Chapter 41

Somehow I didn't find it necessary to tell Mum about the journalists last night. Does that make me a bad daughter, a considerate daughter or just normal? What I was around lunch time is one very happy girl because Mr Davis phoned to say all charges against me had been dropped as the two men had pleaded guilty to smuggling the parrot. The reason I was charged at all was in case they were or at least couldn't be proved not to be innocent or as Mr Davis put it "So the police had their ass covered if it turned out you'd attacked innocent men who were ready to sue!"

As the police no longer needed me as a witness Litara thought it safe to go home but Dad vetoed the idea saying Sunday would be soon enough, which might be connected to watching Samoan International rugby player Apollo Perelini play on Bill's big screen TV.

Normal domestic life can be a luxury when it looks as though you've lost it. Saturday afternoon Litara and I shopped. Sunday, while the others moved back home, Bill and I went for a sail on Molly (although Bill would only let me steer). Monday I saw Dr Carter who hummed and hawed over results, took more samples then, having seen me on the television, told me off like a child for tree climbing when she had specifically told me 'No over-exertion'. During the week days I did gentle work with Dad and in the evening usually spent time with Serena, Jenny, Evan and Andy. Everything was going smoothly until the second Monday…

"You don't really seem to be much of anything do you?"

I'd been given an appointment for 3:30 pm on Tuesday 31st October to see Dr Marjorie Stanhope at the Hospital's Psychiatry Dept. and I thought it had been going well. She did treat me as a woman, unlike the way Dr Edwards behaved at the same hospital, and I'd answered her questions as well and as honestly as I could. I had even told her about Janice Wheeler behind the bike sheds. Trouble didn't come until she asked if I had any more questions and I asked "Do you think I'm a lesbian?"

"You don't really seem to be much of anything do you?"

What a bitch! Sitting there on her high horse judging me as unworthy of any respect. "Not being willing to jump into bed with every Jack, Jill and Pat doesn't make me a nothing! I'm Delia Venus Williams. I'm a woman and I have family and friends I love and who love me which is more than you probably have you arrogant bitch!"

Hospital doors don't slam and they should!

Finding myself stuck in town with nobody to strangle and an appointment at 5pm with Dr Carter - she'd moved our Monday appointment so she could ask how I'd got on with the shrink! - I headed for McDonalds whose offering of fat, salt, sugar and E numbers masquerading as burger, fries and apple pie washed down with coke did for me what no healthy salad could.

By the time of my appointment with Dr Carter I had rejoined the human race and she seemed in a happy mood too. While she was looking at my sample results from last week I got out my temperature readings to add to her records and we talked about Halloween celebrations for that evening while she took fresh samples.

"Would you mind taking off your top and skirt then hopping on the table, I'd like to run the ultra sound over your tummy?"

Soon I was covered in goo and the doctor was running her scanner over me with the intensity of one of those treasure hunters you see with metal detectors…

"How have you been feeling physically?"

"No pain if that's what you mean, but haven't felt like doing my morning walk the last couple of days." She felt my breasts. '"They're a bit tender!"

"Appetite?"

"Not much but I just scoffed a hamburger and fries so I won't starve."

"So how did you get on with Dr Stanhope?"

"She doesn't like me." I said drawing in a deep breath… then I burst into tears!

"I don't think you have to worry about her not liking you as she called me concerned for you."

Hearing that oddly didn't help at at all but I was aware I was in a busy doctor's office so pulled myself together.

"I think you had better be prepared for surgery early in the New Year. I'm going to recommend that you are examined in 2 to 3 weeks, if possible by the surgeon who recently operated. It appears that your uterus is thriving with an improved blood supply and your hormones as Dr Stanhope succinctly suggested are going into overdrive."

The world doesn't stop for news and having dad's car I had to pick him up at the yard so that we could be home in time for the dinner mum had cooked - a meal for which I had of course entirely spoilt my appetite. They both naturally wanted to hear how the psychiatrist's appointment had gone but I persuaded them to wait until later. After dinner we went through to the lounge to watch some television and Dad was heading for his usual armchair but…

"Please Dad, will you sit with me?" So we settled on the sofa where I tucked my feet under me, grasped hold of his arm with both hands and cuddling in to his enormous shoulder…… went to sleep.