Easy As Falling Off A Bike.
by Angharad.
part 106.

I went to bed still feeling rather spaced out, tired but so wide awake I felt as if I was on some drug or other, except I'd never used them. I have to stay in control of myself in case someone gets to spot my little secret, especially now. Before it was in case I said something or reacted to something inappropriately, now, well I think you get the picture.

Eventually sleep did happen and I woke up feeling good, Simon's tee shirt was handy and I snuggled and sniffed for half an hour before getting up. The rest of the day was chores and visiting Dad, that didn't seem to get any easier.

On monday evening I did manage some writing, and almost ignored a phone call. It was nearly ten at night, most people don't call that late so it had to be either Simon or the hospital. I hoped it was the former.

"Hello?"

"Hi is that Cathy Watts?"

"Yes, who wants her?"

"Hi I'm Mike Cadbury, a friend of Simon."

"Hello Mike, what can I do for you?"

"Come up to Gloucester tomorrow and collect something because it's taking up too much space in my kitchen."

"Sorry, I don't understand," this guy seemed a bit strange.

"It's made by the Scott corporation of America, or something similar."

"You have my bike?" I shrieked down the phone probably damaging his hearing for life.

"I do, when can you collect it?"

"How did you manage to get it back?"

"With the help of the West Midlands Police, who were happy to arrest the thief. We had a letter from the bike shop to state he'd carried out repairs on the wheels and gave the serial numbers, we had the serial number of the bike frame and the copy of the incident report from the Avon and Somerset Police. We could prove ownership, the guy trying to sell it couldn't. He also had a crimnal recored for handling stolen goods on several previous occasions."

"Wow, that is brilliant. Are you about tomorrow?" It seemed he was and gave me his address and directions to find him. I was going to get my bike back at long last. I felt great.

Once back, I could inform the insurance company and they could then return my excess and so on. I decided to call Simon.

"Hi Cathy," answered Stella, "he's not around, or at least I haven't seen him. Yeah that's great news about your bike, you haven't met Chocolate Mike? He's a nice chap, was up at uni with Simon, been friends ever since. I'll tell him you called. What about friday, we have some serious spending to do?"

"How did your parents know about me, because Simon tells me he hadn't said anything to them?"

"I think someone saw you together and they called me for more info. I could hardly tell them lies, now could I?" I hoped that was a rhetorical question because the answer I'd give may not please her.

"How come Simon seems to have so much and you have so little with the parents you have? Sorry,I'm thinking out loud here, you don't have to tell me."

"All Simon has he earns, but he earns fabulous money and his bonuses are unbelieveable."

"So don't your parents sub you?"

"Do yours?"

"Sort of, but only as a way of keeping me here. He didn't before."

"Mine are the same, make your own way and so on."

"But your dad is a multi-millionaire?"

"Yeah, so, Simon is doing quite well in that direction too."

"Crikey, I didn't realise that."

"Until you came along he hadn't spent any significant amount for months. I mean he has houses all over the place, including one on Menorca."

"They have dormice there."

"They have lots of things sweetie, some are bronzed and have hairy chests too."

"Would John like hearing you talk like that?"

"He does as he's told, just like Simon."

"You boss Simon around?" I let slip a thought as it entered my brain.

"Of course, so do you, don't you?"

"No I don't."

"More fool you then."

"Did he tell you he knows my little secret."

"No he didn't, so it was no big deal then?"

"Yes and no, it surprised him."

"Yeah, I can believe that. You look as much like the real thing as any other woman I've ever met and better than most. Did he tell you about his previous experience?"

"No he didn't, what happened?" I was all ears.

"It was a bit different, because he knew the guy before he changed over. A very feminine sort of boy, even a bit camp, certainly had had sex with men before. Anyhow, it came out that he was going to live as a woman and have the operation and someone attacked him."

"Oh my goodness, was she hurt?" I had recollections of my own father's assault on me.

"Very badly, so badly beaten he nearly died."

"Oh goodness, why do people do that?"

"They thought it was a previous lover who didn't want their association to end or change. No one was ever charged though."

"How did Simon figure in all this?" I hoped he hadn't been on of her lovers.

"Oh only on the fringes, they shared a few classes and he was appalled by the attack. The boy was brain damaged from head injuries, was taken off to some institution up north. Didn't hear any more, until Simon and Chocolate Mike arranged a rugby game to help pay for the boy's care. They raised about fifty thousand altogether."

"Who did they play?" I wondered, at the amount.

"The Wallabies I think, is that what they call the Australians?"

"I think so, how did he manage that?"

"Remember our dad is well connected, they were touring and well they did it as a training game. They won by loads, Simon scored a try but it was disallowed, he knocked on or something."

"I'm better at bikes," I offered, I had a basic idea of what rugby was about but not a clear one, and unless I played womens' rugger, I didn't think it would prove of much interest now. Somehow I couldn't see myself doing that, no matter how much Simon would enjoy it.

"Yeah, well it's nearly back with you, so keep a better watch on it next time."

"I'm taking it to bed from now on."

She laughed in response, "Not sure Simon would be too pleased with that as a concept."

"A bike is the only thing he's going to get his leg over until I have had surgery."

"I think he knows that."

"Is that person he helped, still alive?"

"Yes, I think so, Simon is a trustee of the charity they formed to care for people with severe head injuries."

"He's a regular boy scout, isn't he?"

"Yeah he is, a real good samaritan, always has been. Didn't always go down well with Dad."

"Why?"

"Well that one, he didn't know what had happened to the lad concerned, if he had, he may not have helped."

"Why not?"

"In Dad's time, there were some real predatory gays around at his school, it kinda put him off."

"But you said the one Simon helped was transsexual?" I wondered if I would like Simon's dad.

"I'm not sure if they really were or not, personally from what Simon told me, more of a homosexual tranvestite, but I could be wrong. Even so, it's no reason for nearly killing someone."

"Exactly." I remembered the hate mail I'd received, I hope the two incidents weren't related, then recalled Simon was an London graduate.

"I've got to go flower, I have to be up at six. I'll be on the ten o'clock train, meet me at Temple Meads Station on friday."

"Okay Stella, I'm looking forward to it." I was lying but she didn't care either way.

I went to get my Blackberry and was going to send Simon an email, when I discovered he'd sent me one first.

"Hi Babes, just checking it's working and that you are too."

I replied, "Of course, this machine will change my life -I'm gonna sell it and buy some Jimmy Choos. Love Cathy xxx PS Only joking!