Perfect Matron

by Dave Hicks

 

Chapter 9

1

   

"My father wasn't only a naturalist," I continued. "He was a highly talented biologist and geneticist. More than a little eccentric at times but undoubtedly a genius. My mother was also highly intelligent but much more stable. Together, they made a perfect team. With my mother's money and his amazing intellect, they had both the skill and resources needed to study whatever they pleased. She was like you in some ways, although she didn't have your stunning figure. He was prone to wandering off on tangents but she could always pull him back on track again. Together, they did brilliant work."

"So all the money you have is from her?"

"No," I smiled. "I did inherit everything when they died, including this place, but it's only a very small amount when compared with what I've made myself."

She nodded, deep in thought. She was silent for a while. "How did you become their son?"

"I found out about them somehow," I smiled fondly. "I don't remember exactly how it happened. Maybe I heard about them from someone. They lived as recluses and never had visitors. They always communicated through a firm of lawyers. I sent them a diagram of my DNA. She contacted me almost immediately. Like you, they were intrigued by it. I worked with them and over time we grew very fond of each other. She decided it would be better if they pretended they were my parents as they had no children of their own. That way, I would inherit everything when they died. The underground collection and this valley they loved so much would be cared for. She registered a birth with the authorities."

"And the false birth was never discovered?"

"Coming from a family with influence, she knew people in the right places to get away with it. Since the child never left the property, no one knew what their son looked like. By the time I officially first appeared in public, twenty odd years had gone by since my so-called birth. Because they wouldn't leave here, I did most of their collecting for them. I enjoyed it. I dug out the new rooms and tunnels when they were required. As they got older and I found myself looking after them more, as they would allow no one else here. I didn't mind. They were good people. When they died, I closed everything up and left Earth for quite a long time."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I had to know I could trust you."

"Yes," she nodded. "Of course you did."

She gave me a kiss.

 

2

 

She made us fresh coffee and settled herself in her chair again. "I want to thank you for trusting me. I'm beginning to see what a big risk it was for you to take."

"Perhaps it would've been when I first met you," I smiled. "But we've been through a few things since then. I've got to know you better."

She nodded. "Tell me something."

"Anything. You know that."

She nodded dubiously. "How far did your parents get in their understanding of your DNA? Am I simply duplicating what they'd already discovered?"

"I think their work may compliment yours. Their approach was based more on mathematical models. That was part of where my father's talent lay. He firmly believed I was the next evolutionary step for humanity; the only way humanity could survive the catastrophe he was so convinced would occur. However, yours is a more medical approach. They didn't have the medical or laboratory skills you have. Or even the laboratory you have, for that matter. I have all their findings filed away for you go through, if you like. There's rather a lot of it."

"Of course I want to go through it," she laughed ironically. "I probably won't understand most of the mathematics involved, but their general approach could give me some ideas where to go next."

"Fine."

"Now I'm going ask you a few very simple questions," she laughed. "At least that way, I can be sure you won't tell me anything which will shock the socks off me."

"That's a good idea," I smiled. "I don't want you to loose your sock again."

"Where were you born David?"

"I don't know."

"How old are you?"

"I don't know that either."

"Why?"

"I can't remember back that far."

She gazed at me for a few seconds. "Am I about to have the sock shocked off me now?"

"Probably."

"Oh dear," she said ominously. "I hate it when you say that. I have a feeling; nothing about you is simple – is it?"

"Probably not."

"How far back can you remember?" she asked in exasperation.

"Are your hanging on to your socks really firmly?" I laughed.

"Just tell me, for heaven's sake."

"About five thousand years. Anything before that gets lost in a sort of mist. I gradually forget. Maybe it's my brain's way of not getting too clogged up with old stuff. I don't know."

She stared at me in shock. "I can't find my socks anywhere. Did you see where they went?"

I shook my head.

"You did say five thousand years – didn't you?" she asked me carefully.

I nodded and smiled.

"Oh my heavens."

 

3

 

"But you lied to me David," Katherine said sadly. "You told me you didn't want breasts. Then you pretended you didn't want to be a woman. Then you pretended you didn't want to look the way you do now. It was all just lies."

"I wasn't planning on becoming a woman," I replied softly.

"What then?"

"I served in the Federation Special Forces, during the Trolic Wars. Part of what I did was to secretly enter enemy territory and gather information about them."

"You fought in the war," she nodded. "Somehow, it makes sense. I don't know why, but it does."

"I was servicing a hidden navigational beacon our ships use, when the Trolic attacked. The only way I could prevent it falling into enemy hands was to destroy it and them with it. That's why I put the reactor into overload. I knew I would survive somehow, but the dose gave my DNA a very hard jolt. I wasn't in very good shape when they found me. The drugs they gave me did change a few things, but not quite in the way they thought they had. I was no longer able to exert control over my DNA. I would still have a lot of trouble, even now. Gradually it's improving but something like that takes quite some time for me to recover from. What you did was push my genetic structure in an unexpected direction. One I would never have chosen for myself. So I ended up looking like this. It will be a while before I can change myself at will again, even now. Who knows? I may not want to, when the time comes."

"So I did make you a woman? You didn't lie to me."

"I don't think so. I didn't tell you the whole story, that's all."

"And you can't control your DNA yet, can you?"

"No," I smiled. "I'm stuck this way for a long while yet, thanks to what you did."

She started crying. I put my arm around her and held her to me.

 

4

 

"Would you like to go to bed now?" I asked kindly. "You've had quite a few surprises tonight. Maybe you need to think about things for a while?"

"Are you kidding?" she laughed ironically. "All I'll do is lay there all night, with even more questions in my head. No. I'm going to persist with this, even if I do drive one of us insane."

"Doctor's always make the worse patients," adopting a Matronly tone of voice. "I never met one yet who would take their own advice."

"Yes Matron," she grinned. "What more could you shock me with? I'm the Director of a hospital run by mutilated women. I'm married to a man, who's also the most beautiful woman in the universe. She's not even human, by the way; just your average immortal being with a face of an angel."

"And a war hero, don't forget. They gave me a medal, you know. I've got it somewhere. It's got a nice star on it."

She sighed sadly. "And it's not fair."

"I'll give my medal, if you want it," I ventured.

"Not that, you silly husband. It's not fair what's going to happen to me. Just when I thought life was wonderful, for a change."

"What's not fair?"

She took a mouthful of coffee and gazed at me. "I'm going to get old and die. You won't. You'll stay looking just like you do now."

"I don't think so."

"What?" she cried. "You mean you'll get old too?"

"No."

"What then?" She paused. "I'm going to loose my socks again, aren't I?"

"Probably."

"You just said that word again."

I laughed.

"You've haven't aged a second since I met you. No only that, but you haven't got sick either. If you had a medical problem before, I bet it's not there now."

"How?" she looked up at me.

"It was when I removed your slave marks and altered your DNA a little to give you a new identity. I implanted a device in you. It stops you aging. It's an invention of mine. You're the only person who has ever had one."

"How can you stop someone aging? I don't believe it."

"That's okay," I laughed. "In a hundred years or two, you will."

Katherine was silent for quite some time. I didn't talk to her but let her work through what she'd learnt about me. I opened a bottle of wine and poured us both a glass. She sat in silence for a while, taking the occasional absentminded sip from her drink. It was nearly an hour before she spoke again.

"You still lied to me."

"What about?"

"You didn't get a stuffed horse for your birthday, when you were a kid."

"No. You're absolutely right. I definitely lied about that. And I'm very sorry. It was a stuffed elephant. I called him Leo after a lion I had once."

"That's what I thought. I'm glad we finally got that sorted out."

5

 

Next morning, Katherine awoke before I did and went straight to her underground lab. I didn't see her for the next few hours. I had been at work in my office at the hospital for about half an hour, when I got a call from her to help her into her corset. I took an electric powered scooter to the house. When I arrived she was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee ready for me. It looked as if we were about to have a serious conversation.

"I did a detailed scan of my body," Katherine informed me. "Heaven knows, I certainly have enough equipment to do it."

"What did you find?"

"No one should be this healthy. It's impossible. Like everything else that's happened around you lately. Would you like me to go into detail?"

"Sure," I smiled. "Will it shock the girdle off me? It's really not good for the Matron to be out of uniform, you know. It does set a bad example for the nurses."

She ignored my weak attempt at levity. "Everyone my age has at least something wrong with them. Even the most healthy of us. It could be a small harmless cyst in the liver. Maybe something trivial. Perhaps even the beginning of a cataract in an eye. There are always signs of minor calcification of joints and hardening of arteries in mature adults. A few blood levels out of balance but within the acceptable range. A hundreds things; all too numerous to mention. It's all perfectly normal and doctors generally take no notice of them."

"Doesn't sound very healthy to me," I grinned. "I think you're falling to bits with all that wrong with you."

"But what do I have? Not a thing. Oh no; not Katherine. I'm more healthy than any human being has a right to be. It's spooky. Just what sort of implant did you put in me?"

"It's an undetectable, ceramic encapsulated, highly advanced device. It never needs a new power cell and comes with a lifetime guarantee to keep Katherine healthy and stop her from aging," I smiled. "I haven't thought of a real name for it. I told you - I designed and made it. It's about the size of a pea and sits at the base of your skull, out of the way. It won't cause you any problems."

"That's amazing."

"Thank you. You're not too bad yourself."

"So, we're going to be together for a long time then," she smiled.

"I'm never going to leave you. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Isn't that sweet," I smiled sweetly. "I do love happy endings – don't you?"

"Shut up. You drive me insane, sometimes."

"Thank you."

 

6

 

Unknown to Katherine, I contacted Claire, the local Karalan Priestess.

"David," she replied amicably but cautiously. "How nice to hear from you. How is Katherine?"

"Hello Claire. It's good to talk to you again. Katherine is fine thank you."

"How can I help you?"

"I'm about to ask you a favor," I warned her.

"Certainly. After what you've both done for the church and the Karalan Settlement, how could I refuse any reasonable request?"

I noticed she stressed the word reasonable quite clearly.

"As you may know, we have quite a few patients at our hospital now. It's not surprising when you consider, we have one of the highest government accreditation for any research hospital in the country. There's great demand for our services. At the moment, most of our patients are Karalan people. We, or should I say Katherine, will always endeavor to give Karalan people preference, of course."

"Yes. I've heard you're getting quite busy now. I believe the High Priestess has taken a keen interest in your fine establishment."

Now I'm getting the hang of this, I thought.

"Naturally, it goes without saying; we, I mean Katherine, is always very approving of the Karalan church representatives ministering to those in our care."

"As a respected and highly valued member of the church, I'm sure she is."

I could feel her waiting for the axe to fall.

"And some of our staff members," I stressed the word staff, "also feel they might benefit from a measure of spiritual guidance from the Karalan faith. Many of them have lost all contact with their families and their children, over the years."

"I understand," very cautiously.

Here it comes.

"I was wondering, if it might be possible, apart from establishing regular visits by you, to give spiritual support to our patients and staff, it would be lovely if Francis may be of a mind, to allow a few of her children an opportunity to participate in a church service and a reception at the hospital afterwards. Say once a month."

That was a mouthful.

"We have a large hall, which I'm sure you would find more than adequate for the purpose. I'm sure many people, including the children, would greatly appreciate your innovation and my staff would do everything in their power to assist you wherever possible. As a Patron of the Settlement, I have always felt a need to do all I can for the children. After all, they are the future. Their development is so important."

There was silence for a few moments.

"Of course, I would have to consider your proposal most carefully, before committing myself to such a course of action," she replied carefully. "And there's also Francis to consult."

Good move.

"I fully understand Claire. I appreciate your even giving my idea consideration. I can assure you, I haven't informed either Katherine or Bennita of my thoughts on the matter." Nothing like dropping a name or two. "Naturally, I felt it was only proper, I discussed it with you first, before taking the matter any further."

"That's very kind of you David. I appreciate your sensitivity in the matter."

"Certainly Claire. I'm sure you know, Katherine wants to be on the best possible terms with her local church, at all times. She likes to support it in whatever way she can. Naturally, it's understood the hospital will cover any expenses incurred by you and Francis."

Is that the sound of money I hear?

"That's very generous of you David. I'm sure Katherine is only too aware of good work being done by the Karalan church in this area."

"I'm sure she is. I leave it with you then. Thank you for sparing some of your valuable time Claire."

"You're most welcome David."

I slipped the recording of the conversation into the top of my bra. I decided to give it to Katherine when we met for lunch to listen to.

 

7

 

At lunch in the restaurant, I gave Katherine the recording of my conversation with Claire. She listened carefully, nodded her head slowly at various parts. A broad grin gradually spread across her face. Once it was finished, she gazed at me thoughtfully for a few moments.

"You cunning bitch," she exclaimed, laughing. "Where did you learn to do that? You terrified her. I thought I was the sneaky Karalan woman in this marriage."

"What do you think?"

"For a start, I think you've left her with no doubt who's the real power behind this throne. She's going to be a very worried woman for a while. You weren't content with just sticking the knife in were you? You made her hold her own loaded gun to her head and pay for the bullet. Good heavens. I've never heard anything like it. She'll be listening to her own recording of the conversation for hours, trying to work you out."

"But what about the church service and the party afterwards?"

"I think it's an excellent idea. Some of our people have been missing their family. As you know, they can't contact them anymore. It will really help – especially having the children to fuss over."

"We could use the new recreational area Angela and others built into the lake," I suggested. "It's only a short walk from the hall. If I know Beth, she'll have enough food there to feed an army. Grace could even take them for rides on her jet water sled – if she slowed down considerably, that is. The water's always warm, even this time of the year. And it's not really deep there. We could make it quite a party for them – especially the kids. I could do some magic. I can pull a hat out of a rabbit. The rabbits don't like it much but the kids will think it's great. And both Ingrid and Yvonne are musicians. My nurses, Hanna and Paula will spoil them rotten, if I know them. I've already suggested to Angela she might like to start building some play structures for them. She an expert when it comes to using freeform concrete and steel. She'll probably construct a complete amusement park - if let her."

"It sounds wonderful," she smiled.

"I hope you don't mind me going over your head. I wanted it to be a surprise for you. But you forced me tell you, after listening to the recording I gave you. Or at least, I'm pretty sure you forced me to tell you."

She shook her head and smiled. "You are the most cunning, devious and manipulative woman I have ever met."

"Why do you say that?" I asked innocently, fluttering my gorgeously long eyelashes at her. "I'm just a humble matron."

"And the Karalan will have to associate with the slaves," she grinned. "Wouldn't they?"

"It's possible, I suppose," I responded casually. "I image one or two of the staff might be involved. After all, someone has to empty the trash bins and tidy up afterwards."

She thought for a moment and shook her head in disbelief. "As if I needed any more surprises at the moment."

"Well? What do you think?"

"You know what I think," she laughed. "Yes."

"That's good."

She smiled at me affectionately. "And now I'm going to give you some news. I'm not sure it's good however."

"That sounds ominous."

"I had a call from Benita this morning. You know, the one you didn't just happen to mention to Claire."

"Ah. That's the Benita you were talking to."

"Yes. Apparently, she has received various graphic reports regarding our treatment of Zelda's husband Andrew."

"And what did our beloved Boss Lady have to say?"

"Well…" Katherine chuckled. "This was between when she managed to stop laughing long enough to get the words out. She said she was a little curious regarding the rather creative procedure I'd used on Andrew."

"Tell me what she said."

"Let me put it this way," she took a deep breath, as always, causing her immense bosom to swell attractively. "Apparently, two rather urgent applications for feminization of husbands have been unexpectedly and rather hurriedly removed from her agenda for consideration."

"Did she say why that was?" I smiled.

"She has no idea."

 

8

 

Later, in the afternoon, Katherine entered my office and slumped into one of my visitor's chairs.

I looked up from the paperwork on the desk before me and smiled. "You don't look too happy sweetheart."

"Just put me in one of your beds," she replied resignedly. "I've just about had more surprises than the human mind is supposed to have in one day. I need to be hospitalized. If someone tells me I'm a Trolic secret agent, I'll probably agree with them."

"Let the Matron make you a nice cup of coffee. It's always good for people in need of urgent medical attention, I always say."

She shrugged and nodded. I made two cups and placed one in her hand. I sat in a chair next to her.

"Now tell me all about it."

She took a mouthful of coffee. "I've just received a call from the Leader of the Karalan Synod."

"And how is that old reject from a very low budget horror movie?"

"She rang to inform me, the Synod, after careful and painstaking deliberation, of all the facts at its disposal, has decided to make me full deacon of the church."

"That's good," I smiled. "You wanted to be one, if I remember correctly."

"Oh yes," she nodded. "As a Patron of the Settlement, a highly respected member of the Karalan community, a woman who had both a married true mother and a married true grandmother, the Director of a hospital which provides such an excellent health services to the Karalan members free of charge and on the recommendation of my local Priestess, it has been decided I am a most suitable candidate for immediate appointment to the position."

"And you managed to say all that without stopping for air."

"Yes. She didn't mention I'm also the only close true blood relative and next of kin of our exulted High Priestess. And, I'm married to someone with an awful lot of money, who I've managed to turn into the most beautiful woman on the planet. With my pedigree alone, I can demand a place in the Synod, displacing one to them."

"I wonder why she left those items out. They must've completely slipped her mind, in all the excitement."

"I bet they did," she laughed ironically.

"I am happy for you sweetheart," I smiled kindly. "I guess it means more church work for you now."

"Oh no. The Synod is more than satisfied with the work I'm already engaged in, on behalf of the Karalan general community. In fact, I've been appointed to a newly created position of Special Deacon. A position which was approved by the High Priestess herself very recently. I'm free to pursue any endeavor I feel is most appropriate in the best interests of the Karalan church."

"Congratulations."

She started crying. I held her to me for a while.

"Come on," I took her hand. "Time to get you home, I think."

"I think so too. It's been a long day."

I gave her a kiss.

 

9

 

I unlaced Katherine from her corset; despite her objections it was still too early in the afternoon to go without one. Once she was in a comfortable floor-length gown, I sat her in the living room and poured her a large glass of wine. She sat in silence for a while, taking the occasional sip from her glass. I didn't disturb her thoughts, preferring to read a very old paper book from my collection.

Once she'd finished her first glass, I fetched another.

"It's a little early for me to get well and truly drunk," she smiled.

"It doesn't matter," I told her firmly. "It's good for you at the moment. You doctors are such uncooperative patients. I've been a nurse for a good number of hours and the Matron of this hospital for at least five minutes. So I know what I'm talking about. Take your medicine, like a brave little soldier, for the nice Matron. Do you hear me?"

"Yes Matron."

"And don't, yes Matron me, young woman. I've heard it all before."

"No Matron. Of course not Matron. Stick it in your heavily starched knickers Matron."

We laughed.

"I suppose there was some good news this afternoon," she said cautiously.

"Would you like to tell me what it was?"

"I told the staff your idea about the church service and using the recreational area by the lake, as an activity park for kids from the Settlement. They were very enthusiastic about it."

"That's good."

"They're going to name it in your honor, because you thought of it. The workshop is going to make a big sign."

"Oh are they," I replied suspiciously.

"What's wrong? They named the ornamental lake between the administration building and the restaurant after me. It's called Director's Lake. You knew that."

"Yes. I know."

"You don't sound very pleased about it"

"Let me guess. It would've been Angela who suggested naming it in my honor. It might have been Beth. No doubt Ellen would've had a hand in it."

She stared at me for a few moments. "How did you know? They were the ones who came and told me."

"And what do they want to call it?"

"The Matrons Play Park."

"I guessed it. Those cheeky bitches. I'll make their life a misery at work tomorrow."

"Why, for heaven's sake? It's the perfect name for it. It tells people exactly what goes on there."

"It certainly does," I nodded unenthusiastically. "But not in the way you think."

"I don't understand you sometimes. Come to think of it, I don't understand you most of the time. But this case, it's particularly hard to make sense of you."

"You don't know, do you?" I laughed, shaking my head.

"What don't I know?"

I laughed again.

 

10

"Tell me or I will have to end your life," she growled threateningly. "I don't care if you pull yourself together again."

I rose from my chair and started towards the study.

"Now where are you going?"

"I want to show you something," I smiled.

Within a minute, I returned holding a sheet of paper. I handed it to her. She looked at for short while.

"It's a picture of the hospital," she remarked, looking up at me. "Taken from above. It's very detailed. I can see all sorts of things. That looks like a nurse on a scooter, outside the restaurant."

"It was taken about a week ago."

"So? Why did you give it to me?"

"Have a really good look at it."

She stared at it again for a while. "I give up. What am I supposed to be looking for?"

"Have a look at Director's Lake and Matron's Play Park. Tell me what you see."

"All I see is a lake and a bit of land jutting out into a big lake. So what?"

"Would you like to hear a story?" I asked her.

"Has it got anything to do with this?"

"Very much so."

"Okay. I'd like to hear your story."

I rose from my chair and casually made a plate of light food in the kitchen. Then, I returned to the living room and placed it beside her. After freshening up her drink, I returned to my chair. I took a leisurely mouthful of my wine.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" she stated. "Keeping me hanging on a hook."

"Yes."

"Will you tell me the story now and put me out of my agony?"

"Okay. About a week ago, I was looking at the latest daily picture I usually transfer from the overhead my satellite."

"What satellite?"

"The satellite I own," I explained. "The one which always sits above us."

"You didn't tell me you owned your own satellite."

"You didn't ask. That's how the hospital communicates with the outside world, most of the time."

"Sorry," she laughed. "Excuse me my love, but do you just happen to own your own personal space satellite in orbit above us?"

"Yes sweetness. As a matter of fact I do own my own personal satellite. Doesn't everyone?"

"Where did you get it from?"

"I made it."

"You made," she echoed, in a matter-of-fact-tone.

"Sure. Any competent hospital matron can knock a satellite together in an afternoon."

"And how did you get it up there?"

"I used my spaceship," I smiled affably.

"Your spaceship," she repeated slowly.

"Of course. That's how you get around in space. There's no air up there, you know. You need air or you'll asphyxiate. I thought all doctors knew that."

"I give up," putting her head in her hands. "I give up. I'm a completely broken Special Deacon. And you did it to me. It's entirely your fault."

"Maybe you should go to hospital and see a doctor. I know a good one."

"Maybe I should. But it won't be in this lunatic asylum."

  

  

  

*********************************************
ฉ 2007 by Dave Hicks. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, and compilation design) may be printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without the express written consent of StorySite and the copyright holder.