The Weekly Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 3431 by Angharad Copyright© 2024 Angharad

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This is a work of fiction any mention of real people, places or institutions is purely coincidental and does not imply that they are as suggested in the story.
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We unloaded the car and put the stuff in the fridge or freezer. I knocked up a meal while Danni pushed the vacuum cleaner about. It wasn't dirty just a little dusty as no one was living here full time, I did contemplate perhaps letting it to at least cover the local rates, but the thought of someone, a complete stranger sleeping in my parent's bed made me feel quite strange, and I suppose I felt the same about my old bed. No, for the moment I'd leave things as they were and it would remain my family home, even if at times I had been less than happy there. To Danni of course, it was just her mother's old house and were I to croak, she'd think nothing of selling it. My home now was Daddy's farmhouse, back in Portsmouth, although sometimes Simon suggests we should have our own, I'm quite happy there, and I know the children are, so I think I'd like to keep that as my main home, remember I also have Mr Whitehead's old house. I would have loved to know him better when I thought about it, but was suspicious of teachers generally, possibly because my own experience had been very uncomfortable. Having said that my relationship with Whitehead had actually always been fair if not always comfortable. I also wished I had met his wife, she sounded a nice lady. Oh well, back to doing something for tea.

I peeled some spuds and made some mash, then creamed it to have with the sausages David had sent up in the 'food parcel'. We had sausage and mash with some broad beans for tea and enjoyed them. David knows a farmer who has his own pigs which are organic, slaughters them himself, does various pork joints, makes his own ham and bacon and also his own sausages. They are really tasty, have no breadcrumbs in them and very little gristle. They are expensive but we know they are very good; that the pigs have had a good life until slaughter and that is reflected in the quality of the meat he sells.

We chatted about my meeting tomorrow and Danni asked if I wanted her to come with me. I wondered if that would be good or not. I wondered if I should call them and ask. She told me she would come with me and if necessary would sit in the car with her Kindle, she also had the radio if she wanted it. I said I would play it by ear because she wasn't really transgender, unless one considered her elements of makeup and dressing as female prior to Pia attacking her. The fact that she has taken to being a young woman so well, perhaps demonstrates she was more TG than she admits or than she realises, and although she isn't in Trish's intellectual class, few are, she was pretty bright and was expected to get a decent degree.

We shared a bed to save on washing and we both slept well, she was still asleep when I awoke the next day at six o'clock. I lay there for a while before rising and going in the shower. I had tried to rehearse what I revealed about myself and Danni if she came in with me and realised it was better to just go with the flow, this meeting wasn't about me, it was for Paul. My issues were largely settled, Paul's weren't and we were there to try and help him. Having decided that I wasn't there to solve someone's problems but perhaps offer some advice, I felt more relaxed and enjoyed my shower.

Danni got up while I was showering and put the kettle on; we had tea as soon as I was dressed. I wore some jeans, I had skirts and dresses with me, but I was off-duty and dressed like I did at home. We had toast and banana for breakfast and Danni went off showered and dressed in leggings and a top with a black hoodie over the top. I had a leather bum freezer jacket with me, I'd wear that. We weren't that far from the Barrett's house but Bristol has some of the worst traffic congestion in the UK, and also a traffic restriction zone in the middle, where you have to pay if your car isn't within a certain group. My Jaguar would probably mean I had to pay if we crossed town but I knew a route that would avoid the zone and get us safely to their house. We left at half past nine and arrived only ten minutes early. I parked down the road a little and Danni and I discussed what we thought would happen. Ten minutes later I moved the car to outside the Barrett's house. It was quite comfortable looking so John was doing okay, that relieved me a little so he could probably afford private doctors, not always the best option but as least it was an option.

I left the car and rang the bell, I hate to think what my blood pressure was doing but it was possibly worse for Paul. John opened the door had spotted Danni and asked if she wanted to come in as well. I beckoned her and she came to join me.

Introductions over, we were offered tea or coffee and I opted for the latter. Danni asked for tea and while someone got our drinks we were led into the lounge. His wife appeared with the drinks and handing to us she thanked us for coming as they were running out of ideas with Paul. She blushed as she told us this but we reassured her we would help if we could.

"You're a professor now aren't you? How about you Danni?"

I'm in my final year of a biology degree and I play soccer for Bournemouth Ladies.."

"Wow, a professional soccer player." gasped Mrs Barrett.

"She's an England International," said John Barrett.

"Crikey," she said in surprise.

"Don't you remember all the fuss when the Dutch tried to stop her playing?"

"Not really, sorry, I don't follow football," admitted Sue.

"Ah, here she is," said John when a rather embarrassed young woman wearing a short flowery skirt and top entered the room, she was blushing like a pillar box. He introduced us to her and she nodded and sat down next to her mother.

"Are you Danni Cameron?" she said to my daughter.

"Yeah, why."

"You're one of my heroes - um heroines, when you played for England."

"What do we call you?" I asked trying to deflect the attention from my daughter.

"Oh, I'm Abigail, or Abi if you like."

"Nice to meet you, Abi. I'm Cathy and you seem to know Danielle, my daughter."

Abi nodded again to acknowledge what I'd said.

"Both you and Danni are two of the prettiest women I have met, how could anyone doubt that you're female?"

I shrugged. "It's all become very toxic and they stopped prescriptions of blockers; it's crazy but it has become a political football and it's very easy for bigots in government to copy the Americans, as we are an easy target, perhaps more obvious than gay people, so they kick us with impunity."

"You mean like silly feminists and their ilk?"

"If you mean a very wealthy author and bigot, Sue, yes."

"Why is she so popular?"

"Popular rarely means the best or most intelligent. If it did it wouldn't be popular, I hate to say it but the common herd is not always very discerning and I find myself tending to avoid it preferring to make my own judgement on various things. So I am not always aware of the latest Taylor Swift offering or some moronic rapper who I can't even understand."

"Taylor Swift has a new album out, she's okay having stood up for minorities in the past." Abi offered her take and Danni nodded.

"I wish she'd come out against the orange ape," said Danni.

"Perhaps she will support Biden, it would help his cause no end," John added.

We talked for two hours, Danni and Abi got on well together and I found John and Sue to be caring parents, who were worried by the latest politicizing of what is a personal issue between a child or adolescent, their parents and mental health professionals. We agreed that we were in support of standards of care as per the Cass report, but against the polarisation of it.

They admitted they had run out of professionals to take Abi to, and I had an idea. "Mind if I make a phone call a minute?" Abi and Danni had gone off to look at her wardrobe, Abi asking Danni for her advice on her limited range of clothing."

I walked outside and phoned Steph. Amazingly she was between patients and able to talk. "Look, I 'm talking to the parents of a transgendered son, who have tried all the local shrinks and she says she doesn't like any of them."

"So what do you want me to do about it."

"I think if she met you, she'd like you."

"It's not guaranteed, and does she live in our catchment area."

"No, they live in Bristol but they could see you privately."

"I don't know, it usually doesn't bode well to be so far from the doctor supervising them."

"Look, would you just see her as a one-off, that wouldn't commit either of you, and perhaps if she wants to work with you, you could make arrangements to take over her therapy if it was convenient."

"I don't know, Cathy, I'd like to help but I really don't think I can."

"Please, for me, Steph, I have a feeling you may be what she needs to move on."

"It'll cost you."

"Her father will pay your bill."

"Yeah, but I expect an invite to one of David's dinners in the next week or two."

"Done, bless you girl and thanks."

I re-entered the house just as we were having more tea, so after a quick comfort-break I disclosed my plan to John and Sue.

"I have just spoken to probably the most lovely paediatric psychiatrist in southern England. I have got her to agree to see Abi for a consultation, if she thinks that they can work together, she may take her on. I'm afraid it's in Portsmouth and you'd have to see her privately, but she is brilliant. Ask Danni what she's like, she helped her deal with a very difficult situation."

The girls were summoned back to us and they asked about Stephanie. Danni exhorted her skills and her pleasant manner and said she didn't see her much now because she was living as a woman with few problems but if she needed to see anyone, it would be Stephanie Cauldwell.

The parents were undecided, the distance and the cost all figured in their opinions. However, Abi suggested that because Danni had been so positive, she wanted to give it a try. "How much does she charge?"

"She doesn't come cheap but she is possibly the best psychiatrist you'll ever meet."

"And she's willing to just do a one-off or more if we agree with it."

"That's what she said."

"We have a daughter too, she is at Uni, Nottingham, so money is an issue but we've got to try and sort, Paul, I mean Abi out before much longer. It's really affecting her. Okay, let's go for it, it may just work."

I rang Stephanie's number and made an appointment there and then, I passed the phone to John and they discussed fees with Steph's receptionist who acts as a secretary, or should that be a secretary who acts as receptionist, sometimes.

John thought her charges were average and much less than a clown in London had been. I decided that we had helped them as much as we could and we made our goodbyes, Danni signing a photograph to Abi, which made her day.

We set off for Portsmouth, I thanked Danni for her contribution. Her reply surprised me. "Did you feel Abi taking your energy?"

"I felt it flowing gently but assumed it was to the whole household."

"No it was to Abi, she was shitting herself until it calmed her down."

"You could see it?"

"Yeah, but no-one else was aware of it. I think they needed to see Dr Stephanie and the universe called us to make it happen."

"That's a different take to mine, but it works just as well, girl."

"I know these things," she said sounding like Trish and I just burst out laughing, so did she.

"You did really well with Abi, you know."

"All in a day's work for a superstar," she said and started laughing again. She really was a nice girl and very pretty too and I loved her to bits.