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Here is Chapter Three of Mathew's Secret Desire. I made some changes when I posted Chapter Two that didn't mesh with Chapter Three. As a result I had to rewrite Chapter Three. Don't you hate when that happens, hehe.

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Synopsys

Eleven year old Mathew Stevens is enjoying life to the fullest. He has Parents and a Sister that adore him.

His Teachers at School have nothing but praise for him and his grades are the norm for a person his age. His girlfriend, April is also his best friend.

Yes life is good. But Mathew has a secret, a secret that he has kept hidden away, for as long as he could remember. But now that secret is starting to fight back, it’s starting to fight its way to the surface, and it’s beginning to bother him.

Will he give in and let it consume him, or will he fight back and push it back into the depths of his soul, where he keeps it?
Only time will tell.

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Mathew’s Secret Desire
Chapter Three

Fred Steven’s pulled his car into the driveway and shut the engine off. He had been away for two weeks, on a business trip, and was now finally home. It wasn’t that it had been a grueling trip from a business point of view, far from it. It was all the traveling to the different cities that he had to go to.

But he was home now and he could relax and spend the rest of the summer with his family. Grabbing his suite case from the trunk, he walked into the garage and up the couple of steps into the house.

“Daddies home!’ He called out when he entered he kitchen. Sara, who had been standing at the counter washing some potatoes for supper looked up and smiled.

“Welcome home!” She said turning the tap off and drying her hands. She went over and wrapped her arms around Fred’s neck and gave him a big kiss.

“How was your trip?” She asked.

“Not too bad.” Fred said. “Just a lot of travelling. How have things been here?”

Sara sighed as they walked into the main bedroom.

“Not bad either.” She said with a touch of sadness in her voice. “I had to cancel Mathew’s Birthday Party.”

“Oh? What did he do to warrant that?”

“We got into an argument over a request from Vicky.” Sara said. “She had called and asked if Mathew would go down to Hilroy’s and try on the dress she had ordered for Megan’s party next week.”

“Doesn’t sound too bad.” Fred replied.

“Normally I would say no. But Mathew has been acting off of late. Not his usual cheerful self.”

“Off? How so?”

“Well a couple of times, I’ve caught him talking to himself, saying things like I’m not a girl. Or you can’t make me a girl.”

“That does sound strange.” Fred said looking at Sara.

“So when I asked him if he would do the favour for Vicky. Instead of the polite no I was expecting. He shouted he wasn’t going to wear a dress and stormed out of the kitchen.”

Fred sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Have you talked to Brenda about it?”

“No not yet.” Sara replied. “I was going to go over after supper this evening.”

“Good idea.” Fred replied. In the mean time I’ll have a talk with Mathew about his behaviour.”

“I don’t think that would be a good idea just yet.” Sara said quickly.

“I mean you just got home. You haven’t even had a chance to relax yet, and I dump this on you.”

Fred thought for a second.

“Maybe your right.” He said standing and opening his suite case.

He pulled an envelope out from one of the pockets inside and handed it to Sara. Sara too the envelope and looked at it.

“What is it?” She asked.

“The copy of Mathew’s Birth Certificate we send my mother.” Fred said. “I found it in her belongings she didn’t take to the Nursing Home.”

Sara opened the envelope and pulled out the Certificate. When she looked at it, she got the surprise of her life, for written on the piece of paper in big bold letters, was Mathew’s full name.

“Yeah I know.” Fred said when he saw Sara looking at him. “I had forgotten about that.”

“We better not let Mathew see this.” Sara said concerned. “With the way he’s been acting lately, this might make things worse.”

“I’ll put it in the safe after I’ve unpacked.” Fred said taking the envelope and certificate back from Sara.

“Okay. I’ll be in the kitchen.”

“Okay.” Fred said.

After supper, Sara called Brenda and asked if she could come over to talk about Mathew. Sara sat in Brenda’s living room discussing Mathew’s recent behaviour. Sara told Brenda about the argument they had and Mathew’s reaction.

“Has he ever acted this way before?” Brenda asked lifting her coffee cup and taking a sip.

“Never.” Sara said confidently. “And that’s what bothers me.”

Brenda contemplated what Sara had said. “You said you’ve caught him a couple of times referring to himself as a girl?”

“Yeah. I’ve asked him about it and he just seems to pass it off as a dream he’s had.”

“I see.”

Sara was starting to get a little concerned. Brenda noticed and smiled.

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t think it’s anything you need to be concerned about. But I would suggest you and Janice ease up of the teasing.”

Sara felt relived.

“You do that, I think he’ll come back around to being his normal self again.”

“Okay.” Sara said.

Both women talked for another hour before Sara left and went back home.

After Sara left, Brenda went into her home office and scanned the shelves for a book. She didn’t say anything to Sara, but Brenda had a suspicion as to the cause of Mathew’s behaviour troubles.

“Where is that book? Brenda asked the room as if expecting it to answer.”

“What book?” A voice suddenly said.

Startled, Brenda turned to see April standing just inside the room.

“Oh April, you startled me.”

“Sorry.” She said, then added. “What book?”

Brenda sat down in her desk chair and said.

“A book I had on diagnosing gender issues in children.” Her mother said looking through the desk. “I swore I had a copy of it here at home.”

Brenda straightened up and looked at April.

“You haven’t seen it have you?” She added almost as an afterthought.

“No I haven’t.” April said hesitating ever so slightly.

“Maybe I left it at the hospital.” She said standing.

April ran up to her room and closed her door. Her heart was racing as if she had run round the track at school several times, and her mind was filling up with questions.

“Shit!” She swore breathlessly. “I thought mom wouldn’t notice the book missing.”

April paced back and forth for several moments trying to figure out what to do. Why did her mother suddenly want the book? Was she suspicious of her or Mathew? How do I get the book back in her office without her noticing? How do I explain how it got back in her office, if she goes looking for it again?

April didn’t have an explanation for these question. Right now the though she should focus on calming down, and acting normal. Just then there came a knock on her bedroom door, and her mother’s voice on the other side.

“Yes.” She squeaked. Brenda opened the door and walked in.

“You have a mouse in here?” Brenda asked chuckling.

“Ewww! Mice!” April said pretending to be scared. Brenda just laughed.

“Can you help me do the dishes, please?”

“Okay mom.” April said and followed her mother downstairs.

Brenda and April stood next to the kitchen sink doing the supper dishes. Brenda washed them in the sink, while April dried them and put them on the dish rack. As they worked they talked.

“Have you noticed any difference in Mathew’s behaviour of late?” Brenda asked suddenly changing the subject as she handed April a glass.

April almost dropped the glass her mother was handing her, but she recovered before it hit the counter.

“No.” April said trying to keep herself calm. “Why do you ask?”

Brenda handed April another glass as she spoke.

“Sara says he’s been acting not at all like himself these past few days. She thinks it’s because she canceled his Birthday party. I was just wondering if you noticed anything.”

“No I haven’t.” She said drying a plate. “You know boys. They don’t need an excuse to act the way they do.”

“True.” Brenda said. “But Sara was worried about some statements she’s heard him say about being or not being a girl.”

This time April missed the plate that her mother was handing her altogether. It hit the edge of the counter and broke in half before falling on the floor and breaking into several more pieces.

Both Brenda and April quickly bent down to start and pick up the broken pieces. April in her haste, picked up one of the broken pieces the wrong way, and sliced one of her fingers.

“OWE!” April cried out in pain.

“Careful!” Brenda said looking up. When she saw Aprils cut finger she called out to her Husband.

“George!”

George Allan, was just descending the stairs when he heard the plate hit the counter and floor, Aprils’ cry of pain, and his wife call his name. He quickly entered the kitchen to see April holding her right hand by the first finger.

“Let me see.” He said grabbing April’s left hand and pulling it away. “That’s not bad. Run it under the tap for a second.”

George went to one of the other cupboards and got the first aid kit out. Being a Medical Doctor, he had placed first aid kits all over the house, so one was only a few steps away.

April rinsed her finger under the warm water for a couple of seconds like her father had said. He returned with the kit and a bottle of isopropyl rubbing alcohol.

“Dry you finger off.” He said as he unscrewed the cap and tipped the bottle so the alcohol soaked into a cotton ball he also had.
April dried off her finger then held it out to her father.

“This is going to sting.” He said and placed the soaked cotton ball on top of the open cut.

April cried out in pain and tried to pull her hand way, but her father had a firm grip on her hand. He couldn’t help but chuckle as he hold the cotton ball on for a couple of seconds longer.

“Told you it would sting.” He said removing the cotton ball and placing it on the counter, then picking up the band aid he took it out of the wrapper and placed it over the cut and wrapped the ends around April’s finger.

“There. All done.” He said.

“Thanks Daddy.” April said.

“You can go upstairs and read in your room for a while.” Brenda said.

“Okay Mommy.” She replied, and turned and left the kitchen.

Mathew was lying on his bed looking up at the ceiling. He and Janice had welcomed their father back over diner, and Mathew could feel both of his parents watching him as he had eaten. He suspected, his mother had told his father about what was going on, but his dad didn’t say anything, which relived Mathew greatly. Now if he could only get through the rest of the week without incident that would be great.

For some reason, he had turned his computer on after supper, but never used it. So he was a little surprised when he heard a beep that indicated he had an instant message.

He got off his bed and sat down at the desk. Tapping the mouse, brought up the message window, and he saw that the message was from April.

His heart skipped a beat when he saw the text. ‘I think we have a problem!’ It read. ‘I think my mom suspects something. She was asking me questions about if I noticed any change in your behaviour.’

‘What did you tell her?’ He wrote back.

‘I said I hadn’t noticed anything.’ April wrote.

‘What are we going to do?’ He asked. ‘If she tells my parents…’

‘Relax.’ April texted back immediately as if she was reading his mind. ‘Just act like your normal self, and everything will be fine.’
‘You sure?’

‘Yes, trust me.’

Mathew thought for a moment before replying. He wasn’t sure he could “act” like his normal self, and he wasn’t even sure what that was anymore. He turned in the chair and looked at the pillows on his bed. The pantyhose he had taken were still under there, and he had the strangest feeling they were calling out to him.

‘I’ll try.’ He wrote when he turned back to face the computer.

‘Good.’ April wrote back. ‘I have to go now. I’ll see you tomorrow.’

‘Okay. See you tomorrow.’

Mathew had just turned off the computer, when a knock came from his door. The door opened and his father stuck his head in.

“Can I come in, sport?” He asked.

“Whatever.” Mathew said sullenly as he stood and moved to sit on his bed.

Fred came in and pulled the computer chair next to the bed and sat down. Mathew lay down and looked up at the ceiling.

“Mom told me about what happened and why she doled out the punishment she did.” He said. “It’s not because you didn’t want to try on Megan’s dress to see if it fit. But because of the way in which you said no.”

Mathew flinched inside when his father mentioned his cousin’s dress.

“Now I know your Aunt Vicky can be a bit of a, I hate to use the word ‘flak’, but that’s how she can be at times.”
Mathew glanced at his father.

“And your mom did say she didn’t think you’d go for it, but she asked out of curiosity, nothing more. Your response was over the top, and that’s not how we raise you and Janice to behave.”

Fred paused to see if Mathew was going to say anything, but didn’t.

“April’s mother called to invite you to go swimming with them tomorrow, that’s what April came over this afternoon to ask.”

Hearing his father say that, Mathew seemed to perk up a bit, and he looked at his father with subdued excitement on his face.

“Now your mother said no.” Mathew felt his heart sink when his father said that. “But I changed her mind on the assumption, that it might do you some good. But it’s on one condition.”

Mathew looked at his father. The excitement returning to his face.

“You have to help her clean up the attic the day after. Deal?”

“Deal!’ Mathew said quickly sitting up.

“I thought that might cheer you up.” Fred replied. “But I have a condition also.” He quickly added.

“What’s that?” Mathew asked.

“That you stop all this sulking, you’ve been doing for the past week. Okay?”

“Okay dadd…I mean okay dad!”

“That’s the Mathew I know.” Fred said pleased with Mathew’s response.

Fred stood and pushed the chair back to the desk. Then turned back to Mathew.

“Now that that’s settled. You better get ready for bed.”

“Okay dad.”

“Good night Mathew.”

“Good night dad.”

Fred turned to leave but at the last moment turned back to look at Mathew, who suddenly jumped off his bed and wrapped his arms around his father’s waist. Fred was a bit taken aback, as Mathew hadn’t done anything like that since he was five years old.

“Thanks daddy.” Mathew said.

“Your welcome sport.”

Mathew released his hug, then run to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Fred walked out of Mathew’s bedroom and closed the door. He paused and looked at the closed door that lead into the bathroom from the hall, and thought about what Mathew had said.
‘Did he just call me daddy?’

Mathew woke the next morning feeling refreshed. Last night was the first night in a while, that he hadn’t had the dreams. Maybe this was a sign that things were changing. Or it could have been a sign that he was hungry, as his stomach growled. He got dressed and headed downstairs to have breakfast.

As he entered the kitchen, he saw Janice sitting at the island counter eating a bowl of cereal. She looked up as he sat down.

“Good morning sleepyhead!” She said smiling. “You look better this morning.”

“I feel better.” He said retuning Janice’s smile.

“Good.” Janice said ruffling his hair after he sat down on a stool next to her, “You had us all worried there, I don’t mind telling you.”

Mathew smiled sheepishly.

“Where’s Mom and Dad?” He asked,

They both went into work.” She replied.

“So what do you want for breakfast?” She asked. Mathew thought for a second, then spoke.

“Scrambled eggs, please.”

“Scrambled eggs coming up.” Janice said getting a sauce pan from under the stove. As she prepared to make Mathew’s breakfast she made small talk.

“So.” She said, as she cracked a couple into a mixing bowl. “You had a pretty good night, huh?”

“Yeah. “ Mathew said unsure of what Janice was up too. “Why do you ask?”

Janice took a fork and used it as a whisk to mix up the eggs before pouring the mixture into the sauce pan.

“Oh no reason.” She said whimsically. “Just I had to use the bathroom around midnight, and I heard noises coming from your room.”
Mathew was reading the color comics and froze. He looked up at his sister, as the good feeling he had vanished, and was replaced with fear.

“What kind of noises?” He asked slowly.

“I don’t know.” Janice said, as she moved the fork around in the sauce pan.

“The door to your room was closed, and I was too tired to really listen. But if I had to guess, I’d say you were talking in your sleep.”

Janice finished scrambling the eggs, and scooped them onto a plate, which she then placed in front of Mathew. She then placed a clean fork next to it and a glass of orange juice.

“Do you want any toast?” She asked oblivious to Mathew’s obvious discomfort.

“No.” He said taking a fork full of egg and eating it.

“What was I talking about?” He asked after swallowing he egg.

Janice looked at him for a second then said

“Nothing I could make heads or tails of. As I said, the door to your room was closed and I was too tired to think straight. Why?”

“No reason.” Mathew said.

Janice looked up at the wall clock and suddenly stood up and placed her bowl in the sink.

“Shoot, I’m late.” She said. “I’m meeting the gang at Forest Hill Trails in half an hour!”

She rinsed out her bowl and put it in the dishwasher. She then grabbed her jacket off the back of one of the kitchen chairs, then turned to Mathew.

“You going to be okay until April gets here?” She asked.

I’ll be okay.” He said.

“Good. Don’t forget to lock the door and put the alarm on when you leave. Have fun swimming.” Janice said and turned and left the kitchen.

Mathew finished eating his eggs, then rinsed the plate and fork off and put them in the dish washer. After that, he went back upstairs to his room and got his bathing suite out of the dresser, and a towel out of the linen closet. He then put both items in his school gym bag and went back downstairs.

Two minutes later he heard the doorbell ring and April standing on the porch.

“All set?” April asked.

“Yes.” He said grabbing his bag. Mathew pushed a button on a control panel for the door alarm, then locked and closed the front door.
Both he and April walked down the steps and the walkway to Brenda’s car, which was parked on the street.

When they reached the car, Mathew open the car door and held it open so April could get in.

‘Just like a proper little gentlemen.’ Brenda thought to herself.

Once everyone was in, Brenda drove off.

They arrived at the pool and everyone went into their respective change rooms. Mathew looked over his shoulder as he entered the boys change room and saw April looking back at him. Unconsciously he wished he could go with April and change in there.

Mathew found an empty locker away from everyone else in the change room, and started to undress. When he was down to his underwear, he suddenly heard a voice behind him.

“Well, well, if it isn’t puny Mathew Steven’s”

Mathew spun around startled, to find Armin Gottschalk standing behind him. Armin was the school bully who always picked on just about everyone. Unfortunately for the ‘victims’, Armin was never punished for his actions. That’s because his father was the principal and always looked the other way.

“What do you want Armin?” Mathew said.

“You’re in the wrong change room you little pantyhose wearing, sissy fag.” Armin said with a sneer in his German accented voice.

Mathew felt his heart sink into the pit of his stomach. He broke out in a cold sweat as he looked at Armin’s face. How did Armin know he had worn pantyhose? As if reading Mathew’s mind Armin said.

“I saw you and your little girlfriend in the park the other day, but you didn’t see me.”

Mathew’s mind raced, as he tried to think of something to say.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Mathew said nervously.

“Don’t give me that shit!” Armin said leaning closer to Mathew. “I heard you and your little girlfriend talking also.”

Mathew was at a loss for words. Here was Armin Gottschalk, the school bully, confronting him about wearing girl’s pantyhose. If he found out his secret, Armin could make his life hell.

“What’s the matter sissy fag!? Nothing to say!?”

“I wore them as a joke.” Mathew said finally finding his voice.

“A joke!?” Armin said almost laughing. “That’s bull shit Steven’s. You’re a sissy fag and you know it, just like that Chink and his little fag of a friend!”

“Hinata’s not Chinese, he’s Japanese!” Mathew said letting his voice rise.

Armin just sneered at Mathew.

“Chinese, Japanese, makes no difference to me!” Armin said. “They’re all a bunch slant eyed scum!”

“That will be enough out of you Mr. Gottschalk!” The voice of the life guard said. Armin turned around.

“I’ve warned you before about your behaviour in here!”

“I wasn’t doing anything.” Armin said acting innocent.

“Half the change room heard you!” The Life Guard said. “Now I want you out of this change room and out of this building!”

Armin looked as if he was going to strike out at the Life Guard, but the little commotion had caused a small group of people to start to gather.

“My father will hear about this!” He said loudly as he pushed his way through the still gathering crowd.

“Alright people, nothing more to see here.” The Life Guard said dispersing he crowd. When they had gone, he turned to Mathew.
“You alright, Mr. Steven’s?” He asked.

“Yeah.” Mathew said wearily, sitting down on the bench.

“You hurry and change.” The Life Guard said. “I’ll tell your friends you’ll be out momentarily.”

“Okay.” Mathew replied.

Mathew exited he change room a couple of minutes later. April was the first to spot him and she hurried to him. When she saw the worried and frightened look on his face she became concerned.

“What’s the matter?” She asked taking Mathew’s arm.

“Nothing!” Mathew said bluntly.

“Well then, let’s go swimming.” April said and led Mathew to the edge of the pool.

They both jumped into the pool, and after a few short minutes, Mathew’s mood changed and he began to have fun. They played in the water for what seemed like hours, until Brenda called them over and told them it was time to go home.

“But we just got in.” April whined.

“You’ve been in here for an hour and a half.” Brenda said countering April. “Now it’s time to go home.

“Aww man!”

Both children reluctantly got out of the water and headed for the change rooms to shower and change. Mathew hesitated for a moment before going into the men’s change room. He hopped Armin wasn’t still in there.

After he had showered and changed, Mathew left the change room to find April and Cindy sitting on a bench. Brenda was a short distance away and seemed to be talking on her cell phone.

She spotted Mathew and was starting to walk towards him, when Armin Gottschalk and his father Harmon walked into the lobby. Armin spotted Mathew and made a bee line for him.

“That’s him father!” He pointed, and said deliberately loud enough for the people in the lobby to hear. Brenda stopped walking towards Mathew and turned around.

“Mathew Steven’s. He’s the one who got me kicked out of here!”

“How dare you get my son in trouble, Steven’s!” Harmon Gottschalk said in the same loud voice as his son. He was also making a bee line towards Mathew, but Brenda moved and stood in his way, April also stood up and stood in Armin’s way as he tried to make a grab for Mathew.

“Out of my way woman!” Harmon said angrily trying to move around Brenda.

“I will do no such thing Mr. Gottschalk!” Brenda said standing her ground. “From what I heard, it was your son who got himself kicked out of this pool. Mathew had nothing to do with it!”

Harmon Gottschalk raised his right hand and pointed at Mathew, and was about to speak, when Brenda continued speaking herself.

“I would love to stand here and discuss your dilutions, but I have a bit of an emergency to deal with at the moment!”

Brenda turned and faced her kids and Mathew.

“Come along girls!” She said unconsciously including Mathew in her statement.

April, in her own act of childish behaviour, stuck her tongue out at Armin as she grabbed Cindy’s and Mathew’s hands, and led them away. Brenda marched out of the lobby and directly to her car with April, Cindy and Mathew in tow. Once they were all inside, she turned to Mathew.

“You’re going to be staying with us tonight.” She said calmly and sympathetically. “Janice had an accident while she was running, and had to be taken to the hospital.”

Mathew’s jaw dropped like a stone. Janice was hurt and in the hospital!? This was all too much for him to take in, and he started crying. April put her arms around him trying to comport him, and Brenda reach over the back of the seat to gently touch his shoulder.

“It’s okay, sweetie.” She said soothingly. “Janice is going to be alright. Dr. George, just wants her to stay in the hospital overnight for observation. She’ll be home tomorrow.”

Mathew just continued crying.

“Tell you what. We’ll go see your mom and dad at the hospital for a few minutes, then I’ll take you out for some ice cream. Okay?”
Mathew stopped crying long enough to simply nod his head yes. Brenda smiled then turned around and started the car and drove off.

Once at the hospital, they quickly found Sara and Fred along with Janice’s girlfriends in the waiting room. Mathew ran up to his parents and the all hugged each other.

“You didn’t have to come here, Brenda.” Fred said.

“I know, but I felt it might make Mathew feel better if we did. We’ll only stay for a few minutes.” Fred nodded.

“How’s Janice?” Mathew asked.

“She’s going to be okay, sweetie.” Sara said. “But she might have to stay in the hospital a few days longer that we thought.”

“Why?”

“Janice hurt her upper right arm a bit worse than was thought.” Sara said. “When Dr. George was examining her, her bicep suddenly started hurting a lot more.
"She developed what is called a Compartment Hemorrhage.” George continued Sara’s explanation at Mathew’s confused expression.

“A Compartment Hemorrhage, is when a part of the body, usually the fore arms or lower legs fills with blood. It is very painful and requires surgery to fix. Luckily it happened when I was examining Janice and we were able to operate right away.”

“Will she be okay, George?” Fred asked.

George smiled and tussled Mathew’s hair in reassurance.

“She’ll be okay. Her arm’s going to be sore for a few days, and have to be kept immobile, but otherwise she’ll make a full recovery.”

“See honey.” Sara said. “Janice is going to be okay.”

“April?” Brenda said. “Why don’t you and Mathew go sit down? I want to talk to Sara and Fred for a moment.”

“Okay mom.” April said and led Mathew to a couple of empty chairs.

All the while April and Mathew were standing with their respective parents. Janice’s girlfriends were talking amongst themselves. At first, it was about what happened out on the running trail. But as soon as they saw Mathew, they immediately focused their discussions on him.

“I don’t believe it!” A red haired girl named Beth whispered to the others. “Janice is right. From here he looks like a girl!”

“Don’t be silly, Beth!” A dark haired girl named Amy said. “He looks nothing like a girl. All I see is a boy.”

Beth looked at Amy with a scowl on her face.

“Then your blind, Amy.” Beth said looking back at Mathew. “I look at him and I can see what Janice has been saying.”

“I have to disagree with you Beth.” Another girl said. I don’t see it.”

“Then you blind too Cassie.” Amy said.

“I think I see what you’re saying Amy.” The forth girl of the group said. All the other girls turned and look at her.

“Don’t look at the physical appearance. Look at the way he moves, the minute way in which he holds himself. They are signs of a girl trapped in a boy’s body.”

“Exactly, Rachel.” Beth said as they all turned and looked back at Mathew again. After a couple of seconds Amy said.

“I’m sorry, but I still don’t see it. I still see a boy.”

“You know, when you put it that way, Rachel.” Cassie said slowly. “I do see what you’re saying.”

“Oh come on Cassie!” Amy said letting her voice rise. Beth and the others all made motions to tell Amy to keep her voice down.

“Oh come on!” She said again in a hushed tone. “You can’t possibly believe that.”

“Yes I can.” Cassie said. “Looking at him the way Rachel described. I can see it.”

Amy rolled her eyes and made a harrumph noise.

By this time April and Mathew had made their way over to the two empty chairs and sat down. April put her arms around Mathew again to comfort and hold him. Beth and the others continued talking thinking they weren’t being overheard.

“I don’t care what you say, Cassie!” Amy said. “I could look at him all day, and all I’d see is a boy! I don’t know what the rest of you see!”

“Well you’re not looking hard enough!” Beth said angrily. “Stop looking at the small picture, and start looking at the whole. There is a difference!”

Amy was about to say something but was interrupted by Rachel, as she looked over at April, who was looking back at them with an angry look on her face.

“Don’t look now guys, but I think we’re being stared at.”

All the girls looked over at April, who by now had stood and walked the short distance, to stand next to them.

“Will you keep your voices down!?” April whispered angrily at them. “His sister has been hurt. He doesn’t need her friends talking about him like he’s a freak show!”

“Now wait just a minute!” Amy said taking offence.

“No you wait a minute! Mathew is my friend and I won’t tolerate anyone trash talking about him behind his back. Got it!?”

“Whoa!” Beth said suddenly, trying to defuse the rising situation. “You’re April Allan right?”

“Yes.” April said taken aback.

“We didn’t mean to talk about him like that.” Rachel said.

“We were commenting on how much Janice says he’s acting like a girl, that’s all.”

April was shocked by what was just said by two of girls standing before her. They could see what she saw in Mathew? How was that possible? April thought she was the only one who could see it? And now to find out that a group of Janice’s friends could see it also, bewildered her.

“How could you tell? She asked carefully.

“Janice said by the way he moves and holds himself.” Beth said repeating what Rachel had said.

April looked at Beth and the others, then over to Mathew, then back to the girls again.

“Alright.” She said hardening her voice. “So you all see what I see.”

“I don’t.” Amy interjected.

“Okay, most of you. But that still doesn’t forgive you all for talking about her like that.” April continued, referring to Mathew as ‘her’ for the first time.

“We’re sorry.” Cassie said. “We didn’t mean any harm by it.”

April looked the girls over one last time, before softening her stance.

“Okay. Just don’t let me hear you talking about her like that again.”

“We won’t. I promise.” Beth said as Rachel and Cassie nodded. All eyes turned to Amy who just stood there as if nothing had happened. She looked at April and the other with a questioning look on her face.

“What?

The other’s just glared at her.

“Fine!” She said in a huff. “I promise. Happy now?”

April nodded slowly, then walked back over to Mathew, just as her mother approached.

“Everything alright?” She asked April.

April looked up and smiled at her mother.

“Fine.” She said. “I was just talking to Janice’s friends over there.”

Brenda glanced over at the four teenage girls, then back to April.

“Well your father says Janice will have to stay in the hospital for about three or four days.” She said to April then to Mathew. “So you get to stay with us for that time, Mathew.”

This news excited April to no end. She jumped up and down and clapped her hands in glee.

“Goodie, goodie!” She exclaimed. “We can have treat it like a sleep over and…..”

“Not so fast young lady.” Brenda said trying to hide her amusement at April’s obvious over the top reaction.

“There will be no all-night gab sessions or pillow fights understand?”

April pouted like a little girl, which only served to make it difficult for her mother to keep a straight face.

Brenda cleared her throat which helped her regain her composure.

“I’m serious April.”

April stopped the little girl pouting and looked at her mother.

“Okay.” She said honestly. Brenda smiled.

“Now let’s go get that ice cream, I promised.”

With that, they left the waiting room and headed to Brenda’s car.