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Running Scared

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Chapter 12

Previously...

I screeched to a stop, the engine running.

My heart was in my mouth.

There, in front of us were no less than three police cars, a police van and an ambulance.

A couple of policemen had noticed us and came running over.

I wanted to turn the car around and get away, but there was no chance of that, as another police car came up behind us, effectively hemming us in.

Amelia started crying and I felt like it too. I didn’t trust the police in any way shape or form. After getting away from one set of villains, I had no doubt the police would take us away to God knows where and then hold on to us until Daddy came back.

The driver’s door was wrenched open…

And now the story continues...

‘Get out.’

I turned to a very frightened Amelia and said, ‘don’t tell them anything. I do not trust them.’

She nodded.

We got out of the car. You don’t argue with a policeman armed to the teeth.

Amelia rushed around and grabbed my hand.

‘Don’t you dare hurt us,’ she blurted out.

I would have shouted and maybe sworn a bit, but I was speechless and kind of numb. We had been caught and now we would have to face the consequences.

‘You drove this car?’

I nodded.

He looked at me as if I was mad.

‘You know that it’s against the law?’

I shrugged. I might be young, but I’m not stupid.

‘And what’s with these bullet holes?’

‘Well…’

‘Shut up,’ I said to Amelia. She had obviously forgotten about saying nothing.

‘Humph,’ she replied and went all sulky.

I didn’t want to say anything that might incriminate us or Daddy. They would want any excuse to put us away and I did not want to give them any ammunition.

‘I asked you a question.’

I just looked at him and shook my head.

‘That isn’t the attitude I like to see; it could get you into trouble.’

‘You bully,’ said Amelia.

‘Just doing my job little girl.’

‘I’m not a little girl!’

‘Whatever, just do as you are told or you’ll suffer for it. Now, come with me and no back-chat.’

We complied. I did fleetingly wonder if we could make a run for it, but the place was crawling with cops. We didn’t stand a chance. The two policemen standing beside us looked like they meant business. One of them was fingering his automatic weapon suggestively and I kind of knew that he would use it if necessary. Well, I wasn’t going to give him the opportunity.

Our shoes crunched on the gravel as we went across the drive and up to the mansion. I wondered where everyone was. I had hoped to be welcomed back as heroes or something but this was anything but the welcome I expected. After all, we had been through, we were out of the frying pan and into the fire.

I had naturally thought that we were to go into the mansion, but that wasn’t the case. We were taken around the side and over by the walled garden where there was a large police portacabin. We were led over and told to go in.

‘What’s going on?’ I asked.

‘Just go inside. No questions,’ said the policeman gruffly.

I had a distinct impression that he didn’t like us.

It was just like a mini police station with a small reception desk with a police sergeant at the counter. Behind there was a short corridor with rooms off to the side.

Before we knew it, we were sitting in one of the side rooms, with a policewoman guarding the door, no doubt so we wouldn’t make any attempts to escape.

She wouldn’t or couldn’t say anything about why we were there. This was like being treated as criminals and it wasn’t a very nice feeling.

We asked for and were given cups of tea to drink, together with a few plain biscuits, so that was something nice.

I suppose we were there for about half an hour before another policewoman came into the room and took me away.

I tried to protest and Amelia screamed and shouted, but to no avail. It made no difference and I left her crying and creating havoc as only she could.

I was led into a room across the corridor and asked to sit down behind a desk. I was still upset at our treatment and protested that we had done nothing wrong. The policewoman said nothing but looked a bit embarrassed. It was as if I was talking to a brick wall.

A few moments later a man in a suit came in and sat down.

‘I am Superintendent Hargreaves….’

‘Why are you keeping us here?’ I interrupted.

‘I’ll ask the questions Emma, or is it Jason?’

‘Emma.’

‘Hmm, you don’t look much like a boy. Trying to evade detection were you?’

‘What do you mean?’

He ignored my question.

‘Where is your father?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘When did you last see him?’

‘A while back, I can’t remember the exact date. Why?’

‘Why did you drive that car and why are there bullet holes in it?’

‘Am I under arrest?’

‘Possibly. You do know that it’s against the law to drive underage with no insurance or licence?’

‘We were getting away from some men who kidnapped us.’

‘What men?’

I had no need, in my opinion, to hide at least some of the facts from him.

I explained that we were kidnapped and taken to an old cottage and that we somehow escaped and took the car to get away from the baddies. I didn’t mention the fact that I had run over one of the men.

‘What did the men look like?’

‘They were wearing face coverings.’

‘So where is your father?’

And so it went on. He kept on returning to the whereabouts of Daddy.

After asking me to go over my story for the umpteenth time, I got fed up.

‘No more, either arrest me or let me go. I have a right to a solicitor, haven’t I?’

‘All in good time, now where is your father?’

I said nothing. I wasn’t going to play his game.

‘Look Jason, you are in big trouble…’

‘I’m Emma.’

‘Not according to your birth certificate, health and school records. Agreed, you look quite convincing as a girl, but we both know that you are really a boy and you are only dressed like that to evade capture.’

‘I have done nothing wrong and I am a girl and have always been a girl.’

‘So you say, but if that is the case, why are you not under a doctor for the condition?’

‘It’s not a condition or illness, it’s what I am and have always been. Why can’t you understand!

‘So, your father, where is he and when did you last see him?’

Tears were streaming down my face by now, but I said nothing.

He kept on and on asking me the same thing again and again but I did not speak again. I knew when to keep my mouth shut.

A policeman knocked on the door and came in. My interrogator looked annoyed at the interruption.

‘Yes, what is it?’

The policeman whispered in his ear and the superintendent suddenly went pale. I had heard that expression before but I had never seen it; his face was almost white. The policeman left in a hurry leaving Hargreaves strumming the desk and looking more than slightly worried. I wondered what the policeman had said to him. Whatever it was, it left the superintendent looking more than a bit flustered.

He got up and looked at me with contempt.

‘You are not helping yourself Jason. I will leave you to think about things.’

He went out followed by the policewoman, who looked a bit upset for some reason and then after a sickly-looking smile, she closed the door leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I did not doubt that he would now be giving Emma a grilling. I had seen enough crime programs to know that he would be asking her similar questions to the ones I had given. I just hoped that she would be able to hold her end up and not get too upset.

I hated it when he referred to me as a boy. I wasn’t a boy. Couldn’t he get that into his thick skull? Then I realised that it was probably a tactic to get me to open up and talk about my father. To be honest, I had no idea where he was and I couldn’t help him even if I was inclined to do so.

Suddenly I heard some shouting from outside, some stomping of feet and then the door burst open.

‘There ye are young Emma.’

‘Auntie Dotty!’

I got up and ran to her and was engulfed in an embrace. she smelt slightly of lavender and mothballs, but I didn’t care. A friendly face at last!

‘There, there, ye safe now. Amelia is outside, let’s get out o’ this.’

She held my hand firmly as we walked out. The policewoman was outside and she just winked, gave me a thumbs up and followed us. I had no idea where Hargreaves was and I was very pleased about that.

Outside I saw Amelia and she ran over and gave me and Auntie a hug.

‘Oh, Emma, this is a lark isn’t it?’

I thought that she was mad to say that, but she was a bit doolally as Daddy always said so I took no notice. I was only pleased to see her and to be away from that horrid policeman.

‘Let’s go into the house,’ said Auntie.

‘Are we free to go?’ I asked.

‘Of course. They should never have treated you as criminals. Heads will roll over this. By the way,’ she said, ‘this copper is young Fiona, daughter of me head gardener. Why she wanted to join the plod, God only knows, but there ye are.’

Fiona just grinned and shrugged.

Just then I saw a police car go down the drive and Hargreaves was in the back and seemed to be shouting at someone in the front of the car. He looked none too happy. I was glad to see him go as he wasn’t a very nice person.

He looked at me and I gave him a little wave and blew him a kiss. I don’t think that he appreciated it.

‘Where are the others?’ I asked looking around.

‘Safe, away from here. As soon as we realised that you were gorn…’

‘Gorn?’

‘Gorn, gorn away, kidnapped or whatever, plan B was put inter operation and the others were put somewhere safe in the village. We look after our own, ye know. Do yer know that half the village were out lookin’ fer yer? Anyway, enough of this idle chat, I need a cup of tea and a particular sticky bun that I’ve had my eye on this mornin’.’

We started going towards the mansion and looked up at the sudden sound of a helicopter in the distance. The noise got louder as it came ever nearer but I couldn’t see it. Then suddenly, it came up over the wood to the left, flying low and then landed on the lawn just thirty yards away from us. We felt the wind of the rotor blades, even at that distance and I had to hold down my skirt.

We had stopped and were looking in the direction of the chopper. Auntie was holding onto her long voluminous skirt with one hand and her hat with the other.

‘What the hell?’ She exclaimed.

A door opened on the chopper and a man jumped out. He had a helmet on and his arm was in a sling.

He ran over towards us, taking his flying helmet off.

Time stood still and it was as if everything was in slow motion.

I saw his face and my heart thumped.

Amelia and I ran towards him, forgetting everything else. I could have been shot at and I don’t think that I would have noticed at that point.

‘Daddy!’

We ran to him and were soon trying to hug him to death.

‘Careful,’ he laughed, ‘watch my arm.’

‘Ooh Daddy, are you hurt?’ asked Amelia.

‘Broken collarbone, nothing too serious. Have to pick my nose with my other hand now.’

‘Ooh gross!’ Amelia and I said together, laughing.

Daddy looked at me.

You look so lovely Emma, just lie your mum.’

I had a warm feeling in my tummy. I had worried that he might not accept me as Emma even though he had said that he would.

‘What about me?’ asked Amelia.

‘You always have been lovely, pumpkin.’

Amelia frowned and was going to say something about her pet name but Auntie was impatient.

‘Let’s get inside, you lot,’ said Auntie.

We clung to Daddy as we walked on. I don’t think that he minded too much!

Mr Jenkins the butler was standing by the huge double doors of the mansion.

‘Nice to see you all safe and well,’ he said smiling.

‘Enough of that nonsense Jenkins, get some tea organised for the breakfast room, pronto.’

‘Yes, Milady,’ he replied.

Soon we found ourselves in the breakfast room. I heard a huge WOOF and was pushed over by a rather excitable dog and was drooled over and licked in the face by a rasping tongue.

‘Fifi, desist!’

Suddenly, I was free from dog attack as Fifi went over to her mistress and sat at attention beside her. It looked like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth. This was a Jekyll and Hyde dog and I wasn’t sure which I preferred as I straightened my clothes and wiped the yucky ick off my face with a tissue.

I sat next to Daddy with Emma sitting on the other side of him. I think that we both felt that we didn’t want to be apart from our father again…ever.

‘Emma, your face. I don’t like the look of that bruise and split lip.’

‘One of the men who took us did it.’

‘I’d like to get him on his own for a few minutes. Fancy hitting a young defenceless girl. We’ll get a doctor to have a look at it as soon as possible.’

I went a bit squidgy at my Daddy calling me a young girl!

Mr Jenkins appeared as if by magic with another uniformed footman and a maid and they placed tea and cakes on the coffee table and left just as swiftly.

Auntie, unsurprisingly, took charge.

‘Right, shall we have tea. I’ll be Mum.’

I was dying to find out what had happened but had to go through the formalities that Auntie thought were necessary before we could settle down and discuss all that had happened.

‘Right,’ said Auntie after she had wiped her lips with a lace handkerchief, ‘let’s do a catch up of what has happened. Phillip, we will leave your part until afterwards as it’s the most complicated. Emma and Amelia, will yer tell us what happened to yer?’

I looked at Amelia.

‘You tell,’ she said, ‘I get mixed up.’

So, I told them all of our adventures that led up to Auntie bursting into that room in the portacabin.

‘My God, I don’t believe that I let you into so much danger,’ said Daddy.

‘You weren’t to know,’ said Amelia.

‘Blame those buggers – pardon my French – for causin’ all this trouble. Now I’ll tell yer what happened at this end.’

She paused to grab the last cream cake that everyone had left out of politeness, took a huge bite out of it and then, after a moments’ pause to wash it down with a sip of tea, continued.

‘Right, we wondered where you had got too when you didn’t get back in good time. I sent the kids down ter the harbour ter look for yer. You hadn’t answered yer phones but the reception here is bloody awful– pardon my French – so it was no surprise that we couldn’t contact yer. A few people were asked if they had seen yer, but it was as if yer had disappeared inter thin air. So we started a hunt. We looked on the beach in the caves and all places where we thought that you could gorn to. It was only then that we smelled a rat. Old Mrs Higgins, the one with the smelly cat that likes to climb up the backs of people, said that she swore that she saw a couple of girls’ bein’ bundled into a van. She thought nothin’ of it, silly woman, until Abby asked her.

‘Well, that was enough for me. I decided that we had ter get the police involved. Claire was against it, but we had no choice, even though we all had reservations about the police involvement regarding Phillip here. I spoke to young Hector the local plod and he said that he would have ter tell the higher-ups, he had no choice.’

‘In no time the place was infested with police and they set up an incident room in me grounds. Claire and Stephanie had disappeared by then. We thought that they might be targets from the same people who kidnapped you, so it was important to get them away ter safety. They have been staying up at Sam and Abby’s place with all those cats. Can’t abide cats, they give me the creeps. Give me a dog any day.’

Fifi looked up at Auntie and licked her hand. Auntie didn’t seem to notice.

‘Anyway, as soon as the police arrived, I realised that something wasn’t quite right. That superintended bloke, Henderson didn’t seem that worried that we had lost you two girls. Not much was happenin’ and I was getting slightly annoyed.’

‘Mummy was livid,’ said Sarah.

I hadn’t seen her creep in and Auntie gave her a look that would have melted steel.

‘No one invited you, you young rascal.’

‘I’m an interested party.’

‘What?’

‘Well, Emma and Amelia are my friends,’

She tried to look sincere and failed miserably.

‘Hmm, well keep quiet and don’t speak until you are spoken to.’

‘Yes Mummy.’

She smiled angelically and it was all that I could do to not giggle.

Auntie frowned and then shook her head. Sighing, she continued.

‘As I was sayin’, I was getting a bit annoyed at Henderson’s attitude. I could smell that something fishy was goin’ on. I went into my office and rang young Roger…’

‘Roger?’ queried Daddy.

‘Home Secretary, nice boy for a politician and doesn’t tell too many lies.’

She said politician as if it was some sort of disease.

‘Anyway, I told him what was happenin’ and he said that he would look into it asap, whatever that means…’

‘As soon as possible Mummy.’

‘Shut up idiot child. Anyway, about an hour later the Met Chief Constable rang. He told me a few things that I can’t discuss due ter national security and the fact that I’m under that Damn’ Official Secrets Act – I used ter do stuff for the government, and all that codswallop. Anyway, it appears that certain unnamed people were bein’ a bit naughty and were throwin’ spanners in the works, so ter speak and Phillip here got caught up in the crossfire…’

Daddy coughed suggestively and shook his head slightly. I wondered what all that was about? Auntie continued before I could think any more about it.

‘Right, yes, anyway, can’t discuss much but the long and short of it is certain people have been caught up in a conspiracy and have now been arrested. Your father is a free man and everything is hunky-dory.’

‘I’ll take over, shall I?’ said Daddy.

Auntie looked relieved and just nodded.

‘Right, like Dotty here, I can’t tell you everything because it’s all on a need to know basis and subject to OSA.’

‘OSA?’ I said.

‘Official Secrets Act stoopid,’ said a rather smug Sarah.

‘Sarah!’

‘Sorry Mummy.’

‘Anyway,’ continued Daddy with a slight smile, ‘I’ll start from when I dropped you off near the cottage. I was pleased to see that my tail was still on me and that they didn’t stop where I had dropped you off. It was quite a car chase and it was a good thing that I was in such a powerful car, as I was able to keep ahead of them until I was well away from the cottage’s location. Anyway, I got as far as Nettlesham and my luck ran out. I got stuck behind a tractor and my pursuers managed to get up behind me and tried to force me off the road. The front wheel of my car hit a pothole and a tyre blew. My car spun and their car hit me. They got off worse because their car ended upside down in a dyke. Unluckily, I broke my collar bone. I didn’t hang about, but I painfully grabbed my case and just made a run for it whilst they were incapacitated.

‘I hitched a lift from a lorry and that got me away and into the nearest town. I went to A&E, gave a false name and managed to get my collarbone strapped up. I called up a friend who luckily lived in the area and was someone whom I could trust and he helped me to hide away whilst I tried to sort out the mess.’

‘What was the mess?’ I asked. ‘You didn’t give us much information in your letter to us.’

Daddy thought for a moment.

‘I can’t talk much about what was going on in my department, but there was someone quite high up there who was a double agent and was trying to sabotage operations and doing a pretty good job of it.

‘I had managed to hack into this mans’ computer a few days before and had copied information that incriminated him, unfortunately, I stupidly left a trace on his computer that led to me. That was why I was being pursued by him and his accomplices, as they were aware of what I had done. The man had for some time been trying to discredit me as he knew that I was a danger to his operation. He managed to get the police involved and had cast me as a traitor using trumped-up charges.’

‘Who was this damn’ traitor?’ Asked Auntie, who had been dying to say something for some time.

‘I can’t say, as that’s sensitive information at the moment.’

‘He needs shooting with me twelve-bore.’

Daddy smiled.

‘I agree, but we have to go through legal channels. Anyway, to continue, before I left the office on my so-called holiday, I laid a trap for him. I gave him and no-one else certain false information for him to pass on to his paymasters. He took the bait and I have now been able to prove to the people who need to know that he was the leak. I had to go above my section head to the chief of the organisation I belong to and luckily, my story was believed, especially as I was able to provide him with the incriminating data I found on the mans’ computer.

‘I only found out about you girls being kidnapped this morning and with the help of Dotty and Claire, managed to get down here as soon as I could to help out where I could. It’s wonderful that you managed to escape, I have been worried out of my mind about you two.’

He put his good arm around Amelia and I cuddled in close to him. it was wonderful that he was back with us. I had been so worried about him. I think that there had been a lot of things that he couldn’t tell us about what had happened, but was just glad to have him back.

‘What about those men who kidnapped us?’ I asked.

‘They will be dealt with,’ replied Daddy in a flat voice that deterred any further questions.

I shuddered for some reason, but what did I care, they wanted to harm us and they deserved all that they would get. I would have liked the opportunity to do damage to his face like he did mine and then I wondered if that was a very girly thing to think of. Well, there are girl boxers, aren’t there?

Just then, we were interrupted by Claire and Stephanie coming into the room. Steph was using her crutches.

Daddy got up and he and Claire embraced.

‘Ooh yuck!’ exclaimed Stephanie, ‘not in public, you two. Someone get a bucket, I want to be sick!’

We all laughed. Things appeared to be getting back to normal, whatever that is.

So, that was our adventure. In a brief few weeks, life had, for me and my sister, changed out of all recognition. I had finally come out as a girl and everyone who mattered -except an old aunt who never wanted to see me again – now knew me as Emma. Amelia decided that she liked her old name better and reverted back to Suzie, but I liked Emma and have stuck with it.

Daddy was now clear of any danger from the police and the authorities. In fact, he has been commended for his work and is now the head of his section, whatever that is.

We had a lovely time at Christmas. We stayed at the mansion and had a great time surrounded by people we liked and trusted. It seemed like half the village had been invited to Christmas dinner and the large stateroom was packed out There were so many people that we were introduced to that seemed to know us, but we didn’t know them!

Weird.

I was in a party frock borrowed from Sarah. It was what is known as an LBD or little black dress for the uninitiated. I loved it. It was black, obviously, sheer three quarter sleeved and had a lace overlay skirt with a silk slip. It felt and looked wonderful. I wore makeup properly for the first time with Claire’s help and no-one would ever think that I was a boy and I liked that, very much!

Suzie looked pretty too and wore another one of Sarah’s dresses that she had outgrown. It was white and a bit too frilly for my taste, it even had a wide red ribbon tied up at the back. Strangely though, it suited her and I could tell that she thought that it was the bee's knees, especially as she was allowed to wear a little makeup.

Samantha and a very pregnant Abby together with their lovely little girl Heather came and were sitting at our table with Daddy, Claire, Auntie, and all us kids.

The tables were brightly decorated with Christmassy centrepieces, lit with candles. Every place setting had a Christmas cracker, a wine goblet and silver cutlery that gleamed in the candlelight.

The food was delicious (apart from the Brussel sprouts – yuk) and very filling. I didn’t much like turkey, so I had beef instead and it melted in my mouth. As was traditional, like others, I was full up after the first few courses and by the time the Christmas pudding came around, I was almost full to the brim.

There was one hysterical moment during that fateful meal when Fifi the Labradoodle managed to grab hold of a turkey leg and the sight of her being chased around the room by a pack of footmen was a site worth remembering. Auntie bet five pounds at 3 to 1 that her dog wouldn’t get caught and she won her bet as Fifi managed to get out through the French windows and was last seen heading for the hills.

It was as I struggled to eat the last bit of pudding, that there was a bit of drama. Abby suddenly went into labour after eating a large chunk of Christmas pudding and had to go to a side room helped by Doctor Marcia, Samantha and a few others, where, after a few muffled screams and the occasional naughty word, she promptly gave birth to a bouncing and rather vocal baby boy.

It didn’t help that Sarah said, just before the emergency, that Abby was eating pudding and in the pudding club at the same time and I think that remark pushed Abby over the edge!

According to reports, Mother and baby were doing well and Doctor Marcia said that she didn’t need to go to hospital as it was a straightforward birth without complications. Mother and son were taken upstairs to a bedroom for a bit of peace and quiet, joined by a proud and rather weepy Samantha. Of course, there had to be a celebration and some of the adults had a few too many drinks. Boringly, we weren’t allowed to wet the baby’s head with anything stronger than cola, so that was a bit of a downer. Not that I had ever drunk alcohol, but I was curious as any normal girl would be.

It had been a fun day and one that I would never forget.

It was very late when I got to bed that night (or was it morning?). We had had a great time. Auntie sure did know how to organise a party, or was that Mr Jenkins? Anyway, my head was buzzing and it took me a little while to get off. I was wearing a new silk nightie that I had got for Christmas and it felt delicious and girly.

The was a fire in the grate that crackled and gave off a warm light that danced on the ceiling. I was so happy that things were now going so well. It was obvious that Daddy and Claire were to be married, they kind of hinted it after the third or fourth glass of champagne. I was pretty sure that they would not be sleeping in separate beds that night and I realised that I didn’t mind one bit. I liked; dare I say loved Claire now and our family would be complete.

So, it looked like we were going to have a new mother and sister. I was sure that Mum would approve. She was full of love and understanding. I knew that Daddy loved mum, but he had found someone with whom he could share his life with and I so wanted him to be happy. I might even call Claire Mummy, you never know.

There was talk that we might move down to Penmarris. How that would work out with Daddy’s work commitments, I wasn’t sure, but I thought that it would be great if we did move down to this wonderful place. I would be seeing Doctor Marcia in the next few days about gender referral, and I sort of looked forward to it. I knew that I wanted to be a complete girl and had no illusions that it would be a hard journey, but one that I would take with the love and support of my now extended family…

There was a small knock on the door.

‘Come in.’

The door opened and there was Suzie, rubbing her eyes.

‘I can’t sleep.’

‘Get in with me then.’

The bed was a king-size one, so there was plenty of room.

‘Ooh, you have cold feet.’

‘Sorry.’

‘Why can’t you sleep?’

‘Don’t know, lots of things going on in my head. Are you happy about Daddy and Claire?’

‘Yes, you?’

‘Mmm, they look good together. Mum would like her.’

‘I think so too…’

There was a knock on the door.

‘Who’s that?’ asked Suzie.

‘I don’t know,’ I replied, ‘come in.’

The door opened and there was Stephanie.

‘Hi, I can’t sleep.’

‘Best come in then,’ I replied.

She stomped over, using her crutches and somehow got into bed. It was starting to get a bit crowded in there.

‘Why can’t you sleep Steph?’

‘Don’t know. Still stuffed from all that food earlier and I can’t stop thinking about Fifi and that turkey leg. Do you know that she was sick all over the kitchen floor afterwards? She’s in the doghouse now.’

‘Doghouse, ooh it’s cold outside,’ said Suzie worriedly.

‘Nah, her doghouse is a room by the kitchen. With a fire in it and her favourite dog bed. I wish I was her, she gets treated like royalty even when she’s been naughty…’

There was a knock on the door.

‘Come in,’ we all called.

The door opened and there was Sarah.

‘I can’t sleep.’

We all laughed as she was wearing Winnie-the-Pooh pyjamas and rabbit-shaped slippers.

‘Well,’ she said huffily as she joined us in bed, ‘they’re comfortable and warm in this draughty old place. Shove over Emma, you’re taking up most of the bed.’

‘Flaming cheek, this is my bed.’

‘Technically as the daughter of the house, it's more mine than yours. You are only borrowing it.’

‘Whatever,’ I said yawning. I was too tired to argue.

All I wanted was to go to sleep, but the girls had other ideas. Then I heard a noise from outside.

There was a tap-tap noise on the door.

‘Oh no, who can this be?’ I groaned, ‘come in.’

The tapping continued and after another louder, ‘come in.’ and no response I got up and went to the door as no one else was inclined to volunteer.

I opened it and a huge furry lump rushed by me and landed on the bed. There were a few screams and shouts and there she was on the bed, looking like she belonged there.

‘Fifi, I thought that you were in your doghouse?’ I said, climbing back into the already overcrowded bed.

She said nothing but just lay down, sighed and promptly went to sleep, drooling on the bedcovers.

Everyone complained about the lack of room but none of them decided to go back to their own bed!

After we had finally all settled down again, We spoke about the day we had just had and there was a lot of giggling and laughing for a while. Gradually though, one after the other, my friends and sister dropped off. I was the last to go to sleep to the sound of Fifi gently snoring and wondering what the new day would bring.

For the first time in quite a while, I slept peacefully, without any nasty dreams and very much looking forward to the future. A future as a girl called Emma.

After all, tomorrow is another day.

I couldn’t wait.

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If you can, please do the kudo-thingie...many thanks and hugs! ~Sue