by Roo

Part Three - Chapter Five

Jamie becomes in her words a 'real girl'

Editing by Bronwen

Previously:

It was found that Jamie was inter-sexed and had all the internals of a female so all that had to be done was to correct the outer parts of her genitals. She will be able to live and function as a normal female.

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It was late afternoon and Jamie was well and truly sedated, so we thought we would go to a restaurant for our evening meal, leave the medical staff do their thing and come back early in the morning to see our newly minted little girl. As we were in the lift on our way down to the main foyer of the hospital who else but sister Jean started to talk to us. Just as well there was no one else in the lift or they would have called the men in their white coats to take us away.

Jean said, 'Sandy and Carla, I will stay with Jamie tonight and put some nice thoughts into her head. I will make sure when she wakes up in the morning that she knows what she now has and will not have to hide herself when she gets undressed at school to put on a pair of bathers when they go swimming.'

Sandy asked, “Will you always be there for her Jean?”

'Yes Sandy, just like I still am for Carla, that will never change.' Just then the doors opened on the lift and we were at the ground floor so we left Jean to do her thing.

Sandy said, “Carla, I am so glad that I came here to work with you and that you are my friend as well as business partner.”

I gave her a hug and replied, “It was always going to happen. When I went out to your parents' property to look after that prize ram, I felt that I was there for a reason, and that reason is Jamie.”

We found a restaurant half a block away from the hospital and looked at the menu, Sandy said, “Carla this is on me.”

I replied, “No Sandy, this is on the business expense account. We work long hours at home and the business is doing extremely well so relax.”

We ordered Peking Duck with all the trimmings and for sweets it was a chocolate mousse with fresh strawberries and cream.

Sandy said, “Carla, I can feel the inches go on my thighs already!” and we both fell about laughing. I'm sure that city folk don’t act like this but we're from the bush and don’t have any airs about us.

We paid the cheque and made our way back to the hospital car park to go to the apartment for the night, when we got there Sandy said, “I think I might go and check up on Jamie to see how she is faring.”

I replied, “Sandy, she will be out like a light. Instead, why not get in the car and I will see if Jean will tell us what is happening.”

We no sooner got in and closed the doors than Jean was in both our heads, telling us Jamie was asleep and was having pleasant dreams, so leave it till the morning to come and see her. So that is what we decided to do. it was getting late, but the twins were being looked after by the people at the nursery which looks after kids till at least nine pm at night. It was expensive but was worth it to make sure that they were looked after properly.

When we arrived the twins were wide awake and would not go to sleep and kept the three ladies at the centre amused with their speaking in unison. I walked in and they came running to me.

“Mama Mama,Jy Jy where Jy Jy?” I picked up Donna while Sandy picked up Jean and had to calm them down and tell them they could see Jamie tomorrow if they're good. Again in unison “We good Mama.” So we went back to the apartment after a long day, I don’t think it took any of us long to go to sleep that night.

As usual it was six a.m., and the double-speak little people were singing out “Mama Mama where Jy?” so it was time to pacify, feed, shower, and dress them so Sandy and I could get ourselves ready for the day. We decide that if we didn't take the twins in to see Jamie there would be trouble on the horizon, however Jamie wouldn't be in a fit enough state to have them jumping around on her bed so their visit would be strictly controlled and reasonably short.

After two adults and two little people were dressed, we made our way to the underground car park that belongs to the apartment building, which incidentally is half owned by Croft Air Charter. When Sandy found out that the building was part of the family holdings she said, “Bloody hell Carla, you don’t own a yacht too do you?”

“No Sandy, we're bushies remember?!!”

I let Sandy drive while I sat in the back with the two little munchkins and tried to get them to understand that Jamie was in bed and can not play with them till she got home. In unison they said, “Mama, Jy sick?” All I could tell them was that she had a sore tummy. They seemed to understand that, so they were quite happy to sing and clap all the way to the hospital. The singing comes from my sister Jean. She sings them to sleep most nights, she is a most loving aunt albeit a spirit one.

We arrived at the hospital in good time and made our way up to Jamie's room. When we got there she was having a bowl of cereal and an orange juice. The doctor had already been and given our newly minted girl a clean bill of health. She would have to stay in hospital for at least a week to make sure there were no infections or other complications.

Sandy said, “How are you feeling darling?”

Jamie replied with a big smile, “Mummy I’m a proper girl now just like you.”

Sandy replied, “Sweetheart, you have always been a proper girl”

“Can I have babies now?”

I answered that one and said, “Yes, but try to wait till you're a little older darling and then you might even get married first, what do you think?”

“I want a husband that looks just like Uncle Ricky.”

That made me think just how lucky I have been all these years and to think he almost drowned the first time we met.

By this time the twins were getting restless and wanted to hug and kiss Jamie, so one at a time they were allowed to lay beside Jamie and talk to her in their own language that only Jamie seemed to understand. After ten minutes I got Jamie to tell them to be good little girls and go play at the day care centre with all the other little kids. They just nodded and were happy to do what Jamie asked them to do. Jamie has a special bond with my little daughters, with the help of Jean no doubt.

As all was under control back in Quilpie and Ross had brought in a vet from Charleville I was in no hurry to get back home, and decided to stay with Sandy till we could take Jamie back with us. I went and had a talk with Rose and she said that in another three days Jamie would be healed enough to travel.

So apart from going to the hospital to comfort Jamie, what to do? I gathered up the two little balls of energy and told them to say goodbye to Jamie, which they did by blowing her a kiss as we were going out the door. I left Sandy with her daughter while I took my girls back to the day care centre at the hospital, which I have been helping support financially for a while because this is where it becomes so important for mums with sick kids to have somewhere to leave their other little ones while they look after the ones that are most in need of their love.

I went back to find Sandy holding Jamie's hand explaining to her all the things that will be different in her body now that she is complete. I didn't interrupt this mother-daughter bonding. It took me back to when my Mum did exactly the same thing with me. I also had Rita and I made a smooth transition to everything becoming normal very quickly.

While I sat down on a chair in the room I just listened, 'Carla are you ok?' said someone in my head. Who else but my sister?

I said, “Yes just thinking that's all.” That's when Sandy and Jamie realised I was back from taking the twins to the centre.

Jamie said, “Aunty Carla, did you feel this sore when they fixed you up?”

“Yes sweetheart, but all the pain will be gone within a couple of days and then we will take you home”

“Can I go shopping before we fly home Mummy?”

Sandy replied, “Of course darling, I wouldn't dream of going home without taking my daughter to buy some new clothes.”

“OOH Mummy, I will need some red shoes to go with my white summer dress and ribbons and.....”

I said” “Sweetheart, lets get you healed first.”

Just then a nurse came in and said, “Ok Lady Jamie lets get you to the 'Ladies' and see if all is working how it should.”

With that both Sandy and I left the nurse do her job, waved goodbye to our little girl and left to go to the shops and just relax.

The twins were in safe hands so I could concentrate on enjoying myself with Sandy in the city looking at dress shops.

Sandy said, “Carla, I know that Jamie wants to go to the shops, but do you think she'll be healed enough to do that in three days time?”

“Sure she will as long as we keep her from skipping around like she normally does, and besides Jean will be in her head keeping a tight rein on her movements.”

Sandy replied, “Ok so where to first?”

“Well I need to buy some new things for my girls, they are growing like the garden weeds.” and so it went. We sat with Jamie for a few hours a day and also let the twins have time with her.

It was Sunday morning, and it was Jamie's big day to come out of hospital, The hospital team that looked after her were all in her room to give her advice and have hugs all round, Sandy had bought her a new out fit to come home in. Of course it had to be white with lace work on the top and the hem of the skirt. Jamie was worried that that was the only piece of finery she was going to get and said, “Mummy I will be going to the shops won't I?”

“Yes Darling, we wouldn't dare not take you shopping.”

Jamie replied “Thank you Mummy and Aunty Carla, Jean is coming with us too.”

“Yes of course, what was I thinking?” I could hear Jean giggling and Jamie gave an invisible a
Aunty the thumbs up.

Monday 17/2/74

One more day at the shops with all us girls including Donna, Jean and also Big Jean to watch and give advice on proceedings. Needless to say it was a tiring day, and when we came home to the unit we put the twins down to have a sleep and made sure Jamie was ok. She was a little sore but would be fine to take home the following day.

I ordered in food for our evening meal and it was an early night for all of us. I forgot to say that I phoned my darling husband every night and let him talk to his little girls as well. With them I would have to put the phone on speaker because they both speak at once and for people that haven't had that experience it can be quite confusing.

Tuesday.

All our things were already packed into the four wheel drive so we only had to get ourselves ready and be on our way to Archerfield and the hanger to transfer all our things to the Piper. By the time we arrived at the hanger the aircraft was all ready to go and had been pulled out on to the tarmac. Our staff know what I am like so nothing is missed by them. I have never left the ground till I was sure the the aircraft was one hundred percent flight ready.

Once the twins were strapped in, Sandy got in with them because I wanted to give Jamie a chance to get the feel of the controls and this could be her first bit of training. With me and Sandy both being pilots it will be an easy ride for her to get her licence by the time she is fifteen.

Pre-flight checks done we were on the runway and ready to take off, Jamie had a headset on and listened to the contact with air control and put her hands on the controls on her side, I pulled back and we were on our way. Jamie had almost white knuckles and I had to tell her to relax. I was the same when I first started.

Quilpie airport came into sight and it was twelve noon by the time I taxied to the spot in front of our hanger. Ricky, Mum and Dad were there to greet us but the best surprise for Jamie was her grandparents were there as well. She couldn’t get out of her seat quick enough to greet them.

“Grandpa, Nana” she squealed and almost fell out of the plane. Terry and Grace held their arms open and Jamie rushed straight into Terry's arms and said, “Grandpa I'm a real girl now.”

With that Grace came into the hug as well and replied, “Sweetheart, you were born a girl with a medical problem and that is all. You are a very pretty little girl.”

“Did you see where I was sitting?” asked Jamie.

“We sure did honey, and you will make a good pilot soon enough.”

We all piled into two cars and went to our respective homes to sort out what had to happen for the rest of the week and relieve the people that looked after the veterinary clinic.

To be continued:

Next time: Rita and Peter Jenny and Chrissie are back in Carla's Journey.