Wheels and wings 30.

Just a brief explanation to say I'm rather pre-occupied with nursing my father-in-law who is dying aged 93.

I attend this guy some 16 to 18 hours per day because I am so fond of the man. When I married his daughter, he became my surrogate father and I often turned to him for advice with emotional stuff and rearing our children. He is a wonderful man and I've been attending him since just before Christmas as he makes the long goodbye. Needless to say, all other stuff like cycling and big closet had been put 'on the back burner' until he dies.
I love this man to bits!!!

Wheels and wings 30

Chapter 30

Character List.

Jack Thomas Later AKA Ellie Transvestite/intersexual and keen cyclist.
Amanda Thomas AKA Amie Jack's sister.
Charlotte Dawson Keen girl cyclist and Jack’s soon-to-be girlfriend.
Bob Cycling club captain.
Mr Thomas Weston School games master and keen rugby player.
Billy Davies. Rugby ‘jock’, kind to Jack, he fancies Charlotte.
Marjorie Spencer. Holder of unofficial ‘Prettiest-girl-in-the-school’ title.
Miss Elizabeth Postlethwaite. The English Mistress.
Aunty Olwen Where Jack changes for school and leaves his bike.
Mandy. Olwen’s daughter, Jack’s older cousin.
Mr Griffiths The County solicitor.

Chapter 30

In the morning Ellie was prepped early and donated more blood. She began to feel ‘light-headed’ and after the donation they fed her intravenously to boost her fluids. Ellie vaguely remembered Doctor Dawson stopping by before she fell asleep. It was late evening before she woke. She still felt weak and ‘disconnected’ but she was aware enough to inquire how Charlotte’s op had gone. Having learned that it appeared to be successful she fell asleep again and woke in the early morning to demand breakfast. Professor Seemungal stopped by to thank her.

“You’ve done a splendid Job Ellie, she’s showing every sign of a complete recovery but we’ve put her back under until the head injury improves. She’s in a lot of pain with the wound to her head.”

Ellie smiled distractedly for she still felt weak and very tired. As she fell asleep again Professor Seemungal nodded understanding.
The following afternoon Ellie finally returned to some semblance of normality. She woke feeling ravenous and promptly asked when dinner was being served. The nurse grinned knowingly and replied.

“We kept a lunch back for you. I’ll nuke it in the micro and you can have that to be goin’ on with til supper.”

Ellie was so hungry she would have eaten just about anything and the re-heated meal disappeared as fast as any gourmet dinner.
Two days later she was discharged and returned to her student digs to commence her third year. A couple of weeks later she received word from her tutor that they were bringing Charlotte out of her coma.

“D’you want to be there Ellie? Her dad will be there.”

“D’you think I should be there? It’s a rather personal moment for Doctor Dawson; I mean; what if she’s brain damaged?”

“Oh I doubt that very much Ellie. I think you should be there; you know she’s spoken your name once or twice don’t you?”

“No, I thought she was in deep coma.”

“Haven’t you been following her case?”

“Well no, not really; I was a bit afraid to get too involved unless the outcome was bad.”

“Really? She’s your friend isn’t she? I would have thought you’d have been keen to follow her progress.”

“Not really Professor Seemungal, she was once my friend but we fell apart over my gender identity. To be honest I felt wounded by her vituperative response to my dilemma. I don’t think I could go through that again, I would feel like a veteran soldier who’s not prepared to befriend a new recruit in case they get killed or wounded. I don’t think I could stand becoming emotionally attached to her again and then seeing it all lost through brain damage. That’s why I’ve been a bit distant. If she is permanently damaged I’ll not see her and then I’ll always remember her as she was. Furthermore, she might have a personality change; I don’t think I could handle that. I think it might be best if I stay away until she’s fully woken up, that is if she wakes up. Am I being selfish?”

“Well to me it seems more callous than selfish Ellie,” the professor admonished her gently.

Ellie bit her lips and stemmed a tear.

“It’s the only way I can handle this professor, we were very, very close until my gender thing smashed everything. I’m not being callous I’m more afraid than indifferent.”

There was a brief, strained silence as the professor digested Ellie’s information then he sighed.

“Ahhye! I think I can see where you’re coming from. Very well, d’you want me to explain to her father?”

“No. I can do that bit myself.”

“Okay then Ellie, tomorrow morning, nine o’clock.

And so it was.

When Charlotte’s father arrived, Ellie met him outside the ICU and explained her fears. Lastly she added.

“I feel guilty about this Doctor Dawson; guilty as hell; but it’s the only way I can handle this.”

Doctor Dawson nodded sagely. He was a little disappointed about Ellie but the girl’s explanation was reasonable. He had been hoping to find a shoulder to lean on if the outcome was a failure. Sadly he slouched nervously into the IC Unit and nodded to Professor Seemungal. As the professor and the team adjusted the medications, Doctor Dawson stood leaning over his daughter Charlotte uncertain of what to expect. After a couple of minutes he looked at the resuscitation team.

“Shouldn’t she be coming around by now Professor?”

The professor wagged his head.

“It’s hard to predict exactly when, too many variables.”

The team stood hovering expectantly for several more minutes as the tension tightened and Doctor Dawson’s knuckles whitened with fear. He had only felt this lonely when Charlotte’s mother had died. Suddenly he felt a pair of arms snaking around his waist and he twisted around to see Ellie’s golden hair.

‘She had not let him down after all,’ He smiled gratefully and bent down to kiss Ellie’s hair.

“Anything yet?” Ellie asked as she studied Charlotte’s seemingly peaceful features.

“No, nothing.” Doctor Dawson replied as he stared upwards and offered a silent prayer. “I’m so glad you changed your mind.”

Ellie felt there was no need to make an explanation or excuse for her change of heart. As she wondered what to say she tensed as she noticed the merest flicker of Charlotte’s eye-lid. She spoke softly to the team.

“She’s waking up; her eye-lid’s just moved, or at least the eye-ball underneath it.”

Even as she finished her comment, Charlotte’s finger twitched while her eye-lid rippled again. This time the whole team saw it and a murmur of hopeful expectation rolled around the team. Professor Seemungal leaned in closer then stood upright again with a sigh of nervous expectation as he spoke to nobody in particular.

“Keep an eye on the monitors, so far everything seems normal.”

Ellie recognised this as ‘Whistling-in-the-wind’ but she kept her counsel as Doctor Dawson reached out to touch his daughter’s arm. He breathed sharply as Charlotte’s eyes flickered and one of the nurses wiped her eyes with a cleansing tissue. Once the encrusted muck was cleared from her eyes, Charlotte finally opened her eyes sleepily. She mumbled something inaudible and both Doctor Dawson and Professor Seemungal leaned in closer again.

“I think she wants water, Ellie whispered”

“Very probably but she’ll have to sit upright first.” Professor Seemungal replied. “After prolonged periods of unconsciousness it’s best to let the patient activate their own automatic responses like swallowing. Let’s just be patient.”

Ellie was doubtful about this. She thought it would be better for somebody to wake up and find themselves in the caring hands of somebody they knew and trusted. Then she felt a bitter-sweet surge in her belly as she remembered; Charlotte probably didn’t trust her, nor did she possibly even remember her. It had been over four years since Ellie had last spoken to Charlotte at their high-school prom. That night, their parting had been acrimonious. With these reservations unsettling her confidence, Ellie retreated behind Doctor Dawson and fell silent. All she dared do was wait and see.

She slipped silently outside the room and stepped to look out of the window over the dull, wet, glistening gray rooves of Manchester. Her vision blurred with tears and she leaned closer to the window to hide her distress as she dabbed her eyes.

‘Dammit!’ She thought. ‘Why the hell am I letting myself be affected by all this?’

Fortunately, she was not wearing makeup. Eventually the tears eased up and she was still staring out when she felt a soft tap on her shoulder. It was Doctor Dawson who explained the situation.

“She’s had a few sips of water and she’s recognised me. Perhaps now might be a good time to go in and see her.”

“Will she recognise me?” Ellie asked him as she wondered silently. ‘Will she want to recognise me?’

“You should have stayed in there.” Doctor Dawson added.” You’d have heard her mumble your name.”

Ellie felt a wave of guilt then doubt as she asked.

“My name, why would she mention my name?”

Doctor Dawson wagged his head.

“I don’t know Ellie; why don’t you ask her?”

Ellie bit her lip. Initially she had contemplated waiting a few days until Charlotte’s condition was certain but now she felt a wave of remorse flooding her conscience as she tried to recollect exactly who had broken off with whom. She stood in the doorway staring at the recumbent Charlotte and wondering what to do when a nurse interrupted her thoughts.

“Excuse me; can you not stand there please, I’ve got to see to the patient?”

Ellie started with surprise and apologised.

“Oh! Sorry.”

As she stepped aside Charlotte struggled to sit up as she recognised Ellie’s voice. She winced with pain and cried.

“Ellie? Is that really you?”

Ellie hesitated. Since going to medical school she had blossomed as a girl and now stood before Charlotte unrecognisable as the nervous, withdrawn freak of the last two years of their shared school-days. Finally Ellie nodded.

“Yes, Charlotte, it’s me, Ellie.”

Charlotte let out a weak squeak of delight as her smile widened hopefully.

“My God! You look ... you look totally different! I’d never have recognised you! Oh, thank you! Thank you for coming!”

Ellie was still uncertain. Despite now easily passing as a beautiful young woman, years of living with her intergendered condition had sapped her of much of her confidence. Still having male genitalia had precluded her from ever having a proper, fulfilling relationship. All she had ever achieved was some occasional deviant, (in her eyes,) transient, non-penetrative and well-protected pleasure with one night stands in the gay village in Manchester.

Instead of addressing the elephant in the room, namely the potential for resuming a relationship, Ellie chose to hide behind her medical facade of clinical concerns.

“So, what have the doctors told you?”

“I’ll be okay. No serious or lasting damage. A couple more days and they’ll be moving me to a hospital nearer home.”

“All your motor functions okay then?”

“Yes. Hip is a bit stiff but that’s because I’ve been in the coma. Tomorrow they’re letting me get up. Sadly Dad won’t be here. He’s got to go home, I’ll be alone.”

Ellie wondered if this was an unspoken invite so she ventured a cautious offer.

“If it’s in the morning, I’ve got no lectures. Just a ward round but I’m sure the orthopaedics professor will let me off that.”

“Which one is that?” Charlotte asked.

“Professor Williams, the tall woman with grey hair.”

“Ah, serendipity, she’s the one coming tomorrow, I saw her before they put me under. The nurse told me just now after dad left. Where is he by the way?”

“Talking to Professor Seemungal. D’you want me to go and get him?”

“Uuuhm, no, it’s you I want to chat to.”

Ellie became nervous again. The request to chat sent fretful quivers through Ellie’s body. The visit was becoming an emotional ordeal so she made an excuse.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve got a lecture at eleven and it’s right across the hospital. I’ll have to go. See you tomorrow. Byee!”

She stumbled hastily away and before Charlotte could say anymore, Ellie was gone. Charlotte felt an aching emptiness.

~~ooo000ooo~~