---

 
 
Mom came in and woke me up, saying I should get my bath because this was the day we had to go to court. Mom had already taken Angie downstairs. I got up, and got my underthings out. Let me see, I think today is a lavender day, so I got out my lavender bra and panty set, a lavender half slip, and I got into my robe and slippers. I went to the bathroom to take my bath. I put in the plug, and added a capful of lavender bubble bath, and turned the water on. I brushed my teeth as the tub as filling up. I turned off the water and lowered myself slowly in to the tub. The sensation of the bubbles had an immediate effect on me.

I washed and rinsed, and then got out to drain the tub. I patted down and then lotioned and powdered myself, and got in to my underthings. I wrapped a dry towel around me, and went back to my room. I took out my lavender dress from my closet, and laid it on the bed. I picked up a pair of lavender pumps and set them on the floor under the dress.

I went to my vanity and sat down to put my makeup on. I couldn't wear eye makeup yet, but I could wear mascara and face powder. After getting that on, I stepped in to my dress, and zipped it up. I sput on my stockings, and stepped in to my shoes. I made sure that everything was straight, and went downstairs to have breakfast. I don't really eat a lot, so I had a slice of jelly toast, milk and orange juice. After washing, drying, and putting away the dishes, we went out to the car. We took Angela to the babysitter's, and we headed for the courthouse. Branch 32 of the circuit court was in room 324 on the third floor.

We found the courtroom without any problem, and we in and sat down. The district attorney was not Mr. Manian. This is a woman, and when she saw Mr. Marks, she came over and introduced herself.

"Good morning, I'm Kathy Sullivan. I will be prosecuting Mrs. Kelly. And you must be Susan," she said looking at me but smiling. "I am going to have to put you on the stand, after I call all my other witnesses. We have the doctors, their diagnostic reports and x-rays, and we have your friends too. Your friends Cindy and Bobbie and even you will be testifying just before the court, the jury, the attorneys and your mother. Because you are minors everybody else has to leave the courtroom.

"Anyway, all of the evidence is in our favor, and your mother doesn't stand a chance. She is facing five years in prison if she is convicted, and I am betting she will be."

"Couldn't she just go to a hospital and get help?" I asked pleadingly.

"Well young lady, what I heard about you is true. You only care about others, even if they have done you harm. That is amazing. I will tell you what I will do. When the jury comes back with a guilty verdict, I will recommend that she be sent to a hospital. If she was told you were a girl by the delivering doctor, and raised you as a boy, then she is in mental denial, and only saw the "son" she so badly wanted. That shows a mental aberration, and she will need psychiatric help for it. So anyway, it was nice to meet you Susan, I need to talk to Mr. Marks for a bit."

That was telling us to go back and sit down. There was a whole bench seat three rows back, and we all sat there and waited for us to be called. There was another case just before us, and I sat and listened. It didn't take long because it was a sentencing hearing. Then the bailiff called our case by state, county and case number, and then handed the judge what was called the docket. The judge looked through the file for a moment, and I saw him make a kinda wrinkly faces at what he read. When he looked up he addressed the people in the courtroom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you are here today to be picked for jury duty, in the case that is now before the court. The attorneys will ask you questions, and make their selections. Those of you who are not picked for this trial, will be directed back to the jury commission wating area for reassignment. Miss Sullivan, are you ready to proceed?"

"Yes, your honor. Number 5, will you be able to render a just verdict of guilty, if the evidence shows that the defendant is indeed guilty?"

"Yes I can."

"Number 11, The same question, please?"

"Yes I can."

"Number 11, are you prejudice against women?"

"No."

As she went through the jury list, and then Mr. Connors had his turn, the jury was selected. It really only took two hours to get the jury.

"Your honor, also I am requesting that the witnesses be sequestered while another witness is testifying."

"Without objection. So ordered. All witnesses to this matter except the complaining witness and the defendant shall leave the courtroom, until they are called. You all may wait out in the hallway on the bench by the courtroom door. When you are called to testify, the bailiff will come to get you. You may continue, Miss Sullivan."

"For my first witness I call Dr. Allen Brinks to the stand." After he was sworn in, Miss Sullivan started asking her questions. "Dr. Brinks, have you ever had an occasion to come in contact with a child known as Susan Kelly?"

"Yes, I did."

"Would you please tell the court in your own words what that was about and why?"

"Susan was sent to me by her guardian Mrs. Granger for a physical examination."

"And did you examine Miss Kelly?"

"Yes I did."

"Please tell the court in your own words, what that examination, if anything, showed."

"All of Miss Kelly's organs are intact, and she is very healthy."

"Did your examination reveal anything else?"

"Yes it did."

"What if anything, did your examination show besides she is healthy?"

"It showed that she was missing testicles, and the area just above where the testicles would be was soft."

"Was there any further examination?"

"Yes there was."

"Will you tell this court what that further examination showed?"

"It showed that where the testicles were supposed to be, there was a void."

"Did you find out what that void was?"

"Yes ma'am, I did."

"What did you discover about the void."

"That what appeared to be a penis, was in fact just flacid skin covering a vaginal opening."

"Your honor, if the court please. I would at this time ask that anyone not connected with this case, leave the courtroom, because further testimony is going to get into the name of the minor in detail."

"Mr. Connors, any objection?"

"No, your honor."

"All right without objection, it is so ordered that anyone not connected with this case, please leave the courtroom. We are sorry, but this has now become a closed trial." People were getting up and leaving the courtroom. When they all had left, there was only me, my mother, the attorneys, the judge, jury, and court staff. Then the judge told Miss Sullivan to continue.

"Now Dr. Brinks, when you made this discovery, did you take any action?"

"Yes, I did."

"What action did you take when you made this discovery?"

"I told the child's guardian that she needed to be in the hospital as soon as possible so that we could remove this outer layer of skin."

"And was this outer layer of skin removed?"

"Yes ma'am, it was."

"Did you discover anything else after removing the outer layer of skin?"

"I didn't remove the layer of skin, Dr. Schneider did."

"Very well, then. No further questions, your honor."

"Mr. Connors, any cross?"

"Yes, your honor, thank you. Now Dr. Brinks, after you removed the child's penis, couldn't the blood you found be from the incision?"

"I didn't remove the layer of skin, sir, Dr. Schneider did."

"Just a yes or no will do, doctor. How can you tell the difference between blood from an incision, and blood from a girl's period?"

Dr. Brinks just shook his head in disbelief. "Sir, if you have ever seen blood from a female's menses, you would never forget it. The..."

"Thank you doctor, but that doesn't answer my question. How do you tell the difference?"

"Blood from an incision is clean, it can even be used in transfusions. Blood, menstrual blood, is full of impurities, and body waste materials that is being cleaned out of the woman's body through the menstrual process. Menstrual blood cannot be used for transfusions unless you want to cause the person's body to become infected with impurities. That is how you can tell the difference."

"No further questions, your honor."

"Dr. Brinks, you may step down. Miss Sullivan, will you have any further need of Dr. Brinks to testify?"

"I may need him your honor, for rebuttal purposes."

"All right. Dr. Brinks please join the other witnesses out in the hallway. Call your next witness, Miss Sullivan."

"I call Dr. Richard Schneider to the stand." Dr. Schneider came in and took the oath to tell the truth, and then sat down. "Dr. Schneider, are you a medical doctor graduated from a university medical school?"

"Your honor, the defense will stipulate to the witnesses credentials."

"So ordered, Mr. Connors. You may proceed Miss Sullivan."

"Dr. Schneider, have you had occasion to come in contact with anyone in this courtroom?"

"Yes, I have."

"Will you tell us who that person is, and what the occasion was for the contact?"

"Certainly. The young lady....."

"SHE'S NOT A YOUNG LADY YOU LYING BASTARD! SHE'S MY SON! MY SON!"

The judge pounded his hammer thing two times on his desk, and then looked directly at Mr. Connors. "Mr. Connors, you will restrain your client, or I will hold her in contempt of court, and make her serve county time before this trial resumes. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal, your honor. I will talk to her and tell her not to disturb the court again."

"You may proceed, Miss Sullivan."

"Please finish what you were going to say, Dr. Schneider."

"Well the young lady in the light purple dress," (Cyndi, Bobbie, and I giggled), "sitting in the third row behind her mother, was the young lady I had had contact with."

"For the record your honor, the witness has identified Susan Marie Kelly. And the dress is lavender."

My mother picked that time to pick up her water glass, and throw the water at me. It missed, but the bailiff was ordered to remove my mother from the courtroom.

"Mr. Connors, in a bit I will bring your client back in and charge her with contempt of court. If she cannot pay the fine I give out, then she will serve county time. When her time is completed, this trial will resume. John, bring the defendant back in to stand before the bench." John brought mother in, and walked her to the front of the "bench" where Mr. Connors and Miss Sullivan also were standing.

"Miss Kelly, you are hereby charged with willful contempt of court. This court orders you to pay a fine of one hundred dollars, or thirty days in the county jail. Are you going to pay the fine, Miss Kelly?"

"What fine? For what? That person sitting right there is my son, and I don't care what kind of reports these doctors dreamed up, that is my son."

"Well, since you refuse to pay the fine of one hundred dollars, it is the judgement of this court, that you be taken to the county jail, women's division, and serve thirty days imprisonment for willful contempt of court. It is so ordered, and this trial will reconvene when the defendant has served her time in the county jail.

Mother was then led out of the courtroom, still trying to resist. Something is definitely wrong with mother, and maybe a psychiatrist can help her. Maybe. She is still on that "I am her son" kick, and I think it is already stale, if not seriously messed up. How can she say that I am a boy when it is proven that I'm not? Well we have a month to wait until mother gets out of jail. As were just ready to leave the courtroom, Miss Sullivan came over and talked to us.

"I'm sorry about what your mother did today. Now I see that she desperately needs a hospital instead of a prison. She is in such a denial about you being genectically female. I've seen all of the reports, and I am even calling the doctor that delivered you. Your mother may be doing this on purpose to go to a hospital, but since you yourself said that is where she should go, I will do what I can to get her there. What the judge saw today and so did everybody else, it wouldn't be much of an argument to get her committed to an indeterminate sentence. And don't worry Susan, when she gets to the hospital, she will be well looked after."

"I'm not worried Miss Sullivan, I just want her to get help."

"Well, I said it once and I will say it again. I am amazed at how forgiving you are at such a young age. Most children your age don't forgive anything. Anyway Susan, we have a month, well twenty three days if she gets out on good behavior. I will call you and let you know when you have to come back to court."

"Thank you, Miss Sullivan."

"For what, dear?"

"For understanding that mother needs to be in a hospital."

"That is not a problem, and you be good. I will call you when you have to come back."

"Bye Miss Sullivan."

"Bye Susan."

We left the courthouse and decided we were hungry. We went to IHOP for dinner. Did I mention that they had meals too besides just pancakes? I ordered the roast beef special, with salad, thousand island dressing, milk, and a slice of cherry pie for dessert. I took my small bites, and almost ate the whole meal, but there was some roast beef left on the plate. I was so full I thought I couldn't even eat my pie, so we had it place in a "doggy" bag and we took it home with us.

Nobody said anything. Even Bobbie and Cindy were quiet. When we got home, we all went inside. I put my pie in the refrigerator and went up to my room. All I could do was lie on my bed and cry. Bobbie and Cindy came up and just held me from both sides. They didn't say anything except, "shhhh, it's going to be alright." Mom came up and stooped down in front of me.

"Sue, we're all here for you. You know what I do when I get upset like this? I go shopping."

I couldn't help but smile, but it was a weak smile at best. Mom told me to just settle down a bit, and we will go shopping. She said she wanted to get me a few things anyway. I mean, I already have enough dresses, skirts, tops, shoes, jeans, petal pushers, shorts, lingerie, several nightgowns in long, teddy, and baby doll styles. But as mom, Bobbie, and Cindy keep telling me, a girl can never have too many clothes or shoes. I would like to get a few more pieces of jewelry though. Mom said the dress I was wearing was good enough to go shopping in, and I just looked at her with wide eyes.

"Are you kidding, mom? If I went shopping in this after wearing it all day, I'd simply die." I got a hug from all three of them, and I went to take a shower, using my perfumed soap. When I came back I put on my lingerie which was just simple white, and sat down to do my makeup. Oh god girl! Major repair time here. My eyes looked like one of those demons you see on the late show. If I had contacts, I could cover the redness up, but I don't need glasses of any kind. So I looked at Bobbie and Cindy, who said if I can use moderate makeup and mascara, that should distract anyone from my eyes. When I finished putting my makeup on, I just got in to a pair of jeans, a nice pink top that said, "girls rule", and put on my knee high socks and calf high, black boots. Bobbie brushed out my hair, and put one clip by each ear, and one big clip on the back. I was ready to go shopping.

When we were all set, we went downstairs and joined mom in the car. She backed out of the driveway, and we headed out of town. She said we were going to a very exclusive shoppe in the next town. They catered to girls and women of every size and shape. When we got there, mom was able to park near the door. As we went went in a little bell above the door rang. A lady about mom's age came from the back of the store. When she saw mom, she had said in a surprised voice.

"Anna! It is so good to see you. How have you been, and who is this delightful child?"

"She is going to be living with us. This is Susan, Carla, and she is going to be my adopted daughter."

"Is she one of your foster children, then?"

"No Carla, Susan is one of Bobbie's best friends. Susan's mother is in jail right now, but stands a good chance of losing her freedom for a number of years. We're going to adopt her, so she has a family to care for her."

"Well young lady, you will have a good mother. Anna takes care of her family."

"I know she does. I have known the Grangers since I was in kindergarten. That's where I met Bobbie."

"Well, welcome to my little boutique. What can I do for you today?"

"She has had a very emotional day, today, and I want to get her a special dress."

"I have just the thing. Follow me."

She led us to the back of the store, and over to a rack that had plastic covers over the gowns and dresses. She picked out a teal chiffon semi formal dress, and told me to go and try it on. I went in the changing room she had for private fittings, and I put the dress on. I stepped out from the changing booth, so they could see me in it. Both put their hands over their mouths.

"Child, let me look at you," Carla said almost out of breath. She looked at me by walking around me, and then told mom she wanted to do a little something with my hair. After she was finished, she stepped back, and looked at me with wide eyes. "You look like an angel. How old are you Susan?"

"I'm twelve ma'am."

"You look like you are very grown up in that dress, with that hairdo. What do you think Anna?"

"She looks very pretty," mom said, beaming with pride.

"Will there be anything else, Anna? How about a present from me?"

"What kind of present?" I asked coyly.

"How about a nice necklace? A young girl like you needs something to make her look stunning when she is wearing a dress like this. Let me see what I have."

We went over to a counter that had all kinds of jewelry in it. She picked out a sliver necklace, and put it around my neck. Then she told me to look in the mirror. I walked over to the full length mirror, and even I had to gasp.

"This is just ... all so ... beautiful. Than ... you."

She smiled because I was starting to cry. "Child, there is no thanks necessary. It is my gift to you. Will there be anything else, Anna?"

"Yes, I want to get her a couple of skirts and tops for school."

"Does she wear a school uniform?"

"No, she doesn't. She goes to a public school with Bobbie and her friend Cynthia Marks."

"Mr. Marks daughter? Well I know Cindy. They come here when they want something special too. You have very nice friends young lady. Now I know you will be in good hands. Is Cindy's father representing you with your difficulties with your mother?"

"Yes, ma'am, he is."

"Good. Well come over here then, oh, uhm go and take that dress off, and put it by the cash register. Then when you are dressed, come over there," she said with a wave of her hand, "and we will see what we can get you."

When I joined them a few minutes later, they were talking about some of the skirt sets that were also in plastic covers. One was a green, red, and white checked tartan skirt, and the blouse was white. I went and tried the set on, and it fit like a glove. The skirt came to just a little above my knees, and the blouse was made to be tucked in. I looked at myself in the mirror, and I liked what I saw. I stepped out to show them, and mom said that I "looked very pretty in that outfit". I tried on two more skirt sets, and the skirts were just above my knees. The second set was a lavender skirt, with a lilac blouse, and the other one was just a simple black, A-line and the blouse was a teal tuck in, that buttoned in the back. Mom paid for them all, and Carla helped us take them out to the car. Mom and Carla hugged, and then Carla gave me a hug too.

"Remember child, Anna will take good care of you."

"She has, for a long time. Thank you for the necklace Carla. I will take very good care of it."

"Of that, I have no doubt. Good luck, Susan."

"Thank you, ma'am."

Mom drove us back to the house, and along the way I looked at all the fields, the streams, the animals. I was kind of just twirling the necklace absent-mindedly and thinking of what Carla had said. She was very nice, and she even gave me this necklace as a present. This was almost pure silver, and the pendant had a silver rose in the center. It was a beautiful necklace, and I didn't dare ask how much it would have cost, because Carla owned a very exclusive boutique and she had only the finest clothes and jewelry. When we got to the house, Bobbie and Cindy came out and helped me take my things to my room.

"I am just dying to ask you sis. Where did you get that fabulous necklace?"

"Mom took me to Carla's and bought me this dress, these skirt sets, and Carla gave me this necklace as a present. Oh, and Cindy, she said to tell you hi, and don't be a stranger."

"She is nice, isn't she?"

"Very."

"I'm going to put this in my jewelry box. You can both borrow it from time to time, if you want. After all, we have been sisters like forever. And sisters share." They both gave me hugs, and then we sat on my bed just talking animatedly about this and that. Even if the day started out sad, it ended up a very happy one. I put on a few records, and we all just danced, and swayed to the sound of Ricky Nelson.

---

 
To Be Continued...