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Running Scared

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Chapter 7

Previously...

Just then, a mobile started ringing.

We both looked around. On the bedside cabinet, my burner phone was ringing and vibrating.

I stood up and went over to it.

The screen said, unknown caller.

‘Shall I answer it?’

‘Yes, there is only one person other than us who knows that number.’

With shaking hands, I picked the phone up and pressed the answer button.

‘Hello?’

‘Hi Jennifer, it’s me.’

‘DADDY!’

And now the story continues...

‘Hello darling, I haven’t much time. Are you all safe?’

‘Yes Daddy.’

‘Daddy, it’s a long time since you called me that. You now are Jennifer then?’

‘Always really. How are you Daddy, we’ve been so worried about you?’

‘I’m fine except I have a broken arm, rib and some cuts and bruises from the car crash. Did you know about that?’

‘Yes, it was all over the news. Daddy, we have gone into hiding, we’re with Claire and her daughter. We’re staying with…’

‘Don’t tell me Jennifer, if I don’t know then I can’t tell. I’m in a fairly safe place with loyal friends. Its all a bit of a mess, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. I may be out of touch for a while, but don’t worry and do everything that Claire tells you to do. Where’s Suzie?’

‘In her room, shall I go and get her?’

‘Yes, but be quick. Let me speak to Claire.’

‘OK, Daddy.’

I handed over the phone to Claire and rushed out to get my sister.

I knocked on her door. After a few seconds, she opened it and peered out. It looked like she had been crying.

‘Quick, Daddy’s on the phone. In my room.’

Her face lit up and we ran back to my room. Claire was deep in conversation but just said a quick goodbye to Daddy and then handed the phone over to Suzie.’

‘DADDY! Where are you what are you doing? When I are you coming home, what…’

Suzie went quiet for a moment.

‘Yes but….yes, but… when? Why? I miss you…. Yes, Jen is very pretty, much nicer than when she pretended to be a boy. Claire is brill. OK Daddy, here’s Jen.’

She passed the phone to me, looking happier than I had seen her in a long time and then, after giving a surprised Claire a hug, she left the room.

‘Jennifer?’

‘Yes Daddy?’

‘I have to go now but as I said before, don’t worry, things will work themselves out. Try to stay safe and not draw attention to yourself and the same goes for Suzie, you need to keep under the radar and not be seen by anyone who could do us harm. Can you do that for me?’

‘Yes Daddy. I have been so worried about you and it seems like we have been targeted. There were searches near the cottage and on the train to here…’

‘Don’t tell me anything more, I don’t trust even burner phones at the moment. I won’t be using this one again and when I next speak to you, I may even be out of the country. Anyway, I have to go now but let me have a word with Claire again. I love you honey. I think that you are a lovely girl and I know that your mum thought so too.’

‘B…bye Daddy.’

‘Bye sweetheart,’

I handed the phone over to Claire and then left them to it. I went back to my room and sat on my bed. I so missed my father but I was pleased that he was safe and that he appeared confident that he would be getting out of this horrid mess soon. I would do as he said and try to keep Suzie and me out of sight and out of trouble. How easy or hard that would be, I would no doubt find out.

That night, I lay in bed wondering what would happen to us. I was a born worrier and could imagine all sorts of nasty things happening to us from being caught by undesirables to being assassinated and everything in between.

To take my mind off of things, things that I didn’t really want to mull over, I marvelled at the fact that everyone was so accepting of my, shall we say, change of status. It was wonderful that I could dress as a girl. All the time, when I was pretending to be a boy, I was so unhappy that I couldn’t be seen to be as the person I really was, a girl. When I dressed in secret, I was constantly worried about being caught out. Then there was the frank envy and jealousy that I had for other girls who could dress as they liked. Girls could wear shirts, jeans and other boy style clothes but boys couldn’t. it was so unfair.

But it wasn’t all about the clothes, it never was. Boys shouldn’t show their feelings or cry or even show emotions when watching soppy (their words) films. Boys are expected to be tough and strong. Alright some girls are tough and strong and that’s fair enough, but I wasn’t one of them. I had always felt that I was a girlie-girl and I don’t care what anyone else thinks. That doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t defend those that I loved and that I wouldn’t make tough decisions when I had to, but that was out of necessity not choice.

Eventually, I grew tired and before I knew it I was asleep.

The next morning, I was awoken rudely by someone jumping on my bed.

‘Jen, wake up, its breakfast in half an hour and Auntie Dotty is strict about timekeeping or so Sarah says.’

I opened up a gummy eye and there she was, Suzie, looking perkier than I had seen her in a while, although I didn’t like the look of her eyes. She looked like she had been crying as they were all puffy.

‘Go away, I’m sleepy.’

‘Come on Jen, you don't want to get into Auntie’s bad books.’

She pulled off my covers, leaving me shivery as it wasn’t very warm in my room.

‘Alright alright, I’m getting up.’

With that, she shot off out the door as I threw a pillow at her and missed.

I wasn’t at my best in the mornings, as you would have gathered.

I got up and padded over to the bathroom, feeling decidedly chilly in my thin strappy nightie.

I had a quick shower, wearing a shower hat thingie as I didn’t want to have to dry my hair. At least the water was hot. I would have to ask someone about having a fire in my room. In the fireplace obviously dah!

Eventually, I was ready, wearing a nice white top and black skirt, looking every inch (I thought,) a nicely brought up and well-scrubbed girl. After walking what seemed to be endless corridors and countless flights of stairs, I entered the breakfast room to find everyone already there and Auntie looking very pointedly at her watch. I ignored her as I was at least thirty seconds from being late.

Anyway, I thought that it was fashionable for ladies to be late. Mind you, I was no lady, just a goil!

There were several waiter/waitress types milling about and we were served quietly and efficiently overlooked by the butler. I noticed that the others were saying nothing and I assumed that this was the custom.

We all tucked in to the food and after coffee, juice and other drinks were served and the plates were whisked away, we were left to ourselves.

We all looked at each other. I had a feeling that we were going to have a discussion about what we were going to do next…

‘Right,‘ said Auntie, ‘Claire, the floor is yours.’

I looked at her and I could see that she wasn’t keen on being the centre of attention.

‘Erm, right well, this is all between ourselves…’

‘And Jenkins, can’t do without him,’ said Auntie.

‘OK, including Jenkins then.’

‘JENKINS!’

We all jumped as Auntie shouted out.

‘She could get a second job as a foghorn,’ I thought in passing.

Jenkins must have been hovering outside and he came in quietly and efficiently as a good butler should.

‘Ma’am?’

‘You’re in on this Jenkins, drag up a pew and listen up,’ said Auntie pointing at a chair. ‘Now Claire, carry on. Won’t interrupt again.’

Jenkins sat down, looking slightly uncomfortable. I noticed that Fiffy had slinked or is that slunk in and had positioned herself by her mistresses chair. Autie scratched her ear absentmindedly and Fiffy went goggle-eyed with pleasure.

‘Right,’ said Claire, ‘where was I? oh yes. As I said we must keep all this to ourselves. I have spoken to Phillip and he agrees that our identities should be kept a secret from everyone and includes all Sarah’s friends.’

‘Oh poo!’ exclaimed Sarah.

‘Enough of that young Sarah. Do as yer told.’

‘Yes Mother.’

Auntie frowned and looked like she was about to say something to her wayward daughter but Claire continued hurriedly.

‘Anyway, ‘we don't know what the enemy, and that is what I call them, knows regarding where we are and what we are doing. We should be safe but we don't want to take any chances and so we trust no-one, agreed?’

I looked at everyone and they all nodded, almost in unison. I giggled for some reason, earning a look of disapproval from Auntie.

‘It's inevitable that you are going to be in contact with others here. This is an open house for many people. Stephanie and I know, obviously but Jennifer and Suzie are not. To make sure that there is no way that you can be connected to Phillip, you are both Dotty’s great-nieces…’

‘Yes, I've got loads of the little tykes, can’t keep up ter date with the numbers. So many birthday and Christmas presents to dish out, I’m surprised that I’m not a pauper.’

‘ Er, right,’ continued Claire, ‘we need to change your name Suzie temporarily until we know that you are safe. Everyone knows Jennifer as Jason, so that should be OK but from now on, you Suzie will be…erm, what name would you like?’

Suzie frowned a bit.

‘Amelia? I’ve always liked that name.’

Claire smiled. ‘Alright, Amelia it is. Everyone, say hello to Amelia.’

She blushed a deep red as everyone repeated her new name. I happened to know that Amelia was the name of her best friend in her nursery, who had moved away a few years back, so it was a nice way for Suzie…I mean Amelia to remember her by.

‘Hang on,’ said Sarah.

‘What now child,’ interrupted Auntie.

“Jennifer can’t be Jennifer, its too confusing.’

‘What do you mean?’ I ashed.

‘Well she would be confused with Jennifer Gotobed, she’s always here, there and everywhere and we can’t call her Jen 2 can we?’

Claire looked tired.

‘I forgot about her. Unless we lock you in your room, she and Pippa are bound to see you. ‘

‘Who is Pippa?’ I asked.

‘Jen’s sister.’

‘Oh. So I can’t be Jennifer then?’

‘You can, of course, after all, it’s your name,’ said Claire, ‘but maybe it would save confusion all round if you temporarily change it to something else. It’s up to you, no pressure.’

Auntie was delicately sipping tea from a delicate-looking bone china cup. As you can gather, it was all terribly delicate and she looked every inch the Lady of the Manor.

‘I could always call myself Dotty,’ I said.

The tea sprayed across half the room and I thought that Auntie was going to have a fit and choke, not necessarily in that order. Fifi went to hide under a table with her paws over her eyes and everyone and everything (apart from a sputtering Auntie Dotty) went quiet. Even a mole, quietly digging up the lawn outside, seemed to pause for a moment.

‘Oops!’ I thought.

Everyone tried to help Auntie, a bit like wasps around a honeypot, but she was having none of it.

‘Leave me alone blast yer! Its only tea not acid, it’ll wash orf.’

I wasn’t sent to the stocks down in the village for suggesting calling myself Dotty. It was only a joke after all.

Auntie only looked at me with a jaundiced eye and said, ‘stupid girl, almost as bad as Sarah.’

Once things had settled down again, I decided that I wanted to be called Emma, I don't know why, it just popped into my head and it sort of sounded right. Nobody laughed, so that was a good sign!

Later on, us kids were out in the garden just walking around and talking. It was a bit chilly, so we all had coats on. Steph was being wheeled about in a wheelchair that one of the servant types found in the attic. She seemed to like the idea of being pushed about, if you know what I mean. Also, she wasn’t clumping about on crutches, trying to keep up.

‘So Sarah, when are you back at school?’

‘End of next week when the new term starts.’

‘Is it a good school?’

‘The best that money can buy according to Mummy. At least its fairly local and I can come home at night and not be a boarder.’

‘Will we have to go to school here?’ Su…I mean Amelia asked.

‘I hope that this is sorted out quickly enough for us not have to worry about that.’

‘I hate school,’ said Steph.

‘Why?’ I asked.

She sighed.

‘I can’t seem to stop getting into trouble. Oh look.’

She pointed into the distance and I saw two girls on ponies in full riding gear coming up the drive. I wanted to go and hide behind a hedge or something…

‘Oh, it’s Pippa and Jennifer.’

I then realised why having the same name as the other girl would be a bit confusing. Anyway, I did like Emma, it was sort of classy, I might keep it.

The girls clip-clopped up to us.

‘Hi,’ said one of the girls.

‘Hi Jen, Pippa,’ said Sarah.

The one on the left, continued Sarah, ‘is Jen and the other kid is Pippa.’

‘I’m not a kid,’ said Pippa,

‘Yea, right. Anyway, I suppose you need to know that this is erm, Amelia and J…Emma. You know Steph.’

‘Hello Amelia, Jemma,’ said Jen.

‘Its Emma, I said, looking daggers at Sarah.

‘Oh, right,’ replied Jen, looking a bit confused. I wasn’t surprised, I was confused as hell.

The ponies were let loose and they started having a snack from the grass as we all carried on walking.

It turned out that Pippa and Jen’s dad, David, was the local vicar and his wife, Jocasta, was a pillar of the local community and the person everyone went to with their troubles.

Jen started to try and find out a bit more about us and it was very hard not to give ourselves away. I hate lying at the best of time and this was particularly hard. Luckily, Pippa said something derogatory (I think that’s the word) about Poppy, Jen’s pony and then they started having a go at each other.

‘Poppy is such a wimp, wouldn't go over that low gate on the other side of the orchard.’

‘Wimp, wimp! I have you know that poppy is worth two of Rosie. She can’t jump for toffee. She sees a fence and…and runs for the hills…’

I smiled as I watched the two of them arguing backwards and forwards. I could see that they would be interesting to be around.

‘Belt up, you two,’ said Sarah, ‘can’t you see that you are shocking Emma and Amelia?’

I wasn’t shocked, I was laughing, so was my sister. It was nice to see her a bit happier.

‘What’s with the wheelchair then Steph?’ asked Pippa.

‘Broke my leg in two places. You could hear the crack in the next county.’

‘Yuk,’ said Pippa.

As we walked or in the case of Steph, wheeled along, I glanced at the ponies, they were quite happy on the lawn and it looked like they weren't the sort to gallop off.

‘Coming down to the harbour later?’ asked Jen.

‘Yea, why not,’ said Sarah with Steph nodding her agreement, ‘ we can get a bag of chips or something and see what Samantha’s up to.’

I wasn’t sure about going anywhere where we could be seen.

‘I don’t know…’ I started to say.

‘Don’t be a spoilsport. Samantha is ace. She owns the gallery and next door, her partner Abby has the pottery. I want to ask Sam if we can go on a trip on her little boat. Its absolute ages since we've done that.’

‘I’ll ask Claire.’ I said, hoping that she might say no. I didn’t want to be seen as someone who spoilt things for everyone and if she said no, I would be off the hook. Anyway, little boats made me feel seasick and I couldn’t swim. That was excuse enough for me not to want to go.

I left the others and went back into the mansion, hall, palace, whatever. Not before I spoke to Amelia (it was hard to get used to that name after a lifetime of referring to her as Suzie).

‘Be careful what you say,’ I whispered in her ear.

She looked at me and nodded. At least she seemed to realise that we had to be very careful as to what we say to strangers.

I asked a few people milling about where Claire was. I was told that she was in the conservatory. Eventually, I found her. It would have been nice to have a map of the place. Locating rooms was, to say the least, a bit of a hassle!

Claire was sitting in a chair by the window reading a book. She looked up and smiled as I walked in.

‘Hi Emma,’

‘Who? Oh me, right yes, erm…’

‘You want a chat? Sit down then. She pointed at a seat opposite her and I sat.
‘Not like that Emma, sweep your skirt under you. You don't want the dreaded creases, do you?’

I stood up again and did the skirt sweep thing. So much to learn and never enough time!

‘Claire, we have just seen Pip and Jen and they want us to go and do things with them. What do you think?’

She looked out of the window and pondered a bit.

After a moment she nodded to herself and turned back to me.

‘One thing that you need to know is that you and your sister's presence here is almost certainly known to the vast majority of the village by now. It’s that type of place. That was why we had that meeting earlier. Emma and Amelia will be who everyone sees and not Jen and Suze. The staff here are very loyal and they would never give out your real names. Others won’t suspect anything. Dotty has a large family and loads of great-nieces and nephews, many of which like to visit, you will just be a couple more and won’t raise any suspicions. One of the reasons why I decided to bring you both down here is that you are a long way from where you live and also, as far as I am aware, that you have no family or acquaintances down here. So my answer is yes, I think that it’s a good idea for you to do things with the others and act like normal kids. If you hide yourselves away, things might be said. But if you act like normal, you won't have questions asked about you.’

‘So you think it's safe?’

‘Yes, I do, otherwise, I wouldn’t agree to it. Have you ever heard of the saying, hiding in plain sight?’

‘No.’

‘It means that if you… I mean… oh look, here’s an example,’

She thought for a moment.
‘A man robs a jewellers shop, OK?’

I nodded, wondering where all this was going.

‘After robbing the shop, he went outside and mingled with the crowds and then watched the police search in vain all the local alleys and roads for him. He had merged with the crowd and became one of them. He was hiding in plain sight, do you understand?’

‘So, what you’re saying is that if we act normally and be Emma and Amelia, none will suspect that we are Jen and Suze hiding from the authorities and anyone else who wants to find us?’

‘That’s it.’

There was a sort of weird logic to that. If we act suspiciously then we would be found out eventually, but if we act like there is nothing wrong then we wouldn’t draw attention to ourselves.

‘Sarah and the others want us to go down to the harbour. What do you think?’

‘Good idea, the sooner everyone sees Emma and Amelia, the better. Soon you will just another couple of the kids around here.’

‘Sarah wants to see someone called Sam.’

‘Oh, that’s Samantha, Abby’s partner, she’s nice.’

‘Sarah was saying that she had a little boat and she was keen to go on it for some reason.’

Claire smiled and then giggled for some reason.

‘What’s so funny?’

‘Nothing. It’s a good idea.’

‘I can’t swim?’

‘Don’t worry about that. I can guarantee that if you go on the boat, you’ll be safe. Anyway, you don’t want to be a spoilsport, do you?’

I shook my head.

‘OK, go and have fun then.’

So we made our way down to the harbour. We met several people on the way and I was disconcerted when the first person we met, a lady with a small girl in a pushchair, said, ‘Hello you lot. Nice to see you Emma and Amelia.’

It wasn’t a one-off.

As we continued on, a few other people, referred to my sister and me by our new names. I wondered what sort of place we were living in and whether anyone could actually have secrets here!

We arrived at the harbour; a harbour dominated by a huge yacht moored on the other side. It dwarfed every other boat and to be honest, looked more than a bit out of place.

The harbour itself was lovely. The noise of the boat rigging in the wind and the hustle and bustle of the place was great. It wasn’t that warm but the sea was calm and the sky was a deep blue. The harbour had beaches on either side with sand that was almost white. A few people were walking dogs and a couple of small children were playing in the sand with parents actually sitting on deck chairs. The kids appeared to be making sandcastles.

Beyond the beaches were some hills dotted with cottages and beyond that some low cliffs.

There were lots of people walking along the quayside looking at the shops. Others were sitting in the Copper Kettle Café or The Lobster Pot restaurant.

There were all sorts of smells wafting around including some coming from the fish and chip shop, making my mouth water and thinking that a bag of chips would be very nice at that moment.

I wondered if it was mainly locals walking around the harbour. It was difficult to tell who were holidaymakers and who actually lived there. I have a theory that you can always tell holidaymakers by the clothes they wore. You know, things that you wouldn't be seen dead wearing at home. But it's difficult to tell when everyone was wearing coats.

We went into the Copper Kettle and it was hot chocolates all round with the obligatory whipped cream and marshmallows. It was nice and warm in there. The tables were covered with white cloths and the silver cutlery gleamed in the bright light. It was all very traditional and what my mum would call quaint.

That made me think of my mum. I missed her more than anything at that moment. I wondered what she would think of me, sitting there sipping my drink and listening to the others laughing and chatting. We were a bit of a noisy crowd but no-one seemed to mind.

I wasn’t being clocked as far as I could tell and no-one in the café stood up and screamed ‘boy in a skirt!’ I considered that as a good sign for now and the future.

I was wearing a long black skirt, black tights and boots with a cream chunky knit sweater over a white camisole top, all given to me by Sarah who had grown out of them. I also wore a training bra with slight padding and matching white panties. I didn't have any girlie breasts yet (shame) and I hoped that when things settled down a bit, I could go to a doctor and start my transition rolling. I had no doubt that I wanted to go all the way and become the girl outside that matched the one I already was inside. I felt that Mum would approve and that made me feel happy or as happy as I could be in these strange times. I felt a warm feeling in my tummy that Daddy approved of what I was doing and I hoped so much we would be together again as a family.

Amelia looked happy now. I almost felt jealous that she had a body that gave her monthly periods, then I remembered how miserable and snappy she had been earlier and thought that perhaps I was the lucky one after all.

We finished off our drinks and then left the warmth of the café and walked along the quayside. The consensus was that we would have chips and maybe fish later but Sarah said that we should go and see if Samantha was in her gallery.

I had the job of pushing Stephanie’s wheelchair. She couldn’t use the crutches very well as Penmarris was all hills. I think that it was just an excuse though!

The gallery was at the end of the quay, next to the pottery shop owned by Abby. Samantha’s partner. We were just about to go into the gallery when there was a shout from behind.

‘Hey, you lot!’

I looked around and my heart went into my mouth as standing there, at least six foot tall in his stockinged feet and looking very menacing, was a policeman.

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Please leave comments and let me know if you want this to continue. I know that I haven't been as regular as I would like in posting this story, but I have had ongoing real life problems that I won't bore you with. Oh, and if you can, please do the kudo-thingie and maybe leave a comment as it's so nice to hear from you all...thanks! ~Sue