Part Twenty Seven   "The Gerry Paradox"

 
Thursday 21st May (Continued)
 

"Gerry's gone to hospital? What's happened?"

"He's fine, Dr Meier collapsed not long after the lessons started. Mr Anders gave him CPR and called the emergency services, I understand you suggested he kept his phone with him?"

"I did, Sir, was there a problem with that?"

"No, Mr Anders explained your concerns, however unlikely they were. Unfortunately, no-one else was available to go with Dr Meier, so Mr Anders volunteered. Dr Meier hadn't regained conciousness even after the paramedics worked on him."

"I see, where did they go, I mean which hospital did they go to?"

"The Raigmore in Inverness."

"Right, how are we going to get Gerry back from there?"

"We're working on that, but Mrs Small is occupied with another matter and Mrs Adams is off today. As you'll know we're short of teaching staff as well at the moment. Mr Anders will also need a change of clothes, as one of the boys in that class vomited over his pinafore."

"I don't believe there is a spare pinafore?"

"There isn't, not for a few more days, I'm told. Can you assist in that regard as Mr Anders told me he didn't want to put trousers on if possible?"

"I'll try. With permission, Sir, I'll drive to the hospital after I collect a few things from home."

"Thank you, Dr Meier's daughter will be attending the hospital so there is no need to remain there. The school will reimburse any expenses, naturally."

"Understood, Sir."

Tammy took herself to the ladies, deciding that it was quite necessary before a two hour road trip. She checked in the mirror and could see what the Head was referring to, but as she was leaving the school she left it alone. She made a note to swap her shoes as soon as she got back in the car; there was no way she was driving to Inverness in three inch heels.

***

It was approaching half two in the afternoon when Tammy pulled up in the car-park of the Raigmore. She took a garment bag out the back of her car and carried that towards the entrance. Five minutes later she had reached the High Dependency Unit on the fifth floor, Gerry was sat outside the sealed doors of the Unit.

"Oh, hi Tammy. I did wonder if anyone would come?"

"Didn't anyone ring you to let you know?"

"My phone's still off, the paramedics asked me to turn it off when we got in the helicopter and I wasn't sure I could put it back on. Unfortunately they wouldn't let me in the unit because of this." He stood and pointed at the front of the pinafore.

"I see. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, but my dress is ruined."

"It's not that bad, it can be cleaned. Anyway, I brought something for you to wear."

"A skirt?"

"A soft denim skirt, it should fit you. Where's your cardigan?"

"I'm sat on it, these seats aren't comfortable. It's still clean, as is my t-shirt."

"Okay, get into a loo and change, I suggest you use the disabled one as there's more space." Tammy pointed along the corridor, "it looks like you won't need the blouse I brought." She didn't add that the small make-up pack she'd brought was also surplus to requirements at the moment.

Whilst Gerry was changing, a middle-aged lady arrived, she pressed the door buzzer for the High Dependency Unit.

"My father was brought here from his school, I've driven from Aberdeen."

"I'm a student at St Andrews, I know Dr Meier."

"Oh, you must be one of the girls he mentioned?"

Did Tammy have the wrong opinion of the music master? "Yes, we're just in the sixth form."

A nurse opened the door and admitted the lady, but kept the door ajar to speak to Tammy. "Are you waiting?"

"No, I came here to collect the boy who came in with Dr Meier."

"The boy in the dress?"

"Yes, long story."

"I saw why, a brave and sensible solution." Gerry came towards them from the security of the loo. "That skirt suits you, Sir." Gerry blushed.

"We're off, can you give St Andrews a call if our teacher's condition changes?"

"I think we can do that, this young man gave us all the necessary contact information."

Tammy escorted Gerry to the lifts then down to the lobby. He'd arrived by helicopter so didn't have a clue where he was going.

"You seem to know where you are, have you been here before?"

"Yes, I had emergency surgery a few months ago."

"What was it?"

"An orchidectomy."

Gerry blushed and fell silent.

They made it to Tammy's car without incident.

"I wondered if this was your car, racing green too!"

"I couldn't resist it, Gerry. Get in, it's starting to rain."

Tammy put a radio station on for company as Gerry wasn't saying much. It wasn't raining much but, at 3pm, the road was starting to get busy and that meant there was plenty of spray. Tammy phoned home, Pru answered.

"Where are you?"

"On the A9, we've just passed the Dingwall turning."

"Right two hours away. Your Dad's not happy with you."

"Fine Pru, whatever."

Tammy hung up.

"Is that your sister, Tammy?"

"No, my PA."

"You need an assistant?"

"Dad and I share her, although it looks like I might need to get myself one who doesn't have split responsibilities."

"How come you need her at all?"

"I have investments, share holdings and I'm on the board of several companies. I don't have time to handle any of the paperwork or calls if I'm concentrating on school work."

"So you're wealthy?"

"I suppose so, but your family must have money for you to be at the school?"

"Not really, not since Dad died. I'm now on a scholarship now as Mum couldn't afford the fees."

"Oh, I didn't know."

"The school's been really good about it, especially the Head."

"The Head told me you performed CPR on Dr Meier, how did you know?"

"I had some training a couple of years ago."

Tammy's phone rang, it was a secure call.

"I'm not on my own, Hilary."

"Okay, can you come down to the office in the morning?"

"Sure."

She hit the cancel button and concentrated fully on the road again. It was several minutes before Gerry spoke.

"So you couldn't talk because I was in the car?"

"Something like that, it's confidential stuff."

"Oh, my life must be so simple compared to you?"

Tammy laughed, "I wish my life wasn't this complicated!"

"So are you just that mild-mannered school girl or really an international spy and mistress of disguise?"

"Ask me an easy one, won't you?"

Gerry giggled, "as if, I mean, as if a school girl in Thurso could be an international spy?"

"Exactly." Tammy sounded relieved. Silence fell inside the car, apart from the radio. Tammy switched to a music channel, deciding that the chances of a major incident on this road was next to nil. She spent the next half an hour tapping the wheel along to the music, Gerry appeared to be dozing.

Tammy's eye was caught by the fuel indicator flashing on the dashboard. "Damn, there should be enough to get home but I think I'll fill it as soon as I can." There was no answer from Gerry.

They weren't far from Brora and Tammy tried to remember if there was a filling station nearby. They'd crossed the River Brora and were heading along the coast, on the way out of the town, when she saw the garage. She indicated and pulled onto the forecourt.

Gerry must have realised they'd stopped but too a second or two to realise where they were. "Fuel?"

"Yes, I won't be a minute."

Tammy had no trouble operating the pump and put twenty litres in, she'd fill it up next time she visited the supermarket. She paid with her card and returned to the car/ Gerry didn't look comfortable.

"What's up?"

"I need the loo, I didn't want to go when we were at the hospital."

"It's in the showroom, there was a notice in the shop."

"Yes, but I'm in a skirt."

"So?"

"This one has a red rose on the back, didn't you realise?"

"I hadn't realised, I was rushing when I grabbed it, you didn't say anything earlier?"

"I thought we'd get straight back, and it wouldn't be a problem."

"If you're bothered, tie your cardigan around your waist to hide the design. Look, I need to move off the pump."

Tammy started the engine and eased the car over to a visitor bay next to the showroom. Gerry climbed out and quickly tied his cardigan. He took a look at himself and dashed into the showroom. Tammy saw him being intercepted by one of the salesmen, who pointed towards a door.

Gerry returned two minutes later. "That was embarrassing."

"Why?"

"He sent me into the ladies."

Tammy took a look at Gerry, under the white t-shirt she could now see a strappy vest. It gave the impression of a small bust by the way it was stitched, as it had a 'hidden support' panel. Tammy hadn't seen it previously.

"You weren't wearing that vest when you dressed this morning?"

"No, I put it on when I went back to my room, it stops the t-shirt rubbing on my nipples."

Tammy let it drop; she eased the car out of the parking bay and got back onto the A9, they still had an hour to go.

As they approached Thurso, Gerry became agitated.

"I can't go into the school like this?"

"You'd happily be there in the dress?"

"Yes, but I was mistaken as a girl dressed as I am, what will the boys say to that?"

"We'll go to my house first, I have some cotton shorts you could borrow and wear until after dinner."

"Okay."

Tammy rang the school and let one of the house masters know Gerry was with her. A few minutes later they pulled into the first gate at Dunbankin', Tammy opened the gate into the paddock then parked up by the barn.

"Your own pool?"

"Yes, did you want a swim?"

"Could I, it helps my skin, unless there's too much chlorine in there?"

"I don't think we overload it. Come in, I guess you could stay for dinner."

Tammy unlocked the back door and first put her head into the kitchen. "Julie, can we have one extra for dinner?"

"Sure, so long as your Dad's okay with it."

Tammy had a look for Richard but he wasn't around. She hesitated looking in the study but Pru had gone home and the 'Occupied' light wasn't on. She signalled for Gerry to follow her up the stairs.

"If you want a swim, it'll either have to be one of my bikinis or a one piece swimsuit?"

"Can't I just wear the bikini bottoms?"

"Okay." She dug into a drawer and pulled her latest one out, it still had a tag. "Go in the bathroom and change."

When Gerry came out, Tammy could see something was wrong. He really did have small breasts and resembled an adolescent female. He'd either shaved really close that morning or something was affecting him as his chin and top lip were still clear.

"Seriously, Gerry, I think you need the top too, for decency's sake."

Gerry went red and dropped onto her bed. Tammy put the bikini top on him without any objections before picking up another bikini set and heading into her bathroom. She could hear voices as she picked up her clothes, but Gerry was on his own.

"Helen's gone to change, she fancies a swim too."

"Did she recognise you?"

"No, and I didn't know who she was either. At least she didn't ask why a boy was wearing a bikini in your room? Did you tell her your name?"

"Yes, but I think she heard it wrong."

Never mind, let's get a few towels. If we take your stuff down, Julie will put it through the machine."

Gerry didn't object, after seeing Julie they headed across the paddock. Gerry had borrowed a pair of sandals and was now wearing the swimsuit's matching wrap for the walk across the gravel.

Inside the barn, the back of the pool now had a collection of fitness machines. Tammy ignored these and jumped into the pool after shedding the wrap. It wasn't long before Angela and Helen joined in, a game volleyball was the inevitable conclusion.

Tammy had no idea of how much time had been spent when she noticed Joan coming into the pool.

"Can I have a word, Tammy?"

Tammy climbed out and wrapped a towel around herself, Joan walked away from the pool so Tammy followed.

"What's the big idea?"

"What do you mean?"

"Despite being in a pinafore this morning he looked like a boy. He's now over there in one of your bikinis looking like a girl, does he have enhancers in?"

"No, that's completely natural, He's also not wearing any make-up. Look, he's had a difficult day and this is a bit of a wind-down. The pinafore is in the washing machine as one of the boys threw up in the music room. I took a change of clothes to the hospital."

"The Head told me that's what you were doing, but why take it unto yourself?"

"Because no-one else was available, where were you?"

"I was busy, but that's irrelevant."

"Well, I wasn't busy and I wanted to help."

"Are you done helping Gerry into female clothing?"

"Sure, he just looked indecent without the top on. Helen hasn't said anything yet, neither has Angela."

"Okay, I understand you've asked if she, I mean he, could stay to dinner?"

"Yes, his clothes won't be dry."

"They probably won't be dry before the morning either."

"Oh."

"Yes oh, none of Richard's clothes would fit him and it's clear you and him are about the same size but he's a smaller cup size than you. I guess you'll have him in a frock for dinner?"

"I wasn't planning that."

"You're not planning for him to be your next project, a boy to girl conversion, then?"

"No!"

"Anyway, the reason I wasn't available was that I was taking one of the younger boys for a medical appointment."

"I see, anyone I know?"

"No, and no I won't say. Gerry has an appointment with Jill tomorrow, so I guess that's going to be interesting."

"But Gerry's not transgendered, and should you be telling me this?"

"Perhaps not, but you'll end up finding out one way or another. Anyway, he's not seeing her for that reason. What do you know of his family?"

"That his father died recently, and he has a sister. That's all."

"So he hasn't opened his soul to you?"

"No, and I didn't go prying either."

"Okay, dinner's in half an hour. I suggest you find him something suitable to wear, as he might have to go back to the school in it. Don't make him look like a girl, please."

"Okay, nothing like an easy challenge?"

"That's life, Miss Smart, that's life."