A Better Solution Than Divorce

by Jennifer Allison

Part 19

 

Hillery Knox

"Hillery, you need to get out to Tolerance right away." Dr. McLean told Hillery over phone. Before Hillery could ask why, Dr McLean told her. "There has been an accident and one of your patients has died."

"Who?" I asked.

"Tammy Dawkins," replied Helen.

"Oh no!" were the first word out of my mouth. Then she said, "I will be right out there."

I knew that the death of Tammy was going to cause big time trouble.

 

I began thinking back to when I discussed my program with Dawkins the first time. They both wanted to swap and they even ask me if they could stay in my program for six months.

The problem arose when I brought up that their children might want to see how the other lived.

"I think Jennifer will jump at a chance to be her brother," Vicki Dawkins told me.

"There is no way Ted will ever want to," announced Alex Dawkins.

As they both predicted, Tammy jumped at the chance and Teddy said flat out, "NO WAY!"

It took six months before Teddy agreed to swap with his sister. And that was for only one month. I heard later on a lot of wheeling and dealing went on to bring this about.

The swap had taken place two weeks ago.

Now Teddy finds himself in a body he never wanted.

 

Teddy Dawkins

Even if I am in my sister's body, I still refer to her as Tammy.

My sister is dead.

I still can't believe it. Even though I was with her when it happened.

We were walking up the driveway to our temporary home in Tolerance after the school bus dropped us off, when Tammy slipped on a piece of unseen black ice. She then fell back and hit her head on a rock bordering the driveway.

As most of you know. Black Ice is transparent and you can't see it.

I checked my sister and found her unconscious. I then rushed into the house and called 911. Within minutes both Doc Mac and Blaylock were there. From the looks on their faces I knew it was already to late.

I started crying before I hung up the phone and I haven't stopped yet.

My sister is dead.

I am stuck in her body, where I never wanted to be in the first place.

I worry if I should have turned down that deal that was to good to turn down.

I only agreed to swap with my sister when my parents offered to split the family inheritance 60% to me and 40% to my sister, plus a car of my choice when I got my driver's license. Also, my sister had to agree to swap back so I never had to go through her period time.

Now I get all the inheritance and the car but I am stuck in my sister's body.

 

Helen McLean

I have seen more dead bodies in my life than the whole population of Tolerance combined except for Amanda.

But the sight of the lifeless body of Tammy Dawkins threw me a curve. After confirming Teddy's fears I turned away from the body and threw up.

Since I was assigned as the Dawkins' Doctor, I had to do the one thing that Med School and a hospital couldn't prepare a doctor to do. I had to tell the family that a family member is no longer with us.

But I didn't have to do it.

As I stood up as Alex and Vicki Dawkins drove up the driveway.

They could see for themselves the blanket coving Tammy's face.

I took Alex by the hand as Amanda did the same with Vicki.

We then lead them into the house. I tried to say some words of comfort but nothing I said helped. I then used the Dawkins' phone to call Hillery.

 

Hillery Knox

As I flew to Tolerance using a private jet loaned to me by a grateful patient, I tried to put into words what I was going to say to Alex and Vicki. None of the reliable words helped.

Every time I tried to put it into words. I came to the same conclusion. If the Dawkins hadn't been in my program their daughter would be alive.

The other problem I had to face didn't help at all. Teddy being stuck in a body he never wanted in the first place.

I didn't have anyone like Randy standing by like I had when Vanessa had her problems. Thinking it over for a while, I realized that the Randy/Vanessa solution wouldn't work for Teddy.

 

Jennifer

No teenager ever thinks of death. Death comes to those that can't shy away from it.

But today death hit us all like a 2x4 right between the eyes.

I felt sorry for Teddy. Even though I despised him.

For the two weeks the Dawkins had been living in Tolerance, Teddy spent most of those two weeks rubbing the noses of those in Dr. Knox's program the wrong way. How he made out money wise and how he didn't have to find out what a girl had to go through during her time of the month.

It finally dawned on me.

Teddy needed help and he needed it right now.

Realizing that his parents, or any other grown-up, or even Dr. Knox didn't know how to help, I decided it was my place to step in.

So I started calling every kid in Dr. Knox's program, and those who were no longer in the problem including Wally.

After the usual small talk, I got to the point.

"Wally, I want you to come over to the Dawkins' with me," I told him. "I would like for you to try and help Teddy."

"I heard what happened to Tammy," he told me. "I can't stand Teddy. He has spent the whole time he has been here giving me nothing but trouble about the month I had to spend as Annie."

"I am not exactly asking." I then reminded him, "You owe me one."

A lot of the others couldn't stand Teddy. But I talked them into coming.

 

The first words out of Teddy's mouth were, "you all came over to gloat and rub it in!"

"No," I replied. "We came to help you."

A sudden change came over Teddy's face as she said. "You mean you came to help me after all those things I have done and those rotten words I said?"

"Yes," replied Wally. "All of us."

Brandy, another long time member of Dr. Knox's program, then said. "We had a choice, you don't. We would like to help you through the time needed for grown-ups to come up with a solution."

Before another word could be said, Teddy started crying. I sat down next to her so she could have my shoulder to cry on.

For the next hour the tears rolled.

Nobody left the room during the whole time.

During his time in his sister's body, Teddy refused to learn anything about being a girl. In the hours following his crying spell, his, or I should say, her, new found friends helped her adjust to her situation. We continued to help for as long as Teddy needed us.

By the time Dr. Knox arrived, she found the situation under control. By the end of the week, I felt Teddy was enjoying being a girl.

 

I am sorry to say. This is the last chapter to my story - A Better Solution Than Divorce.

 

 

Epilog

I thought you might like to know how some of the lives of the people in my story turned out.

Tammy

She still wants to become a man again, but she is willing to wait until the right one comes along.

So if anyone is interested. All you have to do is find Dr. Hillery Knox and apply for the swap.

Hillery Knox.

Is still out there helping married couples.

Vanessa Wolf.

Got married the June after her body's eighteen birthday to Mr. Brown the high school vice principal. They are expecting twins in three months.

Wally

Played college football so well that he was drafted by the NFL in the later rounds. Unfortunately he got to play five plays in three years. He is now playing in the Arena Football League.

Jennifer

Is now attending college in Texas, the same school where Mark Steel is attending Veterinary school. They are living together in an off-campus apartment. No children are planned in the near future. Jennifer doesn't want a child to mess up her part time job. If you look closely and know whom to look for, you might see her during the afternoon or early evening Thanksgiving Day on television. She is a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.

Amanda Blaylock

I am sorry to say. Is no longer with us.

Her last words to her husband were. "I never regretted our decision to stay in each others bodies. "I LOVE YOU"

Helen & Richard McLean

Helen still practices medicine and Richard still teaches and coaches football in Tolerance.

Dean McLean

Is in his second year of law school at Harvard.

 

THE END

  

  

  

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