Not What We Expected

by Tiffany B. Quinn

A few weeks later I received my new birth certificate. It was a bittersweet experience. The date hadn't changed, just the gender and name. Other changed documents were also trickling in.

The legal process had run its course, and, by the coloring of the crystal, my physical changes would soon be completed.

Not What We Expected

by Tiffany B. Quinn

As the wedding plans and my girl training ground on, I kept in touch with my lawyer.

One afternoon at the end of April she called me to let me know that we had a court date set in mid-May.

I let Sandra know about our upcoming court appearance when she got home from work. She broke her date with Tom that night and the two of us stayed home together and ignored the phones.

We pulled out our photo albums and spent the evening reminiscing. That evening we laughed a lot and cried a lot as we talked about the good times that we had shared.

It was a double chocolate ice cream kind of evening. We consumed more than was healthy.

I learned that chocolate ice cream is surprisingly therapeutic.

Not What We Expected

by Tiffany B. Quinn

Every once in a while whatever little bit of male that was left in me yelled STOP! I had to take time out for my old favorite past times. I did a little wood working in the garage, skied or hiked some of my favorite trails, read a few action novels, and even played my favorite violent video games. I would have liked to go sailing, but winter in Wisconsin is neither the time or place for that activity. One day, while skiing on the local cross country ski trails by myself, an older guy tried getting a bit too friendly. It felt wrong and creepy. I quickly excused myself and got out of there. Tom and Sandra chided me for being out alone like that when I told them about my experience. I quit hiking and skiing without a companion. Since everyone was either working or in school that meant that I only got to go out on weekends if I could talk someone into coming along. It's just not safe for a young girl to be out on her own in today's world.

It came home to me that life as a young girl had its serious limitations, whether or not I liked it.

Not What We Expected

by Tiffany B. Quinn

After talking with the lawyer, I just needed to break the news to my family and friends. But that would wait until after my upcoming discussion with Sandra that evening.

The third trimester of my obvious nine month transition had started out with a bang, so to speak.

The middle third of the crystal was still blue, but it was surrounded by pink much like a wagon trail circled by attacking Indians in an old Western movie. Somehow, I didn't think that the Cavalry would arrive in time to save the blue.

Not What We Expected

by Tiffany B. Quinn

So by the New Year, my wife was a babe and I was a shrinking skinny androgynous young adult getting younger every day and with out-of-whack hormones and little to no sex drive. In many ways, our friendship was the best it had ever been as the result of our hours of shared thoughts and feelings. While we still worked at sex, it was getting increasingly more difficult for me to perform sexually.

While we never talked about it, both of us were starting to see where Grandma Broussard's magic was taking us.

Neither one of us were thrilled.

Not What We Expected

by Tiffany B. Quinn

"I don't know," she admitted, "but I promise that this will be the last time that I bother you about getting pregnant. If this doesn't work I will quit trying and we'll find happiness without children. We will continue to be best friends."

"You promise?" I asked to make sure.

"I promise", she sighed with resignation.