At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 43 Meeting with Kate

I’d no idea what Kate meant when she asked me to help her and I thought that I would just have to trust her to explain later.But she told me more or less straight away.

‘Jessica is my niece.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes she is my elder sisters daughter who was born when she was only sixteen years of age, whilst she was at school.

She had met an older boy at school who wasn’t really her boyfriend and after she was pregnant he didn’t want anything to do with her. It caused some embarrassment in our family and at that time such things were hushed up more than they are now.

My sister was given leave from school and had her lessons at home. Since the father wanted nothing to do with it and mum wouldn’t let Helen have an abortion it was agreed that the baby was immediately given up for adoption.’

‘And who was the awful father?’

‘He was a very arrogant sixth former who came from a very rich family who fancied himself and at that time he had several girlfriends.’ ‘He denied it was his baby and was very rude to Helen saying she slept around. She was very upset and when mum called his mother it was quite clear that his family wanted nothing to do with my sister or the baby.

They supported him and he refused to marry Helen, thank goodness and then his father used his influence to set up the adoption.’

‘Really it’s a long story but Helen felt very guilty and mum and dad regretted not being more supportive. Helen never really got over it and I think this is the reason why she’s struggled to keep relationships and has been married 3 times.

Then one day Jessica contacted her. I won’t go into any more details but gradually they had more contact.

‘ I never forgave her boyfriend after that and it put me off men forever. He was so selfish and rude and I know him and hope to give him his cumupence one day on behalf of our family.’

‘Why didn’t your mum and dad help more?’

‘They were quite upset but they had their own marital problems at that time to deal with since dad had been unfaithful. But eventually they got over the problem but it was too late.’.

‘So what happened with Jessica?’

‘Well I haven’t much time to explain now but the family who adopted her had two other children afterwards and so eventually they decided to be honest with her when she was about 7 years old. It really upset her. She became aggressive and troublesome.’

‘Did they reject her?’

‘No but as she became more aggressive they couldn’t handle her. That was until she was older and they had helped her to trace Helen and she agreed to meet Jessica.'

‘Helen had her own family and hadn’t told her husband about Jessica so it caused a new set of difficulties.’ ‘But she handled the situation very well and eventually Jessica accepted that she couldn’t be a part of the family. But really she was badly hurt.’

By the time she was 16 years of age Jessica calmed down a bit but she had not done well at school. She left school without any real qualifications I was asked to help which I did. Jessica did quite well despite her lack of qualifications and did some extra training at evening classes that I arranged.’

‘So you said that I might help. What do you want me to do ?’

‘I’d like you to support her and accept her personality weaknesses until she gains in confidence. I want her to do some more management training so I’d like to think that you can help cover for her supporting Anne Mortimer and supporting them both with their business reports.

I can’t expect that you can do anymore than that but I do want her to be accepted by her staff and her peers and I can’t be seen to show favor. Nobody knows the family connection.’

‘Does she know that you are her aunt?’

‘Yes of course but we try to keep a distance’. ‘However she told me that she wanted you to share the apartment with her and Mary Jo and that she liked you. She has had problems forming relationships except with her flatmate from school and it might have help a lot but it’s none of my business.’

I said ‘Why is life so complicated? She’s all but kicked out Sally onto the street because of me. She has been awful to her. I thought she was jealous of me and she switches between treating me nice and treating me badly. I didn’t need the hassle and I was glad to come to work for you.’

‘Well Chrissy if you can help and accept her deficiencies then I want you to know that I will be in your debt. So will Helen..’

‘OK.’

That was my 15 minutes time slot gone so I had to leave Kate since someone was outside the door waiting for her next meeting. Kate smiled and as we stood up she bent forward and kissed me. ‘Thanks Chrissy, you have made a very sweet girl and I hope you can come to terms with it. I will help you if you more if you will let me.’

Mmmm what to do now?

I went back to my desk and after I gathered my thoughts I called Sally to tell her ‘in strictesss confidence’ what Kate had told me. She was silent for a few moments. Then she just said. ‘OK I’ll pack the rest of my things if I had to move into the apartment .
She said she understood my problem and that she would find somewhere to stay.

I said ‘OK then so you are giving up on me and you think that the world is against you.’

‘No but I think it’s better since Kate asked you to help’

‘Oh so is help that I have to I have to give up on my new best friend as well as my nice comfy bed?

‘But you will be helping Kate as she asked and she will not forget it.

‘ I know but whilst I do respect Kate and I like her very much what sort of life is that for me?’ ‘What about my relationship with the one girl who loves me even though I’m different and I’m confused about my gender?’ ‘Does that mean you have given up on me?

‘No.’

‘Good so then how about you meet me after work and take me to the apartment and I’ll help you to pack the rest of your things so you can leave that place for good.’

Sally went quiet and then said ‘OK if that’s what you want.’ I’ll meet you outside the bus station at 6pm but I don’t have any bags with me or anywhere to store things.’

‘Don’t worry I’ll take care of that and I will talk to Jessica so that she settles up with you properly and doesn’t give you any grief.’

But what about the rest of my things at your mums house? I’ve nowhere to go and nowhere to store them?’

‘Look Sally I know a place where you can store your bags and where you can you’re your clothes warm and dry.’

‘Where?’

‘Well how about if we take all my boy things out of my drawers and wardrobes and pack them up nicely that will create some space for your things. Then if you unpack we can put your cases and boxes in our garage alongside all my boy things.’

‘Will this be OK for you.?’

‘OK very much, OK very much indeed.’

Well if that’s OK then I will call Julie and try to get her to meet us with her car at Jessicas apartment.’

‘Thanks Chrissy you don’t know how happy you’ve made me feel.’

‘I hope so and I’m sure that Julie will be very happy too.’

‘Why’

‘Because she will get her chance to punch Jessica on the nose when I’m not looking. I will have to explain some things to her.’

She was giggling by now ‘Thanks Chrissy Taylor, I do love you and you are so nice to me.’

‘Well I am but I still don’t think that you should fall in love with me since I’m not sure about myself. What if I reverted to Chris one day? Would you love me then? What happens if I don’t have the courage to move to the next stage. I might not be able to carry this through and it might all be just a novelty at the moment.’

‘ Anyway why would you want to be in love with a boy in a dress. Don’t you prefer a boy as a boy?’

‘Mmmm maybe you are right but I’ think that I fell in love with a girl in a dress.’

A shiver went down my spine and I just whispered ‘Thanks you give me confidence and I like these improvements in my life even though such a lot has happened in such a short time.’

‘So what will Kate think?’

‘ I don’t know but I’ll tell her tomorrow since we are going to Manchester together.’ ‘She’s going to introduce me to somebody for lunch after our meetings.’

‘Who is it?’

‘I don’t know she didn’t say’

‘Who do you think it is?’

‘I don’t know since tomorrow is another day and another chapter in my life. I’m just trying to bring it all together in my mind. It must be very confusing to you and to other people'

'Not really, but the more I know about you the more that I want to know.'

' Really?'

'I must admit that I want to go see Gran again since I’ve a lot of confusion in my mind about Aunt Judith.

I need her to recover and don’t want to risk causing a relapse with my questions and by stirring up the past.’

To be continued………..