Whatever Next? Chapter 1 by Angharad Copyright© 2022 Angharad

---

(title picture Andrea Piacquadio)

At last they were going home. After what seemed like months, the Bonds were leaving Dorset and heading back to Warsop. Packing the car proved interesting. Drew had acquired so many Gaby clothes, that he practically needed a car to himself. However, Dave was a veteran packer and eventually, he managed to get everything in.

The bike was stowed on the roof rack, as were two cases of mainly Gaby stuff. Jenny was coming home for the weekend and then flying back to Germany. Her mum was also going to visit for the weekend, so everyone was looking forward to the reunion scheduled for the Saturday evening.

Harry and William stood around with John who had his arm around Jules. Drew was playing hard to get and pretending to be more interested in how his new bike was being fixed on the roof rack. Dave had thought about fixing Harry with one of his icy stares, then thought better of it. The boy had helped rescue Maddy and it wasn’t his fault he’d fallen for Gaby, who was turning into a lovely young woman.

Mrs Bugler made them all a cup of tea and gave them a Dorset apple cake to take with them, then it was time for the off. Jules had to be almost pried off John and she reluctantly entered the car with tears running down her face. Carol and Mrs Bugler hugged and exchanged little gifts. Maddy gave William and Harry a peck on the cheek and got into Carol’s Honda.

Then it was Drew’s turn. He felt very self-conscious and blushed as he walked towards Harry. “Thanks for your friendship an’ all,” he said, then pecked him on the cheek. He also gave Harry a US Postal Service cycling cap.

Harry, grabbed the blushing Drew and kissed him on the lips. Drew began to protest, then stopped resisting; part of him was enjoying it. Finally, Harry let him go. “I’ll be up to see you,” he said quietly. Drew nodded, hoping he didn’t really mean it. Then Harry handed Drew a bag, “Open it later,” were the instructions.

Drew, still in Gaby mode entered the car as elegantly as he could, smoothing the skirt behind him as he sat alongside his weeping sister. He thought he could understand how she felt about her separation from John, knowing how he felt when his mother was in Germany. However, he was ambivalent about how he felt regarding Harry. He placed the bag he’d got from Harry on the floor of the car and put his little handbag on top of it; Jenny and Dave got in and they were off.

The plan was to gently drive up to Warsop, with Carol and Maddy following behind. Dave had given them a route, and if things went wrong Maddy would call Gaby or vice versa, as each had their mobiles easily to hand. They were also going to stop every two hours and have a wander about, the first time being at the Gordano Services near Avonmouth on the M5.

The police had failed to apprehend Rodney Meadows, who it was thought had absconded abroad. It was with their blessing, that the Bonds and Peters went home. The inquest had been adjourned indefinitely on the hapless Cheeseman boy, and Drew didn’t know if he would be called as a witness. If he did, then it would be as Gaby as he’d told the police he was transitioning as a male-to-female transsexual. It was a statement he’d worried over for many sleepless nights, but he couldn’t retract it without looking even more stupid.

In lots of ways, he was looking forward to getting back to his old haunts, and he hoped he’d be able to get back into boy mode without too many problems. He thought about ‘the old gang’, Allie and Bernie and Rhod, and what they’d been up to. He knew Rhod spent quite some time at his father’s house in Wales, and he rarely spoke too much about it, which in itself was strange. If he, Drew, went anywhere, he was happy to talk about it with his pals, even the Gabysodes.

He smiled to himself; here he was once again in Gabymode and he couldn’t really blame anyone but himself. He seemed to be rather prone to it and wondered if life was trying to tell him something. He glanced over at Jules, she appeared to be asleep and had her personal CD player going; at least she wasn’t crying anymore.

He went back to his thoughts, unconsciously looking at his nails. I need to redo these, he thought to himself, stretching out his fingers palms down. His movement was noticed by Jenny, “You okay Gabs?” she called.

“Yeah, how long before the services?” he called back.

“Why, do you need to go?”

“No, I’m okay.”

“It’s an hour to the motorway and an hour from there,” said Dave. Drew looked around; they weren’t even at Yeovil yet. “About an hour and a half, kiddo,” he called when he saw Drew looking out the window.

“’Kay,” Drew replied. He looked at his sister; the conversation had not woken her up. He slipped back into a reverie, his time in Dorset had been far more eventful than he’d needed, but he’d won a couple of races, and that was always good. He reflected on Cheeseman’s death. He loathed the boy with a capital ‘L’, but he wouldn’t have wanted him hurt or killed. No one had the right to kill anyone, even slime-bags like Cheeseman. He thought about how they’d saved the boy’s life at the school disco, he and Harry. He also thought about the stir they had caused when Maddy and he’d entered the school on the arms of William and Harry.

He thought about Harry, he was a quite a decent sort really, and as Drew, he’d have had no problem knocking about with him: as Gaby, things were decidedly different. He thought about this for a few moments and considered that for her first boyfriend, Gaby could have done a lot worse than Harry, Clive being a case in point.

He began to think about the few occasions Harry had kissed him; at first, it had been shocking, then expected, and finally…well, he’d think about that later. He felt himself blushing. He reached forward for his bag and found his little handbag mirror, he checked his lips and touched up his lip gloss. Jenny smiled, catching sight out of the corner of her eye. In the mirror, he noticed Carol’s car right behind so he turned and waved to Maddy, who waved back.

The traffic in Yeovil was busy and they lost Carol for a while, but she knew the route and Dave slowed down for her, much to the annoyance of some other motorists who vented their anger at him. He simply shrugged his shoulders and otherwise ignored them. Drew felt a little frightened at one of these incidents. It was a big-four wheel drive, a Landcruiser, or something similar: like the one which had run him down by Radipole Lake causing him to jump into the lake. Shades of Meadows crossed his mind as the big silver thing got very close and beeped aggressively at Dave. Dave ignored him, and much to Drew’s relief, the car shot away from them once it got past. They, of course, were right behind it when they got to the roadworks and inevitable temporary traffic lights.

Drew shuddered when the door of the big silver monster opened and a large bearded man strode towards them. He heard Dave mutter, “Look out, here comes trouble.”

The man indicated for Dave to wind down his window, “Why you driving so slow mate?” he asked in an assertive rather than aggressive manner.

Thinking quickly, Dave replied, “My daughter in the back isn’t very well,” gesturing backwards with his thumb.

The man peered into the back of the car and saw Jules sleeping, “Okay mate, hope she’s better soon,” then got back into his car. The lights changed and he drove off. The Bonds breathed a collective sigh of relief. Drew was still shaking slightly when Dave pulled into a lay by to wait for Carol to catch them up.

“What was all that about?” asked Jenny.

“Don’t ask me,” said Dave, “but I suspect we failed the lap time on his personal race track.” Jenny and Drew smiled, he was trying not to laugh, he needed to go to the loo and sooner than the motorway services.

“Daddy, can I change my mind about the toilet?” asked Drew, beginning to feel a sense of urgency.

“Course, can you wait a few more minutes, Carol can’t be far behind?” answered Dave, scanning his mirrors for the Honda.

“Not really!” said Drew with emphasis.

“Look, you take Gabs into Ilchester, there’s bound to be a toilet there, and I’ll wait by the roundabout and try and warn Carol. Wait at the loos and we’ll find you,” offered Jenny.

“Gaby, text Maddy and tell her where we’ve gone,” said Dave; “See, it’s just a question of organisation,” he smirked at Jenny. “What some people will do to avoid my driving!”

“It’s better than Auntie Carol’s,” came a quip from the back seat.

“Never mind the back seat driving, have you called Mad?”

“Yeah,” answered a chirpy Drew. With that, he saw them turn off the main road and into Ilchester. Two minutes later they found the public toilets with a small car park and the recycling banks for bottles and papers. Drew rushed into the building as soon as the car stopped.

“Wow,” said Dave, “she wasn’t joking.”

“No, she wasn’t; Carol’s driving is definitely worse than yours,” said Jenny and sniggered.

“Pity we haven’t got time to explore,” said Dave, “Ilchester was one of the civitas of the Durotriges, like Dorchester.”

“Yes, so?” asked Jenny looking puzzled.

“It’s one of the only ones in the country where the Romano-British had two civitas in one tribal area. In fact, I can’t think of another at all.”

“It doesn’t look terribly thriving compared to Dorchester,” said Jenny, who decided she might use this information if ever she went back to teaching geography.

“No, I think the collapse of the wool trade was the problem. Dorset and Somerset’s economy was built on sheep and wool, it’s never really recovered. Even the tourist trade hasn’t brought back the employment.”

“Dave, that was nearly two hundred years ago,” said Jenny pointedly.

“Things are slower down here,” he said, poker-faced, then while Jenny was scrutinising his face, his mouth wrinkled and he began to smirk.

“You rat!” she exclaimed, play-hitting him, “You nearly had me believing you then.”

“In actual fact, it was all true. Thomas Hardy, wrote about the area as if it was still in the mediaeval period, and just think about the Tolpuddle Martyrs. It wasn’t all that long ago.”

They were interrupted by Drew returning to the car. “Better?”, called Jenny.

“Much,” he replied. “Hey, I’m starving any chance of a bite to eat?”

“Where does she put it all?” asked Jenny, almost rhetorically, “Can we wait for Carol?”

“Yeah okay, I was only asking.”

“Gaby, you’ve got a text,” called Jenny, passing the phone to Drew.

“It’s Mad, they’re just coming into Ilchester. I can see them, wooo over here,” Drew ran towards the road waving at the car.

In the end, everyone made a comfort stop and they stopped at the local garage and bought some snacks to keep Drew quiet.

The rest of the journey went much according to plan. They stopped at Bristol had a wee and a drink, then went off the motorway near Stroud and had lunch in a pub. Jules had partly recovered from her broken heart, enough to demolish a cottage pie; while Drew had lasagne and a big plate of chips, washed down with a large glass of cola.

They made the turn off for Warsop about six, Dave driving very carefully as they passed the police patrol car pulled in at the roadside. He looked in his mirror, “Bugger, they’re coming after us,” he muttered, racking his brains to think what he could have done wrong.

The big BMW with lights flashing easily came past them and pulled them over at a convenient parking place and bus stop. The two police officers exited their car together. Dave got out of his car and walked towards them. They spoke for a minute or two and Dave beckoned to Jenny to come as well.

Carol, who as usual was a couple of miles adrift came up behind them and recognising the car, pulled in too. Seeing the two adult Bonds in discussion with the police, she rushed up to find out what was happening. “Is everything okay?” she asked of no one in particular.

Dave turned around and said, “Yes, there’s been a fire at our house. The police tried to contact us via Dorset police, but they apparently just missed us. They wanted to speak to us before we got there. The house is apparently badly damaged but they managed to save the garage, so the bikes are okay.”

“Oh my God,” said Carol, and she and Jenny hugged, just as Jenny burst into tears. “You’ll have to come back to our place. Does John know?” Dave shrugged his shoulders. “Look come back to our place and unpack the car and then you can go and see what’s what after.”

“Okay, thanks, Carol.” Dave went back to the car.

“What’s up?” echoed the two teens.

“There’s been a fire at the house;” said Dave.

“What!” came in unison.

“They stopped it getting the bikes, but everything else is a mess.” They watched in shock as Jenny got back in the car, and Dave set off towards Carol’s house.

“Where we like gonna stay?” asked Drew.

“We’re going to Carol’s for the moment, then we’ll see the house afterwards.” Nothing much else was said until they got to the Peters’ house, and began to unload the car.

“Can I call my mum and try and stop her coming?” Jenny asked Carol.

“Course you can, but I’ll bet she’s already on her way,” said Carol in reply.

An hour later they were surveying the mess and damage at their own house. A policeman was on the door and prevented them from entering. “But it’s my house officer!” pleaded Jenny.

“I’m sorry Mrs Bond, but it’s a crime scene and it’s unsafe.”

“What?” she asked completely taken aback.

“We think the fire was started deliberately.”

“By whom?” she asked incredulously.

“Presumably by someone who doesn’t like you, we’ll need to take statements in the morning. I hear you were away.”

“We’ve just got back, we’ve been in Dorset for several weeks. When did this happen?”

“Earlier today, about nine the brigade was called. Bit of a mess I’m afraid. They did manage to save the garage, and your bikes.”

“So I hear, looks like we’ve lost pretty well everything else.”

“It’s going to take months to put right, I just hope the policies and things survived in the fireproof box,” said Dave, wandering around the garden trying to assess the extent of the damage.

“Keep out of there Miss,” called the copper to Drew, who was wanting to see if his bikes and the turbo were okay.

“I only want to see my bikes,” he replied sulkily.

“All my clothes and my guitar! What am I going to do?” wailed Jules.

“Oh geez!” gasped Drew, “My clothes too! Geez what am I gonna do?” Suddenly he realised that he only had the clothes he’d brought back from Dorset, and those were all girl’s things. “I’m dead,” he muttered to himself, “I’m well and truly dead this time.”

Assured that what was left of their property was safe, Jenny and Dave collected their kids and drove back to the Peters’. Jules muttered and moaned all the way there, Drew was silent. They went into the house, Jules still moaning about her CDs and her guitar. Finally, Jenny lost it with her, “Will you shut up you stupid girl, we’ve all lost our belongings and yours are no more precious than the rest. You don’t hear Gaby moaning, and she’s lost just as much.”

“No, they saved your precious bloody bikes though, didn’t they!” retorted Jules, that’s why Gaby’s not upset. What about my clothes?”

“Gaby lost all her clothes too, including Drew’s stuff.”

“I’d have thought that was the least of her worries,” carped Jules.

“There are times young lady when you try my patience too much, just go out and sit in the garden or something! Just leave me, now!” Jenny uncharacteristically shouted at Jules, who seeing her mother’s hackles raised decided a tactical withdrawal was advised. She went out to the conservatory.

“We still have two weeks before term starts,” said Maddy sitting hugging Drew, “I’m sure we’ll sort something out.”

“But all my gear, it’s all gone, either burned or damaged beyond recovery. I was going to change back to Drew, now I can’t. Oh Mad, what am I gonna do?”

“We’ll work something out, don’t you worry. At least you have some clothes.”

“I know, but they’re all girl's things,” sobbed Drew allowing Maddy to comfort him.

“If it had happened when you were home, it would have got those too, or worse, it could have got you, then what would I do for my favourite boy friend girl friend. Look on the bright side, you said the bikes were okay.”

“I dunno, they won’t let us in to check them until tomorrow. I ‘spect they’ll be all like dirty and smoky.”

“I’ll help you clean them,” said Maddy holding his hand and squeezing it gently.

“Thank you,” said Drew and began to sob again.

“Well we have four bedrooms, John and I obviously have one room, Maddy another, our guest room, and the one John uses as a study, it’s a bit small. I’m not sure what we should do, I suppose put you two in the guest room and Jules maybe in with Maddy, she has one of those pull-out beds under hers; haven’t used it in years.”

Carol looked at Jenny, who was feeling low and embarrassed, but at times like this be thankful no one was hurt. “Is Maddy going to be happy with that?” asked Jenny.

“She’ll have to be, needs must and all that...” said Carol, “why do you think she’d prefer to room with Gaby?”

“I don’t know, you’ll have to ask her,” said Jenny, tactfully.

“Is that wise, I mean Gaby is still technically…” said Carol, blushing.

“A boy, yes I know. It’s your house, Carol, you must do as you see fit.”

“Or could we put Jules and Gaby in one room, it’s just a bit small for two beds, unless we get the bunks out of the garage.”

“Maybe we should look for a hotel?” said Dave, who’d sat listening to the two women discuss their future accommodation. “I mean, we can’t stay here indefinitely, so let’s see what the insurance company has to say, they must have provisions for this sort of thing.”

“If that’s what you want to do, but stay here for the moment and see what the morning brings.”

“We still have to organise the rooms, Carol,” said Jenny.

As they paused, Maddy walked in, “Is Gaby going to share with me?” she asked her mother.

“Is that a good idea?” asked Carol.

“I think so, I mean everyone thinks we’re sisters anyway.”

“Yes, but technically you’re not and Gaby is…”

“A girl, I mean she has boobs and things …I doubt any boy bits would work anyhow; besides she wears that gaffe thing, which would hardly allow anything to happen, would it?”

“We thought you might share with Jules,” said Carol.

“No fear, she snores like a jumbo jet!”

“Oh!” said Carol, “Well Gaby seemed to cope all right when we were away.”

“But I’m not Gaby, and surely I should have some say in who shares my bedroom.”

Carol gave Jenny an old-fashioned look and said to Maddy, “Okay, we’ll try it tonight, but any messing about and it will be the last time, understood.”

“I knew you’d see sense in the end,” said Maddy, and strolled out of the room. Dave covered his mouth, he was going to laugh and now wasn’t the time nor place.