Drew Goes South Chapter 4 by Angharad Copyright© 2022 Angharad

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(title picture Andrea Piacquadio)

The sun was shining through a chink in the curtains, right on to Drew's face. He woke; looking at the clock he saw it was only half-past five. He'd spent a troubled night, worrying about the dance and Maddy's observation that Harry fancied him. Well, Harry actually fancied Gaby, unaware of the truth of the matter.

Normally, Drew would just turn over and return to his normal comatose state at that hour, but today he decided that he needed to mull things over, and he did that best on a bicycle. Using the shorts he'd borrowed from Maddy yesterday, and the same top, but using a sweater he'd actually remembered to pack of his own, he dressed and slipped downstairs.

He let himself out and taking the hire bike from the garage, rode off after putting on his helmet. He'd had enough accidents and near misses to know how essential they are even for short journeys.

He had no idea where to go but just went off along some lanes. He found himself skirting around Dorchester on its by-pass. There was lots of traffic here, especially the larger variety and he'd wished he'd planned a route. He had no identifiers on him either, so if he had an accident, life could be difficult especially for Carol, who wouldn't know where he was.

The by-pass was punctuated by roundabouts, and although this brought its own danger, it at least enabled him to get off the major road system and back on the lanes. He reckoned he'd been riding for about twenty minutes and without his computer wasn't sure what sort of speed or distance he'd covered.

Blessed with a reasonable sense of direction, he was able to head back towards the village where they were staying. In doing so he found a good hill to attack and flew at it. By the time he got over it, he was sweating and his lungs and heart were working flat out, but it felt good. He was alive and in full working order again.

He eased off as he came back into the village and back to the cottage. It was only half-past six, and he hadn't entirely resolved his dilemma. He had to tell Maddy that he wasn't going to the dance, nor was he going to play a girl any longer. If that freaked everybody out, that was too bad.

He decided some breakfast would help his cause, so he put the kettle on for a cuppa and made himself some cereal. It was cornflakes today, but that would do. If necessary, he could always have some toast as well.

He was just about finished eating, waiting for the tea to brew when a voice behind him made him jump. “Hi Gabs, I wondered where you'd gone.”

“I went for a ride, it looked a nice morning.”

“Did you enjoy it?”

“Was okay, prefer my own bike and knowing the roads a bit better, but it was okay.”

Life is what happens in between our plans, and Drew's plans were about to be challenged. “Is there enough tea for me too?”

“Should be,” he said as he poured two mugs.

“Give me a hug, Gabs.”

He was about to argue about his identity when he got ‘Maddied'. This was essentially being wrapped up in a monster hug, followed by a kiss that separated his body from his mind. He shot straight up into the stratosphere flew about in the jet stream for a moment before plunging back down to earth.

“I love you, Gaby girl,” whispered Maddy as she kissed him again.

“I love you too,” he managed to get out before she kissed him again.

“Will you wear the blue skirt today, and I'll wear my denim one, so we'll kind of match.”

“Sure,” he said before his brain caught up with his mouth. “Shit,” was what it said, but to himself.

“I know what I want us to wear to the disco tonight,” said an excited Maddy.

“What?” he said, feeling his resolve sinking through the quicksand upon which he seemed to have built it.

“You'll have to wait and see, but it'll be worth it,” she flirted with him.

Now he felt a bit crestfallen, but he did what he always did in these situations, grinned and bore it. Life was like that, a blessed nuisance.

They made Carol a coffee and some toast and took it up to her.

“Maddy's up to something,” was her reaction. It was now nearly eight and Drew managed to get into the shower first. Well, he'd won a small victory there.

Alas, he didn't hear the doorbell, nor Maddy accept the parcel from the postman, so when he stepped out of the bathroom, with just a towel around his waist, he was the perfect target for two freshly glued breast forms.

He started to protest, but it was too late. He felt the coolness on his warm body and Maddy smiled, “That looks a bit more like my Gabs.” Then she smothered him in another of her knee-trembling kisses.

The breast forms felt cool and alien, but he was unable to concentrate on that part of his body. With Maddy's kisses another was becoming aroused, and it was not very comfortable. In fact, it hurt.

He detached himself from his amorous cousin, and rushed back into the bathroom, “Sorry need a wee.”

“You all right, Gabs?”

“Yeah,” he called back, while he wrapped a cold wet flannel around his painful manhood. He had difficulty in seeing what he was doing with the mounds now hanging from his chest. “Bloody things, why couldn't she wait for a moment.” He muttered to himself. The pain eased as the tumescence decreased. There was nothing to see, well as far as he could see, and passing urine wasn't a problem. There was no blood. So what had happened?

Basically, as long as he didn't get aroused, things were fine. Moving the towel to a more girlish position, he came out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. Maddy was busy looking through the package.

“What you looking for?”

“It doesn't appear to be here, so it looks as if she hasn't sent any.”

“Any what?”

“The solvent for your boobs.”

“You are joking.”

“No,” said an embarrassed Maddy.

“So how am I supposed to get out of these?” Drew pointed at his chest.

“I don't know. We'll have to get some.”

“Where? There's nowhere here likely to sell it.”

“Well, I'll ask Jules to send some down.”

“Just when I think I'm free of Gaby, she bulldozes through my life again.”

“You get dressed, I'll call Jules.”

Naturally, the bras fitted better, so did the top, hinting at a bit of cleavage but not exposing too much. The skirt of course fitted well anyway. He put on the sneakers, knowing Maddy would probably wear hers. However, it was all an effort. Dressing as a boy took seconds, as a girl, it seemed to take all day. Or it did for him. These things on his chest seemed to get in the way of everything. It was probably alright if you grew them yourself, that way you'd sort of get acclimatised. But to have sprouted them in a few seconds, well that was something else!

Maddy had dressed and combed her hair by the time he'd got his shoes on. She bounced in, with her comb and makeup bag. “Oh that looks better,” she said smiling at him.

“You are beginning to worry me,” he retorted.

“Eh? What are you talking about?”

“You seem to prefer me as a girl.” She could see tears welling in his eyes.

She gave him another of her special hugs, “Oh you silly thing. I love you. I don't care if you're a boy or a girl or one of those monkey things, William was on about. I love you.”

“So why did you say I looked better then?”

“Because you do, your clothes hang better. That's all I meant.”

“Oh, I see. That's all is it?”

“Gabs, of course, it is. Honestly.”

“Alright, I believe you. Did you manage to get hold of Jules?”

“Yes, I did.”

“And?”

“The reason she didn't send any was there wasn't any to send. The bottle was empty. Apparently, the lid wasn't tightly screwed on and it had evaporated or leaked out somehow.”

“You mean I am stuck like this?”

“Quite literally, until we can get some more solvent.” Maddy smiled back, feeling rather embarrassed.

“Oh great! I don't know why I bother trying to be a boy at all, it might be easier to do the same as Em, just go with the flow.”

“Well if you did, I'd still love you.”

“I was being ironic, or sarcastic or something.”

“I knew that, Gabs, I was just stating my position.” She had hold of both his hands. “We are in this together, come what may,” she held his gaze in her eyes, “Agreed?”

His throat felt choked. Life was conspiring against him as usual. It always did unless he was on a bike, and then he could fight back and sometimes win. He wasn't on a bike now, this was emotional stuff, and boys don't do emotions, so why did he feel so emotional? He tried to say,” yes,” but the words couldn't get past his throat. He looked deep into Maddy's eyes, drawn into them, he felt tears in his own. She wrapped him in another of her hugs. 'What would he do without her?' That was a question he hoped he never had to ask, let alone answer.

“You two ready yet?” called Carol from downstairs.

“No, got to do Gaby's hair.”

“Hurry up then.”

They did as they were told, a quick touch of makeup, and Maddy made Gaby do her own lips, a squirt of smellies, and they were ready.

Dorchester market, claims to be the biggest in the southwest, and it is pretty big, especially in the summer. The traders come from as far afield as Birmingham, but they aren't all Brummies wearing turbans, there are quite a few locals as well, selling all sorts of things, clothes, food, fast food, pet food, plant food, plants and gardening stuff, watches and jewellery, computer bits, books, cards, underwear, shoes – you name it, somebody probably sells it.

Consequently, the queues to get into the town, and then for parking can be rather long. There is an overflow car park at Tesco/football ground, with a park and ride bus. Carol had spotted this and even with limited knowledge of the geography, had managed to subvert most of the queues. It only took them half an hour, to get to Dorchester and to park by Dorchester Town FC.

They decided to walk rather than wait for the bus, as the road was quite congested, and it was a pleasantly warm day. They strolled up the hill towards the market and town centre, crossing the railway line, Gaby spotted a field with a large mound in it. “What do you reckon Maumbury Rings are?” she asked Carol and Maddy.

“Dunno,” replied Mad, and Carol shrugged her shoulders. “Shall we go and see?” They all agreed.

“Wow,” said Gaby as she walked beyond the end of the large green bank. “Look, an info board, like Maiden Castle.” She read quickly, if not always accurately. “It was a stone-age hinge monument.”

“It says henge, not hinge.”

“So what, it was like Stonehenge. Where's all the hippies then?”

“Very funny,” quipped Maddy, “fed to the lions I expect.”

“What?”

“Well the Romans turned it into an amphitheatre, then it was a gun emplacement during the Civil War, and it was used for public executions after that, the last woman burnt to death here was Mary Channing for murdering her husband.”

“Ooh-er. That doesn't sound very nice. I'm sure they wouldn't do that in Warsop,” said Gaby, looking less happy to be there.

“They would have in those days,” said Carol, “times were hard everywhere and life was cheap. Executions were like public holidays, everyone came to watch some poor wretch hang, or have their head cut off, or be burnt or strangled at the stake. Until they changed the law in eighteen something or other, lots of crimes were considered petty treason, and the punishment was death.”

“How do you know all this Aunt Carol?” asked a very impressed Gaby.

“Well, believe it or not, I actually went to school as well as your parents. There we did a thing called history, and believe it or not, that's what all this is about.”

“I always thought it was like they say in the films.”

“What films, Gab?”

“Gangster ones. Annoy me, Peaches, and you're history,” said Gaby with a very unconvincing New York accent. But it made everybody laugh.

They went around the market and looked at every stall. Gaby bought a Sheryl Crow CD she didn't have, Maddy bought some new slippers, and Carol bought some fruit and veg. They all ended up carrying a bag of it.

The market, which has a covered section too, is only a stone's throw from the town proper, so they went on the mooch there too. They managed to find a free table at ‘ The Napper's Mite', a group of seventeenth-century almshouses that have been turned into a coffee shop and small specialist shops.

They had a cake and a drink, and then it was back to Maddy's favourite occupation – shopping.

They fought their way through the crowds. Much of the town centre is more or less pedestrianised, sometimes less; but they managed to negotiate their way past all the obstructions and delivery vehicles. They checked out every dress shop, book shop, record shop and other shop they found. In fact, Maddy left no shop unturned.

Carol was used to this hunting behaviour in her daughter, after all, she'd taught her most of what she knew. Gaby should have been familiar with it, having been exposed to it as Gaby or Drew for several years, but she found it a chore. Give her the crowd of the peloton, and she'd fight her way to the front in the end, give her crowds of moronic shoppers, and she just gets fed up.

“How much longer, Mad?”

“Until I find what I want. Why this is fun isn't it?”

“Oh yeah, I'm so happy I could sh…”

“Don't you dare, young lady.”

“Okay, okay.”

“Oh look there's Monsoon,” piped Maddy disappearing into an arcade called Antelope walk. The buildings here were part of a large public-house until a few years ago, they are now shops. Judge Jeffreys held his court in The Antelope, having it draped in red linens to frighten the accused. They were all rebels who'd been caught leaving the battlefield at Sedgemoor, supporting the Duke of Monmouth, the bastard son of Charles II, against his uncle James II. Many were transported to the colonies, some were hanged, drawn and quartered, their heads displayed on pikestaffs for months afterwards, as a warning.

Jeffreys had been told to show no mercy, and courts in those days were decidedly on the side of the prosecution. It was from his treatment of the Monmouth rebels, that the trials were called, the Bloody Assizes. Monmouth was beheaded, and Ketch, the executioner made such a hash of it that Monmouth tried to stand after the first blow. Ironically, there was no extant portrait of Monmouth, so they sewed his head back on and painted his picture. Who says life is stranger than fiction?

Well, perhaps Maddy was, she had actually found something in Monsoon, she'd found what she wanted for her cousin. It was a mini-dress, in an ivory colour with sequins on the scoop-necked top, and around the hem. It was fitted at the waist with a pleated skirt.

Looking further she found something for herself, a lacy black top and satin skirt. She dragged Gaby through to the back to try them on, leaving Carol with the shopping and their bags to mind.

When they came out of the changing rooms to show her, she was well impressed. Maddy certainly knew what she wanted, and that girl had an eye for style, Gaby, although she had shown some ideas when buying things for Maddy, seemed passive, almost aloof from the proceedings but the dress fitted really well.
“How much?” asked Carol again, not quite believing the amount the first time. “Well, that's a bargain.” Maddy had not only managed to find just the right stuff but on the reduced rail. The problem was, it meant she couldn't complain about buying new shoes.

They found them in a nearby shop, court shoes with a three-inch heel, in ivory satin and black patent for Maddy. “Gaby was about to say, I won't be able to walk in those, so how can anyone expect me to dance? When she discovered, they weren't that difficult. She walked well enough to stifle the argument before it began.

Now well laden, they began the walk back to the car. Perhaps if she began now, she might get to Warsop in a week or so, she could send the bike back afterwards.

As they walked back, someone pointed at her, “It is her I tell you.” She immediately felt very vulnerable, had they discovered her secret? Carol and Maddy began to get into defensive mode, preparing to beat off would-be attackers.

“Excuse me, are you Gaby Bond?” asked the woman approaching her.

“Who wants to know?” asked Carol, putting herself between the woman and Gaby.

“Her picture is in the Echo, and I just wanted to say, I think your mum is wonderful.”

“Yes, so do I,” agreed Gaby, “thanks for saying so.”

“My daughter does triathlon, so she's into bikes and things.”

“I hope she does well.”

“She'll be chuffed to think we met you.”

The women went on their way, and Carol shot into WH Smith to buy an Echo. They managed to find a space on a bench seat nearby. “Let's see what this is all about.”

Three pairs of eyes scanned the pages, when Maddy shouted, “There, look,” and pointed at an advert for the bike shop, in the form of an article. There was a large photo of Gaby on a bike outside the shop, and the article made reference to her mother being world champion, and that she also raced bikes.

“I'd never have allowed you to do it if I'd known what was going to happen. You wait till we take them back, I'll give him a piece of my mind.”

“At least it was bikes I was advertising,” said Gaby in a resigned tone.

“You seem very laid back about it all,” said Carol.

“This sort of thing happens to me.”

“It's ‘cos you're rich and famous and have a beautiful cousin,” giggled Maddy.

“Well the last bit is correct,” smiled Gaby.

“It says here, ‘Gaby Bond, the beautiful and talented daughter of Jenny, the world champion road race cyclist, chooses Giant from our extensive selection. She was travelling light, so hired one of our bikes to use on her holiday, “I have to keep in training, even on holidays if I want to emulate my mum,” said the lovely young woman'……”

“No mention of her beautiful cousin?”

“Sorry Mad, just the wunderkind ,” said Carol. “Come on, let's get home.”

In the car, Gaby said, “My goose is really cooked now, isn't it? I shall have to stay Gabified for the duration, won't I?”

“Well, that was on the cards this morning when we discovered we had no solvent.”

“Yeah, but it's like certain now.”

“What's this about solvent?” asked Carol. They brought her up to speed on the morning's events. “You mean you stuck them on before you knew if you could get them off again?”

“I know it's rather dumb, but…” said a very embarrassed and red-faced Maddy, talking to her knees instead of facing her mother.

“It's my fault, I asked her to do it,” said Gaby.

“I don't know if I believe you, young lady, but it's very noble of you to stick up for your cuz. I think today has been traumatic enough, let's get home and have a cup of tea and sort you both out for this disco thing.” With that, Carol, let out the clutch and pointed the car towards home.

As they entered, they heard the phone ringing. “Can you get that, Mad? it's probably your father, he said he'd ring.”

Maddy duly obliged. “It's for Gaby.”

“What my dad?”

“No, some man.”

“I'd better take it, I think,” said Carol. She took the call and after a moment said, “How did you find us?” then “Oh yes, and what does she get out of it?” More pauses, I don't know, we were going back on Sunday. I'll have to discuss it with her and her parents, give me your number and I'll get back to you tomorrow.”

“What was that all about?”

“There's some charity ride next Sunday, which will include a bit of a race by some accredited riders. They wanted you to ride in it, sponsored by them.”

“How long is the race?”

“Fifty kilometres.”

“Wow, that's a long one for you Gabs. You've only done a twenty-five miler.”

“I've done it in training, but as a race?”

“It's not a proper race, it's for charity, the riders are invited to attract the crowds a bit.”

“What sort of bike?”

“I didn't ask.”

“If dad says okay, and I like the bike, then I might.”

“You're supposed to be on holiday?”

“It's what I do to relax! I'd rather do it tonight than go to the disco.”

“You don't have to go, it isn't compulsory,” said Maddy, but the look in her eye said differently.

“I said I'd go, so I will.”

“Right well you two start getting ready, I'll get some food started.”

They both showered, Gaby, cursing the lumps on her chest, for getting in the way again. “I don't know how real women cope with them, especially big ones.”

“What was that about big ones?” asked Maddy.

“I was just thinking how women cope with big boobs, these seem to get in my way all the time. You'll have to ask the girl with the euphonium, in the colliery band.”

“That's it.”

“What is?”

“The musical instrument I was trying to think of on the way down here. A UFO what?”

“Not a UFO anything. A UFO is a flying saucer.”

“Cut the lecture, remember, you're blonde too.”

“One more word from you Peaches and you're history.” said Maddy in an even sillier accent than Gaby had managed.

“So what is it called?”

“A euphonium,” she looked at Gaby, “got it?”

“Yeah, not that I think I'm ever likely to need to know it.”

“It's a brass instrument.”

“Brass, the one that girl has is silver.”

“It's still called brass.”

“Why?”

“I don't know, ask her with the big wotsits.”

“Keep your hair on, I only asked.”

“Put your undies on, and I'll do your hair.”

“Won't putting on the dress mess it up?”

“No, it has a back zip; you're supposed to step into it, not pull it over your head. It isn't a football jersey.”

“Okay, okay,” Gaby pouted, thinking, “for two pins I'd stay home and read my book.”

Maddy sensing some stiffening in her cousin's attitude realised she had to do something to calm things down. She recognised that she was being a bit bossy and a know-it-all and that Drew was very tense about the disco anyway. Her overbearing manner was not helping him.

“Gi's a hug,” she said to Drew, who was always ready for one. They embraced and she felt his whole being relax. “I'm getting too bossy, aren't I?”

“A bit.”

“Am I forgiven?” she asked snuggling against him, her arms pushed under his and around his back.

“I suppose so.”

“Come on then, let's get you looking like the beautiful daughter of Jenny Bond,” she giggled.

“Aw shut it,” Gaby snapped back in mock anger.

Maddy combed and brushed and rubbed in mousse and sprayed on strong hold hairspray. She had teased Gaby's hair out its usual bob, into a ‘big hair' version. Gaby looked at it in the mirror. “Oh,” was the only comment heard.

“Don't you like it?”

“It's okay, I thought you'd do what you always do.”

“But I often do different things, ponytails, braids, putting up, adding a hairpiece.”

“Fine, it looks fine.”

“You don't like it do you.”

“I didn't say that.”

“No, but that's what you meant.”

“Yes but, no but, yes but, no but, yes but,” said Gaby mimicking a character from a comedy television show, called, 'Little Britain'.

Maddy had no answer to this and just fell about laughing then threatened, “Any more out of you, Missy and I'll make you do your own makeup.”

Gaby's mouth fell open.

They finished their hair and makeup, then pulled on their disco clothes. A bit of jewellery and a squirt of perfume and they'd be ready. Dinner wasn't quite ready, so Maddy tidied up her fingernails and did the same to Drew, painting his with a light pink pearlised nail colour. He kept looking at them.

“I think they look really nice, now. You should look after them a bit more.” lectured Maddy

“What for?” thought Drew, “so everyone can see what a big girl's blouse I am?”

Walking about in the shoes was not great problem, Drew thought about the shoes he'd been conned into buying by Sarah at the shoe shop. Some of those were worse. He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror tiles, he looked a few years older than he was. He was in there somewhere, but he felt he was in danger of slipping out of sight completely. The dress sparkled, and he could see the hint of cleavage at the scoop neck. His long shapely legs disappeared under the pleated skirt, which formed little more than a pelmet around his hips and bottom. 'Does my bum look big in this?' he thought to himself, and the answer was yes and no. It was too big for a boy, but not for a girl. He pretended it was a trick of the light or the shape of the skirt.

He stepped back, and turned around, the skirt flared out if he did it quickly. He'd have to watch that. He was wearing a gaffe under his knickers, it was tight but not so uncomfortable as the last time he'd worn it. Thankfully, it didn't seem to affect his little problem, and in fact, might prevent it.

They ate, wearing thin towels across their dresses to keep them clean. Once more Drew emerged from the vision opposite Maddy, no matter how convincing he looked as a girl, he ate too fast, shovelling it in. One of these days she'd say something, but not tonight, she'd lectured him enough tonight.