Miss Bernie

I said "Fine, I could use a little rest."

When I woke up I didn't know where I was. I got up and looked around and remembered where I was. I went out and was greeted by two more sisters. After lots of hugging and kissing I had to answer a whole bunch of questions. One of my sisters said she always thought I should have been born a girl and that I when I became a teenager I overcompensated for my feminine side by trying to be very macho and masculine. She said joining the Marine Corps was an example.

I objected, "Hey, I WAS a damned good Marine, I won medals for heroism under fire. I WAS a man's man. I became a girl to save my life in a witness protection plan." Then I broke down and sobbed. I couldn't stop crying again. I sobbed out how I was not a man nor a woman and that my wife had gone off with a real man. I was in real pain from my breasts and had been milking my- self when it got too bad.

Karen held my face between her hands and told me I was wrong, she said she knew that my wife had to love me. She took a blood sample and had her husband take it to a hospital lab for analysis. She gave me some pills to take and helped get me in bed.

I felt better the next day when I woke up. I had a dream about hearing Mike cry and Tyler bark. I tried to get up to nurse him. I sat on the side of the bed and cried. I missed them so much. I didn't see any point in living.

The bedroom door opened and there stood Janie. She rushed to me and kissed me. She cried, "I love you with all my heart. Please kiss me." I felt a weight on my leg and a warm wet tongue licked my face. TYLER!

Janie pulled me into the living room and brought me some pills and a glass of water. I took them looked around to see Karen holding Mike. I started to cry again and kneeled beside him and kissed his little cheek. He laughed and kicked his little arms and legs, giggling and trying to reach me.

Karen looked up and said, "Bernie, I think you have lots of reason to want to live. You have a beautiful family. It is not hard to see that they all love you very much."