Crazy Charlsie Part 13

I started this serial months ago and finally got back to it.

It starts with Charley’s birth.  https://nutsrok.wordpress.com/2017/04/11/charleys-tale/

It continues with Charley’s coming of age.  https://nutsrok.wordpress.com/2017/06/03/crazy-charlsie/

 

Charley had never been invited to Marzell’s home or called her on the phone, so he went by to let her know he was going to spend the summer at the farm.  Stepfather Melvin met him at the door.  “What do you want?  You ain’t lost nothin’ here.”

“I just wanted to let Marzell know I’m going to my farm for the summer.”

“Oh, so you’re the morphodite that little tramp’s been running around with.  She ain’t having nothing else to do with you.  Get lost!” As the hateful man turned to slam the door, he shoved Marzell roughly to the floor.

Enraged, but mindless of his recent surgery, Charley tried to shove his way in to Marzell, Melvin burst out, pummeling him with his beefy fists.  A few well-placed blows reduced Charles to a crumpled heap on the porch.  “I’ll kill you if I ever see you close to her again, you freaky dyke!”  With a final kick to the ribs, Charles landed on the bottom step.

It took Charles several humiliating minutes to work his way to his feet as the pain in his left side held him in its twisted grip.  With one eye swollen shut and front teeth loose, his battered nose dripped blood down his shirt.  Charles’s first challenge to his manhood had left him suffering the second and most cruel emasculation of his young life.

As he struggled homeward, the sordid scene played over and over in his head. His surgical wound had eviscerated, leaking blood and serum.  He barely made it to his front porch before collapsing.  Thankfully, the dog’s barking alerted his father.

Charley’s Tale Part 3

 

They named the baby Charlotte for her father.  Though Ellen did her best, she didn’t bond with the little girl as she had her two boys, rarely changing or bathing her.  In addition to her concerns about her daughter, she suffered from baby-blues, as post-partum depression was known then.  Her own mother, Geneva, came to stay for a few days and recognized Charlotte’s ambiguous genitalia immediately, having given birth to four girls.  Ellen was appalled when Geneva expressed her concerns.

“Charles said he had to a little growth off her bottom, but she’s fine now.  He said if she has any trouble when she gets older, we will take her to a specialist then.  Charles doesn’t ever want her to know.  I can’t talk any more about it, it gets me so upset.”  Ellen broke off crying.

“Ellen, this might be more than that.  My cousin, Jean……….” Ellen cut her mother off sharply.

“Now, Mother.  Charles is a doctor.  He says there’s no need borrowing trouble.  He’s not going to like it if we discuss this any more.  Please don’t mention Jean ever again, especially to Charles.” Ellen was clearly agitated at the mention of Jean.

“Ellen, I am not about to go around telling your business, but I am going to talk to Charles about this.  There might be a specialist she can see now.  If money is a problem…………….”

            “Mother,  please stay out of this.  Money is definitely NOT a problem.  Don’t you think Charles would move Heaven and Earth if he thought she needed to see another doctor?  How could you bring Jean up to me?   My head is just throbbing.  You and Cora will just have to manage while I rest. Please tell Charles I am going to take something for my headache and will see him when I get up.”

               “Cora, I need you to bring up my tonic and pull the curtains for me.  I feel like I am dying of headache. Dust a little talcum on my sheets and bring me that silk throw before you go.  You have to take the baby downstairs and keep the boys quiet.  Maybe you can take the baby out in the carriage and walk the boys over to play with Mrs. Barnes boys, but don’t let anybody else change her.  Do you understand?”

                “Yes, Miz Evans.  I knows how to take care of things.  You git some rest.”  Cora hurried to get out of the room.  She’d seen lots of headaches and tonic since little Charlotte was born.