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Viewing Note: This story should be viewed with the Edwardian Script ITC font installed on your Windows platform in the c:/Windows/Fonts directory. Microsoft Word installs this font automatically.

Photo Credit: Used with her permission....“Let Me In”  © by simpledrama .
 

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Chapter 2
 

The next day, Drew returned to school after the Christmas break. At noon, he joined the rest of the ‘gang’ as they headed to the cafeteria after what was a routine Tuesday morning of sets, except for Mr. Wood’s meeting with the exchange students. As the friends stood in the food line, Maddy noticed how quiet he was.

You really don’t mind ... do you, darling? I mean ... with being Gaby for our display at the cheer competition?” Maddy whispered as she tightly held onto one of his arms.

“Huh?” Drew was thinking of other things.

“Duh! The ‘Virginia State Cheerleading and Dance Championship’ Miss C said we’ll be performing at!” Maddy enthused.

“Yeah … how could I forget? I didn’t really have a choice, did I?” he un-enthusiastically replied in a quiet voice.

“I love you ...” Maddy softly cooed.

“Mad? Who do you really mean when you say that?” Drew quietly asked.

“Drew ... Gaby ... does it matter? I love … you,” Maddy whispered and gave a loving squeeze to his arm as they made ready to select their food.

“Burger an’ chips ... please,” Drew ordered.

“Just chips for me, please,” Maddy piped in.

Once they got their drinks, the two teens joined the rest of the ‘gang’ at a table and spent the lunch period talking about the upcoming visit to America. The win by the Sherwood Foresters at the East England Cheerleading Championships last month had given the team a reason to be optimistic about their upcoming demonstration.
As they headed back to their home form to begin their afternoon sets, Drew left them to go to the office while telling them that he had to go to another meeting, this time with Mr. Woods and his dad.

“Hi, kiddo! Are you ready for this?” Dave asked as Gaby approached him outside the main office.

“Yeah,” Gaby quietly acknowledged.

Together, they entered the office and announced their presence. After a short wait Gail showed them into the headmaster’s office. As they entered, they saw that Mrs. Johnston was already waiting with Mr. Woods and Miss Cowlishaw.

“Drew ... Mr. Bond ... do come in and take a seat,” Mr. Woods offered while indicating two empty office chairs.

“You know Miss Cowlishaw? Along with Mr. Pilling, they’ll be the escorts for the exchange visit to America. Miss Cowlishaw will also serve as our exchange liaison with the Americans. I must however, apologize for Mr. Pilling’s absence. He’s currently teaching at the moment … but Miss Cowlishaw will fill him in.”

Following the introductions, the headmaster turned to Dave and asked, “This is your meeting ... what can we do for you?”

Dave began in the strong business-like voice of someone who’s chaired many meetings.

“There are actually two reasons I asked for this meeting. The first has to do with Drew and the second has to do with the upcoming visit to America.”

As he paused to collect his thought, all eyes seemed to bore into him. When he resumed, his voice noticeably less assured.

“Umm ... I don’t know quite how to put this ... it’s rather delicate ... but there’s been ... umm ... a change ... to Drew’s medical status and we (nodding to Gaby) … felt that the escorts for the trip should have this information if ever a medical emergency arose … as well as both you (addressing Mr. Woods and Mrs. Johnston) because of your positions in the school.”

“Dad ... let me try?” Gaby asked.

“Why not? You’d probably do a better job of it,” Dave grinned.

Gaby again recounted her story from the first blackouts she experienced after a couple of her races back in the Fall and concluded with the medical testing and her doctor’s letter.

“I have copies of Dr. Sanwari’s letter, here...” Dave added as Gaby finished her story, while at the same time passing a copy over to Mr. Woods.

After giving it a quick scan, Mr. Woods passed it to Mrs. Johnston and instructed her to include it in Drew’s academic file. Dave also handed a second copy to Miss Cowlishaw for inclusion with all the other documentation she was carrying for each of the students on the trip.

After all three staff members had read the letter over they looked at Dave and Gaby in silence, clearly stunned by the news.

“Let me get this straight ... this letter says that Drew was born a girl and no one knew until now? How was that possible?” Mr. Woods asked, eventually breaking the silence.

“Things didn’t become evident until he started to develop what they refer to as secondary female characteristics with the onset of puberty,” Dave replied with a renewed sense of confidence.

“Has … Drew … had an MRI done?” inquired Mrs. Johnston, eager to show off any medical knowledge she possessed.

“Not as yet. We’ll be scheduling one sometime after the kids return from the States,” Dave explained.

“Does this mean...” Miss Cowlishaw started to say as she turned and addressed Gaby.

“That only Gaby will be on the trip?” Gaby finished Fran’s question.

“Maybe, but I’d like to give ‘Drew’ a final fling and let ‘Gaby’ return to Warsop College ... but it all depends on the Walters ... are they expecting Drew or Gaby?” Gaby offered.

“I’d like to ask everyone here that until I choose to reveal the truth about ‘Gaby’, nothing has changed. Please, still think of me as ‘Drew’. Except for Mum and Maddy ... only the family know of this … an’ we’d like to keep it that way ... for now,” Gaby mentioned. She looked at each of the gathered staff members as they nodded their agreement.

“Since we’ll eventually be changing your records ... is ‘Gaby’ going to be your chosen name?” Mrs. Johnston softly inquired.

“Yes, ma’am ... short for Gabrielle,” Gaby confirmed. Mrs. Johnston then scribbled some notes in the margin of her copy of Dr. Sanwari’s letter before returning her attention back to the meeting.

Turning to Mr. Woods, Gaby pointedly asked the one unspoken question.

“Sir ... you haven’t said anything ... but ... while I know it won’t be easy telling the school an’ all ... will you let ‘Gaby’ come back to Warsop College?”

After a thoughtful pause, Mr. Woods replied in a quiet and caring tone of voice, “Of course you can ... without question. I’m sure that together … you … my staff … and I … will be able to overcome any obstacle you may encounter.”

“Thank you, sir!” Gaby enthused.

“That about cover it?” Dave asked his youngest.

“For me …but you haven’t mentioned anything about Mum.”

“I was coming to that,” Dave replied as he turned to face Mr. Woods.

“The second thing I wanted to cover ... is Jenny … and how that may affect both my girls during their trip to America,” Dave continued.

“We all know of Jenny leaving you … but how does that affect your children’s upcoming trip?” Mr. Woods inquired.

“She wanted to keep it quiet … but as you must know...” Dave soberly began. He went on to explain her leaving was all a ruse to hide a truth and that she was now back home with Stage IV cervical cancer.

“Thus far, radiation hasn’t worked and she’s now to be assessed for possible surgery as a last effort. The cancer’s so aggressive, that if it fails or she’s not suitable for surgery ... she’s been only given a month or two,” Dave explained as he tried hard not to show emotion.

Gaby looked at her father with watered eyes as he clinically addressed all those gathered in the room. Mrs. Johnston paid strict attention to what Dave had to say, all the time closely watching Gaby’s reactions.

“What I want to ask is that ... God forbid … if things ... take a turn ....” Dave began with a notably weaker voice.

“Would you like to take a small break to gather yourself, Dave?” Mr. Woods pressed.

“No thanks ... I’ll be fine,” Dave quietly replied. Following a deep breath, he continued with a new-found strength.

“If things take a turn for the worse ... I’d like to have Jules and Gaby … sent home immediately ... and at her mother’s request, I’d like to have their cousin ... Maddy Peters, accompany them.”

“Certainly ... just call me anytime, day or night and I’ll get a hold of either Miss Cowlishaw or Miss Bell,” Mr. Woods stated. “I trust you also still have my home phone number from when Jenny was teaching at the school?”

“Yes … thanks,” Dave confirmed.

As the meeting broke up, Gaby approached Miss Cowlishaw as she headed out the door.

“Miss ... a word, please?” Gaby asked.

“Certainly, what is it?” Fran quietly asked.

“I’ve ... ummm ... also decided that I’m leaving the Sherwood Foresters,” Gaby quietly revealed to Miss Cowlishaw.

“When? What about the competition?”

The news took Fran by surprise. Then as she thought back to when she last met with the Sherwood Foresters and Mr. Woods, Fran finally was able to understand Drew’s reaction to her announcement.

“There was a reason you were less than enthusiastic about Gaby having to make an appearance at the competition, wasn’t there? You’d already decided to leave ... hadn’t you?” She knew that she reached the correct conclusion by the downtrodden look on Gaby’s face. Without giving her a chance to respond, Fran continued in a softer tone.

“You realize that the Foresters really need you, don’t you? You’re our best … and the other girls look up to you.”

“Thanks Miss,” a blushing Gaby replied. In a more serious tone, she added, “I promised you that I’d be there for our exhibition at the competition ... an’ I will ... but just for that one routine … an’ after that … I’m gone!”

“Ever since Dr. Sanwari first told me and Dad what he thought, I’d been thinking about how I felt about ... things. I also thought about how much more complicated those things will get once I decided to ‘go with the flow’ an’ accept bein’ ‘Gaby’ ... then there’s Mum’s cancer an’ all. Somehow cheering’s just slipped on my list of priorities,” Gaby confided.

“You telling me you always knew?” Fran asked.

“I knew some time ago that something was ‘appening to me ... but when Dr. Sanwari suggested I was intersexed ... things just fell into place an’ I didn’t need any more testing to tell me,” Gaby revealed.

“I want you to know that I completely understand your decision to leave the team, especially after listening to you and your father just now … but I’ll still be very sorry to see you go,” Fran whispered. “Have you told the others about leaving?”

“No ... I thought I’d tell them after the competition,” Gaby allowed. “I can’t really tell them about Mum ... but I’ll tell them what I can.”

“Speaking of secrets … I haven’t told the others yet so please don’t say anything. We’re not doing just an exhibition routine at the competition. Miss Bell has entered us in the actual competition!” Fran whispered by Gaby’s ear. “After that win you girls managed at Peterborough, I really think we have a chance.”

“Crikey! Competing against the Americans?” an impressed Gaby whispered. “But … you know this won’t change things? I still intend to stop cheering ... right after…”

“I know. Look ... unfortunately I have to return to sets ... but thank you for telling me,” Fran quietly replied.

As she left, she gave Gaby’s hand a reassuring squeeze. Watching her leave, Gaby felt bad as she clearly saw the disappointment in her teacher’s eyes, but she had to be told.

“Dad? Can we do something for Mum before Jules and I have to go?” Gaby asked as they stood in the corridor outside the office door.

“Any ideas, kiddo?” Dave asked.

A fancy dinner ... take her somewhere nice!” Gaby quietly enthused.

Dave thought that was an excellent idea and set the time for either that evening or the following evening, depending on how Jenny felt. Either way, he’d have to get her to rest that afternoon while he made arrangements.

That evening, they had to change their plans as Jenny was worn out from sneaking some time on the turbo. As a result, Dave carted her off to bed and an early night. The girls decided to busy themselves with packing for the trip but first Jules had to make a phone call. Dave agreed with both girls that Jules would stand a much better chance of getting a straight answer from Debbie than if Gaby talked with Brit. After what seemed like many minutes of pointless conversation frequently interrupted by frantic prompting and off-stage hints by both Dave and Gaby, she finally got around to discussing the reason for the call with her American friend. Sometime later, she finally got off the phone.

“Well, don’t keep us in suspense! Who’s going?” Dave anxiously inquired.

“Gaby,” Jules flatly responded.

“Debbie had to wait until she was alone … but she told me that they never told their ‘rents about Drew when they got back. By the time they plucked up the courage to say something ... thanks to Brit’s photos … their parents were firmly convinced I had a sister … so they never mentioned it … Deb said something about wanting to see their next birthday! She said Brit even asked Maddy to make sure Gaby shows up and that Mr. Walters worked real hard to finish Deb’s new bedroom for the two of us to share!“

As an afterthought, Jules added, “If it means anything, sis … Deb told me to tell you that her mum thinks you’re very pretty.”

(sigh) “So much for Drew going,” Gaby sarcastically lamented.

“Look at it this way ... I get to spend more time with my sister!” Jules cheerfully replied as both girls headed upstairs to their rooms to begin packing.

Later, in Gaby’s room, Jules gave her sister her first real lesson in the proper way to pack. They even spent time selecting what Gaby would wear for travelling. The problem was Drew’s passport. Gaby would have to arrive in America, but it would be Drew that would have to deal with Immigration on both sides of the pond. Great care was used to select loose clothing that would hide her breastforms. After Gaby modelled several combinations from all of her more androgynous clothes, they selected a look of jeans, boots that could pass for boy’s shoes when worn under the jeans and an oversized bulky sweater. Drew’s slightly oversized leather jacket and a knitted scarf provided the finishing touches. They also decided that Jules would carry her sister’s bag in her luggage. Upon arrival in Washington, she would pass it to Gaby so she could apply her make-up before they arrived in Grottoes.

When the siblings got home from school the next day, they found their dad coming back down the stairs after putting their mum to bed.

“Sorry, Pet! I had to tell her about our dinner plans. Your mum had a good day and swore she felt the part, but I knew that unless I got her to sleep this afternoon ... she’d fall asleep at the table and the only way she’d go without a fight was to tell her.”

After a light tea, Gaby ran upstairs to shower and get ready for her mum’s evening while Jules washed up, leaving their dad to make all the necessary arrangements.

Hearing Jules return to her room, Gaby snuck over to her door and softly whispered, “Jules ... can I come in?”

As Jules opened the door expecting to see her brother, she saw Gaby standing there in her blue silk, white lace-trimmed robe. Holding the door open, Jules stood back to let her enter.

“Gaby?“ a surprised Jules replied as she shut her door.

“Sh-h-h-h ... I thought I’d surprise Mum! Besides, you know Drew isn’t one for dressing up!” Gaby softly answered.

“Since when?” Jules smirked as Gaby walked past her and sat on her bed.

“Fun-eee ... now you gonna help me or not?” Gaby hissed.

“Wotcha need?” Jules inquired.

“Can you do my nails?” Gaby asked, producing her pink coral nail colour.

“Going all out … eh, sis? C’mon, let’s see those feet. Not to put a damper on your plans, but what about tomorrow? You know ... your fingers?” Jules pointed out.

“I’ll clean ‘em before bed tonight,” Gaby replied.

“You better! That’ll be all you need if you showed up at school, wearing nail polish!” Jules exclaimed. “Better let me double check you get all of it before you turn in … okay?”

“Okay…”

As Gaby sat on Jules’ bed and put a foot in her sister’s lap, her robe fell open affording Jules a glimpse of her panties.

“It’s only dinner, sis…” Jules seductively remarked.

“Maddy says sometimes a girl just likes to feel like a girl!” Gaby cooed.

“Yeah … I know what you mean,” Jules thoughtfully replied.

When she had finished, Gaby asked her to check the coast was clear before she ran to her own room to finish getting ready.

“Hurrry up, Drew … your dad’s waiting!” Jenny called back up the stairs for him to finish getting ready.

“You look really pretty, Mum …” Gaby casually stated as she descended the stairs. She saw her mother standing at the bottom of the stairs and looking very fit and well rested.

Expecting to see Drew, Jenny turned around and looked up at the sound of her son’s voice, but saw Gaby instead.

“Gaby? You … look … very pretty … yourself,” a surprised Jenny replied.

Dave, who was standing beside her, smiled and agreed with his wife. Turning to Jules, he commented, “All three of my ladies look lovely, tonight … car’s waiting ... shall we?”

Dave helped each of them with their coats then stood aside while they walked out to the car. After locking up, he slipped behind the wheel and turned the key.

A couple of hours later, the Bond family left Salvatore's and were walking back to the car.

“Just have to pick up Maddy, then we can go home to enjoy what’s left of the evening,” Dave casually mentioned. He almost said ‘last evening together’ but under the circumstances, he refrained.

“Why’re we picking up Maddy?” Jules inquired.

“Your aunt and uncle are going to Manchester later tonight because John has an early flight to Japan, tomorrow. We’re taking Maddy for the night and driving the three of you to the school in the morning,” Dave explained.

Once they arrived at the Peter’s residence, John loaded Maddy’s case in the car. After saying good-bye to her parents, Maddy joined the two Bond girls in the back where she was visibly surprised to see Gaby as she got into the car.

“Why’s Gaby here?” Maddy whispered as she slid in beside her girlfriend.

“Later,” Gaby quietly replied.

A scant few minutes later, they pulled up in front of their own house.

“A thoroughly enjoyable evening … and with such lovely company!” Jenny enthused as she moved to open the car door.

“Thank Gaby … it was her idea,” Dave replied as he turned to get out of the car.

“Thank you, darling. I had a lovely evening … and I enjoyed seeing ‘Gaby’ again. You didn’t mind?” Jenny softly asked as she hugged her youngest child after they emerged from the car.

“My choice this time … for you,” Gaby softly replied as she tightly held her mother.

Dave let Jenny unlock the front door while he grabbed Maddy’s luggage from the boot.

“You kids go on upstairs and make sure you have everything you need for tomorrow, out and ready. I don’t want to be searching for things at four in the morning!” Dave stated as they walked into the house.

While the three girls bounded up the stairs to their rooms, Dave proceeded to make the tea while Jenny went to relax on the couch.

“Okay … I’m ready! Let’s get you packed!” Maddy enthused as she ran into Drew’s room.

“It’s already done! Jules helped me last night … see?” Gaby indicated her soft-sided suitcase on the floor beside her dresser.

“Oh...” Maddy quietly replied, her disappointment evident. ”Well … like Uncle Dave said … let’s go through it an’ make sure you’ve got everything!”

Gaby knew what was coming and so as Maddy rushed over to the luggage and snatched it up, she sat down on the chair by her desk and watched her girlfriend flip it up onto the empty bed.

Once Maddy had it opened, she began searching through all the neatly folded clothes like a frenzied custom agent, but as she realized there was nothing in the case that belonged to Drew, she noticeably slowed her search until she stopped looking altogether and straightened up.

“Surprised to find only Gaby’s stuff?” Gaby softly asked as she stood behind Maddy and gently held her shoulders. “You weren’t gonna tell me … were you?”

“Tell you what? I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Maddy sounded like a little child caught in the act by her parents. She stiffened as Gaby turned her around to face her.

“Please, Mad … don’t lie to me … not now,” Gaby softly urged. “I know everything. Considering how things were when Deb and Brit left … Dad and I had Jules call Debbie last night to find out just who the Walters expected to get off the plane.”

As the colour drained from Maddy’s cheeks, Gaby gently sat her down on the edge of the bed.

“We both know the answer to that, don’t we? Deb even told us that a couple of months ago, Brit asked you to help her make sure only Gaby showed up ... an’ we even know how you were going to do it.”

As Gaby stood in front of her, a shocked Maddy remained silent and stared straight ahead at her girlfriend’s chest.

“That’s why all the interest in helping me pack … wasn’t it? In fact you were going to find a reason to pack for me … isn’t that what you told Brit? Why? I mean … why didn’t you just tell me?"

Maddy sheepishly looked up into Gaby’s eyes and with tears running down her face.

“If I told you back then … (sniff) what would you have done? Tell Mr. Woods so he could sort it out an’ end up getting Brit and Deb into trouble? Maybe he’d even drop you from the exchange program? Or maybe you’d decide not to go? … (sniff). What about the rest of us? The ‘gang’ … (sniff) an’ the Sherwood Foresters ... an’ me? … (sniff). I didn’t want to go alone … not when you could be with me … I love you...”

“Sis an’ I wanted to stay here with Mum, with her cancer an’ all ... but both the ‘rents are saying we hafta go,” Gaby quietly agonized.

Maddy was left speechless as she stared at her girlfriend’s hollow eyes. When she stood up, the two teenagers became locked in a tight and emotional embrace.

“I’m sorry, darling … I know I should’ve told you the truth ... but I was scared you’d find a way not to come. Now with your Mum like she is ... I feel just awful that you have to come,” Maddy whispered as she closed eyes and laid her head upon Gaby’s shoulder. “I’ll be right beside you the whole time.”

“I love you, Mad...” Gaby softly murmured.

In a more upbeat mood, Gaby looked at her girlfriend and knowingly asked, “Between the Walters expecting sisters and the cheer competition … it looks like I’m gonna be Gaby 24/7 while we’re in the States. Think you can handle leaving Drew here and being stuck with me for the next six weeks?”

“Oh God … YES!” Maddy replied breathlessly as she leaned into Gaby and they both enjoyed a long, lingering kiss on the lips.

 
 
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To Be Continued...