Bab’s New Year’s Resolution 40 ©

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 40

At lunch time, as the girls took a break from their vigil over Bab’s recovery, Bridie received a message. She turned to the girls with the news that the court-case was resuming the next day. Lola had to explain so she took Bridie aside to whisper her problem.

“I can’t be in court tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“The doctors want me around for the operation on Babs.”

“You! Why would they want you?”

“You’d better speak to the surgeons, I’m not sure if I’m allowed to say.”

Bridie was in a quandary. She had to stay to protect the girls but she wanted to know why Lola couldn’t attend the sentencing. It was not essential for her to be there but separating the girls again would require more police to protect Lola. She sighed as she gathered the girls to explain.

“Stay here with Gareth in Bab’s room until I get back.”

After meeting with the surgeon, Bridie returned and explained to Lola.

“Yes. You’ll have to attend the hospital tomorrow. It’s not essential for you to be in court, it’s only the judge’s sentence.”

“I’d liked to have been there but – you know.” Lola sighed.

“Know what?” The ever attentive Olivia demanded.

“Nothing,” Lola replied a little irritably.

“What is it with you and secrets?” Olivia pressed.

Bridie intervened once again to avoid contention.”

“It’s not a secret Olivia. The hospital can’t get enough of Bab’s rare blood group. Apparently, Lola’s blood is okay to use as a transfusion if there are complications with Bab’s surgery. She’ll be standing by if they want extra blood.”

Olivia snorted with amusement.

“Bloody ‘ell! This is like Tony Hancock’s ‘The blood donor’. Got royal blood ‘ave you Lol’s?”

“Piss off,” Lola giggled as the girls went to the canteen.

Bridie was relieved and amused that the girls were in better spirits for it had been a trying time for the four of them. Once seated around the table, Lola explained to the others.

“Yeah, Apparently Nan’s got a very rare blood group, AB – something or other, - and by some freak of nature, I’ve got the same blood. They’re short of it in the blood banks, so they want me handy.”

The mood around the table visibly brightened when the girls learned that at least one of them was of some use to their precious Nan.After eating, the girls returned to keep a brief vigil before Lola separated to donate more blood and have her DNA test at the university hospital laboratories. She re-joined the girls at the hotel later that evening to find several extra armed police in evidence. Bridie explained.

“The judge required more protection for your friends. Apparently, he’s handing out some stiff sentences tomorrow and the gang might be tempted to take reprisals.”

“What about me tomorrow? Alone at the hospital.”

“You’ll have a couple of guards as well.”

“So I suppose there’ll be some sort of objections about how much it’s going to cost.”

“I’ve told you before, this case is huge. There’s even an Interpol budget attached to the case now. A couple of copper’s extra overtime won’t even show in the figures.”

“Thanks. I’ll still be glad when this is all over.”

“Won’t we all” Bridie agreed.

ooo000ooo

After a fractious night of worries for Bab’s and debate about the types of sentences the gang-members would receive; the girls finally took to their beds. Once again, Erica begged Lola to keep her company and Lola duly obliged.

When they were spooned together in the large double bed Erica broached a subject that had been bothering her.

“If your having the op in September how will you and your girlfriend Belinda manage if you ever get married?”

“Manage what?” Lola queried.

"You know, sex and stuff."

"The same way Olivia and Angie manage."

"So what about babies? You won't have your willie."

“Frozen sperm darling. Bab’s organised that the day I told her of my issues.”

“God she’s wiser than we think isn’t she? I wish I’d had a mother like her.”

“You will darling, and soon. If you agree to her adopting you like Angie, Ollie and me you’ll legally have a mum.”

“Then you’ll also be my sister won’t you? Legally I mean.”

“Yes. Now go to sleep. You’ve got court in the morning but I’ve got to prepare to give more blood. They’ve had a litre out of me in the past couple of days so pray that Bab’s operation goes okay without a hitch and they don’t need more.”

With these words, Erica pressed back contentedly into Lola’s tummy and soon the pair were asleep.

Bridie found them still tightly spooned in the morning when she was forced to shake them out of their slumbers. After several shakes and shouts, she finally got the pair out of bed.

After a light breakfast, the girls watched Lola being driven back to the hospital and the surgical block before they were escorted to the court.

The two escorting policemen delivered Lola to the surgical theatre block and accompanied her right to theatre where several masked surgeons were prepping Bab’s for surgery. One of the surgeons waved through the theatre spy window and Lola smiled as a nurse picked up the door-phone to make contact.

“Who are all the surgeons?” Lola asked the casualty surgeon..

“The chief thoracic surgeon is Mister Price; I’m just assisting this time for I’m normally the casualty consultant. This operation requires specialist skills and Mister Price is the chief abdominal consultant for the hospital. We want you to wait here in the recovery room until or if we need your blood okay.”

The answer satisfied Lola and she stripped off her clothes before donning a gown in case they needed her quickly. The nurse in charge of the recovery room returned and attached some electrodes to Lola’s head and explained.

“If we do decided to take blood, we’ll keep a scan of your cognition through these electrodes. Now it’s a matter of just waiting.”

After a long look through the door panel, Lola became bored with the sight of just backs as the surgeons operated, so she settled into the chair they had provided to await results. She was engrossed in a magazine article about another transgender case when the call came.

“Blood donor!”

She needed no encouragement to slide her bum up onto the gurney and bare her arm as the recovery nurse inserted the cannula into her arm then pushed her into a side ward for convenience. Lola had secretly hoped somehow to be lying alongside Bab’s but the recovery nurse explained about the need for sterility.

“Is Bab’s okay?” Lola begged.

“Yes. They’re on course with the procedure but they're down to the last few centilitres of blood. We’re only taking two-fifty c.c.off you as a precaution. Extend your arm and try not to move your head too much. It might affect any brain-scan readings.”

Lola did as requested and watched with no small satisfaction as her blood filled the bottle much faster than at the blood bank. The recovery nurse watched intently as Lola regularly squeezed the ball.

“How d’ you feel?”

“Fine!” Lola grinned.

“Are you feeling dizzy or faint?”

“No.”

The recovery nurse took the bottle and told Lola to stop squeezing. Then she tapped on the theatre sight panel. The bottle was passed through then words were exchanged before the nurse returned.

“Could you manage another quarter of a litre?”

“I think so. I’ll give it a try. Is there something wrong?”

“Nothing at all, we’re just getting a valuable supply of rare blood.”

“Crikey. I feel like some sort of valuable asset.”

“You are darling. Okay, now tell me immediately if you feel tired or sleepy or dizzy or 'pins-and'needles' or anything.”

Lola resumed squeezing her ball in her hand and watched with satisfaction as another two hundred c.c. entered the bottle before she became woozy.

“I think that’s enough,” Lola mumbled and the recovery nurse reacted instantaneously by exchanging the blood bottle for a bottle of plasma to reverse the fluid flow and replace Lola’s lost fluids.

As Lola recovered her wits the recovery nurse congratulated her.

“Did I pass out just then?”

“No. You went a bit faint but the scanner showed your brain function to be unimpaired. You were not unconscious just sleepy. No harm done. D’ you want a glass of milk?”

“What, no tea?” Lola giggled.

“Milk will replace your bloods faster. Then we’ll organise a couple of steak dinners for you tonight and tomorrow.”

“Dinners! How long are you keeping me in?”

“Until tomorrow evening, you’ve given a lot of blood.”

“How’s Nan?”

“I’ll check in minute. She was on course just now.”

The recovery nurse sat quietly by the sleepy Lola as she lay recovering on the gurney in the little side room.

Eventually, the theatre doors opened and Lola saw Bab’s being wheeled into the recovery room. She could not resist calling across.

“How is she?”

“Mr Price looked askance then stepped over.”

“She’s recovering but it’ll be a slow recovery. Are you the relative?”

“I’m one of her adopted daughters but we all call her Nan.”

With that the casualty surgeon turned to Mr Price.

“Actually Bob, I got the DNA results before I came down to theatre this morning. It's pretty certain this girl is the patient’s grand-daughter.”

The remark went straight over Lola’s shoulder for she was still a bit dopey and preoccupied with Bab’s recovery.

“Did you hear that Lola?” The recovery nurse tapped Lola’s shoulder.

“What?” Lola looked up uncomprehendingly.

“Did you hear what Mr Jacob’s just said?”

“Uhm, no. I was wondering about Nan.”

“Mr Jacobs the casualty surgeon looked down and wagged his head at the preoccupied Lola.

“You must love that Old lady Lola.”

“Of course I do, she’s my Nan.”

“Well not exactly darling.”

Lola looked askance at Mr Jacobs referring to her as darling.

“Whadd’ya mean?”

“She’s not exactly your Nan darling, biologically, she’s your Gram’ps.”

Lola still didn’t get it so the surgeon took the bull by the horns.”

“I got the DNA results from my pal at the university early this morning but I couldn’t get hold of you. Your mobile phone was off.”

“What did they say? – The tests that is.” Lola pressed nervousy.

“I’ve just told you. Bab’s is not only your adoptive mother but she is also your biological grandfather.”

“My grandfather!! How the hell does that work?”

“Oh come on now Lola. You’re a very bright girl. Work it out!”

Lola wagged her head slowly as she admitted defeat.

“I don’ know how that works. I’ll have to speak to her when she’s awake.”

“I’d be careful of that darling. Discovering her grand-child might be too much stress for her in her current weakened condition. None of us know the back story as to how she became separated from your family but I’ll warrant it has something to do with her transgenderism. Think on girl. You were cast out by your parents so think what it must have been like for Bab’s back in the day.”

It's quite possible Bab's may have strong guilt issues surrounding any separations affecting you."

Lola fell into a thoughtful silence as she stared at the unconscious old woman on the gurney.

‘Only God alone would know the full story, or at least until Bab’s was recovered enough to tell her version of it.’

ooo000ooo

She looked up hopefully at Mr Jacobs.

“Can I stay by her side tonight?”

“What! All night?” Mr Jacobs frowned. "You've just given an excessive amount of blood. You should be sleeping."

“I’m the only blood relative here aren’t I. That makes me the closest relative.”

“Well I, - “then Mr Jacobs had second thoughts. Lola was right she was the nearest relative, indeed the only blood relative present; and at eighteen, she was technically an adult.”

“Okay then Lola but promise me you won’t spring any surprises on her.”

“Would I hurt my Nan. Come on now Doctor Jacobs, what d’ you think I am?”

“Very well Lola. I’m trusting you, and anyway the police sergeant will be here as well; for your protection and Barbara's.”

ooo000ooo