A Fortunate Mistake
James Kirkpatrick was not quite fourteen, small, and trans. Of a timid disposition she was constantly bullied by both girls and boys alike at school and in the neighbourhood where she lived with Keely her nineteen year old sister.
James was well and truly in the closet and went to school and presented every where else as a boy too. It was only at home and when she and Keely took a day out or went on holiday, always a long way from home, that Anne could emerge. The sisters were close and both enjoyed having a sister sister relationship, for neither could envisage having sister brother interactions. They’d talked about such things, albeit a long time ago, and neither considered Anne being a boy to be feasible nor desirable. Keely had said, “That’s probably because you have always behaved like a girl, Love, because you are, so I guess neither of us would be comfortable with you behaving in a manner that simply isn’t you.” They enjoyed spending weekends and school holidays together and money was not an issue.
Keely was a high earning, self taught, self employed commercial software writer who worked from home. Both sisters were wealthy as a result of the moneys paid out by the multi national that operated the oil refinery where their faulty maintenance schedules caused the explosion that killed the girls’ parents when Keely was just short of seventeen. Their solicitor managed to drag the court case out long enough for Keely to turn eighteen at which point she became the legal as well as the de facto guardian of James. Their parents had been aware they had two daughters and had been supportive of Anne, though at the time of their deaths the future had not been entirely clear.
It was the sisters’ intent for Anne to finish school and once she’d completed her GCSE(1) examinations they were going to move, they were still exploring where they wished to move to, so that Anne could go to college as a girl and further her transition aspirations. For the moment the Spironolactone blockers had been holding masculinity at bay for presumably a few years though the Estradiol that Anne had been taking for a couple of years had only recently begun to make its present felt. Both girls were aware that having obvious breasts would present problems for Anne at school. In discussion when Anne had said, “Mum wasn’t buxom, so I’ll probably be okay till I leave school, if not I’ll just have to live with what ever happens, but I’m not prepared to stop taking the hormones. Dr Westbourne says my body is a good match for what she refers to as my emerging womanhood.”
Keely had looked thoughtful and eventually said, “Whatever. If we have to, we can pay to have you home schooled. You’re a disciplined enough student to succeed if we do that. I considered us moving to somewhere else earlier than we planned, so Anne could finish her GCSEs at a school somewhere else, but I don’t think that’s really viable. Do you, Anne?” Anne shook her head in agreement. Keely smiled brightly and said, “You’re changing. We need to go shopping for some new undies for you. Fancy a day out in the city this Saturday, Anne?”
Anne smiled and replied, “Yeah, but let’s have a look on Ebay tonight too, Sis.”
The Monday in question Anne was riding home from school on her bicycle, a lilac coloured mountain bike which she was given considerable abuse for, one for the colour and two because she never rode it anywhere that could be considered remotely adventurous. Bridle path trails in the local extensive forests and the canal towpath was the limit imposed by her timidity.
Anne had been jostled and threatened with dire things by a group of girls at the bike sheds when she’d unlocked her bike. The girls were mostly bigger than Anne and typical bullies. They didn’t want to physically hurt her for that would have exposed them to consequences when as they knew would happen the teachers and other adults would insist on explanations for any bruises and broken skin. However they did wish to terrorise Anne to see the look of fear in her eyes as she started crying which they knew would happen. They enjoyed intimidating Anne and the subsequent humiliating name calling and insults. ‘Cry baby’, and ‘Bet he still wets his pants’ were some of the least of their efforts. At the back of the crowd were a couple of girls her own size, Anne was too terrified to even try to identify them, but one of them she noticed had long, deep red hair.
Eventually the thugettes became bored and pushing Anne to the ground they left with shrieks of raucous laughter echoing hollowly in her ears. Anne, frightened and humiliated, left school as fast as she could to get home to where it was safe. It was not to be, for as she turned on to the cycle path that skirted the left hand side of the woodland on the right hand side of the grass covered hill that steeply dropped a hundred feet or more, she saw two girls on bikes following her and one of them had long, deep red hair. She hurried to the far end of the cycle path where she had to dismount and walk her bike through the staggered metal safety barriers that forced a zig zag route on cyclists to prevent any more of the accidents that had happened before their installation several years before. Anne noticed the girls turned off the path and rode straight down the hill, something she’d never considered doing though she knew most teenagers of her age did so as a matter of routine when going that way.
With her hammering heart in her mouth she mounted her bike once she’d completed her far less rapid descent than theirs and approached the girls, for there was no other way to go. Too late Anne realised once the girls had committed to the descent she should have returned the way she had come to escape them. Scared and not entirely rational as soon as Anne was close enough to the girls who were on their bikes she pushed the nearer one over. She fell onto the other girl and both ended up on the ground giving Anne time to make her escape. She wasn’t proud of what she’d done, but she reasoned, ‘I didn’t make them block my passage and they didn’t give me any option.’
The swing bridge over the canal was open to shipping and closed to vehicular traffic. It was a huge drawback to using that route home, but the alternative route used the high level bridge which was an arduous climb followed by an immediate precipitous descent and put three and a half miles onto the journey. As Anne waited with the other bicycles and the pedestrian traffic for the road to open she over heard some girls talking. One was looking at her phone and saying, “My neighbour Gemma says she and her cousin Andrea were assaulted by a boy from her school on her way home. They were waiting to talk to him and he rode right up to them on his bike and pushed them over. They couldn’t do anything cos they were on their bikes too, but she knows his names is James Kirkpatrick and says her dad is going round to his house after tea. I’ve never heard of him have any of you?” There was a number of negative responses. Anne didn’t hear any more, for just then the barrier lifted allowing pedestrians and cyclist to cross. Cars and motorbikes were only allowed access to the bridge after the slower traffic had cleared.
Anne was worried, from what she’d heard it didn’t sound like the two girls had had any ill intentions towards her, and the idea that she’d hurt them without any justification upset her. She was going to tell Keely about her day as soon as she got home, but there was a note on the kitchen table that read, ‘Gone to the shop, back in ten. K, xxx.’ Anne put the kettle on and the tea was ready just as her sister returned. As they drank their tea, Keely said, “We’ll just have to see what this Gemma’s dad says won’t we. Do you know her at all at school, Love?”
“No. I think I may have seen her around once or twice, but I suspect she’s either in the year above me or on the other side of year ten which is timetabled differently. Kids in the two years halves rarely see each other, never mind talk to each other.”
Keely nodded and asked, “I was going to cook lamb chops tonight. It’s why I went to the shop, but you’ll probably not feel like eating till this is over will you?” Anne shook her head miserably. “Okay. We’ll have the chops tomorrow. I’ll get fish and chips later if you’re up to it. Got any homework to do?” Another head shake from a miserable looking Anne. “I suggest you watch a bit of TV or listen to some music, maybe watch a DVD. I suggest you change into boy clothes, not a frock, ready for Gemma’s dad, though I’m sure you’d already thought about that, Love.”
The knock on the door sounded ominous to Anne. It was a hard masculine knock, but as she noted only a single knock, not the continuous knocking of an enraged man. She heard a pleasant tenor voice say, “I’m Collin Sutton, Gemma’s father. I wish to speak to James Kirkpatrick’s mother or father.”
Keely seeing a pleasant Irish looking man of moderate build with red hair and green eyes of about five foot ten, all of which were in accord with his accent, replied, “I’m Keely Kirkpatrick, James’ elder sister and legal guardian. Our parents died in the Qualforth explosion a few years ago. How may I help you, Mr. Sutton?”
“Are you aware of the incident when James pushed my daughter Gemma and Andrea over on their way home from school?”
“Yes. I’ve heard James’ version of events. My understanding is it was a mistake, a misunderstanding for which James is both sorry and ashamed, but come in. James is no doubt listening terrified. I’ll have James make us all a pot of tea and you can make your own mind up as to events and what should be done about them. This way please.” Keely said in a louder voice, “James, make tea please. Three cups, and join us. Mr. Sutton is waiting to talk to you.”
“It’s Collin, Miss Kirkpatrick.”
“Keely, please.”
It was a nervous Anne that brought the tea tray into the sitting room. Mr. Sutton smiled as he asked, “Are you really James?”
“Yu, Yes.”
Mr. Sutton laught and said, “I have to admit I was expecting to see someone much bigger. Possibly even someone of a thuggish disposition which I can see you clearly are not.” His voice softened before asking, “What happened, James. Take your time. I just wish to hear what happened and to try to understand why it happened.”
Constantly apologising Anne explained she was always being bullied, what had happened after school and how she’d presumed that Gemma and her cousin were going to continue what had happened at the bike sheds. With Mr. Sutton’s encouragement Anne was talking for a quarter of an hour, and Keely heard things she not been aware of. She’d had no idea just how bad Anne’s school life was. Her dysphoria she was obviously aware of and she knew that she had to get Anne more help soon, for she couldn’t present as a boy with a bosom without facing difficulties, but she also knew it had to be done with Anne’s consent or she would just close up and refuse to engage, for that was what she’d always done when she felt she was under pressure. However, Anne had rarely spoken about the bullying merely saying that most of the younger kids had some problems with the older idiots. “I just wanted to escape and go home. I’m sorry I hurt the girls. I truly am.” Anne ended lamely.
Mr Sutton had listened closely and had been watching attentively throughout Anne’s explanation of the events that had led to what he suspected was Anne’s very out of character behaviour. “There is no need to apologise to me, but I suggest you apologise and explain what you did to Gemma and Andrea. They’ll understand and it will be okay. It was an understandable but unfortunate mistake. I’ll explain a bit of what you told me to Gemma when I get home and I suggest you come round tomorrow evening. I’ll make sure both the girls are there. Now completely changing the subject, and I’ll explain why I’m asking in a few minutes. Do you have many friends?”
“I don’t really have any, only Keely. Why?”
“First I suppose I should say I’m a child psychiatrist specialising in identity issues. You’d probably describe me as a shrink who listens to confused kids. You seem to me to be confused and as a result are picked on at school. Would I be correct?”
“I suppose so. There are bullies in every school and there are kids who get bullied in every school. I don’t want to be a bully, but I really don’t like being bullied. I like learning things and most of the time I enjoy being at school. It’s okay in lessons except games and PE. The teachers do what they can to control the bullies, even the games and PE teachers are nice, but they can’t see everything. It’s not every day, but break times, lunch time and after school can be a nightmare. I’d just like to enjoy school and be myself.”
“I see, and who exactly would that be? Yourself I mean. Who are you? I’m not asking who does everyone else think you are. I’m asking who do you know you are?”
There was a long silence and Keely offered her hand which Anne gratefully took before whispering, “I’m Anne, but only Keely, Dr Westbourne my identity consultant and Dr Gibbs my GP and now you too know that. Mum and Dad knew and I wish they were still here to help.” There were tears on her face. “I don’t know why I told you that.”
“Probably because nobody ever asked you before. I do believe you need to talk further with me, or at least someone like me, Anne, and those discussions will be private though you can have your sister there if you wish. Eventually your consultant will need a second opinion if you wish to transition any further. I’m referring to surgery. I can help you by being that second opinion, and I can definitely make things better for you at school, but we’ll talk about that another day. I’d better be going. Here is one of my cards it has all my professional contact details on it, but I’ll write our address and home phone number on the back, so you know where to come tomorrow. Keely, you will be most welcome. I don’t get out much and some company whilst the girls talk would be most pleasant.
That Mr. Sutton had obviously included Anne when he’d said ‘the girls talk’ made Anne happier than she had felt in her entire life. Anne shewed him to the door and on her return was asked, “Fish and Chips, Love?”
“Yeah. Now that is over I feel really hungry. I didn’t have any lunch.”
“Why on Earth not?” asked Keely.
“One of the year eleven monsters stole it. I can’t see what Mr. Sutton can do to make life better at school for me, but it would be nice to think there would be something.”
“You fancy a trip to the city sometime, Anne, for a new outfit? For both of us I mean? We could look at undies in the new shopping centre. I’ve heard there’re a couple of large lingerie stores there that both have a wide selection of stuff.”
“Yeah, but why?” With a flash of insight that she had no idea where it came from Anne said, “You fancy him don’t you? That’s why you want a new outfit isn’t it. He’s probably married, Keely.”
Blushing, Keely said, “You have to admit he’s very easy on the eye, Anne, and something he said made me think he’s not married, or at least if he is he’s separated. Doubtless I’ll find out tomorrow when you are talking to the girls.
“It’s okay, James. Dad explained what happened. It’s probably as much our fault as yours, and we’re sorry for giving you a fright.” Gemma and Andrea were at the bike sheds with Anne and had approached from the side so Anne hadn’t seen them.
Anne stammered her apologies and was surprised to be hugged by both girls. “Sorry,” she said again.
“Want us to ride home with you? It’s only a little out of our way. Then we’d know where you live. You’re coming round to my house later, and we can shew you where Andrea lives too. Then we can go round to each other’s houses without having to spend ages looking the first time.”
“Why would you want to do that?” Anne asked completely perplexed.
Gemma replied, “Dad said you don’t have any friends, so we asked at school about you and you seemed to be nice. Scared but nice. Andrea’s parents work abroad a lot, so she spends a lot of time living at my house. We don’t have a lot of friends, cos a lot of kids think were snobs. That’s cos we live in big houses out in the suburbs not on one of the estates. We’d both like another friend.”
Andrea said, “We’re more like sisters than cousins, and like sisters we argue a lot. It’d be really cool to have a friend who would tell us to grow up a bit when we’re being silly.” She shrugged and added, “It’s what sisters do.”
Hesitantly Anne answered, “Okay. I’d like to have friends.” The three mounted their bikes and set off for Anne’s house. When they arrived at the hill Gemma and Andrea took the short cut, turned off the path and rode straight down the hill. It was a very nervous Anne who followed them much more slowly with both brakes on and both feet on the grass. “I’ve never done that before.”
Andrea said, “I don’t particularly like it, but it’s better than having to get off to get through the railings. Gemma’s bonkers, a permanent thrill seeker. She loves terror rides at theme parks that I won’t even consider going on.”
Gemma said with a grin, “Andrea’s just a scaredy cat. I hope the bridge is open. I hate having to wait twenty minutes for a ship to get through.”
Anne said, “You get used to it. I’ve timed it and the average wait is nine minutes which is better than having to use the high level.”
“You’ve timed it‽ What for?” asked Andrea.
“A maths project. I like maths. I’m good at it.”
“Want to help me with my homework tonight?” asked Gemma.
“Me too,” said Andrea. “It’s simultaneous equations and I haven’t got a clue.”
“Don’t mind. I can do those no bother,” replied Anne happy to be talking and sharing stuff with girls her own age even if they didn’t know she was a girl.
The bridge was open and they were soon at Anne’s house. Seeing the three at the front Keely opened the front door and asked the girls in. “Cup of tea, pop, or squash, Girls?”
“Squash please, Mrs. Kirkpatrick,” Gemma said surprised Anne’s mum was so young looking.
“It’s Miss, not Mrs, and it’s Keely. I’m James’ sister. Our parents died in the Qualforth explosion a few years ago.”
“Sorry. Er, Keely.”
“So why are you here, Girls? I take you are the girls James pushed over yesterday?”
“Yeah, but we get it. Dad explained what happened and said James hadn’t got any friends and we don’t have many, so we asked about James at school. He seemed nice, so we waited for him after school. We’ve decided to be friends, and James is going to help us with maths homework later. We’re both in year ten too. Dad said you’re coming round tonight too.” Gemma hesitated but eventually asked, “Is that like a date?”
Keely laught and said, “If it is your dad didn’t tell me so. If you don’t mind me asking what happened to your mother?”
“She left before I was two. Dad’s been divorced as far back as I can remember. I’ve no memory of her at all, and Dad hasn’t ever had any photos or video of her. He told me he dumped them all years ago. She didn’t leave him for someone else, she just left. He tries not to shew it, but he was a long time coming to terms with it. I’m certain he doesn’t actually know why she left. It’s only this last couple of years he’s been shewing any interest in anything other than work. Having two girls to look after forces him to engage with the world, but he’s not been lucky with either of the girl friends he’s had since he started shewing interest. I’m secretly glad because I didn’t like either of them. I know he wants to remarry, mostly I think because he wants me to have a mum to help me with growing up. That’s why I asked if it was a date.”
“You said two girls. You’re non identical twins?”
“No,” said Andrea, “Cousins. Mum is Uncle Collin’s younger sister. Mum and Dad work abroad a lot, so I live with Gemma for maybe eight or nine months a year. We are like sisters and squabble a lot over stupid trivial stuff, so we thought a friend who could tell us to stop being childish was a good idea.”
Keely laught and said, “And one who was good at maths would do you no harm either?”
Gemma and Andrea chorused, “Yeah!”
“Why don’t you shew the girls your room, James?”
“Okay,” replied Anne, not having thought it through. They finished their drinks and Anne shewed the girls the way. Once upstairs she opened her bedroom door and said, “This is it.”
Anne’s room wasn’t feminine, but it certainly didn’t shriek boy either. The stuffed toys on her bed were girlish, but not excessively so. Andrea carefully picked up a worn and obviously decades old one with striped trousers and a blackface and looked at Anne questioningly.
“He was my granddad’s. Definitely not PC(2) these days. They were very popular sixty years ago and more. It’s called a Golliwog, like I said not PC. I was told you can’t sell them on Ebay. He’s always been called Golli.”
“I think it’s cool having a toy so old that it’s kind of history even if it would be a victim of cancel culture. Actually specially if it would be. The oldest ones I have aren’t even as old as me.” Gemma asked, “May I look in your clothes cupboards, James?” Anne hesitated, so Gemma asked, “You’re worried we’ll see your frocks, James? Now you’re wondering how we knew right?” With silent tears running off her face Anne nodded. “When we asked about you at school, most kids said you were nice, but the nasty kids said you were a sissy. Dad’s clearly interested in you and most of the kids he deals with are trans. When you pushed us over we thought you looked terrified, not like a bully. We talked about it and we thought it was bit obvious really. Now may I see your frocks?” Gemma and Andrea both hugged Anne and kissed her cheek and when Keely came up to find out what was going on it was to see three half dressed teenage girls trying on Anne’s clothes.
“Girls, we’re going shopping at the weekend in the city for a new outfit each. Would you like to come with us?”
“Yeah!” was chorused. “Keely, when James comes round to my house can she wear a frock? Dad’ll be cool. Loads of trans girls come to our house dressed as themselves.”
“Sorry, Gemma, but you’re not asking the right person. That is up to Anne.”
“Anne? Who’s Anne?”asked Andrea.
Gemma pointed to James who said, “I’m Anne.” Anne hesitated and said, “We’ll be going in the car and there’re no idiots from school living near you to see me when I get out of the car are there?” Andrea and Gemma shook their heads. “Is it far to Andrea’s house from yours, Gemma?”
“No. Maybe a couple of hundred yards, no more. There’ll be none who knows you to see you, and in any case you look so different when en fille(3) that they’d not recognise you.”
“Okay. Anne accepts your invitation. You may as well know it all.” She pointed at a door and said that’s my bathroom. Have a look.”
“Wow!” whispered Andrea. “That is the girliest bathroom I’ve ever seen. That vanity is brilliant, but most of that make up is okay for Keely. You need some serious lessons in make up for girls of our age, but don’t worry, we’ll teach you in return for help with maths. Fair?”
“Yeah, that’s fair. I’ll probably wear this frock tonight. What do you think?”
“Cool. Ultra cool, Girl. We’d best be going. I’ll have a go at that maths homework when I get home. Thanks for the drink, Keely. See you both later.” Andrea thanked Keely too, and Anne shewed the girls out.
“How did that all come about, Anne?”
“They’d worked it out for themselves. With the evidence they had it couldn’t have been hard.”
When Keely and Anne arrived at Gemma’s house the front door opened as they got out of the car. Gemma and Andrea came out of the house and linked their arms through Anne’s. Andrea was impatient and said, “Come on, Anne. We’re going to shew you where my house is. We’ll be back in twenty, Uncle Collin. Just want Anne to say hello to my folks, Keely. It’s okay they’re cool with transness, or should that be transosity? Whatever.”
Collin said to Keely, “It’s all been arranged. They’ll probably be an hour. Gemma tells me she asked you if this was a date. I’d like it to be, how about you?”
Keely blushed pink not bright red and whispered, “Yes. Yes I’d like that. Would you like to come to the city with us on Saturday?”
“Not on your life. Shopping for clothes with four girls? I think not! I’d like to take you all out somewhere on Sunday where the girls can have fun without us, and we could enjoy some privacy in public, if that makes sense? I thought that Telchester Gardens would be good. The girls can explore the castle and spend time on the rides and we could do whatever adults do when private in public. What do you think?”
“Thank you, that sounds pleasant. Will Andrea’s parents be okay about that?”
“Yes. They’re flying to Athens next Wednesday for a conference, so could use the time to get organised. They love Andrea a lot, but the truth is her living with me most of the time suits us all. Before we came to this arrangement neither of the girls was very happy with her life. Me having Andrea here with Gemma relived Andrea’s parents of a lot of guilt, especially now that Gemma often stays with them when they are home. We’re close, and eventually Gemma tells me everything in her life. That’s why I know Gemma told you about her mother and the effect her leaving had on me, but having two girls to look after forced me to rejoin the world. You can have no idea how much more mischief two girls get up to, it’s way more that twice what one on her own manages.” Collin laught and said, “You’d be amazed the insight that rearing a couple of girls through puberty and menarche gave me into various aspect of my work.”
“What do Andrea’s parents do?”
“They have their own company that works as an independent subcontractor providing security and logistics for international NGOs(4) involved in famine relief, third world education, clean water provision, oh you name it. If it makes life better for those who have nothing they’re involved. Libby my sister is a internet financial organiser who makes sure all moneys actually get spent on what they are supposed to be spent on and don’t disappear due to the corruption which is endemic pretty much everywhere they work. Geoff my brother in law provides construction site buying, delivery and guarding services. He works with a lot of folk that others refer to as mercenaries, though legally they too are subcontractors. Funnily enough his job isn’t that much different from Libby’s, for a major part of it is ensuring that the materials don’t just disappear or get replaced by inferior materials. They didn’t get home for thirty months once due to not being allowed to leave wherever it was they were working because some tin pot dictator didn’t get what he considered to be his rightful cut. I’m not saying that was a good situation for any of us, but it was a situation all of us especially Andrea could deal with. Coffee?”
“Please.”
Keely followed Collin into the kitchen and as he reach across in front of her for the sugar Keely reached for it too. Faces inches a part, neither were ever sure how it was they ended up kissing like a pair of hormone supercharged teenagers, but neither had any regrets, and both knew sooner or later they’d be in bed together.
Collin had been correct. The girls were away an hour. When they entered the front room to see Collin and Keely sitting in arm chairs on opposite sides of the coffee table the girls all exchanged a smirk. “What was that about, Anne?” Keely asked.
“Well, you could have made it harder for us to figure out, Keely,” Anne replied.
“What are you talking about?” Keely asked.
It was Gemma who replied, “Your lippy(5) is smudged, and Dad appears to have been trying on the same shade that you’re wearing. We’ll let you sort yourselves out. We’ll be in the dining room solving or at least Andrea and I shall be trying to solve simultaneous equations. Since you’ve started kissing you may as well finish it.”
At that the three giggling girls left and Collin said, “See what I mean about rearing teenage girls. I’m supposed to be able to figure them out. I’ve even got a couple of degrees that say I can. Still it could have been worse they could have resented us. Come and sit on my lap.”
Three-quarters of an hour later Keely was still on Collin’s lap when the girls came back. That the couple were in one chair was ignored, and Gemma said triumphantly, “I get it. I can do them myself now. Miss Tailor should have explained it that way. What do you reckon, Andrea.”
“Yeah. Not so hard once you understand what it is you’re trying to do. I reckon maths teachers make it look hard to make themselves look good. What’s next, Uncle Col?”
“I suppose I should talk to Anne in private since it’s one of the reasons she’s here. The other you seem to have sorted out. I have refused to go clothes shopping with four girls on Saturday, but we’re all going to Telchester Gardens on Sunday, so you three can organise that whilst Anne and I talk in the study. We’ll spend the afternoon there, and I’ll book a table for dinner at seven. Okay?”
“Cool. First up what are we wearing, Girls. We don’t want to clash do we?”
“First, Anne, would you prefer Keely to be here?”
“No, it’s okay.”
“Okay. I have already set in motion some changes at your school. The police have taken the CCTV footage of numerous incidents of serious bullying. As a result some of the worst offenders have been suspended pending expulsion, and they will be expelled. The school is worried they will be found to have been failing in their duty of care, but to be fair it is only recently the school has had the CCTV installed, so they have not yet become used to the system. Clearly they have not been reviewing the footage on a daily basis. I suspect the installers have not instructed them well concerning optimising the usefulness of the system. The police crime prevention officers will ensure that is rectified. The police will also be advising them concerning better placement of the cameras and where if anywhere extra cameras are required. The gym and the bikesheds have already been suggested as suitable sites for extra cameras. Now to the hard bit.
“I need you to tell me everything you consider relevant about you being a girl. There are several things you need to know. No matter what you tell me I shall not be able to definitively agree with Jeanette Westbourne’s opinion that you are a trans girl for probably several months, maybe as long as a year, and to make that judgement you can’t stay in the closet. I am amazed she has allowed you to do so for so long though I can see her reasons. Ultimately you’ll have to live as a girl everywhere not just at home. However, you can be provided with, if it is appropriate, a provisional assessment that will provide you with legal protection if you decide to start transitioning and present as a girl in the near future. I’ll ring Jeanette and discuss the matter. That would mean, and I stress if we consider that to be appropriate, you could go to school as a girl and the school would be legally obliged to ensure you were safe. There would be serious consequences for the school should they fail in their duty of care. If that is the way you would like to go, I would like to see you every other day for an hour for the next two weeks to be certain it is appropriate and because till I issue that provisional diagnosis you would have no legal protection I would have to insist on writing you a sick note exempting you from school for that fortnight. Okay, it’s your turn now, so I’ll shut up and listen. Off you go.”
An hour later Anne had finished. “I can’t think of anything else. I want to transition, but school is a nightmare. I don’t have a problem dressing as a girl when out shopping, and we were going to move when I finish year eleven so Anne could go to college somewhere else. If it’s possible without me being beaten up every day I’d like you to do what you said. I don’t like the idea of missing school, but I can see it’s sensible. I’ll ask Keely to request work is sent home or over the internet. If I can go to school as me, Anne, and be safe I’d really like that. Then I could go to the sixth form college here and we’d not have to move. That would be really good now I’ve got some friends here. Is that it?”
“Not quite. As a result of what you have just told me I am almost certain I shall issue the provisional diagnosis, but it will make things much easier for you, me, Dr Westbourne and the school if Keely authorises it, for then there is no need for the court of protection to be involved. One of the most helpful things you have told me, helpful from your point of view that is, is that your parents knew about this and were supportive from before you went to primary school. Obviously they can’t confirm that, but presumably Keely can?”
“Yes. We’ve talked about it many a time. When do I have to stay at home? Can I go to school tomorrow?”
“That depends on what Keely says, but if she agrees to it you are signed off as of tonight. Gemma can deliver your sick note to the school office tomorrow.”
“What will the sick note say is wrong with me?”
“Stress because there’s no arguing with that, and it happens to be true too. Now I suggest you go and talk to the girls and ask Keely to talk to me here, while I write up my notes.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Anne received her first school work to do just after lunch over the internet. Gemma brought more on her way home from school and was full of news. “There were four police officers in school today with two other persons in ordinary clothes. I think they were detectives. Two of the officers in uniform and one of the other two were women. Loads of folk were interviewed, pupils as well as staff. The kids said it was all about the bullies and loads were asked to talk about what happened at the bike sheds before you pushed us over. The head called a special assembly fifteen minutes before the end of the last morning lesson. Fourteen kids have been expelled and dozens suspended. The rumour is some of them are going to be prosecuted for assault, but I don’t know if that’s true. Some got a week’s suspension, but others got longer, up to three weeks. I’m supposed to bring you work every day, and I was told to tell you by Mr Givens that you’ve till the end of term to read ‘A tale of two cities’ and there will be a test. Nobody we know has said anything, but it’s already out there that you are trans. Social media is full of it.”
Anne shrugged and said, “It had to happen sometime.”
“I’ve saved the best news till last. A sleep over at Andrea’s on Friday night. Three of us are camping out in her room. It’s massive, but there’s only one narrow bed, so it’s sleeping bags. Andrea said she’ll get her dad to dump her bed in the spare room and she’ll join us in a sleeping bag. She’s got some really cool DVDs, some for kids, some weepies and a couple of all girl action movies. What do you think?”
“I think I’d better buy a sleeping bag. Are her parents cool with me being trans?”
“Course they are. I told them all about you, but after that frock and the way you behaved the other day there’ll be no probs. You’re a natural girl, and I’ve never seen you as relaxed and as happy. Make sure you have loads of memory on your camera for Saturday and Sunday. Buy some more in Boots on Saturday. Got to go, things to do. You up for the hairdressers and manicurists sometime before you go back to school?” Anne nodded. “Are your ears pierced? Cos if not you could have that done on Saturday too.”
“Yeah. Just once. My hair hides it. I’ve got some nice earrings, other jewellery to. Keely bought me some pretty diamond studs last Christmas. Look.”
As Anne pushed her hair aside to shew Gemma her studs. Gemma said, “Nice. Before I go, that upper school deputy head Mrs Millet gave me this and said to tell you to read it. It’s the girls’ dress code and the jewellery and make up rules. Studs and small hoops are okay. Bye.”
The Friday night of the sleepover Collin picked Anne up with Gemma and dropped them both off at Andrea’s house before returning to Keely where he spent the night. He left after breakfast when Keely went to collect the three girls.
The sleepover was the most exciting thing that had ever happened in Anne’s life. The girls watched movies, gossiped and discussed what they were going to do the following day. It was a surprise to Anne when Andrea and Gemma undressed in front of her and Andrea said, “Come on, Anne, shower time.” Anne undressed down to her knickers and was reluctant to remove them till Andrea said impatiently, “I don’t care what you’ve got in your knicks. You’re a girl, so get a move on.”
Once in their nighties, Gemma said, “Those chicken fillets aren’t big enough for a girl of our age, Anne. You need some that make you look like us, or you’ll get teased about it. I’m a thirty-two A. How about you, Andrea? You used to be the same as me but you look a bit bigger now.”
“Yeah, till recently I was the same as you. I seem to have grown recently. I’m an inch taller and I’m a thirty-four A going on a B. I’ve not used my enhancers for a few weeks. I reckon Anne needs proper forms, but if we can’t find anything suitable tomorrow there’s always the internet.”
The conversation went on till the small hours and eventually reached boys. “You fancy boys, Anne?”
“Not really. Mostly I avoid them, cos a lot of them want to hurt me. I didn’t even think about stuff like that till recently. The hormones I’m taking seemed to take ages to do anything. They’re working now. My bottom and hips are widening and my boobs have started to grow.” The other two giggled in agreement. “But I found myself looking at girls and boys differently when that started to happen. Mostly I think I like girls, maybe I even fancy girls.”
“Does Keely know?”
“She was the one who noticed it first, long before I realised I was doing it. I just thought I was looking at girls because I was a bit jealous of them. You know them being able to be out there in public as girls.” Anne stopped quickly and as a complete change asked, “You okay about Keely and your dad, Gemma?”
“Yeah. She’s nice. He’s had a couple of girlfriends, but I didn’t like them. I thought they were just after him cos of his job. They were both pretty thick(6) and didn’t even stop on for sixth form after leaving school.”
Andrea interrupted to say, “And they really resented us, specially Gemma. I reckon that’s why Uncle Collin broke up with both of them.”
Gemma nodded in agreement and continued, “Auntie Libby helps as much as she can, and I’m grateful, but I’d like a mum of my own, and Keely would be perfect. You reckon they’ll be in bed together tonight, Anne?”
“Probably. I hope so anyway. You never know with any luck we may have a baby sister or brother what do you think?”
Gemma’s eyes widened at the idea and she said, “Awesome! I’d love a little brother.”
“Me too. Keely doesn’t get out much, but I’ve seen her looking at mums with babies and toddlers. I reckon she wants a family.”
“Now that would be really cool. Two sisters my own age and a baby brother too, though I wouldn’t mind a baby sister cousin.” Neither of the others needed explanations of Andrea’s mangled relationships, for they could see where her vision of the future was taking her. Andrea continued, “You need to tell Anne the rest of it too, Gemma. She needs to know if she’s going to be our sister, and given her issues she surely is trustworthy enough to keep her mouth shut till you give her permission to open it.”
Anne was puzzled as to what was going on, but Gemma nodded her head and said, “What we told you about wanting a friend was true, though Dad and Keely are probably going to take that to another level. We just haven’t told you all of the truth yet. You may not be certain about fancying girls, but I am. I’m not ready to come out about it yet, but if you come out as a girl I may as well come out too. I was going to ask you to take me to the Halloween dance. I suppose that would have been camouflage really. But if you’re coming out as a girl at school that one’s dead in the water. I couldn’t expect you to wear a tuxedo for me, could I?”
Andrea laught and said, “Agreed, but you could wear the tux and Anne wear a ballgown. If you’re both out there’s no need for camouflage is there and you’d both be well within the dress code wouldn’t you?”
The three girls laught and Anne asked, “Do you fancy girls too, Andrea?”
“Definitely not! There’s nothing about a girl I want to explore. Got it all myself, and don’t find it in the least interesting. I suppose this is as good a time as any to tell you both that Lewis asked me to go to the dance with him, and I said yes. Now that’s a lot of boy that I’d really enjoy exploring.”
“Lewis Wright? Big Lou in year eleven asked you go to the dance with him‽” asked Gemma in amazement.
“Yep, and that’s going to upset a lot of those girls who are so full of themselves isn’t it? He said he’d trying to find the nerve to ask me for weeks. None saw us, but he asked me in the library just before break and we sealed the deal with a kiss.” Andrea’s eyes glazed over momentarily as she remembered the experience before she said, “And that was really nice. It was my first proper kiss.”
“You know, now those girls will hate you more than they hate me?” Anne asked.
“Yeah. What of it? Lewis will look after us all. You do know he likes James, don’t you? And he’ll not be bothered by Gemma being a lesbian nor James being a girl called Anne. The school’s new approach to bullying, which Uncle Col says is entirely due to you, Anne, will keep us safe. The real thugs are all gone, and I’m not bothered about the verbal stuff. Even just having the three of us sticking together will make life okay, but I’m sure some of the other kids who were bullied will be friendly too.”
“I didn’t know Lewis liked James, though he was always okay, and thinking about it I was never bullied when he was around. You want to do that, Gemma? Wear a tux I mean, if I wear a ballgown?”
“Yeah. It wasn’t how I saw it going down, but I actually like the idea. No, actually I think it’s a brilliant idea. Dad’ll be cool with it, how about Keely?”
“She’s always been very protective of me, like a mum really. She’s sort of half big sister half mum, but as long as it makes me happy and she believes I’m doing it because I want to, not because I’m being pressured into it she’ll be okay and supportive.”
“Sleep,” Andrea said. “We’ve got a big day in front of us tomorrow. Actually that’s not much later today now.”
“All right, all right. There’s no need to avoid looking at me in the eyes. Collin spent the night with me, and that is all I’m going to say about it, okay?”
Anne looked at her sister with a mischievous look and said, “We were almost taking bets on it last night.”
“What stopped you?”
“None of us would bet against it. Look, Sis, for what it’s worth we all hope you can make it work. I’d like a dad and Gemma would like a mum, Andrea has a mum, but she’d like an auntie who was around all year, and last but not least we’d all like a baby brother or sister too.”
Keely hadn’t been bothered by Anne’s remarks till she mentioned a baby brother or sister. At that she went bright scarlet, and muttered, “You’re all jumping the gun a bit there, Girls.”
The four of them had a good day all buying a number of items including outfits for the Halloween dance. The woman in the shop was taken aback to realise only Andrea and Anne required ballgowns and tried to persuade Gemma to try a few on too. Gemma was adamant that she required a tuxedo. Unfortunately the shop had nothing that would fit her, however a shop that catered to cross dressers had exactly what she required in a perfect fit, and the four of them were giggling on their way out when Andrea pointed out that Anne had had no problems in a normal women’s dress shop, but Gemma had to resort to a shop called Alternative Lifestyles. “You look just like Marlene Dietrich in some of those really old movies. You’ll be a sensation, Gemma. I’ll ask Lewis if he’ll get a similar outfit. I’m sure he’ll be up for it.”
It was in a nationally known, high street, chain store where Anne found her breast forms and the four of them concluded that a B was entirely appropriate without going over the top, which expression made them all laugh. Andrea suggested Gemma purchased a little extra help, but Gemma said, “My existing enhancers boost me to a full B which is fine. I really don’t want to be any bigger at the moment, and anyway I’d have to replace most of my clothes. Auntie Libby told me that my mum was a big girl and I will probably end up as a D or even a double D. If it happens it happens, but I’m not going there till it does.
Sunday at Telchester Gardens was a pleasant experience for all five of them. The weather was sunny, warm and had a pleasant breeze. The three girls enjoyed the company they provided each other with as they explored the old castle and the winding garden paths far more than the rides on the fun fair. They sat down in one of the numerous gazebos that also sold ice cream to enjoy their cones. “This is the most delicious ice cream I’ve ever tasted,” Andrea declared.
“Yeah,” Anne agreed. “It says on the poster that shews you what flavours they sell that they’re all home made by the restaurante kitchens. You’ve got some on your nose, Gemma.” The girls all giggled as Gemma dived into her handbag [US purse] for a hanky.
Eventually the girls decided it was time to find Collin and Keely. They found them laughing as they struggled to hold hands whilst threwing bread to the swans from the jetty where the rowing boats were moored. They gave the bread to the girls, so they could hold hands properly. It was a mild, balmy evening and when the bread was gone Collin said, “We’ve forty minutes to go before our table will be available in the restaurante, so I suggest a walk round the lake which will leave you ladies ten minutes to freshen up and do whatever make up repairs you consider necessary.”
After dinner during the hour long car ride home, Gemma asked, “Dad, can Anne sleep over at our house? Andrea and I would like her to.”
“Only if it’s okay with Keely.”
He looked at Keely who nodded and said, “Just go to your house, Collin. We’ll both stop the night. I want to finish discussing what we were talking about earlier.”
The girls smiled, but didn’t say anything.
The fortnight passed and Anne was looking forward to returning to school with a little anxiety but not the dread that had been suffered by James. It had been arranged that she would change classes to the other half of the year group and be timetabled the same as Gemma and Andrea, which was almost like changing schools for she would have a completely different set of classmates most of who wouldn’t have had any dealings with James. According to Gemma and Andrea the school environment had changed dramatically with respect to bullying. The major thugs had been expelled as soon as the school had seen the CCTV evidence of their activities and since then the crack down had been on the lesser bullies, many of who were spending their school time at home aware that on their return to school their next offence was likely to be their last at their current school and the reasons for their expulsion would follow them to their next school. All were aware that their first offence at any subsequent school would be their last and that no school would accept them after their second expulsion. It had been explained to them that such a future involved no qualifications and the prospect of spending their future lives unemployed, in dead end jobs or locked up. One probation officer who had originated on the wrong side of the tracks had bluntly told some of the boys that a future in gaol meant the only sex they would have would be as the bitch of a hardened criminal and he doubted that they would enjoy the experience. Some of the girls had been warned by a deputy head that if they didn’t change themselves immediately they would be looking at spending their remaining time at school in the in school seclusion unit where they would have different break and lunch times from the rest of the school.
Keely and Collin had spent a lot of time together and had finally admitted to the three girls that they had marriage plans. Their problem was housing. Andrea had said, “Uncle Col’s house with an extension will be well big enough. The garden is huge and an extension won’t make it significantly smaller. Then nobody has to move house.” She sketched a rough plan and said, “See, this would give the pair of you a bigger en-suite bedroom upstairs in the extension above a combined consulting room, office and library for Uncle Col. If the existing master bedroom is converted into a bathroom, the three of us have a decent sized bedroom each and a shared bathroom with three showers and a huge bath. The existing bathroom could be turned into a laundry and walk in linen cupboard and we could do the ironing in there too. Talk to Mum and Dad, they’ll chip in on the cost ’cos of you looking after me so much. Between them they earn a fortune and they’ve admitted to me they have no idea what to spend it on to help me. They feel guilty about you looking after me so much of the time, and this would allow them to feel less guilty. This is only my idea, but I’m sure an architect could design it better.”
Keely and Collin had engaged an architect and made arrangements with the local Church of England vicar for a wedding in four weeks. Keely had told the three girls they were seeing a wedding dress emporium concerning her dress and their bridesmaid dresses next Tuesday. The wedding was timed so that Andrea’s parents could attend, and all was in train for the wedding including booking a local hotel with a huge dance hall for the reception.
Before the wedding was the school dance. Lewis and Gemma had identical tuxedos, the two couples presented a striking sight. On their return to school the following Monday there was considerable gossip concerning Lewis and Andrea, a lot was defamatory originating from girls who had been trying to establish a relationship with Lewis for months. There was even more concerning James who had become Anne and her relationship with Gemma, who’d been a target for many boys trying to find a pretty girlfriend. There was considerable resentment from some of the girls that Anne was so pretty and a lot of confused boys who couldn’t cope well with their attraction for a ‘boy’. The headteacher eventually becoming aware of the gossip had reminded the entire school at assembly that personal relationships were just that: personal, and whilst all had a right to think whatever they wished, to verbalise opinions that were actually against the law in terms of the sexuality of others would result in immediate expulsion, for if she did not take such action the school and herself would be legally liable under current legislation for condoning the crime and as such being a party to it.
Eventually, at the wedding reception of Keely and Collin, after inadvertently seeing Andrea and Lewis in an extremely compromising position which they both envied, both Anne and Gemma admitted their feelings for each other and left for some privacy. Gemma said, “I didn’t like you much when you pushed me over on my bike, but looking back, for the pair of us, Mum and Dad and Andrea and Lewis too, it was really a fortunate mistake wasn’t it?”
“Mmm. This bra fastens at the front, Gemma.”
1. GCSE, General Certificate of Secondary Education. Examinations usually taken in ten or eleven subjects by sixteen year old in the UK just before leaving compulsory education.
2. PC, politically correct.
3. En fille, as a girl.
4. NGO, Non Governmental Organisation.
5. Lippy, teenage girl word for lipstick.
6. Thick, UK meaning is lacking in intelligence.
Comments
Interesting Story
Will it be continued?
Janice