(aka Bike) Part 1777 by Angharad Copyright © 2012 Angharad
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“Hello?” I spoke into the mobile.
“Cathy?”
“Yes, who’s that?”
“Nora, can you talk?”
“Yeah, it’s just Trish that’s with me, what’s up?”
“I’ve had the police here.”
“Well I didn’t send them.”
“No, they were looking for Patrick.”
“Don’t know anyone of that name,” I said and suddenly a chill ran down my back, and I looked down at Trish.
“I explained about the name change, they were coming to see you–probably there by now.”
“Damn, we’d better get back then–what’s it about?”
“They didn’t say.”
“An overdue library book I expect. Okay we’ll get off home.”
We practically ran back to the car and I drove home as quickly as I could–well there was cycling on from the Olympics this afternoon, oh and the police might call round for some reason.
We carried the shopping in with us, Trish hadn’t got her Barbie doll but I didn’t think it was too important. I’d barely had time to put the kettle on when a police car drove into the drive and a pair of plod walked up to the door.
I opened the door, having sent Trish upstairs on a fool’s errand that should take several minutes. The young male bobbie looked at his clipboard, “Are you, um, Mrs Catherine Cameron?”
“Yes,” I stepped back inside the house and invited them in. “Tea, I’ve just made some?” They nodded and followed me down to my study. I left them to go and get the teas and a pack of biscuits.
On return, I handed round the mugs and offered first the sugar, which nobody needed and then the digestives, which they both accepted. When comfortably seated, I asked them to continue.
“We’re trying to trace a child named Patrick Watts,” that cold chill ran down my spine again.
“He was in a children’s home in Portsmouth which then moved to Wantage.”
“Will you please tell me why you wish to find this child?”
“We need to speak to him.”
“Before you do, there are a few things you need to know. The first is that there is no Patrick Watts...”
“But there is, I’ve seen the documents...”
“Please let me finish. When I first met the child you’re seeking she was dressed as a girl and called herself Patricia or Trish.”
“A gender bender?”
“Please, comments like that don’t help.” He blushed and I thought he deserved to. I went on to explain everything about Trish and how she’d modified herself, which made the young PC blanch, and how the surgeon who’d treated her decided to sort her out as a girl–I omitted the bit with Stella that preceded the operation–as I didn’t think it was relevant and I wanted to minimise the risk that her original parents wanted her back.
“So she’s a girl now?” he had finally managed to grasp the point of my long monologue.
“I thought they only did operations when the kids were eighteen?” asked his colleague.
“The opinion of the surgeon was that her male genitalia couldn’t be saved and being aware that she had lived for sometime as female, he gave her a vagina. She hasn’t looked back ever since.”
“Couldn’t that be seen as mutilation of a minor?” the woman PC was beginning to get up my nose.
“The surgeon spoke with her psychiatrist before he did so, but we are talking about major damage to her genitalia which he couldn’t save in their original form–it was considered advisable to convert them to female ones, which she has been pleased with ever since.”
The woman PC shook her head. “And you let this happen?”
“The surgery?”
“That and the mutilation to his own genitals–I’m wondering if you’re fit to be a foster mother?”
“I’m her adoptive mother, she is my child, and it appears you have very little understanding of children with Gender Identity Disorder.”
“Sounds like you accepted it a bit too quickly.”
“I'm beginning to think you’d better leave my house.”
“We need to speak with Patrick/Patricia whatever he’s calling himself now.”
“I think I need to speak with your superior officer, because you’re not going anywhere near my daughter until you understand her.”
“Sure it wasn’t you who needed to understand him–man hater are you?”
“Please leave and ask your superior to come and see me, if he or she could call me first, that would be preferred.” I handed her my card.
“Lady Catherine Cameron?”
“Yes, is that a problem?”
“No,” she shook her head, but her expression tended to indicate she’d worked out about my part in the local plod’s retirement plan.
I was talking to David in the kitchen when the phone rang. He took it and handed it over to me, “Chief Inspector Hatch.”
“Lady Cameron?” he started.
“Yes,” I wasn’t going to be easy for him.
“You asked me to call you.”
“Did I–about what?”
“Patrick Watts.”
“I told your officers, there is no Patrick Watts anymore.”
“Yes, so they said, look this would be easier face to face, could I call and see you.”
“When did you have in mind?”
“I could come straight round if it was convenient.”
I pretended to consult my calendar and told him if he hurried I could see him. He did and I let him come in and down to my study. By this time Trish was asking awkward questions of David who told her he had no idea what it was about.
The chief inspector apologised for his officer’s attitude once I gave him the edited highlights of what I told his two clowns. Finally, I also discovered what they wanted to speak to her about.
“Her birth father is critically ill in hospital and keeps asking for his child.”
“I find it curious that she’s been with me for three years and he had no interest before, or while she was in the children’s home.”
“So you’re refusing permission?”
“I think I have that right as her adopted parent, but no, I’ll let her decide–but she isn’t going to pretend to be a boy for him.”
“Oh,” was all he said.
“Why should she? He’s done nothing to contact her all this time, so why should she have to pretend to be something she isn’t?”
“Isn’t she doing that now?”
I very nearly hit him for that remark but instead I called her to see him. Let him see that she wasn’t pretending anything at all.
“Yes, Mummy?” she bounced into the room. The copper’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
“This gentleman would like to speak with you for a moment.”
“What about? Daddy’s not...”
“No, well Simon isn’t in danger.”
“Phew,” she sighed then gave me a very old fashioned look.
“Um, hello Trish,” began the copper.
“Hello, Chief Inspector, how can I help you?”
“Do you recognise the name, James Watts?”
“Yes, he invented a steam engine,” she beamed at him and I nearly wet myself–atta girl.
“No someone less famous than that?”
“No–um, give me a clue.”
I intervened at this point, “Trish, your birth father is seriously ill and is asking to see you.”
“Yeah, so?”
“He wants to see you,” I repeated.
“He isn’t my daddy, my daddy is Simon, your husband and you’re my mother. He’ll try to turn me back into a boy and I’m not doing it.” She ran over to me and buried her head in my chest, sobbing.
“I see,” said the copper, “we tried.”
“I’ll bring her to the hospital but it will be Trish who comes. If he wants to see her that’s fine if he doesn’t that’s fine too. She has the right to achieve some closure on this–but don’t expect her to be the loving daughter to him.”
“I–er–wasn’t. I’ll go and see him and see what he says.”
“Fine you have my number.” I saw him out and he drove off in a Mercedes.
“I’m not going back to being a boy,” screamed Trish.
I hugged her and said to her, “No one is going to try and make you. You’re a girl legally and that’s that–they can’t do such a thing–besides, I won’t let them.”
Comments
Ahha!
So, it's her genetic father who is dying before age 33, is it?
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
My gut feeling was right. I
My gut feeling was right. I thought about it being her biological father. The word dad threw me at first. Sneaky Ang.
Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 1777
Will she go? If forced, will it cause a strain between Trish and Cathy? Will the plods try to take her away? Seems that Cathy needs to get her pet plod and detective ready for action as well as Henry, Monica, Simon and the others for another war.
May Your Light Forever Shine
Pronouns
Such little words with such huge meaning. I remember when I first came out, and I was as male as a male thing, and out with the original of my character Ginny. I overheard her talking about me to someone else, and every pronoun was feminine. I will admit I cried. Trouble is, I then had to explain my red eyes to her, and all she said was "But you've always been a woman to me!"
Her partner, the original for my Kate, said much the same thing. She had always interacted with me, subconsciously, as a woman, and now she knew why.
Pronouns; so small, and so important. Ang, I wanted to punch a fictional policewoman....
Don't do it, Steph.
Don't let Ang tempt you into virtual violence. She's not worf it ;)
Unusually, this twist was a bit more obvious than we're used to. Our author is slipping :) but entertaining as always.
Robi
Yes, Pronouns... *sighs*
The last week, I've been having pronoun problems all over the place... (After almost two weeks of folks getting things right.) It SUCKs.
And, people in responsibility that don't even care to try REALLY bugs me. *sighs*
Thanks for more of this. Wonder if Trish's biological father will come around like Cathy's did. Would be interesting - and stressful. Hmmm... Wonder if the biological dad was "the" homophobe in the family. Time will tell.
Thanks,
Annette
Going to be away
for a few days ( hunting the sun in England.. Kirri is ever the optimist) So at least i can relax now that it does not seem to be Simon in danger. It will certainly interesting however to see whether Trish will vist her biological father , I would have thought as long as Cathy can convince her that Trish is here to stay and Patrick will never make a reappearance she may well go and see her father , The question is though if its at all possible will Cathy and Trish use the blue light ?
Maybe when i come back on Thursday it will all be a little clearer...
Kirri
Boomerang Trash
Boomerang trash Why does the trash just stay thrown out. When that much damage is done to a child I can find no possible good coming from this. Let the @!#$#@%^%$#@ go play with his master in HE&&.
Misha Nova
Yes I have Issues and I do growl and I am snarly around violent people. Grand mom does your wolf bite, He11 Yes child Well Yes.
With those with open eyes the world reads like a book
Perhaps...
...the shock of seeing his newly minted daughter finishes him off... :D
Now, what's the betting he won't have time to change his will beforehand, which will mean Trish inheriting, and by extension Cathy's property portfolio growing again... :)
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
WHAT?
First, two new plods who apparently have never heard of transgenderism, and are on the verge of losing their job and any retirement they may have built up. They are both young, and probably not long out of the plod academy, where you think at least they would be told about Cathy and her reputation with ignorant plods.The business card handed to the female plod did ring a bell with her, though, and I guess she is worried now.
Second, their supervisor seems to be on the same super intelligent level that the two plods were. After at least three years, the entire department should be aware of Cathy and her attitude towards plods who are uniformed about trangenderism.
And if Trish does inherit, wouldn't the property be in her real estate portfolio, and not Cathy's? Cathy might be a caretaker of the property until Trish comes of age, but I would think that Trish would have a part in any decision made concerning the property. And that is a given, with this family!
Another good one, Bonzi!
Don't let someone else talk you out of your dreams. How can we have dreams come true, if we have no dreams?
Katrina Gayle "Stormy" Storm
Subtlety
That was very subtle, referring to her biological father, not her 'Dad", Simon.
Give the kid a break
He's been dead for 5000 years. ;-)
The past keeps returning.
Even if our past is nothing to be ashamed of, sometimes people will interpret it such that it seems shameful and all that. Quite sad, how our minds tend to seek out the dirt.
G
My heart screams for Trish.
Yes, I know this is a fictional saga but my heart still screams it's despair.
Sorry Ang, this chapter touched a nerve I think it was the last few lines and Trish's desperation; the fear and hatred of her father. I find true relief that Trish at least has protective, caring parents around her now. Lucky, lucky Trish I am even glad that Trish has enough feeling to hate her parent. For me it degenerated into a numb resigned nihilism so by the time I was in my twenties there was just nothing there. No more hate left, no more energy to waste. Flat-lined!
Cathy has done a wonderful job in helping Trish over these immense hurdles of rejection, abuse and fear.
Very emotional chapter.
OXOXOX
Bev.
Ever the nice twist,
and Simon is saved. Don't have much use for her birth father though, though it will be interesting to hear his side of it.