“I want to thank you for opening up to me as much as you did. Next month I’d like you to bring your mother, if that’s okay.”

“Great! And then I can start T next month, right?”

“Um, about that…” 

“Hm?”

“You know the saying ‘Monte Vista wasn’t built in a day,’ correct?”

“Yeah…?”

“It will be a while, a long while, until I have enough information on your case to prescribe you with anything. This first session was a great start, but I can’t just hand you a referral to an endocrinologist until we’ve gone through all the steps required.”

“An endocri-what?”

“An endocrinologist. Someone who is specialized in hormones and hormone treatment.”

“So you wouldn’t be giving me testosterone anyway!?”

“I’m afraid that’s the case.”

“So what am I supposed to do until then?”

“Maybe find some way to pass the time? Like an activity of some sort.”

“Well, my friend Connor always wanted me to join him in a school play…”

“That’s a great idea! Which reminds me, I know someone who holds acting workshops on the weekends. Ever heard of a woman named Erin Beaker?”

“Yeah! Her name’s on the flyers outside my school!”

“Maybe pay her a visit sometime. Tell her Pascal said hi, too. Though she hasn’t wanted to speak to me for some reason…”

“Alright, can you tell me about why you’re here?”

“Well, I kinda was hoping here was where I can get started on testosterone.”

“I’m afraid we’ll have to do a little more before we can make a decision like that.”

“Yeah, I figured it wouldn’t be that easy. So, uh… what are those things I need to do?”

“Well, for starters, let’s start with some questions…”

“Hello! You must be Renee Broke?”

“Yup! Sorry my parents dropped me off. Dr. Curious, right?”

“You can call me Pascal if you like.”

“And you’re, like, gonna make my life not suck, right?”

“I can certainly try, but remember, this is just our first meeting.”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot.”