Bab’s New Year’s Resolution 42 Copyright to Beverly Taff ©

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 Bab’s university girlfriend.

Chapter 42

Lola’s mind was in a turmoil as she hurried along the interminably long corridor back to Bab’s room. Finally she found herself at the threshold to the ward and she hesitated nervously in the doorway as the ward sister looked up.

“Hello Lola,” she spoke softly, “your Nan’s awake now; what are you waiting for?”

As she stood composing herself, the sister recognised Lola’s nervousness and she stood up as Lola checked.

“I have to tell her about the news, you know; my being her real grand-daughter. I don’t want to cause her any distress.”

“D’ you want me to stay with you?”

“Yes, - please.” Lola agreed hesitantly before explaining. “The news might dredge up all the bad stuff from her earlier life and she might just come to see me as some sort of bad omen.”

“Have you told the other girls?” The sister asked.

“Yes. They’re sort of okay with it but I don’t know how they really feel – deep down that is. For all I know they might be secretly jealous and I don’t want that.”

“Well first things first. Let’s see how your Nan feels. If she gets upset, I give her something to calm her down.”

“You can’t knock her out. The girls will need to see her and speak to her. This stuff affects us all.”

“Well we’d best take the bull by the horns and speak to Bab’s. Come on, best foot forward.”

The pair stepped quietly into the room where Bab’s was necessarily lying on her stomach.

“Hello Nan, it’s Lola. No don’t struggle to roll over, you have to remain as you are for another day. We’re elevating the bed so that we’re face to face.”

While Lola settled in the chair, the bed slowly hummed as the sister operated the hydraulics and brought Bab’s face to face with Lola. Lola leaned forward and kissed Bab’s gently before taking a deep nervous breath.

“I’ve got some news for you Nan.”

“They’ve got the bastards who shot me.” Bab’s offered.

“Oh that’s old news Nana. I thought they’d have already told you that.”

“I’ve been pretty much out of it darling, so what’s this news?”

Lola could not think of a simple, gentle way to put it and a long explanatory preamble would just increase Bab’s frustration so she put it bluntly. Then quickly explained.

“I’m your grand-daughter Nana!”

“Well I know that darling, I’ve adopted you and the other girls. Well; except Erica, I’m still getting around to that. I -.”

“No Nana. I mean a real grand-daughter. You were my grandfather; well you still are but of course you’re my Nana now; - my nan.”

Bab’s frowned uncertainly. She was still a bit drowsy from the pain-killers.

“I don’t get you.”

“I am your real blood relative. Your daughter was my mother. The little baby you never got to see because of your trans thing, grew up to become my mother.”

“How do you know. How did you find out?”

Lola explained eagerly.

“When we four girls volunteered to offer blood for your op, the hospital discovered I’ve got an identical blood group to yours. The rare blood group was the starter clue but then they ran some more tests and they discovered that our other blood antigens were so close that the surgeon suggested we were possibly related. They gave me a DNA test and discovered that you and I are related.”

Bab’s fell silent as she pondered the issue then she finally spoke again.

“So; you’re Melissa’s baby.”
“Was that her name, Melissa?”
“Yes. That’s the only bit of information of information I ever received. The divorce was well progressed by then and I was denied access to her because of my transgendered state.

“Well that’s another step I never, never expected to take, discovering my real mother’s name. Melissa,” – Lola rolled it around her tongue.”

“It’s a nice name, - Melissa. Yeah, it’s a lovely name. Do you like it Nan?”

Bab’s choked a sob as painful memories returned to haunt her.

“I chose it darling. Your real grandmother and I had decided on the name before her relatives discovered I was transgendered. That’s when they started calling me a pervert and putting the pressure on her to divorce me. Your gran couldn’t withstand the pressure and eventually she had to choose, me or them. It was a no brainer. All the emotional support structures were with her family because my family were just as bad as hers and wanted nothing to do with me.

We separated and the last message I ever received was a letter telling me that I had a daughter and she was going to stick with the name Melissa because we both liked it. It was obvious her family were pressurising her and I never heard again. I suspect her people were intercepting her letters or something. Then I got a letter from somebody in the family that my ex-wife had moved and they were not revealing her address to me.

I was too emotionally drained to try and pursue the case and that was the very last I heard or saw of anybody from either sides of my marriage.”

Lola sat silent as she considered the information Bab’s had revealed. Finally she asked somewhat uncertainly.

“My being here doesn’t upset you does it; - you know, bad karma and stuff. Bad memories.?”

Bab’s gave a chuckle that sent a slight twinge through her back as the chuckle turned into a ‘belly-laugh’.
“What! Bad karma?! Good god no. You’ve been a breath of fresh air for me kid, as have Olivia and Angela. I think Erica’s also proving to be a half tidy kid even with all the shit she’s got in her life. No-oo girl, there’s no bad karma, anything but.

To tell the truth, I’m so over with my early life that it’s almost like a foreign country long dead and long past.”

Lola felt a wave of warm relief sweep through her body. Eternally grateful for Bab’s seemingly inexhaustible font of kindness, Lola reached in and kissed Bab’s full faced on the lips. When they separated Lola asked again.

“D’ you want to see the girls now?”

“I’d have thought you’d have all come together. Have you told them about us.”

Lola hesitated then decided it would be infinitely easier with as few secrets as possible. She lowered her head and softened her voice.

“Uuhm; sorry. I was so excited when I found out I felt I had to tell somebody and you of course were still out of it. It seemed alright to tell my stepsisters because it appeared to me to be their news as well as mine and yours.”

“Well, it’s spilt milk now. Go and get the girls, I’ve got something to tell them.”

In the television lounge Lola met with Sergeant Bridie and the girls to have a brief tactical talk before returning to Bab’s bedside.

“Was there anything that she was upset about?” Bridie checked.

“Not that I could see.” Lola replied before adding, “she wants to tell all of us something but she wants us all together.”

“Do you think she’s going to disinherit us,” Olivia asked, “you know; now that she’s got real family.”
“That’s a horrible question!” Lola protested. “But to tell the truth I’ve no idea what she wants to say. I can’t read Bab’s mind any more than you can. That’s so unfair!”

The normally confrontational Olivia unusually backed down a little as she made excuses.

“I was only voicing what Angie; Erica and I were thinking.”

Seeing another potential row erupting, Bridie stepped in again.

“Come on now girls, if we stand here arguing all day we’ll never find out what’s on Bab’s mind.”

With these words of caution de-fusing the tension, the girls trudged along the corridor to Bab’s room.

“Why do they make the bloody corridors so bloody long?” Olivia wondered.

“I reckon it’s to exercise the patients. You know after their wounds or injuries.” Angela replied.

“Yeah. It also helps you go ‘walk-about’ when you’re stuck in the rehabilitation ward all day. I used it just to stop going stir crazy.” Erica added.

When they reached Bab’s room right at the opposite end of the corridor, Erica looked back and grinned.

“I always reckoned you could land a bloody Boeing along here.”

With these words, the girls fell silent as they approached the IC ward. On arriving they found some activity in Bab’s room and they fretted uncertainly before the sister emerged to explain.
“They’re exchanging Bab’s bed for a vibrating, adjustable bed. She’ll be able to sit upright now for short periods.”
Olivia giggled and suggested to Angela quietly.

“We should get one of those Angie.”

Unfortunately the sister overheard her.

“They don’t do them in double sizes.” She riposted.

The ripple of amusement helped to lighten the mood and after watching Bab’s being lifted onto the therapeutic bed, the group engaged in a ritual hand cleansing before they eventually entered. It was inevitably the brassy, effervescent Olivia who spoke first.

“How’s your bum Bab’s?”

“Sore.”

Her curt, monosyllabic response quickly stifled Olivia’s irreverence so Lola re-opened the conversation with a reminder that Bab’s had something to tell them.

“What was it you wanted to tell us Bab’s?”

Bab’s cautiously adjusted the bed to lift her knees then motioned to her locker. Bridie opened it and Bab’s instructed her to produce the envelope.

“That is a standard, blank form for a last will and testament. I’m re-writing my will here and now, just in case there’s another attempt on my life.”

Lola looked around then asked.

“Shouldn’t your solicitor be here for this?”

“I’ve never had need of a family solicitor until now. The last family solicitor I dealt with was when I bought Canal cottage and that was a long time ago, over fifty years in fact. I still had hopes of one day meeting Melissa and handing the cottage onto her. That never happened and in the end I only ever dealt with commercial solicitors after that.”

“Have you never written another will since?” Bridie asked.

“Not a family will, not after buying Canal cottage. I’ve never had children before. Well, children I could see or visit or even get in touch with. I had one child called Mellissa and from what Lola has said, she ended up as a single mother: Lola’s mother and a disastrous mother to boot. Two generations of failed parenting.

No. I consider you four kids to be my last chance at putting things right. I would like you to contact Messrs Ball and Ball of Bristol. They are specialists in commercial and property law and they deal with all my holdings these days. Ask the lady partner Miss Sonia Ball to come to my bedside tomorrow. I have to put things right for all of you.”

It was Lola, probably because she felt compelled to reassure Olivia, Angela and Erica, who bluntly questioned Bab’s.

“What are your plans Nan. All I ask is that you treat us equally.”

“Of that you can be sure girls, all of you. My estate is to be divided up equally between you all except for two very important items that are dear to me.”

“What are they?” Olivia boldly demanded.

“Emotional things girl. Things that are truly a matter of blood and family continuity.”

“Oh I knew it. Blood comes into it inevitably.” Olivia continued until Erica shut her up.

“Shurr’up’ Ollie. Just rest that big mouth for once. Surely Babs is allowed some thing left from whatever family she ever had. We four most of all should know that. Anyway, when did you last see your egg donor?”

“Yeah! Shurr’up Ollie,” Angela added.

Angel’s support for Erica drove home the importance of what was being dealt with around the bed that day. It was unheard of in the family to see Angela cross swords with Olivia. Lola felt a little wave of secret relief that at least two of her sisters could see through the issues. A silence fell upon the room as Bab’s went on to elaborate.

“I dunno how much longer I’ve got in this life, or if there is anything else after it but I’m going to have to change my will. Here’s my phone Lola, Call Sonia Ball and let me speak to her.”

ooo000ooo