Chapter 13

There is never a good time to die, at least for those left behind. Mum had not only been a Daddy's girl but had spent a lot of time with him in his last years so a large gap was left in her life. Her sister, Aunt Sophie, felt guilty for not being there at the end and even I couldn't help but wonder if finding out about me had hastened his death. Feelings most of us have to cope with at different stages in our lives but no less heart felt for that.

Dad, Uncle Jack (Sophie's husband) and Litara took over the running of our lives and they started first thing Sunday morning. Although they grew up with different religions dad took mum to the Methodist Chapel while Litara and I prepared a roast dinner for six, including Jack and Sophie.

"It's strange," she said. " We've known him all of our lives and I know he's gone but I don't miss him in a painful way - maybe because I knew he was ready to go. Dai has gone and I know he's gone but it hurts because I never had a chance to say goodbye to someone who only existed in my imagination"

"That's really deep Sis. Maybe you would rephrase it in interpretive dance "
The towel she'd been drying her hands on hit me full in the face about a second later!

"Right Missy, with you off to Spain there are a lot of things to do in a very short time and one of them is to get you a passport so we are going to do a bit of magic on that eye to make you look human." I'd seen Latira's camera cases on a strictly non-touch basis but never knew what she could do with them - my own was so old it used film.

Working with Litara is odd as for long periods she barely speaks. Making up my face from scratch at least four times she takes hundreds of photos, mostly of just my face, first in her bedroom and then in our parents' room on the other side of the house before finally heading out into the garden for some last shots. Although very few minutes were laid aside to ensure that the meal was ready on time it was nearly 2 hours before she finished declaring "Done." just as our the rest of the family came came back to the house.

The dinner seemed to be greatly appreciated and the mood much better than I expected. When the conversation inevitably got round to my medical results and prospective television appearances my uncle and aunt seemed to take it in their stride concentrating on the fact that the doctor had said I was very fit and I that had a new well paying job. For all that they knew it was a house of cards that might tumble at any moment they chose to look on the bright side for which I was grateful glad they resisted the tempation to give me a Jack Nicholson moment

While I was clearing the carnage left by six unashamed carnivores attacking a Sunday roast dinner Litara disappeared upstairs to 'do a little editing', Mum and Aunt Sophie fell into reminiscing about childhood days holidaying at Tenby up the coast, while Dad and Jack fell to designing the perfect boat to get me safely to Tahiti . For some reason they started at the premiss that it would be easier to plait custard than teach me to repair a diesel engine so I let them get on with it and phoned Serena.

"Come on over, the house is empty and I'm bored." Those are dangerous words when they come from Serena and true to form the first thing she noticed was my shiny, many times cleaned face so she decided it was time for me to learn to do my own makeup but over and over and over again! The only thing that eventually got her to let me stop was telling her I had a television contract as in appearing on rather than selling or mending.

Well I couldn't not tell her as she was my best friend. Suddenly the things I had told her about sailing became interesting. Not the actual sailing of course but maybe for her to fly somewhere exotic to be filmed greeting her 'best friend in the world'. Soon she was away fantasizing about our lives among the rich and famous until I reminded her of my awkward physical predicament that as soon as I appeared on television would become very public knowledge.

A phone call home had alerted my family I would be delayed as Serena and I had a lot of catching up to do and it was midnight before I finally crawled into bed my head buzzing with the swarm of possibilities my changing circumstances had freed

Over breakfast next morning - my life of 'lie-ins' having been consigned to history by my abrupt immersion in the adult world - Latira explained that she had already phoned the solicitor, Mr Davis, for an appointment at 2:00pm as it was necessary to change my name by deed poll as soon as possible. I in turn told her that Serena and I had arranged to go into the city centre together that morning, the news of which prompted Latira to pull out a debit card.

"Treat this as though your life depended on it and keep receipts for absolutely everything you buy!" Latira jotted down the pin number for the card on a piece of paper handing it and the card to me. "Soon you will have your own card and some more money of your own but for now I know you are short of cash but need lots of things. This is not a license to go mad as you will give all the receipts to my accountant and she is eagle-eyed. You know her, Ms Joy Williams CA!"

What happened next? I'm an 18 year old girl just been handed a debit card with a serious amount of cash on it - use your imagination! Or not because the first thing Serena and I did on getting into the city was to call on 'my' cosmetics advisor, Kelly, in Debenhams. My order was already there which should have been impossibly fast but it did mean I had something that suited my skin tone. Serena, at times not the subtlest of girls, casually dropped the fact that I was (not might) be appearing on television.

Kelly went wild and it was so funny to watch - just imagine one of those snooty immaculately turned out receptionists or as was the case here, cosmetics saleswomen revealing her inner overly excited schoolgirl

It turns out that Kelly's cosmetics training had specialised in media work and it is her big ambition to work in the film and television industry. She has lots of ideas she wants to show me and we make a date to meet here next week while at the same time opening my new purchases and giving me a lesson in day makeup for the new 21st century multi-racial woman poised to take over the world.

With a brief stop in Marks and Sparks for more undies - who knew I would need so many - we progressed to the shoe shops which gather, like in all cities, in their own concentrated ghetto. I was girl with special needs having only 2 pairs of shoes and 1 pair of boys' trainers. This was Serena's moment to become serious explaining that I needed to choose shoes to match my wardrobe, which so far amounted to what I could borrow from my sister. Several pairs of black sensible shoes with about 2" heels were tried and one pair selected. Everything was going well until across the width of the shop I spied a bright red pair with 3" heels. They fit and without any idea of what I could wear them with I had to buy them.

"Girl, you are fun to shop with" announced Serena. "just be careful of what you wish for because this is clearly a Dorothy moment .

Maybe I was getting the hang of shopping because on the way to 'our' café I spotted and bought a red blouse that my new shoes matched and it was added to our haul only to be brought out again in the café to be shown to Martina who was on her lunch break

"i get first dibs to borrow that." Martina declared, "but what is the big deal with all this shopping; I thought you were short of cash?" Serena volunteered to give the explanations while I grabbed a quick roll and coffee, made my apologies and shot off to meet Litara at the solicitor's just before 2:00pm.

"You know Mr Davis is mum and dad's solicitor as well as a family friend." explained Litara. " but he also does some work for me and I explained your position to him on the phone this morning. You can trust him to do his best for you."

"Ladies" said Mr Davis, standing as we entered the room. "It is a pleasure to meet you again Venus , and you too of course Litara." Something told me that my big sister carried a lot more weight around here than I had appreciated and she was in fact a favoured client!

"To business. A change of name by usage can easily be formalised by deed poll and formerly your name was, officially, 'David Victor Williams'. Your sister asked your mother what you would have been called if born …… differently …… which name we combined with the name Venus which you are now known by. I understand that neither name was chosen by you and you can choose any name you desire but it would be rather poetically fitting to accept these as a baby has no choice when named." He passed across a sheaf of papers with the chosen name clearly showing and after a short pause I nodded my assent.

"Miss Jones, would you spare us a moment to witness signatures please" said Mr Davis into the intercom. Miss Jones had clearly been waiting outside the door for just that moment and the papers were quickly signed and witnessed.

"Now that formality has been completed we can proceed and if you would sign in your new name here and here the Inland Revenue and National Insurance Office Will be informed of your amended details."

"You have the photos Litara?". With a nod my sister pulled an envelope containing several 45mm x 35mm photos. "If you would sign there your new driving license will soon be with you " he said clipping 2 of the photos to the form.

"Finally we come to your passport application and having seen you I can sign these photos as being a good likeness of you, a person of this name who I know well. If you would finally sign there and there your sister has explained that she will be dealing with this as you need the passport more quickly than bureaucracy and the postal system would normally allow.

At this point I must in all conscience warn you that nothing done here has changed your official gender status and with the law as it stands now in the year 2000, nothing can be done to change it without an act from the House of Lords which would not be passed unless you were to be witnessed giving birth to a child. Sorry I can't offer you more hope than that."

With that we collected a copy of the deed poll, the original of which would be lodged with Mr Davis office where also fortunately were kept our family's details certificates and title deeds, shook hands and left Mr Davis' offices to cross the road to my bank.

Going to the reception desk Litara announced the arrival of Ms Williams to see the manager. This was getting curiouser and curiouser as I had never seen or ever expected to see my bank manager but nevertheless we were ushered straight in to his office.

"This is my sister who is a client of your bank and has changed her name as you can see from this document." passing the papers and turning to me. "Perhaps you would explain to Mr Cameron what you would like and expect from his bank Venus?"

"Umm…" somehow my shell-shocked brain cells managed to hold themselves to stutter out "I have just started two new jobs which involve a great deal of travel and at the same time have changed my name so would like my account details to reflect that change."

"Err… certainly." Mr Cameron appeared as shocked as me! "If you will just give me a few minutes to make a copy of this and arrange a few things…" and he was gone.

Litara looked at me, took my hand and smiled, "Don't look so worried you are doing fine little sister."

Mr Cameron re-entered the room with my deed poll and a couple more papers for me to sign which done he asked one more thing "Do you prefer to be known as Ms or Miss Williams"

"Ms" I reply though I have no idea why.

"Wonderful" he said making a note. "Your new cheque book, deposit book, debit and credit cards will arrive at your house within a week and I hope we can expect a long and happy relationship…" pausing a moment to glance at the papers "Ms Delia Venus Williams."