At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 54 Two sisters together

‘Exactly what do you recall?’

‘Well she said that they had thought I was dead and then Aunt Judith passed away and at the same time I seemed to stir as if I’d come back to life…..do you believe that really happened.’

‘Yes it is possible . But doctors were in the middle of an emergency operation and they could have just made a mistake. But what else did she say before that?’
‘I can’t remember exactly.’

‘Come on girl think. What did she say? ’

‘Didn’t she say that they decided to call me Chris that was the name that aunt Judith selected.’

‘Yes dummy she said that but she said that it was hard to determine whether you were a boy or a girl. What do you think they meant?’

‘I don’t think anything since I was a premature baby.’

‘But couldn’t it have been that…you know…you weren’t too big or properly developed?’
‘Come on Julie it was probably nothing.’

‘That’s what I mean, it was probably nothing …if you know what I mean.’

‘Julie come on, you’ve seen me naked. I’m no Errol Flynn but I wasn’t last in the queue.’
‘Who the heck is Errol Flynn?’

‘Ask mum. Every womans dream man.’

‘ But maybe you were born intersex that explains how well you’d adapted to life as Chrissy.’

‘Come on Jules, I can assure you that everything has been fine down there and in fact it has embarrassed me sometimes.’

‘Well I’m only asking since it was a strange comment to make.’

Luckily Sally came into the bedroom to see where we were and Julie went quiet and giggled as she went to the bathroom.

As we snuggled under the duvee I waited for the landing light to go out and as it Julie couldn’t resist one last quip.

‘Good night big boy. Don’t be too embarrassed.’

Sally put her cold toes on me and snuggled up closely. ‘What does she mean?’

‘Nothing she was just teasing me.’

Sally was soon fast asleep but it took me an age as I reflected on the day. One thing above everything else had pleased me and that was to establish that dad was my real father as difficult as that must have been for the family.

I wondered if I should have this confirmed. I didn’t really fancy the idea of being the son/daughter of Darren Harper as much as I liked Kate. At least mum was Aunt Judiths sister so that made me closer to Julie and I couldn’t have wished for a better sister.

Then I tossed and turned for ages wondering if I could carry on living as Chrissy and if I was just born in the wrong body.

I liked Sally yet I liked James too. I liked Kate a lot and yet I was a lot more comfortable in the company of the girls at work than with men. I didn’t really have any male friends as Chris. I’d always been treated as a bit of a geek.

I didn’t seem to sleep at all and I was waiting for the alarm when it went off. Sally tried to drag me back into bed as I looked for my slippers. I was bursting and there ‘he’ was embarrassing me again.Mmm I remember thinking that I should do something about it and make an appointment with my GP to discuss what to do about my current situation.

I looked back at Sally and she looked so sweet. I really did like her a lot and I felt that I should be fair to her and James as well. I’d not heard from him for a while and it seemed strange. I decided that I should text or call him later and when I got out of the shower I scrolled down my messages to see the last entry. Mmmm maybe he wasn’t interested any more.

There was no sound from Julie or Sally and mum wasn’t around to wake them so I decided to make them each a cup of tea and took great pleasure in drawing the curtains to stir them both but just got a few grunts in return.

So nobody to help me choose something nice for work today. I wondered should it be bright to accept the promotion or dark to say sorry to Kate. I put on the news on TV and made some toast that was a sure way to entice Sally downstairs.

The local weather forecast was bright with sunshine later so I thought that was a good sign. I should ask Julies advice on what to wear to suit the weather and maybe her opinion on the job. But really I needed to talk to Sally as well since she was already becoming attached to me.

Mmm I couldn’t make a rash decision without some professional help so I thought the best thing I could do was to be open and honest with Kate and not hurry into a decision.
I made a few notes on the jotter pad to remind me of the things I needed to do starting with the calls to the bank. Maybe I should even go to see them later and explain my current situation. It was a hard call.

To my surprise Julie came in first and Sally followed soon after. It was nice to sit around the breakfast bar and Julie couldn’t resist to carry on the joke from the night before asking if I was feeling more perky today.

I ended up throwing my serviette at her to stop her giggles.

It was nice to be together and Sally smiled at us. Julie and I never sat together at breakfast unless it had been for a Sunday brunch so it was fun to joke together and I liked it.

It was nice for Sally to be included and she was much less serious now than when she first arrived and seemed to get on well with Julie. I wished it was Saturday so we could carry on without the need to rush for work. Maybe we could have scrambled eggs and bacon then since I was feeling famished. But I needed to watch my waistline and I settled for a yoghurt and an apple. I did feel I needed to lose a few more pounds yet.

Julie then agreed that I could wear a dress she’d bought in York that was a lightweight jersey dress in a striking shade of blue. It had long sleeves that she felt looked better on me and I admitted that I liked it. It was probably a safer bet than a short sleeved summer dress at this stage even though it showed too much of my chest for my liking.

When sally saw me she said it was perfect and that she’d like to go to York shopping over the weekend and maybe visit the Designer Outlet. Julie chipped in and said we could go Sunday and she’d drive or she’d get Gary to drop us for the day.

There was a nice warm breeze as I left the house with Julie and I had to take care as the wind lifted the hem of my skirt. I liked the sensation and we stopped as the postman arrived and said good morning. Julie teased me saying that he’d ogled me and I should take care to avoid showing my washing. I smiled at her and said ‘Nothing for you only me and mum.’

‘Good no bills then.’

I put the two letters I’d received in my bag to read at the office and put mums mail through the letterbox. It looked like usual sales rubbish.

Julie said she had decided to meet a friend who wanted her to work with her and that she might accept. They were meeting for lunch so she’d let me know what happened. I was glad that she’d considered to settle back down at home for a while since I doubted I’d have so much courage without her support.

I felt that we were really getting to know each other and that was certainly one of the positives in favor of living full time as Chrissy.

She dropped me outside our office building and as I walked towards the door a security man held it open for me and said ‘Morning Miss.’

I didn’t recall seeing him before so maybe he didn’t know that I was Chris who had been the butt of a few jokes around the building a week or so before. Mmm another positive perhaps.

I was feeling good today and had selected a slightly higher heel out of Julies cupboard full of boxes of shoes. I was beginning to feel very comfortable in heels and had mastered the art of walking with small steps to avoid turning my ankle.

There were already some visitors signing in so no chance for a morning chat with Shirley today as I passed through reception though I got a wave and a smile as usual. One of the men turned around and seemed to leer at me.

I thought this was one of the downsides. What would happen if I ever was confronted. How to react and why must we take care not to put ourselves into one to one situations in quiet places. I never felt in danger as Chris even though I was a bit of a whimp.

I put on Kates coffee as my first job and checked her office had been cleaned and was tidy. Everything was in place and the post arrived as I poured a cup of water from the water fountain.

I sorted it into urgent and non urgent and moved most of the rubbish to the bin ready for shredding. What a waste of money sending such rubbish to people. I supposed it kept the post offices open and postmen in jobs.

Kate arrived and I took her briefcase from her and hung her raincoat in the wardrobe. She looked really smart in a tight fitting Armani suit and the jacket was expertly cut. She had a nice white shirt hanging open at the front to show just enough cleavage without it attracting too much attention and I admired the necklace that she’d selected that was a small black stone on a slender silver chain.

‘Morning Chrissy. You do look really nice today and very smart too. I’m impressed and a bit envious too. I should consider to be a little more feminine myself.’

‘how did you go on with your mum? Was everything OK.’

‘It was fine. I had a really good chat with her and Gran and also with Julie. I feel like I am starting to understand things much more. Thanks so much for yesterday since without the meeting with your dad and the chance to meet my dad too none of this would be possible.’

‘It’s my pleasure dear so if you want a chat later just let me know. I might even be free for a snack at lunch. Shall we arrange something to be brought in and then it can be just the two of us?’

‘That would be really nice thanks.’

‘OK girl then I’ll leave it to you. Where’s my coffe I’m parched. No chance this morning since I must have had six calls at least to deal with before I left home. I just gave up in the end.’

‘Would you like anything now? I can get you a croissant or some fruit.’

‘Thanks you are so sweet, the fruit would be nice.’

I called down to the coffee shop who delivered immediately.
Then it was my chance to open my post but first I called my bank.

After I worked my through all the options and the standard messages I finally got through to a person and answered the usual security question. ‘What is your mothers maiden name?’
‘Mmm which mother I thought as I answered the question.’

‘OK are you Chris Taylor? Mr Chris Taylor.’

I coughed to try to deepen my voice and looked around in embarrassment. Huh nobody to see so just act normally.’

‘Err yes it’s me Chris Taylor.’

‘Oh sorry sir I was mistaken for a moment. I have some news for you about your credit card and the transaction problems.’

To be continued………