Previously…

‘Oh, Auntie, I’m not dead, I’m sure that you realise that by now. Though how I got to be here after such a long time being- erm, not alive, I don’t know. Anyway, their presents were friendship necklaces, just like the ones Sophie and I had. So I wanted to give Daddy one and Mummy the other. They were apart so often, I thought that it might remind them of each other, just like the ones that George, as she was and I had...’

‘Yes, as your mother was going to be away on her birthday, on business, I gave one to her and on your father’s birthday, he had the other one.’

‘Oh yes, I remember now, they both thanked me and said that they would wear them always...’

Her voice trailed off as I think that we all realised at the same moment that something strange was going on here!

And now the story continues…

Auntie Brenda looked at me.

‘Sophie, are you there?’

‘Yes Auntie.’

‘And me, don’t forget,’ said Hannah, confusingly through my mouth. It was all getting a bit weird.

Auntie Brenda frowned.

‘This doesn't work very well. Let me try something.’

Still holding the necklace, she stood up and came over to me.

‘Stay there dear and close your eyes.’

I did as I was told and I could sense that Hannah was as confused as I was.

I felt Auntie’s hand on my head and then I experienced a sort of sucking sensation, I can’t explain it any clearer.

She took her hand away.

‘You can open your eyes again now.’

'What the hell is that?' exclaimed Hannah.

'Don't blaspheme young lady,' said Auntie.

'Hang on,' I said, 'I didn't say that.'

'I know,' replied Auntie, ' I can hear Hannah now, in my head, just like you can.'

‘Testing, testing 1234, can you hear me - over.’

‘Yes I can hear you Hannah.’

‘Without my moving my - I mean our lips?’

‘Yes; its all part of the gift that I have. I speak to those who have departed and evidently Hannah, I can speak to you too. Don’t ask me how, its just something that I had to try and it appears to have worked.’

‘I haven’t departed, I’m still here.’

‘That is obvious Hannah. I can’t explain it; I’m just pleased that my little idea worked. What do you think Sophie?’

For anything better to say, I just said, ‘wow.’

It seemed to fit the bill.

I had another thought; I do have them sometimes.

‘Can you read my mind?’

‘There’s nothing there to read,’ interjected Hannah.

‘Hannah, do not disrespect your sister,’ said Auntie.

‘Oh hell, you heard that; I didn’t even use Sophie’s voice-box either.’

‘And don’t blaspheme young lady.’

I laughed, this three way conversation was getting beyond weird and I was pleased that Hannah’s rubbish wasn’t coming out of my voice box.

‘So,’ I said, changing the subject, ‘there’s an elephant in the room.’

‘Where?’

‘I was talking metaphorically.’

‘Swallowed a dictionary?’

‘Girls, will you please stop bickering. I know that this is all very strange, but we need to sort out where we all go from here. I really think that you need to discuss this with your father.’

‘He’ll think that we are mad.’

‘Yes and anyway, with all that’s happening, we don’t want to cause him any other problems on top of the ones he has right now.’ I said.

‘He needs to know. Its too important not to tell him. He won’t judge you and he will not think that you are funny in the head,’ said Auntie firmly.

I didn’t think that Hannah was quite as confident as Auntie was and I certainly wasn’t, but we would just have to wait and see.

Two days later, Daddy called me into his office. Hannah, the coward decided to do whatever she does when she doesn’t want to do something; she disappeared somewhere. It was a nice trick and I wished that I could do that sometimes.

He was sitting behind his humungous desk looking a bit tired and I noticed that he had rings under his eyes and wondered how much sleep he was getting.

‘Daddy, is something wrong?’ I asked as I sat down on the sofa, sweeping my short skirt under me as best I could, as I didn’t want a knicker revealing moment in front of my parental unit.

‘I’m fine honey; how are you holding up?’

Shrugging, I said, ‘I’m OK; I've been avoiding the papers and the news just in case something nasty was being said about me, but other than that, I’m erm, fine.’

‘Luckily nothing has appeared about you and lets hope it stays that way. Look, I have had a think about things. You know that I have sheltered you from the press as I wanted your life to be as private as possible. I still want that to be the case, but everyone knows that I have a child, a boy child and now, lets face it, you are about as far away from being a boy as its possible to be and sooner or later things will get out.’

‘About my changing into a girl?’

‘Exactly. I wanted to just announce it without you getting too involved. The Daily Enquirer wants to send someone down to interview you. With your permission, I think that we ought to agree, but with provisos; no photos and we agree to whatever is written before it goes to press.'

'I don't know, Daddy. I don't want to be seen as some sort of circus freak.'

'I won't let that happen. but let's face it, as soon as the world realises that I have a daughter and that your privacy is going to be assured no matter what people think, the sooner we can both get on with our lives and we can make plans for you to go to a nice school.'

'A girl's school?'

'Yes, I think so, don't you?'

'Yes, I would be more comfortable in a girl’s school rather than a mixed one. I just hope that I'll be accepted as a girl and not as some sort of freak.'

'No one can mistake you for anything other than a girl, honey. Look, if you don't want to do this interview, I'll understand, but it might just get you some sort of closure and it will help when you go to your new school.'

'How is that, Daddy?'

'Some people there would have read the article about you and they will know your side of things and not rely on some wild, unsubstantiated and false story. The important things is for you to be accepted as a normal schoolgirl.'

Sighing, I said, 'I suppose that makes sense. I hope that Hannah...oh never mind.'

I had nearly put my foot in it.

'What about Hannah.'

'Nothing; it's not important'

You looked at me with a strange expression on his face.

'You still miss her, don't you?'

'Yes,’ I lied, ‘and Mummy too.'

Once again, that strange expression...

I nearly told him there and then. I could have, but I remembered that we had agreed to get the present problems over with before burdening him with something new and very hard to believe. Hell, I found it hard to get my head around all that had happened and I was part of it!

'So when are the paparazzi coming?'

'They aren't anything like those scum; in fact,' he coughed, looking slightly embarrassed, 'I own the paper.'

'Since when?'

'About a week ago. I made the previous owner an offer he couldn't refuse.'

'Oh Daddy, stop with the Godfather references.'

'Its a good film.'

'Never mind that, get to the juicy bit.'

'Actually, clever clogs, I did make him an offer. I threw money at him and he was happy to accept the offer. I have wanted to get hold of a quality newspaper for some time and it was the only one that was politically neutral that was sort of available. Lord Humphries, the owner, wants to get into the broadcasting media and I had heard through business contacts that he was open to offers for his newspaper, so that he could use the funds to finance his ideas. So it was mutually beneficial and we can personally benefit in this case because I won't let anything we don't want published about you to be printed.'

'Will the editor mind you poking your nose in?'

'No, he's a golfing mate and we have similar ideas about what should and should not get published. I have already spoken to him about you and he is very sympathetic. His daughter is gay and he knows all the problems having a child that is slightly different can entailed. Anyway, are you happy to have an interview?'

'I suppose so,' I replied reluctantly.

'Thats good, as Marcia Hayes, the media reporter will be here in about two hours time.'

I looked at him, in terror - I was surprised that my heart didn’t spontaneously burst out of my heaving breast…

Alright, a bit melodramatic but FATHERS! who’d have them?

'What's wrong pumpkin, worried about something?'

'Yes, no, well maybe, but I have only two hours to get ready... Are you mad?'

‘I can get ready in about ten minutes on a bad day.’

‘But you are a slob of a man.’

‘Oy, who’s calling me a slob?’

‘I am, now, if you don’t mind, I have to get ready in half the time I should have and I would appreciate a bit of space here.’

‘Erm, Sophie?’

‘What?’

‘You are in my office and not in your bedroom.’

‘What, oh, OK, but I want it on record that I am not a happy bunny.’

With that I ran out of the office, up the stairs along the corridor, nearly knocked over Julia in the process and finally found my way back to my bedroom.

I slammed the doer and sat on the bed. I was finding g it all a bit hard to cope with.

‘Hormones.’

‘What? Oh you’re back. Where have you been?’

‘Spaced out. So what's got our knickers in a twist?’

I told her and she was as unhappy as me.

‘Men, they haven’t got a clue. I remember Mummy saying to him...well, never mind that now, we need to get ready.’

For some reason, I felt helpless and a bit tearful. and I was sure that Hannah sensed it.

‘Look, I’ll take over and you just watch, if that’s the right word for it. I reckon that you are going to experience what is lovingly called the curse in the next day or two. Something that we girls have to go through with boring regularity.’

‘I’m too young for that!’ I said with horror.

‘Don’t you believe it!’

We didn’t have time for any further discussions as we were fast running out of erm, time.

I just let Hannah take over as I had a quick shower and hair wash, then I sort of zoned out when she put a Tampax in the place where evidently, it should go. ‘Just in case,’ she said calmly when I was feeling anything but calm. Being a girl wasn’t all the fun I thought it would be and I even felt slightly envious of boys who didn’t have to go through with any of that nonsense.

Somehow, I'm not sure how, we were ready with ten minutes to spare. Looking at my reflection I saw a rather pretty girl with an annoying amount of freckles, but with everything in the right place, ears, check, nose, check, eyes...you get my meaning. Anyway, we were ready, or as ready as I would ever be.

I was wearing what ordinary teenagers wear, like, jeans and a top. The top,was pink and the jeans had sparkly bits on the pockets, but apart from that, it wasn't much different from what my contemporaries wore. I wasn't into grunge or goth so I was happy with my...alright, our choice. I would still have liked to wear a nice dress or skirt, but Hannah kept on reminding me that I should fit in and not stand out like a sore thumb.

'You look almost cool,' said Hannah.

Before I could reply the phone rung.

'Hello?'I said

'It's Brenda.'

'Oh hi, Auntie.'

'I heard that you were seeing a reporter, do you need any moral support.'

'That would be nice. Did Daddy say anything to you?'

'He did mention it, come to think of it.'

'My father is devious.'

'He's only thinking of you.'

'I know,' I replied, sighing, , I just wish...'

'That it was all over?'

'Mmm.'

'It will be soon.'

I put the phone down and stared off into space for a bit. Was worried that I might say something stupid or give the game away about Hannah. I started to rub my tummy, as it was feeling a bit tender: as were my nipples for some strange reason; had I eaten something that was a bit off?

‘Yup; that our period starting!’

‘Bloody hell!’

‘Never a truer two words spoken, sister dear!’

'So Sophie, how does it feel to be a girl?'

'What a stupid question!'

'Erm, different, I suppose to what I was used to, but I'm still me inside.'

I was somewhat distracted by what was going on in my body. From what little I knew about periods, mainly information gleaned by the other boys in my dormitory, periods were messy things that involved gallons of blood and experiencing an attitude problem (read temper tantrums and throwing things at innocent brothers. I was now in the middle of one these nightmares myself and I kept glancing down to make sure that I wasn’t covered in gore.

Marcia Hayes was tall, slim, had legs that seemed to go on for ever and was dressed in an expensive looking power suit and high heeled shoes that were more like stilts. Her makeup was perfection and I hated her as soon as I saw her. Auntie got my negative vibes, I think through Hannah, who evidently was able to thought-speak or whatever it's called, without involving me now.

Daddy was sitting at the other end of the room on a sofa and Auntie was in a chair, but closer to me. I was glad that the were both there to give me moral support, but it still felt like I was in this on my own, as the others couldn't really explain what I had gone through.

I could sense Hannah was with me, but thankfully she didn't try to interrupt my thoughts, as I tried to ignore my plumbing problems, stay on track and attempt to explain what had happened to me...well a version that was acceptable, anyway.

I explained that I was never too happy with my body and that I had always thought that something was a bit off. It was only when my body started to change that I knew that my feelings were correct.

'Do you prefer being a girl or would you rather be a boy?

‘Stupid question.’ said Hannah in my head. Auntie’s head snapped up from where she was pretending to read a magazine. She frowned and I assumed that she said something secret to Hannah, as my sister then kept quiet.

‘Sorry,’ I replied, as the reporter looked at me expectantly, ‘I was a bit distracted there. Erm, to answer your question, I think that I prefer being a girl, although it’s early days yet. I was, as I mentioned before, not quite happy with my body and the reason probably was that I was not the boy I thought I was, if that makes any sense. This is all still a bit new to me but I think that I feel happier now than I ever was . ’

There were more questions in a similar vein and then she asked me how I saw my future.

‘I just want to be treated as an ordinary girl.’

Marcia laughed.

‘Ordinary, you will never be. You are the heir to a fortune, you have changed into a very pretty girl and that is just for starters. When you are a bit older, you will constantly in the news and everything that you do and say and wear will be scrutinised. Do you think that you will be able to cope?’

I looked at her and then at Daddy and Auntie.

‘I will just have to won’t I.’

‘Way to go girl; that told her!’

I just wished that I was actually as confident as I sounded.

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To Be Continued..?

Please leave comments and kudos...thanks!

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I apologise for the length of time between chapters. Real life can be a pain sometimes!