Babs’ New Year’s Resolution 66 © 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. (Excellent Artist.)
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 Lola’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)
Wendy Smith Beverly’s Operations Manager for Hull
Louisa Wendy’s Daughter
Griselda & Mia Wendy’s younger twin daughters.
Susan Harvey Prosecution counsel advocating for Erica in court.

Chapter 66

With the Friday court hearing finished, Erica had time over the weekend to recover.
Five days of enforced recollections of the experiences that had started her on the downward spiral had left her exhausted but by no means broken. As she and her friends returned to the hotel they were already planning what to do on the Saturday, Erica was in no mood for any shopping expeditions.

Having made her feelings known to them she decided she would forego any excursions and simply crash out all through Saturday and possibly Sunday.

Her hopes however, were dashed on the Saturday morning when yet another pair of police approached her breakfast table. Apparently, the last week of hearings had thrown up yet more material that needed investigation and the police realised they would have to ‘return to the well’.

Babs’ and the girls turned as one to confront them as Babs’ played spokesperson.

“Leave Erica alone! She needs a break!”

The look of despair combined with disappointment caused Erica to change her mind. She had realised overnight that sitting alone in her hotel room and brooding over the forthcoming hearings, would hardly be conducive to her peace of mind. She looked up from her food and frowned thoughtfully.

“It’s okay Nana. I’ll talk to them but on my terms.”

“Are you sure darling?” Babs’ intoned caringly.

“Yes. I can’t just slouch around in my room all day.”

“So how do you want to meet with them?”

“Just you and me and these two police. We can go for a picnic somewhere. Those mountains look good. I need some fresh air, some really fresh air.”

Babs’ turned questioningly to the police.

“Are you happy with that.”

“Perfectly. We can take a van up into the hills and talk while we walk. Will Erica ba happy if we bring more pictures while we walk and we can record the conversations?”

And that’s what they did. The unmarked police van arrived at a little mountain hotel car-park and the four of them got out to go walking a brief distance before finding a remote beauty spot. There they settled eating their food while seated on the grass and talking at length. After several hours, the police were overjoyed with the material Erica had provided. Especially the brilliant sketches that she made of unidentified people the police had heard of but not identified.

“It seems the mountain air has revived your memory Miss Smith.” The policewoman smiled as they walked back down to the van.

“I think it’s the clarity.” Erica replied . “The clear air seems to clear one’s head. I dunno.”

Both police smiled.

“Do you like hiking Miss Smith?” The male officer asked.

“Dunno,” Erica replied, “but I liked today. It’s like being back at Babs’s canal cottage. Trees and fresh air; but there we’re by the wide river; here the mountains are different.”

“Would you like to go hiking tomorrow. The weather forecast is good?”

Erica turned towards Babs’.

“What do you think Nana?”

“Not me darling. Eighty-year-old feet aren’t much good for hiking.”

“But you could come up in the van and we could hike a loop while you snooze or read a book.”

“I’d still get bored darling. When Germans go for a hike, it’s usually over an Alp. Six hours sitting in a car is not for me while you tramp around the back of beyond. No I’ll sit this one out back in the hotel.”

“Can I go alone then? They are policemen, so I’ll be safe.”

“Who will be going?” Babs’ asked the police.

“A few members from the police hiking club and my family. My wife, son and two daughters. It will only be a couple of hours with a picnic halfway.”

“Can I go Nana?”

Babs’ looked at the police officer.

“Will trainers be okay? She doesn’t have hiking boots?”

“We can sort that in town before the shops close tonight.”

Brimming with this news, Erica told her friends.

“What-choo doin’ tomorrow girls?”

“Just chilling I suppose,” Olivia replied.

“D’ you wanna’ climb an Alp.”

The three girls Lola, Olivia and Angela exchanged glances then Lola spoke.

“We could join you and have a picnic then meet you when you come back. The weather’s gorgeous.”

“I’d like to go with Erica. If I take my drawing kit, I could maybe do a sketch when they stop for their picnic.” Olivia suggested.

“You’ll need hiking boots.” Erica opined.

“My trainers are like hiking shoes. They’re strong enough and quite new.”

So saying she went up to her doom and brought the footwear for inspection. The German police officer nodded with satisfaction.

“They’ll do. We’ll go down and get Erica fitted up now.”

The following morning a minibus called at the hotel to pick up the girls and because the weather was so fine, Bab’s decided to come along. She would have the company of Lola and Angela while Erica accompanied Olivia on the hike.

The minibus climbed high up the mountain and when it decamped at a picnic area everybody emerged to savour the view and enjoy the sunshine. As the hikers trudged off, Bab’s spread a blanket then dozed and read her book intermittently while Lola and Angie explored the immediate surrounds. They were enjoying their sandwiches and drinks much later when the hiking party returned looking bedraggled and soaked.

“What happened?” Lola couldn’t suppress her grin.

“We had a lovely climb,” Olivia replied, “and when we got to the top we had our picnic. Olivia made some sketches and when the police guys saw them, they wanted portraits. She obliged them and we stayed too long at the top. The rain arrived and we got soaked. I don’t mind though; I made some fab drawings.”

“Ooh can I see?” Lola begged.

“Let’s get dry first, you can see them in the minibus.”

After cleaning up, they clambered into their vehicle and Olivia handed out the portraits she had made. This caused much enjoyment as individuals and couples savoured their likenesses. Bab’s intoned sagaciously.
“You keep those sketches guys. One day this kid is going to be a famous artist. She’s already been provisionally accepted for the R.A. (Royal academy).

In each sketch Olivia had added some background features that were easily recognisable as parts of the mountain they had just hiked.” The club members were delighted but the inspector’s son was particularly enchanted. At first his face reddened and he discreetly showed his likeness to his father. His father let out a soft sniff of amusement and replied to his son.

“It’s your picture son, ask the young lady first.”

On his father’s advice he leant towards Erica and gave her a private viewing.

“What d’you think?”

Erica let out a gasp and scolded Olivia.

“We did NOT kiss!”

“Ha! All but you, randy bitch. You fancy him I could see it in your eyes! Here! This is your version.”

Olivia gently removed the last but one page of her sketch book and presented Erica with a beautiful picture of Hans gazing into Erica’s eyes while Erica is obviously embarrassed but besotted. It was obvious that Erica was blushing under Hans’s gaze.

“And don’t tell me that didn’t happen. I saw it plain as day. I’m an artist! We notice these things. It was when the rain caught us and we had to cape-up. He was extending his cape over you and if the squall hadn’t blown it out of his hands, he’d have stolen a kiss.

Here. This is my impression of how it would have turned out if we hadn’t had to rush back.”

So saying, Olivia produced her last and far most evocative sketch of Erica and Hans with soaking hair and driving rain splashing of their faces, still engaged in a blissfully carefree kiss. For good measure she’d included some excellent cameos of some of the other hiking club members further down the path while Hans and Erica were obviously loitering.

Erica let out an embarrassed squeal of protest but it was pure bluff. Olivia’s sharp eyes and powers of observation had caught Erica’s feelings perfectly. She had dared not admit it but she fancied Hans like mad and they had only met that morning.

Hans. Ever the gentleman, asked Eric if he could keep his sketch.

Erica was too emotional to reply so she just nodded a silent yes.. It was the first time she had ever found herself to have feelings for a boy.
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