Bab’s New Year’s resolution 52

©Copyright to Beverly Guinevere 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.
Gareth Jenkins, Police office trained in firearms and protection.
Belinda Harrington Bab’s university girlfriend.
Aaron Talbot Surgical registrar – married to –
Shirley Talbot Lecturer at Local university.
Mickey Talbot Aaron and Shirley’s oldest son.
Jessica Talbot Aaron & Shirley’s middle daughter.
Bianca Talbot Aaron & Shirley’s youngest daughter.
Henry Denton Callie’s only son.
Charlotte Denton Callie’s only daughter.
Beverly. Callie’s maternal great aunt (Ellie’s paternal aunt)

Bab’s New Year’s resolution 52.

As everybody settled into assorted comfy chairs in the Denton living room, Lola looked around slightly awed by the ease with which twenty or so people somehow found seats enough to chat and socialise as various visitors planned their day.

As the host, Callie explained that dinner would probably be around seven that evening, giving everybody a chance to indulge their whims and associations.

Olivia, always the boldest and most forthcoming, declared that she wanted to visit the pine marten’s den in the woods and possibly make some sketches of the ‘wee beasties’ if they put in an appearance. Angela naturally elected to accompany her and this landed Maggie with the duty of leading them to the location for it was still somewhat secret despite the martens having now made themselves famous on national television where everybody was looking forward to seeing the expected clutch of new ‘kits’ appear on their favourite nature programme. The trio were led away by Maggie who explained to the two city girls the protocols for approaching the den.

“Glad to see that you brought your wellies.” Maggie applauded them as Olivia collected her drawing equipment and shared the load with Angela who, while not being as good a ‘draughts-woman’ as Olivia; had a keen eye for colour.

“So what will you be doing Angie?” Maggie asked, after now having acquired the right to call Angela by her friend Ollie’s favoured name.
“I’ll be mixing colours on a pallet so that Ollie can refer to them when next she turns her sketches into water colours or even an oil painting.

ooo000ooo

The next excursion involved Great Aunt Beverly’s trip to her shipping offices in Hull. She had expected to make the trip alone but when Lola and Belinda saw and realised it was Beverly’s Aston Martin parked on the gravel forecourt, they boldly begged her to take them just so they could boast that they had been in an Aston. Additionally, both girls wanted to interrogate Beverly about her transgenderism and the problems associated with it so many years ago.

Beverly agreed to take them but warned them she would be busy most of the morning and they would have to entertain themselves until mid-afternoon. By nine-thirty the trio were driving up the long driveway and heading for Hull. As soon as they were in the car, Lola was asking Beverly about her early days as a transgendered child. Soon they were sitting in a contemplative silence as Beverly checked off several instances of the childhood abuses she had suffered throughout her formative years.

It wasn’t long before they arrived in Hull and Beverly parked her Aston outside the shipping office. There, an attractive lady in her early forties and a tall German met her on the steps. As Lola was gazing around at the buildings, Belinda was staring curiously at the woman sharing a hug and kiss with Beverly before Beverly turned to shake the man’s hand.

After failing to make any connection, Belinda accompanied Lola to their first destination which was the famed museum home of the parliamentarian William Wilberforce who had been one of the driving forces to free slaves and abolish slavery way back in the 1780’s.

While studying the artefacts, Belinda was forced to comment to Lola.

“Ollie and Angie should come here. At least they’ll realise that these guys were the first people to advocate freedom for slaves and then ban it sixty years before the American civil war.”

“That’s as may be,” Lola countered, “but it was still another forty odd years before we, the British fully abolished it in our own Caribbean colonies. I suppose it was a start though. Anyway, Ollie and Angie are more hurt by what happened to them in their own lives just as Erica is.”

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right. Where to after this?”

“It’s gone eleven, let’s just take a walk around the older parts of the town and tour the old docks. They've tarted up the old warehouses and turned it into 'go-to' shopping mall.”

“Oh! So a bit of retail therapy as well.” Belinda giggled as they crossed the old city centre.

At the new dock centre, they did as planned and bought some sexy lingerie because they were now sharing a bed at Denton Hall.

“Can’t wait for tonight,” Belinda smirked.

“Nor I,” Lola agreed as they fingered their purchases.

Eventually, the pair re-joined Beverly and her two business companions as arranged for the late lunch. Beverly made the introductions.

“This gentleman is Otto, his father and I put together the Hull to Bremen shipping operation but Otto more or less runs it now while this lady is Wendy Smith."
With full introductions complete, Beverly inquired if the girls had enjoyed themselves.

“So what did you see of Hull?” Beverly asked the girls as they studied the menu.

“We went to William Wilberforce’s house; you know, the slavery museum.”

“Good for you girls, you should take Olivia and Angela there some time, you’re staying for a week or so aren’t you? I see you’ve done some retail therapy as well; might I take a peek; I recognise the Anne Sumer’s bags”

Lola and Belinda blushed slightly as they slowly pulled the skimpy delights out of the bags.

At this the adults chuckled with amusement just before the waiter returned to take their orders and soon they were busy savouring the excellent food.

During the meal, Belinda became progressively more introspective as she kept glancing between Lola and Wendy the shipping office manager who was Beverly’s right-hand assistant in Hull. Eventually Wendy noticed Belinda’s eyes frequently scanning her face and monitoring her every gesture. She decided to try and work out what was going on in the young girl’s mind.

“Tell me Belinda, what are you studying at Cambridge?”

“What – Oh, English language and psychology.”

“Oh that’s an interesting combination, how are the two connected?”

“Well not much really, it's more to do with my own personal interests. So far I’ve only studied body language in Psychology and the old Germanic and Saxon roots of the English language. There’s not much to connect them really, though it’s taught me a lot about mannerisms and gestures that people tend to use and a lot of that stuff seems to have crossed back and forth between hereditary idiosyncrasies and cultural adaptations. Some of these things can affect a person’s use of language and vowel sounds; and that might be the underlying engine driving the evolution of regionalised accents.”

“Gosh that sounds all very ‘high-falutin’." Wendy smiled. "Can you break that down to ordinary language?”

“Well, I’ve noticed that you and Lola seem to use some similar mannerisms when your expressing yourselves and I know that Lola hails from Hull. Do you hail from Hull; as a native born Humber-sider I mean?”

“Well; yes I do as a matter of fact.”

“Yes, well that’s what has been intriguing me – and you seem to have similar features. I was just wondering if those mannerisms and features were cultural extrapolations or some sort of hereditary line common to Humberside; you know, the old Viking invasions and tribal traits.”

For several moments, a silence descended over the table as both Beverly and Otto found themselves comparing Lola’s face to Wendy’s. Beverly broke the silence.

“D’ you know; there is a resemblance. I see it around the eyes and nose – and the ears now you mention it.”

Even as she spoke, Lola found herself comparing her hands to Wendy’s for they were sat next to each other and each was holding their cutlery in identical grips. Lola felt a heavy weight in her belly as she slowly moved her hand towards Wendy’s and made a closer comparison. The hands were eerily similar.

Too scared to even let the thought cross her mind, she abruptly stood up and stumbled away to the lavatory.

“What’s got into her?” Beverly wondered as Belinda erupted suddenly and rushed after her partner.

“I dunno’.” Wendy replied. “You can never tell with young girls.”

The adults continued chatting but despite their long friendships, the atmosphere became slightly strained as they waited for the two girls to return. Eventually, Beverly decided to find out what was happening.

She entered the ladies lavatory and found Belinda hugging her friend as Lola alternately heaved and retched between sobs.

“What’s wrong darling?” Beverly asked Belinda.

A white faced Belinda looked up and whispered.

“She thinks she and Wendy might be related.”

“What!”

“You know! Family. Does Wendy have any family?”

“Of course she does, she’s got two little daughters. I see them every time I come up from Poole in Dorset.”

“How old is Wendy?”

“Oh, gosh in her late forties. She had the twins very late because she always thought of herself as a career woman. They were a huge surprise but Wendy adores them and they’re lovely kids.”

“Did she ever have any other kids? You know in her teens?”

“Not that I know of. She came to our office as a ‘girl-Friday’ a good few years ago and just seemed to grow into the job. I’ve never really talked to her about her back-ground, she’s bloody good at her job and she and Otto work very well together at either end of the line. Otto in Bremen and Wendy here in Hull.”

“So you know nothing about her background?”

“Nope. I don’t need to. I don’t go poking around into my staff’s private lives and backgrounds. If that were important, I’d have sacked myself years ago.”

As she said this, Beverly chuckled softly but realised that Lola was still distressed and she quickly changed her demeanour.

“Now what’s the problem Lola. Is there anything I can do?”

“I – I dunno’.” She hic-upped between sobs.”

“D’ you want me to take you home? – Back to Denton that is.”

“N – no. I’ll be okay in a minute, it’s just that -.”

“She thinks Wendy might be her mother!” Belinda declared in a forced stage whisper.

Beverly’s jaw sagged.

“But Wendy’s never spoken of any other children. She always declared herself to have been a career girl until her twins arrived unexpectedly.”

“Can you go and ask her. I think it’ll settle Lola’s nerves if we know anything. I think you’ll agree that Lola needs to know – for certain that is.”

“Well that puts me in a bit of a jam. I mean, it’s a bit rude of me to go delving into Wendy’s past after knowing her all these years. I mean she’s a good friend and if she wants to keep her past a secret, it’s not for me to cause her any distress.”

Belinda frowned uncertainly for her concerns lay with her own best friend and fiancée.

“Pleeease! Just to prevent any more distress for Lola.”

Reluctantly, Beverly agreed and she left nervously as she wondered how to word her questions to Wendy.

At the dining table, the main course had gone cold and there were uneaten remains on all plates except Otto’s. Even as Beverly emerged from the foyer of the restaurant, Wendy could see she was disturbed.

“Is the girl alright love?” She asked Beverly.

“No. Not really. I’m not sure how to ask this.”

“Ask what?” Wendy pressed.

“Well, I’m not sure I should be poking around like this but I’ve got a very tricky and personal question.”

“Who for?” Wendy pressed.

Beverly hesitated before answering and Wendy could clearly see the confusion and concern in Beverly’s features.

“Well. - It’s for you Wend’”

“Go on lass, there’s no secrets between me, you and Otto. You’ve always known Otto’s the father of my daughters.”

“No, no! It’s nothing to do with that girl. No, it’s something else, something from the past.”

Wendy’s face paled slightly.

“You’ve never worried about my past before; well I’ve got nothing to hide. God forbid lass I've got plenty of 'past' as you call it. Just remember, I was in my late thirties before I came to work for you, so what’s this all about?”

“Well, it’s a bit of a personal question. I don’t want to offend you.”

Wendy was now intrigued by Beverly’s reticence for it was unusual for her boss and friend to be so hesitant.

“Go on Bev. Spit it out.”

“Well; and I hope you’ll not be offended by this, but have you ever had a baby before, when you were younger.”

It was Wendy’s turn to fall silent before she reluctantly revealed a seedier side of her past.

ooo000ooo