Jacqui and Me - Chapter 12
By Julie D Cole

‘Hi who have we here then?’ I could immediately tell it was Jac’s dad.
It seemed like I was frozen to the spot and I was struck dumb as well. My mouth wouldn’t work no matter how I tried. What a strange sensation like everything was slow motion with Jac’s dad moving slowly as if frame by frame in a film.

I was saved by Jac’s coming through the kitchen door and she was moving whilst I stood still and her dad was motionless too.

‘Hi Pops, what are you doing back so soon I thought you were away for the weekend. This is my friend Sammy. She stayed over. You don’t mind do you?’

He smiled and stepped forward giving her a kiss and Jac’s coloured up in embarrassment. Then he stretched out his big right hand to shake my hand that was limp and tiny in comparison. I could see now that Jac’s took after her father. She was just like him even with the mop of curly hair. I guessed most girls would be horrified but seemingly not so for Jac’s.

‘Hi Sammy, pleased to meet you. Welcome and I hope Jaqueline’s looked after you OK.’

‘Dad it’s Jaqui please I hate that name. I don’t know why you chose it.’

He smiled since he was obviously teasing and knew that Jac’s would react. I just nodded back at him and tried to smile and Jac’s helped me putting her arm around my waist. I was sure her dad would think we were more than casual friends.

Then Jac’s spoke up. ‘Sammy is just about to ring her mum if that’s OK dad to let her know she is up and about. It was too late to drive home last night so we crashed out here since I was on my own and sammys mum said OK. Anyway how come you are back already and so early in the day?’

He mumbled some reason that I didn’t hear so I decided to go upstairs to call mum on my mobile phone instead to let them talk without any embarrassment in front of a guest.

I looked in the mirror on the upstairs landing. I did look more like a girl than boy so no surprise that Jac’s dad just accepted the explanation. The face was much more feminine and it wasn’t going to be easy to disguise the fact that I’d had work done on it. Now I was being accepted as a girl friend by Jac’s dad and she was going to have to deal with it. Somehow he might have been delighted if I’d been running around in shorts as a boyfriend.

I concluded that it might be best if I dressed quickly and headed home before things got worse. What if he did realise this was a boy dressed like a girl? There was no easy explanation if he realised that his daughter had a ‘girlfriend’ who was a boy. So better I skiddaddled and let jac deal with it.

Mum was happy to hear my voice and decided to wait in until I arrived home so I promised to send a message or call again once I’d sorted out what time we were leaving. She asked about my new girlfriend but I wouldn’t say anything. It was difficult to put mum off but I managed it. I knew she had her suspicions about me but I couldn’t really discuss my feelings or the situation at this stage because I didn’t know myself where this was leading.

When I ended the call I could hear another voice downstairs so I popped my head over the banister. It was a tall and very attractive young woman not much older than Jac’s and me and she seemed to be clinging onto Jac’s dad like a limpet. She had jet black hair that fell half way down her back and by straining my neck a little bit I could see that she was wearing very high heel boots so she was as tall as Jac’s and almost as tall as Jac’s dad. They would all tower above me and I had an immediate feeling of inferiority even over this girl.

I wondered what Jac’s would be feeling now. She was hardly the type of woman she’d get on with and if her dad had invited her back she’d want to understand his motives.

If I was tall and slim like her I’d think that I’d died and gone to heaven. Life doesn’t deal out even hands. She looked up and smiled and I couldn’t help but smile back and I surprised myself where the soft voice came from as I said hi in return.

Jac’s then shot upstairs and I sensed her uneasiness. Her dad and the girl from heaven disappeared from my eye line and I looked at Jac’s who had an angry expression o her face. ‘what’s wrong Jac’s did your dad upset you?’

‘upset me I’ll say. Who does she think she is flaunting herself like this. It’s obvious he’s been taken in. to think that dad gave me a tut tut when he thought we’d slept together and here he is bring that slut home. Can you believe it dad has brought his secretary home? I’m not sure what’s going on but she seems to be a real Klingon type. There was some lipstick on his shirt collar. Did you see?’

‘Oh Jac’s I’m sorry but are you surprised? Your dad is a good looking guy and very wealthy. Have you met her before? Does he have any girlfriends?’

‘ No, but he has talked about her. She’s too young for him. He must be mad if he can’t see that. I bet we are older than her. What does he see in her?’

‘Come on Jac’s he’s a grown man isn’t he. Give him some credit. ‘Don’t jump to conclusions because if she works for him it could be just a platonic friendship. Your dad might be going somewhere with her or just helping her out with something.’

‘What planet do you live on Sammy? You have to help me. I can’t let her get her claws into him. He isn’t over mum yet. Why are grown men so stupid?’

I wasn’t an expert on grown men since I’m the runt in the pack and even if I was Jac’s was steaming from both ears so no chance to get her to listen whilst she was so upset.

So since it was difficult to calm Jac’s with her in this mood with her imagination running wild. She was obviously shocked to see her dad with a woman who could have been another daughter and to make matters worse she was slim and very attractive. I saw Jac’s slipping into a mood that I hadn’t expected of her and so I pulled her back to the bedroom and pushed her onto the bed. She immediately sat up with her legs over the side of the bed so I pushed her knees apart and put my arms around her neck looking into her eyes. She needed comforting and calming down and here I was dressed like this and needing to change and go home since mum was waiting in.

‘Jac’s don’t let it get to you and give your dad some space. I’m sure he’s not a fool. Maybe he is lonely and misses your mum. Maybe it’s not enough to have you around. ‘

‘There you are then. That’s the point she is his bit of fun and he’s going to be a laughing stock if he’s not careful.’

‘Look Jac’s I should be angry really because now he thinks I’m a girl. How am I going to sort that out? What’s he going to say when I dress and go downstairs as myself? You dropped me in it up to my neck.’

‘Oh Sam don’t be silly. He won’t think anything. He’s blind at the moment and I bet he won’t even remember you in an hours time.’

‘Oh so that’s it then. I’m a nothing and I guess I might as well go home then.’

‘Oh sam don’t be silly I didn’t mean it like that. What else could I say?’

‘well now he thinks I’m a girlfriend of yours so if I turn up as myself he’s likely to kick my butt. I should be angry really. Instead here I am trying to help you get over your own shock.’

‘Look Sam I need your help.’

‘OK Jac’s let’s both look at the positive side. He never questioned me staying and I don’t think I even registered with him so probably he’ll forget me by tomorrow anyway. She is a bit hot though don’t you think? What’s her name anyway?’

‘Michelle. But he calls her Mishy. How embarrassing is that? Dads with baby talk. Ugghh.’

‘Come on Jac’s. We have to ignore it and anyway what if your dad found out what we’ve been up to and that we did it? What would he say if he knew that I was a boy not a girl? He might give me 2 black eyes and kick my butt to Timbuctoo.’

That made her smile at least. She said the thought of dad kicking my butt all the way down the drive and through town in her mums’ dressing gown would be priceless.

I gave her a kiss on the lips and she stood up. I tried to push her back down to take up the dominating position but she took over since I was useless at the boy thing.

‘Come on Jac’s I have to go. Will you take me home? You’re a bad influence on me. The more time I spend around you the weaker I get. I’m supposed to be the guy around here you know. Can’t I at least have a shot at it or a turn?

‘of course you can. But just now how can you be the man dressed like that and with your new look. I’m not sure I could fall in love with a man let alone a girly man.’

I hit her and she fell onto the bed as if felled by a giant.

‘Don’t play dead I’m not falling for that and we have to get ready. I need a lift home and we can give your dad some space. ‘

After I washed and cleaned my teeth I turned to Jac’s. ‘Now you told your dad I’m Sammy not Sam how do I get past him without him realising I bat on his side?’

“Don’t worry I’ll get you out alive. We could sneak out down a drainpipe or out of the back door. “

Best laid plans didn’t work and even though I dressed in the clothes I’d arrived in I felt different as I brushed my hair. Something had happened to me. It was like I was a different person and Sam had been pushed aside to give Sammy a chance. I liked the feeling and I wanted to look my best before we went downstairs. I thought I’d better not look too much like Sam and so I did my best to show my bust to its fullest and Jac’s lent me a bag so that I appeared more feminine.

Jac’s dad and Mishy were in the lounge so Jac’s just shouted goodby and I waved and we were gone before they had chance to strike up a conversation.

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