Dot and Sam 47

Josephine MacDonald The town and county archivist.
Richard Drummond Town planning inspector
Robert Vincent. Junior planning inspector.
Georgina. (Georgie) Homeless Transgender girl previously known as George.
Bobby Gay boy on the school bus.
Marty Girl on the school bus. (She becomes Georgie’s best friend, lover, and wife)
Jack. Marty’s twin brother (Keen runner).
Trevor Aitkins, Georgie’s Biological father.
Lucinda Aitkins Georgie’s biological mother
Terence Georgie’s step-dad
Peter Terence’s homophobic son.
Allison Old friend of Trevor & Retired Solicitor
Jessica Merlot The town’ and county archaeologist.
Fred Allison’s husband
Elizabeth Aitkins (Beth) Georgie’s younger sister
Jonathon Aitkins (Johnny) Georgie’s younger brother.
Rosie the Rivetter Terf Gang Leader on campus.
Peggy Marty’s mother
Abigail, (Abbie) Marty’s younger sister.
Andrea Marty’s second (youngest) sister.
Gemma Beth’s stepsister.
Beryl Beth’s second
James. Marty’s Dad.

Dot and Sam 47

As Georgie and Marty each sat nursing a triplet each, Peggy took the bottle with the third triplet and settled into the third chair that the nurses had thoughtfully provided. That is how Trevor found them when he returned with a teapot and tray of cookies, followed by the paediatrician and the midwifery sister.

The sister grinned as she scanned the nursing trio and commented.

“Well, you all seem to have got the first stage right.”

Peggy snorted with amusement as she cocked an eyebrow.

“I’ve had four of these love, so my girls are in good hands as are these three little grandkids.”

The paediatrician grinned widely as she opened the files.

“I can see that, so I’ll just run the usual tests and a couple of special ones for the programme. Sister has told me you’re on board with our research.”

Marty nodded affirmation for everybody then she explained to the paediatrician what the midwives already knew about the triple birth.
“We’re having a reveal party on Saturday when the rest of the families will learn about the triplets. The family still think we’ve had twins. Though my dad is due in tonight because he works away, so he’ll have to be in on the secret when he arrives.”

With that issue sorted, the family nursed and watched as the paediatrician ran her tests and took samples. Trevor busied himself with the tea and biscuits and soon the feeding session was over. It was only then that the girls learned that Trevor had organised a family suite so Peggy and Georgie could overnight until the babies went home.

As Saturday morning arrived, the family phone-lines were red hot as preparations were completed for, mothers , triplets, one grandmother, (Peggy) and one grandfather , (Trevor) to make their farewells to the hospital staff. Trevor and Georgie then ferried the family to ‘The Harbour Light’ inn where Dot, Sam and Marty’s father James had gathered for the first phase of the grand arrival.

Allison and Fred quickly showed up as soon they looked out of their cottage window and saw the new family driving up the road to the pub.

“Hurry up Fred!” Allison chided her husband as they hurried across the dock to follow Marty and Georgie into the pub.

Dot, Sam and James, (Marty’s father,) were the first to be gob-smacked as they realised that Trevor, Peggy and Georgie were carrying not two but three bassinettes into the pub.

There was a stunned silence before Dot, Sam and James all started babbling at once until the ‘ever practical’ Peggy brought the cackle to silence. As the silence reigned Alison and Fred entered the pub just as Peggy savoured announcing the delightful surprise.

“Yes! There’s three!” She declared as she took one of the daughters and handed her to Dot.

Georgie and Marty also followed suit by handing the remaining son and daughter to Sam and James.

“Well, you’re a dark horse!” Marty’s father James chuckled as he cradled his first grandson.

Dot and Sam continued to remain silent and gob-smacked for long moments as they relished the babies in their arms, until finally, they recovered their composures and, like James , demanded to know long Marty had known there were three.

“At the end of the first semester,” Marty chuckled as Georgie grinned like a cheshire cat who had eaten the cheese as well.

“Why you pair of minxes!” Dot squealed as she checked the other girl.

“Are these two twins?”

“Yes,” Georgie announced, “Can’t you tell? They’re identical!”

Dot looked up from inspecting her baby and comparing it with the one in Sam’s arms. Then she reflected.

“Yes, I suppose they’d have to be identical twins if they’re from the same egg.”

“Dare I ask? Have you chosen names for them?” Sam pressed.

“Provisionally; yes.” Marty replied. “Having the twin girls has taken all the heat out of the issue.”

“And?” Dot raised a questioning eyebrow.

“We’ll be revealing all when my family turn up,” Georgie explained, “they should be here about lunch time.

“Who’s coming?” Dot inquired, then added, “I’ll need to set places for the festive lunch.”
Trevor answered because he had contacted his ex-wife and spoken to his children.

“Lucy for certain, plus Beth and Johnny, she also confirmed that the stepchildren Gemma and Beryl have demanded to see the children. So that’s five but Lucy wasn’t sure if Terry or Peter were coming.”

“They won’t be welcome, but the others are. We’ll have to phone Lucy and get her to dissuade the homophobes if they’re with them.” Georgie observed then continued, “who’s coming from your side Babes?”

Marty listed the siblings then suggested a couple of cousins might have taken it upon themselves to invite themselves.

“There’ll be my twin brother Jack of course, he’ll be driving, then there’ll be Abigail and Andrea my younger sisters,” then Marty turned to her mum Peggy,

“If this is going to be a twin thing, we should invite your twin sister Bridget and her twin daughters, my cousins Veronica and Kathy.”

“Aye,” James remarked. “Twins don’t run in our family, they bloody gallop!”

With that Dot chuckled.
“We’ll set a table for twenty and see how it goes! Then I’ll ask Charlotte if she can rustle up a couple of extra hands. She tells me there are girls from the town always asking for work. Is there anybody else?”

There was a satisfied silence, and the party settled in the bar to await the arrival of the various family branches. During this interval, the party atmosphere naturally grew louder, particularly when Jack and the remainder of Marty’s family arrived.

Peggy naturally fell to hugging her Twin sister Bridget while the cousins cooed and clucked over the new additions to their clan.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eventually, while champagne corks were popping and the mood was joyous, a spectre appeared at the entrance to the Bar that immediately caused a silence to settle over the crowd. Georgie immediately sensed the change, and she immediately recognised the hated, familiar countenance of the bitch who had condemned her to the streets but seven years earlier.

Brooking absolutely no argument, Georgie immediately laid down the law before her egg-donor had a chance to speak.

“You are not really welcome, but I will allow you to see your grandchildren on this occasion. Is that brute you married with you?”
“You mean Terence.”

“Who else?”

“He’s in the car.”

“He can stay there, are Beth and Johnny here?”

“Yes.”

“They are more than welcome to see their nieces and nephew. What about Gemma and Beryl, dad said they wanted to see them.”

“Well, they can obviously see the babies and they, like Beth and Johnny, will always be welcome at this door. You, however, will be expected to make an appointment unless we invite you to events like birthdays , or later on if your grandchildren ask to see you.”

As Georgie laid down these conditions, she realised that she had inadvertently revealed the triplets existence, but Lucy had failed to notice. It did not matter however, for Beth, Johnny, Gemma and Beryl had already tumbled out of the car and were literally running to the pub door, bent on seeing the twins, - as they thought.

Georgie gave one last instruction to her egg-donor as she turned to re-enter The Harbour Light.

“You can suggest to Terry and Peter that they can go into town and get themselves a meal and you can call him when you’re ready to leave.”

“He want’s to see the babies.”

“No way!” Georgie declared angrily. “He doesn’t want to see me, so why does he want to see the babies? For all I know he might try to harm them; like he did me!”

Lucy glared at her daughter and phoned her husband Terence as she stood in the porch of the pub. Then as she turned to go inside Beth came hurtling out and almost knocked Lucy off her feet.

Lucy let a whoosh of breath as Beth never stopped while almost accusing her sister.

“You crafty cow! Why didn’t you tell us there were three?”

Georgie just grinned as Beth flung her arms around her.

“Three?” Lucy screeched.

“Yes!” Beth replied excitedly. “Go and look for yourself!”

Lucy stared almost stupidly at Georgie as Beths words sank in.

“You said there were twins, invitro fertilisation.”

“They were, - until the girly egg decided to split. Then we found out we were having triplets. Identical daughters and a son. I suggest you go and look, that’s what you came for isn’t it?”

For a moment, Lucy stood shocked and then a tear came to her eye as she realised just how much she must have hurt Georgie for her to have even kept the news of triplets a secret from her own mother.

As she recovered her composure she span and almost burst through the pub door as she erupted into the bar.

“Where are - ? Ah there!” she cried as she spied the three bassinettes lying empty as her children nursed their nieces and nephew.”

“You should have said!” She almost snapped at Marty.

“You know precisely why we didn’t!” Marty replied calmly but firmly. “What goes around, comes around.”

Lucy was about to scream at her daughter in law but thought better of it. Instead, she submissively asked if she could hold one.

“You’ll have to wait your turn, then we’ll sit down to dinner. Just remember, you’re on probation.”

Lucy wanted to curse Georgie for being so callous towards hi- no, her own mother. Instead, the baleful glare she wanted to transfix Georgie with, turned into a resentful, tearful sulk.

Georgie still refused to relent and just fixed her egg donor with a hard, flat stare for the hurt still burned within her.

It was Dot who took it upon herself to guide Georgie away from her egg donor and made her take her place at the head of the long double table while Marty tactfully took the other head seat adjoining. Then the others took their places as directed by Sam while the staff started serving the champagne, Lucy found herself at the very bottom end of the table but she was far too remorseful to protest.

The champagne left a bitter-sweet taste in Lucy’s throat as the toast to the triplet’s births was made.

Eventually the dinner was finished and Marty declared that the names for the children were to be revealed.
After a brief introduction and a couple of Jokes, Marty revealed all.

“So everybody, “ Marty continued after the introductions, “putting all jokes aside, Georgie and I decided to go the conventional route with their names. Our son is to be named after both grandfathers and that will be Trevor James with the conventional sir-name of Aitkins like his father and paternal grandfather.

The blessings of twin daughters gave us a heaven-sent opportunity to set aside any enmity between siblings so, despite the abiding hurt between Georgie and her biological mother, I was admant that the children’s names could never be used as some sort of weapon to perpetuate animosity down the generations.

Henceforth the righthander twin – yes, we’ve already determined that the twins are left and right-handed,- will be called Margaret, Dorothy after Peggy and Dot while the left-handed twin will be called Lucinda, Samamtha after Lucy and Sam. So far we have not managed to find any distinguishing between the girls save for the left, and right handed, thing.

So, there it is. Whatever rifts that might exist in our generation, there is no cause for those troubles to carry over into the next.

Finally, I want everybody to charge their glasses for the second time this evening and toast to the enduring health of these three babies.”

There was a pronounced murmur of agreement from all around the table while a small, choked sob escaped from the bottom end of the table. It was hardly audible amidst the chink of toasting champagne glasses but Marty heard it and realised she was destined always to have to serve as an interlocuter between Georgie and Lucy.

As the party finally finished, Trevor found himself next to Lucy who had sought him out in the hope of starting a peace negotiation. Trevor put it plain and simply to Lucy.

“I suggest you work with Marty. That way you’ll get to see your grandchildren. I’m afraid Georgie’s a lost cause for you, so let sleeping dogs lie.

The End