Chapter 3

"Well for a start my birth name is Williams but my first name is not Venus" I explained to the doctor who seemed to be looking rather lower than my eyes.

"I guessed and the Welsh accent tends to confirm it. Maybe your parents gave you some dull name and you decided to go for something more exotic. Let’s see, you’re 18 right, born in the early 80s so that makes you a Jennifer or maybe a Sarah?" Dr Edwards was clearly doing his party piece and it wasn’t getting us anywhere. Time to put him in his place.

"Try Dai. Named for Dai Morris the rugby player."

It was though all the clocks in the world stopped at once. The doctor finally looked me in the eye and looked and looked, probably hoping to see some sign I was joking …

“I do apologise.” he eventually said; then became very businesslike. First checking my pulse, blood pressure and looking in my eyes he then put me through a series of exercises - balancing, following his finger even walking a line like a drunk driver - all the while probing me with questions on my past, my family, my medical history and what had led up to the moment I fainted.

"Look," he finally said, “this is an accident and emergency unit and there seems to be nothing critically wrong with you. However based on your appearance and the fainting spell I would be unhappy to totally let this pass. I’m almost certain you have at the least an endocrine imbalance that needs investigating so I’ll get a nurse to take blood, urine and if you can a semen sample because I want to see you again next week when I have the results."

With that he put his head through the curtain to talk to a nurse then turned back to me saying "Please don’t forget to make an appointment before you leave and be sure to tell them it’s to see Dr Edwards." Then he was gone.

The nurse soon re-appeared with a tray and started by taking a blood sample. To be honest she kept glancing at me strangely so I tried to lighten the moment by saying "Remember a sample not an armful."

That seemed to snap her out of her mood because as she put the syringe away she looked at me and said "You seem to have made quite an impression on Dr Edwards."

“He must be easily impressed then,” I replied

“Look, we are going into a side room to take more samples; will you be ok with that?”

"I’ll manage so let’s get on with it.”

Soon I was handing back the urine sample jar and set about getting the second sample. At 18 this wasn’t completely strange to me but it was something I rarely did as although I produced some fluid there was none of the oomph to the act that I heard talked about. Still the job got done and re-tucking to pull up Jenny’s pants, I headed out of the door to hand over the sample noticing for the first time that the fluid was almost clear.

"Totally painless" I said as we headed back to the main floor. "Which way for appointments?"

"Is next Friday at 4pm alright with you? asked the woman on the desk who had the look of someone rarely denied . "Dr Edwards specifically asked that you be his last appointment of the day".

Where do they get these people, I never seem to see them outside their little kingdoms. "Fine," I replied.

"When you arrive at the hospital please go straight to the waiting room on the 3rd floor of this building" and with that I was effectively dismissed.

Back in the waiting area only Serena out of my rabble of friends remained.

"The others and I decided to meet up later but first how are you? You seem to have been ages."

"That tends to happen when the Spanish Inquisition take you in for questioning" I flippantly replied, then paused aware of the concern on her face. A shiver ran through me then with barely a hesitation the words tumbled out.

“I’m frightened Serena. What’s happened to me? What am I going to do…?” With that I slumped into the next chair, her arms went round me and I began to sob on her shoulder. Deep, gasping snot laden sobs which only after a minute slowly gave way to long deeply taken breaths and finally when there seemed nothing left I broke into giggles and snickers which as I raised my snotty face to see Serena's concern became contagious until the two of us were laughing and slapping each others shoulders as though we'd won the lottery.

"Never mind what you’re going to do girl, the first thing we’re going to do is get some food!"

Fortunately we got to Serena's car before she had been given a parking fine and, while driving across town she explained that the others were waiting at our regular café on Churchill Way having postponed our movie plans.

"Are you pregnant Venus?" Martina shouted as we entered the café.

"Not so you’d notice" I responded exaggeratedly tossing may hair like one of the old movie stars.

"Seriously, those doctors in A&E are usually lightning fast but yours was with you for ages. What did he say?"

"Absolutely nothing wrong with me" I answered. "Of course first he had to earn his salary so he questioned and probed me every which way but there was nothing to stop me leaving and no treatment other than he wants to see me at the hospital on the 3rd floor next Friday"

"Are you positive you aren’t pregnant" interjected Gwen "only my sister works on that floor and it’s the Gyne ward!"

At that moment Evan joined us at the table with his tray carrying a pie and chips and two extra coffees which he pushed across to Serena and I.

"I think you need that" he said to me. "I’ve never seen anyone the colour you were back at the tennis club"

"Thanks Evan, you’re a gentleman. I suppose having bought me a drink you are declaring me officially one of the girls". It was a throwaway comment just to divert the conversation away from Gwen’s revelation but the effect on Evan was priceless as his face flushed bright red.

"I heard that!" George, Andy and Gareth chose that moment to arrive from the counter with heavily laden trays. "And," George continued, "from the look on Evan’s face I’d say our new Venus has an admirer"

Now it was my turn to blush. Did I say ‘blush’because I can’t ever remember blushing before in my life!

"Stop it right there!" Serena at full bore is a sight to behold and any thoughts the boys might have had regarding a bit of boisterous banter shot out and away over the horizon like puppy dogs with their tails between their legs. "Let’s decide what we are going to do this evening"

"Whatever it is some shoes would be nice and as mine weren’t in the car I guess they are locked up for the night back in the changing rooms."

"See, I told you she was a girl!" exclaimed Martina. "Venus is only hours old and already looking for a chance to go shoe shopping."

"Maybe it’s all right for those with money to throw away on shoes" interrupted Andy, "but not going to the cinema tonight means I can now afford to see the band playing at the Uni tomorrow night. Who’s with me?"

Plans were argued back and forth as the boys ate their meals, the girls stole their chips and the bands playing throughout the city were cruelly dissected. The result was a forgone conclusion - Saturday night at the University Students Union was agreed while we’d do our own bits and pieces during the day.

“I’m calling it a day then,” Serena finally decided. “I never did get my shower and if we are going to be up all hours tomorrow I don’t want to be too late tonight.”

“I’ll be going with See.” I added needlessly as I was a regular passenger on days I couldn’t borrow a car.

“Fair enough” Gwen concluded. “but I’m pumping my sister about your Dr Edwards, Venus so I’ll phone when I have news”

The drive back was uneventful but as we parked outside Serena’s house I knew I wasn’t ready to be alone. “Chocolate chip ice cream over at my place?” I asked.

“Do squirrels eat nuts?” she replied and without delay we crossed the road to my place opposite.”

Opening the front door I could hear the sound of the television in the lounge but we went straight through to the kitchen and were almost in the middle of the room before realising that my mother, father, elder sister Litara, Aunt Sophie with her husband Jack were all sitting round the kitchen table looking at us…

“Oh,” I said.

“Oh indeed” replied my mother and gave me ‘The Look’.

Let me explain my mother, Joy Williams. Take one of those women like Hilary Clinton, used to getting their own way. Imagine her a first generation mixed-race woman with ambitious parents who expected the best from her and you’ve got my mother. One day the first World President will be a woman like my mother!

“What is this all about,” she asked pronouncing each syllable to a slow rhythm. “And where did those come from?” She added, her eyes encompassing my unfettered breasts.

My brain froze as I’d completely forgotten about my appearance over the course of the evening. Now Dai had disappeared, I don’t know where, and Venus was confronted by something completely beyond her experience.

“She’s just realised she’s a girl” butted in Serena like a knight on a white horse riding to my rescue, but sadly totally outgunned…

"What do you mean, ‘HE’S realised, HE’S a girl’?”