Nineteen and the day after.

©Copyright to Beverly Guinevere Taff.

List of Characters.

Terry Harrington. Fugitive boy marked for compulsory transitioning.

Samantha, (Sam) First transitioned kid Terry meets on the streets.

Theodora (Dora) leader of the transitioned kid gang.

Jessica. (Jessie) The only neo-natal girl in Dora’s gang.

Charlie Member of the transitioned gang.

Jan Another member of the transitioned gang.

Ron Café owner who lost his daughter to egg-
snatchers.

Doctor McTavish. Female paediatrician

Doctor Cummins Consultant Paediatrician

Part 6

“You have to gently insert your fingers between her lips to get her to let go darling.”

The midwife advised with a gentle smile.

“How do I do that with the other still sucking?” Jessica wondered despairingly.
“If I reach across I’ll drop her.”

“You’re sitting up in bed darling. Just lean slightly to her side so she’s leaning
against the pillow then reach your left hand around her and just push your finger into the other one’s mouth.”

Jessica cautiously started to lean and her left hand daughter conveniently slid down the crook of her elbow and settled there while Jessica managed to ease her left hand free and just reach her right breast.

“Ah! Got it. I’ll not try that again, leastways not unless I’m on the bed.”

“You’ve done very well Jessie. I’m proud of you and you’ve seemingly got plenty of milk. I’ve just got to go and write up my notes, this is one hell of an occasion. Are you excited?”

“No! Frankly, I’m bloody scared. I’m wondering who’s going to walk through that door next- and why!”

“They’ll have to get past me and Doctor McTavish first. You’re still our responsibility.
Having spent nearly a year and a half hiding out with her street gang, terrified that her eggs would be snatched at a moment’s notice if the authorities caught her, Jessica was still having grave doubts about being able to keep her babies. She had been transferred from the delivery room to a private ward because of the momentous events but she still had no private lavatory.

As the midwife busied herself with the notes Jessica called;

“I need to wee, where’s the loo?”

“Down the corridor just two doors down, next to Doctor McTavish’s office.”

“Thanks, please make sure my girls are okay while I go. I don’t want people gawking at them or worse taking them away for tests without my being there.”

“I’ve told you Jessie, nobody’s taking anybody anywhere until you’re good and ready. Doctor McTavish and I have been reading your ante-natal notes and we understand your fears. It’s a horror story!”

“Yeah – well; I’m glad somebody understands. Things are a bit different now but it could be worse. They still might want to take the girls.”

“Go and have a wee girl! I’ll explain the situation when you come back!”

Jessica slipped out of her room and walked past both the loo and Doctor McTavish’s room to find a surgical storeroom. Quickly she slipped inside and located an instrument trolly but it was locked. Fearfully, she sneaked into Doctor McTavish’s room and found a bunch of keys in the top drawer of her desk.

Her days with the street gangs had taught her enough to be bold and quick when stealing anything and surgical instrument trolleys were no exception. It took but a moment and Jessica had a surgical scalpel from the trolly and she had returned the keys.

After completing her needs, she returned to her hospital bed and hid the scalpel under her pillow.

Having successfully fed both girls and savoured a delicious cup of tea and some biscuits, Jessica did as the midwife suggested and took a nap. She needed it.

ooo000ooo

It was the commotion in the corridor that woke her and she turned to look over her shoulder at the door to see several doctors in white coats arguing with the midwife.

“She’s nowhere near ready yet! Apart from still recovering from the delivery, she is emotionally drained and not ready to deal with all the other issues. Might I suggest you come back later, preferably with some news about the father.”

“There’s no news about him but we’re searching.”
“Who is searching?” Jessica demanded as she came out of her sleep.

“The leading ‘white coat’ turned and approached her bed.

“The police of course, who else!”

“Doctor McTavish said no police!. He detests the police - and the egg snatchers.”

“Listen young lady. You can’t dictate any terms here, have these babies been properly examined yet?”

His hectoring, overbearing attitude plus his approach toward the crib where both babies were sleeping peacefully immediate triggered Jessica’s defence reflexes. Her hand had already slipped under the pillow and found the scalpel. As the doctor made a move to wheel the crib away, Jessica’s hand lashed out and cut deeply into the back of the man’s hand.

“Oow! Dammit, the little bitch has cut me! Get security in here!”

“Fuck your security, just find my Terry and reassure him about the surgery!”

“Don’t be stupid young lady! Of course there’s to be no surgery!”

“He can’t be sure of that! You’re bound to want to run a whole bloody battery of tests. Tests he doesn’t want and doesn’t need.”

By now security had arrived but the doctor had enough wit to realise now what sort of bargaining chip the young mother had. Without the father, the whole development was going nowhere. The girl was the key to finding the boy and his vital X chromosomes but she had just demonstrated quite forcefully that she was a very determined, but frightened girl. Strong-arm tactics were obviously not going to work so he changed tack and stepped well away from the crib while his hand was attended to. Then he tried ushering everybody out of the room.

“The midwife stays!” Jessica demanded. “She’s the only one I trust, oh and get Doctor McTavish!”

“She’s off duty Jessie,” the midwife explained, “I’ll be going at six as well. I’ve had a long shift Jessica and your twins will soon be setting the world alight. As well you know I’ve been on duty since six this morning! Now to say the least, this has been an exceptional shift and you’ve seen me working here non-stop! I’m tired as well and I’ve got a family of my own to see to when I get home.”

“Well we’ll have to sort something out by six this evening then, I don’t trust anybody else.”

“Why can you not trust me?” The injured doctor asked in as soft and reassuring tone as he could.”

It seemed as if he had somehow relearned his early bedside manner from his houseman days.

“You’ll have to prove it. If you want to make sure my daughters are healthy then only you, Sarah the midwife and I plus the girls go down to the CAT scanner. NOW!”

“That’s all I came for in the first place Jessica. Believe me, we only want to be sure that your daughters are healthy.”

“And if they are, then what?”.

“Well – I; I suppose we bring you back here. Let you get some rest and see how things have developed in the morning.”

“That ‘ll work. We’ll see if Terry’s been in touch.”

“How?”

“We’ve got our ways. How’d ‘you think we’ve avoided the egg snatchers all this time?”

“There’s one thing I Can assure you Jessica. Nobody but nobody wants any harm to come to Terry.”

“I realise that, that’s obvious, well harm to his testicles anyway. What about the rest, his freedom, his sanity, his future.?”

“I’m a doctor Miss Harrington, not a clairvoyant.”

“Maybe not, but I still want answers, cos’ he’ll want answers.”

“I can’t give you them. Well not yet, not honest ones anyway and I’ve learned one thing with you young lady.”

“What’s that?”

“Lying to you isn’t going to work.”

“Yeah, make that a promise.”

“I’ll make that a promise if you’ll do one thing for me.”

“What’s that?”

“Give me that scalpel and promise me you won’t attack anybody again.”

“I’ll give the scalpel but I can’t promise I won’t hit out again if somebody lies to me. I’m sick of the lies and all this egg-snatcher shit.”

“If these cat scans prove your daughters are healthy little girls, then the egg-snatchers; as you call them, will definitely be a thing of the past. Come on then, let’s go down to the CAT-scanner.

Jessica and Sarah, the only midwife she could trust, carried the new-borns in their arms as they followed the doctor to the technology suite. As they processed along the maze of corridors it was obvious to Jessica that the word was out. Heads appeared in doorways as if by magic while eyes and whispers followed them at every turn. Eventually they arrived at the tech suite and a pair of technicians greeted them as they craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the wonder-babies.

“You’ll get all the images you’ll ever want,” Jessica snapped irritably for she was disappointed that the news had escaped so quickly.

‘So much for medical confidentiality!’ she thought as they laid her daughters in a pair of special shaped cradles.

“We can’t tell babies to be still but these special cradles help to immobilise them through the scanner,” the older technician explained.

“I see,” Jessica thanked her, “they look like torture racks.”

The girl smiled as they started the first scan then explained.

“After the CAT Scanner we’ll put them through the MRI. It’s perfectly safe, no radiation.”

Even as Jessica stood watching the scanners, the consultant was engrossed in the screen. Occasionally he looked up and smiled reassuringly. Jessica found herself taking to him. Finally the process was over and several print-outs were made of each baby.

“So I can keep some for myself,” Jessica observed hopefully.

“Of course, we can reproduce as many of these as we need.”

“What’s your name by the way? Jessica asked, “I can’t keep just shouting doctor, half the heads around here would turn.”

“Doctor Cummins, Brendon Cummins. And might I ask what your daughter’s name are?”

Jessica did a double take. She and Terry had never once considered the idea of girls names.

‘Why would we?’ She asked herself as she hesitated with embarrassment.

“I, uuhm we, that is Terry and I, have never discussed girls names. You know uuuhm!”

“Of course, stupid of me to ask. You don’t have to register them for a month anyway.”

“Terry might be gone for more than a month if he can’t get his head around this.”

“Well what boy’s names had you planned?”

“Well – we were thinking of naming one each after our fathers, their grandfathers but that’s a bit of a no-no now.”

“Well there’s one excellent option that that idea leaves you and that’s to name them after your mothers.”

Jessica hesitated then nodded slowly.
“That could work, but I’d still prefer to consult Terry, or the names I choose will forever remind him of this mess.”

“It’s hardly a mess Jessica, it’s a happy event, an astounding event no less. And the whole world will be happier for it.”

“D’ you reckon?” Jessica frowned. “D’ you reckon all the black mums and brown mums and yellow mums, not to mention a hundred other races, will appreciate only being able to have half white babies?”

“Maybe not, but at least all the girls, no matter what colour they are, will know that they are half-sisters - for the first generation anyway.” Sarah added.

“Ha!” Guffawed Doctor Cummins. “It ‘ll give a new meaning to the phrase ‘Family of man’. Oh and from my preliminary observations, these scans show that your daughters appear to have all the correct equipment inside. Congratulations young lady! You appear to have twin healthy daughters.”

“Thank you.”

“My pleasure, my very great pleasure and more importantly, THANK YOU!”

“Huh. It’s my Terry you should be thanking.”

“Believe me Jessica, when he shows up, I will.”

“You and seven thousand million others!” Sarah chuckled along with the technicians who had now realised who their patients were. The news was travelling fast.

As they returned to Jessica’s private ward, hospital staff were now openly stepping up and congratulating them. When they finally reached what had now become Jessica’s sanctuary, she was nervous.

“This could get out of hand, especially for Terry.” She told Sarah.

“You’d better keep a tight hold of your phone if you want to keep your contact details a secret.” Sarah cautioned.

“It’s encrypted.” Jessica replied. “One of the first things we did when I became pregnant.”

“How did you do that if you were living on the streets?”

“I wasn’t when we became parents. I’d found a place off the street before we decided to get me pregnant to protect both me and Terry.”

“Will you be going back to that place?” Doctor Cummins asked. “If you need a safe private place, the authorities will obviously provide one. You will probably need protection; well your partner will. There are bound to be nutters about with any one of a thousand crazy notions about your partner and your babies.”

“I’m not sure what I’ll do Doctor. At the moment my girls are safe – I hope! It’s Terry I’m worried about.”

“Well, I suggest you get some food and then get some sleep.”

Jessica took his advice and Sarah sat with her for company until six. During that time, a television was provided and after Sarah finished her shift, Jessica was left to her own devices. Soon she was fast asleep but not before locking her door to her private ward.

She woke again at ten to the sound of her phone vibrating silently inside her nursing bra. Fortunately, the phone was not registered to her name for Ron had bought it and registered it to his café business.

When he had come earlier that morning with Terry, he had not declared his name to anybody because the situation had been normal up until the baby’s genders had had been revealed. Only Tom and Terry knew Jessica’s phone number.

When it rang, Jessica remained under the bed clothes and cautiously whispered.

“Hiya. No names no pack-drill okay.”

“Gotcha mummy,” Ron replied as he chose his words carefully. “How are they.”

“Fine at the moment. I suppose they’ll be wanting a feed soon.”

“Well don’t hesitate to ask for help. Is that nice midwife still there?”

“No she’s gone home, she’s back on at two tomorrow afternoon.”

“Okay. Everything’s safe at home. I’ll see you tomorrow morning with more family news. Is there anybody else you want to tell?”

“Yeah. My mum and Dad. It wasn’t their fault I felt I had to leave. Oh when you come by, I’ll give you a list of my street friends and where they’re living. The news is out now that girls have been born, so I’ll just have to brazen it out.”

“Okay. See you tomorrow then, I’ll be there around noon time, hopefully with your mum and dad. Bye Babe’s.”

“Bye darling, and thanks for everything.”

Relieved that she had got communication, Jessica fed the twins then settled down for the night.

ooo000ooo

At six the following morning Jessica found herself once again feeding her precious jewels until an urgent knock alerted her that she had forgotten to unlock her door.

An unknown nurse stood in the doorway asking.

“Why did you lock the door?”

“Who are you?” Replied Jessica.

“I’m the duty nurse delegated to look after you. Here is my phone, video Sarah. She’ll vouch for me.”

Jessica did exactly that and on confirmation, she let the young nurse in.

“I want to finish feeding my girls is that okay?”

“Certainly, I’m posted to attend to you all day. Sarah recommended me to the matron.”

Jessica relaxed slightly and smiled as she sighed.

“I don’t know who to trust, sorry if I seemed a bit surly.”

“That’s okay, Can I start by changing all the linen. You’ve had a few leakages during the night.”

“Yes, I’m a learner. You’re unusual, have they stripped you of your eggs already.”

The girls face clouded momentarily as her lip wobbled.

“I’m a transitioner. Next month they’re taking me to be impregnated.”

“Did you want to be changed?”

“Not really. There’s no choice is there; well not until you – and these two little beauties turned up. Too late for me though and that’s a bit of a shitter.”

“Sorry,” Jessica replied – and meant it.

As they chatted, an auxiliary wheeled Jessica’s breakfast in so the young nurse and Jessica chatted while Jessica ate.

“I’ve been told you can order more if you want.”

“No, I’m fine with this, but thanks anyway. I’m expecting visitors this morning. He’s a good friend who looked after me during the pregnancy. He’s not the daddy but he’s been like a dad to me.”

“Okay, I’ll look out for him, what’s his name?”

“I’m not saying just yet. We’ll chat by video first then you can go and collect him. I presume there’s already a security ring around this block.”

“Just take a look. Go to the window at the bottom of the corridor.”

On doing so, Jessica was dismayed to see several pairs of armed guards casually patrolling the grounds and entrances below.

“Are they expecting trouble?”

“We don’t know what to expect Jessie.”

“She span around as she recognised Doctor Mc Tavish.

“Oh Hello. I see the news got out then.”
“Yes, I’m annoyed about that.”

“When I entered the electronic records into the hospital data base, some idiot told their friend and that was it; world news.”

“I would have thought there would be hordes of press by now.”

“There are, we’re just keeping them at bay. We’re using the very real danger of possible foreign intervention.. They think we’ve got the father here as well and we haven’t disillusioned them. It means nobody but us are out there looking for him.”

Dr McTavish turned sharply to the young nurse.

“If anybody asks have you seen the father just pretend that you may have seen him in one of the side wards. It’s not a lie but it’ll keep them off your back.”

When they returned to Jessica’s room she was checking over the girls when her phone went off in her bra again.

“Hiya. ---- Yes I think so.”

She turned to Dr McTavish and told her.

“My friend who nursed me during the pregnancy and gave me a place to stay has come to see me and he’s brought one of my street friends, can I see them, pleeease !”

“Suppose so, he might even know where Terry is.”

“That’s a thought,” Jessica concurred.

“I’ll go and collect them.” Dr McTavish offered.

“Thanks.”

ooo000ooo

The doctor returned to find the consultant, Brendon Cummins chatting to Jessica while he and the young nurse were taking blood samples of both girls. Jessica looked up to smile at Ron but just managed to hide her surprise, she did not recognise the girl accompanying him.

“Hiya Ron, any news of Terry.”

I haven’t heard anything, this is Jane, another girl who joined your gang just as you came in. I’m sorting out accommodation for her.

Jessica smiled to hide her confusion until the girl gently pushed her forefinger between her lips and cupped her elbow in a manner that Jessica instantly recognised. It was a habit of Terry’s that had endeared him to her. Finally she recognised the pretty young girl as Terry! Her heart flipped as she struggled to keep her composure but what amazed her more was Ron’s phlegmatic, relaxed posture as he leant over the cot to admire the girls. When he stood up again he immediately realised that Jessica had recognised Terry and he smiled knowingly. Then with that impish, provocative sense of humour for which Jessica and Terry loved him, he picked up one of the babies and pressed her into Terry’s arms.

“There you are babe’s just think, before long you’ll be able to have a little girl, just like this one; or even two!”

“Oh leave off darling! Stoppit!”

Terry chided him humorously as Jessica struggled not to burst out laughing.

“I’ve got to go for a wee! Sorry!”

With that, Jessica dashed down the corridor into a stall and simply collapsed laughing on the lavatory.

“What was all that about?” Dr Cummins wondered as he turned to Ron.”

“I dunno doctor, she just said she had a call of nature.”

“I’ll go and check,” Dr McTavish offered as she went to follow.”

“Hello-oo. Are you okay Jessica?”

“What, oh, yes. Never better. Bladder control is just fine.”

She flushed the lavatory and emerged to wash her hands as Dr McTavish watched.

“You seemed a bit flushed just now. Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Never better. I’d like to talk to Ron alone is that alright.”

“Will it help us to find Terry?”

“That’s what I hope to find out, but if there’s confidential stuff, well I need to sort it with Ron first.”

“Very well, go and speak to him.”

She returned to her room where Ron was nursing one baby and the trans vested Terry was still holding the first one. Dr McTavish followed her in and ordered all the medical staff out. Dr Cummins looked askance but realised at a glance that something was afoot so he followed his medical colleagues out. Jessica closed the door and burst into another fit of giggles!

“You crazy bastards!” She gasped as she recovered her composure. “What sort of stunt is this?”

“It’s a disguise Jessie,” Ron explained, “and it even fooled you!”

“Of course it did, bloody hell Terry! You’re good.”

“As you always said, there was an effeminacy about me.” Terry grinned as he reached into his hand-bag. “Here, give this to those two numpties after I’m gone.”

She held the phyle and grinned. “Is this it?”

“It’s enough isn’t it?” Enough to get the ball rolling.”

“You’re a bloody star oh partner of mine. Let me give you a kiss.”

She reached around Terry’s shoulders and hugged him ecstatically. Reluctantly, Terry eventually extricated himself from her embrace and explained.

“We’ve got to go. Don’t want to push our luck. Next time, hopefully, it’ll be in better circumstances. Look after them.”

Just as Terry put his hand on the door to leave, Jessica suddenly remembered.

“Shit! I almost forgot. Names girl, names! What do you want to call them?”

He paused for a moment then smiled. Same as were going to name them had they been boys. After our mums instead of our dads. You might as well invite them to see the little beauties as well. It wasn’t their fault that both of us took to the streets”

Jessica stepped forward tearfully.

“That’s exactly what I said. Go on, take care and next time just send Ron.”

“Next time love, it’ll be to collect you and take you home, wherever that is going to be.”

After they left, the medical team returned and preparations were made to go down the labs. Now reassured of the doctors humanitarianism, Jessica was at lease prepared to trust them that far.

An hour later, back in her ward as Dr McTavish was doing her final checks for the day Jessica casually produced the phyle of sperm.

“What’s this?”

“You’re a doctor, what does it look like?” Jessica grinned hugely.

“What! It’s his!?”

“Jessica nodded.” Take it down to the fertility lab and see for yourself.”

“You’re coming with me. If it is his, you can see what the lab does.”

“Lead on Mac Duff. Or is that McTavish!”

“Behave young lady. Lab, NOW! Bring the babies nurse.”

Dr McTavish almost sprinted to the fertility clinic forcing Jessica to puff a little as she was still recovering from the birth. The lab doors were burst open and she almost danced up to the desk.

“Check this NOW! Both sperms, male and female.”

Curious about the fuss, the lab director came over.

“News?”

“You bet it’s news! Go on, check it!”

Even as they turned to view the results, the lab technician was preparing a slide. With well-practiced ease, he had the image ready in minutes. As it appeared hugely magnified the technician let out a little gasp.

“It looks like both and lively little buggers as well. Excellent motility. I’m going to run some more tests but this stuff is only about two hours old. Where did you get it.”

Dr McTavish turned inquisitively to Jessica.

“Well! Explain; two hours old!”

“He gave it to me just now after I came back from the loo.”

“When?”

“In my room when we were chatting. You actually stood beside him earlier. “

“What! The old man?”

“No. The extremely pretty young girl he brought with him.”

“Bloody hell! That was Terry?”

“Or Terri as he prefers.”

“Oh no! Don’t tell me he’s transsexual!”

“No! He’s a transvestite! - I think!

ooo000ooo