Chapter 16

I got back to my house from sailing at just the same time Serena pulled up in her car on the other side of the road

"Fancy a swim Vee?" Serena called, and I couldn't think of a better way of ending the day. As a property developer Serena's father had been doing very well out of a property boom and his house sported all the latest gadgets and a hedge-surrounded swimming pool in the back garden.

While Serena went upstairs to put on a swimming costume I went through the house to the back garden only to find everyone and their dog had beaten me to it. The whole gang, even those like Martina who must have come straight from work, were lounging or swimming.

With just Serena there I would have risked stripping down to the bikini I still had on under sweatshirt and shorts. In such a crowd however I didn't feel comfortable risking a bulge or spillage showing through the bikini bottom so I just took off my sweatshirt, lay my towel on the grass and relaxed trying to ignore the fact that the boys were staring at those protuberances which so far they had only seen by inference under other clothing!

"How did the sail go?" Gareth and Andy had decided to join me on the grass.

"Great, we got to Clevedon, across the estuary, and back."

"Sounds wonderful. Andy and I were just discussing… Now that we've found out you are on the other side… We were wondering if… Wondering if you've ever been kissed and if not whether you'd like me to be first?"

"What!" I was immediately on my feet looking down on them as they struggled to rise while laughing.

"Come on Venus, you know you want to. There has always been this unspoken thing between us…" Gareth really does believe he's god's gift to women and in fairness I doubt he has ever been turned down.

"Now!!!" While I was dithering, wondering how to get out of this situation the two boys rushed forward and one either side swept their arms round my waist and ran the three off us straight into the swimming pool.

"You bastards!" I spluttered surfacing only to become aware that Martina, Evan, Serena and George, Gwen and Jenny were all around looking in danger of doing themselves damage from laughing so much.

"I'll get you for this!" I shrieked, spotting Gareth surface beside me and with that leapt on him kissing him square on the lips!

For a second, two seconds… nothing happened then all those who had been standing on the poolside crashed into the water beside us as 'oh so cool' 18 year old behaviour dissolved into a group of oversized children splashing and squealing.

What's happening to me? It's one thing to accept that I'm a woman; that fits somehow. Today though was more than that. I'd deliberately taunted Bill. I'd been shrieking like a schoolgirl and of all things I'd kissed Gareth!

"Dai?" I opened my eyes where I lay on a lounger enjoying the last of the sun. It was Mrs Johnson, Serena's mother. "I think you had better go home."

I'd never felt relaxed around the Johnson's other than Serena but she never got to chose her parents so we all co-existed in a strained yet polite atmosphere.

"It is Venus now," Mrs Johnson. "Delia Venus Williams." I said gathering up my abandoned shorts and towel to hold in front of me.

"Whatever you say but I suggest you put on your clothes and leave."

The others took that as a signal to leave as well which somewhat defused the situation and 5 minutes later we were outside in the road making arrangements to meet at the weekend.

Despite my shock from Mrs Johnson's attitude the evening at home was relaxed. Litara rang with my new doctor's appointment time next Monday afternoon and asking me to call in at the solicitors and sign another piece of paper but all was winding down when Serena phoned.

"Speak up See, I can't hear you."

"It's my parents; I've just heard them talking and it means trouble for you."

"How do you mean trouble? I'm nothing to do with them"

"It isn't just you, it's your family and your house. Dad wants your house because with its location he can make money by enlarging it to attract a more upmarket buyer."

"That is up to my parents. I don't think they want to move but your father can make an offer."

"My parents don't think like that. You know they are snobbish and you can probably guess your mixed race family offends their sensibilities, but they are just out of step with the times there.

It's the sex-change thing. I tried to explain why you look like you do but they have it in their minds that if they can bring some bad publicity down on you it will make your family want to move away in a hurry and they can buy the property cheaply by pretending to be good neighbours offering to lend a helping hand.