Whatever Next? Chapter 2 by Angharad Copyright© 2022 Angharad

The doorbell rang. Carol went to open it. She returned a moment later with Jenny’s mother, “What happened? I went to your house and it looked like a bomb had hit it? The young bobby there directed me over here,” then she and Jenny embraced.

“I tried to phone you at home and on your mobile,” said Jenny after they had sat down and she explained the situation as they knew it.

“Oh that thing,” said her mother, “I never switch it on.”

“It might have helped if you had, Mum,” chided Jenny.

“We have an extra complication regarding the accommodation,” said Carol hesitantly.

“Oh dear, should I go and find a hotel or B&B, somewhere?” said the latest visitor.

“How about, you share with Jen's mum and I’ll kip on the couch,” offered Dave.

“You can’t do that Dave, you have to work in the morning,” protested his mum-in-law.

“I have to make a statement to the police and see what can be rescued tomorrow, that’s what I’m doing.”

“But you’ll need your sleep Dave….”

“Look Mum, that’s why I’m offering to sleep on the couch, Jenny sounds like a 747 warming up, especially when she’s had a drink.”

Jenny huffed in mock annoyance then said, “I’ve haven’t had a drink.”

“No, and the sun is way over the yard-arm, get yourselves tidied up I’m going to treat us all to a drink and a snack at the pub.”

“Look, is that wise?” asked Carol, “I could get something organised fairly quickly here.”

Just then John arrived, after kissing his wife and putting down his briefcase asked what had happened to the Bond’s house. The situation as they knew it was explained to him and he insisted they all stay with Carol and him. When Carol told him that Dave had offered to take them all to the pub for dinner, he insisted it was his treat. Dave protested, but John insisted again and Dave gave way.

“Tell the girls to get themselves tidied,” said Dave to Jenny.

“Drew not here then?” said John.

“It’s Gaby, at the moment,” said Dave, blushing a bit as he said it.

“Oh, okay,” accepted John, nodding. He wasn’t too worried he’d seen the boy in skirts often enough; not only that but he looked like a girl, not a boy in skirts. In fact, John always thought Drew looked a bit like a girl when he was dressed like a boy.

“Didn’t he spend some of his holiday in girl mode?” said John quietly to Dave.

“All of it I think,” Dave blushed again.

“So, is the Gaby thing…you know...long-term?” asked John, still talking quietly.

“I don’t know, if it is we have some things to sort out, if it isn’t we have some things to sort out. If you know what I mean?”

“Yeah, I’ll bet you have.”

Just then Maddy and Drew came in, “Daddy,” shouted Mad and rushed at her father, engulfing him in a monster hug. After which, she pulled Drew over and insisted he give John a hug as well.

“Hi Dre...Gaby,” said John, putting his arms around the boy.

“Uncle John,” Drew blushed a little as he gently put his arms around the older man and pecked him on the cheek. It was getting a little easier each time he kissed someone as Gaby, and he felt safe with John Peters, it was like hugging his own father.

“Gran!” exclaimed Drew spotting his relative, he rushed over to her and threw his arms around her.

“Hello Kiddo, how are you?” she said hugging him back.

“I feel better for seeing you, Gran.”

“Well, I think that makes two of us,” joked his grandmother. She asked if he’d got himself ready to go out, and he nodded. “You seem quite comfortable in skirts these days?”

“They’re okay, a bit draughtier than trousers and shorts,” he joked, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“You look lovely Dre...Gaby,” she quickly corrected herself.

“Thank you, Gran, you look pretty good yourself.”

His grandmother smiled back at the boy and thought she would have a little chat with him later, if she could get him on his own. She was a bit concerned for his future although she knew about this knack he had for ending up in skirts; he seemed to be spending more time than ever in them. She’d seen the clip of film on the news where he’d been knocked off his bike, it still gave her nightmares simply thinking about it. She’d also recalled how the narration had described the scene as, “Gaby Bond, daughter of world champion cyclist, Jenny Bond, had survived the crash and had carried the remains of her bike over the finishing line before collapsing.” The film had also shown the roar from the crowd when she emerged from the ambulance, and how she’d walked to see the other victim lying in the road with paramedics trying to save him.

It seemed to Drew’s grandmother, that the boy wanted to be a girl yet he always denied it when she talked to him about it. Doubtless, he had talked with his parents and they were happy, Jenny always seemed so half soaked about it and Dave was Dave…good old Dave.

Well if the kid did want to be a girl, he couldn’t have better parents to help him through the process...except it would help to have a mother who was home a bit more often…but that was Jenny...headstrong and determined. The older woman shivered a little, “I’ll just nip up and get my shawl, it’s turning cooler.”

They all piled into the cars and drove to the local pub restaurant, where John had managed to phone and book a table for them all. Dave was relieved John had taken over for the night, he really had enough to cope with and an evening off would be good. He drove there as Jenny had agreed to drive back, she needed to get into training again and alcohol was not a good way to start it. Dave was looking forward to his first pint, it was going to be followed by another, and another…

John looked at Drew and Maddy sitting next to each other across the table from him. They looked like sisters rather than second cousins or whatever they were…third cousins? He considered the family relationship, Jenny and Carol were first cousins, so Drew and Jules would be Carol’s second cousins and similarly, Maddy and Jenny. So Maddy and Drew and Juliette, would be third cousins.

He smiled to himself, then looking at the two ‘twins’ again, thought to himself, Bloody hell, Drew is just as pretty as Maddy, and possibly prettier than his sister. Poor bugger, his genes and his hormones must have got messed up somewhere, because they sure aren’t very boyish ones.

He’d known about the bike race and the crash, he’d seen it on the telly. He knew they had had to stay down south longer than he liked because of the inquest etc. He hadn’t really thought about which gender Drew was in for the holiday, it had slightly surprised him when he’d seen the film clip. But then had it?

Drew seemed to spend half his life in skirts, leastways when he was with Maddy. Was she involved in it, encouraging him? He thought they were sort of an item, were they still? What did Maddy think of this latest development…his seemingly long term gender switch?

Lots of questions seeped into John’s mind as he watched the two ‘girls’ opposite him, nothing seemed to betray Drew’s original gender. Maybe he was a girl after all, he seemed so natural. He needed to talk with Carol, she must have more idea about what was happening than he did.

“Have the police decided how the fire started?” asked John of Dave.

“Not really, they seem to think petrol or some sort of accelerant was poured through the letter box”

“So it’s deliberate, then?”

“Without a doubt!”

“Geez Dave, who could hate you enough to do something like that?”

“Only that bloody lunatic from Weymouth: he’s had several goes at killing Gaby.”

“Why? What can a kid have done to annoy a thug like him?”

“From what the local police said, she’d helped them upset a drug ring. They were supplying Ecstasy to local schools. She and Maddy and a couple of boys, helped the police break it up. Meadows was the supplier to the kid who got killed; looks like he killed him, too.”

“So this low life, has come up here, has he?”

“It rather looks that way; can’t think it’s anyone else up here unless they are very bad sports, and got beaten by Drew or Jenny.”

As the two men were talking, there was a slight excitement further down the restaurant. “It’s Gaby,” said a young male voice.

“Gaby who?” asked a mature female one.

“Drew’s cousin, Gaby Peters or Bond…who cares; I’m gonna speak to her.”

“Clive, don’t you dare make a fuss, those poor people have enough on their hands at the moment, what with the fire and all.”

“I won’t, I just wanna talk to her,” with that he set off towards the Bond/Peters’ table. “Hi, Gaby, remember me?”

Drew looked around in disbelief, talk about having a bad day. The last time he’d met Clive as Gaby, he’d nearly knocked him out: couldn’t he take a hint?

“Hello, Clive isn’t it?”

“You do remember me, then?” said Clive excitedly. It was obvious to Drew that this boy couldn’t take a hint any more than Harry could.

What was it about boys, were they so stupid? A parallel thought assailed his mind, reflecting on the fact that underneath the eyeliner and the lip-gloss, he was still Drew. Or was he? He was beginning to wonder, simply because he could take hints and respect other people’s feelings just like any other girl…oops! He felt himself blush at this revelation.

“What d’ya want?” asked Maddy, defensively, cursing him under her breath.

“I wondered if Gaby would like to come out with me?” he answered cockily.

“If I remember last time you asked her, she knocked you into the middle of next week!” said Maddy with equal aplomb.

“Anyone can make a mistake,” said Clive; a statement which left Drew wondering if maybe he had hit the boy too hard, and it affected the few functioning brain cells he possessed.

“Yeah, but you keep repeating them!” said Maddy, administering what should have been a coup de grace, except Clive was too thick of skin and brain.

“That’s like really funny,” he answered back chuckling to himself.

Maddy felt differently and it was only the fact that her parents were there that she didn’t out-rightly tell him to scram or words to that effect. Instead she held her temper, which was just as well because Jenny intervened.

“Why don’t you let Gaby decide, as Clive was asking her, not you Maddy?”

Mad was mad! However, she respected Jenny and bit her tongue. Drew however was crestfallen, his mother had done it again! “Well, Gaby, would you like to go out with Clive?”

I’d rather get cholera, was his first thought, but he said, “I don’t think I can; I have to help Dad with the bikes an’ things tomorrow.”

“That was a kewel race you won in Weymouth, you know where that kid got killed.”

“I’m well aware he got killed Clive, I saw half his brains in the gutter…”

“Cor, did you?”

“Yes I did, and it gave me nightmares for days after.” Drew was exaggerating slightly, but he had seen the boy dying from injuries to his head, despite wearing a helmet.

“Kewel,” exclaimed Clive, savouring the thought and the excitement.

“I don’t think so, you moron!” said Maddy with venom, “She saw someone die and all you can say is ‘kew-wel’; it isn’t kew-wel at all, it’s like very un-kew-wel. So stick that in your stupid brain and clear off!”

“Mrs Bond said Gaby could answer for herself,” he glanced along the table, “Hey where’s Drew?”

“He’s training with the youth squad, why?” answered Drew, sweating slightly. It amazed him that Clive had never put two and two together, but this seemed as close as he’d ever been.

“Nothin’, ‘cept he never seems to be around when you are, don’t you like each other or somethin’?”

Drew nearly blanched with horror as Clive nearly twigged. If Clive had another neuron, he’d be dangerous! He thought to himself. “Course not, but I can only come when he’s away, ‘cos I stay in his room.” Which wasn’t a word of a lie, as his Gaby stuff stayed in Drew’s wardrobe, in his bedroom.

“So you wanna come out sometime?” persisted Clive.

Drew suddenly saw the double meaning in what Clive had just asked, and which if the boy had half a brain, he’d see and Drew/Gaby would be outed. His blood ran cold. If that happened, it would be more likely that Clive hit him not the other way around.

“No, I promised Drew I’d help sort out his bikes.”

“How long’s that gonna take, maybe I could help.”

“Which part of 'no' didn’t you like understand?” snapped Maddy, also realising that Clive might just stumble onto the answer if he blundered around long enough.

“Okay, I’m going… see ya Gaby,” he said winking at her.

“Not if I see you first,” muttered Drew under his breath.

“The nerve of that boy, you should have hit him harder last time Gabs,” said Maddy much to Jules amusement.

“I will next time,” offered Drew clenching his painted fingers into a fist.

“I don’t think so!” said Dave, while Jenny nodded in agreement, “No daughter of mine is going to go brawling in the street, no matter how provoked she might be.”

Oh bum! Thought Drew, whatever next?

John Peters sat and watched this enactment without commenting, he could see why Maddy and Gaby were acting defensively; what he couldn’t understand was how Clive couldn’t see through the war-paint.

He wondered how it was that he, John Peters, could see Drew as Gaby or vice versa, so how come Clive couldn’t, given that they were at the same school and in the same class at times? Was it simply a contextual situation, out of context he didn’t see Drew or Gaby, in context he would? He was still lost in his thoughts when Dave offered to buy him a drink.

“I’ll have a mineral water, thanks Dave,” he said acknowledging he was driving.

Jenny had the same, but Carol had another glass of wine and Dave his third pint. The teens were satisfied with colas, or at least made it look as if they were, which was all that mattered.

Drew surveyed the restaurant, Clive had gone, and he sighed with relief. “He has gone, hasn’t he?” Drew said to Maddy.

It was Jules who answered, “What your thicko friend? Yeah, he’s gone.” She looked at her sibling; okay he made a very passable girl, but he didn’t look that different in boy mode, so why didn’t people notice?

“Why did you put Gaby on the spot, Mum?” asked Jules. Jenny’s actions at times baffled her.

“What d’you mean?” said Jenny looking unabashed.

“Well, like asking Gaby to answer if she wanted to go out with that zombie?” At this description Maddy and Drew nearly wet themselves and laughed out loud.

“I was only trying to let Gaby show her disinterest in the boy,” said Jenny defensively.

“Didn’t look like that to me.” Jules was winding Jenny up beautifully.

“I don’t care what it looked like, that’s what I meant.” Jenny’s colour had risen and she was feeling rather warm.

Dave decided enough was enough, “Okay kids, as Clive the cretin has gone,” laughter from the teens, “this topic has run its course.”

“But Dad…” protested Jules.

“Enough, Juliette, talk about something else...like parental cruelty?” Dave said which brought a wry smile from Maddy’s parents.

Turning to them he said, “Teenagers, why have nice, polite children got to grow into teenagers?” The Peters adults smiled knowingly.

Half an hour later, they all decided it was time for home and trouped out to the cars to go back to the Peters’ house. Drew was a little apprehensive in case anyone else saw him, but they got home without incident.

As they were finalising the sleeping arrangements, Jenny’s mobile went off and she answered it, she spoke German for a short time then ended the call.

“That was Germany, apparently they’ve been trying to get hold of me.”

“And…?” Said Dave, looking apprehensive.

“They want me back the day after tomorrow,” said Jenny looking at the ground.

“Did you tell them about the fire?” pressed Dave.

“Yes, I told them earlier,” said Jenny, looking at him but refusing to make eye contact.

“Does that mean you’ve, like gotta go?” asked Drew, his face falling.

“I’m afraid so darling,” Jenny did manage to look him in the eye. Then Drew flew to his mother and hugged her.

“I don’t want you to go, I don’t, I don’t,” he began to sob.

“I’m sorry my babe, but I have to;” she looked at the others who were either registering shock on their faces or embarrassment. “They pay me to ride for them, I’ve missed two races. I need to go back.”

“Let me come with you,” said Drew, sobbing against her.

“I’d love you to come, but it’s not possible at the moment, maybe later.”

“Don’t go…” he sobbed, “Don’t go…”

“Come on, Gaby, come with me,” said his gran, “Let’s you and me have a little talk.” She gently prised him off his mother and led him out into the conservatory. Jules who had settled there a few minutes earlier, saw their need for privacy and picking up her personal stereo moved back into the house.

It took about fifteen minutes for Drew to compose himself, helped by his gran’s calm and confident presence. He knew he would feel safe with her no matter what happened. A little later, she gently probed her grandson about the change of lifestyle.

“So it’s Gaby now then?" she asked smiling.

“For the moment,” Drew looked at her and knew he couldn’t tell her any lies. “I haven’t got any boy clothes.”

“The fire?” asked his gran, to which he nodded. “Didn’t you take any to Dorset with you?”

“You know me Gran, I was in the middle of packing when I had to help Jules with a spider. Then Auntie Carol and Maddy came and I grabbed my bag and left ‘em behind.”

“So you only packed girl stuff?” said Gran, trying to work out if this was all planned, if it was then it would surprise her; Drew was no planner.

“No, we had to buy that.” Drew rubbed his reddened eyes.

“Instead of boy clothes?” Gran looked puzzled.

“Yeah, we had to because the boys thought I was a girl.”

“Why didn’t you just tell them they were mistaken?”

“ ‘Cos I’d agreed to pretend to be one of them's girlfriend.” Drew smiled as he recalled the disco and the events leading up to it.

“You agreed to be someone’s girlfriend?” asked Gran, wondering if she’d got the facts right.

“Yeah, like Harry asked me to go to the disco with him and pretend like, to be his girlfriend, like, ‘cos Cheesecake would be jealous an’ all, like.” Drew began to blush as he saw his gran’s brow furrowed, she clearly didn’t understand or was not pleased.

“Did he know you were a boy?”

“No, like he’d never have asked me, if he like thought that..” Drew almost sniggered but the expression on his gran’s face stopped the laugh instantly.

“So he thought you were really a girl?”

“Yeah,” Drew looked puzzled, he thought he’d said that, maybe Gran was getting old or deaf.

“Why did he think you were a girl, were you dressed as one?”

“Sort of, because William’s nan told them.”

“Who is William?”

“Harry’s friend, he took Maddy to the disco.”

“Why did William’s nan think you were a girl?”

“Why does everyone?”

“I don’t know, why do you think it was?”

“I had a skirt on.”

“So you planned to be Gaby for the holiday?”

“No, it was Maddy’s skirt…”

“So she planned it?”

“No Gran, it was the woman in the motorway services’ fault.”

“I’m sorry, Gaby, but you’re not making sense….”

At this point Maddy arrived and between them they explained about the coffee and the jeans getting stolen and…

”So you told the police you wanted to be a girl and have a sex change?” Gran looked very serious as she said this.

“Yeah,” Drew blushed and looked at the floor.

“Is it true; do you want to be female?”

“It doesn’t matter now does it, I told them so...”

“Of course it matters, do you want to be a girl?”

“I don’t know…” Drew felt a tear run down his face, Maddy noticed it and went for some tissues. “Sometimes I like think my body’s decided for me...”

“What, you’re turning into a girl?”

“Yeah,” Drew was blushing profusely.

“What do you mean, growing breasts and things?”

“Yeah…” he felt the blush continue, he was very uncomfortable.

“Have you spoken to your Mum about it?”

“Yeah…”

“What does she have to say?” Gran seemed very concerned, more than his mother had been.

“Not much…”

“What do you mean, she doesn’t say much or isn’t interested?”

“I think she doesn’t mind having another daughter.”

“How do you feel about that?”

“Dunno…” Drew looked very uncomfortable and said to his gran, “Can we like stop talking now?”

She hugged him, “I’m sorry Gaby, I’ve been very selfish trying to understand what’s happened, I’m a silly old woman.”

“No, you’re not Gran, I didn’t mind talking to you,” said Drew hugging her tightly.

“If I can help in any way, you know…”

“I know, Gran, and thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me, Gaby, it’s what Grans are for.”