Ada 10

“look Richie ya shudden get too close to ma” Steph said sadly.
“lemme be the judge of that Steph, I'd call ya a friend and friends dun let friends suffer”
That caused her to look more closely at Richard and the haunted look softened. She let out a shuddering sigh and moved round to face him.
“I'm kinda special Richie, ya see I was called Stephen, but I kinda don't feel like a him”

…...............

A Different Angel 10.

Richard had read about people like Steph and his nature was he didn't care. He was a caring boy and if it helped people then he would use the gender and name they gave to him. How others lived their life was not important to him as long as they were safe.
The main concern he had was the bruising and scars on Steph and he couldn't help but want to deal with whoever had done those.

“Well Steph ya definitely ain't a Stephen, Ya more unicorn than brony” Richard said with a smile.

Steph was surprised at what Richard had said and looked as though she was waiting for the attack. Her posture relaxed when the expected attack either physical or verbal never materialised. She was again taken aback, most of the time in the town when she was open about who and what she felt the attacks would come.
For the first time she had met a peer that really didn't care who and what she was.

Back at home Tracy after her outburst felt Helen's arms around her head she buried into her mothers embrace. Christopher was a little shocked that it was a concern as he knew his youngest child seemed to be unable to think ill of anyone. Richard was so much like Helen in that regard where as Tracy in her male guise had taken the worst of his behaviours and magnified them. He realised that it was an over compensation now.

Christopher looked at his wife and new daughter and sighed deeply. This was one conversation that Tracy needed to have with her sibling, sooner rather than later. He was also a little uncomfortable with the show of emotion, that darned restriction on men not showing full emotion that society forced on his gender. The important thing was helping his daughter be comfortable with herself and the rest of the family.

It was later in the evening and Tracy had retired to her bedroom and Helen and Christopher got a chance to relax. The worry showed on Helens face, was Tracy strong enough to face what was her future. When people found out would Richard become a target as well? Those worries churned at the back of her brain, she started to hate herself and wonder what she had done wrong in raising their eldest child.

Christopher was having pretty much the same thoughts, he really needed to know more on what Tracy was going to face. Also what would his workmates say as some of them were not known to be the most accepting of people. In fact his direct supervisor was a pig to the couple of gay lads that worked in the testing department. He considered the options and wondered who he could reach out to for some more information.

The following morning Tracy came down dressed in a plain sweatsuit and took care of preparing breakfast for her parents. She had not had an easy night and had worked out the only way to get past what she was feeling was to go see Richard at the hospital. She also knew without anything being said her parents were still struggling with her gender problem. Christopher as usual was the first parent down to the kitchen as he started earlier than Helen.
He was shocked when he entered the kitchen to the smell of a full breakfast being prepared. David had never helped in the kitchen and Richard didn't even think he could cook. It was obvious that Tracy had taken notice when ever Helen had cooked. In short order a full English breakfast plate was placed in front of Richard along with a mug of coffee. He tentatively took a bite and found the bacon was cooked just how he liked it. Before he carried on he waited for Tracy to sort herself out a plate but she just grabbed another coffee and sat down.

“Daddy I'm going to go see Rich today,” Tracy still had a hint of fear in her voice, “ I hope he won't hate me”

“Love it's impossible for that boy to hate anyone even when you were the bane of his life.” Christopher replied gently.

“But I wasn't a freak then dad”

“Da..Tracy you are not a freak, no child of mine will call themselves that. You have something you need to work out and I will help you all I can honey”

Christopher's gentle reply made Tracy feel warm inside, there was that unconditional love and care. Helen though would be a tougher nut to crack, her mother and father were very Victorian and well bigoted. Christopher used to joke that the only thing they would permit to be read in that house was the Daily Mail newspaper. Gays, coloured people, lesbians in fact anything that was outside their narrow mind were perverts and dangerous.

Tracy decided instead of waiting for her mother to wake up and deal with the possible nagging she would head to the hospital early. She remembered that Richard may need some clean clothes so packed a small bag and then smiled when she saw tucked under the duvet was Miss Tiggles. That was the bear Tracy when she was fully David at 5 had given to Richard and he had latched on and never let go of the stuffed toy. Tracy felt that her little brother could do with some comfort items whilst he carried on recovering so slipped the bear into the bag too.

After the long tedious bus journey, Tracy reached the hospital and she was glad she hadn't forced herself to dress girly for this meeting. Apart from the shock it would give Richard, the main problem was at the moment she had absolutely nothing to wear. As she approached the main door a little voice called out and it was quickly followed by an adult voice telling the shouter to behave.

Tracy turned around and saw Ginny dragging her mother behind her as she rushed to catch up with Tracy. The little girl was very excited over something and was talking a mile a minute. Tracy managed to work out that Mrs Harris had called Helen and found out to her knowledge no one was visiting today. Ginny had pestered and pestered over the last day to go and see as she called Richard, her knight.

Shaking her head Tracy held out a hand to the little girl and along with Ginny's mother escorted the child into the hospital. Then came the real fun, proving to the receptionist that she was Richards older sibling. Then explain that Ginny would behave herself and the lady was Ginny's mother. Finally the receptionist told the trio the ward and room where Richard had been stashed.

Richard was bored out of his mind again. It was too early for physio and Steph had an appointment with the shrinks so he was on his own. He wanted to push to get out of the hospital but the doctors and nurses reminded him that if he over did it then all the work would be undone. He lethargically switched on the tv and started flipping through the channels when a giggled shout from his doorway caught his attention.

Framed by blonde pigtails little Ginny's face poked around the door frame and then Richard saw David and Mrs Harris trying to calm the little girl down. That brought a smile to his face and shaking his head waited for them to reach his bedside and he managed to sit up with little effort. Ginny was almost bouncing in her eagerness to tell him something and Mrs Harris was looking at David worriedly. She leant down and whispered to Ginny and the girl looked crestfallen and nodded and seemed to collapse in and sulk.

That caused Richard to raise an eyebrow in confusion and Tracy shook her head and mouthed later. The time that Richard had spent with Steph had opened his eyes to a few things and her noticed that David wasn't really there, there was a girl there though. Richard made sure his sibling was looking at him and mouthed silently.

“why don't you introduce yourself sis?”

TBC.....