The Weekly Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 3366 by Angharad Copyright© 2022 Angharad

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This is a work of fiction any mention of real people, places or institutions is purely coincidental and does not imply that they are as suggested in the story.
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Francesca's fate became our next cause and I hoped the relationship between our footballer and her would fade over time. However , I became involved I know this surprises you. I offered to stand bail for her of £250,000. The prosecution wasn't entirely happy, but if she stayed with us, they were happy to give it a try. I did not, however, agree to fund her defence as hopefully, there would still be money in the estate of her father to pay for that. It struck me as ironic that his money was being used to defend the person who killed him.

Even after the fortune he left was dissected by HMRC and the bank, he was still rumoured to have left 2 or 3 million, so if her counsel doesn't spend it all, she should be quite wealthy when all this is over. At the moment, her counsel is going for manslaughter through diminished responsibility. I hope it works and she gets off without a custodial sentence, but I doubt it, even though she killed to protect someone (one of my daughters).

Apparently, there are special cleaners who deal with gruesome scenes and clean it up without a thought, they aren't cheap and of course, they can't clean up until the police have finished. Why they take so long, amazes me. I think archaeologists work faster and they usually find time to dig holes and sieve the soil they dig up as well. Francesca had said she never wanted to enter the house again, so we supervised the removal of her personal items, everything else was sold anonymously to avoid the ghouls and there were plenty of those. Suddenly George couldn't hurt them so they became very bold and we had to use a security firm to keep them out of the house, George's one that is.

Francesca had to show herself at Portsmouth Central police station every day to meet the bail terms. It was ridiculous and we went back to court to say so. Most other people only have to do so once a week, which we would agree to, not daily.

Jacquie, who'd learned of our situation offered to come to help babysit Francesca and of course I longed to see her again, so she came for a weekend about a month after it all happened. We agreed that all the children knew what had happened and therefore how they would treat enquiries - 'It isn't anything to do with us, so we can't tell you anything. If you want to know more speak to Francesca's counsel.'

I adopted a similar line as did the others, even Danni. I had made it a condition when Danni was badgering me all the time to offer bail, that she, would continue her course and attend the university again. She initially refused and so did I as regards the bail. No one else would touch it and she couldn't raise the money herself so she had to come back to me.

I realised her learning had been left a bit behind but Sarah was steaming ahead, the work she'd done for her exam had stood her in good stead for it and she flew through the assignments and was doing really well. I had Danni in my office when she had any free time, and made her work. She complained that she should be home comforting Francesca instead and I had to face down a small rebellion in which I gave her the facts of life as they stood. This was mainly because I was supporting Francesca everyone else seemed to be, at least in the family. If I withdrew my support, she would have to go back to prison and Danni may only be allowed to see her once per week or so, at the moment she was able to see her every day.

I had a full blow paddy from Danni and when I told her what was what and she exploded again, I informed her I would withdraw my support and of course she begged me not to. I then informed her that her producing a decent mark for her course was now a condition of my support. I had agreed it with Francesca beforehand. They were allowed to spend time together if Danni had finished all her uni work and only then. Francesca was helping David about the house and he was teaching her lots of stuff about being domesticated. She'd never done anything with her mother who disappeared when she was very young. She seemed to think her mother was still alive, somewhere. I decided that I wasn't going to pay someone to find her so it went undone.

Danni couldn't understand why the trial was next year as as far as she was concerned it could all be over in one day. I informed her that legal things can grind on very slowly and sometimes it worked in our favour. She couldn't or wouldn't see it that way so she just had to bear it. Seeing as Fran was the accused, and she was being much less excitable about it all, I tried to use her as an example for him to follow.

Of course, she was having fun with David who became fond of her as an uncle might and when Danni discovered it we nearly had a fight in the kitchen. Boy, I don't want to go through that again, it was all I could do to keep Danni from attacking David and when I dragged her up to her room I felt exhausted but I still had read the riot act.

She was allowed to train and play each week which I felt was important as she had to be allowed something to release all the pent-up energy. I warned that if she deliberately got herself injured, she wouldn't be allowed to see Fran, and if she got herself suspended, she would spend the extra time working on her course. If I said we had a few arguments, I doubt you'd be surprised. That she told me some very painful things when she was trying to hate me left me in tears a few nights I can tell you. Instead of the woman who had kept Fran out of prison so far I was a monster who was trying to split them up and many other things that I don't remember now.

To stop any hanky panky, I got Fran to agree to locking her bedroom everynight, she had an en suite so it wasn't a problem, but sex starved teenager could be, again Danni went ballistic and we had words.

Suddenly this thing had taken over my life and my other chores and responsibilities were being neglected. I spoke to both the teens and they seemed to understand. I laid my cards down for them to see and asked for their cooperation or we wouldn't be able to support Fran and while her case was important it shouldn't consume my life as well or any of her family's. We had some disgruntled words from Danni but she eventually saw reason.

After some weeks, the ardour in the relationship eased and as well we didn't have any further gentlemen of the tabloid press wandering in the garden and the spell of cold weather in December saw off the less hardy ones. It also kept Francesca in doors, so little candid snaps stopped appearing in tabloids.

Danni could see how happy she had become interacting with all the family including David because we were allowing her to act as a normal young woman, I had to remind Danni that her path was more circuitous and that she didn't always enjoy girly things. Before long, both of them were asking for frequent sewing bees, as Fran genuinely enjoyed it and Danni came because Fran did.

I know she was acting like a love-struck young man rather than a young woman and I accepted she had never asked to be a woman her friend Pia had decided for her and mutilated her so cleverly that the surgeon had very little option but to do gender reassignment surgery, especially, as she was dressed and made up like a girl at the time, assumptions were made and Danni was the outcome. I expected we may have some trouble later but not like this. In a way, if I'd loathed Fran, it may have been easier only to be involved with Danni because she was so good-natured and so likeable it made it harder, she had come out of her chrysalis and metamorphosed into a lovely young woman If only she hadn't fallen for my daughter.

In the university, Daddy and Diane kept me going although some days it was a struggle and once or twice I felt like resigning or worse. I also had rows with these two lovely people and on one occasion I locked myself in the loo an refused to open it for three hours. It wasn't my finest hour but then I hadn't actually hit anyone, so my self- restraint was obviously working.

life was so intense that I completely forgot my birthday and it was only because Stella writes down dates in her diary that all the kids were made aware of it. I think I shall remember Christmas, but I'm not certain as life and this bloody trial are ageing me faster than usual time. Danni hasn't asked about reverting yet but that may be because Francesca fancies her as a woman. I don't know what will happen yet but I'll make sure I tell you.