Dot and Sam 17

Dorothy Philpot. Landlady of The Harbour Light pub
Sam Philpot. Drag-queen.
Billy Parkins Doorkeeper.
Jessica Merlot The town’ and county archaeologist.
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 and lover)
Jack. Marty’s twin brother (Keen runner).
Trevor Aitkins, Georgie’s Biological father.
Lucinda Aitkins Georgie’s biological mother
Terence Georgie’s step-dad
Allison. Old school friend of Trevor
Fred Allison's husband
Elizabeth Aitkins Georgie’s younger sister. Later proves to be sympathetic to her ‘sister’
Jonathon Aitkins Georgie’s younger brother.

“You’re late love,” Trevor observed as Georgie dismounted and grinned.

“Singing in the rain dad.”

“You look like a drowned rat girl!” Allison exclaimed. “You’d best get changed first.”

“I stayed late hoping it would ease but it just kept on so I did my homework at late-club. Eventually I couldn’t hold off. Anyway, a bit of rain can’t harm you.”

“Dinner’s in half an hour!” Dot called from the kitchen.

Georgie made her excuses to go and shower then rejoined them later as Sam was laying the table.

“You timed that nicely,” Sam remarked as Georgie secured her still damp hair.

Soon the table was alive with chat as they discussed the forthcoming formal re-opening of the basin. However everybody refrained from discussing ‘the elephant in the room’ namely Georgie’s biological mother finding out where Georgie was living. Eventually, it was Georgie with typical, teenaged bluntness, who raised the subject.

“Will you be inviting your friend Lucy down here Allison?”

“Yes love, it would be rude of me not to, being as she’s my best friend – and your mother I have to add.”

“Well please give me warning. I’m still not ready to meet her so I’ll arrange to be absent.”

“Do you ever intend to forgive her?” Allison pressed cautiously.

“That’s unlikely if that boyfriend of hers Terence is around.”

Allison nodded somewhat dejectedly and a sombre mood descended over the table. It did not ascend until Georgie returned to her bedroom to finish her homework. Allison did not meet her again until briefly during breakfast. There on the landing, Georgie courteously reinforced her request.

“Please don’t reveal my whereabouts to my egg donor.”

Allison nodded disappointedly and she watched Georgie mount her bike for school before turning to explain to Dot.

“The problem is that Lucy, her mum, often just drops in for a chat back home. I don’t know if she’ll continue doing so when we move down here.”

“Surely not!” Dot frowned. “It’s nearly a hundred and fifty miles away.”

“I’m not sure. We are good friends and I enjoy her company.”

“It seems to be her step-dad Terry that’s the problem.” Dot opined.

Allison nodded resignedly. “Yeah, he’s something of a religious bully but he’s generous to the other children.”

“Well provided Georgie gets prior warning, things should work out. Once she’s gone to college the situation should ease.”

“Will she qualify for Uni?” Allison wondered.

“Oh yes, she’s already passed most of her exams. She’s smart.” Dot replied emphatically. “She’s red hot at maths and sciences.”

“Well, we’ll just have to play it by ear.” Allison concluded.

“Will you be coming down for the festivities when the Basin is opened?”

“We’d very much like to. Fred always likes a party and we should be fully moved into our new cottage by then.”

They chatted briefly before Dot and Sam bid them farewell. Trevor had already left early for London before anybody else had risen.

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

With the date for the formal opening of the basin approaching, the people who had bought houses and the traders who had opened shops began decking the whole site in bunting and fairy lights in anticipation of the festivities stretching into the late evening. Naturally, The Harbour Light played a large hand both in the preparations and catering. For Georgie however the idea that her mother Lucinda and her step-father Terence would turn up, played heavily on her mind. To try and set her worries aside, she concentrated intensely on organising the festivities for the grand re-opening of the basin. This gave her an excuse to lie low in her bedroom if, perchance, her mother and step-dad appeared. She also looked towards Dot and Sam for protection if they did show up.

Inevitably, the pair did show up once Allison and Fred had settled into their cottage but fortunately Dot was able to warn Georgie. Thus Georgie stayed in her room during the evenings and Sam assisted by driving Georgie to school to avoid any accidental encounters. For a couple of days it became a game of ‘cat-and-mouse’ with Georgie staying in her bedroom. Eventually, Lucinda and Terry left and the whole atmosphere relaxed.

“Well I’m glad they didn’t stay for the grand opening.” Georgie rejoiced. “That would have really ruined things. Roll on Saturday I say.”

Everybody nodded agreement.

“I presume they must have had something important back home,” Dot opined.

“Not Really,” Fred confessed with a tight little smile playing on his lips. “I simply told them my brother was coming down for the festivities and there wasn’t room enough on his boat for all his family. Lucinda had to accept it because she’d already availed herself and Terry of our hospitality. My brother hopes to hire one of the berths in the basin.”

“So a real family affair.” Sam chuckled.

Allison grinned. “My sister in law’s like a rabbit. Five kids plus grandchildren.”

“Makes a useful excuse though,” Fred laughed. “It means we’ve always got a readymade excuse to prevent people staying. – ‘Sorry my brother/ sister and their family are coming down.’ You can feel safe Georgie, just tell us when your down from college.”

“Thanks Fred, here have one on me.” Georgie smiled the widest smile she could as she stepped behind the bar to pull a double whisky from the optic.

“You know me too well!” Fred laughed as he tipped the extra tot into his glass. “But you make the world’s best barmaid!”

The grand re-opening of the basin took place over the whole weekend and Georgie savoured the festivities as any young girl should. She did her fair share of work in the pub and this served to make her well known around the basin. The Harbour Light became the focal point for much of the revelry during the weekend while the newly opened museum provided a formal location to enjoy the ceremonial activities. Georgie found herself on call for both, mainly because several of the historic photo displays included images of Georgie engaged in various activities from ‘mud-larking’ to stone masonry. She had by dint of just being present during most of the excavations and renovations, become a useful source of knowledge. This coupled with her earlier associations with the previously derelict basin and ravaged buildings enabled her to provide meaningful historic input. The whole weekend cemented Georgie into the psyche of the ‘Basin community.’

Unfortunately, this publicity finally exposed Georgie to the regional press and it was not long before Georgie’s younger sister came to hear about her through their online websites.

Georgie’s younger sister Elizabeth contacted her father and asked if he knew anything about the girl involved with the basin project in the small town where she knew he now had an office. Trevor immediately alerted Dot, Sam, Allison and Fred

On realising this, Dot concluded that Georgie would be eventually forced to confront her family and after another ‘family session’ Trevor agreed to meet with Georgie’s younger sister to explain Georgie’s dilemma. He agreed to meet Elizabeth his daughter privately at a café in Birmingham city centre.

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

Outside Birmingham New Street station, Trevor sat savouring the warm morning sun as he monitored the exit. Despite the crowds, he quickly spotted Elizabeth as she emerged searching the crowd for her father. When she spotted him approaching her, she smiled broadly and quickly wrapped her arms around him. After exchanging intimacies Trevor suggested a café in Hurst Street. As they sat savouring their brunch, Elizabeth asked knowingly.

“Is this Birmingham’s gay village daddy?”

“Yes darling.”

She squinted with a penetrating glint to her eye as she paused with her coffee cup in hand.

“Is this some sort of precursor to George, my brother?”

“Yes darling.”

“So you do know about him; his cross-dressing and stuff?”

“Yes darling.”

“Go on.”

“I’ve met your sibling but she’s your sister now. I see her every week and I can assure you, she’s safe and well.”

He let these words take root and waited as the silence endured while Elizabeth digested the news. As he realised Elizabeth was at something of a loss to respond, he eased her uncertainty.

“She calls herself Georgina now, and she will be transitioning to a female this summer now she’s passed her A’ levels.”

“Daddy, I want to meet her.”

“That can be arranged.”

“How soon?”

“Today, if you wish. D’ you want to phone her?”

“Pleease!”

Trevor smiled as he dialled the number then Elizabeth squirmed as the dial tone lasted long seconds, to almost a minute.

“She’s not answering.” Elizabeth whined as she reached for Trevor’s phone.

“Be patient, she’s a busy girl on Saturdays.” Trevor smiled as he switched his phone to speaker.

Just as he did this, Georgie answered.

“Dad? What’s the news?”

By way of an answer, Trevor handed the phone to Elizabeth who gripped it excitedly .

“George, is that you?”

“Is that Elizabeth?”

“Yes! Mum’s gone crazy about you!”

“That’ll have to wait, and it’s Georgie now. I presume Dad’s told you.”

“Yes. Yes, I want to meet you. Daddy says we can meet today if your agreeable.”

“Where and when, I’m working till six, then I’m back on at nine til late. Saturday is my busiest day.”

Elizabeth looked beseechingly at her dad who answered.

“We can meet in Bristol or at the basin. Speak to Dot about arranging a couple of extra hours off and I’ll refund your wages.”

Both Trevor and his daughter Elizabeth listened to Georgie making arrangements with Dot.

“Of course you can girl. This is a pub not a bloody slave galley.” Dot cackled. “Are you there Daddy?”

“All ears luv.” Trevor chuckled.

“Get the next train and phone me to pick you up. Give me half an hour’s notice.”

“Yav-hol her major!” Trevor grinned across the table to Elizabeth.

As Trevor paid the bill, Elizabeth chatted at length with her new-found sister until Georgie had to ring off.”

“Gorra go Sis, duty calls see you this’avvie.”

Reluctantly, Elizabeth returned the phone to her father but not before transferring the number to her own phone. Trevor realised what she was doing and cautioned her.

“Don’t let your mother or step-father learn the identity of your sister’s number. Technically, she’s not given you permission. Well; not yet anyway.”

“But now she’s eighteen it won’t matter. She can block it anyway.” Elizabeth countered.

“That’s a last resort and your step-father might use such a tactic as some sort of weapon. Frankly, your older sister is paranoid about Terry ever locating her.”

Elizabeth frowned as she was forced to consider what desperation had driven Georgie to run away. She then considered another important family angle.

“What about Jonathon, our younger brother?”

“For the time being we’ll be able to hold off on telling him, if you’re agreeable.”

Again, Elizabeth pursed her lips distastefully.

“We don’t like keeping secrets from each other. I’ll have to tread carefully.”

“Well, once Georgie’s gone to college, she’ll be footloose and fancy free.”

“Which college is she going to?”

“I don’t know.” Trevor lied for he already knew that his oldest child Georgie had passed a scholarship for a prestigious college in London.

They chatted at length on the train and arrived to find both Sam and Georgie waiting on the platform. After an emotional hug Georgie explained to her father and sister.

“Sam had some ‘girl shopping’ to do so we killed two birds. Hop in,”

Elizabeth was pleasantly surprised to see that Georgie was driving while she was invited to ride ‘shot-gun’.

“So you’ve passed your driving test?” She confirmed with her older sister.

“Oh yes, we thought about getting a car for my own use but it’ll be no good in London without parking. Anyway, I’ve got full use of this one plus the pub van.”

“We hardly see the car on Sundays!” Sam laughed, “she’s usually out with her old school friends, leastways, until she starts college.”

When they arrived at The Harbour Light Dot met them and after introductions, Georgie suggested a brief tour of the Basin while they chatted. After seeing her sister’s circumstances, Elizabeth had Trevor phone her mother Lucinda.

“Mum, I want to stay overnight with daddy, is that okay?”

“I can’t stop you dear, he’s got full visitation rights now, it’s just that he’s never exercised them. Why now?”

“Because I want to see him, he never asked to come and see me or Johnathon because of the situation with Terry. I asked to see daddy so I’m with him now.”

“When will you be back?”

Elizabeth turned to her father who answered.

“It’s the school hols now, she can stay as long as she likes and whatever is convenient to you.”

“We’re off to Spain for the last two weeks in August. It’s all booked.” Lucinda explained.

“Very well, she can stay with me til then if you’re agreeable.”

Both Georgie and Elizabeth’s eyes lit up as their mother agreed but asked.

“Has Beth got any clothes with her?”

“No, but I’ll get some sorted this evening then she can go properly shopping on Monday.”

Both sisters grinned at the news as Georgie asked Dot.

“Can I take the car into town and get Beth some clothes for tonight and is she sleeping here or with Daddy across the basin?”

Dot lifted an eyebrow as her smile creased her cheeks.

“Be back before nine girl. Sam’s putting on a new routine tonight, she may need help with her costumes.”
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