Previously

When I woke up that morning I was not a happy camper. By the time Mummy came in half an hour later I was having some hospital type breakfast, and grumbling about only having one day at school and already taking a week off.

Mummy said, “Oh sweetheart it could have been so much worse. What if Brad had succeeded in abducting you, we may have never seen you alive again.”

This got me all emotional and I started to sob. I think Mummy saying that was the last straw and the dam just broke. She was holding me in her arms when in walked my teacher Mr Taylor who had came into see me before he went to the school. He wanted to see what had happened and said he will do all he can to stop anything like this happening again.

Mummy said, “I want that little criminal to be put away where he belongs.”

Mr Taylor said, “It wont be easy, but he will definitely be expelled from the school.”

Mummy took me home and made me comfortable in front of the new television and said she would be back in a little while and look after me for the next couple of days.

Wednesday 24/6/59
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was bored already and didn't want to be at home, missing out on seeing my friends at school but I had no choice because there was no way I could stand, let alone walk on my foot. So I sat there sulking till Mummy came home from the shops with some goodies for me. Ginger and Goldie came in and lay down by the chair that I was sitting in and looked at me with sad eyes because I should have been able to take them for a walk. If Ginger had been at the park yesterday Brad would be half dead by now. Fluffy was happy to just sleep in the sun out on the verandah.

Mummy came back with a heap of office books so I think she was going to do some book work for the business she and Daddy shared while she was at home looking after me.

Mummy said, “Carla, if you're not interested in watching any television, you can either do school work or do some adding up for me in the account books for the service station."

I said, “Mummy, do you trust me with adding up in Daddy’s books?”

She replied, “Sweetheart, you can't be any worse than your Daddy or Tony for that matter.”

It was nine thirty when Sargent Jim Long arrived in his police Land Rover with the Queensland police emblem on the doors which from a distance looked like a pineapple.

He walked up and knocked on the door and said, “Donna, it's Jim. Can I come in and ask young Carla a few questions? I promise if she gets upset I will stop, but I have to know just what happened yesterday so I can sort out what we are going to do with young Bradley Blake. His Dad has shot through, and I have to deal with his Mum who is in a real state, and can't seem to control the boy.”

Mummy said, “Yes Jim, come on in and I’m sorry I yelled at you yesterday but I was stressed out, and all I wanted to do was get Carla to the hospital to see to her ankle.”

Jim replied. “Ok, thanks Donna.” and he went to the kitchen and brought out a chair to sit on, while he interviewed me about the previous day's events.

“Right Carla,” he said, “I want you to take your time and tell me in your own words what transpired at the park yesterday afternoon and also what happened in the morning so I can see what brought this attack on.”

That's when he asked me to slow down a couple of times so he could get it all down in his notebook.

Mummy said, “Now hang on Jim, are you saying that Carla made this little criminal mad in some way before the park incident?”

“No Donna, I am trying to work out why he thinks Carla is a boy, so can you enlighten me on what that's all about?”

Then Mummy said, “Jim lets go out on the verandah and leave Carla in peace for a bit so I can fill you in on her medical condition ok?”

So I went to do some more adding up in Mummy's books while she explained about my little inter-sexed plumbing problem. About half an hour later they came back in and he had another go at asking me what happened so I told him about my whole day from start to finish with me ending up in the hospital.

Once he was finished he said that Brad was too young to be going to any type of jail, but his Mum has agreed to send him to his uncle in Toowoomba, and he will go to a special school there.

Mummy said, “Well as long as he comes nowhere near Carla again I don’t care what you do with him.”

Then the Sargent sat down and said, “Carla I now understand about your medical condition and I wont put any thing in my report to breach your privacy, you have my word on that ok?”

I replied, “I hope Brad doesn’t end up in jail because he must have a horrible life with a Dad like that.”

Mummy said, “Carla, I hope you're not feeling sorry for him after what he did to you?”

I replied, “Well he needs help doesn’t he?”

Jim said “Well Carla, I wish everyone would be as forgiving as you, but we can't all have a family as loving as yours.”

He said he had better go write up his report and said goodbye and got in his car and was gone.

Ginger and Goldie were getting restless and needed to go for their exercise, I could do the only thing I could think of and got Mummy to take me out on to the verandah and give me a couple of tennis balls to throw out into the yard for them to fetch and keep bringing them back to me. I did this for half an hour until they were tired out. Barry rang Mummy and asked if I would be interested in talking to Brad to explain to him that I am not a boy but a girl with a bit of a medical problem. It might make him realise just what he had done. The government had sent a child welfare officer from Charleville and that they hoped to get Brad into a special school in a place called Westbrook Boy's Home just outside Toowoomba that deal in anger management for boys like Brad.

Mummy explained what Barry was asking me to do and said, “Sweetheart, you are under no obligation to do any such thing but if you want to help Brad, then that is entirely up to you.”

I replied, “Will there be plenty of people around in case he goes all angry again?”

Mummy said, “Don’t worry Carla, there is no way that the welfare people will take any risks with Brad harming you again.”

For some reason I felt sorry for Brad because he had had a real hard life and his Dad did the same thing as James did to Mummy, only Brad's Mum isn't a strong person, so I would like to help.

I said Mummy, “Tell Barry that I’ll do it if it will help Brad understand about me as well.”

Mummy took me back into the lounge and set up a few chairs so people could sit down while Brad and I had a conversation.

Mummy said “Darling, I hope we are doing the right thing because I am not at all sure that this is such a good idea.”

I replied, “Well Mummy, at least we can try. I know he hurt me but he doesn’t have any one to really care for him.”

Mummy said, “Carla, I think you are wasting your time. He is just like your brother John, and an angry young boy.”

Jim the Sargent went out to meet with the people from welfare and Barry came as well as them. Brad had his Mum with him as well and she looked very tired.

Jim said, “Brad sit down, and I want you to first apologise to Carla for what you did to her yesterday.”

Brad said “No fucking way. They owe my Dad two grand.” and he started to get up to have a go at me again yelling “Fucking rich bastards.”

Well that was that. Jim grabbed Brad by the scruff of the neck and took him out to the police car. His Mum and one of the welfare ladies went with them and they drove off. I felt really sad to see his Mum have to go through that. The other welfare lady and Barry came back inside and we sat back down in the lounge.

I asked Sandra, (her name was on a name tag pinned on her suit coat) “What will happen to Bradley, will he have to go to jail?”

She replied, “No, it will be a boys home near Toowoomba. It's called Westbrook Boys Home, and they will know what to do with him.”

Mummy said, “Carla, I told you it was a waste of time. He will end up killing someone eventually.”

Barry said “Carla, thank you for trying anyway. You are one in a million and I am pleased you and your family are part of this community.”

Sandra said she would write up a report when she got back to Charleville and was sorry it had to end this way. Mummy had to drive Sandra and Barry back to the school. The other lady went with Jim because he had his hands full dealing with Bradley.

Mummy went to work to pick up some lunch for us because it was getting late and almost past lunchtime when she arrived back. She had Jenny with her carrying some school books and said, “I brought Jenny back with me from school to keep you company and to also do some school work. Barry has given Jenny three days worth of work for you two to do. So that will keep you out of mischief for a while wont it?”

“Yes Mummy” I said rolling my eyes, and Jenny giggling.

Ricky rode his bike over after school and did his home work with me and Jenny, and we had a good talk about what had happened in the last couple of days.

Ricky said he wouldn't let me out of his sight at school lunch time any more and would ride home with me after school from now on, but it would be a couple of weeks before I could ride my bike again anyway.

Thursday and Friday, Jenny and I watched a couple of movies after we had done all the school work that was set out for us to finish. Mummy went back to work because Jenny was looking after me.

Jenny had become my best friend, and we were becoming like sisters so we did an experiment to see if she can see Jean in her mind. On Friday she stayed over and we shared my big double bed. Of course we had a shower together again and we compared our genitals again and discovered that the only difference is that I don’t have an opening but if I don’t spread my legs apart I don’t really look all that different to Jenny so when summer comes we will be able to go swimming and use the girls dressing sheds without any trouble.

Anyway we cuddled up to get warm and I said, “Jenny, don’t get frighten if you can hear Jean in your mind, because she sounds just like me and if she happens to appear to you she is an identical version of me ok?”

Jenny replied, “I thought she can only appear to family members?”

“Well lets try and see what happens when we try because she is always there for me and she might be able to appear to you through me if we both concentrate really hard.” I said, “Ok Jenny, close your eyes and listen to me talking to Jean and see if you can hear her in your mind.”

I said, “Jean do you think you will be able to appear to Jenny?”

She answered and I could see her and hear her as though she was right next to me.

She said, “Carla, you will have to hug Jenny really tight for this to work, but I think I can make her see me for a few seconds.”

We did as Jean said and I could feel Jenny tremble just like I used to do when Jean first started to communicate with me. Jenny was hanging on to me that tight that I could hardly breath but all of a sudden she said, “Wow you look like Carla,” and Jean said, “Carla it's working she can hear and see me,” it lasted only for about fifteen seconds but Jenny could still hear her.

Jean said, “Carla I have to rest now but I will talk with you later. I love you Sis.” and then she faded. Jenny was still shaking and I held onto her till the shaking stopped.

Jenny started to relax and said, “Oh my God Carla, that was amazing. She looks and sounds just like you but she is wearing the most beautiful gown I have ever seen in my entire life.”

I replied, “Yeah, I must ask her if she only has the one gown because I have never seen her in anything else.”

It was hard to stop Jenny from talking about what she had just experienced and we talked and giggled till Mummy came in to the bedroom and said, “You two are a pair giggling Gerties! It is ten thirty and I think it's time you both went to sleep don’t you?”

Jenny and I both said,“Yes Mummy.”

Mummy walked out of the room shaking her head and said to herself, “I think I have just gained another daughter.”

Jenny and I fell asleep while we were cuddled up together. Rita was using the spare bed room tonight because she has to get up to go to work in the morning and decided to let me and Jenny have the bedroom to ourselves.

Saturday 27/6/59
~~~~~~~~~~~~

We slept in till eight am and Mummy said, “Right you two, shower time and Carla, get Jenny to unwrap that bandage off your ankle, so I can have a look at it and see if I have to take you to the hospital for the doctor to have another look at it. I think you should try to put some pressure on it to stop it from seizing up.”

Jenny was very gentle with the unwrapping of the bandage and once it was off she said, “Ooh my God! It's all bruised but the swelling is right down.” I called out to Mummy to have a look and by the time she was at the bedroom door I was standing on both feet and took a couple of steps. It did hurt a little bit but I could walk good enough to walk down to the shower.

Mummy said, “I think by the look of that I can send you off to school on Monday young lady”.

We got down to the shower with me walking slowly. Mummy had put the kerosene heater in the bathroom half an hour earlier because it is really cold in the mornings so Jenny and I had our shower and put on a warm fluffy dressing gowns on and headed back to the bed room to get dressed for the day. It was too cold for skirts so we opted for jeans, warm winter blouses and jumpers. On our feet we wore woolen lined boots. My foot swelling was down enough to get the boot on and once I had it on it felt ok to walk . Mummy, Daddy, and Rita were all at the table having their breakfast and talking about the events of the last week and what they thought would happen to Bradley Blake.

Daddy said, “I think the place he is being sent to will probably make him worse but there is really nowhere else to send a boy with that kind of attitude.”

I said, “I feel sad for his Mum because she is now on her own.”

Jenny said, “What if we go and see her and see if she needs any help around the house?”

Rita said, “I think you had better stay away from her for the time being because she probably thinks that we are to blame for Bradley getting so mad.”

Daddy said, “I will give the welfare people a ring on Monday and see what they say.”

After breakfast Jenny and myself went back to the bedroom and started to do things with our hair. We both have really long blond hair. Mine was half-way down my back and Jenny's was just a little bit shorter but not by much. Jenny has the most beautiful blue eyes in contrast to my chocolate brown ones. She was the same size as me in every way, so we could interchange any of our clothes. We decide to put our hair in two piggy tails and put pink ribbons in mine and yellow ones in Jenny's.

Mummy came into the room as we were both sitting at the vanity admiring ourselves when she said, “Smile!!” and the camera flash went off.

She said, “Girls, I want you both to go to the lounge and I want to take a couple more photos in there.”

I hobbled down to the lounge room with Jenny putting her arm through mine for support.

Mummy said, “Sit in the main lounge and let me see how you two will look together as my bridesmaids.”

Jenny and I squealed when she said that and I said, “Mummy what about Rita?”

She replied, “What about Rita?”

Jenny said, “I can't take Rita's place, she will kill me.”

Mummy said, “And what is wrong with having three bridesmaids may I ask?”

Jenny said, “Ooh!! I had better ring Mummy and tell her to start making a dress for me.” and went to get up to ring her Mum straight away, but Mummy said, “Stop!! it is all organised. Jenny, your Mum is on her way here now to have a chat about what we will do about your dress. We will have to go back to Mary's shop and see if she has another gown like the one that Rita and Carla have.”

Jan arrived ten minutes later. Daddy and Rita went off to work; Rita to the restaurant and Daddy to the garage to do some work with Tony and Henry. Just as Jenny's Mum walked in we heard another car pull up and it was Aunty Bella. When she came into the lounge where we all were, she said, “You lot didn't think I was going to miss out on going to the dress shop did you?”

Mummy and Jan laughed and Jan said, “Bella, I thought you were busy making curtains for your house.

Bella replied, ”What's more important making curtains, or getting these girls set for the big day?”

Just as we were about to leave in the car to go down to Mary's shop the phone rang and Mummy had to race back into the house and answer it. When she came back out she said, “That was doctor Ryan and he wants us to come down to his surgery when we are finished at Mary's dress shop because he had a phone call from Rose and needs to talk with me and you as soon as possible.

I said, “Mummy what is wrong and why is he wanting to see me so urgently?”

She replied, “I think it might have something to do with the last x rays that were taken in Brisbane”

I said almost in tears "Mummy I am not going to change back.”

She replied, “Carla sweetheart, I think you will find it is good news so stop fretting and relax and we'll go and see if we can fit Jenny out in a gown like yours and Rita’s, ok?”

“Yes Mummy.”

When we got to the shop Mary was waiting for us out on the footpath in the warm sun in front of the shop, she said, “This old age is no good in the cold weather and I have to warm up my aching bones before I can do anything in the cold shop.” I hobbled in after the rest of them as Jenny was too excited to wait and help me walk in. Mary was as good as her word to Mummy, and had found a gown that was the same as mine and seeing that Jenny was the same size as me she got the lady that does all her alterations to adjust the gown to Jenny’s size.

Jenny stripped of to her underwear in a flash and was ready to try on the gown in one minute flat. It fitted her beautifully and she even tried on the same type of shoes as mine to match.

Mary said, “Jan this one is going to be on the house because I am going to want to be at the wedding showing people of this town that I can supply any of the local girls all their needs for their big day.” Jan, Aunty Bella, and Jenny went back to our place because when Mummy and me were finished seeing Doctor Ryan we were going to get dressed in all our wedding finery.

We arrived at Doctor Ryan's surgery and walked in to the front office. He was not normally there on Saturdays but came in because of me, I am that important you see!! He was waiting in his office with the door open and when he heard us, said, “Come straight in ladies, this shouldn’t take to long and you can get back to your fashion parade" and added, "I hope I will get a wedding invite or I shall be disappointed.”

Mummy replied “I'll make sure you and your wife Jan are on the guest list Jim.”

He then looked at me and said, “Carla what do you think we found when we took a closer look at those last x-rays that were taken at the Mater?”

I replied, “I hope there is a vagina hidden in behind the skin down there."

He replied, “Well we haven’t gone that far but we have discovered two little things called ovaries that are just visible, and we think that the girl in you is more or less ninety percent, so Rose and some of her colleges have agreed to start you on some very mild oestrogen hormone tablets to see how your body develops, and if all goes the way we think it will you may only have to wait a couple of years to have corrective surgery.” I as well as Mummy sat there with our mouths open.

Doctor Ryan said, “That is what I thought you would be like when I told you two what we have found” he said with a grin on his face. We left there and went to the chemist to fill the prescription for my girl pills and went home with the good news and had a fashion show.

To be continued.

Next time: Back to school and making new friends, and having a long talk with Jean.

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