"I’m sorry George." I said. It was the only response I could think of.

"What have you got to be sorry about? You got what you wanted!" Anger appeared in his tone of voice.

"I never meant for anything like what happened tonight to happen. You’ve got believe me!"

"Well it did didn’t it?" He picked up the whisky glass and hurled it across the room. It smashed into varying sized pieces onto the floor against the wall opposite me.

"George…" I nervously tried to say something. Fear was gripping me as I realized he might turn his violence onto me.

Healing Cousin George
Part 21 - Final Chapter - True Colours
by Karin Roberts

---

 
The Taxi dropped us of right outside of the main doors of the hall. Gavin offered each one of us his arm as we both took one before stepping into the foyer.

"There’s Archie over there," Debbie gestured over towards an older man by the cloakroom. She waved him over towards us.

"Hi Gavin, Debbie… this must be Alex!" he smiled, offerring me his hand. I hesitated for a moment and then took it. Without warning, he turned turned my hand over and brought it up to his mouth where his lips gently brushed the back of my hand. Goosebumps popped up all along my arm as a small shiver went down my neck.

"Eh, p-pleased to meet you," I managed to stammer out. I couldn’t believe I was blushing as he released his grip on my hand.

"Thanks very much for the ticket!" I politely commented.

He smiled a toothy grin. "Not a problem my dear… it would just have just gone to waste otherwise. As it is now, It has gone to something… er someone, more beautiful."

"How is your wife, Archie?" Debbie asked.

"Coming along very well dear. She should be out in a couple of weeks. We’ll need to take it easy once she is out, but otherwise she will be fine."

"That’s good!" Debbie said.

"So, should we go and get seated?" Gavin asked Debbie.

"Yeah let’s. Me and Alex will check in our coats and join you there."

"Here take this dear." Archie said as he handed me a ticket.

"Thank you." I replied.

"Ok Archie, let’s get you a drink." Gavin started as the two of them headed into the ballroom.

Me and Debbie checked in our coats and then went into the ladies room.

"What time is George and the witch getting here?" Debbie hushedly asked.

"Eh, around eight I imagine."

"Well, just ignore her for the night and enjoy yourself. Maybe you’ll get lucky?" A grin spread spread across her face.

"Yeah right! ~ as If I would want to!" I rolled my eyes briefly to get her laughing. "Now let’s go get a drink."

We joined Gavin and Archie at our table, glasses of wine already on hand at each setting. I quickly scanned the hall. Looking about, I recognised a few faces from the village, but by and large most were strangers to me. The band played light background music, entertaining the guests.

"What are we waiting on?" I asked Debbie.

"Oh, the organiser. He has to make a speech first." she replied.

"George is going to make a speech?"

"Yeah, it’s tradition." Debbie said "Oh look there he is." Debbie pointed as a ripple of applause began to sound from around the room as he climbed towards the small podium.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the twentieth Irvine & District Farmers Ball…."

He went on thanking several people for their help and assistance: the caterers for their work, the band and local business’s who had sponsored a prize raffle after dinner, etc.

"……So ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your attention and I do hope that you all have a fabulous evening." He stepped away from the mic and headed towards his table amid the applause. I could see Amanda. She had arisen, dressed in a leopard skin print dress which looked a bit too tight on her, and leaned in to kiss George as came over. They kissed briefly and then sat down.

"Mutton dressed as lamb!" Debbie swore under her breath as waiters and waitress’s appeared, taking orders for everyone’s meals.
 

~*~
 
The meal was a sumptuous affair: fresh Scottish Salmon or Beef, wonderfully cooked, with appetising starters and sweets should you want one. Debbie had been right about not eating that day. It had been a bonus and, with full stomachs, we sat back having our coffee as tables were being cleared. The raffle then commenced. George, with Amanda by his side, drew tickets for the prizes. As Debbie had said, she did look a touch tarty in the short dress and high heels, but then, "so what?" I thought. I watched the draw come to a close.

With all the formalities over, the serious side of the night got under way as the band kicked up the tempo and the dancing began. I wasn’t short of partners either as Archie and Gavin saw to it that I was up to dance on several occasions, combined with a couple of other dances from men from our adjacent table. My feet were beginning to ache with the strain of the prolonged dancing. I mean, I had become adept at walking in heels, but dancing all night? That was a different thing altogether.

I looked up just as George approached our table.

"You enjoying yourselves?" he asked as he stopped beside Archie.

"That we are, son" Archie replied, a little worse for wear. "You’ve done us proud!" he boasted as he lifted his glass to take another drink.

George looked at me and smiled.

"You ok Alex?"

"Yeah fine. My feet hurt a bit from all the dancing, but I’ve enjoyed the night so far."

"George, isn’t about time you took your cousin up for a spin?" Debbie added.

"Eh I don’t know. Amanda’s over there," he nervously replied.

"Oh for god’s sake George! It’s just a dance! I mean she’s only been looking after your child for months now!"

He flushed a bit with embarrassment. "Well… I suppose… if she wants to."

I glanced over at Debbie and she gestured towards the floor with her eyes.

"Well ,I suppose one more won’t hurt." I quietly acceeded, getting up and extending my hand to George. He took it and led me out onto the floor as the band started playing "I’ve Had the Time of My Life" from Dirty Dancing.

We moved into the centre of the floor as other dancers joined us. We began to move to the rhythm of the music, George’s arm around my waist. I was close to him and could smell the aftershave he had on and feel the heat from his arms and body as we swayed around to the music.

"That was a good speech you gave." I complimented him as we danced.

"Thanks. That took me ages to write it. You know how good I am with words" he grinned at me.

"Yeah I must say, it surprised me that you were doing it." I giggled. We continued to weave our way around the floor. An instance occurred where his legs had parted and mine accidentally slid between his on a turn. "What’s that?" I thought, as I met his thigh, "was it?… was it…" A slight blush appeared on my face and then his. George had had an erection. My blush deepened as the music began to die. We looked into each other’s eyes and became lost for what seemed like hours. Only then, we noticed the music had stopped and we both broke our embrace. I looked up.

"George… um… thanks for the chance to do all of this."

"No Alex. It’s I who should be thanking YOU for all the help that you have been with Melissa. I mean that."

I leaned forward and kissed his left cheek. A slight smudge of lipstick appeared on his cheek where I had just kissed him as I moved back.

"Thanks for that dance George. I loved it." I lowered my eyes as I turned and made my way back towards our table.

"Debbie I need a cigarette. Now. Come with me? Please?" I begged as I picked up my handbag and she got up to head with me towards the door.

Outside I opened up my bag and took out my cigarettes. I opened the packet and took two out, handing one to Debbie. I pulled out my lighter and we both lit up. We inhaled the menthol fumes before letting the blue white smoke sail into the night as we exhaled.

We had been out there in the smoking shelter for less than a minute when Amanda stormed over towards us with a stern look on her face.

"What the HELL was that all about?" she demanded as she got up right in my face.

"Sorry? You’ve lost me?" I innocently replied.

"That KISS! You little SLUT!"

"Amanda , that kiss was nothing. Just a friendly peck on the cheek."

"Yeah right! You’ve been angling to get into George’s bed ever since you got here."

"Look Amanda, I don’t want to fight with you! I know we don’t see eye to eye over Melissa, but I’m not out to break you two up!"

"Keep Melissa out of it!" she yelled.

"Amanda, how can we? She’s George’s daughter for Crissakes! She’s the most important thing in his life!"

"That’s where you’re wrong dear… I am." she sneered.

"Well you might think that, but I know different."

That last comment seemed to rile her even more than the kiss had. I took a long drag form the cigarette and exhaled. I could see the hatred blazing in her eyes.

"Once me and George are married and Melissa is at the Boarding School, thing’s will be different. You’ll be gone and it will be just me and him."

"I think you might be making a mistake there with that assumption Amanda." I said.

"Mistake, mistake. What the hell are you talking about you slut? He’s mine! End of subject. The boarding school will be the making a fine lady of Melissa. She’ll come back all proper and prim. Something that you couldn’t ever much less be."

"Oh is that right? And shouting and bawling in the street obviously makes you a lady? Hardy har har!" I could see Debbie sniggering a bit out of the corner of my eye as she took a drag from her cigarette and crushed it out in the ashtray.

"Oh and another thing?" I continued. "What makes you so sure that George will send Melissa to the boarding school?"

"He will! We’ve talked about it. He would do anything for me!" she angrily leered.

"Oh is that right Amanda?" George’s voice emerged from behind her and the shelter. I could see Debbie starting to laugh as her hands went to her face to cover it. "I don’t recall "talking about it" or "agreeing to anything." he went on.

"Nuts. George honey, it will be good for her. It was the making of me and it will give us some time together to be on our own."

"In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a father. We come as a package: me and my daughter together. You’re not Melissa’s mother. I make the calls."

"Yeah, but what about us? We need time together, just the two of us. Not with a little brat around all the time."

She stopped, her hands going to her mouth, realising what she had just said. George looked at her angrily. If looks could kill, she would have died right there that very minute. He struggled with his hand clenching and unclenching it and then I saw him remove the ring Amanda had bought him and threw it out in the parking lot with a familiar ting sound of metal striking concrete as it bounced several times.

Silence. The air was so thick with tension you could slice it.

"Oh George! I didn’t mean it!" she began crying as he turned and walked away from her.

"George come back! We need to talk!"

"It’s over Amanda! Finished!"

He rounded the corner towards the taxi stance.

I never saw it coming, but I felt it. Amanda must have turned and, before I knew what was happening, my cheek and that side of my head exploded in pain! A ringing started in my ears as a loud crack resounded. Amanda’s open palm connected with my cheek.

"You fucking whore! You set this up, didn’t you? Didn’t YOU!" she screamed.

As my hand went to the side of my face "I- I didn’t." was all I could say before her other hand connected with the other side of my face. She turned and stormed off after George. As I stood there, all I could hear was Debbie saying "Bye Amanda" through the ringing in my ear. Both Debbie and me looked at each other.
 

~*~
 
"You ok?" Debbie asked as she gripped my arm.

"Eh yeah. I’ll be fine." I answered. A slight tear rolled down my cheek. "I need a cigarette though."

Debbie opened her bag and handed one to me. She offered me a light and I took it. I could feel the heat in my jaws where Amanda had struck me. I pulled on the cigarette.

"That’s gonna bruise." Debbie winced as she pulled my hair back a bit to examine the red blotch that was there.

"I really never knew he was there!" I protested, a slight sob in my voice.

"I know dear. I know." Debbie pulled me to her and hugged me. We sat on the small ledge in the shelter for a minute or so while I smoked my cigarette. As I crushed it out, Debbie spoke up. "Let’s get you back inside and touch up your makeup and get a drink to calm our nerves." She took my hand and led me back inside the hall.

In the Ladies Room, we both touched up our makeup. My ears were still ringing and the skin on my cheek felt hot and stung. Debbie gently moved my chin from side to side.

"There’s quite a red mark there," Debbie noted as she showed me in the mirror where you could clearly see where the second impact had been.

"Maybe I should just go home. I mean, I don’t want to cause you any embarrassment." I moaned.

"It’s up to you babes. It’s your night. If you go home, Amanda might be there and it will start all over again," she shrugged her shoulders.

"I need to face her some time. That, and well, and George."

"I suppose. As I said, it’s up to you."

Five minutes later, after saying my goodbyes to both Archie and Gavin, I was in a taxi and heading for home. What Debbie had said was right. Amanda might be there, but I needed to face her sometime. Maybe I could put things right between her and George? I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t help but feel that a lot of this was my fault. My stomach tightened as the taxi pulled into the driveway and rolled on up the gravel road towards the Farmhouse. I could see a light in the conservatory and the kitchen as we approached. Somebody was home. But who?

The cab pulled away and the evening chill settled on me. I shivered and pulled the jacket tighter around me as I walked towards the porch. I tried the door and to my surprise, it was open. Pushing it away from me I stepped inside. George was sitting at the kitchen table, a bottle of whiskey in front of him and one empty glass.

"Amanda here?" I timidly asked as I shut the door quietly.

"She was!" he exasperatingly replied, looking down at the table.

"I’m sorry George." I said. It was the only response I could think of.

"What have you got to be sorry about? You got what you wanted!" Anger appeared in his tone of voice.

"I never meant for anything like what happened tonight to happen. You’ve got believe me!"

"Well it did didn’t it?" He picked up the whisky glass and hurled it across the room. It smashed into varying sized pieces onto the floor against the wall opposite me.

"George…" I nervously tried to say something. Fear was gripping me as I realized he might turn his violence onto me.

"What?! Those are my drinking glasses!"

"I know you are upset, I…."

"Upset?Upset is it? I feel like a bloomin’ idiot!"

Determined to calm my nerves, I went towards the drink cabinet and took out a bottle of vodka and poured myself one, tipping with some coke. I took a swig. Opening my bag I took out my cigarettes and lit one up. Placing the lit cigarette safely in the ashtray, I walked to the sink, crouching I opened the door underneath and took out a small brush and dustpan. I crossed the room to where the glass had struck the wall and began to sweep up the shattered container. I must have looked a bit ridiculous in a stunning evening gown, with long evening gloves and high heels as I swept up the broken glass. Confident I had gotten it all, I deposited the fragments into the waste bin.

Back at my drink, I took a swig, swallowing it all before taking a drag from my cigarette. I was considering whether I should say anything or not. The silence that was between us for some minutes was broken by George’s voice.

"So are you not going to say I told you so?" George looked at me, seeking an answer.

"No. I’m not taking any pleasure out of this George. But I won’t lie and say that I think it’s in Melissa’s best interest." I expected him to launch a volley back and steeled myself for the worst.

"Yeah. Well you might be right there. Can I have another glass please?" Even in his slightly drunk state, his manners stayed with him this time.

"Only if you promise not to throw it?"

"Deal."

I picked up another glass, my ashtray, and my own drink before carrying them all over to the table beside George. I placed his glass on the table in front of him and then sat down.

"You know… the pain will pass." I softly spoke. I had to make an opening and allow him to vent some of the pain out of him if it was possible to do so. He grunted a bit as he poured some of the amber liquid into the glass before taking a swig.

"I’m still going to be here George. For you. For Melissa." I Stretched out my black nylon gloved hand and covered his free hand, squeezing gently.

He looked down at the glass then my hand, "Yeah, well I suppose Melissa will still have you around and she’ll love that. But Alex… at some point… you need to go back to your own life! Where does that leave us then? I’ll be back on my own with Melissa."

I picked up my cigarette took a drag on it and exhaled the smoke high above me. "It doesn’t have to be like that," I offered.

"Oh is that right? How come?"

"Well… I could stay."

"Don’t be ridiculous Alex!" He slid his chair back and stood up. He walked over to the window and began to stare up into the night sky.

"No really! I could" I repeated. I got up and walked towards him. I leaned into him along his back resting my head on his shoulder.

He turned his head looking at me. "What like this?" he said pointed at my arm which draped on top of his.

"Yeah." I breathed. "Why not?"

"Because what would your Mum say? Your Dad even? What about your job?" George listed as his voice was calming. I knew that I was having an effect on him as I could feel his muscles relaxing some.

I slid over to the worktop counter beside him and leaned half sitting on it facing George. "I already have a job." I stated.

George studied my face for a moment. "You do? What job?"

"Looking after you and Melissa." I paused to let my words sink into him. "You know George…Melissa means the world to me. I love her like she was my own. T-t-to me, an-and I…" I stopped. My voice was cracking squeakily and I felt water dribbling down my cheeks.

"You what?" George curiously prodded.

I felt my mouth quivering and knew this was the moment of truth. I braced myself and started to move my mouth.

"I- I love you. I-I-I l-love you to!"

Time froze.

A strange look of puzzlement took over his face.

"You what?" he softly asked again.

I lowered my head and cried.

"I love you."

He stepped up in front of my and using his right hand, gently lifted my head up under my chin to look at me.

I unclenched my eyes and straightened myself trying to regain some of my composure. I looked right into his eyes and was determined to say it.

"George what do you see when you look at me?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" George was really lost on this. I could see the confusion in his eyes.

"Well? Do you see the Alex who came here or do you see the Alex that’s here now? A woman, if not totally yet in body, she is one in mind and spirit! The one who loves your daughter? The one would do anything for her? The one…" I stepped forward just an inch or two and was right in front of him looking into his eyes as my lips were near level to his chin, "…that loves her father and… the one that wants us to be a family."

"This is crazy you know? It would never work." he slowly tried to formulate the situation, seriously considering it.

"It’s worked so far hasn’t it? You do find me attractive as Alex don’t you?" I slowly took his hands and placed them on both of my sides. "What I mean is…I’ve felt your reaction that night at Aunt Karen’s…and tonight when we danced." I moved a bit closer I could feel his breath on my face, my heart was beating faster than I had ever known it to.

"I -I don’t know."

"You don’t know what?" I breathed again. "Whether it would work… or whether you are attracted to me… or not?" My hands moved around behind him and I slowly pulled up close to him, our bodies touching.

"Don’t you feel it George? We are a family. We are good together. Together we can give Melissa everything she wants, all the love she needs." My head was slightly dizzy from my feelings for George and I felt the soft warmth of his lips on mine. I closed my eyes to savor it. George did not pull back. I opened my eyes and looked up again at him.

"But, but what would everyone say?" he stammered.

"I don’t really care. I know what I want. I want you and Melissa and I want us to all be together as a family."

Our lips connected again. This time, I felt George lean into it some. Yielding to an animalistic need, my body had pushed flush beside his as I could feel the start of an erection in his groin. I glanced down, just a bit, but enough to let him know that I had noticed. He pulled back softly again.

"But it’s not right. It’s…"

I pulled him to me again. My lips lingered with this kiss a bit, seeking a reaction from George. At first he resisted, letting our lips dance a bit with touching and pushing. Finally, he let his lips part slightly, and my tongue darted in. An intense familial emotion of love had gripped me! I felt his passion stir and yielded to it. His hardness grew more as my hands began to massage his buttocks. George reciprocated as his hands found mine. He gently squeezed and fondled them as I pressed myself into him. The passion felt like it had lasted forever, till it finally broke with George stepping back a bit. Taking his strong hand, he enclosed both of my dainty gloved hands.

"Let’s go upstairs dear… before I change my mind." George huskily offered. Smiling and flush with desire I readily nodded.

He led me across the kitchen. A smile crept over my face as I flicked the light switch at the bottom of the stairs plunging the kitchen into darkness. I squealed as I found myself being lifted up into his arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck as I felt the motion of him carrying me upstairs.
 

~*~
 
Alex’s Diary:
 
I’m sure there are a lot of you who have been reading this tale who are eagerly waiting to know what happened that night? Well the answer is - not very much. Sure we exchanged a few kisses and fell asleep in each other’s arms… but there was no real intimacy.

That was eight years ago. Yes, we are still together. It took awhile for the intimacy of our relationship to develop. It took around six months indeed, then one night we both got drunk. It was Debbie’s suggestion really. Get him a bit tipsy wear something ultra sexy and how could he resist? Well it worked! How can I describe it? That first time that I felt his hardness in my mouth, the heat of his member as my lips slipped up and down the shaft… words seem to fail me here. The exhilarating feeling I felt as his lust overtook him and his cock exploded in my mouth. The feeling of being his as he entered me later, gently, and then more swiftly increasing the intensity of the thrusts as I asked for more and more until he reached yet another boiling point - before that warm feeling of his discharge inside me. I can only describe it as the moment that all seemed worthwhile, that life finally seemed worth living and I was for the first time alive! The moment when the decisions I had made and the path I had took was confirmed as where I wanted to be and where I wanted to stay. I was George’s and he was mine, and hopefully it would be that way forever.

I never asked George if that night had had the same effect on him as it did me. That was the night that I was finally accepted. To be honest, I did not care. I know he wanted me and was happy with me and that as a family we functioned, albeit as a rather unusual one. We fit together! Soon after that night, I resolved to go at least some way towards changing my gender. Appointments were made and advice taken and soon I was on hormones to change the shape of my body and grow my own breasts. My body accepted the changes well and I know have an impressive cleavage of my own. The final decision to remove me of my last bastion of masculinity has still to be made, but is clear enough in my mind, even if our relationship fell apart tomorrow, which it won’t, I would still not go back to being the rather geeky male Alex who came to act as a babysitter here all those years ago.

The waves that our relationship caused were felt the length and breadth of my family. As I suspected, Dad took news of my new identity the worst. I am still not sure if it was the deception at the party or just his homophobic nature that led him to cut me off, but that he did. From that first day when we came clean about our plans, we have not spoken. George wanted to go around and clear the air or have it out with him, but I begged him not to. We hoped that if he could see the stableness of our relationship and the loving upbringing that Melissa was receiving, he would change his mind. But as of yet, there is no sign of that happening. We resolved that should he alter his position, then there would always be a place for him at our table.

Mum and Ashley were somewhat different. Although they found it difficult to accept at first, they are now firmly on board. Indeed, soon after our relationship became common knowledge, Mum admitted to me that she had had an instinct that she would never see her son back as he was when he left home. I think they can see the value of the family unit we have built and the love and happiness that surrounds us. What was a pretty sad and unhappy farm that I had first come to had grown to be a happy family. Mum and sis’s support has kept me strong and they have acted as a buffer between me and Dad. I’m making sure that Dad still sees Melissa from time to time and that he is not deprived of seeing her grow up into the wonderful young lady she is today.

Melissa was never a problem, despite those first couple of days when I was Alex (male), as I refer to him, she has never seen me as anything else other than Alex, the woman. The woman who was there for her, the woman who took her to school on her first day, the woman who wiped away her tears when she had a fall, the woman who she can come to when she is troubled and wants help. She has developed into a confident fun loving girl whom any parent would be proud of to have as their own daughter. I know we are.

I am not the emotional type, but she has reduced me to tears at least twice, once when she was playing with friends when she was about six and in typical childlike fashion her friend took one of her toys and would not give it back. I was busy clearing away lunch dishes as they played on the porch watching over them. As any child would do she called out "Mum, Ashley won’t give me my doll back." The word stopped me in my tracks, yes she said Mum I though as two plates dropped from my hand and smashed to several pieces on the floor, tears flowed from my eye’s as I picked up a towel and wiped my eye’s before going out to see what all the fuss was about.

The other was when she fell ill due to a bout of appendicitis. The emotion surrounding a child you love dearly being ill reduced me to a blubbering wreck. Sure, she was going to be fine and make a full recovery, but those first few days when she was at her worst were enough to have me in a state of permanent upset.

I never did take up my teaching post, but will be starting work as a Classroom Assistant when the New Term starts in the autumn. I was surprised at how easy it was to get back into employment. I had imagined that my transgender status would hinder me, but in these days of equality and diversity, I guess I ticked many of the boxes that the Local Authority had to satisfy to prove its commitment to diversity.

The post is perfect as it is at the school that Melissa will move to in just over a year’s time. So with me being able to drive her to school on a daily basis and the fact that our holiday’s will almost match then our bond will be as strong as ever and I will be able to watch over her as I have done for all these years.

George has changed entirely. Gone are the drinking spells that so blighted his and Melissa’s life when I had first arrived. The change in his mood is also noticeable and that anger and depression that he had shown from time to time has now gone. It is replaced by an attentive father and partner who likes nothing better than to have days out with his family and quiet nights in front of the TV with the odd visit from friends thrown in.

Speaking of friends, I almost forgot to mention - Debbie is pregnant at long last!!! I think it has been a shock to her system to know that she will be a mother in less than six months. It has however, rekindled her interest in shopping, as she attempts to buy up as much clothes and toys as possible for her imminent reminder. I like to think that it was partly down to the stability that she saw in me and George that finally made her take the plunge, but then who knows? At least it has put an end to her swinging days.

Oh, and lastly, whatever did happen to Amanda? Well she moved away from the village shortly after that night. She still has no idea what my true sex was and I would imagine she would have flipped even more than she did if she had really known about me. She did however, finally get herself a man as Debbie saw her in Ayr one day complete with wedding ring on her finger. Good luck to her. I never liked her, but I never wished her no ill will. She is a career woman with no time for a family and was not right for George or Melissa. Those two needed a stable family unit and in me they found that!

I really don’t think there is much need for me to continue writing this diary, as my tale is over. Maybe I’ll add to it if something momentous happens, or if the tale ever happens to turn sour. What started as a job helping out the family turned into something so much more precious. I wouldn’t change it for anything! It’s been a long hard road, but every minute has been worth it. My family… that’s a great feeling to hear that! My family, I wouldn’t change a thing in the world. I love it just the way it is!

---

 
Thanks to all who have read the story and your kind comments and advice. Special thanks and hugs and kisses to Sephrena who has edited this series for me.

Karin R xxxxxxx