It’s to be an exciting time as our expanded crew was now its own research and development department. We coopted the rooms we had used on the previous project. We’re charged to bring two production lines into production while only taking one offline in sixty days. Alaina and crew believe it is a doable assignment, but not by doing it as advised. They are presently clearing adjoining land moving earth and compacting land where they believe a new foundation needs to be laid. We widened the area within the boundaries of the land. We planned to put both production plants side by side, yet with their areas.

Meanwhile, Alaina who is working today has a meeting with staff and the board of directors who are less than pleased with her identity and the position she has been given. While, it means government grants and tax credits That is a corporation concern not hers, though it is linked to her job and position.

Though life philosophies and belief differences with Board member Gary Price are substantial; he’s not Alaina’s big concern. Alan and Alaina’s office has blueprints and spec sheets spread out or rolled up on an oversized draftsman’s desk. Gary is very conservative in his thinking and he’s upfront about it. Alaina welcomes Gary and shakes his hand in greeting them. They have been friends ever since Gary took notice of Alan’s work.

Gary says, “I’ll be honest with you; I was pleased with the results of your last project. I’m still not in favor of you or an all-woman crew. And I’m upset that they’re allowing you to work as a trans member of management for our company. I’m not out to cause problems but I need to be upfront with you that I’ll be watching closely.”

Alaina asks, “Do you have some men you’d like to suggest I hire?” Alaina smiles, “Oh, by the way, I met your daughter Tess came; one of her classes visited here two months ago. She has a good head on her shoulders and presents well. I suggested she hire one for the summer. I know she’ll get a good number of scholarships and stuff. I just sensed she does exceptionally well learning as she does things.”

Gary perks up, “You think, I’d let her work with your group ahead of working for our company?”

She responds, “I didn’t think she’d take it, or that you’d allow it; I just thought it would be a great opportunity for her.”

“How do you see it as a great opportunity for her? asked Gary, thinking Alaina wouldn’t have a good response.

“It sounds like she has a good working knowledge of how you do things. Seeing our system would be good knowledge on how else things can be done. You have done a good job, but you and her older brothers are all guys in a male-dominated company. I talked to her, but it was Susan and Anna and the other workers that she took a liking to. They were to be here half of the day, which would have been more than enough for us. But she talked her teachers into extending it instead of moving on.”

Gary interrupted, “I heard you wined and dined them, while they were here.”

Alaina laughed, “Assorted Pepsi products, vita water, and our cafeteria. There were eight or nine of them, the teachers and the driver. She’s the daughter of a Board member, and it wouldn’t tax the cafeteria. It was an easy decision on our part. I didn’t think she would tell you anything special.”

“But now you’re out as transgender and I suspect someone on the crew is a lesbian. You thought I’d be excited about that?”

“She’s going to the state university with one of the better engineering majors in the country. You would have cloistered her away in a safe environment if you thought she’d be happy with that… I’m not here to debate you about what she’s going to do. You and Glenna have done a fine job raising her.”

“I can show you where we are in the planning stage. The Directors or those above us have questions or change our direction fine.” Alaina says, “So far, I think we’re heading in the right direction. What would you like to see?”

They went over the plans and reasoning for what’s likely to be changed. Gary was pleased; he said, “You know, I won’t fight you doing a good job. You’re exceeding expectations and you are barely started.” Gary shook hands which was as excited as he gets. He hasn’t usually done that when he’s not pleased.

Harry Cheswick was meeting with Alaina during the afternoon, now that was a problem case ready to happen. One thing in Alaina’s favor, he was a loose cannon and not very popular. He was given a position on the Board at the request of a banking company he works for. Alan hadn’t been on Cheswick’s good list; the Company, William Dupree, CEO, knew Alaina’s job would be a sore point with Cheswick.

Harry Cheswick jumped on Alaina as he was coming through the door. He said, “Where do you get off changing things and preparing construction ground before you get the Board’s approval? I didn’t see the CEO’s okay on the changes.”

“Mr. Cheswick please calm down and I’ll explain what you want to know and why we’re doing it,” Ms. Hart said.

He said, “I won’t settle down, you’re hiding behind the skirt you're wearing. Others might be nice in butting heads with you and gloss it over with nice words, but I won’t.”

“Mr. Cheswick, no one would dare try to sneak something past you. What we’re doing is in the planning stage; that’s where changes should be developed and assessed. Regarding preparing the project sight; has the knowledge and approval of Mr. Dupree and his associates. It is something that would need to be done either way. The projected saving of time and money is ahead of prior forecasts.” She asks him to be seated, and once he does, she states, “I think the bigger problem you have is with me. And I’m in the process of changing and I’m not going back. The Board and Mr. Dupree have the power to get rid of me, but I hope they won’t. We’ve proven we can do the work assigned to us. It was Board members and staff sought me to make the change in light of my personality. If you will calm down and check the project information and plans here; I think you’ll find them in order.”

Harry Cheswick is up on his feet moving for the door. “You’re an abomination That needs to be eradicated and I’ll launch the drive to get you out.”

“And nice to see you, Mr. Cheswick.” Alaina thinks, “And how his daughter Martha is turning out is beyond my thinking.’

That night and the next day calls, emails, and social media as well as Facebook postings started. The next two weeks were difficult for Alaina working under a microscope at work. It was a bit of hell for the family at home. Alan complained, and though Cheswick was ordered to cease his harassment as a board member of a bank employee; the harassment just went to his house and with the help of like-minded people.

Alaina finally spoke up stating Cheswick had gone too far and was still seen as a representative of the Board and his bank.

Marvin B. Lange, Chair of the Board of Directors called and set up an emergency meeting. Cheswick despite his connections was removed from the Board of Directors. CEO, William Dupree praised Alan Alaina Hart. He updated the Board about the planning underway and suggested changes with the noting of savings and better-end projects. There was also an update on the previously approved project. It was moving along but not too quickly.

Come the close of the meeting Gary Price sought out Alan and asked, “Is a summer position for our daughter still a possibility?” The question was coming from Tess Price.

“I’ll have to check, but I believe it is possible. Did she ask to work with anyone in particular like Aubrey or Anna as they’re the youngest of our supervisors?” Alaina paused hoping to hear a response.

Gary said, “She’s interested in working with the top engineer.”

Alan responded, “Not if I’m going to be working with you closely watching. It wouldn’t be fair for her or our company.”

“My company pays her, but there would be no strings or anyone watching over your shoulder,” assured Gary.

“She’d have to be working for and paid by the company; that's the only way it would be allowed,” Alan waited again. It was agreed upon but Alan said, “Alaina will be back tomorrow and the next few days at least. I’d like her to come in after school and for us to get an agreement.”

William Dupree and Board President Marvin Lange questioned Alan’s plan to hire Tess Price, however they would allow it if Hart still wanted to do it in the morning.

Cheswick was not only removed from the Board; the bank he worked for also let him go. Cheswick was a non-story within two days.

Carole had filed a judgment for personal damages to Andrea and the family against Cheswick, the Board of Directors, and his Bank. All would be settled out of court but it took time and even then not all the settlement was probably forthcoming.

Alaina was there when Tess Price came after school to be interviewed. Alaina was honest, “You would be doing a lot of errand running and seeing the engineer in me directing others to do the work. And sometimes I will be pairing you with Susan to work under a natural woman, and to see engineering being applied. The boss has a lot of boring time waiting for different stags to be reached.”

“All that sounds good to me,” said Tess, “But I do hope you will watch me more closely. I am a smart girl and I want to be treated like one.”

Alaina said, “Thanks, I am glad that you are strong enough to speak up for yourself. I’ll consider that, but come the final decision, I don’t want you second-guessing me in front of others. Do we have an understanding?”

Tess asks, “Does that mean you’ll hire me for a summer joy."

Alaina had noted with Cheswick and then with the Board that she was undergoing changes, but they were not elaborated upon in detail. It was a personal thing that Carole had suggested. It was something she knew Alan had dragged his feet on. Alaina had used Carole’s GYN and an endocrinologist to begin seeing specialists at Johns Hopkins University Hospital. It was scheduled there to be away from where the corporation might be checking for her. Surgeries we scheduled to begin when their planning stage was over and the Council and Board of Directors needed to approve the project or send it back.

While revisions were possible if not likely; Alaina was confident that approval was a matter of time and refinement. She would have things ready for Susan, Anna, and Aubrey to handle in the first stages or building and transition. She was already scheduled for breast augmentation to be performed. Alan/Alaina had desired a B+ implant it was changed to a C cup at Carole and Andrea’s urging.

Tess was hired and the alterations in the project with the laying of the foundation for two production lines were approved.

The construction for the previous project was already behind schedule; that was despite all the preliminary work that Hart’s group had done. This meant Hart’s research and development team, would continue in their makeshift area.

There were attacks that their crew’s activity was making others look bad. Hart’s group used union workers like others, but Susan and Anna had routinely got on schedules ahead of time. They also made use of unions

It was near the end of her third week that Tess asked, “Alaina, I heard someone say you have a strong faith, but how do you justify your lifestyle work with your faith?”

Alaina said, “I do believe I have a strong faith; I have shared with the Lord who I am. The difference you and I have is more a matter of religious beliefs versus faith. I may not be as religious according to your church’s doctrines. I have little to no trouble taking things to God in prayer, or seeking wisdom, caring about the people of this crew or my family.”

“I respect you and your dad as religious people, and I analyze the beliefs and practices of your church or those of any of my workers.” Alaina paused, “Can you point out where my faith has come into play against how we’re doing our jobs?”

Tess replied, “You’re answering in ways I didn’t expect. And part of me expected you to get angry and threaten me.”

“Tess, I think your questions are as sincere there, as they were when you asked about the stress levels on the steel we were projecting for a machine we were evaluating. I can handle that. I hope you can respect my abilities and what we’re doing as a crew?”

Tess said, “They say there’s a celebration for the crew at the end of work today, but that you’re not going. I was wondering whether I should be going or not?”

“There will be some drinking, and I wouldn’t want you to be drinking alcohol. But there are other things to drink and a limit of two drinks per person. Susan will watch out for you if you go. It is another side of your fellow employees that you’ll see. The decision is yours.”

Tess hugged Alaina for treating her as an adult and apologized for giving the hug.

Over an extended July 4th, weekend Alaina had her breast implants with no fanfare and had missed three days of work after the Fourth. Alaina had legally changed her name to Alaina Alan Hart though only two commented on the change of the name plate.

Aubrey being on the crew and handling a lot of the behind-the-scenes work had helped a lot. Everyone knew their part of the crew was making good progress. And they were worried about the others possibly lagging behind. It was nearly August when Susan approached Alan on a rare day he was visible. “My part of the crew is wondering with their progress; are there going to be cutbacks on their hours?”

Alan said, “Your crew is doing well; your only concern will be how they will do when the four of us to meet for three days apart from them next week. We need to check and analyze the project and begin bringing the plans and proposal together. Different from the last project, I want the project to stay with us through its completion. But I want you to know between the planning and taking over the project I will be taking a minimum of four weeks for SRS, the surgery so my outward appearance matches how I see myself as Alaina.”

Carole asked after work, “So did you go through with telling Susan about your next big step?” Alan was changing clothes and hadn’t spoken. “Did she ask what I thought of your operations?” Alan nodded his head, “Was she surprised when you told her?”

Alaina was showering, and Carole was in with her. “Yes you know she would have been, and I needed to repeat what I said. She thought I was joking, that you were the first to plan on the change after we determined there wasn’t going to be any more children.”

Carole was serious but ready to giggle. “That I had been a lesbian and I would enjoy us being women. Your being transgender was better than any plan I could have imagined. You fully becoming Alaina works perfectly for me.”

The End (3 of 3)