The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2730 by Angharad Copyright© 2015 Angharad

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This is a work of fiction any mention of real people, places or institutions is purely coincidental and does not imply that they are as suggested in the story.
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Trish remained a challenge as did most of our children. Several had been sexually assaulted when younger and we were never sure if their various therapies had dealt with these or if they would rise like zombies and continue to terrify their victims. Only time would tell.

When I wasn’t threatening to dump them, I tried to show the girls that they were loved unconditionally in the hope that it would help to heal their emotional scars. Trish astonishingly, never seemed to give vent to any feelings from her assaults by Ben Bowditch except that one occasion a few years ago when she found the words to tell me what happened. I’m hoping that because the perpetrator is deceased she’ll be able to move on and not be held back by his apparent domination of her. She discovered his death herself on the internet and told me she was glad he was dead, falling from a window.

At least he couldn’t pop up again in her life, of that I was certain, so perhaps she will move on. I recall the day she told me, she seemed full of sex, asking questions about it, like there was no tomorrow. What I hadn’t realised was simply that she was trying to find words that would describe her ordeal, when she did so, she astonished me and although it upset her to tell me, she told me in such a matter of fact way, it had to be true.

I hoped the others would learn to be equally sanguine about such things. Children were such paradoxical creatures, vulnerable and so easily damaged yet at the same time almost invincible compared to adults who are so wrapped up in themselves and their complexes. Unfortunately, damaged children can become damaged adults and then the outcomes can be less than positive, especially if the abused goes on to become an abuser or is unable to function fully as an adult such as not being able to form relationships with the opposite sex. It’s a real minefield, and so many transgender people have been abused one wonders if it contributes to the causation.

It was half way through the last week of the school holidays when I had a call from Sam Rose, one of the nicest men you could ever meet. “Cathy? It’s Sam.”

My tummy flipped, what did he want? “I’m not taking any more children, the freezer’s full already.”

He roared with laughter. “You have a wicked sense of humour, Lady Cameron.”

“You have to with ninety three children.”

“I’m sure.”

“Cut to the chase, Dr Rose, what d’you want? If it’s water into wine, I’m still working on it.”

He laughed again. “Okay, I am after something. I have a young lady here who is feeling very isolated...”

“Don’t tell me, she’s transgender?”

“In one.”

“I can’t take any more, Sam, the house can’t physically cope and some of its residents are beginning to pall at the subject.”

“I wondered if perhaps you could meet her and her mother, just for a chat and a coffee.”

Why should I? I’m trying to move on and encourage the children to do the same. Meeting another child and clueless parent does nothing for me except annoy me. “Why should I, Sam—what’s in it for me except a reminder of mine and the children’s past.”

“She’s desperate.”

“What about Mermaids?”

“They don’t have anyone locally. Nearest is Oxford, apparently.”

“If I did offer to meet, it has to be on my terms.”

“Of course; what did you have in mind?”

“No surnames...”

“Fine, so just Cathy?”

“Yes, no mention of my history or current occupation, status and so on.”

“No problem, just Cathy who has had a transgender child.”

“Is that enough?”

“Yeah, can I give you her phone number?”

“If you must.”

He reeled off a mobile number and I called it from our landline which is ex-directory so would leave no number.

“Hello?”

“Hello, I’m Cathy, are you Sue?”

“Yes.”

“Dr Rose asked me to call you.”

“About our daughters?”

“I believe so.”

“Thank you so much for phoning, I feel so alone at times.”

“D’you know Café Republic, out towards Cosham?”

“Is that the one near the Pub?”

“The Green Man.”

“Yes, I know it.”

“Could you be there at two thirty?”

“What today?”

“Yes.”

“I think so.”

“I’ll see you there, then. Please don’t be late my time is very limited.”

“Is it okay if I bring Charlotte?”

“That’s up to you.”

“Okay, I’ll see you at half past two.”

David had just arrived and I asked him if we could have lunch at twelve o’clock as I had to go out this afternoon. He told me it was no problem. He was doing lasagne for dinner, it would be jacket potatoes for lunch—did I have any preference for filling. Tuna came to mind but I suggested cheese until he reminded me we’d have cheese with the pasta for dinner. We went for tuna as they’ll all eat it.

I did some stuff with the girls, including checking their school uniforms for fit. Seems we didn’t need too much for next week, mind you getting it would be like sending them off to Hogwarts. I’m sure one of the shops we have to use sells magic wands.

I made the mistake of telling blabbermouth Watts where I was going and she of course wanted to come as well. “What for? It’ll only give you away if she knows I have a trans kid.”

“Her daughter might be lonely too,” she said making me feel totally unworthy.

“If she guesses you’re transgender, what will you tell her?”

“I’ll tell her I was.”

“What if she recognises you?”

“Isn’t that more likely to happen to you, Mummy. You’re the one who’s always on telly or in the papers.”

“I just wanted you to be aware that there might be consequences to your actions and her recognising you could be one of them.”

“What if I recognise her?”

“That’s her problem.”

“That’s a bit hard, isn’t it, Mummy?”

“It’s real life, it gets hard. Now I don’t want you revealing anything about any of us, so no surnames or mentions of titles or work.”

“But she might recognise you.”

“I’ll have to take that chance. I’m going in jeans and a top, I’d like you to wear something similar.”

“You don’t want me all girly, then?”

“No, definitely not. You look female in anything, I don’t want this to get too camp.”

“Okay, Mummy.”

“Go and change as soon as lunch is over.”

So it was at a quarter to two we set off for Cosham and the café. Trish was quite looking forward to the meeting, I was dreading it and it was definitely the last time I got involved with other people’s transgender children.