The Surgeon

The Surgeon 19

I recall something like this, when I went to the Police, I went down what I thought was a corridor into a small room and ended up in a van, which took me back to the diner. This confirms that Kade’s folks are working for the surgeon and her people.

I decide not to mention this to Kade and Kelly, anyways, they would have read it themselves from this blog, so I’m hoping they make the connection themselves.

…..

“You wanna come for the ride, Tan?” asks Kade.

“Sure, you coming along Kelly?” I ask.

“I’ll pass, wanna chill out,” she says.

Kade adopts his authoritative tone, “Ok, but Kel, keep your cell on you at all time with The Panic App activated, you got me?” 

“Got ya – now go get that guy outta my hair,” says Kelly, jumping on the couch.

……

“This way Tan, we get down to the vehicle lot through here,” says Kade, leading me into his bedroom. “Wow, this is beyond coolio,” I say, blown away by the size of the room and the high tech gadgets that fill it. “Follow me,” says Kade, lifting up his huge bed to reveal a downward stair well.

Once we’re half way down, his bed gently closes on us and we’re in an underground parking space that has an impressive array of vehicles and motorcycles.

“Wowser, this is an impressive collection,” I say. “We're taking this one,” says Kade, leading me toward a large truck with an enclosed walkway attached to its rear. “Your father should be already in,” he says, pressing the remote, which activates the withdrawal of the walkway.

“Jump in,” says Kade opening the passenger door. This is one plush land yacht.

Kade’s in the driving seat, preparing for the off, “Check your father’s in there and ok,” he says gesturing behind me. I look back and see my father sitting comfortably in a black leather seated interior, “He’s sitting in the lap of luxury, he looks just fine to me.” Kade takes a deep breath and speaks with a high pitched tone, “Good afternoon, Sir, this is your driver speaking. Please engage your safety harness as we shall be departing for Chicago City in approximately five minutes time.”

......

As we cruise, the derelict landscape merges into the beat up suburbs of Chicago. Street kids stop and stare at the wealth on wheels as we sail by. I'm alarmed to see one group of tough looking kids begin to pursue us as we begin to slow at our first red light. "Don't worry, this boat’s armor plated, these bangers have a better chance of hijacking the President's car than this," says Kade, as we stop at the red light.

The kids make obscene gestures as we accelerate away; I’m reminded of what a tough town Chicago is as we settle back into our cruise.

……

Kade navigates the city streets with confidence. As we approach another red light he asks, “Tan, can I ask you a personal question?” I detect apprehension in his tone.

“Sure you can, whether I answer it or not’s another matter,” I reply.

He chuckles nervously, “No, I’m not gonna ask about the obvious. I, erm, well, I just, erm…”

“…spill it Kade,” I say.

“Ok – like – did you have a girlfriend before the operation?” He asks.

I laugh out loud, “Kade, obviously what you want to ask is if I did it with a girl before my gender reassignment,” I say.

“Well yeah, I’m kinda curious to know if you had the ‘guy with girl experience,” he says.

“No! I didn’t,” I say, feeling suddenly kinda stupid, or is it sad – It's probably a bit of both.

Kade breaks an awkward silence by tapping my knee, “I’m sorry, that was real insensitive of me.”

“No, it’s kinda good. I’ve never spoken to anybody about what’s happened to me, you know, my gender reversal. My parents didn’t allow me express anything other than acceptance.” I reflect back, “And you know what's the real pisser –  was considered the hottest guy in my year. Thinking back, I was never allowed bring girls home, never allowed to even talk about girls; I just thought my mom didn’t like the idea of her boy growing up – how wrong was I.”

......

The suburbs give way to the outskirts of the city and our journey is punctuated more frequently by red lights.

Kade looks over at me as we stop at another light, “You can talk all you like to me and Kel, you know that, don’t you?” he says.

I nod my head, “Thanks.”

……

As we take off again I decide it’s my turn to ask Kade a question that’s been bothering me, “Why did you stop me on the street that day?” I ask. He looks at me, then at the road, then back to me, his face shows sign of sudden thought, “It was valentine’s day, a woman from a radio show approached me on the street and asked if I wanted to take part in a live Valentine’s radio stunt, I said, ‘sure’ she told me to ask the pretty girl coming toward us for a date, it was you, remember?” he says. “I remember, and you said some goofy stuff about doing a survey,” I recall.

We stop at a light and Kade gets very animated, “Yeah, and you took off across the street – and the woman said to me, ‘she’s a hot one, I’d go after her, you two look great together,’ or something like that.

It hits us both at the same time – “We were set up!” we say in unison.

……

Kade’s animated as we stop at a red light, “We thwarted their plans, we took control; it’s a small victory, Tan. Whatever they throw at us, we can deal with,” he says, taking off again.

……

“I’m so psyched, Tan, I feel real optimistic!” says Kade, whilst slowing the vehicle, “We’ll let your father out somewhere here, before we get to the chaos of Michigan Avenue,” he says, searching for a parking space.

……

Kade expertly maneuvers the vehicle into a park space and puts on his high-pitched voice, “Ok Sir, we have arrived at your destination,” he says, pressing a button that unlocks the side doors.

“Oh please, Kade, I know it’s you, stop being such a foolish young man and talk with me sensibly,” says my father.

Kade and I look at each other, “should I talk?” He whispers. I nod my yes. “Ok Logan, it’s been nice having you stay over, but it’s time to say goodbye now, until we see you again at The Wedding”

I dive down when my father knocks at the glass behind me, “It’s one way,” whispers Kade.

My father fixes his hair as he talks, “Now before I go, I would like to finish my answer to the question you asked me earlier, before you so rudely cut me off. Do I have your attention?”

Kade gives me a concerned look, “Go right ahead, Logan,” he says.

“Now of course I entered your home because I wanted to check out my daughter’s wedding venue, but that wasn’t the main reason for our elaborate subterfuge,” he says, displaying his sickening smile.

“What was your reason?” asks Kade.

My father holds his smile, it’s forced, fake, frightening.

“Spit it out!” asserts Kade.

The smile morphs into a look of false concern – “I escorted your mother home, Kade. I really do deserve some gratitude for bringing your beloved mother home,” he says.

Kade glances at me – I instinctively put my hand on his knee – and hold it there.

“My mother is NOT at home,” says Kade.

My father shakes his head, “Of course she is. You young people really don’t listen, do you? Remember what I told you, she’s very different now.