Bab’s New Year’s resolution 39. ©

List of characters

Lola Smith Bab’s adopted trans daughter.
Callista Denton (Callie). Transgendered Duchess of Denton.
Margaret Denton (Maggie). Callie’s wife.
Molly Denton Callie’s grandmother
Ellie Denton Callie’s mother.
Bab’s Barbara Smith. Lola’s adoptive ‘Nana’
Olivia Smith Bab’s adopted daughter.
Angela Smith Bab’s newly adopted daughter
Erica Bab’s foster daughter.
Sergeant Bridie Davies Lady Police detective protecting the girls.
Sergeant Brian Davies. Bridie’s twin brother.
Inspector John, Heading up the anti-rape-gang operation in Birmingham.
Gareth Jenkins, Police office trained in firearms and protection.
Belinda Harrington. Lola’s new girlfriend in college.

Chapter 39

Driven by impatience, the moment the sixty minutes had expired, all four girls were clamouring at the ward-sister's little office eager for permission to see their adoptive Nan. The ward sister looked up when they arrived and sighed patiently.

“The surgeon will be here in a few moment’s girls; he’ll check your grandmother then put you in the picture.”
Before she had finished, the surgeon appeared at the end of the corridor. They met midway as the girls surged forward.
“I’m checking her now, - won’t be a moment.”

The girls hovered at the door to see Bab’s seemingly still unconscious then noticed that the surgeon was talking to somebody out of sight,

“Yes, they’re the witnesses, the lady’s grandchildren. They’re allowed in.”

There was a rustling of paper then the unseen person replied.

“Oh yes, they can come in if your happy Doctor.”

The girls recognised Gareth’s voice and squealed their impatience. Olivia’s voice as always, the loudest.

“Bloody hell Gareth. It’s us. What-choo playin’ at?”

The surgeon turned to face the girls and put his finger to his lips.

“Keep it quiet now girls, she needs lots of rest so don’t excite her.”

The girls crept in and circled the bed as Bab’s opened her eyes and smiled. Softly, she whispered. “Hello girls.” It was all she could muster.

“The girl’s faces fell to see their beloved ‘Nan’ looking so frail and weak. Nervously they glanced towards the surgeon and Erica whispered.

“Is it okay to kiss her?”

“Yes but don’t lean on the bed. There’s several drains below her waist plus the intravenous drip.”

Thus cautioned, each girl took a turn to gently kiss their beloved ‘Nan’ then silently departed to meet up again outside the sister’s office.

“She looks really bad,” Lola remarked.

“Of course she is, she took two bullets in her lower back.”

“Did they get them out?” Olivia asked.

“There’s fragment of one very close to the common Iliac artery but that’s due for elective surgery on Thursday. We’re giving her some time to recover from the shock of what’s she’s already suffered plus they’ll be taking more X-rays to determine the best procedure. Oh, and she’s got a rare blood group so we’re ordering up some of her type. The hospital is short of her blood type. The extra supply be here tomorrow we hope.

“Is she in danger?” Angela asked fearfully.

“She could be if she bends or twists her back. It could cause the fragment to move and puncture that Iliac Artery. We’ve got her sedated.”

All the girls swallowed nervously as the sister checked the notes.

“Hmm.”

“What d’ you mean, Hmm?” Olivia demanded.”

“Do any of you girls know your blood groups?”

They exchanged puzzled looks before each girl admitted they did not. Erica, ever alert to her HIV status asked further.

“Do you want blood donors then?”

“We always want blood.”

“But I’m HIV positive.”

The sister stared at her judgementally and Erica became angry.

“I was kidnapped and raped hundreds of times. We are the ‘Rape Gang girls! That’s why there’s a copper guarding Nan!”

The ward sister now realised who the girls were and the horrible headlines that had surrounded the first court-case. When the country learned there was yet more to come in a second court trial and probably more in a third trial a wave of national disgust had swept the country. The sister felt a shudder as her manner became abjectly apologetic.

“Oh! You’re those girls, I’m so, so sorry Erica, I didn’t realise; I should learn not to judge people.”

“Yeah, well - well– jus’ remember.”

The sister quickly changed the subject to avert any more blunders.

“What about you other girls? We’re always short of blood.”

The girls looked at each other and shrugged before Olivia spoke for all three.

“Yeah. I suppose we could donate blood. Where’s the blood donation thingy?”

“It’s in the car-park just below this window. It’s quiet just now so you should be seen to quickly.”

Angela grinned as she checked.

“Do they still give free cups of tea and biscuits?”

The sister smiled and chuckled.

“If I had a cup of tea for every time that question gets asked – “.

Bridie briefly spoke into her microphone and the girls scuttled away towards the blood donor van.

As they tramped noisily down the corridor a woman approached them and everybody tensed as Bridie reached for her hidden pistol and put herself physically between the woman and the girls.
The woman was brandishing a clip-board with some forms and didn’t seem to be preparing to attack them but Bridie remained alert as the girls tensed.

“Good afternoon girls, are you giving blood?”

“We are,” Bridie confirmed as she cast about tensely than relaxed as she recognised two of the armed police already covering the blood donor van. “So what can we do for you?”

“Would you like your DNA checked as a free gift to all first-time, donor people over seventeen and under twenty five.”

“What’s the catch?” Olivia demanded suspiciously for she had previously been arrested by the police in London and she was certain they already had her DNA.

“Nothing. It’s a free trial to try and develop genetic profiles for people in this region.

“Thanks, but no thanks. Anyway I’m from the West Indies so I bear no relationship to this area.”

Angela, being Olivia’s closest friend and ally also refused to take the offer but Lola hesitated.
She had never known her father and indeed, she still spoke of him angrily as ‘her sperm donor’. The situation wasn’t much better with her mother for she had been dumped by her at an early age as well. All she knew about her mother was that she was from a single parent family as well. As with her biological father, Lola referred to her biological mother as ‘her egg donor’.

“Yeah. I’ll take a DNA test, at least I’ll know what roots I’ve got even If I never knew either parent.”

The woman looked up sharply.

“There’s a national DNA data bank. You never know if one or both your parents are on it.”

“Makes no difference anyway,” Lola shrugged. “If I met either of them I’d probably shoot them – fucking bastards!”

The woman tensed momentarily before realising that Lola was a typical product of a failed care system. Instead she started taking down Lola’s details then produced a sample kit.

“Just swab this around the inside of your cheek please.”

With the task done, Lola re-joined Olivia and Angela in the donor van.

“Any of you girls ever given blood before?”

All three girls wagged their head.

“Right then, I’ll just run a few tests on a sample first. Are any of you sexually active?”

Olivia, always the brassiest and boldest let out a loud snort.

“Ha! Are we ever. She won’t leave me alone!”

“Lying bitch! Angie riposted. You’re the randy one.”

The nurse wagged her head and smiled
“With boys I meant. Lesbians don’t usually infect each other unless they’re really intimate, and even then -.”

She left the sentence hang before turning to Lola.

“And you dear?”

“Nah, I’m celibate.”

“Nobody’ll ‘ave ‘er!” Olivia crowed.

“I’m fussy about who goes in my knickers.”
“Yeah. Only cos’ you’re afraid of what they’ll find.”

The nurse looked askance at Lola who explained in two simple phrases.

“I’m trans – pre-op.”

“But you’re celibate right.” The nurse reaffirmed.

“Yes,”

“Good.”

After sampling the bloods, the nurse then set about inserting the cannulas and the girls did as instructed by each squeezing their ball. The procedure was soon over and they re-joined Erica and Bridie prior to returning to yet another different hotel.

ooo000ooo

“When they got there they discovered that the police had already transferred what little luggage the girls carried plus some delayed mail that Bab’s had brought up from Canal Cottage, before she was shot. Lola opened her letter and discovered she was booked for GRS the following week.

“I thought that was booked for last June.” Olivia remarked.

“We had to put it back because of the double trials in the courts. It’s September the first next Tuesday.”

“That doesn’t leave you much time to recover before college.” Bridie frowned.

“I’ll have to muddle through.”

“I’d suggest taking a sabbatical.”

“It’s probably too late to reorganise the government grant.”

“Dammit! I forgot you’re from the care system. Do you have a registered adult keeper?”

“Don’t be daft, I’m over eighteen. I have to handle all my own documentation.”

“Sorry Lola, it’s pretty shitty that.”

“Yeah. Tell me about it. There’s thousands like me; just out of care. Mostly on the streets. I’m one of the lucky ones, Bab’s was there for me.”

“And us,” Angie interjected as Olivia nodded while sorting out some tea.

“Yeah, we’ve got everything to lose if Bab’s doesn’t make it.” Erica added.

The following morning the ward sister was waiting for the girls as they arrived to visit Bab’s.

“Morning girls. The surgeon wishes to speak to Lola.”

“Oh shit! What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” the sister replied somewhat offended by Lola’s language. “He’s up with Bab’s now, you’ll catch him before he resumes his rounds.”

All the girls took off as concern overtook them and they arrived outside Bab’s ward looking worried. The surgeon looked up and nodded as he put his finger to his lips and signed for quiet.

“You girls can go in, but Lola I need to speak to you.”

“Is she okay?” Lola asked.

“Yes. She’s scheduled for surgery tomorrow to get the splinter out.”

“So what’s this about.”

“The blood bank phoned me.”

Lola paled, expecting bad news about her blood. The surgeon recognised her fear and moved to reassure the girl quickly.

“No girl. It’s good news, something of a fluke really.”

“Go on,” Lola pressed; still worried.”

“Your blood. It’s the same rare blood group as Miss Smith’s. The strange thing is you’ve got virtually the same antigens in your blood. Are you related?”

“No. Not as far as I know.”

“The police officer guarding Miss Smith yesterday. He told me all you girls are from the care system. She’s adopted you.”

“Except Erica, she’s not adopted yet; just fostered.”

“Well that’s by the bye. Did you know your parents?”

“No way, I never even knew my egg donor, let alone the sperm donor.”

The surgeon quickly recognised Lola’s deep abiding resentment so he moved on quickly.

“Well for your blood to be so closely matched to Bab’s there’s a one in forty chance you and she are related. You’re both AB but it’s the antigen match that narrows the odds. If I were you, I’d get a DNA test.”

Lola shrugged. She could not see any extra benefits to having matching blood save that it meant the operating team would have some extra top quality blood walking around in Lola’s body if it was needed. The surgeon reinforced this fact.

“Tomorrow, when we operate, I’d like you handy. The splinter, as you are aware is dangerously close to the blood vessel and it’s quite high risk. That’s why we delayed it until we had enough blood. The central blood bank still hasn't got enough but having you as a walking, talking, living blood bank makes the operation a virtual certainty and much safer. We'd like to run further tests this afternoon if you're happy."

Lola understandably shed some tears as she reaffirmed the safety issue.

“She will survive this won’t she. The Iliac artery is one of the big important ones, isn’t it?”

“She should do, your fresh blood will be an enormous boost to the success of the op. Do I sound like some sort of Vampire?”

His remark amused Lola and she couldn’t help giggling.

“I’ll be there for her doctor. She’s all I’ve got.”

The surgeon smiled then paused.

“Do you want a DNA test, just to see if you might be related.”

Lola chuckled again.

“I already had one, yesterday at the blood bank. I didn’t know about the AB thing though. That doesn’t prove anything about blood relations does it?”

“No but the odds are reduced. You could be related.”

Lola shrugged and remembered distantly that Bab’s had said she was connected to Hull by marriage and Lola had been told by the Social services that her mother might have had some connections with Hull or Newcastle; she could not remember exactly which.

“You can give it a try doctor but in all truth, I’m not much into relatives being as I’ve never knowingly had any by blood. Anyway, the test I took yesterday at the blood bank would show wouldn’t it?”

“Oh that’ll take weeks or even months to come through all the bureaucracy. My friend and colleague in the University Labs, can get you a result by tomorrow. She does them for the police all the time. The social services and police have already got Miss Smith's DNA on record.”

"How come?" Lola demanded suspiciously.

"Oh nothing sinister, Miss Smith consented to it when the social services and and Police had to run CRB checks on her for the adoption licence to adopt you girls."

"Oh. I see. Okay then test all you want. I'll be here anyway visiting Bab's all afternoon."

ooo000ooo