Previously

We got home and were exhausted and went to bed early. I think we all slept like logs.
Sunday morning was a bit of a rush. Daddy said he was not going to put up with being late for church again like last time. We all said “Yes sir!” and got moving.

I saw Ricky, and Rita saw Peter at church and had a bit of a cuddle in the games shed after the service. We wouldn't see them for a whole week so this was our last chance to have a cuddle. My birthday was on the following Sunday so I hoped we would be back on Friday early to see my girlfriends to invite them to my birthday party.

Sunday was spent cleaning up the house, and washing and ironing, so that Daddy was ok just to go off to work in the mornings, and he would eat at the restaurant. Mummy did a lot the paper work for all of Daddy's business. She really spoils him (rolls eyes) um I s'pose I get spoiled too! ''giggle''.

We went for drive down to the river in the afternoon once all the work was done and took the Land Rover, because Ginger got so used to me taking her for a walk behind the bike that whenever I made my way to the front gate she thought that she could come with me. So we put her on the back tray of the Land Rover because she was a big dog and wouldn't fit inside with us.

We got down to the river picnic grounds and let Ginger go for a swim. She loved the water and I had a ball with me to throw out into the river and she would swim out to retrieve it and place it in front of my feet to throw it again. She would shake herself and wet me every time she came back to me.

The water was far too cold for me and Rita to go for a swim. It was heading into winter so swimming had to wait till spring. We spent another hour at the picnic ground and made our way home.

I said “Mummy, don't you have to go to help out at the restaurant tonight?”

She replied “No sweetheart, it is all taken care of between Linda, Alice, and her mum Jenny.”

Rita said, “I don't think I could concentrate anyway, I'm so excited about going to Brisbane and staying at a big posh hotel.”

Mummy said, “Um Rita, we have been invited to stay with Tony and Bella, but to make up for no hotel I will let you go to a beauty salon and they can give you and Carla the works!”

We got home just on dark. Ginger jumped off the back of the tray, came to me and nudged me with her cold nose which meant she wanted to be fed. I am afraid I have spoiled her, and Daddy said, "You will just have to cater for her now, you cannot UN-spoil a dog, Carla.”

I said, “But she is my friend, so we will just have to two spoilt girls.”

Mummy said, “Got that right”, rolling her eyes - “and don't you look at me with big puppy dog eyes you little monkey.”

“Sorry Mummy.” I said. Then Daddy said “Come here and give me hug kid. You know I didn't mean it about Ginger. You go right and spoil her all you like. She was Ann's dog and she spoilt her too.”

Mummy got some food out of the freezer to heat up and asked me and Rita to set the table. We had an Irish stew, and some ice cream and strawberries for desert. After everything was cleared away and the washing up was done, Mummy said, “Right Rita and Carla, you can both have your showers tonight so we won't be running late in the morning.” She continued, “We are going by bus to Charleville so we have to be on time in the morning OK?”

“Yes Mummy.” I said.

Rita said “Don't worry, Mum I'll make sure we're ready. What time do we have to be at the bus stop in the morning?”

“Seven thirty” Mummy replied.

While we went and had a shower, Mummy went to our room and laid out all the clothes we were to wear in the morning.

“Gees! doesn’t she trust us to be ready or something?” I said to Rita.

“Well you do have a habit of day dreaming when your getting dressed Carla.” replied Rita.

We got dressed in our warm nighties, but not the nice ones, they were packed to go to Brisbane.

By nine o'clock we were in bed and hit the pillows.

Rita said “Night Carla and Jean”

“Night Sis” I replied.

Daddy was shaking us awake at five thirty in the morning and said “I don't want to have to drive you to Charleville, so out you both get and have a good breakfast. Your mother is already cooking it now.”

We said “Yeah Yeah.”

“I will be back with a bucket of cold water in five minutes.” he said.

“Ok I’m up” I said.

We had eggs, bacon, fried tomatoes, and toast washed down with a glass of milk. Daddy had everything in the car ready to take us to the bus stop so we quickly cleaned up the kitchen and were about to get in the car when I said “Wait a minute, I just want to give Ginger a cuddle and say 'Goodbye'.”

Daddy said, “Ok Darling, but make it quick please.”

I said 'bye to Ginger and ran back to the car and got in.

We got to Daddy’s garage, and the bus was just getting fuel put in it. There were about twenty people standing around waiting for the driver to load all the luggage into the bus so we could get under way. Daddy gave the driver a hand to do that because Henry had to do the stuff with the tickets. We all gave Daddy a hug and a kiss and said “Goodbye” with wet eyes.

We settled down in our seats for the long ride to Charleville. We all wore jeans and t-shirts. Mine was pink of course, and I got to sit beside the driver again.

He said “G'day cutie.” and winked at me when I got into my seat.

I winked back and replied, “G'day how are ya?”

He said “Pretty good, now that I have Bill's pretty little daughter as my co-driver.”

I settled down and within half an hour I was asleep because the trip was pretty boring. To me it was just a long dusty road with bush on both sides and while it might get people from another country excited, to us it gets a bit boring.

We arrived at the Charleville airport at ten thirty, so we had about half an hour to get all the stuff with the tickets and luggage sorted out. There is a little cafeteria at the airport, so we had just enough time to to have something to eat before we had to board the TAA DC3 and fly to Brisbane.

Rita said, “Shit! Carla, I hope this thing doesn't fall out of the sky before we get to the other end.” She was holding my hand pretty tight as she said this.

I replied “Well Sis if it does we will be visiting Jean for good won't we?”

“Carla stop freaking me out like that.”

“Rita, she is on this plane with us so don't worry. We will get there in one piece so you can do your shopping.”

I sat with Rita in the aisle seat, because I wanted Rita to see out the little window from high up, and she was very excited when the plan took off and did a circle over Charleville and she could see the town from the air. Mummy sat behind us and was looking at some papers for my visit to the Mater Hospital In Brisbane, because this time Rose wanted to have some x-rays done of my abdomen to see what I look like inside. I think that is silly. All they have to do is ask me and I can tell them what's inside my head. I'm a girl and that is that, and they had better not try to change that or I will go bush.

We landed in Brisbane at two thirty and it took another hour to get all our luggage on a trolley and out to where all the taxi cabs were waiting. When we got to the front exit doors of the terminal there was a guy with a cardboard sign, with Carla written on it in pink crayon with little stick on roses on the corners. I blushed as the man came over to me and said, “Is your Uncle's name Tony Bagla?”

Mummy came up behind me and said to the man, “Are you Bill's relief driver?”

“Yes I'm Kenny Bailey, and I hope to buy the cab and licence from him. Tony made this sign last night and said you can't miss the three pretty women when you see them. Well, he was right about the brown eyes of this little blondie that’s for sure.“

I was blushing red by now and then he said “This must be Rita and she is just as pretty as her mother.”

I thought he was laying it on a bit thick when Mummy said “And how is your wife Kenny?” Tony warned Mummy over the phone about Kenny, he is a bit of a flirt apparently.

Mummy said “Ok Kenny, enough of the complements. Take us to Tony's place please.”

Kenny said “Sorry I get a bit carried away Donna, can I call you Donna? I promise to be good or Tony might not let me buy his taxi business.”

Mummy replied “Yeah, but watch it or I’ll have to break your legs.” Mummy's the last of the big ''jokers''. Me and Rita just giggled, but Mummy tried to keep a straight face. Kenny said to himself 'Trust me to run into a load of rough bushies' and loaded our things into the trunk of Uncle Tony's brand new taxi. The old one was wrecked beyond repair. Actually Kenny turned out to be a very nice and helpful man, just typical Aussie guy.

We arrived at Uncle Tony's house in South Brisbane where all the real nice old Queenslander houses are. Some of them are heritage listed and cannot be pulled down for redevelopment. Bella was waiting for us at the front gate when Kenny pulled up. I got out of the car first and gave Aunt Bella a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and then Goldie the Labrador came bounding over to me and almost knocked me over with her enthusiasm to greet me because she knew me from our last visit there.

Then Mummy and Rita came and gave Aunt Bella a hug, while Kenny the driver took all our things up on to the verandah. Mummy was about to pay for our fare for the trip from the airport when Kenny said, “Donna, Tony would kill me if I charged you anything.”

Mummy replied “But you have to earn a living, and nothing is free in life now. How much do I owe you?”

Bella stepped in and said “Tony will fix Kenny up later Donna. You are our guests this week so just except our hospitality ok.?”

Mummy said “Ok, thanks Kenny. I'll call you on Monday morning when I find out what time we have an appointment with Carla’s doctor.”

“Righto.” replied Kenny and he took off.

The old house had five bedrooms so it wasn't any trouble to have a bedroom each. But me and Rita were not used to sleeping alone by ourselves, so we ended up in the room with a double bed. The bed was one of those old ones that you see in the movies with the cast iron bed ends and big round balls on the four corner posts with pretty decorations on them. Mummy took the room beside us “to keep us under control” she said. (eyes roll) 'As if' I thought.

We got all our clothes sorted out and hung them up in the order that we thought that we would want them day by day. Most of my clothes are pink, bright yellow or white with embroidery on them and everything even the jeans are really girlie. Because I'm a girl silly. Rita was the same but she liked blue with a lot of lace around the sleeves and hem of her skirts and pretty summer dresses. She did a lot of her own dress making but now that she was working in the restaurant she hadn't got the time any more. She was slowly teaching me how to use the Singer sewing machine that she got for her tenth birthday from Tom Grange’s wife Margaret.

Mummy rang the receptionist at Doctor San-Lee's surgery but only got an answering machine that gave an after hours number to ring in an emergency.

Mummy said, “I forgot it's bloody Saturday, and they wouldn't be there. I'll have to ring first thing on Monday morning.”

We were all in the kitchen helping Aunty Bella prepare dinner when Uncle Tony walked in minus the cast on his leg. he opened up his arms and I practicality flew into them to give him a hug. He said, “Hey gorgeous! I've missed you too.” Once I was finished hugging him to death, he gave Rita and Mummy a hug and a kiss on their cheeks.

He said “Come outside and have a look at my new four wheel drive I bought today. That is where I’ve been.” We all followed him down the stairs where Goldie was sniffing the tyres of the brand new Land Rover.

Uncle Tony said, “Looks like the local mutts have already pissed on my new wheels doesn't it?”

Mummy said, “It looks a bit different to my old girl doesn't it Tony?”

“Yeah, well it is twelve years younger but I hope it is just as reliable as your old girl has been.” Tony replied.

Well it was getting dark outside so we went in and sorted out tea. Uncle Tony said “Alright ladies I hope all the sleeping arrangements have been sorted so we can relax after tea and watch the game on telly.”

“Um, I think the girls would probably like to see a movie instead,” said Aunty Bella.

“Oh well I'll have to listen to it on the radio then won't I?” he replied.

I said “You had better get used to that, because there is not real good reception in Quilpie, unless you spend a fortune and build one of those high towers that you see out west.”

“Well that's exactly what I am going to do, I’m way ahead of you bushies. I’ve already had a quote on doing just that, I'm not missing out on my telly that’s for sure.”

“Tony you go right in and watch your game, because us girls are going to look at all the catalogues that Bella has got for us.” said Mummy.

Rita's eyes lit up and said, “Mum how much can I spend on myself? I don’t have much money saved up yet.”

Mummy replied, “Rita sweetheart, you are sixteen next month, and have made most of your clothes yourself. I think it's about time I spoil my eldest daughter don't you?”

“Ohh Mum! Does that mean I don’t have to spend my own money?”

“Not this time Darling.” replied Mummy. “Carla did you hear that we can buy some nice stuff for a change and not go to a second hand shop to get our clothes?”

“Yeah, but I did get some nice things from there last time we were here.” I replied.

Mummy said, “Don't worry, we will be going back there too, girls.”

Bella said, “I’ve heard about that place. I think I had better come along and have a bit of a look myself before we move out to Quilpie.”

We finished looking at all the thing we were interested in and marked the items that we wanted try on. We would have to hire a truck to take it all home if we bought every item that we marked. Anyway we all went to bed dreaming of shopping and woke early when Goldie came into our bedroom and got up and licked my face with her sloppy wet tongue. What a nice way to wake up. I was dreaming that it was Ricky kissing me. I thought 'I won't tell him what I think of his big tongue.'

By the time we all got up and had a shower and breakfast, it was near on nine o'clock.

Mummy said “Hell, I had better make that call to the doctor's office.” While she did that, me and Rita got dressed in our denim skirts and blouses and sensible shoes to go shopping in. We did each other's hair and were ready to hit the shops, when Mummy stood at the bedroom door and said, “I hate to tell you this girls but we have to be at the Mater Hospital in an hour's time, because Rose has organised a meeting and consultation with her colleagues for you Carla.”

“Aww shit!” both me and Rita said at the same time.

Mummy said, “Now now girls settle down, there will be plenty of time to go to the shops after we've seen Rose at the hospital.”

There was no need to call any taxis because Uncle Tony was going to run us around all week, so we did not have to worry about not being on time. The Land Rover was fitted with a two way radio that somehow was connected to a base station that you could ring and they would relay the message to the taxis. Clever or what? But Tony did not do taxi work any more and just wanted to keep in touch with Kenny in the cab.

Uncle Tony said to Rita that he would run her to the hospital when we were finished with my appointment.

Rita said “No, I want to see what a big hospital looks like inside, and I’ll go with them.”

“Ok, you'd better get down to the Rover then and we'll be off.” replied Uncle Tony.

Uncle Tony dropped us off at the main entrance to the big private hospital and said, “Donna, just ring when you're ready and I'll come and get you.”

So we walked to the main receptionist desk and gave our name; and who we were here to see and the girl behind the counter looked in her book and looked up at me and said, “You're a friend of Samantha Riley aren’t you - Carla is it?”

Mummy was about to get annoyed when the girl said “Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean, - I mean I am a friend of Samantha’s mother, Mary, and know all about the programme that Ro - um Doctor San-Lee is conducting here at the Mater Gender clinic.

She said “My name is Jo, short for Joanne.” I got a feeling in my chest that let me know Jean is right there with me and approves of Jo.

Jo said “You can go up to the third floor and ask at the nurses station where to go to Doctor San-lee's consultation room. Your appointment is the next one in line so you had better get up there.”

We went up in the lift and Rita said, “I don’t think I like boxes that slide up and down in a square hole in the wall.”

Mummy giggled at that and said, “Your sister had the same trouble at first Rita. You'll get used to it when you have been in the city for a couple of days.”

We got the nurses' station and were told to go straight in to the room three doors down the hall with the doctor's name on on it. We knocked and waited for someone to answer, then Rose opened the door and came straight out and hugged me and said, “Hello Carla dear, your prettier every time I see you, and look how long your blond hair has grown.”

I was blushing and she said, “You are such a girly girl aren't you Carla? And this must be Rita” and she gave her and Mummy a quick hug and said “Ok we had better get into what we are going to do this week Donna, so you know what sort of tests and things we want Carla to go through. By the way Carla dear, you do not have to worry about any of the male doctors that you talk to. We have weeded out anyone that might be a bit funny about what we do here at the gender clinic. So here we go, first a blood test, and then down to x-ray so we can have a look at what you look like inside that abdomen of yours. So off with your clothes and put one of those funny back the front gowns on.”

“Ok” I said, “but can Rita and Mummy stay with me please?”

“Yes, but not when you go into the x-ray room, because the radiation can make people very sick if they are not wearing protective clothing.”

“Well what about me? Won't it hurt me too if it zapped me?”

“No sweetheart, you will be fine. Now stop worrying about things and just relax and go with the flow ok?”

“Yes ma’am.” I replied, but I was not convinced I would be alive at the end of having been zapped with Gamma rays.

Rita held my hand while a nurse took a gallon of blood from my arm, but this time they made me drink some water straight away, because last time I went out to it. Then they put me in a wheelchair and down the square hole in the wall and into the "Gamma ray" room where they kill people that have been naughty. Rita and Mummy had to wait outside the killing room and wait for me to be wheeled out on a stretcher, I’m really being silly here but it stops me from worrying so much if I joke a lot.

They took a lot of pictures of my abdomen, and I hoped that the Gamma rays would do their job and shoot my little willy off. I was there for about an hour and then got wheeled back up to the doctors rooms for some prodding and to interrogate me for crimes I have committed. I really have to stop being silly.

I wanted Mummy and Rita with me while the other doctors examined me so I didn’t have to answer anything I feel I should not tell them. I was asked to get up on this bed that had had big arms at one end and to put my legs on the arms. Mummy just nodded at me and said, “It's ok Darling, all girls have to do that some time so you might as well get used to now.”

I was pretty scared and closed my eyes tight and asked Jean if she was there but I said it out loud and the doctors herd me talking to Jean, it must have sounded like I was talking to myself. But Rose knew what was happening and a movie camera and voice recorder was switched on because this is part of her study on identical twins.

After the examination, they asked me a lot of questions about how I communicated with my dead twin. But I kept telling them she was not dead but in the spirit world and could hear everything that they are saying. That freaked the nurse that was assisting the doctors out, and she had eyes like big saucers. Then it all got too much for me and I started to sob.

That's when Mummy said “Alright, that’s enough for today.” She helped me of that stupid bed with the arms and helped me get dressed. Mummy wasn't all that happy and thought that the doctors pushed me too far and they should have stopped before I got so stressed out.

When the three other doctors left, Mummy said to Rose, “I will not let you stress Carla out like that again Rose or I will cancel this whole thing do you understand?”

Rose said “I am so sorry Donna. I had no idea that the other doctors were going to be like that. It won't happen again I promise you that.” Then as she looked at me she had tears in her eyes, and said as hugged me “Oh Carla darling, please forgive me. I am so sorry that they made you cry.

In between sobs I said it was ok, but then Rita started to sniffle too, so Rose said right I’m going to take the three of you out to a nice restaurant lunch. When we walked out to the receptionist Rose said “Cancel all my other appointments for a couple of hours.” and we got into the lift and went to lunch at Rose's expense.

When we were finished lunch it was one thirty in the afternoon, and Mummy found a public phone and called Bella and asked her to come shopping with us in the city, Uncle Tony was there with Aunty Bella within ten minutes and dropped us of in the centre of Brisbane where all the important dress shops were, so we spent the rest of the day spending all of Mummy's money. Rita was over the moon with how many things she bought. I got a few more things for the winter, and Mummy and aunty Bella had a ball trying on a lot of things but not really buying much.

My next appointment was not till Wednesday morning, so we had all Tuesday to enjoy more shopping, but Mummy said we would visit the second hand clothes shop because we had spent too much already.

Tuesday morning we slept in because Mummy said we should all take things a bit slower today, and we would go to the second hand dress shop and that was it, which is exactly what happened. We bought a few more things and will have a fashion show when we get home.

Wednesday morning. Our appointment was at eleven am, so there was no need to rush about. Rita decide to go with Aunty Bella to the Queensland museum and not go back to that nasty hospital that made me cry.

The results were in on the blood tests and all the doctors conferred on what the x-rays showed, and that was that I had no sign of any testicles. Oh wow, so I am a girl with a bit of a plumbing problem, which will be discussed by all the doctors involved and when I come back to Brisbane next time a course of action will be formulated. Mummy said she would sit down with me when we get back home and explain to me what the doctors are planning to do. We did not have to stay In Brisbane any longer so Mummy made arrangements to fly back home on Thursday morning. Bella decided to come with us because she has decide to buy a house in Quilpie.

On Thursday morning Uncle Tony took us to the airport to catch our flight home. We said goodbye and got on the plane. Daddy was at the Charleville airport to drive us home to Quilpie.

After a stressful week it was good to be back in the bush and back with Daddy. I really missed him and Ginger while I was in Brisbane.

Friday. Everyone was back at work and I was back doing my school work again. I made sure I was at the park in the afternoon so I could see my friends and tell them to come to my birthday party at Mummy’s restaurant on Sunday. Jenny, Brenda, June all said they would turn up so I went home happy. Oh and I forgot to tell you me and Rita got to go to that beauty salon on the Tuesday, our 'day of rest.'

To be continued.

Next time: the birthday party, wedding plans and a visit to a 'grave.'