Author's note: this chapter is written from Joanne's POV. I don't work in the medical field so I don't expect all of my dialogue in this chapter to be correct; I'm always open to correction on any of my chapters. I do my best to write from my own experience to give passionate and realistic stories, but since I am writing a variety of characters, my overlap is somewhat limited.
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Chapter Seven / Tic-Tac Girl
Joanne Kain was admittedly excited when she went over Alphie Clause's patient records prior to their appointment.
Having transferred to the Hartford Hospital from Miami several years ago, she had never met Alphie in person, though they had become a sort of medical anomaly within the network. Alphie had been a child with a complex medical history of hormonal treatments, corrective surgeries, behavioral medications, and then seemingly disappeared two years ago without a single follow-up appointment.
Although their history was extremely complicated, the patient stayed within the Eastern Connecticut network instead of leaving for out-of-state treatments or second opinions. Upon Joanne's deeper dive that sprung well-known factual evidence, considering a plaque outside the hospital bore his name, it appeared that Nathaniel Clause, the patient's father, had donated a large sum of money some time ago to help build the western wing of the hospital. Connections ran deep, which was possibly one of the reasons for Alphie's remaining in the system when more comprehensive help could be found elsewhere.
The patient had left vague reasoning for the appointment when they called to make it, citing, "I want a female doctor to go over my medical records with me, and it really hurts to pee." The receptionist who made appointments for Joanne said that Alphie Clause had sounded particularly stressed that the appointment would show to be billed on their father's insurance, and asked to pay with their debit card instead, which had "three hundred dollars" on it.
Joanne had no expectations before meeting Alphie for the first time. Nowadays gender within youth seemed fluid and prone to change from day to day, and given the removal of their single ovary and the slew of hormones prescribed during puberty, she knew that Alphie's development could have caused them to physically appear as either gender. Or neither.
What she was not expecting was the person sitting on the examination table. At first glance, she mistakes them for her own daughter; they are wearing a striped sweater that has become increasingly popular at her high school and her daughter also owns, bought from one of the more expensive chain clothing stores. Girls had seemingly bought this sweater in droves; all of them assimilating to the latest trend that swept through social media.
They raise a hand in a shy greeting, dropping it like an afterthought, their complexion growing pink when Joanne reaches across to shake their hand cheerfully. Tall, slender, smooth cheeks and softened facial features, fine-boned; Alphie would have been a perfect textbook example, and Joanne is delighted.
"Doctor Kain," she introduces herself. "You can call me Joanne, whichever you prefer."
They hesitate, their expression wavering with indecision while their hand still remains in Joanne's, as if letting go while introducing themselves is a task too many. "Anna."
A girl. She. It makes sense now why she would feel the need to dress like her female counterparts. Femininity and belonging seem to be found in sameness at this fragile age; Joanne can remember this well for herself when in high school, having learned her lesson the hard way after she had gotten chunky highlights to look more like her peers and had fried off strands of her hair when bleaching it.
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When I Was Alphie
Mystery / ThrillerEighteen years ago, I was born and then I was created with careful stitches to be a son, a brother, a specimen. My decision was made for me; a beautiful boy brought into a haphazard world. I would become used to the long stares, the gloved hands, an...
