puzzled that she was being summoned to the office but came. If she was being asked to come in it meant that it was something important and Jenna would do anything to help Jaimie. Dr. Eliza asked Jenna what her feelings were about Jaimie, which she happily said, "She is a good friend. The three of us like her a lot; she is different than the other girls. Not that she was a boy, just that she is just so different as a person that we just like her for it." Dr. Eliza asked what she means and Jenna said, "She helps anyone, she sees things differently, she is funny, and she isn't afraid to stand up for you. We know she is different but we liked her before we knew and we like her after. She is just a good friend. I know she thinks I see her as a sister but she is more than that, she is the best friend anyone could ever want." Jenna was starting to get defensive of Jaimie, Dr. Eliza could hear it in her tone. Jaimie was blushing. Dr. Eliza was smiling. She had underestimated the girl's intentions, the girl was genuinely friendly with her. Dr. Eliza apologized to Jenna, "I have seen friends come in as 'support' before but few were as close or cared as much for their friends as you do. I am sorry for judging you before I heard the truth." Jenna just smiled and said, "It's OK, Jaimie wouldn't like it if I wasn't brutally honest. She has a way of knowing what you really mean." Dr. Eliza thanked the girls for their time and set up the next appointment for Jaimie and gave them some parting words, "Jenna, Jaimie, you two are close. Keep beside each other; I don't see people as close as you two that often, it's nice to know that true friendship still exists." John heard the last exchange and asked what that was about but the girls wouldn't say. He could only get smiles and giggles from the girls and let things rest. On the way home, they stopped for dinner and Jenna asked John what he was going to do while the girls were having their sleepover. John laughed and said, "knowing the boys, watch TV then go to sleep." Jenna looked at him funny, not realizing the boys were coming over. John did tell the truth though, "I'm taking Michael and his friends to the football game. I assume the boys will be staying over afterward." The girls looked at each other realizing they were missing seeing the boys overnight. John laughed and said, "No way are the two of you having boys and girls over at the same time." Jaimie and Jenna looked disappointed but John just laughed. The rest of the week was a blur of inactivity. The kids were at each other's houses every day, with Michael usually spending his at Richard's house and Jaimie at Jenna's. John had the afternoons free, which allowed him plenty of free time to get his studying done. Valerie was usually busy with work but was able to get most of the afternoons off, giving her plenty of time to unwind before the kids got home. The parents valued their alone time, the first true alone time they had had as a couple. They didn't do anything during that time, though, they could only relax and gather their thoughts before the kids were dropped off. Friday afternoon the kids were eager to get to their planned activities. Jaimie went home and got her things while Michael and the boys went to Richard's house. At five John left to pick up the boys. They were happy to be going to their first game and were thrilled that Bryan might be playing rather than watching. They brought along a football so they could play before the game and during halftime. Michael forgot to mention that Hannah was also there a cheerleader but was doing so as a big surprise. He knew they would have crushes on her and wanted to play a joke on them. He would joke that she was his, "Girlfriend," watch their mouths drop open in surprise, then tell them the truth. Hannah was expecting something like this so she was prepared. During dinner at Burger King Michael told the boys that John played football at the school years before. John told them the stories about how bad he was, how poor the field was, how bad the bathrooms were. Neither Richard nor Will said a word, just listening to every word of the story. John loved telling one story in particular, "One year the field was flooded during the entire month of October. During a freak snowstorm, the field turned to a sheet of slush making you both wet and cold. Another year it froze solid so it was like playing on concrete. That same year it was nothing but mud. Some other fields were just rocks and dust; one had no doors on the bathroom stalls and stunk so bad your eyes burned." The boys were enthralled and couldn't believe the stories. When they saw the replacement field they didn't believe a word of the story. It was leveled flat with no standing water. John tried to explain this was a costly replacement but the boys didn't believe him. Louis Reagan walked over and joked with John for a second then after John told them that the boys didn't believe the stories about the field he said, "It's all true, why do you think we have such a nice one now?" The boys were speechless. Louis just laughed and said, "If I wasn't there, I wouldn't believe it either." John said he would show them Karen's yearbook to show them the truth. The game was another snoozer. Bryan got to play more but the team was terrible this year. The boys found a secluded spot and played their own game of football with John keeping a partial eye on them while watching the game. At halftime, after the cheerleaders did their routine Michael walked the boys over to Hannah and introduced them. She gave him a big kiss on the cheek and a deep hug saying, "I missed you" to him. She played the trick well, making them stare and drool and look on in utter disbelief. Hannah kept the joke going on until she couldn't hold back her laughter anymore. The other cheerleaders did the same, loving the joke. After three minutes Michael finally told them the truth, "Hannah's my cousin, not my girlfriend." They looked over at John who was smiling nodding his head. Michael had gotten them good and they were caught red-handed leering at her. They all laughed it off and went back to their game while Hannah hugged her uncle. After the game, John asked Bryan if he wanted to hang with Michael during the weekend. Bryan was happy to come by and hang with the boys, he had no plans and was bored at home. The boys looked up to the older boy, none of them had older brothers and Michael was the only one that had a cousin close to their age. He didn't mind the attention of the younger kids; he had a way with younger people that endeared them to him easily. Bryan asked if they wanted to hang out the next day, the boys all said an enthusiastic, "Yes!" and called their parents to confirm. Bryan thanked his uncle for giving him something to do complaining that, "It's boring at home." John looked at Michael who was all too eager to do more stuff with his cousin, it was more than he had thought they would do and was happy to get out and have fun with the guys. It wasn't exactly the guy's weekend he had thought of originally but being with friends made up for not being alone with his dad. After the game, John dropped Hannah off at home while Bryan picked up some clothes. The group drove home and set up camp downstairs. The boys spent much of the night playing video games until they were too tired to focus anymore. Valerie returned home late after enjoying her night out with her in- laws. The three had a blast talking and watching movies without the interruption of kids. She had a look of satisfaction and happiness that John hadn't seen in a long time. John smiled saying, "You need to do that more often" which got a big smile and a quick, "exactly what your sisters said." The next day the boys played football and basketball while John and Valerie relaxed. The group spent hours at the park and only returned for lunch and dinner. They were exhausted but still managed a long night of video games and TV before sleeping. Chapter 8: While the Boys Are Away Jaimie stressed over her sleepover all day Friday. She didn't let on that she was nervous but Mrs. Eagleson saw through it. She pulled Jaimie aside and asked, "What's bothering you? I've never seen you so nervous?" Jaimie could only muster out a meek, "My first sleepover tonight." Mrs. Eagleson chuckled and said, "No wonder, well don't worry about it. Just relax and let things happen. The girls are just as nervous to go to someone else's house." Jaimie was relieved and glad that she had an understanding teacher. After school, the girls met at Jaimie's house before heading to Jenna's. The parents told Valerie that they are thrilled that they are getting a night off, with Valerie saying, "I feel bad for Anne." Lilly Peterson, Claire's mother shot back, "Don't be, it won't be long until you host the sleepover!" Valerie giggled at the thought, she had always wanted a sleepover as a kid but didn't have that luxury. Now that she has a daughter her dream will come true. Valerie drove the girls to Jenna's house. Inside they set their sleeping bags down and ate dinner, rushing through it to get the sleepover officially started. They talked about boys and makeup and clothes while watching cartoons. Courtney asked where Michael was and was disappointed that he was spending the weekend with the boys at home. Claire joked, "I think she has a crush on your brother!" teasing her while Jaimie almost choked on a potato chip. Jaimie could only laugh saying, "It could be worse," but know that she was a good match for him, he clearly had feelings for Courtney. The girls started asking each other about their crushes. Claire admitted that she liked Richard, Michael's new friend. There was a collective, "oooh" but Claire just blushed. Courtney wouldn't admit to liking anyone, but said to Jaimie, "I heard your cousin is pretty cute." Jaimie just shrugged and said, "I heard that too, I wouldn't know. He had all the girls in my class last year swooning over him when he visited." The girls wanted to hear about Jaimie's old hometown. They knew she left on bad terms but wanted to hear about it. Jaimie told the whole story, "It's a typical small town, it's 10 times the size of this city but the population is only about 15,000. There are only two schools so all the kids stayed together until high school. We had little to do after school other than watch sports games at the school. The kids were usually nice to each other but there were a lot of bullies. One kid liked to torment me just because I was an orphan. He beat me up every chance he got, even on my last day in school." The girls gasped and looked at Jaimie. They had thought her father John was her real father. Jenna asked, "Your dad isn't your real dad? You two are so much alike you would never know." Jaimie told them the tragic story. "My mom and dad died in a car accident, I almost died as well. I had no other relatives who wanted me so I was in foster care for almost four years. Last year dad saw me and tried to help me, getting people to notice there was something wrong with me. One day last April I was in a fight and my last foster family didn't want me anymore, so he stepped up and took me in. He took me to doctors who helped me out of my depression and funk and see that things were going to get better. They also got me to admit that I really wanted to be a girl. He took me on a big trip to here just so I had a big doctor saying that I was really a girl and afterward I got to live as one. Dad helped me all through this and adopted me as his own daughter." The girls were listening closely. Anne heard the story and had tears in her eyes. The girls got closer to Jaimie, Jenna putting her arms around her as she spoke. Courtney asked, "What happened after you started living as a girl?" Jaimie continued on, "I could only dress at home. I was able to do my hair better but otherwise, nobody noticed I was being girly. Mom was hired as my lawyer to keep an eye on me and how things were going with the doctors, unbeknownst to dad. They weren't married yet so she was both his friend and my lawyer. Michael kept quiet about her being my lawyer, Dad insisted he never knows who it was." Once again the girls interrupted, "What do you mean? Your mom and dad weren't married yet? I thought Michael was his son?" Jaimie smiled and said, "Mom is Michael's real mom but dad isn't Michael's real dad. I was just another kid in dad's tutoring class until he tried to get people to help me. Mom and dad were just neighbors and friends until I came along and things got complicated. They were in love but neither of them wanted to make a move so Michael and I manipulated them into getting closer. Michael and I had to get them together for a day so we had our cousins plan it so we were in two places at once giving them free time together. Dad proposed that afternoon." Jaimie continued but she was more serious, "Things were fine until June. Just over two weeks before school ended things got revealed to the town. Hannah got hurt and when dad rushed us to the clinic the town doctor caught me wearing a dress and then there was a whole hearing for Dad's right to keep custody and adopt me. It ended with the doctor and prosecutor going to jail and the four of us becoming a family." The girls didn't believe her. Jaimie said, "You can ask Hannah and Michael. Dad doesn't like to talk about it and Mom is still angry." Courtney asked her the burning question, "Was this when you were beaten by the bullies?" Jaimie nodded, saying, "The next day after the doctor incident. The school bullies cornered me and beat me badly. If our principal didn't see them dragging me off I would have lost everything and could have died. They did me a favor; two weeks later I got cleared for hormones and could look like a girl much faster." The girls said, "He did you a favor; he saved you a lot of trouble and made you a girl quicker." The girls heard sniffling and turned to see Anne crying. Jaimie handed her a tissue and thanked her for not saying anything. Anne nodded and cleaned some of the mess but left the girls alone. She was proud the girls were real friends and were equally proud that the girls were so considerate of Jaimie and listened to what she was saying without judgment. The next day the girls spent lounging around the house in their pajamas talking and watching TV. After lunch the girls finally decided to go out, opting to go to the park. They saw Michael and the boys playing football and Jaimie pointed out, "That's Bryan, my cousin." The girls saw the bigger boy and swooned, Claire, saying, "He's handsome." Jenna joked, "I think you need a towel for your drool." The girls walked along for a bit watching the boys play then returned to Jenna's house. They had gotten their wish and saw the mysterious cousin now it was time for more slumber party fun. They spent the rest of the afternoon and evening playing games until it was time to go to sleep. Chapter 9: Happy Birthday Michael enjoyed his fun with his cousin and friends. John found that he had forgotten how much fun the two had had before Jaimie came into their lives. He missed the way Michael could get jokes in about him that he couldn't help but smile at. Michael enjoyed having his dad to himself, he loved Jaimie and his mom but he missed the time they had together. Bryan was fun to be around but he was also focused and lacked the nervousness that his dad had at times. Plus Bryan was much better than him in every way, Michael liked that he could do something his dad couldn't and enjoyed watching him struggle. John liked that as well, but wouldn't admit it. He admitted, "I want to do this more often, I missed doing this with you. Please, dad?" John could only muster an, "I missed it too, we have to do it at least once a month if not more." Bryan caught wind of what was going on and made a note to have convenient excuses so they wouldn't be forced to take him along anymore, letting father and son have their time together alone. The last Saturday in September was Valerie's birthday. She celebrated it last year by going to the football game with John and Michael but this year the kids insisted that they stay home as a family. Jaimie cooked Valerie's favorite meal of grilled cheese sandwiches while John and Michael baked a cake. They wouldn't let her lift a finger until dinnertime. Valerie was impressed that the kids went all out but simply said, "I just wanted the four of us together. John knew she was happy to just be together but said, "We are, the kids just wanted you to have it easy today." Valerie couldn't argue, the kids were right and they were alone together that day. She did receive several phone calls during the day. The kids arranged it so her parents called first while they were busy making lunch, then had their Aunt Karen, Bryan, and Hannah call while they made dinner. She knew the timing was not a coincidence in that they kept her busy and away from the kitchen but didn't let on. She loved that they had thought so thoroughly. Dinner was served as a formal dinner, with the kids dressing up and Valerie wearing her finest jewelry. Michael served as her waiter while Jaimie prepared her plates. The kids refused to eat until she had her meal eaten. Valerie noticed John hovering around and asked, "Why aren't you eating?" He just laughed and said, "We only cooked enough for you, it's your special meal." The kids laughed and nodded, starting to make their own meal while she ate in peace. The kids cleaned up the messes and cleared the table, refusing to allow Valerie to lift a finger again. They led her to her room and wouldn't let her leave, telling her to enjoy her night off. Valerie was happier than she had been in weeks, the kids were going overboard for her and John was letting them have their way. He would be giving her his present later. After the kids went to bed Valerie and John had a serious discussion. She told him, "I think we need to work out some sort of system. The kids are getting along great but they feel they are monopolizing our time. I think we should give them some more leeway in visiting friends and going places." John was concerned, but Valerie said, "One of us is always at home, maybe they can work it out so that they don't need us to be at home 24/7. They have friends now, perhaps letting them walk home with their friends together?" John couldn't argue against it but insisted that they have their phones with them all the time and if their friends' parents were driving they were not to refuse the offer and walk home. He changed the subject abruptly, handing her a gift. It was a small box wrapped in light blue paper wrapped in a pink bow. She removed the bow and ripped open the paper seeing a beautiful bracelet with the initials "VJMJ" engraved. She was in tears; he knew exactly what to give her to tug at her heart. John had a way of knowing what she wanted without asking, something she was always telling Jaimie that she shared with John but like usual she didn't believe her. The next day John talked with Courtney's mother Gabby about the arrangement; she loved the idea of Jaimie coming by and even offered to take Michael off their hands. John declined this request, saying, "The kids are a little too close." Gabby didn't catch his meaning but then realized it would be a boy at her house with her daughter which got her embarrassed and agreeing with him quickly. She did offer an invitation to Jaimie and Michael to Courtney's 13th birthday party, which was coming up soon. The girls were talking about this a lot recently so he knew Jaimie would be going but was surprised by Michael. She assured him it was fine, saying, "It would be wrong to invite one child and not the other. It's one of those things you learn when you have more than one kid." John accepted on his behalf and showed the kids the invitations, Michael grumbling that he would spend another day with Jaimie's friends. Jaimie teased him, "It's Courtney's party, surely you won't have a problem with that." Michael turned red in embarrassment and took the invitation. He did want to go, for her sake at least. The first Saturday in October was Courtney's birthday. She was the oldest of the girls and the one most interested in boys. The girls teased her about being, "boy crazy" but weren't too far off from being that way themselves. John noticed she had some long stares at Michael, Jaimie told him, "She likes him. She won't act on her feelings; she says she won't date a friend's brother." Jaimie was serious, but John only nodded saying, "feelings come and go; she is a good friend if she realizes it's not worth jeopardizing a friendship over a crush." Jaimie tried to ask what John meant, only getting, "It's a lesson you learn the hard way. I may tell you about it someday but you aren't old enough yet." Michael was going to be the only boy there who wasn't related to Courtney. Will and Richard were jealous of him but they understood why boys weren't invited just yet. Jaimie dressed him up in a suit, saying, "You need to look like a gentleman, not a slob." Michael asked her if she was dressing up, she only gave him a sly expression saying, "I'll be dressed up." She actually lied a little; she only wore a simple blue dress and necklace. The kids were dropped off and were swarmed by Courtney. She was wearing a long white dress with lace and pink bows. She had her hair in a braid and had a white headband in her hair. Michael's jaw dropped seeing her looking so beautiful. Jaimie stifled a giggle when she saw his immediate reaction. Courtney was no better. She gawked at Michael's outfit, practically drooling over his suit while eyeing Jaimie. Jaimie just winked and Courtney got the message. Jaimie gave her exactly what she wanted; Michael was dressed up and at her birthday party. Jaimie left to talk with the other girls who were watching close by. Michael was hesitant to say anything so Courtney took the initiative saying, "I love your suit, it makes you look more dignified." Michael only blushed, barely getting out a, "Thank you." He looked her over and said, "You look beautiful," handed her his gift, and kissed her on her cheek. He stepped back realizing what he just did and blushed, apologizing for "Doing something bad" and slunk away silently. The girls were watching the whole thing and surrounded her. Jaimie said, "You're welcome" which the others giggled at. Courtney hugged Jaimie asking, "You know how to get the best all the time, don't you?" Jaimie laughed, but added, "Anything for my friend on her special day." Michael saw the whole thing and realized he was set up but was happy, he liked kissing her and wasn't ashamed of it. Courtney had a large family so there were a lot of presents but when she opened all of them she didn't seem as happy as she was when Michael kissed her. Gabby noticed this as well and asked Jaimie what happened. Jaimie could only say, "She got a present from Michael that she was hoping for since she met him." Gabby looked over and saw the two of them acting awkward and realized what was going on and simply nodded, saying, "Well I guess that explains the change in mood after you got here before she was antsy but after she was bubbly and on cloud nine." The party was relatively boring for the kids but they enjoyed the time together. Courtney's family didn't know about Jaimie and anyone who did didn't bring it up or didn't care. Jaimie enjoyed that there was actually a time now that there wouldn't be people bringing up her becoming a girl. She loved not having to tell her story over and over again to new people and not having to have fear of a reaction from people. The closest that anyone came to it was when someone asked about school. One of Courtney's brothers made reference to someone in her school causing parents in her school to be concerned about a girl who wasn't a girl. The kids didn't answer and their parents saw the concern quickly got the subject dropped. Jaimie's secret was safe and the girls were protecting her even from family and friends. At the end of the party, Courtney danced with Michael. The girls stepped back and let them enjoy themselves while watching him enjoy her company. They were enjoying themselves more than they realized, dancing through several songs before they separated. Michael was blushing when the girls came over saying, "If you danced anymore you two would be asleep on the dance floor." Courtney gave them a look telling them, "knock it off" but giggling with them. Before they left Michael thanked Courtney for a fun party. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, saying, "for the birthday girl." Courtney turned a deep shade of red as Jaimie dragged Michael away before she collapsed in awe Outside Michael told her, "Don't do that to me again. I know you want to set us up but don't. You don't do that to your friends, if I wanted to date her I would ask her out myself." Jaimie leaned over and told him flatly, "You didn't have the nerve. I know you like her and I know she likes you. You two just need someone to get you two to go beyond silly giggling and blushes." John saw the mini argument and asked what that was about. Jaimie told him bluntly, "Just trying to get him to man up and stop being a little kid." Michael looked down in shame and said, "She was trying to get me to ask out Courtney. I didn't." John noticed Courtney was staring at Michael with dreamy eyes, he did the only thing he could think of and said quietly, "You aren't fully at the stage where you see girls that way, but you are close. She is a nice girl and knows you like her a lot but not that way yet, she will be there for you when you are ready." Jaimie wanted to say something but John shot her a look, one that she knew would end with her getting punished. She simply slunk in and said, "She is just happy you came and gave her a kiss on the cheek. You gave her exactly what she wanted." They rode home in silence. Michael went to his room. Jaimie went to her room. John filled Valerie in and let her handle Michael with her saying, "This was a job for mom, not dad." Valerie went to Michael's room and talked with him for a while. John wanted to say something but knew he was too embarrassed to speak openly with John but could never hide his feelings or lie to make you feel better to his mother. After she came out she sighed and admitted, "He is smitten with her but he can't truly say what he feels. It doesn't help him that Jaimie is teasing him. He is trying to make sense of things but he is doing better than we thought, it was simply the shock of the day that was bothering him. Chapter 10: Fall Frenzy After he kissed Courtney at her birthday party Michael and Jaimie were all but separated from their parents and their own actions. They were in the same class but outside they retreated to their own little worlds. They were fine with that, at home they had the typical arguments but always made up after one or both cooled down. The kids rarely did anything together anymore but John forced them to make an exception. The second Sunday in October was the annual Columbus Day Parade in East Boston and for John's family, it was a tradition that they all went to see it. Michael and Jaimie had been to parades before but John insisted that this one was nothing compared with the small parades their old town held. The kids reluctantly agreed to go but only if they could leave if they didn't like it. When the others heard they were going the kids begged John to let their friends come along. They pleaded, made bargains, even tried to out logic John but it took Valerie's blanket approval to get John to agree. This was all based on everyone being on their best behavior. John had to wrangle seven kids but he got what he wanted. John ensured they got to the parade early, buying the kids lunch at McDonald's and keeping them entertained while awaiting the parade. Jaimie managed to talk with some of the firemen who were working the finish line, listening to them tell about some of the big fires that they encountered and watching John smile knowing that she had finally conquered her longstanding fear of them after her car crash. After two hours of waiting the parade came. The kids were thrilled by all of the bands and cars and performers. The loud noises from the replica guns and smell from some of the, "presents" the horses left were a bit much for them but they endured it. Jaimie got a big treat when her friend, Governor Christian James, personally stopped and hugged her, telling her and John to meet him at the finish line down the street. The other kids were shocked; she never mentioned knowing him before. Jaimie shrugged and simply said, "It wasn't something you want to tell the world." John walked Jaimie and the kids down to where the governor was waiting. He asked how things were with Jaimie, who told him, "Dad finally adopted me, but he almost lost me." Christian looked puzzled so Jaimie told him the story. He turned fiery red hearing about the abuse of power but John cut in, saying, "The two are now in prison with the doctor losing his license. The town and county are under investigation by the state and many town officials are going to end up in prison because of this. It might be a blessing in disguise." Christian asked about what happened after, John told him the truth, "My wife, son, and Jaimie didn't want to live there anymore so we moved to Winnisimmet." John then said with a big smile on his face, "We are now your constituents." Christian could only laugh, he said he owed them a great deal thanks to the clout the social services reform gave him but Jaimie simply said, "Don't thank us, thank the kids." He nodded knowing that she was not only right but was too modest to accept praise for doing something good for others. Christian asked about the Missouri situation. John wasted no time and proudly stating, "Jones the ADA got a decade in prison for a variety of crimes that Jaimie's hearing uncovered. The so-called doctor Eliot was found to have denied legitimate health care referrals to several other patients and lost his license as well as got sentenced to at least a decade in prison. After my in-laws filed suit on their behalf Jaimie and her cousin were given hefty settlements from the town and county, all of which were put into their trust funds. I won a hefty settlement from the state, but that doesn't really matter to me as it all went towards my son and nephew. Both the town and county are in dire straits financially now, so much so that the state may have to step in." Christian was smiling, John's in-laws went for the jugular and made them pay for what they did to John, Jaimie, and Hannah. Normally he wouldn't be in favor of taxpayer money being used in such a way but this was personal, they didn't deserve the treatment they received and the governments had to pay. Christian asked about the people back in Missouri who helped them. John was reluctant to tell because Jaimie didn't know yet but she said, "It's OK, I can handle bad news." John told him that the principal at her old school is likely to lose her job for trying to help Jaimie and many of the changes that Jaimie had gotten funding for were in danger of being removed once she was fired. Principal Dorothy Vega had called John two weeks before to check up on Jaimie and revealed the news, John felt terrible and offered to help her out in any way but she refused. She was too proud to ask and too stubborn to accept. The governor called for an aid who asked what the name of the school was and then said, "I have a powerful friend in the state government in Missouri; the school will be taken care of. He is most likely the person that gets assigned to revamp that county thanks to your lawsuits so we will make sure it will be in good hands." Jaimie was happy. That was her little project, done on her own without John's knowledge. Christian continued, "As for your friend the principal, I think your own city might be looking for a new principal soon so I'll get word to them that she is a top candidate with my personal recommendation, leaving Jaimie and your involvement out of it of course." Jaimie could only hug him and thank him for his kindness. John shook his hand and said, "You already had my vote but I can guarantee you another six and likely dozens more. My family won't forget this." The kids wanted to know what they were talking about. John was tight- lipped saying, "politics" but Jaimie was smiling. She whispered to them what happened and got smiles and hugs as a result. Valerie asked if everything was OK, John just nodded saying, "He's taking care of some loose ends for us." Valerie raised an eyebrow but John only said, "We will find out at Christmas." The group walked back to their spot. The parade dragged on and the kids started to get antsy. They loved the start of it but once an hour was through it started to back up and get boring for them. They decided to call it a day and head home. The boys were anxious to play basketball and other game in the park so they made a detour to one of the parks along the waterfront. All seven kids played together, playing tag and other games rather than breaking into their usual groups. Michael and Courtney were avoiding each other but managed to steal glances whenever the other walked by. To the group's surprise, Jaimie and Richard were growing close; he liked playing with her more than anyone else. Michael noticed this and made a note to see what this was all about when the girls weren't around. The others simply played like other kids did without any hint of romance or more. After the fun at the parade things were quiet. The kids settled into a routine. Michael and John went to the football games to cheer on Bryan and Hannah while Jaimie and the girls would practice makeovers to help build up her feminine skills and shop. They only real interesting thing was Halloween, something neither kid had experienced before. Halloween used to be a boring night for Michael. He and his mother would stay at home rather than trick or treat. Jaimie was denied this basic childhood rite of passage because of the loss of her parents and greedy foster parents. Both wanted to enjoy the experience with John elected to take them around. Michael wore a baseball uniform while Jaimie was dressed as a princess. Valerie chose to stay at home and pass out candy, something she had wanted to do for years. At the last minute, the other kids joined in on the fun, joining the two as they were getting ready to leave. John refused to dress up, despite the kids pleading with him. Not even Jaimie's infamous puppy dog eyes could get him to change his mind, which caused her to pout most of the previous day. Their neighborhood was an upscale neighborhood so there were plenty of people giving out candy. Jaimie's costume made all of the women fawn over her, Jaimie spent much of the night blushing and giving thanks. Michael barely got noticed which suited him fine; he wanted the experience more than the praise. Jenna, Courtney, and Claire fared no better than Michael. They were too old for princess outfits so they went with a generic cat, witch, and vampire costumes. Richard and Will were dressed similar to Michael and didn't care what praise they got, they just wanted the candy. Jaimie had a few problems during the evening. She was known to the parents of kids in school, some of whom still harbored a deep hatred of her. At one of the outraged houses, she was shunned and verbally insulted. This action did not go unnoticed. Multiple parents saw what happened to her and walked away from the house, giving the lady a piece of their mind and informing any incoming parents to avoid the house. As is the custom in a small city word got around fast. To the shock of nobody the house was egged, shaving creamed, and toilet papered by teenagers throughout the night. Jaimie wasn't to be messed with by anybody, and the teenagers made good on their promise to protect Jaimie. The shunning and harsh words happened several times but Jaimie didn't care. She was a princess that night and nobody could tell her otherwise. She could forgo some candy, she wouldn't want to eat it anyway- she wouldn't give them the satisfaction. Michael was caught up in another Jaimie storm but he didn't mind this time. Jaimie was sticking up for herself, she didn't need his help and he was content to watch while she took her lumps. He still stood by her side ready to intervene, but it was Jaimie who was leading. John noticed Michael's change and asked, "Why?" All Michael said was, "She doesn't need me; she knows I am her backup but she can handle this herself." John knew what he meant and just patted him on the shoulder saying, "Good. You are maturing so much. I am proud of you." Halloween's passing brought grades which meant Michael was concerned. He wasn't a strong student but he wasn't in danger of failing, he just had to deal with being compared to Jaimie. Jaimie was concerned that she might not be as perfect as everyone thought, she was scared that people would make fun of her for not getting straight As on all classes. They were relieved when they both got honor roll, but Jaimie was disappointed with two Bs, both being in her weaker subjects. Michael didn't make fun of her, instead, he said, "You hold yourself too high up, you aren't perfect. Nobody is perfect." She thanked him for being a good brother, but he stopped her saying, "If I was a good brother I'd be making fun of you" which Jaimie could barely contain her laughter over. Thanksgiving came up quickly. The kids were going to spend their first big holiday with their aunts and grandmother. They saw them all the time but due to Leslie and Karen Finn's busy schedules, this was the first time the whole family was together since Memorial Day weekend. John was banned from the kitchen as per tradition. Bryan and Hannah told Valerie, Jaimie, and Michael that it was a family tradition to ban Uncle John from the kitchen during Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas so someone else could get a chance to cook. John got relegated to taking the kids to the Thanksgiving Day football game. The kids were eager to see the largest crowd of the year and Jaimie wanted to see the cheerleaders again. John was expecting trouble so he had Michael and Jaimie keep their phones fully charged and ready just in case. The crowd as small, yet it was still large by Winnisimmet standards. There were about 250 people in the stands for the home team. Many teachers and regular students were attending as well as the family of players. John and Jaimie were stopped several times by people wishing Jaimie well. Louis Reagan and his family were attending, with his family pleased to meet the famous Jaimie. Louis gave Jaimie a big hug and shook Michael's hand. Louis's daughter Lindsay couldn't believe that John had become a father and even more surprised that he had two lovely children. John took the disbelief as a compliment, Jaimie and Michael sang his praises as she listened and smiled approvingly. Michael hated all of the attention so he ran ahead to get seats for them, first stopping to chat with Bryan and his teammates. The team was happy to see him; he was almost a part of the team and was guaranteed a shot at being a starter when he got to the high school in two years. Jaimie came over and the team gave her a collective hug. She was the team's little sister with everyone on the team looking out for her. Approaching the bleachers the trio was approached by several parents who had some foul words for Jaimie, refusing to let her pass or sit down. Jaimie looked around for John who was right behind her, growing angrier by the second. The self-righteous parents repeatedly said, "We don't want your kind of freaks here, get the hell out of here." John piped in and said, "And what entitles you to this right?" The lead parent, Mrs. PenelopeClarence, stated, "We paid for these kids' uniforms and equipment, we paid for their camp. We have a right to say who can and can't come to the games." John looked over at the kids and laughed. "So giving some money entitles you to say who can and cannot sit and watch the game? Is that printed in the city charter? Posted at the entrance? Put on the back of the ticket stub? Please tell me where it says you have that right and we will leave." Mrs. Clarence again said again, "Leave now. We won't let you sit." Two of the parents grabbed Jaimie to remove her, pulling on her arm. Jaimie held John tight while Michael was trying to grab their arms to removed them from Jaimie Before they could drag her off they were themselves grabbed. The two parents turned around and were grabbed by three police officers. "Folks I don't know who the hell you think you are but you are under arrest for assault. The second you placed your hand on that girl you forfeited your right to be here." They tried to plead saying, "She has no right to be here! Get that tranny freak out of here!" This got the officers furious stating, "Well now this just turned interesting, assault with hate intent. Enjoy your holiday in jail, I am sure your families will be thrilled to hear why you will not be joining them tonight." The crowd was unsympathetic as they were hauled away. Several cheered their departure. Jaimie just took her seat and tried to enjoy the game. John was pulled aside and asked what was going on. The person whom he was talking to turned out to be the athletic director, Sean Xavier. When he learned the boosters tried to pull that stunt he called all of the others available to his location. He returned the money to them that they had given, stating, "We won't accept any money from anyone who believes this entitles them to believe they can say who can and cannot watch our students play. If you believe you have a right to say who can and cannot attend a game then leave. Your money is no good to us." John pulled out several hundred dollars from his wallet and said, "True Inferno supporters support the schools and all who attend regardless of who or what they are. You expect nothing in return, only enjoyment of helping our student-athlete." One after another the others did the same repeating the same sentiments as John. Only three refused to accept the conditions and were asked to leave. Penelope Clarence vowed revenge but a warning from an officer who overheard her threat sent her running. The game was a blowout win with Bryan making some big plays. Michael was thrilled to hear his name announced and watch him celebrate. Jaimie and the cheerleaders talked throughout the game when there were breaks in the action. Hannah's friend Paige tried to apologize for what happened; her mother was one of the people who grabbed Jaimie. Jaimie refused to hear it. She was not her mother, she was her own person and she was sorry that Paige had to endure the embarrassment because of her. At home, nobody said anything about the arrests or the excitement leaving the others in the dark. The family simply ate and let the theatrics fade into the past. Chapter 11: Visiting Family Thanksgiving weekend was hectic for the Finn family. John and the four kids stayed home while Valerie went shopping with John's sisters. She dove head first into the, "Black Friday" sales, enjoying the friendship of Karen and Leslie more than the sales. Jaimie tried to go along but was refused; all three all but shouted to her that it was no place for a child. They were up most of the night going from store to store with John having to swap cars while the kids were asleep. The kids spent the rest of the weekend with their aunt and grandmother. Valerie needed to rest and John wanted some time alone with his wife. Leslie jokingly said, "Don't give her any presents that won't be opened until August" which the two of them almost fainted at hearing being said. They made the most of their privacy, enjoying an intimacy that had eluded them for most of the months past. They were still a newlywed couple after all! Passions ran high but couldn't be quenched with two prying eyes and burning ears around. The kids knew what was going on but never said a word. There was a new energy in the couple that the kids hadn't seen before, they were extremely happy and kids were pleased that they enjoyed themselves. They asked if they wanted more weekends alone, they politely declined but were pleased with the offer. December rolled through fast. John was busy most of the month with his classwork and finals. Valerie was sick with the flu so Leslie offered to help out while she recuperated. The kids hadn't had much time with her since she worked a lot but thanks to Christmas hours she could fit in handling the kids before going to work. Michael liked Leslie a lot, she wasn't girly like Karen and was actually happy to play sports with him. She was a former basketball and softball player who loved to sharpen his shooting skills. He felt bad that his dad was terrible at sports but happy his aunt could help him. Just before Christmas John made plans to take the family out to Missouri for the vacation. This would be their first visit back since the summer and would be entirely about family. He had managed to get Jaimie and Michael December 23rd off so they could have that day to do some business in their old town. John wouldn't reveal why to the kids, but after a quick meeting with Alice Rodriguez and Mrs. Eagleson, he was given their blessing. Alice asked that he enjoy himself out there, knowing how high strung that place makes him every time it is mentioned. The kids were excited. Their grandparents Joseph and Evelyn Johnson were in constant contact but this was something different. They knew they were going to be spoiled and Valerie and John knew they faced a barrage of questions while the kids were asleep. They knew the kids were going to spill the beans anyway so John insisted they not lie even if it meant they would be embarrassed or angered. Joseph and Evelyn Johnson met them at the airport, the grandchildren eager to give hugs and kisses to their grandparents. Evelyn looked Jaimie over and smiled saying, "You are becoming a beautiful young lady" which made Jaimie blush and Michael groan. Joseph looked disappointed and asked them, "Why didn't you bring Hannah and Bryan?" John felt that he had disappointed them in not bringing the twins but admitted, "Bryan and Hannah felt it best to have it as a small family gathering, they don't want to impose. They thought since it was our first Christmas as a family the four of us alone was to make the trip while they remained. They also said they want to repay the favor to you someday." The family drove from the airport in two cars. John and Evelyn drove in one while Joseph, Valerie, and the kids in another. They settled in for a simple dinner with Jaimie regaling Joseph with tales of the past five months. Joseph was enthralled with her stories; Michael was preoccupied with the scenery outside. He loved the city but still missed the fields and farms that he had grown up seeing. Evelyn pressed John for as much information as possible but he couldn't add anything that Valerie hadn't already told her. He simply said, "I think Jaimie is the one to ask." She continually pressed John further but only got a, "Tomorrow" which she took to mean something was going on that he didn't want to reveal yet. Valerie looked over at her mother when they entered and saw that John was being tight lipped and told her, "I couldn't get anything out of him either, but it's something major if he is keeping it a secret even from me." The next day John asked the kids if they wanted to go out. Michael didn't want to do much of anything, saying, "We are on vacation, I just want to relax with Grandpa" and stayed in his room. Valerie wasn't feeling well so she stayed in as well. Jaimie opted to, not wanting to stay in all day. She knew it risked people seeing her and potentially causing a problem but she shrugged it off saying, "I can't hide forever." John drove to the town's elementary/middle school. Jaimie figured out what was happening fast. She looked over and said, "He pulled through, didn't he?" John only nodded. Inside they were greeted by Principal Dorothy Vega, the one person in the town who had gone out of her way to help Jaimie before her secret was revealed to the town. Jaimie hugged her as if hugging an old friend, to her she was one. Staff shuffled paperwork but watched the two pariahs greeted by their boss without saying a word. She asked, "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" John and Jaimie simply replied, "We are your 11:00 appointment." Inside her office, she looked over Jaimie closely. "My how you have grown, if you keep this up you are going to have hearts racing and tongues wagging." Jaimie blushed, John jokingly replied, "She already has, Mrs. Eagleson said there are way too many boys at her school who are walking into walls whenever she is around." Jaimie could only blush, she noticed the stares and the other girls teased her that they were having trouble keeping boys interested when she was around. John got down to business and asked about the renovations. "I heard through the grapevine the town has been stalling with the permits and forced inspections." Dorothy nodded saying, "They did so until mid-October. Apparently, the state investigated the reasons for the delays and there was a change in personnel, now things have gotten back on track. In fact, the state has taken a keen interest in seeing the town and county back off from this project, something about the project being privately funded and they couldn't interfere. I am sure you wouldn't know anything about that" she said with a raised eyebrow. John and Jaimie smiled, confessing the truth. "We made mention of this to one of Jaimie's friends. He said he would have his friend look into it. Apparently when a governor of another state takes notice things change very fast." She stared in disbelief, but Jaimie said, "He simply asked about this project and said that this was something that was going to happen anyway thanks to what they tried to do to dad, we didn't waste a favor on it. He volunteered to let his friend know to look out for it." Dorothy let out a big laugh, saying, "Oh that's a big relief, I know you love to help but to burn a favor for this school would disappoint me deeply." John and Jaimie looked at each other and smiled, knowing she would not like the next thing they would say. John handed her a package of papers. Jaimie couldn't hide her enthusiasm as she opened them. Inside was an official letter from the City of Winnisimmet stating that they wished to have a meeting with her regarding possible future employment as a principal in their middle school. Dorothy was genuinely shocked. She hadn't ever expected anything like this. She gave them a puzzled look as John explained the circumstances. "Due to growth in student population, the city is splitting their middle school into two separate schools. They were looking at highly qualified administrators with experience in tough situations. You are overly qualified in that area. They know about the circumstances here the past year and at how you handled yourself, they believe you are the best candidate for the job. Knowing Jaimie had nothing to do with it, this is all your own hard work that earned you this offer." She was speechless. She never expected this kind of gift from people who she had every right to be angered with. She looked down at Jaimie who said, "We used our favor on this. He heard you were going to be in need of a new job and got some strings pulled to get you out there to the cities and towns in the region. If it wasn't our city it would have been another city or town nearby." John added, "The city is copying the program you implemented last year. Who else but the original to finish implementing it? You dealt with a large backlash that others would buckle under and you stood your ground to defend your student and uphold the law. That kind of character is rare and it stood out. The city knows what you did for Jaimie and want to repay you for it." With tears in her eyes, she could only say, "I'll look it over." Jaimie said, "No matter what you choose to do, you are going to be beloved by all the kids under your care." John also added, "And when you do come to interview, we insist you stay with us. You are family to us; we can't let family stay in a hotel." Jaimie nodded in full agreement. On their way out the bell for lunch struck. Kids started to filter out causing John and Jaimie to have to stop. When the seventh-grade class came through the kids stopped and stared. They recognized John but it took them a minute to realize that the girl with him was Jaimie. Jessica Nelson, one of the girls who had been friendly with Jaimie and the first to accept her as a girl ran over to Jaimie, hugging her profusely asking, "What are you doing here?" Jaimie told them the truth, "We were giving Principal Vega her Christmas present." Another girl asked, "Are you coming back?" Jaimie shook her head no, saying, "We have moved on, we came back to visit my grandparents for Christmas break." The girls were disappointed, but said, "We miss you; it isn't the same without you." The group was ushered off before they started to cry. The girls insisted Jaimie have lunch with them, needing to talk things over. Some of the boys came over and said, "It's really not the same; class is just boring now without your dad's tutoring." They asked if Jaimie would stay in contact, either online, via FaceTime and Skype, or next time she was in town. Jaimie agreed, saying, "I think you might like my new friends as well." After lunch ended John thanked the kids and managed to get him and Jaimie outside without any more notice. At the Johnson home, John told the family what happened. Michael was thrilled he didn't have to face the kids again but sad that they missed them. Valerie asked about the Principal's plans, John simply said, "I feel she is going to accept, she doesn't have anything keeping her back here after June." The rest of the day and the Christmas Eve were quiet for the family. They didn't go out or do much of anything, just enjoyed each other's company. The kids were getting along for once. Michael was FaceTiming with Richard and to the surprise of everyone, Courtney. Jaimie had chats with Jenna and the other girls, who were all equally surprised about Michael and Courtney chatting. The girls were interested in the next day but Jaimie wasn't excited. She cared more about giving than receiving, just like her father the kids joked. Chapter 12: Christmas Gifts Christmas morning the kids awoke early but let the adults sleep in. They heard the adults making last minute preparations and adjusting gifts under the tree so they decided to give them more time to rest. Walking into the highly decorated room they saw a huge mound of presents. Jaimie was on the verge of tears when Michael told her, "They always go overboard." Jaimie was crying now, telling him, "I only got one present when mom and dad were alive and my foster parents never gave me anything." Michael hugged her and started crying, "Sorry, sometimes I forget what life was like for you before dad." Jaimie and he held their embrace for several minutes, enjoying the bond and feeling the tension of the past few months fade away. Their parents and grandparents heard the kids shuffling and saw their tears but didn't move. They silently gestured to each other to come over to see what they were up to. What they saw melted their hearts. The kids crying and embracing, no fighting or arguing just tears and hugs. The four went back to their rooms to get dressed. After a few minutes, Michael said, "You can stop watching and come in." The kids left to get changed as the others tried to avoid eye contact. Valerie cooked for the family, refusing to let John do anything saying, "I think we can carry one tradition over to here." Joseph and Evelyn gave her an odd look so she told them the Finn family tradition as John scowled at her. Evelyn let out a big laugh, joking, "I never thought I'd see the day that a guy had to be booted from the kitchen." Joseph leaned in and said, "I hope this doesn't mean I have to start cooking now" which Evelyn sneered at and said, "I don't want the whole house burned down!" The kids finally came out and had their breakfast. They noticed everyone was quiet and leaving them alone. Michael finally said, "OK we get it, we can get along and have moments of tenderness. You don't have to make a big dramatic presentation out of it." Jaimie crossed her arms in agreement. The kids finished and helped clean the table and wash the dishes before heading to the living room. They waited patiently while their parents got their cameras ready. Michael was the first to dig in and open a present, then Jaimie. They alternated opening one after another until their presents were all gone. Michael got everything he wanted, getting several video games, a football, and a basketball. He said, "Aunt Leslie is going to love this" explaining what he meant to his grandparents. Jaimie was slow in opening her presents, savoring the idea that someone loved her enough to buy her something. She received several new dresses and outfits, noting that they were larger than her current size. Valerie laughed and had to tell her, "You need some more for the Spring and Summer, not all clothing is for right now." She nearly cried when she opened a gold necklace with a locket from her grandparents, seeing a picture of them and her parents inside. She put it on immediately saying, "It's beautiful," and hugged them while Valerie took pictures. Joseph and Evelyn received simple presents from the kids. They got gold picture frames that said, "for our grandma" and, "for our grandpa" with the kids' pictures in them. Valerie and John gave them a gold pendant and pen with the children's names etched in them. The last gift they got was a simple plastic picture frame with the words, "Thank you" from Hannah and Bryan. Evelyn shed a tear over the twins' gesture. Valerie received a gold bracelet from John. The kids gave her small charms with birthstones that would attach to the bracelet. John also gave her an earring set that was set with sapphires, matching her wedding ring perfectly. She kissed him, asking, "Is it from the same place as before?" John nodded and kissed her again. Joseph asked what she meant and John told about that special day last May. Joseph and Evelyn gave John a gold watch with the names of the kids inscribed. The kids gave him a simple gold chain with a pendant that had their initials inscribed. They also gave him a book on how to play sports, to which Michael said, "You need this more than anything." There was one last box that Valerie handed to John. It was light and felt empty. John took his time unwrapping it. Inside was a piece of white plastic with what looked like cardboard sticking out. On it was two pink lines. John looked up at Valerie who was waiting for his reaction. John turned to Valerie and asked, "That wasn't the flu, was it?" She tearfully said, "It started as the flu but I missed my December visitor." He continued, "It's positive?" She nodded yes. He asked, "How long?" She replied weakly, "four to six weeks, I have an appointment booked with my old doctor a couple of days from now." He started to tear up and held her close and showed what he got to the others. Evelyn and Joseph gasped loudly and ran to hug the couple. The kids were puzzled. They didn't understand. John composed himself and told the kids, "You are going to be a big brother and big sister." Their jaws dropped. They took a few seconds and finally realized what he had said yelling to each other, "Mom is having a baby!" The six joined together in a collective hug. The excitement wore off fast. The kids were eager to call their friends and tell everyone the news of the day. As expected their friends practically screamed with delight and spread the word. Jaimie and Michael were trying their hardest to contain their excitement while the others reacted. Just before dinner back, east John made a special Skype call to his family. Karen and Leslie gathered everyone and made small talk about what they received. When everyone told everything John said, "There's one last thing" and held up the positive pregnancy test. The Finns screamed in delight. Karen and Leslie asked how she kept it from them, John's mom Catherine asked her how far along, the twins were in a rarely seen stunned silence. They answered the storm of questions before John let them get back to dinner knowing they were going to be involved with all of the preparations and shopping going on in the next seven months. The rest of the day and their vacation went without incident. The kids swore they would be on their best behaviors for the baby. Their grandparents spent the majority of their time with the kids and making the trip all the more enjoyable. Michael managed to ease up on his frustrations, giving Jaimie the benefit of the doubt in always being the center of attention. She, in turn, eased up on the teasing, not wanting to bother him without reason. The kids got along better than they had in ages. When they returned on New Year's Eve the kids were exhausted from the excitement and togetherness. Michael hit the basketball court with Leslie while Jaimie and Karen went shopping with Hannah. Valerie and John were alone for the first time in weeks and this time they were too exhausted to enjoy it. Valerie was just happy to be home while John was prepping for the upcoming college semester. They spent some time shopping for the baby but decided it is best to wait a while before buying things. Michael made a special visit to Courtney's house to deliver a present. He wanted to give it to her in person and hoped that she wouldn't mind it being late, Courtney was just happy that he came by and even happier he thought enough of her to give her something. Gabby invited him in and watched closely while Courtney opened her present. Michael had bought her a gold necklace with a "C" pendant with an opal and diamonds embedded. Courtney burst into tears, hugging him and giving him a kiss on his cheek while Gabby looked over the present. Michael hugged her back saying, "I saw it and thought of you." He got up and as he was leaving Gabby stopped him, saying, "She has never gotten anything like this before, you shouldn't have." He looked over at her and said, "Yes I did, she means a lot to me and my sister and she deserves something special." She nodded her head, knowing that he meant more than he would admit. After Michael returned home Jenna and Anne visited, with Valerie telling them the good news. Jenna volunteered to take Jaimie on after school to give them some rest. Jaimie was always welcome at Jenna's house, her mother loving that Jenna had a friend who was closer to her enough to be a sister. Courtney called and told the girls what Michael gave her, saying, "He told mom I was special." The girls looked at him funny but left him alone, this was something between him and Courtney only. The news about Michael and Courtney wore off and the other girls were excited as Jaimie; none of them had had a baby brother or sister with Courtney being the only one with a younger sibling and even then she was only two years younger so it would be their first experience as, "Mature" kids with children. They were fighting over who could babysit the baby while also arguing who would be a better mother. They came to the conclusion that Jaimie was probably the best to babysit and be a mother not realizing that she couldn't have a baby. When she pointed that out the girls laughed it off saying, "That's what adoption is for." Jaimie smiled saying, "I guess I'm living proof of that!" Chapter 13: New Year, New Neighbors January started off with a big announcement. The house next door had been sold and a new family was moving in shortly. The kids were excited, hoping that there were kids their age. John was hoping that they weren't going to cause problems for Jaimie. Valerie simply wanted someone who was quiet. The first Saturday of the year saw two vehicles parked in front of the house. Two girls ran out and into the house next door, the kids had their wish. John and Valerie were on the porch when out of the minivan walked a medium height woman with strong Latina features. John called over and asked, "Would you like some help moving in?" John was met with an immediate, "That would be lovely." John's mouth dropped. He gasped loudly and started to shake. Valerie asked, "John what is it?" John was searching for the right words. After several seconds he blurted out, "No. It can't be. I couldn't be that lucky. Not after all these years," to shake. The woman was doing the same thing as soon as she heard Valerie say, "John." She turned her head and dropped her box, running over to John giving him a huge hug. The two were in tears, locked in a strong embrace. John apologized, "I am so sorry for not recognizing you, Melanie!" Valerie looked on in shock. The two obviously knew each other intimately. John introduced her saying, "Valerie this is Melanie Rivera, my oldest and dearest friend." Melanie corrected him with a smile saying, "I'm Melanie Lopez now." The four kids were staring now; John and the woman turned and hugged each other and said, "It's been far too long, far too long." John introduced Valerie, Jaimie, and Michael. Melanie introduced her daughters Stacy and Rebecca. Jaimie asked how old the girls were, happy to hear that they were 13 and 10 and in the seventh and fifth grades. John then told the kids, "Melanie is my oldest, dearest friend. We have known each other since we were your age." Melanie said, "John and I were close; he was the only guy friend who didn't have a crush on me or want to date me." John blushed and said, "I did, I just didn't let it affect our friendship." Melanie now blushed. Valerie and the kids looked them over. They knew he was not in the greatest moods in school so for her to be called a, "Dear friend" she must have been special to him. John admitted, "I know you three know how I used to be, well it would have been a lot worse without Melanie." Jaimie finally broke the nostalgia but asking if they could go play, Michael agreed as did Stacy and Rebecca. The four kids went off into the Finn house while the adults talked. Michael played his video game while the girls played in Jaimie's room. Rebecca came out and sat down next to Michael and offered to play with him. She was the younger of the two and Michael wasn't sure he was going to be able to play with a, "kid." He tried to decline but she said she was good at games. He gave in and was surprised at how well she was able to beat him at his own games. She told him the truth, "Dad lets me play them all the time, he figures it's the closest thing to boyish things I'll do." Michael said, "Boyish and girly are two words we don't use here" but didn't elaborate when she asked about it. Stacy was thrilled at all of the makeup and clothes Jaimie had. She wanted to try on all of Jaimie's outfits. She said she had a large amount of clothes herself and she and Jaimie were the same size. Jaimie was thrilled. Jaimie was shorter and thinner than her friends so they couldn't borrow each other's clothes. Things started to get a little dicey when Stacy asked her if she was wearing a bra yet. Jaimie noticed her development and felt ashamed of her own small chest. She had only been on hormones for six months, they were having a reaction but it was slower than she had hoped for. Jaimie reluctantly said, "Not yet." Stacy saw there was something going on and asked her, "Why the long face? Is something the matter?" Jaimie asked her, "What do you know about boys who are becoming girls?" Stacy looked her over and then gasped. Jaimie expected the worst, bracing for the inevitable scream or slap. Stacy didn't say anything. Stacy waited a few minutes before finally saying, "You are too pretty to be a boy, and if you used to be you are better off now." She saw Jaimie's silent expression, leaned in and asked Jaimie, "Did you used to be?" Jaimie was teary-eyed and said, "Yes." Stacy hugged Jaimie saying, "I don't care; I like you as you are." Rebecca walked into the room as Stacy asked her question. Rebecca looked up at Jaimie who was scared what she would say. Stacy asked her, "What did you hear?" Rebecca only said, "She used to be a boy." Stacy looked her in the eyes and stated, "If you breathe a word of this to Mom or Dad you will regret it." Rebecca looked at Jaimie who was still scared of her response could only say, "I won't." Rebecca added, "just because you were once a boy doesn't make you one forever." Jaimie thanked her for her secrecy and got back to their clothing. Outside John was helping Melanie move boxes and furniture around. He asked her what she was up to over the years. He got a saddened look but was told, "I went to college and met Dan my freshman year. We married and had Stacy during junior year. I was able to finish my degree online but have been a stay at home mother ever since. Dan wasn't able to finish his degree once I got pregnant. He got a job in the construction industry as a general contractor and until recently worked out west. He got injured on the job and was let go. We had to move east with the settlement. We have enough to buy this house and give him time to find a new job. The kids are thrilled to be starting over but they know their dad is a nervous wreck." John listened intently. He realized he was seeing a reverse of his past, his friend needed support and he wanted to return the favor. He listened to all of her troubles, offering some reassurances when she needed them. Valerie picked up on what he was doing and left them alone. Two hours later everything was inside the house and ready for the kids to move in. Michael helped set up the electronics while Jaimie helped the girls settle into their rooms. John offered to have them over for dinner. He even said he wanted to throw a, "Welcome" party for them next week. Melanie wasn't thrilled but saw the kids' looks and gave in. Her husband was coming in that weekend and it was the perfect chance to get off on the right foot. The kids discussed their school and Jaimie asked if the stories John told the year before were true. Melanie laughed and said, "They are true, but I wouldn't know how hard the bench was- I never got sent there." John blushed in embarrassment as the kids looked at him in surprise. The kids went to bed early after a long day of unpacking and getting to know each other. Melanie, Valerie, and John talked for several hours while they slept. Melanie asked about John's life after high school with keen interest. John bowed his head and said, "I got my associates degree while juggling babysitting my sister's kids and taking care of my mom. I failed in my attempt to continue on in school so I spent a lot of time unemployed babysitting and taking care of my household." Melanie leaned in and put her arm around him, telling him, "That explains why you didn't try to contact anyone; you have nothing to be ashamed of." Valerie added, "His brother in law passed away so him being out of work was a blessing for his sister. The twins are amazing kids who have taken to Michael and Jaimie as your girls have to them." Melanie asked about the story behind his Missouri stay. John retold his past 18 months as well as the theatrics of the previous June. Valerie nodded at John as he started to reveal the big issue, "Melanie I need to tell you something about Jaimie. She was born a boy. She has been living as a girl openly for the past seven months and in secret at home for the past nine. I understand if you want to have nothing to do with us because of her but she is my daughter and she means more to me than anything in the world." Melanie was stunned. She didn't know what to say. She looked at Jaimie's pictures and at John and finally said, "We were told to watch out, that there was a tranny kid living in the neighborhood. Dan is concerned that she might be a bad influence on the girls or do something to them. Jaimie is a sweet girl and I don't believe for a second she would be a bad influence on anyone or is capable of hurting anyone. The girls love her, they have had so much trouble finding friends so Jaimie is a godsend to them. I don't care that she was born he, but I can't guarantee Dan will take the news well." John told her Jaimie's story. He told her all of the details from the fights to the isolation to the depression. Melanie looked up at John and said, "No wonder you two get along so well. You were always one to help out anyone in need and you were always in that kind of mood when I wasn't around. She is lucky you of all people came into her life." Valerie asked about Dan. Melanie told them his story and saw that Valerie was angered at what happened. She told her, "I wish you and John were in contact a lot earlier, I would have gotten you so much from them they would be begging him to run their company." Melanie looked up at her in surprise; John said, "She's a lawyer, a top-flight lawyer. She always wins and always makes guilty people pay." Melanie joked, "remind me never to get on her bad side." Valerie snickered and blushed. Melanie asked them about their dating days which John was embarrassed to say, "We didn't have many dates; it was just two neighbors who became friends who became parents who just surrendered to love." Valerie then chimed in saying, "John was afraid to ask me out, but when we finally stopped pretending we didn't have feelings for each other he came clean and said he'd marry at some point but not until Jaimie's situation was cleared. We were married within minutes of her adoption." As if on cue Jaimie walked into the room looking scared. John asked her what was the trouble to which Jaimie said, "I couldn't sleep. Rebecca and Stacy know the truth about me. I am afraid of what happens when they realize I wasn't joking." Melanie took her in her arms and gave her a kiss on her forehead and said, "If they said they don't care then they really don't. You have won them over and are the best friends they have ever had just by being nice and open with them." Jaimie looked up and asked, "Do you know?" She nodded her head and said, "We both knew one person in school. He changed into she during our senior year and was always an amazing person. What you have doesn't make you who you are, it's what you make of yourself that does." Jaimie hugged and thanked her then went back to bed, John saying, "Some things never change; you have a way with kids. And I do remember Katie. I just didn't get to talk to her often before we graduated. I knew she was different back in 7th grade but, well, you know how it was back then. She was smart and funny but got a lot of insults and teasing from the boys. I still regret not defending her then." John shed a tear recalling those incidents. Valerie hadn't heard that story before and John showed legitimate regret over it. Looking back now she can see why he is so protective of Jaimie, he saw firsthand the garbage that kids would do to girls in her situation. Monday saw John escorting Melanie and the girls to school. Alice noticed the closeness between John and Melanie and was pleased that there was an opening in Mrs. Eagleson's class allowing the placement to be smoother than expected. John was pleased Stacy was placed in Jaimie's class as well, hoping that Jaimie could get Stacy entrenched with the girls. Jenna and the girls played a game of 20 questions with Stacy to ascertain if she was worthy of being one of them, Jaimie held back her laughter as Stacy squirmed under the pressure. Jenna finally couldn't hold back anymore and said, "We are just messing with you; if Jaimie is your friend then you are our friend." Michael just lets out a groan as he was now outnumbered five to three. The school week breezed by. John was busy helping Melanie unpack and organize for much of the time. The two caught up on old times and the happenings of old friends. Melanie had been in constant contact with many of them but John was almost nonexistent to them. His years of isolation weren't a surprise but his sudden parenthood and marriage caught them off guard. They were less than thrilled when word got around that Jaimie was transgender but those who took issue were the ones that John had little regard for before and Melanie now saw to it that she was defended even more now. Saturday morning there was a knock on the door. Melanie introduced her husband Dan to the family. He was a medium height, heavily built Latino man with short black hair. John and Valerie could see where Rebecca got her athletic body from. Melanie pulled Dan, John, and Valerie aside to have the serious discussion that had to be gotten out of the way. He stated that he was happy that Melanie had found someone so close to help her and that the kids had made quick friends. He asked how John and Melanie knew each other and was concerned that they had spent so much time alone together in his house. He heard rumors that Melanie was with a guy in his house all week and demanded the truth. Valerie was on the verge of laughter. John laughed it off, saying, "There's no spark, no lust, no eroticism. We just love to talk to each other and that's all we did during the week." Melanie replied, "We did this all through senior year; it got a couple of teachers angry." Valerie joked that the two, "friend zoned each other years ago." Dan accepted the answer and looked less concerned. Melanie looked over at John and signaled now was the time to tell him. Melanie looked at Dan and said, "remember the warning the realtor gave you? It's true, there is a transgender kid living in the neighborhood." Dan didn't look happy. Melanie continued, "I have met her. She is a sweet child who couldn't hurt a fly and doesn't have the ability to be a bad influence on anything." Dan turned red and looked at her asking, "Who is she?" John stood up and told him bluntly, "She is my daughter Jaimie." Dan looked over at the kids who were unaware of their parents' conversation. Jaimie and Stacy were discussing clothes as they finished their homework. He didn't believe it. "She can't be a boy. She doesn't look a thing like a boy. She has boobs for heaven's sake!" Melanie tried to calm him down but the kids heard him. Michael ran to Jaimie as Stacy and Rebecca huddled around her. Dan looked angered that his daughters were protecting her, Melanie said, "Sit down and calm down." Dan sat but didn't look pleased. John tried to diffuse the situation by saying, "You don't know her story and you don't have a right to get outraged at her life. You are the only person who has ever actually met her who has been unable to look past the thing between her legs to see the girl in front of you." Melanie chimed in and said, "The girls love her, I love her. You don't have to like her but I won't let you insult her or harm her. She and the girls are close friends and she will be around a lot. You can either accept that she is friends with them or you can kiss this family goodbye." Dan looked down at her; she had a look John knew too well. If he said another word he'd be homeless, the only thing for him to do was to accept defeat and move on. Dan needed several hours to cool off. The girls stayed in Jaimie's room until it was time. Michael refused to leave Jaimie's door, keeping a silent vigil over the girls. John and Valerie were prepared for the worst but knew they had allies in their neighbors. None of them had problems with Jaimie's past and some of them showed compassion towards her. Their only concern was the elderly man directly across the street that didn't get out much and didn't interact with anyone. He was a retired soldier by the name of Sean Beretta and most of the time he was either at the local VA hospital or home with his TV on. The kids weren't concerned, they knew Sean was a good person especially Jaimie. Dan had cooled down enough to join Melanie in greeting the new neighbors. Each of them brought something to snack on and everyone seemed to be having a good time. They were all big supporters of Jaimie especially those who had relatives who knew her or of her. Sean Beretta made an appearance, which John was hoping wasn't the start of something bad. He reassured John, "Nothing bad will happen, I'll sort out the new guy. He can either take my advice or enjoy his divorce." John was stunned. Sean barely said two words to him before but he saw Jaimie come over and hug him. As Sean move on to greet other guests Jaimie told him the full story. John was busy the times she and Sean interacted so John didn't see his reactions. Sean was a good person and actually cared about Jaimie. Sean saved the last greeting for Dan and told him they needed to have a long talk. Dan apparently spent some time working for the military as a contractor so they were able to swap stories about the bases that only military people would appreciate. Sean was so engrossed in swapping stories that he almost forgot about the whole point of talking with Dan. As they were finishing up another story Jaimie came over and offered Sean something to drink and said, "Isn't it time for your medicine?" Sean looked down at his watch and thanked her, patting her on the head for remembering. Dan looked disgusted, and asked, "How can you stand that thing? I wouldn't want her anywhere near my family if the girls and my wife weren't joined at the Finns' hips." Sean swallowed his medicine, looked up at Dan, and told him point blank, "Do you know anything about that little girl?" Dan nodded saying, "He is becoming a girl; he is open about being a girl and is able to go into locker rooms and bathrooms with girls." Sean shook his head and said, "But do you actually know anything about her past, her struggles, her family life?" Dan said, "No. Just that he is becoming a she." Sean took a deep breath and said, "She is Jaimie. She works hard at her schoolwork and never gets into trouble. She was an orphan who nearly died in a car crash and was badly abused by the foster care system's neglect. She was borderline manic depressive with severe PTSD. This is in addition to the fact that she suffers from severe gender dysphoria. Your concern about her having the right to go into girls' locker rooms and bathrooms is laughable as she was badly abused by several boys to the point that she had to have an orchiectomy performed. If you don't know what that means it means she is sterile, a eunuch, and impotent. She had put up with people beating her, ignoring her, and nearly dying and came out of it with a smile on her face and a positive attitude. This little girl has done nothing but bring the best out of people and make others feel better." Dan shook his head. "You bought all of that? That screams like a pack of lies." Sean said bluntly, "I am a retired Army doctor. I know exactly what the hell I am talking about and what the truth is. When they first moved in and met me I helped them get a new doctor for the kids and worked with her mother to get a new psychiatrist. I saw all of her medical records; saw the pictures of her pre and post-surgery. I saw her photos from the car crash. I even discussed her care with her mother. And the other facts, the foster care issues, this is public record thanks to the farce of a trial against John. This 'story' is 100% true." Dan's face dropped. Sean then added, "Since moving here Jaimie has worked hard to become accepted. She goes out of her way for people in this neighborhood. She rakes leaves and shovels snow for all of us. She carries groceries and clears driveways. She does all that without accepting a penny from anyone; She refuses to take money from people because she does it out of the goodness of her heart. She only has love in her heart and whatever bitterness you have towards her is unjust." Dan tried to counter but was cut off, "You may have your misgivings and bigotry but you are alone in this. Not one person here will agree with you. You don't know Jaimie, yet you are judging her. Why don't you actually get to know her before saying anything you will regret? I can assure you that people are giving you the benefit of the doubt in being new but they can only put up with ignorance and idiocy for so long. She is established in this city; despite your wife's roots, you are brand new here. People won't take your side against her." Dan walked away in a hurry and left the party, trying hard to rationalize his anger and frustration but only getting angry at himself. Melanie asked Sean what was said; he only answered, "He didn't find support so he fled the field." Melanie turned to John and said, "He hates it when he is wrong but he will come around, I hope." Later that night Melanie could be heard arguing with Dan. Dan wasn't pleased that so far he was a pariah, the girls had moved on and were becoming entrenched in school and making friends, and Melanie was enjoying her time with her old friend. Dan was all alone in his own world, without a friend and on the verge of making a lot of enemies. Dan kept trying to blame Jaimie but Melanie finally said, "enough. I won't have you doing this. These girls love her and John is a dear friend. If you have a problem with this then deal with it, don't blame her for your troubles. I won't let you ruin our lives for your own bigotry. Sean told me what he told you and I agree. You don't know her, you don't understand her. You are just making your life a living hell for no reason other than your own misgivings. Talk with her, because if you continue you can just leave. I won't let you poison our girls with your hatred." Dan kept quiet and kept to himself for days. At school on Monday Stacy told Jaimie about their parents' fight. Jaimie started crying, blaming herself for the whole thing. Stacy held her and said, "Dad just won't accept facts, mom loves you like a niece and we love you like a sister. He will get over it or he will leave, we don't mind anymore you matter more than him." Jenna and the others came over and saw Jaimie's tears and asked what was going on. Stacy told the whole story about the weekend and the fighting. She invited the girls over after school but warned them that her dad might be there. The girls greeted Melanie but ignored Dan, going right to Stacy's room. Melanie could tell they were giving him the cold shoulder and smiled, Stacy had managed to not only make friends but make ones that were willing to protect their friend. Dan noticed her smile and asked what was going on; Melanie simply said, "The girls are rallying around their friend." Dan didn't understand so Melanie curtly said, "They heard about Saturday and our fight, and aren't happy with you. You have managed to alienate not only our neighbors but Stacy's friends and their families as well. Congratulations, you got your wish. You are the local pariah." Dan sulked. Melanie greeted the girls and was introduced to all of them. Jenna wasted no time and asked, "Is it true you knew Mr. Finn?" Melanie laughed telling her, "Know him? I know things about him that he'd pay to keep a secret." The girls looked in shock. Melanie joked, "John is a great person, the best friend everyone needs. He had a rough go in school but he was always there for everyone and anyone. Sound familiar?" The girls immediately looked at Jaimie. She was embarrassed by the attention. Melanie smiled and said, "You and your dad are so much alike I can't believe it. You act the same way, you know the same things, and you probably like the same things." Jaimie nodded as Melanie continued, "As I see you I see John as I knew him, only this time I see confidence and love that John never was able to express. I also see a changed man. Whatever happened last year changed you two for the better, your best qualities are rubbing off on him." The girls were sitting in awe, they had never heard their friend's dad described in such a way before. Dan watched as Melanie talked with the kids. The way she talked about John Finn was unlike any other person, she showed more care and concern about him than any family member outside of her kids. She talked to Jaimie as she would talk to him, the same warm loving tone and the same smiling face. This kid wasn't even his kid yet she treats her like she was. He looked at her and saw similar traits as her so-called father, she was exactly like she described John only it was a smaller, younger version. Dan didn't know what to do. He wanted to hate the kid but the more he looked at her the less he could hate. She looked like a girl. She talked like a girl. She acted like a girl. Her friends treated her like she was one of the girls. His own daughters started to act like she was another sister. Dan kept trying to remind himself that she wasn't really a girl. She may have lost her testicles but she still had a penis. He couldn't get over that fact. Melanie could see he was watching and ignored him. He saw her ignoring and was feeling horrid. Melanie had never been this way before and the girls had never frozen him out of anything they did. He was isolated in his own home. He knew that the only way to rectify the situation was to follow Sean Beretta's advice and talk with her but he didn't know how. Dan was at a loss for words. He wanted to do something but he couldn't find the words. He hoped he could get the nerve soon; he could not stand this tension in his own home. He hoped John would do him the favor and get her to make the move. Chapter 14: Ignorance Overcome Dan Lopez wasn't from New England, he grew up in New York City. Snow wasn't that big of a deal there but in Winnisimmet it was a problem. A snowstorm hit in the late evening and continued on through the morning. A foot of snow had fallen by the time the storm ended. Schools were closed for the day and everyone was either indoors or shoveling. Dan was one of those out shoveling, cursing himself for not buying a snowblower. John grew up in the city and endured many rough winters so he enjoyed the snow. He was all too happy to shovel out the family home and didn't mind getting up early to start. His daughter Jaimie had just gotten used to it with the previous 2 and 3-inch storms that had occurred over the last two months. Jaimie didn't enjoy missing school because of this storm especially when it meant it cut into her summer vacation. Where she was from it would take a blizzard to get school canceled and even then it had to be bad enough that no plows could get through. Jaimie spent the majority of her time shoveling out her neighbors. Most of them needed to get to work despite the snow and were thankful that the energetic girl was willing to help them out. Jaimie enjoyed doing this for them, always refusing payment with a smile. Dan watched Jaimie for the past hour shoveling out Sean Beretta's house. He stared at her with a sneer, still fighting the urge to talk with her. He hated that the neighbors thought so poorly about him and felt even worse that his family was angry at him. His own daughters refused to speak to him, leaving the room when he entered and eating in their bedrooms. He knew he had to sit down and talk with Jaimie but couldn't come up with a way to approach her. It ate away at him every time he saw her. Dan was halfway done with his portion of the sidewalk when he felt twinges in his arm. He started to gasp for breath. Finally, he clasped his chest and started to collapse, letting out a troubled groan. Jaimie saw what was going on and ran over to him. By the time she reached him he stopped breathing. Jaimie screamed to her father to call an ambulance and started performing CPR on him. Jaimie knew instantly what was going on. She learned the symptoms of a heart attack from one of the pamphlets that were hanging around the doctor's offices she had been in over the past year so she jumped into action as soon as she saw Dan in trouble. Jaimie had just started compressions and breathing when John rushed over. He took over compressions while Jaimie did the breathing. The two were trying their hardest to keep Dan alive Melanie came out to see what the scream was about and saw Dan spread out on the sidewalk, instantly screaming herself and calling Dan's name. Valerie ran out of the house and took Melanie back inside letting John and Jaimie work, silently praying that Dan would be alright. Melanie was still hysterical when a firetruck and ambulance arrived and relieved the fatigued Jaimie and John. Jaimie collapsed from exhaustion while John held her, saying, "You did well, you did well." Dan was rushed to the emergency room as fast as possible. Valerie volunteered to watch the girls while John drove Melanie to the hospital. When they arrived the attending doctor told them that Dan had a mild heart attack due to stress and overexertion. He said that he would be in the hospital for a couple of days and would need to take things slow for a while. He added that Jaimie was able to restart his heart before any major damage was done, she saved his life. When he was well enough to talk Melanie told Dan what happened. He didn't want to believe it but the doctor confirmed the truth, had she not seen him right away he would have died. The girl whom he had felt angry about had put aside any ill thoughts and saved his life. When the doctor left Melanie stared straight at Dan and said, "You two need to talk. This has been going on too long, if you can't accept her after yesterday then I am sorry Dan but we are finished." Dan quietly said, "I know. I have been trying to get the nerve to talk but I just couldn't do it Give me a bit of time to get my thoughts together.' Melanie agreed, saying she needed to check on the girls. The next day Dan had visitors. Dan slumped down and asked to see Jaimie. Jaimie reluctantly opened the door and stared at the floor. Melanie left the room to give them some privacy, whispering, "It'll be OK." Dan looked at her, saw she was scared and asked her, "Why did you do it? I have been horrible to you, I said terrible things about you, and I caused Stacy and Rebecca to feel horrible about this situation. Why did you do it?" She looked right into his eyes and said, "Something dad taught us last year if someone needs your help you help them even if they don't like you or don't want it. Dad helped me when I didn't want it. Dad saved the life of the bully who beat me up. Nobody deserves to die because they are a bad person; if they need help then you must help them. You needed help, I helped you. I didn't want you to die because you don't like me, I can't do that to Melanie and Stacy and Rebecca." She had tears in her eyes. Dan felt his heart ache. She cared about him even if he was a jerk. Her past didn't matter anymore, she helped him despite his problems with it. The kid was something special alright, everyone had seen it but him. Dan patted the bed and told her, "Jump up here, we need to talk." He asked her why she wanted to be a girl, why she put up with the abuse, why she felt she needed to help everyone. She told him everything, she didn't hold back. He saw the tears in her eyes as she spilled her guts to him. She was telling the truth, it was impossible to fake those tears. He couldn't take it anymore; he finally broke down and said, "I'm sorry. I am sorry I have been so angry at you. I have no right to be. You didn't do anything to me; you haven't done anything to anyone. Please, forgive me if you can. I won't stop the girls from playing with you and I won't stop them from being your friend. I just hope that they are as forgiving as you are." Jaimie started to cry and hugged him. Dan hugged her back, himself now crying. The two embraced for several minutes before she left. Melanie took Jaimie home as John entered the room. John saw a change in Jaimie so he knew she and Dan had made up. He felt immediate relief. Dan didn't have to like her, he just had to accept her as she is and it seemed that he finally did. John approached Dan and came clean, "I know you are a good contractor and I needed to ask a favor of you." Dan looked puzzled and asked, "What is it?" John replied, "I need to hire a general contractor for a renovation project. It's a complete inside and out job." Dan asked him point blank, "I won't take charity. I know you know I have been out of work but I won't take charity." John looked at him directly and said, "I talked with Melanie and she told me that was your response. This isn't charity, I need the best I can get and you are the best. I had my people look into your work and you have the best reputation among contractors in the area despite being new. You have done this kind of job before with complete legitimacy; none of the contractors here can claim that." Dan realized he was serious. He asked John, "What's the job?" He explained his aunt's house needed a lot of work; the apartments needed new interiors, walls, floors, and a new roof. John added, "The tenant on the first floor is a notable figure in the city, word will get around about you. If this goes well you can expect to have more jobs coming your way. Many will be simple but there is a demand for large ones like this. It's word of mouth but it's the best start you can get without spending thousands on advertising and bids for government contracts." Dan couldn't refuse the offer, but said, "I don't like to do jobs for family or friends." John laughed and said, "I didn't hire a friend; I hired the best person for the job. He just happens to be family. I won't let you get complacent and I won't interfere with what you do so long as you stick to the plans." Dan accepted the offer and promised to do the best job possible, John replied, "I expect nothing less." Dan had John draw up the contract. John left the price open allowing him to inflate the cost so Dan earned a comfortable profit no matter what the true cost was. John got in contact with his lawyers to draw up the legal paperwork and then contact his accountants to get the money set aside for Dan. John told Melanie about the job. She cried tears of joy saying, "You have no idea how much you helped him. Nobody would hire him down in New York." John reluctantly said, "I know, sadly I know." Stacy and Rebecca asked what was going on and John simply said, "Your dad had a change of heart and change of fortune." They looked at their mother for guidance but she only said, "Your dad and Jaimie made up and John hired him to do a renovation for him." The girls cheered and hugged. Melanie hugged John, thanking him for the help but John would only say, "I did it for them" pointing at the girls. The girls ran over to John and thanked him for doing what he did for them. John looked down at them over and said, "You two are the spitting image of your mom. I can't let anything bad happen to you, it would be hurting someone I love." The girls wanted to know what he meant so he told them their story. John had a crush on Melanie in high school. She was the only person who showed any compassion towards him. He fell for her but never acted, just let her know he cared. He resigned himself to friendship and let the crush die, but he cared for her deeply. She, in turn, cared for him deeply. She talked to him about everything, letting him carry her books and help her with her homework. She loved his company. The girls swooned. Their mom laughed at their reaction, saying, "He was like my brother, and you don't date your brother." The girls giggled, John smiled at them. Stacy asked if he can be called, "Uncle John" since he was like one anyway. Melanie looked at John who said, "Sure, I'd love that." John then shot back, "I hope Dan doesn't mind, but I feel Michael and Jaimie are going to call him Uncle Dan now." At school the next day Stacy told the girls about what happened. Jaimie was happy to have more relatives even if they weren't really related, but was reluctant to call their father "uncle" just yet. Jenna and Courtney were concerned about Dan still but was happy that she was getting along with him. Stacy told them that Dan was different now, "ever since he talked with Jaimie he is happier, he feels bad for being mean and he said he will make it up to her." Courtney was still concerned, "Does he still have a problem with her being born a boy?" Stacy shook her head saying, "He heard what she had to say and saw how hurt she was about it, he didn't have the heart to feel anything bad about her. She spoke from the heart; he said someone who does that deserves respect and love." The girls accepted that he had changed and let it go. Chapter 15: Getting Schooled The last Monday in January brought a visitor to the Finn household. Dorothy Vega had several appointments in the area and true to his word in December John insisted that she stay with the Finns. Dorothy was shocked to see the new baby items and gave Valerie a big hug when she heard the news. Michael wasn't happy that someone he feared was staying with them but realized she had no power over him which eased the tension. Jaimie was just happy that she was going to take the city up on their offer of a new job. John drove Dorothy to her important interview, which was being held at city hall. He would be there as a character witness as he knew her well enough to state her abilities as a principal. Alongside John was Alice Rodriguez, who had had a great many phone conversations with Dorothy regarding the tutoring program. She happily greeted her colleague; the two were almost like old friends. The review board was a simple formality as the real work was already done. John stated his experiences with her as a parent with a child with a special requirement, his experiences implementing the tutoring program as both a teacher and as the initial "brains" of the program. Dorothy was told that her soon to be former superintendent left an unflattering review, but when asked directly why he felt that way about her was also shown to have a bias due to her standing up for Jaimie Finn's rights. The review board rubber stamped her hiring and would give the matter to the city council and full school committee. John congratulated Dorothy and offered her a place to stay starting in July. Dorothy politely said, "I can't stay with your family." John corrected her quickly, "It's an actual apartment. It's undergoing a renovation and will be ready for you when you arrive. I know you don't want to impose so it's going to be available for you rent free until you find a permanent home." Dorothy was speechless; John simply said, "If I didn't offer this to you the kids would have my head on a platter. They adore you and they don't want you to have to stay in Missouri any longer than needed." Dorothy agreed, accepting the offer. There was a slight detour for Dorothy. Alice decided that it would nice for her to tour the school and meet some of the children. The three walked down to the school where Dorothy was awed by the sight. The school was compact compared with her school but was the same size overall. There was the same number of classrooms and students, and the rooms were modern. She enjoyed the look of the gym and the music room and laughed as John avoided the infamous bench. Hearing the story behind it got her giggling, with her saying, "John, I would never have guessed you were a bad boy." John turned red in embarrassment as they walked along. The last stop was one of the classrooms. This was a specific stop, as Mrs. Eagleson was prepared for the visitors. Alice showed the special guest into the room and Jaimie and Michael gasped then ran to her giving her a hug. The other kids were puzzled until Mrs. Eagleson told them what was going on. "Class we have a special visitor. She is going to be the new principal at the school handling half of the classes. Jaimie, Michael I assume you already know her?" The two nodded telling her, "She was our old principal when we lived in Missouri. She is responsible for dad helping Jaimie." Alice gave an overview of what was going on and showed some of the classwork hanging up. Dorothy noted that some of the work was more advanced that her students were doing, asking, "Is this standard for 7th-grade students?" When she was told it was required she said, "I am glad, our students aren't being taught these things until next year." The kids looked shocked but Jaimie said, "Different states have different rules for what is taught." The kids asked if she knew Jaimie. Dorothy nodded, saying, "She was always a top student, one of the most brilliant. She and John changed the school last year." The kids looked up at Jaimie who said, "The tutoring program spilled over into the regular school, and I sort of got the school to undergo a big renovation." Dorothy laughed, saying, "She saw your school and wanted what you have here for her classmates. Jaimie is now the most popular girl there without being there, she changed the school." With the excitement and tour over John dropped Dorothy off at home and headed to his classes for the day. She informed him that she would be on campus at the same time as him for a special presentation she was going to give. He offered to drive her back which she gladly accepted. Two hours later Valerie drove the kids and Dorothy to Salem State for the presentation. The kids wanted to watch it, having nothing better to do that afternoon. When they entered the classroom Jaimie, Michael, Valerie, and Dorothy started laughing. It turned out to be one of John's classes. John walked over asked what they were doing there, looked puzzled and embarrassed. Dorothy informed him that she was doing a presentation for the class. As they were speaking a professor interrupted, taking Dorothy aside and thanking her for coming. She looked at the professor and asked him bluntly, "Why did you bring me all the way out here to make the presentation? You already have in this room someone who knows the program inside and out from the start." The professor was puzzled, demanding to know what she was talking about. Dorothy pointed at John saying, "This man is the father of our tutoring program. He was our best tutor. He built it from the ground up; everything taught since the first November is based on his classes." The professor didn't understand saying, "We were told that the town created the program. There was no mention of him." Dorothy shook her head and said, "Your source material has been sanitized to remove mention of him. With me, this afternoon is his wife who was the one who conducted the background check on him, his son who assisted in preparing the first two lectures and was one of his students, and his daughter who was the standout student." She brought out her laptop and started up several videos, all of which showed John teaching, Jaimie and Michael leading discussions, and finally, John discussing the groups' findings. The class sat watching the exchange. The professor finally relented and said, "I apologize, I am only as good as the information given." John was invited to give the lecture instead of Dorothy. He told the whole story, hitting all the important aspects that Dorothy was going to cover and adding additional ones that she hadn't thought of. He then stated, "With me are two graduates of the tutoring program. My daughter Jaimie was the main discussion group leader and my son Michael was one of the most improved students." The kids stated what they did during classes and what they learned and compared it with what they had previously done in school. The professor was speechless; the presentation lasted less time than expected despite the problematic start. John was told to have a meeting with the dean regarding the class, as he had built the program and wouldn't need to discuss let alone learn from it, he was to be given full credit for it and asked to appear as a speaker in upcoming semesters. Dorothy was given a profuse apology for her troubles but declined, saying, "I was repaying a favor to a friend," giving John a wink. After class, the dean, William Zane, asked to speak with John regarding the tutoring program class. He was informed about what happened in class and asked if John had proof to back up the claims. John produced the videos and copies of the classwork that was used. He reviewed the videos and asked Valerie if she could verify the claims. Valerie quickly pointed out that she helped him set up the cameras and reviewed the footage on behalf of the school. Dorothy backed up this claim saying, "I asked that she do that so the school would be in the clear legally. John wanted to use the footage to fix his lectures but I told him to keep copies in case of trouble." The dean asked for a few minutes to consider things. After a short break he came back in and told John, "You will be given full credit for the class and after you earn your degree we will be asking you to teach this class, you are the only person who could do it justice." John thanked him for his time and left with the others. Outside the professor asked about Jaimie. John said, "I guess you noticed the change in appearance. That's a big reason why my involvement was sanitized from the information you were given. Jaimie is transgender. A few days after she came into my care she was diagnosed with her gender disorder, the ensuing transition was uncovered in a nasty incident and ensuing custody case. We won and she was adopted by me but the results caused a backlash in the community. Dorothy is still dealing with it to this day and unfortunately, it has cost her her current job." His professor thought it over for a bit. He finally said, "I see. We are thankful that the real story was told and your former classmates learned the whole truth about the program." John was quick to say, "I don't mind retelling it to the class, to be truthful I was teaching as I thought it should be taught. If you have anything that needs to be answered do not hesitate to ask." His professor again thanked him and excused himself. John left with his head held high and the kids snickering at his odd afternoon. Chapter 16: Buildup To A Dance For all January excitement, the month of February was almost quiet by comparison. The kids enjoyed a run of nice weather that allowed them to play outside most days. Several days it was too cold to do anything and they were forced to stay indoors. The biggest thing to happen was that Richard had stayed over at the Finn house for a week while his parents were away visiting his sick grandmother. Jaimie was teased about having a boy stay at her house, but was quick to point out that Michael was a boy and lived there; it was like another brother staying there for the week. Richard was a pleasant house guest. He was polite, cleaned up after himself, and didn't make much noise. Jaimie and he got along well. The two found out they had a lot in common that they didn't know about before. Richard caught Jaimie watching Star Trek and joined her, not saying a word until the show was over. Jaimie asked why he was there, he only said, "I like that show." The two watched several episodes and talked about the show at length. Richard had been a fan for years, his father liked to watch it with him when he was home much like John did with Jaimie. Michael tried to get him to play video games in his room during the show but was told off by Valerie, noticing that the two kids were having fun on their own. Michael sulked for a bit but when the show was over Richard joined him. Valerie was no fool, the two were acting the same way Michael and Courtney were acting but neither saw the attraction yet. After Richard's stay at the Finn household, the school announced that they would hold their first dance in honor of Valentine's Day, which of course meant the kids were nervous. Jaimie and the girls decided to go as a group while Michael and the boys couldn't agree on what to do. Courtney and Michael worked up the courage to finally talk to each other, earning them teasing from their friends that both ignored. The two called each other frequently. The two shared interests in sports and games and would talk about them while they were away from their friends. Courtney would also help Michael with his homework, which Jaimie took offense to. Jaimie wanted to help him, but her dad took her aside telling her, "Let her help him, he is listening to her more than he does to you." John was right. Michael's grades did improve whenever she helped him study. Michael had a talk with his dad about what to do. He liked Courtney but didn't want to ruin his friendship with her and the other girls. He tried to talk with Jaimie but she wouldn't say anything, either way, she would only say, "Whatever you choose I am by your side." John thought it over and told him, "Follow your heart, but be aware of her feelings." Michael asked him, "Is this the same you felt around mom?" John had to search for the right words but finally said, "We are different, we had much longer and more time together than you two have. I cared deeply about her and couldn't stop thinking about her. I didn't want to hurt her so I didn't act on those feelings." Michael looked at him and said, "So it is the same. I really like her but don't want to hurt her and if it wasn't for her being friends with Jaimie I would never have the courage to talk to her at all." John thought it over again and said, "You are right. Go with your heart and let things settle on their own. But don't overdo it, you two are still young and you may find you like the idea of being close more than actually being close." Michael said, "Overdo it? It's just a dance!" John shot back, "To her it's more than that." Michael asked Courtney to the dance the next day, which she quickly agreed to. She gave him a kiss on the cheek as well as a hug, saying, "I was hoping you would ask." Jenna took him aside and said, "She cares about you, so please don't hurt her feelings." Michael was silent but finally said, "I can't guarantee I won't break her heart, but I can guarantee I won't do something to intentionally hurt her. I like her as a friend too much to do that and even though I like her as a girl more I will never forget that fact." Jenna smiled, and told him, "We know, we just wanted you to know that we care." Jaimie was watching the whole exchange between Michael and Jenna when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Richard of all people had come over and asked her if anyone had asked her to the dance yet. Jaimie shook her head and said, "I don't expect anyone to." Richard smiled at her then said, "Would you like to go with me?" Jaimie was puzzled and asked, "Why?" Richard laughed and said, "Why wouldn't I want to go with the prettiest girl I ever met?" Jaimie turned red from embarrassment then said, "OK, I trust you enough to go with you. Just don't let Michael bully you out of it." Richard smiled saying, "I asked for his blessing already, he said just don't hurt you. Plus I fear you dad more than him." Michael watched as Richard asked Jaimie to the dance. He knew Richard had feelings for Jaimie but had never acted on them. Richard wasn't used to girls and their ways, but even if he had experience with girls nothing would have prepared him for the intricacies of girls' habits. To him, Jaimie was a fun person whom he enjoyed talking with and enjoyed being around. She may be his best friend's sister but she was growing into being a friend all on her own. Jaimie being born a boy didn't faze him; he liked her for who she was not what she used to be. His father is a doctor and his mother a former nurse who volunteered with homeless people so he was raised to be open- minded and get to know the inner people. Jaimie was the nicest, smartest girl he had ever met and he wanted to be the one to take her to the dance. Michael had given him his blessing but warned that if he hurt her he would personally hurt Richard. Richard was also the best athlete in the school so he was able to get away with things that would get most kids teased, this included asking out Jaimie. Unknown to the others being friends with her made him a target. The only time someone tried to do something about his friendship ended with the boy having a broken arm and bloody nose and a warning for others to back off Jaimie. During the weeks leading up to the dance, Jaimie had to make her usual visits to her psychiatrist. Her encounter with Dan Lopez had brought up a lot of hurt feelings that she was still working through. Jaimie was slowly getting past them but she needed something big to show she was fine. A week before the dance Jaimie and the girls were going to spend the afternoon shopping for outfits. The only time they could all be together fell on the day of her appointment. Jaimie said she would meet them at the mall but first needed to go to her appointment but the girls insisted she come along with them. Jaimie couldn't reschedule, so the girls demanded to come along and wait for her. John was the designated driver again and led the girls into the waiting room while Jaimie checked in. Dr. Eliza noticed the five girls and asked what was going on Jaimie enthusiastically told her that, "We are going shopping for the school dance after my appointment, they wouldn't go without me." Dr. Eliza was intrigued, she never expected Jaimie to become so entrenched in the group. Dr. Eliza noticed Jenna and asked her, "Are these the same girls you told me about before?" Jaimie and Jenna nodded. Dr. Eliza smiled and asked that they all come inside so as to not disturb the other patients. The girls followed while John waited, looking relieved as the receptionist laughed. Inside the girls were asked about similar questions about being friends with Jaimie that Jenna had been asked. They mentioned their instant friendship and being shocked by what happened to her and enjoying her friendship. Stacy talked about Jaimie being seen as her cousin. Dr. Eliza asked Jaimie if that was Stacy's father that she had talked about before and Stacy nodded saying, "He likes Jaimie now, the two talk a lot whenever we are home." The girls mentioned Jaimie being asked to the dance by Richard and that she was the first person to have someone ask her. Jaimie mentioned Michael was first but they didn't include him because, "He and Courtney have been close for a while." Jenna mentioned that none of the other kids had been mean to Jaimie since the start of the year; Richard had been in a fight and won, telling the other boys to back off. This was in addition to the 8th graders doing the same thing in September. Jaimie asked if it was true. Jenna told her, "Mom talked with some of the other parents at parent's night. The boy's mother wasn't happy that her son had done what he did but Richard wasn't blamed. None of the kids want to make him angry knowing what he would do to protect you." Jaimie didn't know how to react but the doctor said, "That explains a lot. He cares about you a lot like your brother does for Courtney." Courtney blushed as the girls looked at her. Dr. Eliza thanked the girls for their support for Jaimie and wished them well at the dance. Jaimie talked with her for another few minutes about something else as the girls waited outside. John didn't ask what they talked about but could sense that the doctor was impressed with the girls. Jaimie emerged a little later and they went off, with a promise to let Dr. Eliza know how the dance went. John wished he had declined to drive the girls to the mall. He was in there for two hours as the girls looked at every outfit in every style and changed multiple times to see what looked good on them. He had a set of ground rules for the clothing that he cleared with the other parents, and after several fights over length and cuts the girls finally gave in and let him choose the final outfits. He wasn't as conservative as they claimed him to be. He refused to let them buy anything cut too short on the thigh or cut too low on the chest, other than that he let them choose. Jaimie found a nice skirt and blouse set that wasn't too short but bought leggings just in case. The others chose similar style skirts and blouses but with different prints and edges. They topped off their outfits with simple necklaces with matching friendship charms. In one shop he noticed something he wished he hadn't. Jaimie was on hormones for nearly eight months and she had grown a lot since then. John pulled her aside and through a cringing face said, "Time for a bra young lady." John nearly fainted when the words came out; the others looked at him as he turned red. Jenna looked Jaimie over and said, "Your dad is right, you do need one." The girls led her to the lingerie section where she found what she needed. John looked it over and said, "Your mom can get you more another time." John was still embarrassed but the girls said, "Congrats, it's a rite of passage for dads." On the way back they stopped for dinner and John was asked about his first dance. John said, "I'd rather not tell." Stacy joked, "We will just have to ask Mom." John turned red, he knew he was caught. John took a sip of his soda and said, "OK but don't laugh. It was 6th grade and a bunch of us decided to go together as a group. There was lousy music and barely anyone dancing but everyone in school was there. A couple of my classmates decided to start the dancing and dragged me onto the floor. I tried my best moves only to wind up slipping on the floor, going head over heels, and landing flat on my butt and had my head whack the floor going unconscious for a few minutes. I came to and jumped up fast and acted like it was all part of the moves but the kids in my class laughed. The rest of the kids cheered and started dancing; someone finally broke the ice even if I nearly broke my head" Stacy looked at him oddly. "Did mom laugh?" John shook his head, saying, "I don't know. I didn't know your moms then, I know she probably went but I didn't know anyone else outside my class." The kids looked sad but John said, "We were part of the 'special ed' class so we were together all of the time. Some of us made friends outside the class but that was only if you were neighbors or went to church together." The girls were silent, feeling sorry for John but he added, "Things changed for the better over the years, thankfully." John looked down and shook his head and said, "If they weren't better Jaimie would have been put into that class to keep her away from you girls." John had a tear in his eye at that horrid thought; the girls saw it and hugged Jaimie saying, "We wouldn't let it happen." When they got home Jaimie and Stacy recounted the afternoon. Valerie was happy that John had survived the tween girl storm saying, "better you than me." Valerie looked at one of the bags and noticed what John had bought. She lifted it out and pointed to it with a big grin on her face. John turned red in embarrassment as Jaimie said, "Dad said I needed one." Valerie looked at her saying, "He beat me to it, I was going to take you next weekend." Jaime jokingly added, "Jenna said it was a dad's rite of passage to buy one for his daughter." Valerie laughed telling her, "Not for all dads, your grandpa tried to send me to a convent when I needed one." John quickly shot back, "I knew I should have gone with plan B." Jaimie and Valerie groaned at that. Getting serious Valerie asked if he was hoping for a boy or a girl after this afternoon. John said, "I am hoping for a healthy baby" with a kiss to Valerie and a rub of her barely showing belly. Valerie laughed, saying, "Well-played sir, well-played." Melanie came over and asked John how he was holding up. Stacy hugged her mom and asked, "Were you at the dance Uncle John fell head over heels at?" John's jaw dropped as Valerie started laughing asking what she meant. Melanie started laughing as well, and said, "Who do you think was the first to see if he was alright!" John was stunned. He honestly didn't remember her. John asked her, "You were there? I don't remember you." She told him, "You must have had a concussion. You were out for several minutes. I was the one that got stuck keeping an eye on you. But you probably don't remember many of us from then, the way they kept you kids isolated from us regular kids always made me angry. I knew a few of you and couldn't see you as problem students." Valerie wanted an explanation. John and Melanie told her about the way the school used to be run, telling her how kids with behavior or social problems were isolated from other kids until they could be, "Normal." She shook her head saying, "That's a shame." John added, "I feared that was what they would do to Jaimie when she enrolled, thankfully that was changed after we graduated." Stacy and Jaimie showed their new outfits and complained that John refused to let them get anything shorter or tighter. Valerie looked at him asking, "You actually refused her?" John smiled saying, "Don't look so shocked, I may be lenient with her but I am still her father." Valerie quipped, "There's a first for everything." Jaimie gave her a mean stare while John joked, "You are still my baby girl." Jaimie gave him a cold stare but Melanie started to laugh. "John, I never thought I'd see the day. Don't worry Jaimie; it's a rite of passage for a dad to make his daughter mad at the outfits she chooses." Stacy said, "He did the same to me!" Melanie smiled and said, "And that's why he's 'Uncle John' he knows what your dad and I would say!" Stacy gave them cold stares then laughed. Valerie mentioned the bra purchase. Melanie burst out laughing as John got beet red again. Melanie laughed hard at Jenna's, "rite of passage" joke and said, "My dad nearly fainted when mom said I needed one, he threatened to send me to an all-girls school." John asked, "Am I really the only dad who has done this? I almost feel creepy having done it." Valerie said, "Most dads wouldn't have thought to do that for their daughter." Melanie added, "And most would have pawned if off on the mom, you showed you knew your daughter well and you knew what to do." John still said, "If anyone asks, it was suggested by you two first." As if on cue Dan walked in looking for Melanie and Stacy. He asked, "If anyone asks what?" Jaimie looked at her dad and said, "That dad bought me a bra without prompting." She gave him a sly grin and walked away. Dan turned red at the thought. He looked at John and asked, "You had to buy her a bra? You poor guy, they had better not be ribbing you. Melanie was a nervous wreck when Stacy needed one, I had to go to the store to get it. She didn't want her baby girl growing up." John looked at Melanie who now started to turn red. John raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh really? You little sneak. And here I was being embarrassed for doing that while you pawned it off on poor Dan." Dan laughed, asking what she said about the first bra. John told him, "She said most guys would pawn it off on the mom." Dan burst into laughter, and finally said, "Poor Stacy was more embarrassed than anyone, I mean having dad ask 'do you know your cup size or your strap length and other questions." Dan and Melanie left with John giving her a huge grin. Valerie asked, "feel better now?" John smiled and said, "A lot better. I owe Dan for the big save." Valerie kissed him saying, "That's probably the first time a dad has ever been happy another dad had a similar bra related experience." Chapter 17: Dance Fever John had a major project coming up in his class so he was unable to chaperone the dance, Valerie took his place alongside Melanie. Dan was doing a lot of work on the renovation project so he was busy for much of the evening which meant John had to watch Rebecca while he was also working on his project. This suited him fine. She and he got along great but she did require some help with her schoolwork. Rebecca was usually quiet at John's home. Normally she would play video games after her work was done but today she did something different. She came over to John and asked, "Why do you favor Jaimie over Michael?" John replied tersely, "I don't." She was quick in her reply, "Yes you do. Jaimie is always your first concern, Michael is almost never brought up." John sighed and asked her what she meant. "You talk at length about Jaimie. You tell everyone about her. You never do that about Michael. You hardly mention him to others." John winced, she was right. He looked at her and said, "I get asked a lot about Jaimie by people because they know of her and want to talk about her. People don't know Michael and those who do know he doesn't like the spotlight. He doesn't deserve being a second thought but I can't help it if people only talk about Jaimie." Rebecca could see John was feeling bad about the question but she asked another, "Why do you only talk with Jaimie? Michael and you barely talk." John thought for a minute and said, "Jaimie and I like a lot of the same things, we have a common background. I guess it's just easier to talk with her as she can understand me without explanation. Michael is so different, we talk about things but we can't communicate on the intimate level that Jaimie and I can." John had tears in his eyes at the thought of making Michael feel isolated or incompatible. "I try to talk with him, but he's at an awkward age where I seem to say or do things that make him frustrated easily. I am glad your dad is around because Michael has found someone who is alike. You yourself are much like them; I can see why you two are so close and why you care about him." Rebecca gave him a puzzled look but realized what he meant. She and Michael were always together and talked openly. When he was at her house they played together peacefully and when her dad was around the three of them were inseparable. She asked John, "Before Jaimie were you and Michael close?" John had to think but said, "We were, but not as close as you think. He was happy to have a friend and father figure and I had someone who reminded me of my family. We talked a lot but it was eventually more like parent/child than friends. When Jaimie came along and he started to take up the friendship with her while drifting apart from me." Dan popped in as John was finishing. Rebecca looked up at him and asked him, "Dad, do you see Michael as a son?" Dan looked at John who said, "She was just asking why I favored Jaimie over Michael, I said you were the kind of father that he missed out on." Dan leaned down and said, "Michael is a good kid but he isn't my son. He likes me but knows who his real dad is and I would never overstep that boundary. Besides, I don't need a son. I have you and your sister." He kissed her head as the two left. John was left to ponder things. He had neglected Michael for too long and had to rectify it. The two were growing far too distant and he needed to change that. After the dance, he would have a father/son trip with him. The idea from the fall had fallen by the wayside as the school year dragged on and the kids became fixtures in each other's homes, it was time for a revival. At the dance things were different. Jaimie and the girls were on one side of the gym while Richard and the boys were on the other. Michael and Courtney entered together but gravitated away as the kids saw them and gave a collective, "Awe!" to tease them. After several minutes Michael had had enough of standing and walked over to Courtney and asked her to dance. The two were the first to take the floor, followed by Richard and Jaimie. Jenna walked over to Will and asked him to dance. Claire and Stacy were left alone but were asked by two of their classmates, George Daniels and Eric Vincent who said, "five of you for three of them isn't right, do you two want to dance?" The girls quickly accepted and the dance floor was filled with the kids. Their classmates were giggling but soon the laughter died out as they saw others start to trickle onto the floor. The kids started to switch partners, giving others a chance to dance so the 10 weren't always together. Jaimie took the initiative and asked one of the wallflowers to dance, which led Jenna and Claire to ask two more. Everyone was having fun dancing without a care. The DJ played a slow song and the kids drifted apart. Michael and Courtney were still dancing together; the two had not left each other since they hit the dance floor. Richard found Jaimie and started dancing with her while Jenna and the others found the nearest boy or girl. The kids were enjoying themselves while the adults looked on. Valerie commented, "They took to each other faster than we did; I think it took half the dance before anyone had the courage to dance with a partner." Melanie said, "It took us an hour, John's attempt at dancing got us all dancing." The two started laughing when someone asked what she meant. Melanie added, "Oh, it's just an old story from the old school. 'boy meets girl, boy falls head over heels for a girl'." Valerie snickered at that, as the two got stares of disbelief at the inside joke. After a few minutes, she told them, "When she said my husband hit the dance floor he literally went head over heels hitting the dance floor getting knocked unconscious, that was the day he met Melanie and have been friends ever since." The other parents laughed at this story finally getting the double meaning. As the slow dancing began some of the parents were concerned at the closeness of Jaimie and Richard. They didn't think it was appropriate for her to be that close. Mrs. Clarence, ever the agitator, questioned if she should even be there at all, that she might give the kids the wrong impression. Melanie turned and asked, "What impression is that?" She didn't like the reply, "Boy dancing with another boy is OK." Melanie replied with a fury, "Correction, a girl with a boy and not one of those kids sees her as anything but a girl. And even if Jaimie wasn't a girl who the hell are you to tell these kids it isn't right? You may not like gay or transgender people but that doesn't give you the right to spout out your garbage about them." Valerie held her tongue, letting Melanie take the fight. Other parents said, "Five months in and poor Jaimie is still getting crap for being who she is from that idiot. A damn shame, she could cure cancer tomorrow and some people would have her thrown out on the street for being who she is." There were more nods in agreement. Valerie finally said, "Sorry that you feel that way about Jaimie, but please if you are going to complain like that save it for home. If you can't there's the door, use it. Remember that little form your children had to sign regarding behavior in school, you are held to it as well. Now if you don't mind some of us are here to enjoy watching our children enjoy themselves." She got funny looks before Melanie said, "You really don't want her mother angry at you. She was a caged tiger before pregnancy, now she is a nuclear bomb ready to go off if you mess with her kids." The other parents laughed in agreement, Valerie was one not to be messed with. The boys finally separated from the girls and went to the side to rest for a bit. Richard was the center of attention for being bold enough to dance with Jaimie. Michael wasn't teased for dancing with Courtney, he and Courtney were a legitimate couple. Richard was the first to say, "This is turning out to be a fun night." The others nodded in agreement. One of the kids wasn't too pleased. He said, "How could you dance with that freak? Have you forgotten what that is? Do you want everyone to think you are gay?" The other boys stared in shock. None of them would dare say anything that bold out loud let alone about Jaimie. Michael looked at Richard who was holding back his outrage. Richard signaled him to hold off. Richard said, "Are you jealous that I danced with the best dancer, the prettiest, or the boldest girl? I saw you didn't leave the wall the whole night, none of the girls came up to you. Even Jaime avoided you, and she is nice to everyone. I get that you feel inadequate because someone is actually going out of their way to be better but you don't have to be jealous and try to make everyone else feel bad because you can't do that." The boys started to laugh. Richard had ripped apart the boy's complaint without needing to hurt him and worse he made him look like a complete fool in front of the entire school. The boy ran off to his mother to complain. It was no shock to Melanie and Valerie he was the son of Mrs. Clarence's toadies whom Melanie had just embarrassed. After hearing the whining by the boy other parents told him bluntly, "They weren't mean, they told you the truth. It's not their fault you can't accept it." He fled in tears as his mother ran after him dragging an angry Mrs. Clarence and her reluctant and apologetic son Reed behind her. The other kids ignored the boy's outburst and went back to dancing. After two and a half hours the dance ended. The kids piled into the cars and headed home, talking about things that the other kids were doing and what they missed out on. Michael gave Courtney a kiss on the cheek before she left with her mother, the others watching him as she blushed. Michael nodded to Richard saying, "It's OK to do it," before Richard kissed Jaimie on the cheek. The two girls were the only ones who got kissed but they were also the only ones who were close to the people they danced with. John heard the story of the dance and was shocked that Jaimie had been kissed. Valerie laughed saying, "She is growing up, you can't keep her locked away forever." John quickly replied, "I can try, though." The kids laughed at him teasing him that if he had his way, "Jaimie would be locked away in a convent until she graduated college." John nodded saying, "keep it up and you will be locked up alongside her. I saw how you and Courtney are close." Michael turned red but laughed it off. Chapter 18: First Dates and First Kisses The week between Valentine's Day and February vacation was busy for the kids. Jenna and Richard turned 13 on the same day but were smart enough to have their parties on separate days. Both sets of kids were going back and forth between gifts to buy while trying to coordinate what they were going to do at the parties. Jaimie was caught up in the middle. She had to get something special for Richard especially since he had stood up for her at the dance. On Monday she asked Michael to help her do the shopping, which he reluctantly had to agree to under orders from their mother. Michael told her she would have to do the same for him for Jenna, which she gladly agreed to since she needed to do the same. Michael chose a simple gold chain with a stylized "R" pendant. It had two amethyst stones set in it. Michael said it was the best he could come up with that would be special. It was masculine enough that he could wear it without anyone saying anything and it was also fancy, perfect as a gift from a girl to a special boy. Michael found a similar pendant to the one that he bought for Courtney. It was a simple "J" shape made out of solid gold. Jaimie looked at it and said, "It's perfect, it isn't as fancy as Courtney's without the stones but it's perfect for a friend." Jaimie decided to go with simple gold earrings to match the pendant, knowing she would love the match- up. Claire and Courtney were disappointed that their gifts weren't as nice but Jaimie smiled and told them, "Don't worry. Courtney, you already got a nice one and Claire I think he might be getting you the same for your birthday." The girls caught the meaning. Michael wouldn't want to single them out by not getting them the same. Courtney told her, "He gave me a different one." The girls laughed at it, joking, "He likes you more than any of us, you are practically his girlfriend." She blushed knowing it was true. John asked them why they went so overboard on the presents, the kids could only smile saying, "best friends are special; they are our firsts not counting each other." Michael then joked, "And Jaimie couldn't resist copying my gift to Courtney" winking at the hint. John sighed, with a mumbled, "Just great, now we have to deal with boys." Jaimie blushed, she didn't think it was a crush just a close friend. Tuesday saw Jaimie going to her usual meeting with Dr. Eliza. She told her about the dance and how she felt. She was having trouble handling her feelings for Richard, unsure if it was simply because he was so kind to her or if it was something more. Dr. Eliza asked, "When did you start feeling that way about him?" Jaimie meekly replied, "A couple of weeks ago." Dr. Eliza nodded, asking, "Was it after he asked you to the dance?" Jaimie nodded, saying, "He has been acting funny around me for a while, but the last few weeks I couldn't stop thinking about him or looking at him." Dr. Eliza smiled, then told her, "This isn't because he was kind to you, this is more. I think you have your first crush. You are feeling the same thing every girl your age feels, in fact, I think your friend Courtney may be the best person to talk about this with as she has been doing the same for months." Jaimie looked down in shame, asking, "Is there something wrong with me for doing that? I know I'm a boy who is becoming a girl but is it wrong for me to have these feelings?" Dr. Eliza shook her head and said, "Any kind of crush is part of growing up but for you, it's a milestone. You are coming into your sexuality, your body is responding to boys the way most girls respond to boys. It's nothing to be ashamed of, it's normal. I congratulate you on this." Jaimie told her that her father didn't seem pleased. She told her about Michael's joke and his reaction to it. The doctor laughed and told her, "That's just a dad talking. I know my own dad had the same reaction when I was your age. It's universal, it means he has another concern to worry about and it means that his daughter is becoming a woman. It will scare him but it will also mean you are still his little girl." Jaimie finally felt better. When she was finished with her session Dr. Eliza told her, "be careful with your first crush, they can leave an impact that ripples years later. Him being a close friend means that it will have a strong impact, so be careful with your feelings and his." Jaimie nodded and left, thanking her. Back at home, Richard was playing video games with Michael. Michael asked her how her session went but Jaimie didn't say anything. Michael looked at Richard and said, "Oh, I see," and continued playing. Richard finished what he was doing and asked if he and Jaimie could talk. They moved to the kitchen and he asked if she wanted to go to the movies on Friday night. Jaimie's jaw dropped, he had asked her out on a date. Michael came in and asked him what he had said, starting to get defensive. Jaimie waved him off and said, "I need to ask dad and mom first." Michael demanded an answer. He was ready for a fight just in case it was something bad that he said. John walked in and asked what the commotion was about and Jaimie blurted out, "He asked me out. He asked me to go to the movies!" and burst into tears of embarrassment. John looked at Richard and asked bluntly, "Is this true?" Richard was scared and could barely mutter, "I asked her to the movies on Friday, that's all I did." John looked at Jaimie who said, "It's true." John sat down and thought about what had just happened. He told Richard to sit down as well. He looked Richard over and said in his sternest voice, "What are your intentions with my daughter?" Richard looked scared and only said, "I just wanted to have a fun night with her. Only a movie, nothing more. I like her too much to do anything bad to her and I know Michael would beat me up if I did." John thought it over, watching Richard squirm in his seat. Michael could barely contain his laughter, he figured out what his dad was doing already. John finally said, "OK, but you two are not going alone. Michael is going with you." Michael tried to protest, John said, "If you don't want to go alone then invite Courtney to go along too." It was time for Michael to become utterly embarrassed. He had been roped into a date with the girl he liked. He was handed his phone and made the call, when she picked up he told her, "Richard asked Jaimie out for a movie date. Dad said she can't go alone so I want to know if you want to go to the movies." John and Richard heard a high pitched squeal and then a quick, "Yes!" Michael told her he'd pick her up and that they would go to eat before the movie. He then told her that his dad was going to chaperone them. John groaned at this but Valerie walked in laughing, "It's your own fault, you can't let the four 13-year-old kids go out all alone." John tried to plead but was caught with no way out. Wednesday and Thursday were blurs for the kids. The others were jealous. Jenna said, "Thanks a lot, you four just had to let this happen the day before my birthday party!" She was half serious, she said, "It's about time your four stopped pretending there was nothing between you. I wish we were going too but this is one thing you can't take your friends on." Stacy and Rebecca helped Jaimie with her clothes and makeup. Valerie had decided that this was too important to let her wear just lip gloss and eyeliner, this required the heavy stuff. Rebecca had a steady hand that made quick work of Jaimie's face. She may have been a bit of a tomboy but she was practically an expert with makeup. Stacy was particular about Jaimie's clothes, choosing something smart yet light. Michael was given a hair restyling by Rebecca, he resisted but she had managed to get it combed into a "smart, mature look" without much maintenance needed. John took Michael to Courtney's house and let him squirm under her mother's and sister's questioning. The two of them were having fun when Courtney demanded they leave him alone saying, "You know him, you know he won't be bad to me or do anything that will hurt me!" They said, "We were only playing with him, it's a rite of passage for a family." Michael breathed a sigh of relief but said, "That explains what dad did to Richard when he asked Jaimie out." Her mother Gabby laughed and said, "It's a requirement!" The two walked out to the car and picked up Richard who went through the same questioning from Valerie. She added a legal slant to her questioning, asking him what his intentions were days, weeks, and months down the road. Richard could barely answer and started to sweat profusely. Jaimie finally said, "enough mom! You are going to scare him off!" John could barely contain his laughter. Valerie started laughing, saying, "I always wanted to do that, you two have fun and make sure your dad stays two rows back. I don't want him interrupting your fun because he sees the boys move in the wrong direction or scratch their nose the wrong way." Richard and Jaimie walked to the car and joined Michael and Courtney for their first dates. The kids weren't hungry after the interrogations so they went to the movies first. John bought the tickets for the five of them and sat two rows back as promised. The kids shared their popcorn, sodas, and candies which the boys paid for. The movie was boring to John but he found watching the kids even more boring. Jaimie leaned her head on Richard's shoulder about halfway through, which he reciprocated. Michael and Courtney held hands and she leaned onto his shoulder but he simply leaned back in his seat. The movie ended and the kids slowly walked to the car and went for a late dinner. The two couples sat next to each other while John sat nearby watching. Nobody made any moves, only sat eating in silence. The girls looked extremely happy while the boys were stoic, occasionally looking at John looking at them hoping they didn't make the wrong motion. John dropped off Courtney first. Michael walked her up to her door and said, "I had a good time, I hope you did as well." Courtney said, "Thank you, it's better than I imagined." He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. She returned the kiss but as he was moving away he accidentally made contact with her lips. The two stood in disbelief. Courtney leaned in and planted another right on his lips, leaving him stunned. She said with a huge smile, "Thank you, now it's a perfect night" and walked inside. Michael walked to the van smiling. Richard and Jaimie didn't say a word, too stunned to speak. John leaned in and said, "You two will remember this forever, son." Richard was dropped off next. He hugged Jaimie and asked if she had fun. Jaimie blushed saying, "It's better than I imagined, I hope it was fun for you." Richard said, "It was the best, I couldn't ask for a better night." He kissed her cheek and she did the same. He hugged her and said, "I won't steal Courtney and Michael's thunder but I want to kiss you badly." Jaimie said, "The heck with it," and leaned in planting one on his lips. The two of them parted after a few seconds, both breathless and blushing. Richard walked inside and fainted from delight. Jaimie walked to the van and had a huge smile on her face. John shook his head saying, "I need to invest in pepper spray and Tasers." Jaimie asked, "What do you mean?" John laughed saying, "If you can do that with just a kiss guys are going to be having fights for the right to be your boyfriend." Michael laughed saying, "My date was walking on air, yours is in need of a stretcher." Jaimie just blushed. At the house, Valerie squealed in delight. Her little ones were finally growing up and were full-fledged young adults. They were no longer kids. John was in disbelief, he didn't know what to do. Jaimie asked the two of them about their first kisses. Valerie blushed and said, "I was in eighth grade, it was behind the bleachers. The boy was the class serial dater. I thought he liked me a lot but he only wanted to get into my pants and feel me up." Jaimie asked her what she meant, she only said, "That's for another day when you are mature enough to handle it." Jaimie pestered John about his. John was reluctant to say. Valerie sensed it was a sour spot but genuinely wanted to know. John finally admitted, "A game of truth or dare. I was the one she had to kiss and she looked like she was going to be sick in doing it. It didn't help that my brother was there laughing the whole time." Valerie comforted him and said, "That doesn't count, don't worry." He looked down and said, "Then the real first kiss was with you, last May." Valerie gasped in shock. She looked at him and asked if it was true. He nodded saying, "The only person who ever got a real kiss from me that wasn't forced to do so was when I kissed you last May. I didn't date anyone before; I finally got the courage to do something about my feelings and kissed you. I am ashamed of it being my real first." Valerie leaned in and kissed him, then said, "It was worth it. You don't have to kiss everyone, your first should mean something and it meant the world to me." John felt better and Jaimie swooned, saying, "That's a better story than Michael's and mine." Chapter 19: Birthdays Between Friends The next morning Jaimie got a call from Jenna. She asked her to come over as soon as possible to help her set up for the party. Jaimie rolled her eyes, she knew the real reason she wanted her to come over was to pump her for information about the dates. Jaimie couldn't say no to the birthday girl so she reluctantly agreed. She did, however, say she was bringing Michael which Jenna reluctantly agreed to. Once at her house Jenna went right at her for information. She wanted to know everything, especially what he did with his hands. Jenna was bouncing in anticipation. Jaimie rolled her eyes and said, "All he did was put his head on my shoulder after I put mine on his. Nothing else, dad wouldn't allow it and he made it crystal clear to both him and Michael." Jenna tried to ask about after the movie, Jaimie only said, "It was quiet and we ate slowly. Dad let us eat in peace." Courtney walked in carrying some food and drinks. She had a smile on her face that lit up brighter when she spotted Michael. Jenna saw her reaction and raised an eyebrow. Something was going on there. Jenna asked her what was going on, Courtney quietly blurted out, "He kissed me!" Jaimie backed away, Jenna looked right at her and asked, "And you didn't tell me?" Jaimie quietly said, "It wasn't my place to tell, that's between her and Michael." Jenna pumped Courtney for every detail while Jaimie looked on still feeling bad about the secret. Jenna could tell something was the matter with Jaimie and finally said, "So he kissed you too. And don't deny it, if he didn't you wouldn't have had a problem after Courtney told me the truth." Jaimie nodded still looking down. Jenna held her and said, "I don't blame you for wanting to keep it a secret; it's something private between the two of you." Jaimie nodded and said, "He is a great kisser, though" finally feeling better. Claire and Stacy arrived with more food and presents. The girls filled them in on what happened with both gasping at hearing their friends getting kissed. Michael tried to hide away from the girls but was cornered by Claire. She hugged him, saying, "It's about time. I was thinking the two of you would never get together!" Michael just smiled and said, "Thanks, I think" and went inside to see if there was anything left to do. Richard arrived with Will a little late. He brought a large present from the two of them and headed to where Michael was sitting. He was looking at Jaimie the whole time, smiling at her. Jaimie smiled back but was trying hard to talk with the girls. Will asked Michael how the movie date went, with a wide grin on his face. Michael said simply said, "The girls are practically walking on air today." He asked Richard about Jaimie, he could only say, "She is Jaimie, it's hard to tell if she is happy or satisfied." Will didn't believe him but left things alone, knowing Michael was listening closely. The party went smoothly. Jenna was an only child and her mother was the youngest of a large family so her family kept to themselves while the kids talked and played games with each other. Jenna felt like a princess and was treated like one by all. She loved the presents especially the pedant from Michael, she put it on right away without a second thought. She gave him a kiss on his cheek for the gift and hugged Jaimie for her earrings. The others looked disappointed that she didn't like theirs as much as Michael's but they knew they were getting the same soon enough. Richard's present was a simple set of picture frames that had pictures of the friends together at the dance and at school. One was reserved specifically for a picture of the girls, which he had secretly taken when they weren't looking. Anne had the pictures put inside the frame ahead of time so she would get a bigger surprise from the gift. He got a big hug and kiss from Jenna. Jenna's family noticed her closeness with Jaimie and asked about her. Anne had not mentioned anything about Jaimie to her family; instead just saying that Jenna had made friends with the newest kids in school who had become incredibly close to her over the course of the year. Her parents picked up on her reluctance to tell them about her, asking her if she was, "The girl with the penis." She didn't answer, they tried to press but she refused to say anything. They got fed up with Anne and asked her what she was doing to Jenna. Anne shot back, "I am doing nothing. I don't know what you mean." They demanded to know why she was letting her associate with, "Someone like that" and, "Did you know you are going to cause her problems later?" Anne started to get angry and demanded they stop. "This is neither the time nor the place to have this discussion. She is a guest in MY HOME and I will not allow you to badger anyone with these questions." Her parents told her to watch her tone. Anne told them, "I am asking you one last time to stop." They got angry and shouted at her, "You watch your tone young lady!" Anne had had enough and told them, "Please leave; I will not let you ruin my daughter's special day." They refused so Anne said again, "I am not asking you to leave, I am telling you to leave. Leave now." They grabbed their coats and left, saying, "You are no longer welcome in our family; we will not allow people who to associate with freaks to have a part in our family." Anne shot back, "Thank you, I feel much better about throwing you out now." As they walked out more family members walked in. They noticed Anne's frustration and asked what was going on. Anne couldn't hold back and said, "If any of you dares to speak ill of Jenna's friends you can leave now. I don't care what mom and dad have to say about me but I'll be damned if they say something horrible about a guest in my home on my daughter's birthday." Her cousin and closest confidant sat her down and said, "Your parents are jerks. There's a reason nobody likes them. She is a great influence on Jenna and she loves Jaimie more than anyone in the world. If your parents can't accept that there are other kinds of people they are going to lead lonely lives." Her other family members agreed, offering her, "This kid is something else, Jenna is lucky she has her as a friend." Jenna walked in and asked what the commotion was about and saw her mother crying. She asked if, "Grandma and grandpa finally said something stupid" and shook her head saying, "I owe George $20; I thought they would last another hour before they said something about Jaimie." Anne laughed and felt better; Jenna hugged her and returned to the party. George wouldn't take her money, but his father did say she was better than her grandparents for being a good person. The party ended another hour later with the kids feeling extremely happy. Richard said his party wasn't going to be eventful but hoped it was at least going to be fun. Jaimie asked about it but Richard wouldn't say much, only that she would find out tomorrow. The kids met up at Richard's house the next morning expecting a small gathering. They went inside and gave his parents their presents and went to the yard where Richard was sitting. There wasn't anyone else there, only a cake and some snacks. The kids asked if anyone else was coming and he told them, "Just mom, dad, Aunt Beverly, and us 10, I didn't want to make a big deal out of this." The kids thought it over and he was right, he hadn't made a big deal out of it letting Jenna have the spotlight and better party the whole time. The kids entertained themselves while the parents talked in the house. Richard's father and Olivia were unused to having crowds over but for Richard they made an exception. The mothers gossiped about their kids' antics over the past week, which got John under the spotlight more than once. Valerie loved watching him squirm but added, "He took the dates a lot better than I thought, I expected him to take them home after a few minutes." John ran for the nearest door while the crowd laughed, Melanie, saying, "Oh come on John, who could blame you. We all went through that kind of date as kids." Melanie caught herself, quickly apologizing, "Oh no John I am sorry, I didn't mean that!" John looked down in shame and slunk outside, mumbling, "I'm going to check on the kids" hoping to avoid further embarrassment. The kids were busy playing party games while John watched. Dan was in the corner watching the kids when John sat down. Dan saw the embarrassment and fear in John asked him what was going on, John just said, "Needed a quick exit." Dan shook his head, saying, "Melanie can sometimes forget that you weren't a typical kid, poor girl loves you and is amazed at your change but forgets that it was extremely tough for you sometimes." John said, "Thanks, I didn't think you thought enough about enough to say something that comforting." Dan tried to console him and said, "She told me everything that she knows about your past our first night here. I heard stories from others about you at the reunions, not one of them flattering. Jaimie told me you two were so much alike and I finally put 2+2 together and saw that there was a lot going on that nobody knew about. She tries to look on the bright side but there is a lot that is best left in the past." Dan went silent after that. He said what needed to be said and gave John some peace of mind. The kids eventually got bored of the games and started to open presents. Richard opened Jaimie's gift and gave her a big hug and kiss on the cheek. Jaimie turned red and walked away fast while Richard himself blushed. The girls squealed in delight and jealousy. Michael gave him his most wanted video game while the others gave him the usual collection of gift cards and money. They knew that Jaimie's gift was going to be the most prized so they went with simpler gifts. Richard thanked the kids for a fun time. They told him it was fun to just have a party to themselves. Jaimie gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek as they left. John gave him a cold stare but patted his head letting him know it was alright. Michael left with a warning of, "Don't hurt her feelings" which Richard nodded in agreement to. Valerie was the last out and hugged him, telling him, "I am proud of you. You have made Jaimie extremely happy and she adores you. But be careful of Michael's feelings, he is still your friend and has to deal with his sister being close with his best friend." He said, "I won't, he made sure to tell me he won't let me forget that." Valerie smiled and patted his head as she left. Chapter 20: Winter Vacation The week of Presidents Day was a school vacation week in Massachusetts. The Finns decided to visit Missouri again to escape the city for the week. Jaimie let the girls know that she was coming and got an invitation to Jessica's birthday party on the first Saturday. She couldn't refuse but said she didn't want any trouble with her family. Jessica had cleared it with her mother and father. Jaimie was told they were happy to have her come; they were some of the few who liked Jaimie and were the first to thank them for what she did for the school. Jaimie remembered them now, bringing a smile to her face remembering their immediate support. To his surprise, Michael was told to come along as well. Jessica told Jaimie she always liked him even if she and he were never close enough to be friends. Jaimie had to smile at the hidden crush and what could have been. Jaimie bought her a nice pendant similar to what Jenna, Courtney, and Richard had gotten. Michael got her a matching set of earrings with small diamonds embedded. They thought that she deserved something special to remember her party so they found a matching bracelet and split the cost. Jessica ran to Jaimie and Michael when they arrived. She asked if they were staying long and was told, "just this week, it's winter vacation so we have school next Monday." Jessica was saddened but just happy to see Jaimie. Michael gave her a hug and showed her the presents, which she showed off to her parents. Jaimie was mobbed by the other girls at the party, all of whom wanted to know what she had been doing since she left. Jaimie told them about the school, the teachers, the kids, and the dance. The girls were surprised about the dance, she had to explain that, "It's tradition, they have at least two per year. In May we will be having a semi-formal where we dress up, it's like prom but without the limos." The girls swooned at the thought, jealous they didn't have the same event there. There used to be dances but the costs to keep the school open were too much for the school to afford. They asked about her friends and she told them everything she knew. She enjoyed telling them, "Courtney and Michael went on a date a week ago." Michael turned red and quickly replied, "So didn't Jaimie." The girls all looked at her in surprise, asking her about every detail. Michael sat back and watched them squeeze out every juicy memory. Jaimie tried to leave out the kiss at the end of the night but Michael said, "Ask about the kiss." She shot him a cold stare but he just smiled at the revenge. The girls joked that she went from being an outcast to being the only 7th grader in town who had kissed a boy and gone on a date. Greta and Quentin Nelson looked at Jaimie in surprise, mentioning to John, "She has outdone the girls; they are going to be jealous for a long time." Valerie laughed replying, "She already has them doing that in Winnisimmet, her friends have matured greatly with Jaimie by their side." When the gifts were opened Jessica nearly fainted at the three pieces of jewelry. Michael explained, "It's almost a tradition, we got similar ones for all our friends' birthdays." She kissed Michael's cheek and hugged Jaimie, saying, "They are beautiful." Jaimie said, "blame Michael, he got his girlfriend the first one." Michael blushed and said, "but you picked it out!" The other girls looked them over and agreed that they were beautiful and Jaimie and Michael had given her something to remember always. Before they left Michael asked Jessica why she invited him. Jessica told him, "I liked you. I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want anyone to tease me. I am glad that you found someone to date, you deserve someone special." Michael said, "You should have said something, you could have made friends with Jaimie sooner and things could have turned out different here." She shed a tear, asking him to forgive her. He said, "There is nothing to forgive, you made Jaimie's day just by being her friend and giving her good memories of this place." He leaned in and gave her a kiss on the lips. Jessica was breathless and swooning. Michael quietly said, "I hope this isn't the last time we see each other. Just don't tell Jaimie I did that." Jaimie shot back, "I saw that and I don't think Courtney would mind given the circumstances." Tuesday morning the Finns made a special visit to Dorothy Vega's office for a meeting with her. At the front door, they were greeted by Louis Reagan, Jenna and her mother Anne. Alongside them was the Winnisimmet school superintendent who held a big present for Dorothy. The group was met with a big surprised look on Dorothy's face. They told her, "We come bearing gifts." Dorothy started to cry; she showed them into the office and asked, "What gifts do you bring." Dorothy was given an official letter from the City of Winnisimmet saying, "We do hereby offer you a position as principal of the new Winnisimmet Middle School effective July 1st." Dorothy looked over the letter several times and finally said, "I accept", signing the contract offer. The group congratulated her. Dorothy called in her assistant and said, "I need you to call a general assembly for this afternoon for the last period of the day." When asked what it was about she said, "It's big news." Jaimie and Michael were asked to stick around; she wanted them to visit the 7th-grade class. They were told that the kids were studying the states and the two of them having now lived in another state for seven months and learning about their hometown they were perfect for a presentation. They were quietly shown inside the class as it was focused on a test. They didn't make a sound and nobody noticed them until the teacher said, "OK class, time is up. We have something special for geography and history today. Since we were learning about the different states and how they differ I thought it would be good to have someone from another state tell you about it. If our guests would be so kind, please come to the front of the room." A collective gasp came from the classroom as their old classmates saw what the surprise was. The teacher asked the kids to tell them about their city, state, and county governments, some of the history of their town, and how it differs from other places. Michael said, "We learned that there are hundreds of cities and towns in the state" then continued on for the next five minutes about the state. The kids were enthralled with the talk. Michael was doing most of the talking; Jaimie was content to help him out at points. He put a lot of effort into this research, Jaimie let him put it to work. The kids asked a bunch of questions. They loved hearing about the state from their former classmates. Louis Reagan watched the kids doing their presentation and smiled at all that they knew, and when they stumbled a bit Jaimie signaled him to come in and help. The kids learned about his job as an elected official and were shocked to hear that Jaimie and Michael weren't kidding about any of what they said. Louis went on to describe the city's dark past and how over time the city changed into a completely different place than what it used to be. Louis pointed out some things that the kids missed and mentioned how the kids had probably seen the city before but never realized it. He mentioning some movies that were filmed there and even showing pictures of the city's landmarks which the kids gasped at, several mentioning movies that they recognized the buildings from. Jaimie smiled and said, "We had one shooting down the street from our house two months ago." The presentation lasted a half hour. The kids and teacher thanked them for coming and were sad that they had to leave. The kids then heard the announcement of the general assembly and realized that there was something going on. Jaimie appearing at school wasn't a coincidence and the kids speculated that something was going on. 20 minutes later all the students were in the gym looking at their principal. They saw her standing alongside three people, a girl, and the Finns. The kids started speculating again that something big was happening, many hoping that the Finns were returning. Dorothy asked for silence. She smiled and said, "I have called you all here on such short notice to tell you something important. This past December I received an offer for a job in Massachusetts. During January I made a trip there under the guise of making a presentation at Salem State University based upon our tutoring program but several hours before I had an important meeting at Winnisimmet City Hall." She handed the microphone to the group. Louis, Jenna, Anne, and the superintendent made presentations to her requesting that she accept her job as the new principal. Louis was there on behalf of the city council, the superintendent was there on behalf of the schools, Anne was there on behalf of the parents, and Jenna was there on behalf of the students. The each handed special request certificates as they spoke. Dorothy started to cry to after the last certificate was handed to her and finally said, "I gladly accept the position." The kids didn't know what to say. They were losing a beloved principal to a school halfway across the country but then they looked up at Jaimie and Michael as they hugged and knew it was for the best. Dorothy told the kids, "I thank you for enduring this and I apologize to the teachers for another disruption to their lesson plans but this is something that had to be done. I leave you all this summer with my head held high and memories of you fresh. Thank you." And with that, the students were dismissed. Jenna and Jaimie were talking and giggling as the assembly ended. Jessica and other girls came up and asked if Jaimie and the girl were close. Jaimie introduced her to the girls, saying, "She is my best friend; she and I have been close since school started." Jenna introduced herself and listened as the kids asked her a bunch of questions. She tried to answer as best she could but eventually said, "Jaimie is fun, stylish, and great at makeup. She is the best friend I always wanted. She spoke highly of you girls." Jessica thanked her for helping Jaimie but Jenna said, "Jaimie won us over right away; she has taken care of us more than we have of her." With that Jenna and Jaimie had to leave as the Winnisimmet visitors had to catch a plane home. John drove to the airport and thanked them for coming, saying, "You didn't have to, but the kids are glad you did." He turned to Louis and said, "The students here haven't met anyone quite like you, a politician that actually cares about people. You will be remembered vividly here for a long time." The rest of the week went by fast. Joseph spent much of it spoiling the kids, playing with them in the yard and taking them sledding. John and Valerie relaxed while Evelyn doted on her daughter. On Sunday Jaimie became sick at the airport. It was a simple stomach bug but she was being denied entry onto the plane due to concern towards other passengers. John rebooked her and himself for Wednesday and had Valerie inform her school about the problem. Jaimie was embarrassed that they had to stay but her grandfather assured her it was perfectly fine and it wasn't her fault. Monday morning John got a phone call from Mrs. Eagleson regarding Jaimie. He told her about the illness and refusal. She asked if there was anything she could do for Jaimie. John thought for a second and told her, "You can email her classwork and homework, hopefully, she won't miss much." Mrs. Eagleson told him that she had another problem. It was test week in the state and she was required to take the state's standardized tests. He asked if there was any way to get it rescheduled but she said, "No." John asked if she could take it out there, even suggesting that she take it at the school under supervision. She thought about it for a second and had to ask the principal. Alice Rodriguez called John back within minutes. She had spoken with the state and they had agreed to let her take the test provided it is done under the same guidelines as other students. That meant a proctor and an officer to handle the test. She would take the entire test, not just the three days she was missing as the couldn't reopen the test after sealing it per state law. John asked about the officer and it was stated, "She or he is required to accept the tests and seal them with a tamper seal. You remember all the news about test tampering, well the state would rather err on the side of caution than deal with complaints." John asked about her situation, she said, "Jaimie would put the test inside the envelope; the officer would seal it, and place it inside an express envelope to be sent overnight to the school. We will hold it alongside the other tests and send it out as normal. The important thing is nobody tampers with it once it is sealed." John agreed to the situation and hung up. He placed an immediate call to Dorothy Vega and asked for her help. She agreed to help with the test and suggested that Jaimie takes the test in the conference room. She asked if she was receiving her schoolwork, John said, "It was emailed to her." Dorothy asked if she wanted to do it in class alongside the other kids, they might appreciate her being there. John reluctantly agreed, but told her, "I don't think the parents will be happy to see her." She simply said, "Too bad." Jaimie was told the plan. She shook her head saying, "just my luck, an extended vacation and I get stuck doing schoolwork." John laughed, saying, "Well it could be worse, you could be stuck in the middle of nowhere with strangers." Jaimie shot back, "Sorry, I already have a boyfriend and I'm too young to adopt a lonely, depressed kid" sending John off laughing. John placed a phone call to his professors and advised them of the situation. They weren't too pleased but offered him a chance to make up the work as long as he did something. He was told to observe some classes and take notes; they would be used in comparison with what he was learning. John phoned Dorothy and was allowed to observe the classes with the teachers' blessing. He asked why the sudden agreement and was told, "They won't deny a teacher in training an opportunity to learn. They do want to see your critiques, though, you might see something regarding their teaching that they didn't notice and correct it." John thanked her for being so helpful and promised to go unnoticed by the students. She jokingly said, "They are going to love that someone is watching their teacher." Jaimie's phone was buzzing the whole afternoon as the girls wanted to know where she was. She called them all back and told them she was stuck in Missouri and had to go to school and even take her test there. The kids laughed but then said, "It stinks but at least you have your grandparents." Jaimie asked about Michael and was told, "He was in trouble with Courtney over the kiss but they made up when he said why he did it. She hugged him saying that's the sweetest thing she had ever heard." Jaimie asked who told her about the kiss, and laughed when told, "Michael confessed first thing in the morning." Tuesday morning Jaimie and John walked inside the school and went to the office. Jaimie was shown the package from the city and introduced to her proctor and the deputy hired to oversee the test's handling. Jaimie was taken to the conference room and began her test. Jaimie was nervous about being watched by two people but worked hard. The test lasted just over three hours; she breezed through the questions and rechecked her writing twice before submitting it. She watched as the deputy sealed the packet and sealed the packet inside the package. Dorothy was handed the envelope containing the test and thanked the deputy for his assistance. Several staffers asked what that was all about; Jaimie told them, "It's a state required test so they must be sealed by a police officer before being sent off. He was here so I could legally take the test." The staff was surprised but joked, "Guess they really mean business back east." Jaimie grumbled, "Thank some teachers for that, they changed answers on some of their students' tests and now we need officers to watch the packets once the kids are done." Jaimie was asked if she had her schoolwork and homework with her and nodded. She was shown to the 7th-grade classroom and sat in an empty seat in the back of the classroom. The kids were told that she would be there so they weren't surprised but were shocked that she had to do work while they were taking their tests. She quietly typed her language arts paper and worked on her math problems and read her required reading assignments. The students who finished early were trying their best not to stare at Jaimie as she worked. She worked hard and fast but didn't notice them, she was too busy to notice. Jaimie's work wasn't overly hard and she was finished with all of it within an hour. She was unsure what to do and looked puzzled. The teacher asked her to come to the front and asked her if she was finished, Jaimie nodded. She looked over Jaimie's work and was pleased to see that she was ahead of them in some subjects. She asked if she was willing to help out in class to keep herself busy. Jaimie asked what they were doing and as she explained Jaimie agreed. Jaimie had done what they were studying the previous month. She was happy to help out and the kids seemed pleased as well. Jaimie watched as the kids went through their lessons for the day. During reviews, she worked with some of the students while the teacher worked with the others. She looked at their answers and pointed out how they might make a mistake and how to improve. A few asked how she knew the answers and she said, "We covered this last month, but you guys are ahead of us in history so it evens out." Jaimie had gotten them to improve their work enough that the teacher said, "I wish we had you all year" to which Jaimie said, "No, you don't. One day of help isn't worth weeks of outrage and fear. Non- understanding parents and other kids would make things miserable for everyone. I miss this place but I love my new school and friends more." Jessica came over and pointed out, "Eventually it falls on deaf ears and makes clowns out of people. Things are changing in this town already thanks to you. A bunch of the town staff is going to prison and others were fired, there are better people in control of the town." Jaimie countered with, "It already cost one person her job and who they replace her with may undo everything that she did here and be horrible towards me and anyone who supports me. I wouldn't want more to lose their jobs fighting back because of me. I am glad you are my friend but believe me it is a lot harder than you think to be my friend." While Jaimie was helping out the 7th-grade class John was having a fun time watching the 8th-grade class. John was trying to become a high school history teacher but in Massachusetts, the license also covers 8th grade as well. Dorothy knew this little fact and used it to John's benefit. The students were informed that he was going to be there and after a few odd stares Dorothy's prediction rang true. They were enjoying their teacher work hard to do things right under the eyes of an observer while John jotted notes. During lunch, he showed some of them and got a positive response. When told about some momentary lapses in memory the teacher said, "I didn't even notice that. I have done this for years and nobody pointed that out." John said, "That's the only thing I noticed, you teach just as everyone else but with some subjects more passion and enthusiasm. The kids don't notice it due to that." After lunch when classes changed John noted the teacher's strong grasp on the topic. He noted that he often gave them more time than expected allowing them to settle before starting. It cost them some time but made up for it in comprehension. The teacher thought it over for a bit and laughed. John's fresh memory of his college coursework had given him an insight that had been forgotten over the years. The teacher joked that, "No wonder you city students do practicums with older teachers, you see every bad trait we picked up over the years." After the day ended John showed his analysis to Dorothy. She joked, "You really did a number on him." John said, "He was happy I was honest. He may make some changes but he knows that whatever he is doing is working and was glad someone saw that." Dorothy was serious for a second and said, "This is why I wanted you here; if he can change others might do the same. A little bit of insight is a good thing." John nodded in agreement. As they left the good news was none of the parents noticed Jaimie was there that day. None of the kids said anything to them as they came out. Jaimie slipped away unnoticed after a tearful farewell from Jessica and her friends. Jessica's mother Greta caught a glimpse of Jaimie and asked her what happened; Jessica said, "Wait until we are home. Too many bad eggs here." Jaimie and John left very early the next day and arrived in the city with enough time for her to go to the second half of the school day. She was greeted with smiling faces and constant questions about the other school. All Jaimie could muster was, "I got a glimpse of what could have been this year but I prefer what I have right here much more. They are good kids at heart but they are nothing compared with my new friends." She was asked about the test, which Jaimie said, "The deputy said to thank the Commonwealth for him, it was the easiest job he ever had." Mrs. Eagleson was told, "The teacher said thank you for teaching us some of the things early, she enjoyed the extra help in class. She just hopes that you don't mind that I might be a little ahead in history now." She was puzzled then Jaimie said, "They use the same textbooks and already on the next unit in history. They don't go over things as deeply as we do." She laughed, saying, "It's OK; it's not the first time a student has been ahead by accident." Class continued as if nothing had happened with Jaimie up to speed faster than expected. Jaimie got a call from Jessica after school. She was told, "The staff told some of the parents and were outraged that you were in class. They wanted to know why they weren't informed. Our parents said to inform you of what? What she was doing there is none of your business. Do you need to know the reason for every visitor to every classroom?" Jaimie felt bad for them, saying, "Tell them I am sorry to have caused trouble." Jessica told her, "You didn't cause trouble; almost all of the parents were saying this was a whole lot of nothing and pathetic that people still had a grudge against you 8 months later. The kids in the class weren't happy that you weren't able to come for the entire week last week when they heard you had the week off." Hearing that the kids were happy with her coming by made her day. Jaimie thanked Jessica for telling her and promised to keep in contact even if she wasn't able to see her in person. Chapter 21: Birthdays and Father/Son Bonding March arrived and the kids had another birthday to look forward to. Courtney's younger sister Jessie and Claire had birthdays just over a week apart so the two decided to have a joint party. Their mothers were glad to cut down on the frustration but were constantly told by friends that it was, "Idiotic and stupid to downplay an important day." The girls ignored the complaints, insisting that they were so close that their days deserved to be celebrated together. Eventually, the complaints grew to the point that they just uninvited everyone except their immediate family, their group of friends along with the three boys and their parents. Rebecca. Jessie's brothers and Claire's brothers were invited only because they had to be. The girls told their brothers to be on their best behavior or they would regret it, their mothers took them aside and warned them, "If you do anything to ruin their special day you will regret ever being born." They had no choice but to agree. The girls were treated to a garden party in Jessie's backyard. A tent with lights was set up in the middle and a small band played on one side. The kids danced freely and were having a blast. Jessie made quick friends with Rebecca. The two were in the same class but hadn't said much to each other until that day and enjoyed playing on their own while the older kids danced. Rebecca was having more fun that she had thought while Jessie enjoyed having someone who wasn't there only because they had to be there. Dan looked on in surprise; he hadn't seen Rebecca so happy in a while. Melanie joked to the others that, "The poor thing, he is losing his little buddy to girlhood." Dan heard the joke and shook his head saying, "Next she will be dressing up and wearing makeup, so long sports and roughhousing." John laughed out loud, and then said, "You must not have met Karen and Leslie yet." Melanie joked saying, "What about me? I played sports!" John simply said, "Yeah but you were different, you couldn't push us around." He had to quickly duck as a carrot flew at his head as everyone laughed. The party was going smoothly until Jessie's brothers got bored. The three high school boys decided they had had enough and wanted to leave. Jessie begged them to stay but they insisted. She asked for an explanation, they muttered, "Word is out that we are at a baby party with the freak. If we don't get out of here we can kiss our reputations goodbye." John asked what they meant. The boys explained what the kids were saying. John made a quick call to get the whole story from reliable sources. A minute later he turned to them and said, "Apparently it's only a couple of people doing that. Unfortunately for you, they are the ones who texted you. The two Clarence boys got made fools of by my nephew and niece for talking trash about Jaimie in front of the wrong people. They are hanging out with the football and cheerleading teams so you can leave but you might want to think what the real impact will be. Those boys are in deep trouble and if you associate with them you can kiss whatever attempt at a social life goodbye. Bryan has never lied to me before so if he says they are bad news then they are." The boys looked stunned. They didn't know Bryan and Jaimie were related but knew Bryan and the team fought hard to protect Jaimie. To leave the party would compound the problem. Jessie was fuming mad. Her mother was even angrier. The boys were told unceremoniously to, "Get upstairs, you won't have to worry about reputations if you can't leave the house." They tried to protest but were told, "There is no argument, you knew the rules and you are not going to ruin your sister's party for idiots. Get upstairs right now!" They muttered some obscenities and left. John apologized to the girls and Gabby for the interruption. They proudly said, "You saved them from humiliation, they will be angry but they will get over it." Jessie was on the verge of tears but Claire hugged her saying, "Don't let them get to you. It's your party and you have the ones you love here. They didn't want to be here anyway, we are here because we want to be." Jaimie hugged her as well saying, "We have lots of time, let's forget them and enjoy the party." The party restarted without any mention of the incident. The girls enjoyed their new pendants. Stacy was the only one without one but was told by the others that she would get one before the semi- formal dance, it was only appropriate. Richard joked that the boys would get ones as well; he wasn't going to be the only one wearing one. The parents snickered, with Valerie saying, "I think they might start a fashion trend." Not long after the party, the boys were over the Finn house practically every day. Michael asked John if they could have a guy's weekend, saying, "It's been too long Dad, we haven't had time away from the girls since October." John had forgotten all about it with their school activities and birthdays, he had to agree it was due. The boys wanted to do something new and asked to go camping. Michael had heard about some of the boys' families going on weekend trips to state parks and thought it was something they might like, John was reluctant but agreed to the request. John told Dan about the trip and asked him to come along, the boys were extremely happy that the manly neighbor was coming but he assured them that John was more experienced. Dan was a city boy; John was a former Boy Scout. The drive out to the state park was a bit of a pain for John and Dan. The boys were constantly competing with each other to be the top dog in the car games. John had managed to keep them occupied for an hour but was struggling with how to get them calmed down and interested the whole weekend. Michael had a smile on his face and watched the changing scenery, enjoying the time away from the girls while the boys played games in the back. Dan sat silent, letting John take the lead while he was there for muscle. When they arrived at the campsite the kids struggled to set up the tents. John took his time explaining how they needed to be slow and steady. They were shocked at how easy they were to raise but more so that John had been able to do all three so fast without a second glance at the instructions. John finally said, "These are similar to the ones I used, so it's no big deal. The boys watched with smiles as John finished. Three tents went up within minutes with John barely breaking a sweat. The boys watched John make a fire while Dan prepped their dinner. Michael joked that, "It's like they switched places." John quickly said, "I did this dozens of times by the time I was your age but this is new to him, give him another trip or two and he will be back to being better than me at everything." Dan could only say, "Thanks but no thanks, this is one time I don't mind being second best" as he finished setting hot dogs on sticks. John said, "Don't knock it. The girls would love the scenery and animals and Melanie would love the peace and quiet." Dan said he'd consider it, but only for them. John nodded in agreement saying, "I don't mind boys going but I couldn't handle all the girls." The boys laughed at that. With camp set up, the boys enjoyed a hike. At the top of the hill at the end of the trail, they looked out over a large valley and saw nothing but trees and boulders, far different than the sea of buildings they were used to They spent several hours walking up and down the trails to the different vantage points taking pictures. Tired of walking Dan and the boys tried their hand at fishing not catching anything but enjoying the looks of frustration and the occasional fight with a fish. John only managed to snag a snapping turtle, struggling to get the hook out of its mouth before it bit him. Dan and the boys joked that it was, "better than catching muck" but John could only mumble, "I'd have preferred the muck, I hate catching snappers!" The boys looked surprised as John said, "I haven't caught a fish while fishing yet. My father and brother did all the fishing for us. He was gifted, I was terrible." John realized what he had said and let out a silent swear. It was too late, though. The boys asked what he meant. Michael told them, "Dad doesn't like to talk about him but he has a brother. The two were close in age and did everything together until they reached our age. Dad kept to being a good kid while my uncle went bad and got into drugs and crime. He's currently in jail; dad and he haven't talked in years." John held his head in shame for letting that slip. Dan shook his head and said, "I've lost too many friends to that stuff, I'm sorry buddy." At night John told stories of his Boy Scout trips. He told of similar fishing fails and how he almost fell off a cliff once only to be saved by a strong branch. He told about the horrible rains and sudden snowstorms and freezing in the middle of summer, laughing that this trip was the first one in a long, long time that the weather cooperated. The boys were in awe, Will asked, "How did you survive the woods?" John laughed saying, "I said I had gone camping before, I never said I was good at it." The boys looked at Dan who was laughing but then said, "At least it beats my experience, the closest to the woods I have come is Central Park or Van Cortlandt Park." When the kids were asleep Dan asked about John's brother. John held his head in shame saying, "Every family has a black sheep. He never grew up, he coasted through life, and he left us needing to get away from him." Dan asked, "Do you ever visit him?" John shook his head no, saying, "We had a clean break. He didn't want to get help so we chose to let him live his life as he saw fit." Dan said, "At some point, you need to. Just to let him see what he is missing. He might get the shocked into improving. My cousin did. He saw his nieces and nephews growing and saw how hurt they were at his actions that he turned around. Maybe seeing Jaimie and Michael and Valerie will do the same." John said he would think about it, adding, "They will have to meet him at some point." Sunday they headed back home. The drive was fast and uneventful. At home, John was pestered by Jaimie for details of the weekend. After several minutes of this John told him bluntly, "They had fun, did some things they didn't think they would do, and enjoyed their time away from the city and the girls." She tried to press for more details but John shut her down saying, "Some things you don't need to know, the boys had fun and that's all you need to know." Jaimie pouted and complained but John ignored her. He pulled Michael aside and asked him if he felt better now. Michael nodded, saying, "Next time can I just go with you? I like the boys and all but I want some time with you." John thought about it and said, "We will see, maybe we will go your birthday weekend. It will be just you and me." He hugged John saying, "I don't want to do anything else." Two weeks later it was his birthday and the two of them left the city for New Hampshire. John had found a nice place with a lake and boats, with a campfire circle and grill. Michael was dumbfounded as he saw their home for the weekend, saying, "It's perfect." The two spent much of their time talking about anything and everything. John got out of him his repressed frustration over Jaimie's constant good nature and lack of response to her constant problems. He told John, "I know she is good at heart and likes everyone but she needs to vent or it will come out at the wrong time." He was on the verge of tears saying that, John leaned in and hugged him saying, "I know, but we have to let her do it on her own. Just be there for her when she needs you is all you can do." Michael enjoyed going out with John in the boat and loved it, even more, when he saw how bad John was at rowing. Michael was a natural, doing the bulk of it before they had to return to the dock for dinner. John had been able to make some of Michael's favorite meals on the grill and in the campfire, making him extremely happy. The two ate their fill and turned in early both nights. On the way home, John asked Michael if there was anything else he could do for him to make him happy. Michael asked, "Can we see the Royals play when they come to town?" John opened up the glove compartment and handed him two tickets to the game the following weekend. Michael hugged him instantly, on the verge of tears he said, "How did you know?" John laughed saying, "It was obvious, you haven't been to a game yet and they are your favorite team." Back home they got cleaned up and had a small party. Michael smiled and showed off the tickets to the game saying, "Dad and I are going." Jaimie looked jealous that they were close but Valerie scolded her saying, "Dad does a lot with you, Michael deserves some father/son time." Jaimie rolled her eyes but didn't say a word. The boys were jealous but asked, "Why the Royals?" They turned red in embarrassment as they were reminded of where Jaimie and he came from, John joked saying, "At least it's not the Yankees." The game came up fast. It was a Saturday afternoon game so they were planning on a big day in the city after. It was pretty boring without much action but during the 6th inning, John told Michael to look up at the scoreboard. A special message saying, "Happy 13th birthday Michael Finn" flashed. Michael jumped up in excitement and hugged John asking, "Did you do that for me?" John shook his head no but Michael didn't believe him. Michael had a smile on his face through the rest of the game. Just before the last outs, someone signaled to John who then told Michael, "There's something else, another surprise for you." The two were led to an elevator that took them to the upper-level luxury suites. A door opened and the two were directed inside. Michael nearly fainted seeing who was inside, running to hug the special guest. John broke the silence jokingly saying, "I told you I didn't put the message on the scoreboard." Michael finally asked, "What are you doing here, Grandpa?" Joseph smiled and said, "I had business here in Boston, I let your dad know a couple of weeks ago and I set this up for you." He introduced Michael to the others in the room while John watched. Joseph told him they were executives with the Royals and had a special present for him when the word was given downstairs. John was introduced with the men mentioning, "He has told us a lot about you, we had heard a lot of the rumors about the 'Boston problem' but judging by what Joe tells us we are glad the 'problem' is a good one to have." Joseph told Michael that Mr. Tegan was a close friend who also happened to be part owner of the team and helped get the tickets for him. Joseph asked why he didn't bring Jaimie, John told him, "Michael wanted to some things without her, and we haven't had many father/son moments." Joseph looked at Michael's face and could see the enjoyment, saying, "I think she can live with not having you all to herself all the time." A knock came on the door and the group was led down in the private elevator to the clubhouse doors. Michael clung tightly to John as they walked in, seeing a group of baseball players he idolized growing up in Missouri. Mr. Teagan introduced Michael to some of the players and coaches, the poor boy was awestruck and speechless barely able to say, "Hello" as he was moved through the room. John smiled as Michael was paraded around, watching him at a loss for words. John was approached by one of the coaches and asked what this was about; John told him, "He's meeting his favorite team." The man looked puzzled and asked, "He's a Royals fan? In Boston?" John told him, "He's originally from Newhall, MO and hasn't lost his love of the team, I have tried but he won't give up on the Royals." The coach laughed it up, saying, "That's a first for me! A Royals fan in Boston!" As John talked with the coach and some players a ball was passed around for everyone to sign. Michael was about to leave when the manager came up and offered it to him, saying, "We can't let a true fan leave without this." The ball said, "To Michael Finn," with all the players' signatures. Michael's hands were shaking as he accepted the gift, thanking the team for their generosity and hugging his grandfather and Mr. Teagan for setting up the event. John drove the two of them home where Michael proudly placed his ball on the mantle in a protective case. Jaimie was jealous, John had to tell her that it was his special day and that hers as coming up in a month. She sulked at missing out on her grandfather but was told, "He agreed with me that Michael needed some father/son time without you." Jaimie still complained but John ignored it. Valerie thanked John for setting it all up. John kissed her, saying, "Don't thank me, your dad did it. He'd do anything for our kids. He wanted the chance to spoil him. Jaimie doesn't have to know yet. She needs a little humility and disappointment, Michael had enough of it already." Valerie kissed him and said, "She handled it better than expected." John joked, "but will she still love me in the morning?" Chapter 22: April Vacation To Remember April vacation brought the Finns to the anniversary of Jaimie and John coming together as a family. John felt it was time to take a vacation away from the family, one just for the four of them. He and Valerie sprung the surprise on the kids at the last minute, keeping it a secret from them while planning with the other parents to keep the other children from making plans with Jaimie or Michael. When the kids got out of school their bags were already packed and in the car. The kids were surprised and saw where they were destined for their eyes grew wide; they were heading to Orlando, Florida! They ran to John and Valerie and gave them huge hugs thanking them. The flight was amazingly quiet; the kids were overjoyed and didn't want to ruin the fun by talking or fighting. Valerie cherished the peace, knowing that the kids would not like their true destination. The plane landed and the kids started to jump for joy at seeing signs for the theme parks in the area. Before the kids could get too wild John informed them that they were taking a side trip to Tallahassee first. The kids looked sad but he said, "It's the last relative I want you to visit; I just want you to meet her just once. I don't like going there but there would be serious problems for our family if we didn't go." The kids weren't happy but didn't complain, Valerie, assured them that it was just a quick trip and, "You might like her or you might not, but it's important to visit her so you will have met all of dad's family that he wanted you to meet." John gave her a mournful look. He knew it wouldn't go well not matter what happened. The woman they were seeing just simply hated his branch of the family no matter how well they were doing. The family got into Tallahassee very late. The plane ride was a short one but it still killed most of the afternoon and evening for the family. Thankfully the hotel was close so the kids were able to get to bed fast while their parents prepared for the next day. John told Valerie, "I am not looking forward to this. It'll be a waste of time. She has hated me for a long time. No matter what I do she has a critique and insult despite her nice old lady exterior." Valerie tried to console him saying, "Whatever happens we will love you." John didn't feel better but at least he knew they were backing him. The next morning the kids were up later than normal. John drove the family the short distance to his Cousin Victoria Williams's apartment in silence as the kids watched the Florida scenery. They were met at the door by a short elderly lady who gave him a big hug and a surprised look. John had called Victoria the week before to tell her they were coming and was told that he wanted to introduce her to the newest family members. She was surprised that he had called at all, the two were barely in contact and she hadn't seen him in four years. Victoria was introduced to the kids and Valerie whom she gave a long, shocked look upon seeing her small, barely showing pregnant belly. John proudly told her, "We are expecting in mid to late August." Victoria ushered the family inside and John got down to business and told her the nature of the visit. He told her that this was the anniversary of becoming Jaimie's foster father and she was the last member of the family that he wanted her to meet. She looked at Jaimie and asked, "What is so special about her that you had to do this in person?" John said, "What I am about to tell you I expect you to be respectful about. I don't want to upset the kids so please calm your reaction." Victoria was puzzled but agreed to remain calm. John told her about Jaimie's past and what brought the two together. She nodded saying, "Sounds exactly like you." John ignored her snide remark and continued with how she was right but there was something more. "Victoria, Jaimie is not a regular girl. She was born a boy and is becoming a girl. She is 10 months into her transition, hastened by a brutal beating that left her impotent and without testicles." Victoria sat back and reddened. She was fighting for the proper words to convey her thoughts. Jaimie and Michael looked on in fear. Victoria finally spoke, "I need to speak with you alone. I don't want the children to hear what I have to say." Jaimie refused to leave saying, "I have heard it all before, you can't say anything that the kids and adults haven't already said to me." Victoria looked at her and shook her head but held her tongue. Valerie took them into the hallway where they could hear but not be seen. Victoria finally said what was on her mind, "I can't believe you would do that. I know you were lonely and isolated from the family but you didn't have to create your own. She is a delightful child but what you are doing is an affront to God. I know you think it is for the best but you are harming the child, you are going to condemn her to Hell! Please, I can't allow you to do this. Think of what you are going to do to yourself let alone it. Get her out of my sight before I do something we both might regret" John shook his head. He looked at her and asked, "So you don't approve of Jaimie. You are rejecting her as family?" She jumped up saying, "Yes I do. I can't accept her as anything but an abomination who brings shame upon our family." John calmly said, "I thank you for taking your time to meet with us but this will be the last time you see me. If you can't accept my daughter then you are no longer family to us." She tried to plead with him saying, "I don't want to lose you over this." John shot back, "You lost me a long time ago. You have been critical of me for years and avoided me whenever you visited so cutting you out is not an actual loss for me." Victoria tried to plead with him but he only replied, "Jaimie is my child, I will not let her go because you can't accept the truth of her situation. It was nice knowing you but this is goodbye." John and the family walked out. Jaimie was hugging John saying, "I can't believe you did that, you didn't have to do that for me." John held her out and said, "Yes I did. She has been distant for a long time so losing her doesn't matter. Your real family accepts you no matter what. You have an uncle, three aunts, four cousins, two grandmothers, a grandfather, a great uncle, and a great aunt who all love you and support you. They are your real family no matter what that sorry excuse for a relative says." The trip back to Orlando was mostly in silence as John updated the family on what happened. Jaimie got a phone call from her aunts and grandmother saying, "Don't worry about her; she is the one missing out on knowing you." Jaimie cried every time she heard them say it; it had been the best present they could have given her. One by one the family said they were cutting ties with Victoria. John's aunt was the last to do so and surprised Jaimie the most when she heard. She had come to love Jaimie a lot over the past 11 months and wouldn't let anybody say a bad thing about her. Jaimie kept thanking her for the support but she was constantly told, "If she doesn't like you then she loses out on you, and losing out on you is unacceptable." The theme parks kept the family occupied for the next eight days. The first stop was Disney's Wild Animal Kingdom. The kids loved the safari ride especially the up close encounters with elephants and lions. Michael wasn't big on animals but loved to watch Valerie cringe whenever one of the large animals got close to the vehicle. He teased her that she was, "Making them come at them closer" which got John and Jaimie laughing but earned him a cold stare from his mother. Next up was another theme park, Universal Studios. The kids weren't too happy to spend some time in a "boring" studio area, but with one of John's favorite TV shows being the centerpiece they trudged through it. They did enjoy watching John act like a kid at some of the buildings, even teasing him for taking so many pictures. The next two days were spent at water parks. Valerie wasn't happy showing off her baby bump but John said, "You look simply beautiful," while the kids said, "Nobody will notice." Jaimie was scared about people finding out about her but Valerie assured her that she looked amazing and unless they ripped off her suit, "Nobody could see anything out of the ordinary." They did keep a close eye on her throughout the park, with Michael at her side at all times. Thankfully nobody noticed anything and if they did they never said anything. The next four days were spent at the big attraction- Disney World. They hit the usual hot spots as well as taking the obligatory pictures with the various characters. Jaimie especially loved taking pictures with the princesses with them all mentioning how pretty she looked, much to Michael's dismay. Michael got them to go on some of the thrill rides with John being dragged reluctantly on some of the roller coasters. Jaimie went along with Michael's choices but demanded they ride some of the lesser rides like the teacups. Michael groaned at the suggestion but actually liked the rides. John spent much of it scurrying from one place to another going on most of the rides while Valerie watched and took pictures. She shook her head as they entered the park and watched the kids run up to one of the rides saying, "This is probably the only time I am unhappy being pregnant." John felt bad and said, "I am sorry too; I hope I can make it up to you." Valerie laughed saying, "Don't worry, you are getting late night feeding duty and diaper duty as compensation." John grumbled, "Thanks a lot, it's the last time I volunteer for anything," and was dragged to another ride. Valerie was just happy to have the kids happy and enjoyed the look on John's face. She wasn't really thrilled about rides but even so she missed having the opportunity to go on them with the kids. John embraced her and told her, "There's a small amusement park in New Hampshire, I think you might enjoy taking the kids there after the baby comes. I'll watch him or her while you have fun, it's only fair." She kissed him on the cheek saying, "You know how to make a girl happy." The kids only heard the word, "Amusement park," and, "After the baby comes," and cheered. John quickly said, "Me and my big mouth" as the kids wanted more information. On the way back home the kids kept pumping John for information about that amusement park. He was quiet about it, only saying, "Maybe if you kids are good we can make it a group trip after school ends, but what I was talking about won't happen until after the baby is born." The kids groaned but realized this meant two trips, which meant their friends were going too. They were quiet about it until they got home. Back in Winnisimmet, the kids were quick to call their friends to get up to speed on what had happened. Jenna and her mother had gone to see her paternal grandparents in another part of Florida. Courtney went to her mother's lake house in Maine. Claire's and Richard's families stayed home due to his father and her mother working. While Will entertained his dad's relatives for the week. They were all thrilled to hear about Michael and Jaimie's trip and demanded pictures. They were also happy that John had defended Jaimie even if it meant he lost a cousin. They were pleased that Jaimie wasn't too shook up about it, saying she, "Matured" more than they could have hoped. Jaimie cried as they told her but knew she was hiding her real pain. Chapter 23: Bad Dates and a Good Semi-formal The month of May meant it was the start of semi-formal season for the kids. It was the only other dance that the school had for the 7th and 8th graders and it was the biggest event for the kids. The girls were thrilled to wear elegant dresses while the boys were happy to have another chance to enjoy a night with the girls. Like last time there was talk of a date before the dance. Richard and Jaimie and Michael and Courtney were going as couples again. Jenna had decided to take Miles Arnold with her while Claire was taking Will. Stacy was taking an 8th grader who was new to Jaimie and Michael but was known to the others through other classmates. The kids decided on going to a movie the Saturday before the dance. Like the last time John was selected to take the group, but this time he would not be watching the movie with them. Rebecca asked to go along and since the kids had decided on a more teen friendly movie she and John decided to let them have their time alone while they watched a Disney movie in another theater. Rebecca thanked him for taking her but he said, "No need for the others to have all the fun." The kids were extremely pleased with the freedom. John told them to go get him if there were any problems, but otherwise, they were on their own and would be entrusted to keep safe and act appropriately. He pulled the boys aside and told them, "No kissing, touching, or otherwise inappropriate behavior. If she says stop you stop. I am serious about this." The boys nodded in understanding and went inside. Rebecca asked why he gave them the warning, John told her, "I trust Richard, Michael, and Will but not the other two. Miles may be their classmate but I don't know him well enough to trust him the same way." Rebecca seemed to understand and let it go. About halfway through the movie, John got a tap on the shoulder from one of the ushers. He was asked to come outside as there was a problem with the kids. He immediately saw Stacy near the bathroom, rushing towards him in tears. Beside her was Bryan who had a fierce look on his face and a balled fist. The usher told John, "She walked out of the theater and was followed by one of the boys to the bathroom. He started kissing her and grabbed her chest and privates. She tried to get away telling him to leave her alone and tried to go into the bathroom when he cornered her and threatened her saying 'nobody will believe you, I'll make sure everyone knows you came onto me.' This young man pulled him off of her. The boy took a swing at him and was punched in the face. We have the boy in the office." John asked Bryan, "Did you see it happen?" John's nephew Bryan had a scared look on as his face as John addressed him. Bryan nodded and said, "I tried to get to her as quick as possible. My date also saw it and went for help." Bryan's date Paige Seville was standing close by looking scared. John turned to Stacy and asked, "What did he do to you? Through her tears Stacy barely uttered, "He grabbed my boobs and tried to stick his fingers up under my panties between my legs and kept kissing my neck. I told him to stop but he wouldn't. He wouldn't let me go until Bryan grabbed him." She was in full tears and all John could do was let her hug him and cry. After a few seconds, she calmed down enough for him to escort her to her sister. John went back outside to the lobby and called Melanie and Dan, then the boy's parents. John was also informed that the police were coming. When they arrived they were shown the security footage of the incident. The boy was placed under arrest as his parents arrived. They were screaming at the officers to release their son but the officers ignored their request. When told what happened they insisted that Bryan should be arrested as well but were told, "We reviewed the security footage. That young man stopped a sexual assault in progress involving your son. Your son threw a punch at him so his hitting your son was entirely in self-defense." They tried to insist but were bluntly told, "You can try but beware that there are multiple witnesses in addition to the security footage." They stopped insisting and watched as their son was led away. They tried to apologize but were brushed off by all. Bryan wouldn't look at them, he was more concerned with Stacy and Paige. The other girls grew concerned when Stacy didn't return to the theater. Jenna walked out to look for her but was signaled to go back in by John. When the movie finally ended they went to look for their friend and were told what happened. Michael and boys were furious and wanted blood. Jenna and Jaimie had to calm them down telling them, "It's been taken care of, she needs us now." John told the kids that the boy was in deep trouble. He also said that he had threatened Stacy's reputation so be on the lookout for rumors. Miles grumbled, "He is the biggest liar in the school, but she is too new for people to know the difference. Nobody will believe him but they will start seeing her differently." The boys had a word with Miles who told them, "I will take care of this. I know exactly who to talk with and will be more than happy to stop that liar before he hurts her again." Bryan became the center of attention. The girls tried to thank him for helping Stacy but he kept pulling back. Paige told him, "Just let them get their frustrations out, you are their hero." She talked to John about Bryan. John told her, "You know Bryan wears his heart on his sleeve. He will be frustrated that he ruined your evening." She looked at Bryan and how he acted. She asked, "Does he always act that way around the girls?" John pointed out, "Bryan knows Stacy and Rebecca are like my nieces so he sees them as cousins too. He is of the belief that if you are friends of family you are family as well. He would do anything for family and protects us no matter the cost. He'd do the same for you." She seemed to accept this, looking at him in wonder. John gave Bryan some money for a nice dinner. Paige asked him why John told her, "We ruined your evening; this might make up for it." She said, "You didn't, you showed me the real Bryan that Hannah doesn't let us see." Miles was true to his word as that Monday there was no rumor about Stacy. The story that did circulate was that the boy was arrested for assaulting a girl and knocked out with a single punch from a high schooler protecting her was hot news instead. Stacy's assailant tried to rationalize it and make her look bad, but when someone pointed out that it was on camera he shut up. Stacy got some sympathetic hugs from the other girls in school but mostly the kids left her alone, not wanting to risk the wrath of her 9th-grade guardians. Dramatic weekend aside the kids spent all week preparing for the upcoming semi-formal dance. Valerie and Melanie were constantly talking with Jaimie and Michael about the dance with Michael groaning with each passing question. He just wanted a simple suit and tie while Jaimie wanted an elegant evening gown. Jaimie argued for makeup and jewelry while Michael argued that they were going overboard and they should just keep it simple. John was stuck as the odd man out. He was babysitting Rebecca all week which meant the two were talking or watching sports. The two got along great but this week she had something on her mind. Rebecca stopped beating around the bush and asked him, "Do you think I am girly?" John was stunned; he didn't know how to reply. "I know you are girly, you are the best makeup artist I have ever seen." She shook her head and said, "The girls in my class make fun of me for being too athletic. They say girls shouldn't play sports or can't be girly and play sports." John shook his head in disappointment. He finally said, "What a load of garbage. I guess they have never seen some of our Olympic athletes or soccer players. Some of them are models; you can't get much more girly than a model." She smiled at that but said, "They still think I am odd." John thought for a moment and said, "I have an idea. I have to pick you up from school on Friday and we can spend some time in the park next to the school. The girls will be there but they will have a shock." She asked what he meant, he simply said, "Wait and see." Friday John picked up Rebecca from school and looked her over. He blurted out, "Since when does your mother let you wear makeup to school?" The girls in her class looked right at her. John said, "Hand them over, you know she doesn't like you wearing makeup." She produced some eyeliner, mascara, foundation, and lipstick. John fought a laugh as she played along perfectly. The girls joked, "She doesn't wear makeup; she's too boyish to do that." John had a sly smile and handed her a wet napkin and watched as she removed every bit of the makeup she had on. When the girls saw the makeup smudges on the napkin and her paler face their jaws dropped. Her face looked different, lighter and less pronounced. John looked at them and said, "You mean you haven't seen her look like this? She is good at her makeup but darn, she must be great if she hid it from you girls since January." The girls still didn't believe she had worn it let alone every day since she came to school. John's phone rang and he said, "We are at the park next to the elementary school, she's here with me. I'll let her know you are coming." John turned to Rebecca and said, "Hannah needs a favor from you. She has a date tonight and she and her friends need your help." Just then Hannah appeared with three of her friends. They walked over to Rebecca and hugged her saying, "We need your help." Rebecca grabbed their purses and found the right items and started working hard at getting their faces right. The girls sat stunned, watching her rush through four faces in a matter of minutes transforming the girls' faces right in front of their eyes. Hannah hugged her and said, "Thanks, cousin." The girls were still in shock when one said, "She is still boyish. No girly girl would be caught dead playing sports." Hannah and her friends turned around and demanded an explanation blurting out, "Why is that?" The girls couldn't answer but one said, "It's not girly. They can't look pretty and play sports." Hannah burst out laughing and said, "Have you seen any girl athletes? They are some of the most beautiful girls in the world." They tried again to say, "It's not girly." Hannah shot back, "Look at the four of us. Do we look boyish to you? We are cheerleaders, play softball and basketball. Can you honestly say we aren't girly because we play sports?" The girls didn't know what to say. Hannah had made her point hard. They were four girly girls standing right front of their faces. Rebecca was fighting back a smile. She simply said, "Thanks, girls, I owe you one." Hannah stopped her and said, "No, you did us a huge favor. Uncle John was right you are the best makeup artist in the city." Rebecca thanked John for doing that. John laughed saying, "Don't tell your mom I said that about girl athletes, she might start telling more stories." Rebecca laughed as the two drove home. Rebecca let her mom know what John had done and got a hug from Melanie. She asked, "How did you know to do that?" John replied, "Hannah had to go through that before and it seemed like the best way to get them to stop." Melanie hugged him again saying, "She loves you a lot and worships you for being there for her." John just smiled saying, "She simply reminds me of her mother, same attitude, and personality just with a bit more feminine mystique." John had to duck a cushion tossed by Melanie as both laughed. With Rebecca's situation settled the girls came in. They were decked out in beautiful dresses in matching styles. Jenna wore red, Jaimie blue, Stacy green, Claire yellow, and Courtney pink. All five wore matching pendants and earrings with bearing their initials with Courtney and Jaimie having jewels in theirs. Rebecca and Michael were speechless. Michael was wearing a dark gray suit with matching tie and light gray button-down shirt. He was wearing his pendant outside his shirt. Valerie took a bunch of pictures of all of them together as well as some with John and Melanie. She asked John to take her place for the evening as she was feeling exhausted from dressing the girls. Melanie and he would chaperone at the dance while she would watch Rebecca. John reluctantly agreed and put on his best suit while Melanie returned wearing a simple black dress. The kids joked with their parents that, "They look like they are back in school." John blushed but Melanie joked, "Well it was our class that originated this dance back when we were in high school; we should be able to get dressed up for it!" The kids simply groaned and piled into the cars and left. Stacy got a surprise when they arrived. Waiting for her was Bryan, decked out in a gray suit similar to Michael's. She asked what he was doing there; Bryan said, "Rebecca told Hannah you didn't have a date so Hannah forced me to come. She almost broke my arm making me dress up." Stacy started to cry but Bryan took her hand and started to dance. The other kids watched as they enjoyed themselves. Once the shock of the high schooler dancing with the newbie 7th grader wore off Jaimie and Richard were again the lives of the party, going out of their way to get others dancing and changing partners frequently so everyone danced with someone else at least once. John stood on the side and watched. Melanie asked him, "Do you remember our semi-formal?" John lowered his head in sadness and said, "I didn't go to it." Melanie gasped, asking him, "How did you miss out on one of the most important dances?" John reluctantly said, "I couldn't afford to go to any of the dances in school especially not the semi-formal or prom. We didn't have any money to pay for the clothes for dances like that, I couldn't go in my normal clothes so it was pointless to try to go anyway." Melanie looked at John who was trying his best to avoid eye contact. She had forgotten he grew up extremely poor and how he avoided buying things and kept to himself at lunch. She dragged him onto the dance floor saying, "It's time to make up for lost time. You deserve at least one dance." John tried to resist but she wouldn't let him back out. He had to go through with it. The kids smiled at him and made space for the two, John started to get into it and let a little smile break through. The kids patted him on the back saying, "better late than never." Bryan joked, "Mom will love this" to which John replied, "Tell her and you will regret it." The adults asked what that was about. Melanie told them, "John was overdue for a dance; he gave up so much in school that he deserved one moment out there with his closest friend." They looked at the kids who were dancing and asked, "He never danced before?" Melanie said, "Just one in sixth grade. Afterward, he could never afford to attend, choosing to pay for lunch rather than a night of fun." The parents looked at him and shook his head, finally saying, "Guess you are right, he looks a lot happier now." John was smiling more but gave the biggest one whenever Melanie looked. The dance was a rare night without incident. Jaimie and her friends enjoyed themselves thoroughly and were smiling the whole night. Stacy and Bryan were awarded the solo spotlight dance to the cheers of their classmates, the parents joined in on the cheers as the two had been the most active in getting kids involved in dancing and having fun. The last two songs all of the parents danced with the kids with the songs meant to burn off excess energy. Melanie and John danced together, John saying, "I wish I had been able to go to more of these." Melanie laughed, "They weren't that much fun, it's the people that went that made them fun. You would have made them epic." John laughed at that. Stacy thanked Bryan for the fun night. He leaned down and kissed her cheek saying, "I couldn't let one scumbag ruin your fun. Plus Hannah would have skinned me alive if you didn't enjoy yourself." Stacy laughed, "Remind me to thank her for this." Jaimie and Richard parted with a kiss. Richard asked for another date in the near future, Jaimie agreed but said, "As long as you don't mind being watched like a hawk by dad." Richard quickly pointed out, "So, it'll be like any other day?" The two laughed while John grunted in annoyance. Michael and Courtney parted with a kiss and hug. He asked her if she wanted to go to the movies again, she enthusiastically said yes and asked that it just be the two of them this time. He would tell Jaimie and Richard about it and assured her they would comply, but his dad wouldn't. She said, "My mom would be the same so I don't consider him as being there as he is going to be there anyway." John cleared his throat to speed them along so they parted with another kiss and blushes. At home, Melanie and John recounted the evening. The kids listened to another John related story but looked down in shame. John admitted that, "We didn't have much but we tried hard and worked hard. It's why I don't want you kids to go without and spoil all six of you." Stacy asked if he missed not going to the dances. John admitted, "It's something that I regret missing out on but can live with. There are other things I regret more like not making more friends, not applying myself in some classes, not helping to plan events. Your mom did these things and it helped her a lot to get to know people in school. It always made me jealous but I chose not to do those things." Stacy looked at her mom who was remembering all the things John mentioned. She looked at him and said, "You never told me you might want to do those things." John shot back, "I was too afraid that an outsider like me joining the fun would ruin it for all." Stacy asked, "Would it have really?" Melanie shook her head and said, "They always looked for more help and you were one person they always mentioned. You would have been highly valued, you sold yourself short." Melanie had to end the talk as it was time to go, but gave John a hug and said, "find out for yourself at the reunion." Chapter 24: Reunions During February Melanie asked John if he had considered going to their 15th high school reunion. Melanie was one of the organizers and insisted that he attend, she refused to accept any of his excuses. It went on for weeks until the day after the semi-formal dance. Melanie forced his hand when she told Valerie about it. Valerie wanted to meet the people John went to school with, she had a vague picture as to what he was like back then but wanted to know more. John had to go now, he couldn't refuse a request from his wife. John arranged for the four kids to stay with his mother while the two couples attended, with instructions that she call him for any reason. Valerie was no fool and secretly got her to agree to only call if it was an emergency so he couldn't leave early. She even gave her money to ensure they went to the movies and ate at a nice restaurant ensuring they were unreachable. The event was held at a local hotel but it was being treated as a big deal by all involved. John and Dan dressed in their best suits while Valerie and Melanie wore matching black dresses. Valerie had a healthy pregnant glow that John marveled at, it was the first time she had dressed up in a long time. Melanie reintroduced John to a lot of people he hadn't recognized nor thought about in years. Many took a few minutes to realize who he was and even then he barely got a simple, "Hello," from them. They were more interested in talking to Melanie than John. Valerie started to get a sense of why John didn't want to attend. She heard more than a few "I can't believe he came" remarks and a couple of "How did he land her" comments as word got around about Valerie being John's wife. John was miserable but he held himself together for Valerie's sake, she was enjoying herself despite the stares and whispers and Melanie was doing her best to ensure people know exactly who she was and why she was there. Melanie managed to locate several of her friends most of which John had been on good terms with but didn't talk to much outside the classroom. They were more open to talking to John, happily talking about their lives and taking a strong interest in his life. John apologized for having a boring life but the group told him, "boring? You haven't changed a bit; you did a lot for someone who gave up so much over the years." For the first time that night John cracked a smile as Valerie laughed at the compliment. When John told them about the past two years and they saw Valerie's baby bump they squealed in delight. To the majority of people, John was the least likely to have children let alone one on the way so this was a big surprise. Melanie told them how the two had found out they were neighbors and their children had become close to one another with both families taking on each other as aunts and uncles. The group laughed at the thought of John and Melanie finally finding each other after all these years and becoming closer than they had ever been before. Dan and Valerie laughed at the group's insinuation. The two were becoming third wheels to John and Melanie and loved it, it was exactly what Melanie had hoped for. Over dinner one of them asked John about his schooling. John told them how he was in college again trying to become a teacher. Melanie and Valerie told them about the tutoring program in two places as well as getting the new principal of the middle school hired. The table was all ears listening to them talk about John, he was becoming the center of attention despite hating having to have gone in the first place. Overhearing what was being said of their classmates piped in regarding the hiring by saying, "rumor has it this lady has dealt with the tranny going to the middle school. She is being brought in to deal with the tranny problem, maybe even getting the kid tossed out." Multiple forks dropped at the table at once. John did his best to remain calm but his nerves were already frayed. He had been used to people complaining about Jaimie but hearing it from people he knew personally and talking about a friend doing something that was impossible was too much. He excused himself and told Melanie, "This was a bad idea, I'm sorry but I have to go." The others looked at him in shock. Valerie tried to calm him down but he was too far gone to stay put. She got up as well and walked while he cooled off. Melanie excused herself as she helped Valerie with John. Dan tried his hardest to hold back his anger, leaned in and asked the guy, "What do you know about this so-called 'tranny' kid?" The classmate shook his head saying, "It's just rumors." Dan asked, "And what exactly do you know about the new principal?" Again the guy said, "just rumors." Dan shook his head saying, "So you don't know anything at all. Do you want to know what the kid's name is?" The thought of genuine information made him beg for information. Dan finally told him, "Jaimie Finn. She is John's daughter. The new principal that was hired is named Dorothy Vega, a close friend of John and Valerie and one of Jaimie's biggest supporters. She wasn't hired to get rid of Jaimie, she was hired because she knows how to deal with idiots who shoot their mouths off and don't know what the hell they are talking about." Dan got up and left leaving the rest of the group silent. Seeing their friend in need the rest of their group got up and left as well. Their remaining classmates sat silent. John was a wallflower but him having a transgender daughter and pregnant wife was a bit too much to comprehend. The instigator had someone tap him on his shoulder. He looked up and saw three large men standing over him. He recognized them as Juan Alvarez, Paul Douglas, and Willie Pena. They were teammates of John when he played football and were in most of his classes in school. Willie asked, "Did we just hear you talking about Jaimie?" Their classmate nodded his head saying, "I was just talking about the new principal being brought in to stomp out the tranny kid problem." The three rolled their eyes and got angry. Willie stated, "You don't know the first thing about that kid. Jaimie is well known to us in the department. She gives us officers coffee and donuts every morning. She and her friends helped shovel out the cruiser when it snowed and has helped change a tire once when the cruiser got a flat." Paul took over while Willie cooled off. He was to the point saying, "She got the fire department to buy a boat with John's donation. She told us about the rescues that her area had to endure and felt safer with one in the city. That boat led to the saving of several lives on the river last summer and helped evacuate dozens of people during a recent flood. Many people owe their lives to her insistence on accepting that donation." Juan finally took over for Paul. He went for the heart saying, "She wasn't even living here at the time but thanks to her speaking out and shaming businesses she secured hundreds of thousands of dollars for the summer jobs program. She kept dozens of kids off the streets last summer and is getting dozens more off this summer. She stood up to the city council and local businesses for the kids. The money those kids earned helped many families afford decent clothes and food." All three men were standing over the loudmouth as Juan asked, "What exactly have you done for this city? That girl has done more in one year than you have in your entire life. She may be transgender but she is sure as hell the best damn person to ever set foot in this city. She deserves your respect and admiration, not your revulsion. There is not a single person who has actually met her who would dare allow a single word against her to be spoken so if you are going to mouth off about her you are going to find your life miserable from now on." The three were applauded. Their classmate was heckled and fled the hotel in shame. It took a half hour but Melanie and the others coaxed John back inside. John could barely hold his head up as the three defenders greeted him. Paul assured him, "The outburst was taken care of." John couldn't utter any words only nodding in thanks as he sat down. Valerie held his hands while Melanie hugged his shoulders. Eventually, he calmed down. Towards the end of the evening, Melanie got in front of the crowd. She asked for everyone's attention as she announced an award for, "The person with the most achievement." She announced that it was going to John Finn, whose face flushed in embarrassment. The crowd had voted earlier before the group left to calm John down. John had been the talk of the city for the past two years with many of their classmates feeling that he deserved the award. John tried to refuse the award. John stated, "How have I achieved the most? I was a failure as a student. For years I couldn't find a job. I lived with my mother. Until I bought a lottery ticket I was the least achieved in our class. There are many in this class who are accomplished lawyers, firefighters, police officers, EMTs. You deserve this award more than me." John handed the award back. The crowd roared at his speech and humility. Melanie looked at John and said, "You forgot to mention a lot. You didn't mention all the money that you gave to needy charities. You neglected to mention the scholarships that sent many kids to school. You neglected to mention the jobs program that is putting hundreds of needy kids to work to pay for their school necessities. That's just what you did with your wealth." She took a breath and continued, "You didn't mention the tutoring program that you were the linchpin in creating in two states and soon more. And I know you want to forget it but you gave up so much to ensure your niece and nephew had someone to care for them. What you did for Jaimie went beyond anything anyone could comprehend. You saved that girl from a living hell, seeing something in her that nobody else could and got her the help she desperately needed. You were willing to put your freedom on the line to ensure she got proper care and with that brought down a corrupt town. You have left a lasting impact on people. Your selflessness is what earned it not your wealth." John still refused the award, but Valerie picked it up and handed it to him saying, "Just take it, let your humility take a breather once and a while." John hugged and kissed her and accepted it. The crowd quieted down as John calmed down. John asked Melanie, "How did you manage to get me this?" Melanie laughed and said, "The rumors about you were floating for months, despite getting older you are still the same person you were in school and people appreciate that. People constantly tell you that you put others first, it's true. You won a lot of supporters over the years; even if they weren't friendly with you, they owed you a lot and were waiting to repay the favor." John was speechless. He was quiet the rest of the evening. He gave Melanie a big hug saying, "You truly are a great friend." Valerie and Dan shared looks of approval, both saying to the others, "And this is why the kids call us aunt and uncle, those two are as close as siblings." John was asked frequently about Jaimie. Her picture made the rounds as people saw what she really looked like. They were shocked to see how beautiful she looked, many not believing she was once a boy. John could only say, "She was but she loves that you think that way about her looks." The kids greeted them as they arrived home. John was wiped out from the evening and only said, "If I go to the 20th I'm not giving any speeches." The kids looked puzzled and asked about the night. Melanie told them, "John found out what people really thought about him and we found out what some people think about you kids. Both were good news." The kids seemed to get the drift and let it rest while begging to see pictures. Valerie showed off all of the people they met with Stacy and Rebecca laughing at how John looked in most of them. Jaimie and Michael asked them if they knew any of the people in the pictures, the girls told them, "We know most of them, but didn't know if Uncle John knew them. We guess he did." Jaimie asked, "Why does he look like he is scared?" Melanie said, "He didn't know how to react, most people there had little contact with him outside of class and those that did were there for me." Valerie told the girls, "Uncle John was a different person in school; he would do anything for anybody and would always work hard to help classmates. He didn't have any friends and he often felt lonely and isolated. His classmates were kind enough to talk with him due to your mom. He wouldn't have come if not for her, she loves him a lot and he finally saw how much she cared about him." Dan nodded saying, "Uncle John is humble and doesn't like getting credit, but the guy gave his all to everyone. They appreciated what he did for them and repaid it tonight. Most people would be jealous of their bond, we are lucky they have each other." The girls looked at John who was sitting silently. They asked, "Why does he look exhausted? Did anything bad happen?" Valerie explained, "John heard some bad things being said about Jaimie. He had to leave for a bit to calm down as he didn't want to say something to that person. He didn't need to; the guy was shown how people who know Jaimie really feel about her. John came back and was given an award but when he refused to take it your mom told him exactly why he was getting it making it clear to everyone what he had really done since high school. It took all his strength to accept it but your mom made him do it." Stacy and Rebecca hugged John and kissed him. They told him, "Mom planned to give you that award since the moment she saw you. Why else would she make you go? She wanted you there for a reason." Melanie tried to deny it but Rebecca said, "You can fool everyone else but we know you were talking with your friends about it weeks ago. Uncle John earned it but you made him get it." John was too tired to say anything, just hugged and kissed the kids and headed to bed falling asleep immediately. Dan shook his head in disbelief. He looked at Melanie and asked, "Was he really all alone? No friends?" Melanie looked saddened and said, "Yes. I was his only friend. He was socially inept and nearly incapable of making friendships with anyone. He tried but kept fumbling badly to the point that he gave up. I had to keep forcing friendship on him until he let me get close. The poor guy just couldn't find anyone and by senior year he was all alone." Dan was fighting for the right words. He asked, "Didn't your friends try to make an effort with him?" Melanie shook her head no, finally saying, "He was too far gone, they didn't want to try and the few that did didn't think much of him. He wasn't interesting or funny, just smart and helpful. There were some people who were on great terms with him from his football days but they didn't interact with my group too much so they couldn't get him to open up the way I wanted him to." Valerie asked, "So they only cared about him when it was in their interest to?" Melanie sadly nodded. Stacy looked shocked at hearing all this. She asked, "Mom, did they ever say anything to you about leaving Uncle John alone?" Melanie reluctantly said, "frequently, but I refused. John being my friend was something I valued more than the opinions of others. A couple of times I said that if they felt so strongly then my friendship with them wasn't worth much." With that, they went home leaving Valerie to look on in wonder at her husband, a stronger man than she ever figured him to be. What he went through would have broken lesser men but he survived and used it to help others in need and for that, she couldn't help but love him more. Chapter 25: Jaimie's Birthday Gifts To Remember Jaimie's birthday was in early May. Last year she just wanted a simple father/daughter night at the museum which John gave her. This year she decided on something different, she wanted all of her friends and her to do something fun. John thought it over and asked, "Remember the amusement park I told you about? What about a day there with all of your friends? We could have a picnic lunch and you kids can have all the fun you want." Jaimie thought it over, deciding that she wasn't about to compete with Michael for the best birthday. She asked, "Is Grandma or grandpa going to do anything special for me like they did for Michael?" John was quiet about that, he didn't know as he hadn't talked with them about her birthday yet. Jaimie wanted them to come but John told her, "They can't make multiple trips east just to see you, they have work to do and it costs a lot of money to fly back and forth." Jaimie was disappointed, she was hoping they could come but agreed that it wasn't feasible. The trip to the amusement park would have to do. The girls talked about the trip all week to the point that Mrs. Eagleson had to remind them that they still had schoolwork to do. Jaimie apologized profusely; it had been the first time she had been admonished in class. Michael and the boys rolled their eyes, they were eager to go too but at least saved the talk for lunch and before and after school. Jaimie and the girls decided they were going to wear bikinis all day, which meant having to shop for new swimsuits. John and the other parents vetoed the bikini idea informing them that they were too young to wear one and most of the cuts were for girls with larger assets than they currently had. The girls complained but they fell on deaf ears. Looking for the swimsuits took longer than they thought. Jaimie opted for a more conservative cut but with flashier colors and patterns. Courtney and Stacy went for skimpier cuts but in solid colors. Rebecca groaned at the thought of two piece suits and opted for a simple one piece which Jessie copied. The other girls decided to go with tankinis as an alternative since bikinis were banned. John saw the styles they chose and made one demand: the girls had to get water shirts. Jaimie and the girls whined about this but told them, "Do I need to tell you the sunburn story?" John had told Jaimie the story last year when the family went to the beach shortly after Jaimie came into his care. Jaimie quickly said, "No, Dad please don't do that! We will get the shirts!" The girls looked at her funny and John told them anyway. The girls gave a collective, "Ew!" and followed Jaimie. Rebecca asked John, "Is that story true?" John leaned down and told her, "100%, just ask Bryan or Hannah." Rebecca laughed, telling him, "This is one story mom won't want to know." John nodded but added, "She has seen what I look like after a bad day in the sun, but that was mild compared to what happened in the story." Rebecca cringed at the thought but laughed at her mom knowing so much. The girls met up with the boys and showed off their outfits. Michael's and Richard's jaws dropped. John gave a sly smile as he asked the girls to show the shirts they were wearing over the tops which made the boys give him sad looks. The boys weren't happy that the girls were being covered up and even less happy when John handed them similar shirts. The girls laughed as their drooling stopped and turned to disgust. Michael asked Jaimie, "Sunburn story?" Jaimie nodded and said, "He told them all about it." Michael shook his head and said, "Sorry girls, but he is serious. Mom is going to agree with him and Aunt Melanie won't get him to change his mind either." Richard asked what he was talking about, Michael and the girls simply said, "You don't want to know." John told him anyway, much to his horror. That Saturday the kids piled into four cars for the 45-minute drive to New Hampshire. The park is situated on a small lake but features picturesque scenery and a mix of old and new rides. The kids looked in awe at the different rides and hearing the clanking of the antique wooden roller coaster. The adults sorted the lunch items before they entered. The kids were each given instructions on what to do during the day and when they would meet up. The parents were going to enjoy their time away from the kids while John and Melanie were elected to watch the kids ensuring they weren't too out of control or the boys got too frisky. Dan and Valerie would be handling lunch duties but had plenty of time to relax before then. He didn't like rides and she was barred due to her pregnancy so they simply enjoyed walking and talking to kill the time. Jaimie led the kids through the park to the water rides. They rode the log flume and splash raft several times before tiring of it. They paired off and rode down the water tube, but complained when John wouldn't let the girls sit in front of the boys. John told them bluntly, "I'd be a bad parent if I let that happen." Melanie giggled quietly saying, "I don't even want to know what you are thinking might happen but you won't get an argument from me." The girls drew a lot of attention from boys while on the water rides. Stacy, being the most, "Developed" of the girls, received most of catcalls and whistles making her very nervous. Some of the more aggressive boys started making snide jokes about her looks which had her on the verge of tears. John had some harsh words with them about the jokes, getting the attention of a park employee. John explained what happened and when the attendant noticed Stacy on the verge of tears had the boys ejected. The boys swore and screamed as they were forced to leave, John bluntly said, "You only have yourself to blame. That is not how you act around girls, your immature act won't get you any attention let alone impress anyone." Stacy stuck by John's side the rest of the day. She wanted it to appear that she was with her "father" to the boys which worked. They stopped catcalling and saying lewd things. The girls noticed the change in her and were concerned. She assured them she was fine and said, "You have your boyfriends keeping the jerks from saying the same stuff to you, I don't." At lunch, Dan asked her, "Why stick by Uncle John?" She looked down and admitted, "He knows what to say and do to get things done without causing more problems; Mom says it's because he has been hurt by people so often that he tries to think about what to say first. I love you dad but you don't control yourself and would have hurt them if you were with me. Uncle John hurt them more with words than by hitting them." Dan was hurt by what she said. Dan looked at her and said, "You are right; I care too much about you kids and lose my composure easily. I know you don't mean to hurt me but I can't help but feel jealous that you went to him first." She hugged him and thanked him for not getting mad at John. Jaimie watched the exchange and asked John, "Why do you always seem to get on Dan's wrong side?" John shrugged and thought about it. He finally said, "I guess he and I are so different that we eventually have to clash on things. He and I respect each other and look out for you kids. It's like you and Michael, you two are close yet different in most ways and fight over many things. You still love each other but you still have conflicts." He added, "It hurts seeing his daughter go to another person first with a problem, it hurts a dad to see that happen with his children. I feel the same way when Michael goes to Uncle Dan for sports help." She hugged him for no reason, saying, "Thanks for understanding us, dad." After lunch, the kids hit the park again. They decided to focus on the thrill rides and first up was the wooden roller coaster. They waited in line for half an hour before finally getting to the front. They decided to wait for another trip so they could all go together, much to the delight of several kids behind them. The ride brought out screams that none of them knew they had with all of them agreeing that it was worth the wait but not worth another wait. They hit the metal roller coasters next. These thrill rides had shorter lines but also had shorter trips allowing the group to have their own train to themselves. They rode them multiple times before getting bored and moving on to the, "kiddie" rides. The girls wanted to ride the teacups while the boys and Rebecca wanted the bumper cars, poor Stacy was caught in the middle and couldn't choose. Jessie just went along with whatever the group wanted. John suggested they flip a coin and to go with the winner's choice first then the loser's choice after. It came up heads, the girls won out. The girls were happy but the others weren't, they still went along with the agreement. The ride turned out to be more fun than the boys and Rebecca had thought, with the group riding it several times switching partners each time. At the bumper cars, the kids banged into one another to the point of exhaustion. The girls enjoyed slamming John and Melanie while the boys were trying to take out each other. Richard and Jaimie were constantly bumping each other ignoring everyone else. The group went another two times before their heads started to hurt from the impacts forcing them to go to on another ride. John looked at his watch and saw it was almost show time in the theater. He insisted everyone go to the show. Valerie and Dan joined the kids who were ushered to the indoor stage and watched the actors lip sync to the current pop stars. Just before the last song, the actors said they had a special surprise. The kids looked around in shock as they scanned the audience for one particular person. The spotlight settled on Jaimie who was called to the stage and handed her a blindfold. She was told to open her eyes when they counted to 3. When they told her to take off the blindfold she nearly fainted. Onstage with her were her grandparents. Jaimie burst into tears of joy. The three walked offstage as her friends mobbed them. The kids utter apologies to the crowd who were cheering. The actors thanked the people for enjoying the show and thanked the Johnsons for letting them put on that little bit of fun. Outside Jaime hugged Evelyn and Joseph tightly. She was still crying but had calmed down a lot. She turned to John and simply asked, "How? You said they weren't going to be able to come." John laughed at that, correcting her by saying, "I said they can't make multiple trips. I never said they weren't going to make a trip." She thought it over and realized he had worded his response perfectly. She got both of her requests to her parents and couldn't have been happier. The group headed home after the show. They were having a small party at the house with Joseph and Evelyn staying with the family for a couple of days. Jaimie wouldn't let go of either of them, opting to drive with them back to Winnisimmet. Michael asked John, "Is this all because of the baseball game?" John shook his head and told him, "It's something that they wanted to do for a while; they planned a vacation around this time but felt it was perfect to make a trip out to visit us. The amusement park idea gave them enough cover to come into town unnoticed by the two of you and the show was the perfect way to spring the surprise." The party was simply a cake and some presents. The girls gave Jaimie a simple necklace and earring combination. Richard gave her a picture frame with her initials on it. Michael gave her a ring. Will gave her a jewelry box. Dan and Melanie gave her a gold bracelet. Valerie gave her several dresses. John's sisters and mother gave her several outfits. The twins gave her a pen set. The last present she opened was from her grandparents. Inside was a set of documents. Jaimie looked them over and thought they were just copies of ones she had in John's safety deposit box. She didn't understand why she was given something her dad already had. She was told to look closer and gasped. Her name was on them but it was "Jaimie Anne Finn" not "Jaimie McKinnon." Inside contained her social security card, her birth certificate, and her school records from Missouri all with her new name. She noticed also that the sex had changed from "M" to "F". She held them in her hand shaking. She asked her grandfather what this all meant. He held her close, took her into his lap, and said, "You are legally female from now on; everything has been changed to reflect that." She started crying asking, "When did this happen?" Evelyn chimed in telling her, "It happened fast. Your dad didn't want you to know yet; he felt it was best to let you have them on your birthday. The school has copies; it's why you can use the girls' locker room and bathrooms." She ran to John and hugged him, bursting into tears and crying on his chest. She told him, "You gave me the best present I could have gotten." Jaimie was now a girl and nobody could claim otherwise. With the help of the other girls Jaimie framed the legal declaration and placed it on her wall in her bedroom, the rest she gave back to John to keep safe. The Johnsons spent the next few days touring Boston. John's sister Karen gave the two a huge hug for helping watch Hannah and Bryan. John's family was extremely pleased that they had even cared about John and Jaimie and the twins enough to help. The Johnsons waived off their shock by telling them, "Valerie insisted we help John and we couldn't sit idly by while the kids needed someone to watch over them." The Johnsons were intrigued by the odd family dynamic between the Finn and the Lopez families. They knew about Dan's reluctance to accept Jaimie and the heart attack but it still seemed strange that the two families were so close that their kids were considered cousins. Dan and John were polar opposites, yet somehow the two were in sync and worked well together. Dan had solutions to problems John couldn't solve and John had ideas that Dan could make a reality. The Johnsons were concerned about the closeness of Melanie and John. They thought it was a bad idea that the two were so close after so many years. They mentioned potential sparks flying between the two. They saw a side of John that they hadn't seen before, he was genuinely happy around Melanie. The two were joking and teasing each other in ways Valerie and John didn't. Valerie was quick to point out, "Those two have known each other for decades and had nothing between them before. You know about John's past well but she was there for all of it. She kept him going during the worst times. They were the shoulder that each other could cry on. The two have a strong sibling bond. This bond is one that as only children we wouldn't know about. It's the same bond I see between Karen and Leslie. It's the same I see between Jaimie and Michael. He shares it with Melanie. She is like his sister, not a girlfriend or wife and I love them for it." She was deathly serious now. Melanie was her friend, quickly becoming her best friend. She was the one thing she wanted more than anything in Missouri, an ear to listen to and a shoulder to cry on and she would protect her even if it went against her parents. They didn't know what to say and let it go. They talked to Melanie about her and John's relationship and got the same response from her. She and John were close friends and nothing more. She appreciated their concern but was honest with them about being close but it was misplaced. The girls were closer than the Johnsons expected. Stacy and Jaimie were almost inseparable whenever their other friends were absent. Jenna was clearly Jaimie's best friend but Stacy and Jaimie shared that familial bond that the others just didn't have. Rebecca and Michael were constantly playing together and often involved Dan in games of catch. John pointed out that Dan picked up a lot of the slack that John had given to Michael thanks to the constant Jaimie related incidents. He was doing what John couldn't do anymore and doing it better, Michael loved it and John was proud to have him do it. Melanie mentioned that John had also gotten plenty of earfuls from Rebecca whenever she thought he was favoring Jaimie over Michael. Joseph asked her what she meant, Melanie simply said, "Michael at times feels like Jaimie comes first and he comes second. She saw that happening and asked why. John thought it over and made changes so now Michael gets the attention he deserves." They heard about the girls' dates. John was painted in a flattering picture by Stacy for what he did to the boy. Jaimie rolled her eyes and said, "You are lucky; Bryan simply knocked him out, Dad would have chased him all the way home if he had seen it happening." Stacy giggled and stuck out her tongue teasing her. Surprised to hear that he was involved Evelyn asked, "Why was Bryan there?" Valerie replied, "He was on a date of his own, he just happened to be in the right place at the right time. She needed help and he jumped in to help her." During the next few days, Joseph and Evelyn spent a lot of time with the kids. John spent much of his free time finishing up his schoolwork and studying for finals. He made time to cook dinner for the family which the Johnsons complimented him on. They asked him if he was serious about getting a job teaching, John was quick in saying, "It's something I have wanted to do for a long time. I got a taste of it last year and I want more. I may not need to work now but I want a career to provide for my family in case I ever lose it all." Joseph slapped him on the back saying, "You have all the right reasons and all the right motivations." Chapter 26: Awards Ceremony The Johnsons were staying for two weeks. The first week saw John feverishly finishing his finals. His hard work paid off and he received high marks in all his classes. His professors were pleased with his work and told him to get prepared for the upcoming semester's practicum, the part of the program where he had to actually teach classes in front of students. The kids celebrated having their dad back to full attention by begging him to take them places. They were happy to go with their grandparents but having John take them was a treat. Their mom was starting to get tired quite often due to the pregnancy so having their dad available meant more time away from home and playing with their friends. John got word from the high school that Jaimie was being requested at the annual awards night. Jaimie was having a sleepover at Jenna's house with the other girls that night, though, Jaimie didn't want to miss it. John asked Jaimie if she wanted to go to the awards again, Jaimie said, "I need to ask Jenna her thoughts on it before I choose." Jenna turned things around and asked John if she and the girls could come, they wanted to see Jaimie's big moment. John didn't agree yet, he said, "I'll see if you can go." John had a talk with the principal, Jake Bollinger. He told John, "That's fine, I'll have my sister in law drop my niece off at the school instead of at Jenna's house." John looked at the girls then asked, "What do you mean your niece?" Jake laughed and said, "Courtney. Gabby is my younger sister." John looked at Jaimie and smiled, then said, "Guess the school is getting four more onlookers for the awards." Joseph was asked to go along with John for help; he reluctantly agreed but decided it was better than doing nothing while the boys played video games. At the school, the girls were shown to a reserved set of seats while John and Joseph met the faculty and other scholarship presenters. John discussed his upcoming practicum with some of the history teachers, several of who asked if he was informed of his placement. John was unaware, then was told by the department head, "You come highly recommended and are known to students. It's just a formality at this point but you are looking at your placement already." John thanked them for their offer and thanked Jake for facilitating it. Jake laughed it off saying, "I didn't do anything, your dean chose this school for you. He wanted you to go to the place you could help the most and it is here." Joseph watched in amazement as John learned all this. He saw the wonder and joy in him as well as the friendship and joking from the others. John was one of them, even if he wasn't one yet. This was a side of John Joseph had never seen before, one that he hoped would be around a lot. Joseph proudly told John, "There wasn't any way they were letting you get away from this school, they wanted you the second they heard you were going into teaching." John looked at him oddly, Joseph leaned in and said, "You don't go to law school and become a successful and rich lawyer without learning to read people, and those people show they want you here. You are one of them, you are a teacher." That thought rang in John's head as he took his seat alongside the girls. The ceremony started and went on for a half hour before John's scholarships were to be awarded. Once his name was called to present the students started cheering. He gave his awards and introduce Jaimie to the crowd. Jaimie took the stage to present her two awards, paid for with her own money paid from Newhall, MO's settlement and given to students that she felt were in need of help. The crowd heard what she was doing and cheered loudly, a lot louder than any other awards. Using her own money meant more to them than the fact that she was giving awards, it meant she really cared. The girls hugged her violently when she sat back down. Their buddy had gone and done something wonderful and made them extremely happy. Joseph watched the awards from the back of the gym. He was introduced to Louis Reagan by John before he took his seat beside the girls. Louis and Joseph had long discussions about various topics while the awards were given with the two looking on with wide grins as John and Jaimie made their presentations. Seated near them were several unhappy parents. During much of the ceremony, they were complaining about the tranny being allowed in the school and finally screamed complaints when she went onstage and gave her awards. Joseph and Louis looked at each other in annoyance. Joseph had a silly grin as he waited for the crowd to die down. He approached the hecklers and asked if they would mind having a chat. They saw Louis Reagan staring at them and agreed, moving out to the hallway away from prying ears. Louis signaled the vice principal and two others to come over and listen to what was going on, watching Joseph as he weaved his plan into place. Louis knew Joseph could get someone to fall into a trap easily, he had seen it himself in court the previous June. Outside Joseph nodded to a man on the phone then ask the hecklers, "Are you upset with the young lady on stage?" The first quickly replied, "That freak, that homo, that fag should be banned from our children." The other three uttered the same responses. Joseph asked, "What have you done about it?" They shot back, "We have been complaining to the principal that it should not step foot inside the school. We told him that we would toss that freak out and beat it senseless if it did." Joseph waited a few seconds then said, "So you are going to do something about the kid?" The four all agreed in unison. Joseph asked, "When were you going to do it?" They started to stare at him funny. The first one said, "After the ceremony when nobody was looking." The other three agreed with one saying, "Nobody would miss that little freak, ain't a cop around here either." Joseph asked, "Are you sure they aren't here, that there aren't any in plain clothes in the crowd?" One of them said, "We know all the cops in the city, ain't none here." Joseph acted as if he was agreeing then said, "OK, well good luck with that" and walked away. The four tried to go back inside but were stopped by the vice principal and security. They were told, "We heard the whole exchange, and we would like you to meet some nice friendly people." Two uniformed officers walked around the corner and brought out handcuffs. Another two people walked out of the gym and showed their badges. One had been standing at the doorway while they were talking, another was in the hallway on a cell phone. Both heard the conversation. The one on the cellphone was actually on the phone with the city's dispatch center and had the call recorded so their entire conversation was on tape. The four were placed under arrest without anyone in the awards ceremony knowing what had happened. Joseph thanked the vice principal and the officers for their time. He walked over the four in handcuffs and said, "Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Joseph Johnson, esquire. The young lady whom you called various insulting names is my granddaughter. I hope you enjoy your time in jail because I will assure you that you are going to have the full force of the law thrown at you." Joseph and Louis walked back inside and stood in the back watching the rest of the ceremony. They applauded the remaining recipients and did their obligatory congratulations as various people walked by them. Louis finally leaned in and asked, "How do you put up with people like that doing that to your granddaughter?" Joseph shook his head and replied, "You don't, you just accept that people will hate for no reason and just try to put the best foot forward and take action when it is necessary." Joseph saw the girls and John leaving and bade his farewell to Louis, with a, "You are a treasure to the city" and a handshake as he left. The kids were talking about the sleepover the whole way back. Joseph eyed Jaimie's smile and shook his head in frustration, the poor girl has to put up with a lot just to try to live a normal life like everyone else. Jaimie sensed something was wrong with him and blurted out, "Something happened, didn't it?" Joseph stayed silent, but Jaimie pressed him for answers. She could see the hurt in his eyes. Jaimie finally said, "If you don't tell me that's fine, but the rumors will get around eventually. I'd rather hear the truth, not the fiction." Joseph tried to stay silent but Jaimie held her stare. He finally broke down and confessed, "We found out some people wanted to do something horrible to you tonight. We were able to get them away from the crowd where they told us what they were going to do. Their confession was caught on tape and they are in jail and you are safe, but it was still scary to think what might have happened if we weren't at the right place at the right time to hear them." Jaimie hung her head in shame. "I am sorry grandpa; I know you just wanted to see me tonight." Joseph lifted her head and told her, "You have nothing to be sorry about, you didn't do anything except walk in that door and give something special to people in need. You are a good person, no matter what people think about you." Jaimie was still on the verge of tears so Joseph let her cry it out. She wore her heart on her sleeve and it was in pieces right now. After the girls were dropped off Joseph told the other adults what had happened. Dan and John were furious. Joseph tried to calm them down but the two left to burn off their frustrations with a long drive. Melanie and Valerie consoled Joseph while Evelyn kept an eye on Michael and Rebecca. The two kids were concerned; they told Evelyn, "We have seen our dads act like that before." The two men came back after an hour. They had sat down and tried to talk about anything else but the night's events. Dan told John the renovation was done and John gave him the remaining budget money. Dan refused the extra but John insisted. Melanie and Valerie forced him to take it. John proposed to him that he make his business permanent and have a physical office and truck, with John offering the startup money. Dan refused the money. He liked the idea but won't accept loans from family. John insisted that it wasn't a loan that instead he was buying part of the business which Dan was going to then buy him out of when he saved up enough money. Dan couldn't refuse again, seeing the wives' eyes having the same forceful look. Dan agreed and was now in business. John gave him another gift, offers for two more renovations but these being much smaller size. He joked that, "Word got around fast like I said it would." Dan shook his hand sealing the agreements. Chapter 27: Promise to a Friend Saturday while the Johnsons took the four kids out to the park Dan brought up John's brother. He wanted to know if John had given serious thought to helping him like they talked about. John was extremely reluctant. Dan tried to bridge the issue but John kept finding ways to change the subject or busy himself. Melanie and Valerie noticed these talks and sat the two down trying to get the story. Dan told the story about the boys finding out about John's brother Roland. Melanie asked what he was talking about so Valerie told her everything. Melanie remembered John's brother Roland from school and wasn't surprised by the discord between the brothers. She held back any comments until Valerie was done but finally said, "Have you tried to help him since? He isn't the best person but he needs help." John mumbled, "We tried too many times to get him help, he just won't accept it." Melanie asked Valerie, "Is there anything you can do? John and his family can only do so much for him maybe someone with your job can find another way." Valerie looked at John who had a haunted look on his face then at Dan who had a look of eagerness. She finally said, "I'll need a day to brush up on criminal laws but I think I can help him. There might be a way of forcing him to accept help." Melanie looked relieved and Dan happy. John was still a big shaken by this. Dan asked Melanie, "Why the concern? You never acted that way about anyone else." She looked down in shame and said, "I had a big crush on him in high school. John wasn't happy about it, though. He never said anything but he wasn't pleased. I guess I just found out why he wanted to keep us apart." Valerie found the books she needed and started to look into the laws. She called a friend who got her Roland Finn's criminal record. She spent hours looking for ways to help him while the others waited silently. Just before dinner time the kids and Johnsons returned. The kids were told to be quiet and pointed to Valerie silently going over the law books. Joseph noticed her working and asked what was going on. Dan quietly said, "We got John to look into helping his brother." Joseph asked for an explanation which Michael gave. Joseph looked displeased and said, "I don't want the children around people like that." John shot back, "Neither do I, but Valerie, Dan, and Melanie believe it's the right thing to do for him." Melanie added, "We asked John to do this. If we believed it would be bad for the children we would never allow it to happen." Joseph tried to say something more but Evelyn shot him down, "I believe they are trying to do good, he needs help and you know the children well enough to know the kids will be mad if they didn't at least try." Joseph left in a huff to help Valerie with Evelyn saying, "He hates to be wrong." Melanie looked at Dan and smiled saying, "Where have I seen that response before." John laughed and told Evelyn what she meant with her, in turn, laughing as John said, "better to flee the field than to dig your own grave." The kids came in asking what was funny. They looked at Dan who was embarrassed but didn't say anything about that. John told them what was going on. Jaimie hugged him and said, "When can we meet him?" John turned to her, with a serious look he said, "Not until we guarantee he accepts help. I know you want to meet him but not unless he can change his ways. He has a nasty way of making you feel love and affection towards him then using you for his own means until he stops that you kids are not going to see him." Jaimie was disappointed but said, "At least there is hope." Michael asked, "Why the change?" John looked at Dan who said, "I asked your dad to do it. I wanted him to at least try again now that he had the resources to do something." Michael asked why when Stacy said, "Our Uncle Hector. Dad must not have told Uncle John the whole story. Uncle Hector was like that until Dad forced him to stop and get help. The two fought for hours until Uncle Hector finally agreed. Dad sent him away for a while, using every penny he saved for us to do so. Uncle Hector tried hard but it was too much for him. Dad and mom couldn't take it anymore and we moved on. Dad and he haven't been in contact for years since." John looked over at Dan and gave him a nod. He now understood the interest and push. He understood why he didn't tell the real story to him during the camping trip. The kids watched the two exchange glances and smiled, it was a rare moment where the two were equals and shared an understanding. Nobody wanted that moment to end. Jaimie was the first to say something, "Did you know Uncle Roland in school Aunt Melanie?" Melanie blushed. Stacy shot back, "Are you serious? You had a crush on him?" Jaimie looked at John who cringed again. Dan tried to stifle his laughter as Melanie was put on the spot. Rebecca chimed in with, "You were willing to break the no dating brothers and sisters of friends rule?" Stacy added, "Guess it only applies if the person approves" then looked at Michael and Jaimie. Melanie admitted it was true then quickly tried to change the subject. After dinner, Valerie and Joseph appeared and announced that they had enough to help Roland. She told them she was going to speak with some people on Monday and set something up for him. The kids tried to ask when they could meet him but were cut off with an, "It's too early," response. Dan and Melanie volunteered to watch the kids while she was busy that afternoon. Joseph tried to go along but Evelyn pried him away from work forcing him to stay there and relax. Monday afternoon Valerie met with the parole and probation officers assigned to Roland's cases and laid out her plans. She would assist in getting him required legal and medical help and would ensure that he was taken care of. He would, in turn, find a job and permanent residence. They were less than convinced that it would work but agreed just to get him out of their hair. She was asked bluntly, "Why the interest in him?" Valerie shot back, "My husband wants to try one last time to help him. My kids want to meet him. My friends want us to try to help him. We have a vested interest in his recovery." They asked, "Who is paying for this treatment?" Valerie shot back, "My husband is, and before you ask yes he can afford to do it." They were left speechless. They arranged for her to meet him the next day. John was told what happened and wasn't too convinced. Valerie was surprised at this and said, "Think of it as the Jaimie situation again, overworked people losing interest in the people they have to check up on to the point of allowing some to fall through the cracks." John said, "That's a low blow, you are right but that's still a low blow." Tuesday morning Valerie drove to the county house of corrections. She was shown to a room and waited several minutes until a tall, gaunt man was shown in. She introduced herself saying, "I'm Valerie; I'll be your attorney until your permanent attorney is appointed. We have an offer we need to discuss with you." Roland looked at her in disbelief. He asked, "What is this all about? I haven't done anything for new charges to come up." Valerie was blunt and said, "Your brother hired me to see to it that you get help. We have made arrangements to get you released but you have to agree to all of the requirements first. Your brother is footing the bill for everything. This is your chance to get out and change things for yourself." Roland all but laughed at hearing his brother mentioned saying, "That fat slob? He is the reason why I am here in the first place. One charge led to another and another thanks to probation violations." Valerie held back her anger and said, "be that as it may he and your family have decided it is time you got help to end that cycle. I have talked with the state and they want you out as much as you want to be out. The only way that happens is if you agree to get help. It's either rot in here or be free, your choice." Roland tried to be sly and say, "And if I fail to get clean or start dealing again?" Valerie shot back, "Then you lose everyone who ever cared about you permanently. You go to prison, not jail. There will be no more three- month hitches; this will be full three-year stints with the real, hardened convicts. The state is done playing around, you will be held accountable for your actions." Roland looked at how serious she looked and tried to say something sly again but was again cut off, "Your slyness is well known, and won't work. Now do you agree to the conditions or do I leave you here to rot while you await trial?" Roland agreed. He was told the terms and conditions and had to agree to every one of them signing off for each condition. Valerie then told him, "We will be in touch soon. John has some people he wants you to meet." Roland bluntly asked, "really, why are you helping me? I'm not stupid; this is not a normal meeting. Why are you helping me?" She shot back, "I don't want to see my brother-in-law rot in jail." Roland quickly blurted out, "What the hell? So Leslie finally came out of the closet and got married." Valerie shook her head in disgust and bluntly said, "No, I married your brother. The man you unjustly blame for everything. Now if you excuse me your new niece or nephew is getting antsy." She got up and walked out, Roland seeing her pregnant belly for the first time and was in total shock and for once in his life was speechless. She enjoyed that look; she could see the disbelief which made her happy. He was knocked down several pegs by the one thing he never expected from his brother. At home, she recounted the visit. Melanie asked what he meant by the Leslie joke. John shook his head saying, "He is assuming because she never dates and played sports that she is gay." Melanie asked, "Is she?" Valerie and John both said no with John adding, "She is a private person. She has her circle of friends and doesn't deviate from them. Plus she works hard leaving little time for men. Even if she was she is the best person I ever met and I would be damn proud of her no matter what." The subject of the kids visiting was brought up. Valerie mentioned to Roland a visit by John so this was a good time to introduce him to the kids. They brought in Michael and Jaimie and told them that they would meet their uncle in two days but they needed to know that this place had a lot of bad men there and they needed to be on their best behavior. The kids agreed to that. Thursday afternoon the family drove to the house of corrections. John told them to expect a lot of insults and lies to be told about him. The kids knew the truth; they asked their aunts and grandmother about their Uncle Roland and assured John, "He can try to paint you wrong but we won't let him. We know the truth. He was a bad man and he needs to know that." Valerie smiled at the kids' defense of their dad. The family went through the metal detectors and were searched. One of the deputies pulled Jaimie aside and demanded to know what was in her pants, assuming that she had something hidden. Jaimie bluntly said, "I am a boy becoming a girl." Valerie asked, "Do you need more proof?" She handed the paperwork about Jaimie. The deputies looked it over and tried to pull her aside again to search her more thoroughly but their supervisor was summoned. Valerie explained, "I would rather you not violate my daughter anymore. I have cleared her all the way up through to the sheriff, as you can see in the paperwork and if need be I'll get it cleared with the governor." She handed another piece of paper which carried the sheriff's signature and orders to leave her alone. They tried to resist but Valerie pointed out, "You are willing to ignore a direct order? We will gladly talk with him if you want, he is expecting a phone call from us one way or another and I would hate for us to explain that his deputies violated his direct orders." Embarrassed and scared the deputies apologized and the four were let through. The four were shown to a private room to wait. Valerie had the legal documents out ready for Roland. Jaime and Michael were in the back sitting behind John. After several anguishing minutes Roland was shown inside. He immediately looked at John and scowled. John bluntly told him to sit down. Valerie showed him the paperwork he needed to sign. John told him exactly what he was going to be doing and that he had two choices, either follow instructions to the letter or they left and he was on his own for good. He listened and didn't take his eyes off John. John explained, "We have arranged for you to stay in a rehab facility in Minnesota. You will be cut off from everyone until you are satisfactorily clean. That means no friends and no family. The only visits you are to receive are from doctors and your parole and probation officers. When you are done you will be given over to mom's care. You will not be allowed to associate with any of your so-called friends or acquaintances. You will be required to get a job and meet regularly with therapists." Roland demanded to know why he was doing this. John replied, "I am doing this only because my friends asked me to do it. I'm tired of getting the blame from you but I don't want you to end up dead. This is your last and only shot at getting the help you actually need and despite my objections Valerie and the kids want you to get help."' Roland signed the papers. He asked, "When the hell did you get married and where did you get them?" John told the story. Michael and Jaimie stood behind John as he told it, watching Roland's reactions. Roland kept trying to make jokes or insults but he couldn't find the right words. Jaimie finally said, "You don't have to believe it, but dad is a good person and we love him for it." Roland looked at the kids. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. His despised brother had a lawyer wife, two kids, and a baby on the way. He sat silently until the time was up for him. He kept his eyes on John as he helped Valerie with the paperwork. Roland tried to talk with Jaimie and Michael. Michael didn't say anything. Jaimie listened to Roland's stories about John. She knew he was lying, she heard the same stories from her aunts and grandmother. After the third story, Jaimie finally said, "enough. You keep making dad look bad but you are lying through your teeth. Grandma, Aunt Leslie, and Aunt Karen told me the same stories and they have never lied before to us. Dad isn't some jerk who hates you and wants to hurt you, you are just some lazy bum who blames him for all of your problems. He didn't get you hooked on drugs and he didn't make you sell them so stop blaming him for that and start blaming yourself." Valerie and John both looked at Jaimie who was for the first time in a long time angered. Roland hit a nerve and he hit deep. Roland tried to say something but Michael shot back, "Save it. Your tricks won't work on us. We just wanted to meet you once and that is enough for us. Goodbye Uncle Roland and hopefully you get help but if you don't then don't expect any help from us again." The four walked out listening to Roland trying to sound like a tough guy and come up with something sly to counter the kids' verbal smackdown but nobody was listening. John kept the secret about Jaimie, knowing his brother would use it against them. Outside he told the kids, "He is a master manipulator and would do whatever it takes to get out of that deal. The last thing I want is Jaimie to be used as a pawn by him." Jaimie hugged him and sad, "You did right, we only just met him and there was something off about him. Even with you in the room, he still tried to make you out to be a bad guy." Michael bluntly said, "I don't like him." Valerie laughed and agreed. At home, they told Dan and Valerie what happened. Dan hugged John telling him, "I am proud of you, it's the hardest thing to do. You have a clear conscience, you did your best to help him and if it fails it is entirely on him. He owes you a lot so he has to see that you do care about him. I just hope his therapist can make him see that it's his own fault." Melanie asked the kids what they thought. Michael happily said he didn't like him, there was something about him that was off. Jaimie tried to be nicer and said, "He was more shocked than anything. He hated dad for so long that seeing him having a loving family was a lot to take in. we saw the real person come through and it was a bad person." Melanie shook her head at their responses saying, "He hasn't changed. He is still the same old sly Roland." The kids asked what she meant and told them, "He was a womanizer in school. He had a lot of dates and didn't commit to any girls. He always had excuses and would use Uncle John as a reason why he never called, blaming him for hogging the phone." They looked at John who said, "Well sometimes it was true, I did have a dial-up computer then." The kids had to have that explained then said, "Thank goodness for technology." Evelyn and Joseph returned from their outing and listened to the story. Evelyn asked the kids about Roland and got the same response. She looked to John who said, "It's his defense mechanism; he uses it to get your guard down and get what he wants. He got out maneuvered by a mastermind." Everyone looked at Valerie who just smiled silently. Joseph asked if John was going to keep in contact. John explained, "No contact allowed. It's a complete isolation from all outside influences. Only in dire emergencies can he be contacted. It's the only way to get through to him." Joseph seemed pleased but added, "Afterward I hope the kids are kept away." John replied, "He will be kept so busy that they won't have much if any contact. They know what he is like now, and I don't see them wanting to enable his manipulations." The kids agreed. Stacy and Rebecca popped in looking to see what was going on. They hugged John for doing the right thing saying, "We hope it works." Rebecca added, "I wish I had seen his face, he sounds like he is rarely at a loss for words." Jaimie and Michael snickered recalling his jaw dropped expression. Jaimie and Michael had to field phone calls from their friends for the next hour as they wanted updates. Jenna and Claire were concerned but pleased to hear the news. Courtney and Michael talked for a while as did Richard and Jaimie. Stacy and Rebecca grew bored at listening to them and joined their parents as they were relaxing. The two hugged John as he tried to relax, the two relieving some built up tension from the day. Valerie and Melanie shared the same expression of happiness watching John calm down with the girls. Melanie quietly said, "He never does that with Michael and Jaimie; they must have something about them to does that." Valerie simply replied, "It's part of you that shines through. John always relaxes when you are around, the girls remind him of you so it's a natural reflex to relax with them." Melanie looked over at the three of them and smiled, saying, "I guess you are right." Chapter 28: End of School and Start of Summer Fun The Johnsons finally left the Finns after two weeks of interesting fun. As they were saying their goodbyes Evelyn sprung one last surprise on him, she would be returning in mid-July to help him and the kids prepare for the baby. Valerie, Karen, and Melanie had talked it out and thought it best that someone should give a hand while Valerie was in her last stages, Evelyn jumped at the chance to look after the kids again. The kids were overjoyed that their grandma was coming back. John's mother was happy for her, as much as she wants to be there for the kids she wasn't in the best of health herself so this would allow her some time off. By the very end of May school had started its final push. The kids were busy with their last few tests. Mrs. Eagleson had trouble keeping them interested as she reviewed everything from the past year. Michael, Jaimie, and several other classmates were pressed into service to help get their classmates ready for their tests. To her surprise, Jaimie was highly sought after by the students. Even those who had ignored her all year were seeking her help in preparing for their tests. Jaimie ignored their past strife and gladly helped anyone who needed it. Her help was impeccable, she was able to get them to see their troubles and correct them in the right way making them improve on their own. Jaimie's hard work caught the attention of the principal who asked her to help other classes after school. Jaimie couldn't say no, and with Michael's help, she was able to work with the others to get them up to speed and ready. The other teachers were pleased to see the progress but felt uneasy that she was doing so much work. Jaimie tried to laugh it off, saying, "It's just the first time I have been specifically asked to do it." Michael added, "And the last time someone tried to ask Jaimie ended up getting adopted by him" laughing at the family history there. The stress of the final tests came and went with their class earning high marks thanks to the students' hard work. Jaimie was singled out for praise but she refused, demanding that it go to those who were helped not the ones who help. The others agreed with her, as usual, she was right. The other classes saw improvement in their marks as well, Jaimie wasn't praised but the students looked at her with happy smiles after their grades came back. She was Ms. Popularity for the rest of the year among the 7th graders. The start of June brought a big surprise to the kids. As they were leaving for the day they saw John with a familiar face. Dorothy Vega was back in town. She was immediately hugged by Jaimie and Michael and said hello to Jenna while the other kids watched. Dorothy informed them why she was there saying, "The fun in February made the students happy but parents were angry to hear I was leaving. The school board felt the need to ask me to use up the last of my sick and vacation days so here I am." John nodded and Dorothy asked them if they wanted to help her move in. She was immediately told, "How many of us do you need?" as they pointed their friends who were waiting for her answer. Dorothy looked them over and laughed, asking, "Did you have to call out the entire 7th grade just for me?" The others smiled and headed home, telling Dorothy, "We are ready to help when you need us." Mrs. Eagleson came over to talk with Dorothy. She asked her, "Are you always that close with your students?" Dorothy couldn't resist looking at Jaimie and said, "Some students touch your heart in ways you didn't think possible. Some are worth risking everything for and worth befriending on a personal level." Dorothy thought for a second and continued, "even if it's not 'right' it's something that sometimes you can't avoid. Plus she has earned my support and affection. She has done things for others that go beyond caring and helped me out a great deal. Surely she has done that in your classroom." Mrs. Eagleson smiled as she said, "I am glad I wasn't the only one who felt she was something extremely special. And you are right, she touches your heart and makes you want to help her more." The two started talking about other things and it was clear they shared many common interests, there was a clear friendship blooming. John knew what the two were discussing and smiled. Dorothy had found a friend and ally before she had even started. Mrs. Eagleson was the first of many within the school joining the many outside she already had. Dorothy was secure in this city for years to come; now she had a chance to relax after a year of turmoil, frustration, and anger. At the house, the kids quickly finished their homework while Dorothy watched. She asked, "Do they always rush to get their work done?" John laughed and said, "Only when they have something they need or can't wait to do. I expect the other 11 kids are doing the same so they can help you." Dorothy was puzzled and asked, "11?" John giggled, "Four boys, seven girls. You have seen or met most of them, I suspect Rebecca won't miss helping once she hears what Stacy, Jaimie, and Michael are doing. And my niece and nephew will want to help out of respect for you helping Jaimie." Most of Dorothy's items were being trucked east so the kids had to wait several days to help. They still rushed to get things done but were careful to do their work right. Mrs. Eagleson noticed the eagerness and clarity in their homework and joked, "These kids are putting more effort in their homework in one week than most of them put in all year." Dorothy smiled at the idea of inspiring them. The kids respected her enough to want to please her despite not even knowing her. The kids made quick work of moving things when the truck finally arrived. Dorothy tried to help but the kids would have none of it. Being the smallest Rebecca was the de-facto foreman, showing an eye for placement of furniture and boxes while figuring out how to take down boxes without everything collapsing on them. The kids worked hard and by the afternoon they were done. They ate a hearty dinner thanks to John's aunt and uncle and slept well that night. The next day the kids were taken to the beach for their first chance to swim. The kids had been begging to go for weeks but the weather wasn't warm enough yet plus they were busy with other events and fun. The boys joked that they couldn't wait to see the girls in swimsuits, the girls rolling their eyes at them saying, "Keep it up and we will be swimming in sweat suits." The kids and their parents hit the beach. John was elected to watch them in the water while the others remained on the sand. Dan was sick that day so he was the only adult unable to go, but told John it wasn't much good anyway since he couldn't swim. As much as it pained him to say it, Dan said, "You finally have something you are better than me at." John saw the look in his eyes and said, "Don't feel so bad. I learned the hard way, it was either swim or be left on my own. I chose to learn." When Dan asked what he meant he said, "My sisters weren't happy having to drag me to the pool so they made me learn or get left in the kiddie section. Same went for the beach, swim or be left on the sand." Dan thought it over and said, "Remind me never to get on their bad side." Valerie spent much of the morning trying to get out of going, saying she was too large to fit into any swimsuits. John assured her she looked fine but she was still reluctant. John made a quick call and Leslie came over with a spare black one-piece swimsuit that was her size but Valerie still kept trying to avoid going. Leslie was blunt and said, "You are pregnant, not one person will say a bad word about your size. If they did they would get ostracized and run off. Just wear it, you look fine." When she finally relented and changed in the bathhouse all eyes were on her. John looked at her and his jaw dropped. He could only manage, "You look beautiful, simply beautiful." The others agreed, with John leading her to her beach chair and giving her a kiss on the cheek. Valerie had tears in her eyes but John assured her, "You have never looked better, the little one is just adding to the beauty already there." The kids dragged John away from Valerie into the water saying, "Enough mushy stuff, time is wasting." John, Rebecca, and the boys spent the bulk of the time over the boys' heads while the girls stayed closer to shore and enjoyed the waves. Rebecca was using a boogie board to stay afloat and not actually swimming, staying within arm's reach of John. The boys tried to figure out why the girls didn't go farther out, John thought it over for a bit and said, "I've been trying to figure that out for decades, some girls just don't want to swim out deep." Rebecca joked, "Guess they don't want to get their hair wet". The other girls heard this and show back, "If you spent as much time on yours as we do ours you would agree!" The waves were high that day so the kids enjoyed the surf. The girls kept running in and out of the water while the boys fought to stay afloat. The boys enjoyed watching John struggle to stay afloat teasing him saying, "Are you sure you don't want to join the girls?" John swam further out and rode the waves in saying, "Nope, just trying to get the most out of the waves" to which the boys were immediately toppled by a wave as John stayed upright. John and Rebecca were both laughing hard as the boys got their just desserts. The kids grew tired of the water after an hour and played games in the sand. John remained in the water getting a lot of exercise and enjoying the solitude. After another half hour, it was time for lunch with the kids devouring their sandwiches and drinks quickly. John barely had a chance to grab one before the 11 children were getting more. After another two hours, the group headed home. John was beet red from the sun and was extremely hot to the touch. Valerie asked him, "Did you remember sunscreen?" John slapped his head in frustration, admitting, "I was so focused on you I forgot to put some on. Is it noticeable?" Jaimie and Michael burst into laughter while Valerie held back her own laugh. At home, he saw the results of the day, with his entire back and shoulders red. Jaimie and Michael teased him, saying, "You forgot your shirt, Dad." John tried to give them angry looks but they were right, he could only say, "I'm going to feel it in the morning." He felt it the next morning as his entire back and shoulders were red and bubbly. He was badly burned, exactly as he had warned them about twice before. It was painful but John recovered enough to take Jaimie's class on a field trip to Boston to walk the Freedom Trail. The trip was to be an end of year treat that the 7th-grade students worked hard to get to go on. John was specifically requested by the teachers over other parents. This request angered a lot of parents who thought it was inappropriate to have someone whose child was seen as a freak lead so many, "Normal" children. Their complaints fell on deaf ears when his knowledge, education, and experience navigating the city were stated. When all was said and done he turned out to be more qualified than any parent or teacher in the school and would accomplish the impossible with some students. Principal Rodriguez joked that John had walked the route so many times he could navigate it blindfolded, which Mrs. Eagleson and the other teachers got a big laugh at. John simply said, "You try walking through that area in a snowstorm and not memorize every nook and cranny on the sidewalk!" John's group included Jaimie and Michael as well as their friends but also included several students whose parents were vocal opponents of Jaimie and who were known, slackers. He led the group quickly through the crowds, showing them the various required sites and giving them detailed histories. He also told them a lot about what wasn't there, how things changed over the decades. John told them about the old West End neighborhood, Scollay Square and its sordid past, the theaters of Washington Street, the elevated trains along Causeway Street and Atlantic Avenue, and the Central Artery and Big Dig. He showed pictures on his iPad of everything giving the kids something to compare with what they were actually seeing in person. John managed to keep the slackers involved and interested, listening to what they wanted to hear about and telling stories to fit their requests. They took several quick side trips just off the Freedom Trail to accommodate them which they enjoyed. The kids were enthralled. They had never heard so much about the city. John timed the stories so they were told while waiting in crosswalks and in between sites. He had managed to keep them occupied during the entire time, not one student was bored. Jaimie's friends were impressed by John's knowledge, asking her, "Have you heard all this stuff before?" Jaimie jokingly said, "Some of it, but not told in that way." Michael added, "This is what he is like when he is teaching. He enjoys getting into the moment and focusing on what is important. Mrs. Eagleson is great but dad is amazing at history stuff. If we are lucky one day we will have him as a teacher." John and the kids arrived at the last stop first and enjoyed a longer wait for the others to arrive. John told them more stories about the area, including events they would learn later on in high school. The kids ate up his words. John's group thanked him for making the day fun, saying, "We heard this was a boring field trip, you made it fun." John asked, "Are you thinking any differently about your classmate now?" Eyes pointed at Jaimie who was busy talking with Jenna, they replied, "She is a nice girl but our parents don't like her. We don't mind her, but outside of school we can't associate with her." John thought for a second and said, "Well you don't have to associate with her outside of school, just be respectful of her. If you are good to her maybe your parents will change their minds. Either way, you benefit from being friendly with her. Plus there is always college where you are away from your parents' influence; you could get to know her then." The kids seemed to get the idea and agreed. After a half hour, they were finally joined by the other groups. John was constantly asked, "How did you get here so fast?" John was honest and said, "experience, knowledge, favorable stoplights, and fast walkers." The kids all jokingly said, "It's true, we outwalked the crowds." Mrs. Eagleson asked if they stopped at all the required places, the kids in unison said, "Yes". Jaimie added, "We stopped at other places too." She showed her the pictures taken as proof that they stopped. John told her where they stopped and why watching as Mrs. Eagleson looked at the energetic slackers with a smile. John had managed to do the impossible. She confessed to him, "You did exactly what we expected you to do. They were placed with you for this very reason; you reached them when other parents or teachers couldn't. It was Principal Rodriguez's idea to ask you to come, we knew you wouldn't let us down. They seem happier and I don't recall ever seeing them telling others what they learned." John shook his head and laughed, saying, "All I did was ask them what they were interested in; I tried to get as much of them involved as I could and if I didn't already know some stories I would have had the same trouble." The kids heard the truth and laughed, it was rare for a parent to tell the truth about not knowing something. The group thanked John for the fun day as they boarded the buses to return back to the school. Back at home, John recounted the day to Valerie. She jokingly told him, "Now you know how Michael and Jaimie were last years when we walked around." John groaned then hugged her asking, "Was I really that boring?" Valerie smiled and said, "You were enthusiastic about something you loved; we were doing something new and listened to your every word. Plus we loved you, so even if it was boring we would listen to you anyway just to let you have your day." John kissed her passionately and apologized for being so boring. He asked, "If I had known I would have popped the question right there." Valerie leaned in and said, "You won my heart already, you didn't need to." The next day at school the kids talked about the trip in class. The other groups weren't happy that they had so much fun while they were bored stiff most of the day. Jenna told them, "Mr. Finn listened to us and asked what we wanted to know, the difference between us and other groups was he tried to get us interested allowing what we needed to learn." The other groups thought about what their guides had talked about and it made sense. The biggest thing that day was Jaimie was treated better by the other members of her field trip group, with one boy apologizing for the others. She reassured him, "It's not your fault; it's your parents' fault. Just be yourself here." They said they would try their hardest to be nice but asked for forgiveness if they slip up. She said, "Don't worry, the fact that you are trying means more to me." The kids' excitement was short lived. There was still schoolwork to do and for some, it also meant taking their finals. Jaimie was asked to help out some of her classmates who needed help with their finals. She quickly agreed and the kids happy for her help. One of the students, George Daniels, volunteered to host the group, provided his parents agreed. George and the boys got along great but the girls didn't seem to like him. Jenna and he had an antagonistic relationship despite knowing each other for years. He would make jokes that seemed to frustrate her while the others laughed. George knew she didn't like him so he didn't even try to get closer to the boys. His reasoning was if Jenna didn't like him the other three girls wouldn't like him which meant the boys wouldn't like him. Jaimie and Stacy actually found him fun but didn't want to upset Jenna so they let him have his distance. George did ask his parents. They were all too happy to host them until they noticed who was in the group, with his mother kicking Jaimie out as soon as she entered their home. The others walked out behind her, not wanting to let them discriminate against their classmate. George tearfully asked, "Do you want me to fail 7th grade? You know I'm already on the borderline! If she can't help me then I'll repeat the grade! I asked her to help us, she is the best student in our grade and if she can't help me I will fail!" His parents saw how serious he was. He pleaded with them, the others looking on in desperation saying, "We need her help and he isn't kidding." His father Mike agreed but kept a close eye on Jaimie, still not liking having her over but trusting his son's instincts. Jaimie ignored them and did her magic, working with all the kids but spending more time with George than the others. After two hours they were up to speed and confident they would pass. Jaimie was thanked but she refused, saying, "You knew the information already." George hugged her and thanked her for not leaving. She saw the shocked look on his parents' faces and tried to break the hug but he held on. She finally said, "Dad did this same style of tutoring, Mrs. Eagleson told me to use it so thank them." Her magic worked, the group did much better than expected and George's parents pulled her aside at school to thank her. She looked at them and said, "Don't thank me, just remember that the freak helped your son" and stormed off. They tried to talk with her but George stopped them, saying, "She worked hard and doesn't like recognition especially from people who don't like her. If you want any reciprocation you need to get over her and show you actually mean it." They looked at him and saw he was angry. His father walked off in shame while his mother tried to look like she was unaffected. Their son had never done that before and if he did it for her it meant she was someone he cared about. Mike had a lot to reconsider about her, her past may not mean anything anymore if it meant his son was going to hate him. Chapter 29: Special Birthday for a Special Girl School ended in mid-June giving the kids 10 weeks of summer vacation. There were still another two weeks before they started their summer jobs so they spent the majority of the time at each other's homes. John and Valerie celebrated their first anniversary. The kids booted them from the house for the night forcing them to celebrate alone at a restaurant and relax at a hotel. John's mother watched the kids while they were away, with Jaimie and Michael ensuring they were not to be disturbed by any relatives or friends. Over the course of the year, Jaimie was becoming a fixture at the girls' homes so much that she was almost part of their families, much to the dismay of Courtney's brothers. They still resented Jaimie for getting them in trouble but kept their mouths shut whenever their sisters or mother were around. Gabby was no fool. She had finally had enough of their antics and kicked them out of the house for the summer, sending them to their maternal grandparents until late August. They would be put to work around their house and get jobs to pass the time, they wouldn't be allowed home except for a dire emergency. They begged and pleaded to stay but Gabby was happy to say, "You were so eager to get away from Jaimie I am just fulfilling your desires." Courtney had only one thing to say to them before they were driven off, "She is my friend and will not stop coming by here so get over her change." While Jaimie spent her time with Courtney and the others Rebecca was due to spend much of her time with John. John volunteered to babysit as Melanie helped Dan set up the contractor business. Rebecca and John spent a lot of time talking while the kids were out, with Rebecca asking him about his summers and anything on her mind. John was honest with her and she felt bad for asking, he laughed and reassured her, "If you didn't ask tough questions I would be concerned." After several days of just watching TV and playing video games, the two started to get bored with the routine. John took her for long walks around the city to kill that boredom. She listened to John's stories about the city and the places that didn't exist anymore. One of the trips took them to John's Aunt Victoria and Uncle Jorge's house. John's uncle insisted they stay for lunch. Rebecca was regaled with tales of John's childhood complete with embarrassing memories. She listened and laughed and enjoyed watching him squirm. She asked them, "Uncle John really did all that stuff?" John tried to hide in shame as he said, "Unfortunately yes." They asked John what she meant by "uncle." Rebecca told them, "Jaimie and Michael are extremely close to my sister and me, we started calling each other's parents uncle and aunt because they are so close they are practically brothers and sisters." John added, "Even Bryan and Hannah have been calling them cousins." His uncle asked, "What nationality are they?" John said, "He is Mexican and she is Puerto Rican." Jorge laughed and said, "Then it makes sense." They left soon after with Rebecca giving John a sly smile. He told her, "Not one word to you mother." Upstairs on the porch, Dorothy heard that and asked, "What did you do now John?" John gulped as Rebecca said, "He meant not telling mom how much a bad boy Uncle John was." Dorothy laughed, and said, "John I didn't think you had it in you." John meekly replied, "It was long ago." She laughed as they walked on. The next day John asked, "Why don't you play with the other girls from your school?" Rebecca shrugged and said, "They never bothered to ask and I didn't want to ask them. They stopped teasing me after your little show but have left me alone since." John asked about Courtney's sister Jessie, she reluctantly said, "After the birthday party and amusement park trip she didn't want to play with me and I don't think she would want to now." He thought this over for a minute then called Jaimie. Jaimie then asked Courtney for a favor and within minutes Jessie was talking with Rebecca. They talked for a while and got Gabby and John to set up a play date for the next day. Rebecca hugged John for doing that, saying, "You really know how to make someone happy." John just smiled and said, "Anything for my niece." Rebecca's playdate was a success and the two were fast friends again. Rebecca learned that the other girls were intimidating anyone who tried to befriend the, "New girl" after they were embarrassed in front of the whole class. Jessie and Rebecca had a lot of common, much more than Jessie had with any other girl in school. Jessie loved how Rebecca told the truth and listened. Rebecca liked that Jessie was energetic and got her to do things she wouldn't normally do. Gabby joked, "They are a lot like you and Melanie." John admitted, "I am not surprised, she is the spitting image of her mother." After getting the two friends together John had one more surprise for Rebecca. Her birthday was in another week but John had a special gift for her. She opened it in front of the family and nearly fainted at the sight. She had five tickets to the Red Sox game, close to the bullpen. She had been jealous of Michael since April and was getting to go! She nearly toppled John with a hug. John said, "Thank your dad, he suggested it" which she gladly did. John handed the tickets to Dan who handed them back saying, "No way, I'd take her but not with three boys in tow. You do it." John said, "Are you sure? It's your idea and your daughter's special gift." Dan still refused, saying, "You know how I am with people; I haven't been to a game in years because of my temper. Plus you bought them." John agreed with him and called up the boys who all thanked him. The day of the game the five arrived early. They watched the last parts of batting practice and hugged the railing over the bullpen for autographs. Michael called to one of the visiting Marlins pitchers asking for his autograph. He looked up and saw John and Michael and called back, "Wait are you John Finn?" The kids looked at John in surprise as he replied, "Yes." The pitcher, Miguel Toro, laughed and said, "I thought you looked familiar. Hang on a second." He motioned to one of the ushers and team officials who escorted the five closer as the bullpen so they could talk. Miguel shook John's hand and asked about Michael who meekly said, "Hello." Miguel asked if his daughter had come along but looked disappointed when told, "No, she avoids large crowds." Miguel shook his head saying, "The poor girl, living in fear because of scumbags." He asked about the other kids and smiled at Rebecca who was too scared to say a word. One of his teammates asked what was going on and Miguel told him, "Just saying hello to a good man and his group." He then told how they met last time when he was playing for the Royals. He looked over at Michael and joked, "A real Royals fan in Boston? I'll be darned. That's even rarer than a Marlins fan!" Miguel had to get back to warming up but had John and the kids moved to a box near the dugout at his expense. Rebecca was still speechless. Real baseball players had talked to them and one had smiled at her. John and the kids sat down in their new seats and enjoyed the game. It was a tight game and the Marlins had the lead as Miguel pitched an inning of relief. He did a great job but his teammates let him down the next inning. The kids were having the time of their life when the game ended. As they were leaving John was approached again by a team official who explained that John and the kids were requested in the clubhouse. Michael wasn't surprised but Will, Richard, and Rebecca were stunned silent. They followed down the corridors and were held in a small adjacent room until told to enter. Miguel greeted them again and talked with John for several minutes. The kids looked on in awe, Michael recalled the room from his last visit so he wasn't as awestruck. Rebecca was staring at all of the players in various states of dress. She blushed and tried her hardest to look away but couldn't help but notice their muscles and bare chests. Miguel motioned for Rebecca to come over and handed her a ball and gave a hug, making her smile widely. He talked with the kids for a few minutes and thanked them for their time. He turned to John and said, "I'll call you soon about this idea; I think the team's foundation would be interested in doing a similar program down in Miami." John and the kids thanked Miguel and left. The kids asked what John talked about. He told them the truth, "Miguel asked about Michael and me when he was in Boston and heard about the tutoring program. He told me they wanted to do something like that in Miami but were unable to come up with a viable idea. I gave him some background and rough outlines of what we did and he liked it. He's going to contact the team and set up a similar one. He has a degree in education despite being a pro ball player so this is a big thing for him. He also said to give Jaimie a big hug when we get home, he really feels for her situation." Back at home Rebecca showed her ball to her parents and told them all about the game. She loved mentioning that they were inside the clubhouse and got to see all the players but blushed when she realized how that sounded to them. John was embarrassed that Dan was being overshadowed, he tried to apologize but Dan refused to hear it. Dan laughed at the idea and said, "It's not your fault that a player happened to notice you two and gave my daughter the best afternoon of her life. It's a happy accident." He also added, "You also gave her another gift, she finally realizes she is more girly than she thought" laughing at her blushing earlier. The family gathered for a dinner and party in the yard. Rebecca and Jessie spent much of the party talking about anything on their minds while Courtney and Stacy watched. Courtney tried to make sense of her sister's sudden interest in Rebecca; Stacy thought it over and finally admitted, "fear can make you do some terrible things, with no threat from the girls she doesn't have anything to fear and lets her natural friendship shine through." Courtney shook her head and thought about what those girls must have been saying to keep the girls away from Rebecca and vowed that she wouldn't let them control her sister anymore. Stacy said, "Rebecca has a friend and Jessie is likely to bring more over to her side, she just needs more time. They only had half a year to get to know her, now they have more time." Rebecca's party was tame compared with the other parties. She didn't have many friends and those she did have were as close as family. The boys gave her presents and kissed her cheeks but giggled as they did, she was one of them in their eyes so it was like kissing their sister. She did enjoy the attention from them and joked, "If only the brats could see me now, three boys kissing me is more than they have had kiss them combined." The boys laughed along with her knowing she was right, they may be girly girls but none of them had been anywhere close to boys like she had let alone been kissed." Dan and John presented her with her cake. It had a large princess kicking soccer and footballs on it. Rebecca joked that it was perfect for her; the princess was pretty and the balls were a nice in-joke. The girls smiled knowing it captured her perfectly. Stacy joked that, "You should have gone a step further and put her picture on it." Rebecca shot back, "Nah, it is perfect the way it is." The party ended and Rebecca thanked John for the fun day. She hugged her dad hard for letting Uncle John take her and making her feel special. She and the boys went off for their sleepover at the Lopez house letting the adults finish cleaning up, with John joking, "The boys in school will be in for a ride of their life when she gets older. That girl is so much like her mother it's shocking." Dan raised an eyebrow and figured out why she was so close with John, he understood the real Rebecca. Four days later John got a phone call from the Marlins. They wanted to meet with him regarding their community outreach program. They mentioned Miguel Toro had spoken with him about it and he set up a meeting that afternoon in his home. John's meeting went fast; they were told about his work in Missouri and gave them as much information as he could with Dorothy Vega's contact information so she would be able to help them with administration related questions. They thanked him for the assistance and promised to give proper credit when it got off the ground. Rebecca walked in as they left and asked what that was all about. John joked, "The program that wouldn't stop pulling me back in." Rebecca rolled her eyes and asked, "Can we go out?" John asked her where she had in mind, Rebecca suggested the park. John packed up some water and snacks and headed out, texting Jaimie and Michael to let them know in case they came home early. Rebecca was met at the park by Jessie and some other girls whom she introduced as Amy and Kelly. Jessie asked her to come play with them; Rebecca could hardly refuse the offer. Amy and Kelly were reluctant. Kelly asked, "Why are you inviting her to play? You know Rachel, Iris, and Francesca hates her." Jessie snidely said, "Do you see them here? And do you really care what they say now that it's summertime? And do you always do what those idiots tell you to do?" They looked down at their shoes trying to figure out the right answer and finally said, "but you know how they are." Jessie was getting annoyed. She turned to them and finally stated, "Those two are jealous of anyone who can do things better than them. Rebecca is a great athlete and is smarter than anyone in the class and knows makeup tricks that our moms and sisters are trying to copy. Those girls are jealous of her, they want to be like her and the only way they can get any attention is belittling her. You are better than them, think for yourself for once." The girls looked at Jessie and saw the fury in her eyes. She rarely got angry and when she did you didn't want to be on the other end of it. They finally gave in and played with Rebecca. After a while, they started talking to her and listening to what she had to say. They started asking her about things like makeup and clothes and boys and she surprised them with her insights. Jessie laughed, saying, "She may be friends with boys but she knows more about girly things than anyone." John sat back watching the action. Jessie looked over at him and winked giving him the all clear. Rebecca was making more friends thanks to her new best friend. Gabby came over and asked what he was smiling about. He told her, "Just watching your daughter broker some new friendships." Gabby raised an eyebrow and saw Rebecca and the others talking while they were playing on the monkey bars and got the joke. He asked her, "Does she always make friends with the new kids?" Gabby shook her head saying, "This is a first. She never goes against the queens of their class. I guess Rebecca made such an impression that she finally snapped out of it and saw them for what they are." After two hours it was time to head back home. Rebecca and the girls arranged play dates for the next day at the pool which John wasn't too happy about but was willing to endure for Rebecca. She asked him if he could help her swim and he agreed to do it just for her. The next day they got to the pool early. John showed her some simple strokes and helped her get used to the deeper water. She started to get the hang of it when Jessie, Amy, and Kelly arrived. They saw the two practicing and let Rebecca finish before jumping in. They asked John if he was teaching her, John reluctantly said yes. The girls didn't tease her, instead worked with her so she could build up her confidence in the water. Rebecca thanked them for not teasing her with her saying, "Dad and mom either couldn't swim or didn't have the time to teach us." They told her they didn't want to make fun of her because it wasn't right and she didn't have the opportunities to learn like they had. John and Gabby talked while the girls swam. She asked him why he went out of his way for her as if surprised he cared about her as one of his own children. John was quick to reply, "She is family, she isn't blood but she is family. Her mom and dad would do the same for Jaimie and Michael and I'd do the same for Stacy." She asked how long he had known the Lopez family; John told her the truth. She asked about the closeness and got the usual, "brother/sister" reply. She pointed out that, "Some brother/sister relationships are nothing like you and Melanie, remember the birthday party?" He thought back and agreed, the poor girls being embarrassed by older brothers. She told him that the other parents thought the two of them were a great couple and a shame they never got together. John pointed out that, "It would be like dating my sister, too odd and creepy to think about. I love Melanie but not in that way." She laughed and let it go as they watched the girls play in the water. The girls spent the next two hours splashing and playing in the pool. They never made fun of Rebecca and let her join in the fun. Now that there were four of them they were able to play more games and had more fun than they used to have. Rebecca had finally won them over and they were on their way to following in Stacy and Courtney's footsteps. Amy and Kelly got a lot of weird looks from their classmates but after a while, they stopped noticing, Rebecca noticed this and was relieved that they accepted her as a friend despite the possible implications. Chapter 30: Summer Job Terror The first Monday morning in July several hundred teens across the city of Winnisimmet set out on the first day of their summer jobs. Jaimie, Michael, and their friends were among them. They were assigned to clean streets, the toughest, hottest, and dirtiest of the jobs. Jaimie specifically chose this job over all others as she felt like she was making a big difference in the city. Michael and the boys were like most other boys and assigned the job because they were fit enough to do it. The girls chose the job because if Jaimie was doing it then they were going to do it. The group was assigned to clean one of the dirtiest streets in the city. Situated just off the main square in the heart of the city the street was dimly lit at night and during the day had perpetual shadows. It was filthy, smelly, and hot. It was the worst street to get assigned to clean. Jaimie had a large push broom so she had to start at the end of the street and work her way up to the smaller brooms and shovels. Her partner was Claire who was constantly having trouble getting the broom to do what she wanted. During one such broom problem, two men ran up behind Jaimie and hit her in the head with a rock, reaching down to grab her wallet from her pocket then running off before anyone noticed. Claire screamed as she realized what was happening causing their friends to rush to her aid. Jaimie's head hit the sidewalk hard leaving her unconscious and bleeding profusely. She was out cold and struggling to breathe. Her hair was caked with blood and her skin was growing paler. Their supervisor called 911 and tried to calm the others down. Within minutes firefighters and an ambulance rushed to the scene as the kids tried their best to keep Jaimie from moving. Michael called his father at home and alerted him to what happened. John called Valerie at work and alerted her then called Dan and Melanie to get them to pick up Michael. When Dan came Michael was unresponsive. He was not saying anything and only reacting to simple questions. Dan tried his hardest to comfort him but he wasn't responding only muttering, "We should have been there for her" over and over again. At the hospital, John was met by Valerie. The two were taken to a side room as a doctor explained the extent of Jaimie's injuries. Jaimie had suffered several broken bones in her face as well as a fractured skull. They were waiting for pressure to go down in her skull or else they would need to operate. Her facial injuries would require some surgery but they could wait. John sat down in a daze. He took the news hard and tried to blame himself again. Valerie tried to console him. Dan, Melanie, and Michael arrived and were filled in on what happened. Michael was in tears continuously blaming himself for not protecting her. He tried to tell her to stay close but she wouldn't listen to him, preferring to work separately with Claire instead of under his watchful eyes. Seeing Michael in pain John pulled himself together and held him. He kept saying, "It's not your fault" but Michael wouldn't listen. John and he hugged tightly until Michael stopped. Michael asked, "Where are the girls?" to Dan and Melanie, and was told they were staying with Anne until later. Two hours went by and John was given bad news. The pressure in Jaimie's skull was bad enough that they felt it was approaching dangerous levels and they needed to do something. John approved the surgery and sat down shaking. Valerie saw his condition and ordered him home; he was no good to Jaimie as a nervous wreck. Dan agreed to take him home while Valerie and Melanie waited there. On the way out they were met by Governor Christian James. He told them, "I was in Winnisimmet to see Jaimie and was told what happened to her and rushed over as fast I could." John told him what went on and what was happening to her now. Christian looked down in shock, finally uttering, "This poor girl, she's a saint and she keeps getting nothing but speed bumps." John silently agreed. John was calmed down enough to vent his true frustration, "I had them put in a requirement that they hire police details. There was supposed to be two officers for every workgroup yet the kids said there weren't any there. I'd like to know what happened to them and why. The department was being paid and the officers were all volunteers who knew the kids, they just weren't there." Christian asked, "You paid and they never showed? This is something that is in my area now. I'll be asking the state police and Attorney General to look into this. Something stinks here and I don't like it. This isn't just Jaimie in danger this is hundreds of kids in danger." John thanked him for doing that and watched the governor start making phone calls. Dan grabbed John's shoulder and said, "Come on, we need to get you home. This is in the hands of powerful people now, your place is home and in bed." Dan escorted him downstairs and drove him back making a quick stop to pick up Stacy and Rebecca first. The girls were concerned about Jaimie. Dan couldn't say much except, "She is in surgery and will be out of it for a while. As much as you want to go you should stay here for the time being. We will let you know when you can come. The same goes for everyone else, so make sure to tell the other six." The next day the truth was revealed. Christian's inquiries got right at the heart of the problem. The chief of police ordered every officer to stay away from the voluntary details under penalty of suspension. He didn't want them involved with the program and had no intention of ever assigning officers when he accepted money from the program. This angered parents and especially the governor who bypassed the chief and got the city council to ask for help from other departments to protect the kids. This drastic action saw several dozen police cruisers come to the city with officers and deputies from dozens of departments willing to volunteer their time to protect the kids of the jobs program. There were several incidents of officers complaining and harassing the new details but with strict orders to arrest those who tried to interfere the harassers backed off. The children did not see any trouble and worked harder than they had before. Jenna, Richard, and the others were asked by John to go to work as normal; Jaimie would not let them stop because of her. They tried to argue but Michael told them, "He's right, you know her and you know she would not let you quit or lose out on a paycheck because of her." They worked in silence but still worked hard, doing whatever they could to keep their minds occupied. The rest of the week went by fast but saw no change in Jaimie. Jaimie was fighting hard but wasn't responsive yet. She had tubes going into both arms and monitors on her fingertips. John and Michael were there for her every day and Valerie took an early maternity leave to deal with Jaimie's hospitalization. Jaimie finally awoke on Saturday, much to the delight of her family. She asked what happened and was told the story. She touched her heavily bandaged face and felt pain. She put her hands on her head and felt no hair up there, only bandages. Jaimie burst into tears and cried out, "I look like a boy! My worst nightmare has come true." John and Michael assured her, "They needed to cut your hair to operate on your skull; even if it is cut short you will never look like a boy, you have grown too much to look like one." She stopped crying but still had tears in her eyes. John stepped out and called Dan and Melanie to let them know what happened. He then called Karen, Leslie, and his mother to tell them as well. The news spread among the parents to the kids fast. A doctor walked in and told Jaimie that she was lucky, she didn't hit hard enough cause serious damage inside her skull but still had a hairline fracture that caused some trouble. If her head hit any harder and she may not have survived the impact. Jaimie asked about the surgeries and was told, "You still need one on your cheeks but the worst is already done. In a couple of days, you should be able to have it done and hopefully in another week to 10 days you will be able to go home to recuperate." Jaimie was relieved, she asked when she could have visitors but was told, "It might be best to wait until after the surgery so you don't overstress yourself." Jaimie wasn't happy but agreed to it. She asked John what was going on with the program. John shook his head and said, "I think you should be more concerned with yourself." Jaimie was stalwart, refusing to budge, "What is going on?" John finally admitted, "The chief of police pulled your details. This is why you were attacked, you were supposed to have someone with you while you cleaned. The governor, city council, and other chiefs have seen to it that the kids are safe despite the complaints by the department. They are working hard on your behalf. Your friends were told to continue working; Michael and I said 'it is what Jaimie wants.'" Jaimie piped in saying, "You knew exactly what I would say" and hugged Michael and John. Valerie walked in and told John, "Mom called and changed her flight so she can come earlier. She will take the pressure off of you so you can rest and relax. This isn't a request; this is an order from the doctor. He knows your history and doesn't want you having an attack over something you can't control." John was sent home with Michael in tow to update Dan and Melanie. Michael also called their friends and told them how long they had to wait to visit Jaimie which met with the same groaning that Jaimie gave. He assured them that she was thinking of them and tried to get them to visit but was denied. They accepted the reason but still wanted to go. Michael told them, "I'll FaceTime while there." John got a call on Sunday from Louis Reagan. He asked that he or Valerie attend Monday's city council meeting. John tried to ask why but wasn't told. John knew Louis well enough to know he had something big up his sleeve and it had to be what the governor was doing. John knew he wouldn't be able to hold his tongue or his temper in front of the council so Valerie was selected to go to the meeting. She was the better choice to ask about the details as she was unknown outside of the school as she was busy and only lived in the city for a year, plus she had few friends outside the kids' friends' parents. John was too well known, he wouldn't get an honest answer but Valerie might. Valerie met with Louis and Christian before the meeting and was let in on the surprise. The meeting was called to order and Valerie addressed the council. She stated she represented the summer jobs program and demanded to know why the police protection details were pulled and stated that they had paid in full weeks before for the presence of volunteer officers. The council was shown the contract, several members demanding that Chief of Police Benson answer questions. He steadfastly refused to do so. Christian got up in front of the council and stated he had evidence that the order came directly from Chief Benson himself, to which Christina demanded that he account for his actions. He produced an internal document from Chief Benson addressed directly to every officer; the council read it over and agreed that Chief Benson needed to answer questions immediately. One of the councilors asked for a recess and another seconded it. The two walked over to Chief Benson and started to talk. Over the speakers, Chief Benson was heard saying, "I'll be damned if I'm letting that queer or any fag make me look like a fool. That tranny freak got lucky. It should have died when my men beat it but didn't. Next time it won't survive." An audible gasp was let out by the crowd and council members. Chief Benson tried to leave but one of the state troopers assigned to protect the governor blocked him. Louis restarted the meeting and addressed Chief Benson, "You have had your break now you must answer for your actions." He refused, saying, "You heard what you heard and I ain't saying no more." Louis then said, "So be it." One of the councilors stood up with a look of anger and stated, "Chief Benson, despite your years of service you leave us with no option but to start termination proceedings. You have disgraced this city and the department with your actions and you have disgraced yourself with your words. You don't belong in uniform anymore." A second and third councilor agreed. The vote came out 9 to 2 against Chief Benson with Christian being asked to have the state look into the incident and ordering the full cooperation from the department under penalty of termination and criminal charges of obstruction of justice. The meeting adjourned with Valerie thanking everyone for doing what they did. Louis gave her a hug and said, "Make sure she doesn't overdo it trying to recover, she is tough but she is still a kid." Christian asked her if there was anything he could do, Valerie smiled and said, "You just did, you got the person responsible. The Attorney General's office will handle things from here and we know just who will lead the investigation into the mess. The only thing left is to wait for her to recover and she wouldn't want you to help any further anyway, it's not your job and she just wants to move on. Thank you, you didn't have to do this but thank you." Outside city hall was becoming a media circus as the news broke. Valerie slipped by without being noticed but did get stopped by William Kelly of the Winnisimmet Free-Press. He asked her, "Is she alright?" Valerie nodded. He said, "I'm not reporting anything you say; I have enough information from other sources who can speak on the record and with more depth than you can give me. I just want to know how she is doing." She told him what happened and how she was doing. He shook his head in pain saying, "Jaimie deserves better than that. She tries her hardest to help this city and gets nothing but trouble in return." Valerie asked him, "Why the interest in her?" He shook his head and said, "She is going to be something great and someone has to be there to get her background right before these glory seeing hacks destroy it." Valerie thought it over and said, "Last of a dying breed." He joked, "That I am." John was told what happened and let Jaimie know. Jaimie was upset that she had caused so much trouble but John and Michael flatly said, "You didn't do anything, they did it to themselves." Michael added, "Your real friends stood up for you and exposed the bad guys, they truly love you." Jaimie spent the next few days waiting for her next surgery. John and Valerie took turns watching her and keeping her entertained until the time came. Jaimie came out of it wrapped in bandages with only her eyes visible but she was happy to finally have a chance to see her friends. It was two more days to allow the swelling to go down but she was cleared for visitors. The girls and boys took shifts so she had someone with her at all times. Richard was there the longest, having to be pried out of her arms by his mom while John looked on smiling. Jenna and her mom were there the shortest; Jenna couldn't stand seeing her so hurt and burst into tears hugging her before she asked to leave. She apologized to Jaimie who tried her best to comfort Jenna. Anne consoled her and took her off, thanking Jaimie for understanding. Rebecca and Stacy were the last to visit, each trying hard to ensure she was comfortable and asking if she needed anything from home. Evelyn Johnson arrived the next day and rushed to Jaimie's bedside. Jaimie spent much of the time trying to console her while her parents watched. Evelyn insisted that Valerie sit and John goes home to rest while she took over watching Jaimie. Michael was ordered home as well. Jaimie tried to get her to stop fussing but she would have none of that. Michael shook his head saying, "Where do you think all the stubbornness comes from?" Jaimie groaned at the bad joke but agreed. Jaimie spent another two days in the hospital undergoing more tests and X-rays until she got the all clear. She was met outside by all her friends and family who made a convoy home. Jaimie was happy to be out of there and happy to be home but insisted that nobody fuss over her. John and Dan told her, "You heard the doctor; you are to take it easy. We are fussing for your own good." Evelyn shooed everyone out while Jaimie got settled in, making dinner for the five of them. Valerie was ordered off her feet while John was ordered to rest as well. Michael was put to work much to his chagrin. Jaimie's progress was steady. She stayed in her room the whole time, only coming out to go to the bathroom and not saying a word to anyone. Her family was giving her all the space she needed. She received visits from Dr. Eliza during this time, with her trying to tell Jaimie that she needs to move past what happened and be her old self. Jaimie resisted, saying, "I look like a boy again. I finally start to feel like the real me inside and out and I lose it." She cried the rest of the session and was left to sort herself out. She promised to visit again next week if she was up to it. Within a week after her facial surgery, Jaimie's wounds were healing nicely allowing her to forgo bandages. Her hair was gone; her head was shaved clean down to the scalp. A scar was going to remain but would be hidden by her hair. She cried seeing it for the first time but got used to it quickly. She wouldn't let anyone go near her and had to be reluctantly helped to the shower by Valerie and Evelyn. John and the girls found the perfect wig to wear until Jaimie's hair grew back. It was shoulder length and matched her hair color perfectly. To the untrained eye, it looked natural. The girls offered to have their heads in support but Jaimie shot them down, refusing to let them endure the shame and torment on her behalf. She was used to it, they didn't deserve it. All 8 kids vowed that any kid in school who made fun of her over having no hair would regret it. Jaimie put the wig on and started to cry. It looked like her old hair but with more style. Jenna said, "We knew you would like it. It's perfect for you." Richard asked her, "Are you going to style your hair like that for the Valentine's Day dance?" to which Jaimie cried tears of joy. She asked, "You still want to go with me?" Richard without hesitation said, "And let the most beautiful girl in school get away from me? Not a chance." Jenna and the girls let out a collective, "Hey!" Jaimie met with Dr. Eliza later that week. She told her that she was feeling better knowing that her friends wanted to help her so much. She blushed when she told her what Richard had said, getting a pleased smile in return. She told Jaimie, "You are doing much better. You just needed to hear that the people who love you still love you and that they don't see you as being boyish just because you had to have your head shaved. The fact that they tried to do the same in unison says all you need to hear, you are a girl to them no matter what happens." Jaimie felt a weight off her chest and was happy. Chapter 31: Court Appearances Two days after being released from the hospital Jaimie received a summons to appear in court. Valerie phoned to see what it was about. She was relieved and thanked the person finally telling Jaimie that she had to testify in court at the sentencing of the men who attacked her. The state police had gotten fingerprints from her wallet and the rock and made an arrest. John was thankful they were behind bars but Jaimie was scared. The next morning the family drove to Boston. Jaimie was a bundle of nerves. They met with the defense and prosecution as Jaimie recounted the events. After both were satisfied that her story had not changed and matched what Claire had said she dismissed. She was scared but walked into the courtroom with her head held high. Valerie and John walked alongside her and held her hand as she waited to be called. The prosecutor called Jaimie to the stand and she told what happened before and after the attack. She was asked by the prosecutor to remove her wig to show the results of the attack, resulting in a loud gasp from the gallery. The judge asked if this was a stunt and was told by the prosecutor it was not, that she had to have her head shaved so surgery could be performed on her skull due to the pressure in her skull and produced the medical record and doctor statements to prove it. The judge apologized to Jaimie for the embarrassment caused and excused her. The judge wasted no time and rejected the plea deal and sentenced them to maximum sentences due to the near fatal nature of the crime. The defense complained but the judge overruled him. Jaimie was told she didn't have to go through this again which she let a happy, "Thank goodness!" Jaimie was met downstairs by Christian James and Louis Reagan who hugged her. She was in tears but they assured her, "You showed them you are stronger than anyone." Jaimie said, "I hope I didn't cause you too many problems, what you did in Winnisimmet can't have been too popular." Christian assured her, "On the contrary, standing up for you and the other kids helped me. People were outraged and pleased that someone took a stand for kids' safety. It was your idea in the first place, so once again I am indebted to you. The legislature wants to recognize your work for the kids; they know you are too humble to accept but I was hoping you would stand before them and accept it regardless." Jaimie shook her head and said, "You know I only do what I believe is right, I don't deserve credit or debts." Louis leaned in and said, "Take the credit just this time. You deserve it and everyone loves you for it. Just accept the certificate and get your picture taken to make them happy." Jaimie smiled and finally agreed, but said, "Only if the others are recognized too." Christian agreed, and said, "All the kids will get one, but you are going to be the one in front of the camera to accept on their behalf." Valerie and John led her out as she waved goodbye to them. Back at home, the kids were told what they were going to receive and what Jaimie was going to have to do. They were jealous that she was going to be in the newspaper or on TV but Jaimie said, "I only agreed because they wouldn't let me say no." Michael groaned and said, "Sometimes your humility is ridiculous. Just take praise for once." The next day the family went to the statehouse as promised. Jaimie put on makeup that tried hard to conceal the bruises and cuts. Christian assured her that she looked fine. The two made small talk as he asked about Richard. Jaimie blushed and said, "I can't keep him away; dad has been putting him to work at home so he has something to do." Christian laughed at the joke. After a few minutes, they met the legislators for Winnisimmet and got their pictures taken. They tried to make small talk with Jaimie but she all but ignored them. Eventually, the news crews arrived and took footage of her accepting the certificate of appreciation on behalf of the kids with the governor saying a few words. The others kept silent while Jaimie smiled. As the news people were getting their shots John had something whispered into his ear. He asked one of the staffers to say, "No". The staffer returned and said, "He refuses to accept no and isn't happy at the delay." John turned to him and said, "I know what he wants and the answer is no, she will not accept anything and hates to be singled out. It will only backfire on him." The poor staffer returned again and said, "He insists, he is threatening to burst into the room and spoil the photo op with the governor." John relented and said, "Tell him we warned him it will be bad for him." Jaimie and the family were told there was a last minute change of plans. They were led to the house chamber where she was introduced to the entire legislature. Jaimie could only gasp seeing 200 faces smiling back at her as they applauded her. She tried to leave but John said, "just speak your mind" with a wink. Jaimie understood immediately. The Speaker of the House of Representatives addressed the crowd and stated why they were there. He asked Jaimie to come forward and told her, "We rarely come across a person whose life has been so heartbreaking yet who has done so much for others. We asked you to come here because we wanted to show you appreciation for all that you have done and hope that you continue on this path to greatness that you are on." She was given a special honor and asked to speak before the assembled crowd. Jaimie took a minute and fought for the right words. Finally, she said, "I don't deserve this. I didn't do anything that people wouldn't do. The things that I have done are minor. I spoke out of turn about something that caused people to take notice and feel shame. I gave money for something I am partly responsible for. I didn't do anything special. I am sorry but I refuse to accept this." She gave the award back and left to a rousing applause. The Speaker was speechless and looking angered. Outside in a private room, the speaker stormed in. He was looking for Jaimie and wanted to have a word with her. Before he could reach her Christian approached and flatly stated, "You were told she never accepts any praise. She only appeared because your handlers forced her to. Don't worry, the embarrassment will wear off soon. The reporters will have a few words to say to you, though." He tried to get at Jaimie again but was stopped by John. John looked him right in the eyes and blurted, "Think about what you are about to do. You are about to go after a 13-year-old girl because she refused to be a political pawn. I told you she would say no but you wouldn't listen. She doesn't like praise and she does not hold back when she speaks. As you can see you are being filmed so what you do next will determine if you have a job tomorrow, you can either leave with your head held high and face the media or you can continue to go after her and get restrained and so help me if you lay a finger on her I can't guarantee you won't end up in the hospital. Either way is going to be bad for you." The Speaker backed off. He was escorted out while reporters watched. He had to face a flurry of questions about why he was escorted out to which one of Christian's staffers leaked the truth. The Speaker had a bigger problem than egg on his face, he was now fighting for his job. Jaimie was embarrassed and held Valerie tightly. Christian walked over and told her, "You have no idea how many people you made happy. He should not have put you up there. His colleagues were angry at what he did and whatever he tries to do to you will fall flat. They had to appear like they were happy to have you there because of the cameras but they received word right away just how you really felt about the whole presentation." Christian was told what happened outside with the media and turned to Jaimie with a wide grin saying, "That didn't take long, word got out about what he tried doing here and he is in deep trouble. I don't think you will have a problem anymore; he has a lot more things to worry about like trying to avoid being forced to resign." Jaimie was relieved but still scared. She was led out the back away from cameras with guards ensuring nobody would bother them. Later on in the day, they delivered the personalized certificates to each worker with most surprised that they were receiving anything. She got many hugs and thanks from the kids while the officers watch smiling. The story was all over the news that night about what the Speaker had done. Jaimie's honors rejection and his antics afterward made him the laughingstock of the state. Jaimie got a bunch of phone calls from her friends over what happened, with all of them laughing their butts off. Jaimie felt great, the first time in weeks that she felt normal. The inevitable happened though as the story went national. John denied every interview request and any reporters who showed up were told to leave. Richard had to fight through them several times to enter and exit the house. The third time he ended up falling over onto the ground as cameramen struggled to get pictures inside the home. Sean Beretta saw him get knocked down and called the police to remove them. The reporters were escorted out of the neighborhood and told not to return. Several protested but were told bluntly that their bosses were informed about their actions and agreed to cooperate lest a lawsuit and charges be filed. They complied. Jessica out in Newhall, MO saw the story and called Jaimie to ask what happened to her. She and her friends noticed her hair was different and there was some bruising despite her makeup. Jaimie was honest and told them about the attack, the aftermath, the prison sentences. Jessica was shaken by what happened, on the verge of tears listening to Jaimie recount the events. Jaimie pulled her together, though. Sensing that she needed to talk about anything else Jessica asked about the baby, Jaimie told them, "It won't be long, just a few more weeks." The girls demanded baby pictures when the little one came and hoped she would make another visit to Missouri soon. Richard said something which the girls heard. They pressed Jaimie for information about the mysterious boy which led to her telling them about Richard and her since February. The girls asked to talk to him and Richard got roped into a long conversation. Jaimie was holding back laughter as her parents watched the fun. Richard finally gave the phone back and said, "I don't know what just happened but I think they tried to ask for my picture." Jaimie groaned and told him, "They have been trying to see what you look like for a while." Chapter 32: Babies In the early morning of the first Saturday in August Valerie went into labor. She wasn't due for another two to three weeks so she was a little early and it came as a complete surprise. The family went into action as John drove Valerie to the hospital while Dan and Melanie took the kids. Evelyn called her husband and got him on the next flight to Boston. She then called the other Finns and made their way to the hospital. Soon all 11 family members were waiting outside in the waiting room while Melanie and John were in the delivery room. Joseph arrived that evening to find Valerie still in labor. The kids were being kept occupied by Bryan and Hannah while Dan, Karen, Leslie, and John's mother Catherine paced the floors. The kids were getting inundated with requests for updates from the kids, both in Winnisimmet and Jessie out in Missouri. Inside the delivery room, Valerie was sweating profusely while holding John's hand tight. Evelyn was reassuring her as often as possible while Melanie kept going through her Lamaze techniques with her. Finally, after 16 hours of labor, a little baby was born. He was 5 pounds and 10 ounces and was screaming loud. Valerie held him tight. She started to feel something else and got the doctor's attention. The doctor checked her and saw another head. She was told to push and within several minutes another crying baby was born. She had twins, a boy, and a girl. She was 6 pounds and 9 ounces and slightly larger than her brother. They looked at the doctor who was as shocked as they were. The doctor checked her charts and the results of past tests and didn't see anything that indicated a second heartbeat or limbs; the other baby was a surprise twin. Evelyn and Melanie looked at John who was as dumbfounded as them. The doctor asked if twins ran in the family, John quietly said, "Yes, my sister had twins. But that shouldn't matter, though." The doctor looked at Evelyn who blushed and told him about a cousin who had twins. He sighed and told the couple, "It isn't very common but it does happen that a twin can go unnoticed." He then smiled as he realized that nobody bothered to check to see if there was a possibility, and rechecked the sonograms seeing at least one extra arm or leg after a closer inspection. Melanie snickered and told John, "I think you are going to get a lot of blame for this, you didn't go to most of the appointments." John joked, "It's not my fault they never asked! It runs on the female side not the male side anyway and she obviously didn't know either." Valerie finally admitted, "I completely forgot about Hannah and Bryan, I was so focused on the baby they never crossed my mind. And mom never mentioned twins so yeah I wouldn't have known either." John walked out to tell the others. He had a shocked look on his face and they expected the worst. He finally composed himself and said, "It's a boy. And it's a girl." The whole group looked on in disbelief. John told them, "She was hiding behind her brother the whole time. They couldn't detect her heartbeat over her brother's and didn't see anything on the sonogram at the time. We have twins!" They mobbed him and congratulated him. Hannah and Bryan looked at their mother who was laughing. John looked at her and said, "You knew it was a possibility didn't you?" She had a smirk on her face as she said, "Let me guess- the doctor never bothered to ask Valerie about kids in her family particularly on her mother's side? They didn't know to look for possible multiples." John admitted, "Valerie said she forgot to about her mother's cousins." The twins looked at her dumbfounded. Karen told them, "It's genetic. When I was pregnant with you I was told that there was a 50/50 chance there would be twins. Your grandpa told us about other cousins on your mother's side who had twins so I knew to ask to look." They were still unable to comprehend what happened. John finally said, "Your grandma's side of the family has a lot of twins. It's a surprise but a happy surprise. But it also means that you, Hannah, are likely to have them." John called Anne and Jenna to let them know the good news. Jenna asked if they were going to need anything and Anne asked if he wanted the other parents told. John simply said, "We will have everything taken care of, just let the others know so they can stop worrying." Jenna asked when they could come by, John said he wasn't sure but Jaimie would let her know as soon as possible. Joseph, Dan, and John's mother were shown inside. Valerie said, "Introducing Joseph Daniel and Catherine Melanie Finn." Dan and Joseph looked surprised and happy, with Dan asking, "Did I lose the coin flip?" John laughed and said, "Well I thought best to name them after the grandparents, plus I like the nickname 'JD' a lot. Plus we don't need two Dans in case you were going to have another kid." Dan held JD in his arms and said, "At least you thought highly enough of me to name him after me" while Joseph said, "And I am glad you went with my name, I'm not a fan of Evelyn for a first name." Evelyn piped in, "Nothing wrong with it, but I like Catherine a lot more." Melanie was silent and smiling, saying, "They are lucky to have a great mother and father." The kids were shown in next. Jaimie and Michael stood close to their mother as she held the babies while Stacy and Rebecca looked on afraid to get too close. Valerie told them to come closer as they should get to see them as well, the girls smiled and played with the babies' hands. The twins were released from the hospital two days after their birth. The Finn family and their closest friends gathered at the house awaiting their arrival with Michael and Jaimie overseeing the gathering. Leslie and Karen spent the previous day furiously buying clothing and additional items for the unexpected twin, making sure things were perfect for their arrival. Jaimie spent much of the time with Rebecca rearranging their new room while Michael did the heavy lifting. The two were getting along much better than any had seen in ages with Rebecca asking him, "Why the change?" Michael scratched his head wondering if it was a change or just stopping being a brat. Rebecca looked at him and laughed saying, "I can't answer what I mean; either way will make you chase me." Michael smiled saying, "Good!" Jaimie was so focused on the twins that she forgot her own troubles and had her lingering depression and frustrations from the assault lifted, much to the happiness of her friends and family. The moment arrives and the van was mobbed by the kids. All 12 were clamoring to see the twins with their parents trying unsuccessfully to herd them away. They backed off and let them through when John came out and opened the door, allowing Valerie and him to carry their precious cargo to the yard. Once on the table, the kids mobbed the babies cooing and doing their best to get the sleeping twins' attention. Jaimie snapped pictures and texted them to Jessica who thanked her for them. Dan and Melanie pulled the new parents aside and asked to speak with them privately. The four went inside and sat down. Melanie started to speak and said, "We know this is their special day but we needed to say something soon." She pulled out of her purse a small piece of plastic and cardboard which sent Valerie flinging towards her with a big hug. John looked and said, "Guess I shouldn't have given you two so many nights off in June. Sorry, Dan!" Dan slapped his back and joked, "It's your fault; I think she got jealous of you giving Valerie so much attention that she wanted the same." Melanie said, "Sure, blame me. You can join John on nighttime diaper change duty." Valerie and Melanie started making plans. John asked, "Have you told the girls yet?" Dan said, "We haven't yet; we wanted to tell you first." John called Stacy and Rebecca inside, sat them down, and Melanie and Dan told them the news. The two shrieked and ran out to the yard and screamed, "Mom and dad are having a baby!" Dan and Melanie cringed; John turned red apologizing for that. Valerie laughed and said, "better to do it now than wait." The four walked outside as Dan and Melanie were congratulated by everyone as the girls talked to their friends about the baby. Jaimie called Jessica and got her and the girls on FaceTime. She showed the babies and then panned over to where Richard was sitting. Michael nudged him as he looked at the iPad. He tried to get away from Jaimie who cornered him. Jessica sweetly asked, "Is that him?" Jaimie with a wide grin said, "Yes, that's my boyfriend Richard." Michael burst out laughing at poor Richard until Courtney came over. Jaimie panned over to him and said, "And that's Michael's girlfriend Courtney." Richard now laughed and said, "Thank you Jaimie," giving her a kiss on the cheek. Jessica and the girls swooned as Jaimie pulled away to show the babies again. Richard had a big smile on his face as the other girls dragged him off away. While Jamie and Michael were trying to out-embarrass each other Rebecca introduced Jessie to Dorothy. She told her, "Ms. Vega is going to be our new principal. She's a good friend of Uncle John." Jessie told her all about the self-appointed queens of their class and asked that she keep an eye out for them. Dorothy asked if they were the same two who gave Rebecca a hard time, which Jessie quickly said yes to. Dorothy smiled saying, "I am glad you told me, Rebecca mentioned them to me before and I asked the fifth-grade teachers about the problem kids. They claim they are good kids but I don't think they saw what they were doing outside of class as a problem. I see it differently. I'll keep an eye out and you can guarantee that I won't let them push anyone around especially ones who are good people." They hugged her for the help and said, "We will try to be good students. We can't guarantee good grades but will try to stay out of your office." Valerie sat quietly as John got all the attention. She looked at a picture of them from that first summer and smiled. She was pleased that John had come a long way in the last two years. This was his crowning achievement, all his friends, and family surrounding his newest children. Joseph noting, "Hard to believe he is the same stranger you told me about." Valerie simply said, "He hasn't changed; John has always been that way, he just needed someone to bring that out of him." Joseph watched the man laughing and joking with their friends and family and could hardly argue against it, he was a man who had it all and who gave more than he took. Epilog: A New School Year Joseph left two days after the twins came home. Evelyn stayed on for the next two weeks while the twins were settled and Valerie fully recovered. John was true to his word and took the night shifts for Valerie while Evelyn made sure Michael and Jaimie were fine. John was better than she expected, she cringed when she heard that he had to do this when Bryan and Hannah were babies after their dad died. She tried to apologize but John told her, "There is nothing to apologize for, it was long ago and you wouldn't have known and you have done a lot for the kids already." She departed saying Joseph and she would be back for Christmas, not wanting to miss the twins' first. This time they would stay in a hotel, Joseph insisted on that. John completely understood, he was OK with Winnisimmet but the house was a bit too crowded for them now. The last week before school was spent making sure the kids had everything for the year. John met their teachers and was assured by most that Jaimie's gender was not an issue. John was told that Principal Vega had told them to be vigilant and adhere to the school rules; John thanked them and assured them that Jaimie would be a model student and Michael would give her the proper space this year. The first day of school saw John, Valerie, Dan, and Melanie seeing their four kids off. Rebecca went off with Jessie and her new friends and got reacquainted with their classmates. Amy and Kelly asked about the babies and she told them that her mom was having one as well. The girls were joined by other classmates as they listened to Rebecca's stories about what happened over the summer. All of them were captivated by the baseball game and wanted to see the prized ball as well as the twins. Watching her talk with Jessie got Rebecca sneers from the, "queen of the class." As Rachel and her two lackeys were about to say something they pulled aside by Principal Vega and told, "Your reputations precede you, I won't tolerate bullying and any form of forced exclusion. If you act as you acted in 5th grade you will see how it feels to be excluded as you will be suspended and if need be, expelled. We won't tolerate it here." Two of the girls, Iris and Francesca, were horrified as the other kids in their class laughed; she had cut them down to size before the first bell. Rebecca and Jessie walked around and talked as other kids joined in, getting the year off right with 6th grade looking better already. Jaimie, Michael, and Stacy walked into the yard and were mobbed by their friends. They asked about the twins and Stacy joked, "Uncle John is getting a workout keeping them from waking up the neighborhood at night." Their friends laughed at the joke as Michael and Courtney hugged and walked off to talk alone. Richard and Jaimie did the same but Jaimie was reluctant to hug. Richard told her, "You look fine" and kissed her cheek. Some new boys came up to Jaimie and tried to make fun of her hair. Jaimie was on the verge of tears as one grabbed her wig, yanking it off her head. Jaimie burst into tears as the boys gasped and laughed at her short hair and scars. They started to push Jaimie around and toss the wig to one another before they were encircled by Jaimie's friends. Other classmates came over and demanded they hand over the wig immediately. The boys refused and said, "Why is she wearing a wig, she some sort of freak?" Michael was trying to rush the kids but was held back by Richard and Will. Claire said bluntly, "She almost died that's why. Give it back or you will regret being born." He dropped it trying to run off but was grabbed by other kids. George Daniels snatched the wig off the ground and smoothed it out, giving it to Jaimie. She thanked him and quickly put it on. The school's officer grabbed the boys and dragged them over to principals Vega and Rodriguez. The boys were escorted inside and awaited their punishments as their parents were called. Jaimie was barely able to stand as the kids let her pass by. Jenna escorted her to the bathroom as her other friends kept guard. Nobody said anything about her hair or wig, most asked about the new babies or went about their business. Jaimie calmed down enough to go back outside as the kids offered their sympathies. None of them had seen how badly she was hurt in July, they knew she was sent to the hospital and in there for two weeks but nobody had seen her since. The younger kids were put in their place by the 8th graders who told them that anyone who made fun of Jaimie would regret it all year. Jessie and Rebecca told their classmates that they were serious; Jaimie was their friend and was also their family. None of them did, fearing the older kids' wrath. School started without any more fuss. Jaimie met her teachers and was given what was expected of her for the year. She was pulled aside and told, "Don't expect special treatment, you want to be treated as a normal kid well that's what is happening." Jaimie smiled and said, "Thank you, that's all I ever want." She was told that they did expect her to show a lot of effort even if what she was learning was beneath her level; she was quick to say, "My parents would know if I wasn't giving my best and Ms. Vega would be angry at me." Her teachers nodded in approval knowing it was true. Michael and Courtney were partnered for many of the subjects but kept their relationship on the back burner during class. Richard and Jaimie did the same but this was easier as he had more difficulty in school than Jaimie. Jenna and the others were in the same classes but outside of lunch and other times, they were too busy with schoolwork to gossip or talk. 8th grade was going to be more intensive and required more attention making girl talk almost impossible during class time. The last class of the day was history and the kids got a special guest. Jaimie couldn't hold back her tears and excitement as the principal introduced Governor Christian James to the class. She ran up to him and asked, "What are you doing here?" He smiled and told her, "Official duties, your school was on the list of schools to visit today and it's just a coincidence this class was chosen." He gave her a wink showing it wasn't entirely true. Her teacher, Mr. Poland, asked Jaimie what she was doing and was told quickly by Christian, "Jaimie is a good friend of mine. She has helped me on several occasions with some tough decisions and garnered me a lot of support from many people. I like to check in on her as often as I can. I have been trying to hire as an intern on my staff but can't get a yes from her." The kids laughed knowing the joke but left Mr. Poland confused. Principal Vega told him, "She is extremely humble and won't accept awards or accolades." Mr. Poland didn't look like he believed it but was bluntly told by Principal Vega, "He's not lying, she and he have quite an interesting history." Christian thanked the kids for making the first day memorable and was shown out. Jaimie was given odd looks and simply said, "I'll tell you the whole story at a later time, we have work to do." Class went on as normal after that but she was still looked at oddly. After class, she told the story to Mr. Poland earning her more shocked reactions and a look of disgust. He snidely joked, "I guess you won't need to go through the legislative process if you already participated in it." Jaimie said, "No, that was all Christian. I only talked to him that night; he wanted a perspective on the issue direct from someone impacted by it." Mr. Poland asked what that was to which Jaimie flatly told him, "What it was like in the foster care system before Dad helped me." Her teacher wanted to know more but she only said, "You need to ask the principal that" and left for the day. Outside the parents watched what the kids had done for Jaimie in the morning and were still discussing it in the afternoon. None of them moved to help, opting to let the kids settle things on their own. They listened as the other parents talked in shock at what they saw, most unaware of how bad Jaimie's injuries had been. Several came over to John to ask what happened; John told them the truth and listened to the sympathetic replies. The news had reported a girl was beaten but never mentioned her name. Ever the primadonna Mrs. Clarence tried to say that this was all a stunt, she was after all the tranny girl. She was shocked when other parents told her bluntly, "That poor girl almost died in July. She may be transsexual but that had nothing to do with her hair being cut so they could save her life." Mrs. Clarence tried to say something else about Jaimie but the other parents wouldn't let them spew any more filth to them. They walked over to John and Valerie and offered their apologies for the idiots still around. Most of the time John and Valerie were the center attention for the parents as the twins slept in their carriage. Dan remarked, "I don't remember this much attention when Rebecca and Stacy were little." John joked to Dan, "Get ready for it; everyone is going to love seeing your little one." Dan was unprepared for the attention, saying, "Is it always like this?" John jokingly said, "No, it gets worse." Dan groaned in anticipation. Melanie gave John a funny look, saying, "Great, now you broke him. Keep that up and you will be doing midnight diaper changes over our house too." Dan pondered the offer and said, "Nah, I can't let him do that. Weekends are a possibility, though." Valerie joked, "Thankfully you will have plenty of practice before March, Dan." As if on cue the twins started to stir and a smell wafted through the air giving them a smelly gift with perfect timing. John looked at little Catherine and said, "Thanks a lot, Cat. Your mom and aunt just love this." JD started to stir with Dan having to change him, saying, "And thanks a lot, JD, you gave me the easy job". Dan had already taken the diaper off when JD moved slightly and sprayed urine on his pants. John looked in horror and told Dan, "I should have warned you, with a boy you have to step to the side and wait a few seconds in case he wasn't finished!" The mothers could barely contain themselves as the two fathers changed the twins' diapers. The sound of laughter drowned out the sound of the bell as the kids came out. For the Finns life was great. Jaimie had real friends who loved her for herself. Michael had a dad who cared about him and friends who shared his hobbies. Valerie had the husband who cherished her and gave her three precious gifts and the best friend she had needed. John had the family he was seeking, as well as the friends turned family that brought out the best in him. The four shared a bond that few families shared. They were the Finns, they had suffered obstacle after obstacle and come out on top. Before they had only each other, now they had an ever growing group of friends and family. The End. To be continued in the final of the trilogy, "New Beginnings"