Can't buy me love, everybody tells me so
Can't buy me love, no no no, no

Lennon/McCartney

Previously…

I turned back to Dawn and smiled. ‘I do like it here. Yes, I’ll meet you at the pub. Will Jocasta, Millie and David be there?’

‘I’ll ask them in a minute or two.’

‘Thank them for me, will you? I’ll do it properly later.’

‘Okay,’ she said, kissing my cheek and making to go.

‘Dawn.’

‘Yes, hon?’

‘I’d better not drink any alcohol, had I?’

‘Better not, sister dear.’

And now the story continues…

We had a great time at the pub and I didn’t feel the need to drink alcohol as I was drunk on happiness.

Today had started badly, what with my ailments–admittedly self inflicted–and the weather. Things had changed dramatically when I saw my new home. It was lovely to see my friends, all new, who I hadn’t even known existed a few days ago and my long-lost and now found sister and the fact that they did all those wonderful things for me.

When I lived in London, if you got a nod and a smile from anyone, it was, to say the least, considered strange and here it was the complete opposite. I had found so many friends in a short space of time and I really felt that I had landed on my feet by coming to Penmarris. We sat at a table overlooking the picturesque harbour with everyone laughing, smiling and having good conversation.

I thanked everyone profusely for all their help and promised them all a free painting, the subject of their own choosing when I had got my things sorted.

‘Don’t forget, you need a new mobile,’ Dawn reminded me.

‘I know, but at least my soon-to-be ex-relatives can’t contact me just now.’

‘Well you’ll have to talk to them or their lawyers at some stage,’ Jo remarked.

‘I don’t think so, Katie, my solicitor said that everything can now go through her and I don’t have to speak to anyone I don’t want to. It’s nice that they can’t get to me if you know what I mean.’

‘Yes, they are both what David would call “challenging”.’

‘Would I say that, dear?’ David enquired.

‘Yes, my love. You’re too good for this world sometimes; you see the good in everyone.’

‘Not necessarily, I spoke strongly to Ernie, the milkman the other day when he left full cream rather than semi-skimmed milk and if that paper boy doesn’t stop scrunching the newspapers through the letterbox like he does, I’ll have words to say to him; and him a choir boy too.’

We girls glanced at each other and laughed. David didn’t see the joke for some reason.

A few hours later, everyone had gone home except Dawn and I.

‘You’ve had a hectic time of it this week, Sam.’

‘Yes, and it’s still only Wednesday,’ I replied smiling.

After promising to meet up in a few days time and saying a tearful goodbye with lots of sisterly hugs, Dawn got in her car and left. I sauntered back up the hill leading up to the cottage. There were a few people strolling around in the fine evening air and we nodded or exchanged greetings.

It was good that I actually felt I was in a place where I belonged and marvelled at the fact that I had only been here for a few days and yet it felt like I had lived here for ages.

I let myself into the cottage and switched on the lights. Leaving my bag and keys in the hall, I went to the kitchen and made myself some cocoa.

Sipping my hot drink, I just wandered from room to room, thinking about any changes I might like to make. To be honest, it looked pretty fine to me, but I wanted to add my own personal touches that would reinforce the fact that it was my home now. It was such a delightful place, it was so homely and I felt even after the short time I had been there, that it was mine; but it needed more erm... Samantharisation and pictures. Well I could remedy that, I would bring the pictures from the house and…

Then I remembered…

My paintings and drawings were at my old house. I couldn’t just turn up and take them, could I and did I really want to see Olivia again? No I didn’t. I would have to speak to Katie about it. Maybe I could come to some arrangement through Katie that my personal belongings be picked up by someone and brought here. It was all too upsetting to think of at present, after such a wonderful day.

David had kindly brought my bags and cases over earlier so I didn’t have to go back to the Vicarage to collect them myself. I smiled at the thought of David and Jocasta. They were the ideal couple in my eyes. David gave the impression of being slightly hen-pecked, but I knew that their marriage was based on trust, understanding and a bit of give and take–now that is the way to run a marriage?

Tomorrow, I had agreed to go into town with Jocasta to visit the salon and do a bit of shopping. Checking through my list of things to do, I was able to cross a few things off, but not much. Then impulsively I tore up the list as it was out of date and anyway, I was a free spirited lass, what need did I have for such a thing as lists, unless they were shopping lists ’cause they were different.

I sat down on the rickety chair on the balcony. My feet were aching as I had been wearing heels and it felt good to sit down and rub my stockinged feet. The sky was clear and the sun close to disappearing over the horizon of the deep azure blue of the sea. Lights were coming on around the cove as people settled down to an evening around the TV or to do other more interesting things.

Olivia and I rarely watched TV; we’d had a full and happy life or so I had thought, up until a year ago. Then it all seemed to unravel and we spent more time watching TV than doing more meaningful things.

I shook my head; I didn’t want today to end on negative thoughts. I turned my thoughts back to when I had arrived at the cottage to be surprised by everyone helping me. Now that was nice and positive.

After finishing my drink, I got up and went to the kitchen. I was just washing the mug, when I heard a knock on the front door. I went to open it.

‘Hello, David.’

‘Hi, Samantha, may I come in?’

‘Of course.’

I let him in and we went into the sitting room.

‘Sorry to call so late, but Jo thought that you might need this.’ He handed me a mobile phone.

‘Now that your other phone is in the harbour, and there isn’t a land-line working in the cottage yet, we thought you might like to borrow it until you’ve fixed yourself up with a new one. Its pay-as-you-go and there’s about five pounds left on it.’

‘Oh thanks, David; it’s really kind of you.’

‘Don’t mention it; all part of the parish service, you know.’

‘Well I believe that it’s above and beyond the call of service.’

We both laughed.

‘Well I’d better go now.’

‘Thanks again, David.’

‘That’s okay.’ As he went out, he hesitated for a moment at the front door.

‘Samantha, is there no way that you can reconcile with Olivia?’

‘I don’t think so, David. I think the marriage died as soon as she decided that I wasn’t enough for her.’

He looked sad.

‘I’m sorry to hear that. As a fully paid member of the God Squad, I believe that marriage is sacred and everything should be done to make things work. As a member of the human race though, I know that we don’t all live in some sort of bubble and things don’t always work out the way we wish. Remember, we are all your friends and if you need help, just ask.’

That made me feel a bit weepy so I just gave him a big hug and whispered, ‘Thank you.’

He got all flustered then and I giggled as I waved goodbye. I don’t think he knew how to deal with things like that.

The first thing I did was to ring Jocasta. ‘Hi, Jo, thanks for the phone, you’re a darling.’

‘No problem; I thought you needed lines of communication and all that jazz.’

‘So, looking forward to the salon?’

‘’Can I have gas and air?’

We chuckled at that.

‘You must have been to a salon before?’

‘Yes, when I was a kid. Mummy used to drag me in to have a clipping, but the smell, I cannot stand the chemical smell and those torture instruments. Do you know that they put your head in an oven and bake your hair?’

‘I don’t think it’s that bad nowadays. Not many women have perms and I think that is where the smell comes from and anyway, think of it as an adventure. If you go home looking smashing, David won’t want to keep his hands off you.’

‘Hmm,’ said Jo, sounding less than convinced.

‘What are you a girl or a mouse?’

‘Eek!’

We tittered and then after a few more minutes of girlie chat–something that I love to do, now that I had joined the club full time as it were, we said our goodbyes and I went to get ready for bed.

I undressed, cold creamed my face of makeup and then had a wonderfully relaxing bath. I didn’t have any bubble bath–something that would be rectified when we went shopping tomorrow–but it was pleasant and my aches and pains soon started easing. Looking down at my wet pink body, I noticed that my false breasts would need the edges sorted out, as the makeup I had used to blend in with the surrounding area had washed off. I would have to use waterproof makeup for that.

I would go to the doctors tomorrow and sign up if I had time in my busy schedule. I would see, erm what was her name? Oh yes, Marcia Sinclair, as I would have to talk about rather personal matters and I preferred lady doctors anyway. I hoped that she would be supportive and not judgemental about my condition and position.

I wondered what I would look like without my penis and scrotum. I pushed everything back between my legs and then closed them. Mmm nicer, much nicer, I thought as I imagined having a brand spanking new vagina down there. Oh I enjoyed having sex as a man and it was kind of handy having a penis for that purpose, well it had to be good for something, but I didn’t have any hang-ups over losing it.

The only thing I wanted to have if and when I had SRS was some sort of sensation down there. I wanted to enjoy being a woman. Reading on the internet, it could be hit and miss and the luck of the draw to have meaningful sensations down there, but I intended to have the best surgery money or the national health could get–well, that was the idea, anyway.

All this made me think about my sexual orientation. I wasn’t into men, I knew that. I suppose I was a latent lesbian. Olivia had turned me on in so many different ways before all the awfulness started. I hoped that I would find someone who would make the fireworks explode for me again.
David and Jo had loads of clubs and groups that they were involved in and I giggled at the thought of asking David if there was a lesbian contact group in the village.

I was getting rather water logged by now, so I pulled the bath plug, dried myself off, and put on my favourite nightie that just happened to be one that I had bought off eBay. It was a double nylon baby doll that went down to mid thigh and was pink with a sweet pink bow. It came with matching panties and I adored it. Okay, it was old fashioned and everything, but it was so girlie and I loved it to bits.

I made sure that all the lights were off in the rest of the cottage and that all the windows and doors were locked, then picking up my laptop, I slipped under the covers and fired her up.

As soon as I put the dongle in and got a signal, I checked my emails: there were two from Olivia and one from Nigel. I ignored those for the moment, not sure that I wanted to even open them.

There were several that offered things like Viagra and penis enlargement, something that I wanted the complete opposite off. Then it appeared that someone in Nigeria wanted me to give him my bank account details so that he could send me tons of money. I deleted all of those spam emails and that left a couple of personal ones from people I knew on a few of the forums I belonged to.

Opening them, I saw that there wasn’t anything of much importance except one from Julie, a long time cyber friend who had transitioned a couple of years ago.

‘Hi Thomasina,

What’s up? You haven’t been on the forum for ages. PM me when you have time.
Love hugs and kisses.

Julie
XXXX

I put it in the saved folder for action tomorrow when I wasn’t so tired and then went back to my inbox.

Heart thumping I opened the first one from Olivia.

Tom,

Look we do need to talk. Daddy is shouting and it’s all getting rather horrible. You don’t really want a divorce do you? It was nice for a while wasn’t it?

Call me, please

Olivia

I then opened the second one which had been sent earlier today.

Tom,

You must ring me. I have just got a letter from a solicitor about all this nonsense. Look I’m sure that we can sort things out without a solicitor. Okay, I’ve been a naughty girl, but you can forgive me can’t you? We can start again and maybe if you don’t like working for Daddy I can find something else for you to do.

Ring me please as I can’t get you on your phone some reason.

Olivia.

‘Still trying to run my life.’ I thought, shaking my head in amazement. I was little bit upset now and I didn’t want to be upset, not today and not now.

I opened up Nigel’s email.

Tom,

My daughter received a letter today regarding a divorce. I could say things that we would both regret but I am a reasonable man.

I understand from Olivia that she knew of your perversions before you got married. How she can stomach that sort of thing I will never know and how you can pretend to be a woman defies belief. But, she still wants you for some reason so I have a counter proposal that I am sure you will accept.

Drop the divorce and I will give you some money for you to start up your own business. You can understand why I do not want you working for me anymore… not with your strange habits and everything. If you do this, we will say no more about all the unpleasantness. What you and Olivia do in the privacy of her own house is up to you, but I don’t want to see you prancing about as a woman in my presence though and I’m sure you can understand why.

Consider what I have said as if you do go down the divorce route, things will come out that would embarrass you in the extreme.

By the way, your phone appears to be switched off. Get it fixed so we can talk about it, if needed.

Nigel.

I shut down my computer and switched off the light. I thought that I would have been more upset than I actually was; I was a bit, but not as much as had I expected. Pondering on it for a few moments I realised why I wasn’t upset. Olivia and Nigel were in my past and I wanted to close the book on my past. I had lived my life through them up to now and I was living my own life now and making my own decisions.

Olivia’s desperation and Nigel’s blatant and biased bribery had left an extremely sour taste in my mouth, and I wanted nothing to do with them anymore. I would take copies of the emails to Katie tomorrow and let her deal with them. I was determined never to speak to Olivia or Nigel again if at all possible and with that happy thought, I turned over and went fast asleep.

---

To Be Continued...

The Cove By Liz Wright

Please leave comments...thanks! ~Sue

My thanks go to the brilliant and lovely Gabi for editing and pulling the story into shape.