The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2119 by Angharad Copyright © 2013 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

The police took O’Dare away, he was cursing me and saying he’d get me. Simon came between us and said very quietly, “If you set foot on my land or near my family, I’ll personally send you back in a body bag.”

O’Dare wriggled free of the two policemen holding him, “Ye dinna frichten me,” he spat at Simon. Not the cleverest thing to do to an enraged Cameron. Amongst much cheering, Simon lamped him, they had to carry him out to the van.

The two policemen claimed they hadn’t seen anything as the now waking thug was stuffed in the back of the policevan. “We dinna like men wha hit women,” said the one policeman.

“If he comes near my wife, he might not live to regret it,” Simon told them.

“Aye, we ken she’s a certain reputation,” replied the copper smiling at me.

Eventually the party broke up and I spent some time talking with Phoebe who was still a little upset. I told her the knife wasn’t sharp and before he could have done her any harm Simon would have been on him. I might have been there first, but Simon was pretty quick to apprehend him once Phoebe was out of the way.

Where was Pia? I discovered that’s where Phoebe was, sitting talking with Pia, who’d wanted to dance with a boy but then was overcome with all sorts of inhibitions. I really hadn’t noticed she was missing until she returned after the incident with O’Dare. By that time Phoebe had spoken to the boy in question and explained Pia was very shy.

Cindy had been having a whale of a time dancing with half a dozen different boys and a bit of smooching with one of them, as I discovered Danni had been doing with Richard Ralph. Sometime in the near future I would need to talk with Danni and find out what was going on. One minute she wants to be a boy again and the next she’s dancing with a boy and snogging him.

The three younger girls were having a ball, and they danced until the fell asleep from exhaustion. Once the dance was over, I sent them up to bed and they were all asleep within minutes, I didn’t even have to tell them a story.

Over a cup of tea, I was too wound up to sleep, I had long chat with Althea–why couldn’t she call herself Ali, Alistair could easily become Alice or Alison. She said she hadn’t thought of it like that, and she said she liked being called Ali or Alice.

Classic transsexual story, knew something wasn’t right but not what was wrong until she had a sister and realised that she should have been a girl as well. She tried to tell her parents who wouldn’t listen, especially her father who was rather a bully.

“I’m not sure what my husband and the estate manager will do tomorrow.”

“Please dinna let them sack ma faither.”

“My husband has very strong feelings about equal opportunities for minorities, he once sacked a senior executive at the bank for homophobic behaviour.”

“Please, ma faither’s a guid man, he jest disnae understand aboot me.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I dinna ken, I’ll hae tae gang back tae school, an’ they’ll all ken whit happened here.” She burst into tears.

“There’s a girl’s school in Perth, if we could get you in there would you want to go as a girl?”

“Och, ye’ll nae be able tae dae that, it’s very exclusive.”

“You’d be surprised what I can do. Would you consider it?”

“Aye, I would.”

“Right off to bed with you, don’t forget to take your makeup off. Tomorrow we’ll have to see what clothes you have.”

“I’ve some clothes at Callum’s hoose.”

“Okay, we’ll get them tomorrow.” I sent her off to bed, Phoebe had loaned her a nightdress–okay on the promise of a new one–kids aren’t half mercenary these days.

I spoke to Simon when we went to bed and explained what was what and that I would be speaking with the girl’s doctor the next day. He told me it was a Dr Sinclair and he was a lovely old chap. I also told him about my idea for her to go to a new school. He swallowed, it’s a private school.

“So, the estate could sponsor her.”

“We’re not made of money, you know?”

“I know, make her help about the house at weekends, Mrs Cuddy would probably be glad of the company.”

“Before interfering, we’d need to speak with the legal team. She’s only sixteen, so a minor in Scottish law.”

“She’s homeless, he threw her out in front of a large number of witnesses.”

“Yes, that’s our strongest point. Have a chat with Sandy in the morning, bugger my hand hurts,” he rubbed his knuckles.

“I suspect O’Dare’s chin hurts more.”

“Yeah, a good un’ wasn’t it?”

“He was restrained.”

“He threatened my wife.”

“I wasn’t worried by it.”

“No, but I was–if you’d hit him it might have killed him.”

“Simon, you make me sound like some homicidal maniac.”

“Yes, but a very beautiful one–ouch.”

The next morning after sorting out the banshee with the timer, we went down to breakfast and Ali joined us. I went to the office after I’d eaten, taking my tea with me, Ali and Phoebe were getting on well together. Simon was already in the office. “Dr Sinclair will see you at nine.” It was now half past seven.

“I’ll have to see what I can scrape together for her to wear.”

“Call the boyfriend, didn’t she have stuff there?”

“She did.”

“Sandy Fife from the estate legal team has a meeting booked with a judge to apply for temporary custody. We’ll need to get her seen by a gender specialist.”

“Who? I don’t know anyone up here?”

“Stephanie is on her way, or will be in a couple of hours, she’s flying to Perth airport arriving about lunch time.”

“Simon, you are wonderful.”

“I know, but I can stand you repeating it.” So I did.

“I didn’t know there was an airport here.”

“It’s at Scone about three miles north of the city.”

“Okay, I’ll go and tell Ali what’s happening.”

“Fine, I’ll pick up Paul in the Jag, you can use the Merc.”

“I don’t want to drive the people carrier.”

“Okay, I’ll use the estate Range Rover, I’m seeing that idiot MacDuff.”

“Lay on MacDuff,” I said quoting the bard.

“That’s Ali’s father. I’ve a good mind to sack him.”

“Can’t you just reprimand him, his stupidity has lost him one child already.”

“I’ll see, if he pisses me off, he’s history.”

“What does he do?”

“Can’t remember, but Paul will know.”

“I don’t recall seeing Paul yesterday.”

“You didn’t, his mother’s in hospital.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, she’s not very well at all.”

“Perhaps I could call by to see her later?”

“I’m sure she’d appreciate that, visit from the laird’s wife.”

“Umm,” I nodded, laird’s wife–huh!

Callum’s mother arrived with a suitcase full of clothes which belonged to Ali. Phoebe and Ali went off to sort out something to wear to the doctor. “I’m sae glad ye’re sortin’ this oot, she’s needed tae see a doctor fa’ ages.”

“I hear Dr Sinclair is very helpful.”

“Och, he’s a sweetie.”

He was too. He agreed that she seemed gender dysphoric and that it explained a few things about her which he’d not been able to put his finger on before. Classic transsexual syndrome, but only if you’re looking for it.

Next visit was to Sandy Fife in Perth, at his office. He’d made an appointment to speak with a judge in chambers at ten, we had fifteen minutes to get to the courthouse. Thankfully the Jaguar was up to it with Sandy navigating.

The judge was confused for a moment, then Sandy explained the whole story, I told them what I’d witnessed at the dance and Ali, burst into tears when she explained about how she’d tried to be a boy for her dad but couldn’t do it anymore. She said she’d rather die than live as a boy.

The judge was moved by her case and awarded the estate custody of Alice MacDuff, he told her to register the name change. I explained we had a specialist psychiatrist flying up from Portsmouth to see her this afternoon. He said he wanted a report from her and if she upheld the diagnosis he’d set in motion the custody on a more permanent basis. Mrs Cuddy and Mr Dunstan would act in loco parentis for her in the interim.

At eleven we stopped for coffee, then a quick race round the shops to get a few more bits and pieces for our new girl, and off to the airport to collect Stephanie.