Being a parent is stressful even at the best of times. You are always worrying about your children no matter how old they are.
But, being a single parent is just doubly or even triply so. Since ‘she’ left me to go off with ‘him’ because of … well, just about everything, it had just been my son Jonathan or, as he preferred to be called ‘Jon’ and me.
Jon was growing up fast but the worry of being a patent didn’t reduce as he grew older. Teenagers have their own special set of issues.
This particular Friday night, he was out god knows where with some friends. At least that’s what he told me via a text message earlier. The weather was filthy so I’d stayed up waiting for the inevitable phone call, ‘Dad, can you come and pick me up?’
I guess I must have dozed off when I woke to the sound of the front door closing. I thought that must be him back.
I got up from the chair and went to meet him. As I opened the door into the hallway, I got a total shock.
“Sandra?”
At first, I thought it was my ex-wife. The woman standing there with a totally shocked look on her face looked just like my ex when we first started going out together.
Then I realised that it was Jon, my son.
“Dad!”
“Jon, I’m glad you are back. The weather is not nice tonight,” I said trying to say something.
Then I added,
“Take that coat off and come into the kitchen. I’ll make you something hot to drink. Then we can talk,” I said firmly.
“I’m sorry Dad. It won’t happen again.
I’d known about his dressing up for years but had no idea that it had got this far and that he looked so good.
I shook my head.
“I’ve known for years that you did this but never realised it had gone this far. As for it not happening again? You don’t really mean that do you?”
Jon looked down at the floor.
“Hang your sodden coat up in the Utility room and take those apologies for shoes off and come into the Kitchen. We can talk while you get yourself warmed up.”
Reluctantly, he did that.
I made us both mugs of Hot Chocolate and we sat on either side of the kitchen table.
“Sorry Dad.”
“No need to be sorry son.”
He looked at me surprised.
“What do you call yourself when you are like that?”
“Fiona.”
Fiona was my ex-wife’s middle name. I’d always liked it.
“Well Fiona, you gave me a shock but a welcome one. You look so much like your mother when we first met.”
“Dad?”
“Fiona, as I said, I have known about your dressing for years. It was your Mother who told me. She thought that you would grow out of it. That was just one of the reasons for us separating. Before you ask, it isn’t your fault we got divorced. Far from it. She wanted things that I could not give her so off she went.”
I looked at my new daughter. I could hardly see any trace of Jon in her. The way she sat was totally feminine. It was amazing.
“I’m not going to tear you off a strip or throw you out so you can relax. But I need to ask one question.”
“Is this who you really want to be?”
A small smile appeared on her face.
“Yes. Yes dad, I do. Fiona is who I am.”
I smiled.
“Good. Then no more hiding her understand?”
“Dad?”
“I’m ok if you want to be Fiona around here. In fact, I’d like to get to know her properly.”
She looked at me bewildered. Then I had an idea.
“Stay right there, young lady. I need to get something from my bedroom.”
I dashed upstairs and pulled out a lot of junk from under my bed. In amongst it was a tatty department store plastic bag. Clutching it, I returned to the kitchen.
I sat down and pulled out the photo album that was inside the bag.
I opened it at the last used page and placed it in front of her.
“What do you see here?”
Fiona looked at the slightly faded prints.
“There’s Mum and You at some function.”
“Your Uncle Sam’s wedding.”
Then he saw the other pictures.
“Dad?”
“Yes darling, that’s me in a dress with your Mother.”
She looked at me for an explanation.
“I met your mother at a University Party. It was a ‘Tarts and Vicars’ party. We were raising money for a local charity. Anyway, all the men went as ‘tarts’ and the women came as vicars. The University feminists didn’t like it. They claimed that is was bad for the image of women. Your mother was amongst those protesting.”
“Anyway, to cut a long story short, as I was leaving the party I slipped in my heels and literally ended up in her arms. Something clicked and that was it, we were a couple. Yes, she did change her mind when we gave the local women’s refuge a donation of £500. The picture of two of us in full ‘tarts’ outfits presenting them with the cheque made the front of the local paper. After that I did dress up for your mother and yes, we went out together a few times before we got married.”
“Why did you stop?”
“You came along. We moved a couple of times and had to throw a lot of stuff away. That included all my female clothes.”
“I was so scared of telling you,” said Fiona.
I smiled.
“That is the hardest thing. Many parents today can just about handle their child telling them that they are gay but telling them that they are the wrong sex is another thing entirely. In time, it might not matter. With me it does not matter. I’m here for you whatever you want to do. Do you understand that?”
Fiona nodded.
“Good. Now not another word. I have to work tomorrow so we can talk tomorrow night unless Fiona is going out on the town again?”
Fiona managed a small smile.
“No, she’s not.”
As we went into our bedrooms she said to me,
“Thanks Dad.”
I just smiled.
This increased even more when my long term on/off girlfriend wanted me to commit to her. She knew nothing about Fiona so when she came around one evening to surprise me and found my son answering the door as Fiona, she marched in and started to tear me off a strip for ‘two timing her’.
“Liz,” I said,
“It isn’t like that.”
“Really, that is what it looks like to me.”
“Liz, I want you to meet Fiona. Fiona is my son Jon. He is transgendered.”
Liz for one time in her life, was speechless.
“Liz, if you can’t accept Fiona then there is the door. The fact that my son is Transgendered is the reason why I have been unable to commit to you.”
“Are you dumping me?” she said.
“If you can’t accept Fiona then yes I am dumping you.”
She stormed out of the house never to be seen again. It was only later that I realised that I’d used the ‘T’ word to describe my son. It didn’t matter. My task was to make him or her happy in their life. After all, isn’t that the job of any parent?
Life settled down again into the new normality of me plus Jon plus Fiona. It only served to make me realise that I really missed having female company my own age. I was reluctant to try to start a new relationship with Jon/Fiona in the background. More than once, I had a couple of beers too many on the way home from work. I hasten to add that I only ever did that when I wasn’t working the next day.
One such day, I was in the Waggon and Horses Pub. It was a bit of a dive but I could leave the car at home and walk to the pub and if I was a tad over the drink-drive limit, it wasn’t too far to stagger home.
I’d nearly finished my second pint and was thinking about going home when a total stranger sat opposite me. He smiled as he sat down with a half pint glass in his hand. The place wasn’t busy so I wondered why he’d chosen my table when there were plenty of others free. He wasn’t bothering me so I ignored him.
A few minutes passed when he said,
“Sometimes I think that what drives us to have the odd drink too many is that we worry about our children.”
I looked at him surprised.
“Take your son for example. Jon is a bit of a nobody but Fiona is a different person entirely.”
This started to get me angry.
“I don’t know who the hell you are but you have no right telling me how to bring up my family!”
He smiled.
“That is the last thing I want to do Mr Simms. Yes, I know all about you and can sense that there is another person inside you wanting to get out. I mean you nor your son no harm. You are a good man but from time to time you have the occasional pint too many because of the quandary your son has put you in.”
He finished his half pint and stood up. I breathed a sigh of relief.
“If you want some help realising your dream then watch out for a delivery in the next few days. Oh, and you were the best ‘tart’ all those years ago. Dave Benson should never have won that prize.”
Then he was gone leaving me mad and gripping my pint glass as if my life depended upon it.
I had one more beer and walked home a bit calmer.
I forgot about the encounter until almost a week later, I arrived home to find Fiona making us some tea.
“There is a package for you on the table. It was delivered just as I got home.”
I wasn’t expecting anything and was a bit bewildered until I remembered the encounter in ‘The Wagon’.
I looked at the package. It wasn’t very big but I didn’t touch it.
“Can you lay the table Dad? The pasta is just about ready. You know how you hate overcooked pasta!” said Fiona.
Since Fiona had emerged and became part of the household, the domestic side of things had improved dramatically. She started to cook and clean the place. Jon on the other-hand was to put it bluntly, a lazy SOB. She’d even cleared out her bedroom. The six bags of ‘stuff’ we took to the recycling centre made me proud but it also hammered home the fact that Fiona was here for the long term. I was sad that Jon was fast disappearing from my life but I was so happy that Fiona was happy with herself. Teenage ‘angst’ is tough to deal with as a parent.
After dinner, Fiona disappeared to do her college homework. Since that fateful night and her emergence, she had buckled down and really got on with her education.
I did the washing up and cleared things away. All that remained was that package sitting on the table.
In the end, I opened it. Inside the padded bag was a box. I opened the box and there were what looked like two bracelets. They were heavily engraved. They also looked rather old. There was also a sheet of paper. I read it.
“This is your chance to realise all those dreams you had. These bracelets will let you and Fiona experience live as a real woman. I mean real women, not transgendered. Yes, this is magic and it works.
Wear your bracelet to bed and in the morning, you will be really a woman. Take it off and 12 hours later, preferably overnight, and you will be back to who you are now.
WARNING!
The secret sauce/magic that in these bracelets will last until the end of the year. That is 23:59:59 on the 31st December. If you are wearing them when the new year strikes the changes will become permanent. The magic is also strong enough to change your identities should you be wearing them at the end of the year.
May you and your son enjoy your time as women. Just remember the Cinderella factor. When the clock stops striking midnight then the magic stops.”
The New Year seemed ages away but already the shops had all their Christmas displays out. It wasn’t that far away.
I looked up and saw Fiona standing there.
“What’s in the package?” she said politely. It was obvious that she’d seen the bracelets.
I sighed. I knew that I had to tell her so I handed her the sheet of paper.
She read it and sat down.
“Is this some sort of joke?”
I looked at her and shook my head.
“I was having a drink in the Wagon just over a week ago after work and this man came and sat opposite me. He told me all sorts of things about us including Fiona and my time at University. He also told me to expect a delivery. This must be it.”
Fiona picked up one of the bracelets.
“This has Fiona engraved on it,” she exclaimed.
I picked up the other one. There in delicate engraving was the name that I’d given myself ‘before’, Roberta. I tried hard but I could not remember ever telling anyone that name for an awful long time.
I remembered choosing that name because my insides were being torn apart with part of me wanting to be Roberta and part of me Peter. I’d chosen Roberta because I’d heard the old song ‘Killing me softly’ by Roberta Flack. I felt that it was killing me from the inside out before the day I met Jon’s Mother.
“What does yours say?” asked Fiona.
“Oh! Sorry, I was miles away.”
Fiona sat looking at me. She was waiting for an answer.
“Roberta. It says Roberta,” I replied quietly.
“That is a lovely name.”
“The thing is that I don’t think I ever told anyone that name. Well, apart from your Mother that is and I’m sure that she’s put all thoughts of me into the rubbish a long time ago.”
The smile that was on Fiona’s face disappeared in a flash.
“Can these things be real then?”
“I don’t know and no we aren’t going to try them out,” I said firmly.
The look of disappointment on Fiona’s face was hard to see. But I had to be firm.
Later on, that evening, I put them into my wall safe. My ex-wife had a thing for bling. It did not matter if it was real or fake, it had to go into the safe that she insisted that I install. After she’d gone and taking all the bling with her including two watches of mine, I’d changed the combination. So far there was no indication that Jon/Fiona had worked it out.
However, I was wrong, very wrong. A week later I returned from work and the new Fiona greeted me.
“Jon? Fiona?”
“Hello dad. It worked,” she proclaimed proudly as she showed me the bracelet.
I came into the house and closed the door behind me. This new Fiona was stunningly beautiful.
“How? How did you know the combination?”
“I didn’t but it didn’t take long to guess.”
“When I explicitly said not to?”
She looked at me coyly.
“Sorry Dad but I had to find out.”
“Give me the bracelet,” I said holding my hand out.
“Dad, the thing works. I have breasts and everything,” she said as she looked down at her chest.
I stepped away and took a good look at her. She looked so good and so happy.
“Still, give me the bracelet. The sooner we find out if whatever magic or spells have been put on you can be reversed the better.”
I held put my hand once more.
Fiona took off the bracelet and handed it to me. Her face was sad.
“It even does downstairs,” she commented.
I really didn’t want to hear that at that point in time.
“Didn’t you understand Dad? I have to sit down to pee. I made a bit of a mess at first but I’m better now.”
“Look love. I have to admit that you look fantastic and I’m sure that every able-bodied male would want to get you into bed, the fact remains that you are my son and it is my duty to look out for you. We don’t know about the side effects or anything.”
“Dad,” said Fiona.
“I look exactly as I dreamed I would. I’ll go back to the old me but if this thing works, what is the harm in trying the new us out for a bit?”
She had a valid argument.
“Do you really want someone like your mother fussing over you?”
My ex-wife had fussed over Jon. Nothing he did was ever good enough, or he wasn’t tidy enough or manly enough or … He just wasn’t and never would be perfect in her eyes. I had this fear that I’d turn into her. That was not nice. I hoped that I was not like that but who was I to judge.
The next morning, I had to bite my tongue and refrain from going onto Fiona’s bedroom. I waited anxiously for her to appear before I went off to work.
I was on the verge of leaving home when Jon appeared.
“Hi Dad. See, I’m back to normal.”
I breathed a huge sigh of relief.
“We’ll talk tonight,” I said as I hovered by the door.
“I have a late class. We won’t be done until seven.”
“That’s not usual, is it?”
“No but the Mr Toms is in court today. He got done for drunk driving.”
“That does not set a very good example to young people now does it?”
“Jon smiled. The thing is, when the alleged crime happened he was with us. Remember when we went up down Manchester to UMIST? He was with us all the time.”
I looked surprised.
“Two of the class are going to give evidence. He thinks that it was his twin brother who is a confirmed drunk who impersonated him. Oh, and Mr Toms does not drink.”
“Just be careful.”
“Yes Dad,” replied Jon smiling.
“Hi Dad,” said Jon as he arrived home that night.
“I’m in the kitchen.”
Jon came into the kitchen full of life. His high spirits didn’t last when he saw my face.
I was sitting at the table waiting for him.
Jon came and sat down.
“Ok Dad, out with,” he said in a resigned tone.
“I did some thinking about the offer that came with the bracelets.”
Jon just looked at me.
“Here are some of the downsides of wearing them.”
I pushed three sheets of paper towards him.
He picked them up and started to read them.
“So? Life is full of challenges or at least that is what you keep telling me.”
He’d got me there for the time being.
“These are the upsides I can think of.”
I pushed a single sheet of paper over to him.
“But… this is blank.”
“Exactly. There are so many things that are unknown.”
No one said anything for some time.
Then Jon sighed.
“Ok, doing it for real and permanent is a huge unknown. Are you up for at least trying it yourself?”
I smiled and pulled back the sleeve of my jumper to reveal the bracelet.
“Cool!” was his only reaction.
“Don’t go looking for your one. It isn’t here.”
Jon smiled back at me.
“You know me too well.”
“That is my job as a parent, isn’t it?”
Jon to his credit didn’t say anything but smiled sweetly at me.
To say that I looked different the following morning was only half the story. I felt different. Even my slightly dicky knee felt better but the biggest different was in how I looked. I immediately regretted not letting Jon wear his bracelet because we would look so very much alike that we could pass for twins.
The end result of my transformation was that I now looked like a twenty something woman, not like a man fast approaching the big four zero. All the things that would identify a middle-aged man had totally disappeared. My hair was back as well and it was a decent length. Before, I’d been going bald now, I had a full head of blonde hair. I thought back to when I was a child and how I’d been called ‘Blondie’ by my mates. Well guys, I was really that now.
Then there were my breasts and the rest. Just looking at myself made me smile. Then I felt myself shudder as I thought, ‘I could get used to this’.
From the smells coming from downstairs, I guessed that Jon was waiting for me to appear. He would be eager to see what his new ‘father’ looked like. I pulled on a sweatshirt that was now far too big for me. The same went for the trousers. In the end, I pulled them off and put on a pair of tracksuit bottoms. It wasn’t elegant but that was all that was available.
After running a brush through my hair, I was as ready as I would ever be.
I walked into the kitchen and Jon was indeed waiting for me. Or rather Fiona was. She shrieked when she saw me.
“Dad?”
“I don’t think so Son. I think I’m more like your sister than anything. I don’t know about the magic in those bracelets but it is some really powerful mojo. I’ve changed a lot.”
“Do you like it?”
I smiled.
“I could get used to this but that isn’t the problem.”
“Eh?” remarked Fiona.
“My changes are so radical that I really don’t have anything to fit me.”
It took a few seconds but Fiona got the joke. We both had a good laugh.
Then I became serious.
“Look at this,” I said pulling out my phone from the tracksuit bottom pocket.
I pulled up a picture of him when he’d been transformed.
“We could be twins. A far cry from a mother and daughter that I had envisaged.”
Fiona sat motionless for nearly a minute.
“I never thought that something like that would happen. I sort of like you as a father. You understand me. Mum never did and since she went south, she gave up even trying.”
“Same here. I had a bit of a shock this morning I can tell you.”
Fiona sighed.
“I’ll bet that is another dozen or so items for the ‘bad’ list?”
“Is that so bad? After all, what was your motto from when you were a scout?”
“Ok, Ok. I get you.”
“Baden-Powell wasn’t stupid you know. Planning and forethought was what it was all about.”
“Dad?” said Fiona in a slightly exasperated tone.
Then the pair of us burst into laughter.
“You might look like a ‘hot chick’ but inside, lurking somewhere there is my Father.”
“Indeed, and that could end up being a bit of a problem.”
“Eh?”
“Well, as a potential dumb blonde no self-respecting male would want me to turn out to be a bit of a smart-arse and also wise to their ways, now would they?”
Fiona laughed but then said,
“More problems?”
“Just thinking ahead.”
Fiona just sighed.
“Look love, I know that I seem to be putting a bit of a downer on this but we have to be practical if it is going to work. I can hardly go back to driving busses looking like this, now can I? Then think what would you do if you turned up at 6th Form College looking like this? I’d expect that most of the males would go apoplectic.”
Fiona was silent.
“I’d not thought of things like that.”
I took her hand.
“That’s why I’m the parent and you aren’t”
Fiona laughed.
“I don’t know of any parents who look like that.”
I smiled.
“Now, I need you to go shopping for me. I need something nice to wear. Have you forgotten what tomorrow is?”
Fiona stared at me nonplussed.
I shook my head. I felt my hair move around. It felt rather nice.
“It is your birthday. You are Eighteen. I thought we might go out… as Sisters.”
“You don’t mean…?”
“Yes. Get something for both of us to wear and I’ll book us somewhere very nice. We will stay overnight. Then you can have your first legal drink.”
Fiona looked at me. She knew that I knew that it would not be the first drink but she got the message.
I gave her a couple of hundred pounds to get some things for me. I knew that it was going to cost me a lot more than that in the long run but it was a start.
The rest of the day was one of experiencing things for the first time that are second nature to Women. Fiona returned laden with bags that included my first bra. She’d been cheeky and included matching knickers and everything. My bedroom was literally strewn with clothes but I felt in heaven.
The next morning, the two of us stood next to each other. We were both Naked. We were almost identical in appearance.
“I’m stunned,” I said.
“Me too.”
Just before midday, we loaded up the car and tried to stop smiling. Both of us were in seventh heaven.
As we drove out of our street, a large SUV drove in from the other end. I recognised the car and the driver in a flash. I nearly froze but I managed to recover my composure.
I stopped at the junction with the main road and looked in the mirror. The SUV stopped right outside out home. A woman got out of the vehicle and marched up the garden path.
“What’s up Roberta?” asked Fiona.
“We escaped just in time. That was your Mother in that SUV.”
Fiona turned around. We could see her standing outside our home.
“Do you want to go back?” I asked.
Fiona laughed.
“Looking like this? She’d probably explode on the spot.”
I didn’t wait, I turned out into the traffic leaving our home behind.
“Where are we going?”
“I’ve booked a place in the Lakes. Two rooms and a table for dinner. I think we should really look the part with the things you bought yesterday.”
“But remember birthday girl, the men are the enemy tonight.”
Fiona chuckled.
“I am serious. This is a totally new experience for all both of us. So, take it easy and no trying out your new equipment.”
Then I added,
“You are not only in a different body but you have a fanny now. You need to protect it. There is no telling what would or would not happen if you became pregnant.”
Fiona didn’t reply but the expression on her face told me that I’d struck a chord.
We’d just turned onto the M6 when my phone bleeped.
“Can you take a look at it?” I asked Fiona.
She picked up my phone and smiled.
“It’s from Mum. She’s asking where we are and why aren’t we at home. She came up from Oxford especially for today.”
“Did you know that she was coming up today?”
“Sorry Sis, this is news to me.”
“Do you want to reply?”
“Do you want me to tell her that the two hot chicks who were driving your car are really her son and former husband?”
We both laughed.
“How about saying that we are away for the weekend in York?”
“Gotcha Sis.”
Less than a minute later, Fiona said,
“Sent.”
Just as we were starting to relax, the phone bleeped again.
“She wants to know where in York.”
“Bummer!”
I thought for a moment before saying,
“Tell her that we are on a men-only weekend and that she forgot to tell us that her majesty was coming to visit.”
“Eh? I can’t say that, she’ll go mad.”
“Tell her that as she didn’t let us know that she was coming up. So, we are messing about with Steam Trains.”
Fiona laughed. She knew that my darling ex-wife hated those smelly things.
“Ok.”
The phone remained silent as we headed north. The farther away we got from home, the more relaxed we both became.
Fiona came into my room to do my makeup. I was amazed at how good at it she was.
“There you go Sis. You look fantastic.”
“So, do you Sis,” I commented.
To say that we turned heads as we walked into the Restaurant that evening was probably the understatement of the year. Still, I think we enjoyed our few seconds of fame.
The evening went down perfectly until I suggested that we adjourn to the bar.
“Nothing more for you to drink my dear,” I said quietly.
Fiona had drunk nearly half a bottle of wine with the meal.
“I don’t want the birthday girl to wake up in the morning with her first hangover.”
“Aw Sis?”
I looked at her sternly.
“Ok, I get the message.”
“Look darling, neither of us know how much alcohol our new bodies can handle. Until then, and especially for you, lay off the booze. Ok?”
She sighed.
“Always on the lookout for me then Sis?”
I smiled.
“That’s what sisters are for aren’t they?”
She held up a hand.
“Ok boss sister.”
We walked into the Hotel Bar and both of us got hit upon before we’d reached the bar.
“Look buster, keep your hands to yourself. My Sister and I are spoken for and neither of us would be seen dead with creeps like you two. Got it?”
I didn’t wait for an answer but I turned Fiona around together, we walked out of the bar.
Back in our room, Fiona said to me,
“You set that up, didn’t you?”
“No, I didn’t darling. What we just experienced is going to be pretty common if we become like this permanently. I took a chance and it worked. Sometimes men can be just obnoxious bastards. I hope that I brought you up so that you are not like that?”
Fiona hugged me.
“Wise Owl speaketh wise words,” she said quietly.
“Time for bed then?”
“Yes Pop.”
“Do you want this?” asked Fiona holding up the bracelet.
I shook my head.
“I think we should leave just as we arrived, as Sisters.”
That got me another hug.
We returned home late on the Sunday evening. Waiting for us was a very terse note from my ex-wife berating the fact that she’d come all the way up from Oxford to see her son.
“If she’d only told us that she was coming…” I said.
“Don’t worry Sis. That’s mum through and through. I’ll call her tomorrow,” said Fiona in a very grown up manner.
I smiled back at her. She was growing up fast.
I put the note down and asked.
“Did you enjoy the weekend?”
“I learned a lot. This being a pretty woman is not so easy. When you are with friends is one thing but out there in the big, bad world is a different thing.”
I smiled.
“We need to do this again before the end of the year. There is a lot more that we both need to discover.”
“I know,” said Fiona with a sigh in her voice.
“Leave it to me then. I’ll try to fix up something for Christmas. Don’t go and agree to visit your Mother when you speak to her.”
Fiona smiled back at me.
“When was the last time she invited me to spend any time with her and her new Hubby?”
We both knew the answer to that. It was never. All her mother had done since she left had been to send some money at odd intervals despite the court order stipulating that she should pay her way when it came to bringing up Jon.
Fiona took off her bracelet and headed off to bed.
I sat in the kitchen for a while thinking back over the events of the weekend. Fiona had managed very well apart from the incident in the Hotel Bar.
I took my bracelet off and after putting both of them into the safe and changing the combination, I headed to bed. It had been an eventful weekend.
_ _
Life returned to normal but it felt totally unreal after the weekend we’d had. I noticed that Fiona was a bit listless one evening.
“Thinking about the weekend?”
“Yeah. That was an out of this world experience and more.”
I saw a glint in her eye.
“Really?”
“Sorry. But I couldn’t resist…”
“Stop right there, young lady. I know what you mean and yes it was hard.”
She nodded her understanding.
“I added some more things to the downside list.”
I smiled back at her.
“I know. I’m pleased that you are thinking about things. A lot of what we experienced would apply for this Fiona should she become a permanent fixture.”
“I know and that’s what is worrying me.”
I reached over and took her hand.
“I hope that… well I’m here for you. You know that.”
She smiled back.
“The kids at College think it weird that I have such a good relationship with my Father.”
“I guess that in a lot of cases, it is the Father that does a runner leaving the Mother ‘holding the baby’ so to speak. The whole system is geared towards it being a Mother and the Child. It took me nearly a year to get the Child Benefit payments transferred to me. Without my Mother’s help, I would have been really in trouble. Your mother never paid me that money by the way. She promised but like most things with her…”
“Don’t worry Dad, you did a good job at bringing me up. I’m definitely the boring sensible one amongst those I hang out with at College.”
“How did your call to your Mother go?”
“It didn’t. She was out playing Bridge. I spoke to Bridget. She was very short with me. Told me in no uncertain terms that it was my fault that her mother drove up here at the weekend meaning that she could not go to her Pony Club event.”
Bridget was Jon/Fiona’s nine-year-old half-sister.
“At least you tried. That’s all you can do.”
Then I laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“I just thought how cool it would be to go down to Oxford as Sisters and see their family in action. But it was just a thought so don’t even think about it.”
[to be continued]
After quite a bit of juggling and working extra days to allow other drivers time off to do their Christmas shopping, I managed to secure a decent period off over Christmas. I didn’t tell Jon/Fiona until I’d booked a week in Tenerife over the holiday. It wasn’t cheap but I’d secured a self-catering apartment and flights for a week away. The downside was that the flight was from Birmingham on the 21st. We’d need to set off really early in the morning to check in by 07:00. The other downside was that the return flight was not due to land until 23:00. I booked a Hotel close to the Airport for that night as I guessed that neither of us would want to drive home in the small hours of the next morning.
When all the tickets and everything arrived, I showed them to Fiona.
“Dad?” she said when she’d seen everything.
“Don’t you want to go?”
“You know I do but I don’t have anything to wear for that amount of time away.”
“Funny that, neither do I. Why don’t we go shopping in Manchester a week on Saturday?”
“As Sisters?”
I grinned back.
“Yes, as Sisters. That will remove at least three items on the ‘downside’ list, won’t it?”
“But Dad? Can you afford it? You know how you gripe at the cost of going away over the school holidays.”
“Yes, we can afford it. As long as we don’t go mad. At least as Sisters, we are almost the same size so a bit of mixing and matching will help. Don’t real sisters do that all the time?”
That got me a big hug from my Daughter or was that Sister? It was then that I realised that it didn’t matter that much. As long as Fiona was happy then I would be as well.
As every day went by, the influence of Jon in her whole demeanour diminished. There was a question that I knew I should ask but was afraid to. I think I already knew the answer.
I did some Christmas shopping on the first two days but soon got bored and went in search of some Coffee.
I’d just sat down with a Coffee and some lunch when someone sat opposite me.
“You don’t mind if I join you Mr Simms?”
It was the same man who’d approached me almost a month before.
He put his cup of tea down and stirred it before speaking.
“I or rather ‘we’ are very pleased at the approach you are taking to our offer. Very pleased indeed. Some people just throw the bracelets away but I must say, you are very thorough indeed. You have a lovely child Mr Simms and Fiona takes after you in so many ways. That’s why you were selected for this offer. You have done a magnificent job in bringing up your child… Well she’s not a child any longer.”
He took a sip of his tea. He grimaced.
“I put far too much sugar in it,” he commented.
“Anyway, back to the offer. You seemed to have a good time up in the Lakes. And, I must say that going away for Christmas is a stroke of genius. That’s why we may well give you some more incentives to accept the offer on the 31st.”
“Eh?” I said dumbfounded.
He smiled back.
“That’s all I can say for now but you are doing really well. Keep it up and you will find that making the final decision will be a virtual ‘no brainer’.”
“But, why me? Why us?”
The man smiled back at me.
“You drew the short straw when your wife went off to pastures new. You’d already sacrificed the possibility of a good career when she became Pregnant. You gave up University and went out to work. You didn’t complain, you just got on with it. You did the same when she bailed out of your life and went south leaving you with an eight-year old. Think of this as reward for being a decent person who needs a new start in life.”
I sighed.
“There are so many unknowns.”
The man smiled.
“That list of yours is very good. If you don’t mind, we’d like to use it as a reference document.”
“I don’t understand?”
The man smiled.
“Each year we give a number of people the chance of a new life such as you and Fiona. Some require shall we say, a lot of gentle nudging in the right direction. You on the other-hand require virtually none of that.”
“And if we say no?”
The man smiled.
“As I said before, we walk away and leave you get on with your lives. You won’t hear from us again. All that will happen is that you will get a text with an address. Just send the bracelets back to us. There is a lot of shall we say ‘special stuff’ in them that a lot of people would love to get their hands upon and keep for themselves. Does that answer your question?”
“I think so.”
The man took another drink of his tea and after another grimace, he stood up. As he turned to leave he said,
“Enjoy Tenerife. I might turn out to be an interesting experience.”
Before I could answer, he’d gone.
This whole thing was a mystery but at least I now knew that other people were going through the same sort of mental torture as I was. This was scant relief but relief nevertheless.
What perturbed me more than anything was how much ‘he’ knew about my and indeed our life. Then I told myself not to be silly. They had to know basically everything about us before this whole thing even started.
I went back to work a little happier but still worried. As I took my first trip out of the depot, I resolved that I would not tell Fiona about the meeting at least for the time being.
Jon came home from College with a sad face.
“What’s up?”
“It’s Mum. She called me when I was in a seminar so I could not answer. When I called her back, she said sorry for not letting us know that she was coming up for my birthday. We talked about Christmas. Before I could say anything, she said that she was off to Barbados for three weeks and that she’d call me when she returned.”
“What’s so wrong about that? At least we know where she will be?”
“That’s not the point. I finished the call feeling that she’d called me just to put me in my place. Almost as if I’m not worthy to be in her company.”
I sighed.
“That’s how she got just before she left us alone. Don’t let her get you down. Remember we have some serious shopping to do at the weekend.”
Jon went to get changed into Fiona with a definite smile on his face.
Our shopping trip to Manchester was fairly successful. We bought what seemed to be loads on clothes and shoes as well as two men trying unsuccessfully to pick us up. Fiona and I had a real laugh when we got back to our car. If they only knew the truth…
“Nervous?”
“A bit,” said Jon.
He looked very eager to be in Tenerife. At the moment, we were sitting in an aircraft that itself was sitting on a Taxi-way at Birmingham International Airport. The sun was just coming up. I hoped that it was an omen for our future. Our Aircraft was waiting to taxi onto the end of the runway and take-off. This was his first flight.
“We’ll be airborne soon,”
“I hope so,” he replied as he looked out at the grey but brightening morning sky. We’d left home before 03:00 that morning. A fairly clear run south had put us in a good mood. That had dissipated in a flash when we arrived at the terminal to check-in. The queues of people waiting to fly away were a bit of a surprise to both of us. We were obviously rank amateurs at this travelling malarkey. Still, we’d gotten checked in in time and we were about to get off the ground.
We were both relieved to arrive at the small apartment that was going to be our home for the next week. Jon flopped onto his bed.
“Are you ok Son?”
He opened his eyes.
“Yes, or I will be. It does seem that I’m not that good a flyer.”
“Do you want to delay changing?”
Jon thought for several seconds.
“Can we go out for a walk? Some sea air might clear my head?”
I smiled.
“Sure, let me grab a bag and we can do some grocery shopping while we are out.”
We spent the next hour exploring the part of Playa de las Americas where our apartment was located. We even found a small beach, a few possible restaurants to check out and a couple of supermarkets. Jon seemed to brighten up by the time we returned to our apartment.
As I prepared something for us to eat, Jon changed into one of the outfits we’d bought for the holiday.
“I guess you are feeling better then?”
“Yes, that fresh air was all I needed.”
“I think some food and a good sleep is in order. It has been a long day.”
“I didn’t answer your question from earlier.”
“And the answer is now ‘No’ I presume?”
Fiona just smiled.
We went to bed wearing our bracelets ready for the real holiday to begin.
Our hopes for the first real day of our holiday were dampened by the rain that greeted us the following morning. Nevertheless, we went out and found a taxi to take us to the Siam Mall. Where else would two twenty something women or was that girls? Anyway whatever is the correct word, go to escape the rain?
We did a lot of window shopping until it was time for a mid-morning coffee. That was when we got our first shock.
Fiona suddenly stiffened and put her coffee cup down with very shaky hands.
“What’s up sister dear? You look as if you have seen a ghost?”
She nodded her head and pointed to a couple who were looking into a shop not far from where we were sitting.
I knew in an instant who we were looking at. Well, one of the two anyway.
“Don’t move darling. Let them move away before we say anything,” I said in a voice slightly above a whisper.
Then I said in a more normal voice,
“Do you fancy eating at Oliver’s tonight?”
Fiona looked at me strangely for a moment then she smiled. Oliver’s was a restaurant close to our apartment.
“Sounds like a good choice.”
We made some more small talk before the couple moved off.
Then we smiled at each other.
“I wonder if Alexander and the children know that she’s playing around again?”
Fiona grinned.
“And she said that she was going to Barbados.”
The mystery woman was my former wife and Jon’s mother.
I finished my coffee and stood up.
“I think we need to finish this conversation somewhere else?”
Then I added,
“But first, I think a few pictures are in order.”
Fiona smiled back at me.
“Can I be the one to do it? After all she was the one who lied to me about where she’d be?”
I nodded.
“Just be careful and don’t get too close. She might get a bit of a fright to find herself looking at a younger version of herself.”
Fiona smiled back at me as she took off down the street in search of her Mother.
I followed slowly and saw Fiona get a few pictures of her Mother. Then Fiona disappeared down a side street. We met up again a few minutes later.
“Any problems?”
“No. She’s all lovey-dovey with him. He must be in his early 20’s.”
Then Fiona looked at me sternly.
“Don’t say it Sis. It looks like my mother has a ‘toy-boy’.”
I nodded.
“She seems to like them young.”
“What’s next?” asked Fiona changing the subject.
“It seems to be clearing up at last. Why don’t we head for the beach?”
We spent an enjoyable hour on the beach relaxing. We were only bothered a few times by the trinket sellers. We watched two women playing Frisbee. It was going miles in the wind. They soon disappeared off the beach. I looked at my watch. It was lunchtime.
We settled into a bit of a routine in the days leading up to Christmas Day. I found a few nice things to eat on the 25th in a bigger supermarket that wasn’t far from the shopping Mall. We didn’t see Jon’s Mother on any of our excursions which included a trip to Mt Teide. It was pretty cold up the top but the views were fantastic.
We celebrated Christmas Day with walk in the morning and a decent meal. After a short siesta, we went out again. We ended up on the beach that was just a few minutes from our apartment.
The same two women we’d seen before were playing Frisbee. At one point, it came and landed almost at my feet. One of the women came running over.
As I handed the disk to her, she said,
“Thanks.”
“Don’t worry about it. Once the wind takes it, it can go miles.”
Then I stopped dead. She saw my face.
“Is there something wrong?” she asked.
“I… I was admiring your bracelet. It is a lot like mine.”
Fiona was glaring at me. I ignored her and pulled up my sleeve.
“Oh shit!” exclaimed the woman.
By now, the other woman had walked over to see what the problem was. Now that I saw them both close up, I realised that they were almost identical just like Fiona and myself.
The words of the man in the Café came back to me. He’d said,
“Enjoy Tenerife. I might turn out to be an interesting experience.”
Perhaps this is what he meant.
The other woman looked at our wrists and let out a little yelp.
There we were, four apparently twenty something women standing on a beach on Christmas Day looking at basically identical bracelets on our wrists.
“It seems ladies that we are all here for the same reason?” I said quietly.
The second woman was clearly the one in charge of them. I wondered if she was like me, the older one of the two.
“I wonder if it might be more appropriate to finish this conversation out of the wind? Our apartment is only a few minutes away?”
“I’m Roberta by the way. This is Fiona.”
The two women looked at each other. The second one said,
“I’m Barbara and this is Christine.”
“Pleased to meet the both of you,” said Fiona trying to get involved at last.
Barbara and Christine looked at each other again. Christine nodded.
“Thanks for the offer. Yes, I agree. I do think we have a few things to talk about.”
“Please make yourselves at home,” I said when we arrived at our apartment.
Once everyone was settled and suitably refreshed, I said,
“I think perhaps I should tell my or rather our story and … let us see how we go from there.”
There were no disagreements so I began.
“It all started one day in late October. I drive busses for a living in Burnley. After a long shift, I was having a drink in a Pub not far from home and this man came and sat opposite me. After a bit he started talking. He seemed to know all about me and my family and everything, especially that Fiona was struggling with being transgendered. Fiona is really my son Jonathan or Jon for short.”
I carried on for the next twenty minutes. When I’d finished there was silence in the room.
Fiona broke it by saying,
“Dad or as I refer to her now, Sis has been there for me ever since my Mother walked out on us a week before my eighth birthday. I don’t even begin to understand how hard this sort of change has been on him. We came here to try to work out if we should stay as sisters or not.”
“Have you? Worked it out?” asked Christine.
I looked at Fiona and then back to our guests.
“Not yet and yes, time is running out.”
Then Barbara said,
“Our story is remarkably similar. I was in a Café waiting for my daughter. We were going shopping in Chesterfield when this man sat opposite and said started talking. Like you, he knew all about us and our problems. He offered me a way to escape my former partner and Christine’s Father. He is a two timing, rat who likes to get drunk and beat up women. We had to move from Leeds to Sheffield and then to Chesterfield to get away from him but he always seems to find us. We are here now to decide if we want to take this escape route to a new life.”
“Have you decided?” asked Fiona.
Barbara smiled.
“Until earlier, we were close to saying yes. It never crossed my mind that there would be others going through the very same… the very same quandary as us. Now, my mind is all messed up.”
I stepped in and said,
“Isn’t a problem shared, a problem halved?”
No one disagreed.
“Perhaps if we shared our thoughts and concerns then the decisions we make might be easier and we’d be more definite in them and how to go forward?”
Fiona smiled back at me.
Our guests left very late that night. We’d spent almost seven hours talking. Our only breaks were to eat, drink and as they say ‘use the facilities’.
When they’d gone, I asked Fiona,
“Well darling, what are your thoughts?”
“Sis, I want to stay like this. I know that an awful lot of things will have to change as a consequence but I’m more certain that it is this version of Fiona is who I want to be.”
I went and sat by her. Then I gave her a big hug.
“I thought you would say that. I am so proud that you came to that decision yourself.”
“I think Christine is of the same mind.”
“I have to agree with you there.”
“Well Sis, it is late so why don’t we sleep on it and pick it up again tomorrow?”
“Have you decided?” asked Fiona.
“No, I haven’t. Even if I decide no, I’ll be there for you, you do know that, don’t you?”
“Thanks Sister Dad,” said Fiona giving me a hug.
The next day dawned bright and clear and with a lot less wind.
“Fancy a walk before breakfast?” I asked a sleepy Fiona.
“Eh? What? Errrr Ok. Just let me get dressed…”
Fiona was in that respect, just like Jon and not a morning person.
Fifteen minutes later we left the apartment and walked down towards the sea. A few people were out and about. I could see a large cruise ship moored down at the harbour in Los Christianos.
Neither of us said much as we walked. I hadn’t got much further with my decision making but I could see a difference in Fiona. Once she’d woken up properly, she seemed more determined and actually more graceful in her movements. It was if her mind and body were starting to accept that this was how it would be in the future.
“Did that session we had yesterday help?” I asked as we watched a Mother and child play on the beach.
“Yes and no,” replied Fiona.
“Yes, because this is me. I feel even more at home like this than before. It is almost as if my mind is becoming comfortable in this body and has accepted that Fiona Mk 2 is here for the long term.”
“And the no?”
“The downside is that there are far too many unknowns. But instead of letting that get me down, I am going forward.”
Then she added,
“When we studied famous Philosophers last year, a few things stuck. One was the story where Rousseau returned from a walk and found the city gates closed. Instead of moaning about it, he went off in a new direction and his career took off. I’m not saying that I’m another Rousseau but this is an opportunity. The old me was standing outside those locked gates wondering how Jon would get inside and become Fiona. Well, Fiona is here, alive and kicking. What happens next is going to happen. I just feel a whole lot better equipped to face it.”
Then after a slight pause she said,
“Does that make sense or is it complete bollocks?”
I laughed.
“Darling, it makes perfect sense. I only wish that I was a sure as you are. The ‘Innocence of Youth’ may have something to do with it.”
Fiona grinned.
“From where I stand, you look as young as me.”
I laughed.
“But remember that inside this body is a much wiser person. I might be over analysing all this but I do have some responsibility towards you. We might look like twin sisters but don’t forget that somewhere inside me is your Father.”
Fiona took my arm and held it tight.
“I know pops.”
I looked at her sternly. Then I saw the grin on her face.
We headed back to the apartment in much better spirits and ready for breakfast.
I opened it fully expecting to see our guests from the previous day. Standing there was the man from the Café.
“May I come in?”
He didn’t wait for me to answer but came in nevertheless.
He went into the main room of the apartment. Fiona was watching something on TV.
“Fiona, this is the man I from the Café that I spoke about.”
He smiled at us.
“I really should introduce myself. My name is Warren Harcourt. I’m here because it has come to my attention that one of you has decided to accept my offer of a new life. Is that true?”
I looked at Fiona who shrugged her shoulders.
“We didn’t tell anyone about it,” I said.
“That does not matter. It is my job to know these things. We also know that you made contact with Barbara and Christine. Normally, we don’t like that sort of thing happening but sometimes the people we are helping need an extra push in the right direction. From what I understand about the events of yesterday, it wasn’t altogether a bad thing. I think the words ‘a problem shared’ would be an apt way of describing it?”
Neither of us answered.
“The success of yesterday was really down to you Roberta. You have a very wise head on your shoulders. I reviewed the situation with my superiors and they were very impressed indeed with the way you have approached this whole thing.”
I tried not to show any reaction but a small smile slipped out.
“In light of this, we are prepared to do two things. Firstly, your ‘Cinderella deadline’ has been extended by one month. That applies to both of you.”
Then after a brief pause he continued,
“We’d also like to offer you a job Roberta. The job is basically doing what I do with people in similar situations as you. You could remain as Roberta and live a normal life as Sisters. If that means having relationships and a family then that is fine. You are both fertile by the way. As women, you will experience the same things as any other woman would do. The job would normally entail between five and ten days of work spread over a month. You have seen what I do at first hand so there really is no need to explain further although should you choose to accept this, you would need at least a month of further training. The sort of magic we deal with has, I’m sure you understand, has to be handled very carefully.”
To say that I was shocked was an understatement.
Warren went on to say,
“We’d very much like you to come on board. You will be a big asset to us.”
Then he looked at his watch.
“I must be going. You will have some more visitors shortly. They may well have something interesting to say.”
Then he just walked out leaving us somewhat gobsmacked.
Less than fifteen minutes later, there was another knock on our door. I opened it with slight apprehension but felt relieved that it was Barbara and Christine.
“Please come in. We were expecting you,” I said trying to smile.
“Eh?” asked Barbara as they came inside.
“We had a visit from that man.”
Barbara smiled. So, did Christine.
“We had one too this morning.”
“You had both better sit down then,” I said.
When they were settled, Christine said,
“We talked for much of the night about what we all talked about yesterday. We both felt happy knowing that we weren’t alone in this. This morning, I told Mum that this is how I want to be. I don’t want to go back to the old me. I also said that she shouldn’t either.”
I looked at Fiona who was grinning. Barbara noticed this as well.
“I take it that you have made the same decision then Fiona?”
“Yes. I think it was that that prompted our visit from Mr Harcourt.”
Suddenly, I had this vision of Fiona and Christine getting married. It startled me.
“What’s wrong Sis?” asked Fiona.
“Sorry,”
“Sis?”
I sighed and said,
“I don’t mean to insult anyone but I suddenly had this vision of Christine and Fiona getting married. I really don’t know where that came from but I did. Please forgive me.”
Barbara and Christine looked at each other and started laughing.
When they’d recovered Christine said,
“Mum had the same vision not long after our visit from Mr Harcourt. That’s one of the reasons we came back today.”
“I wasn’t dreaming then?” I asked.
“Sis, I thought about this last night. I all makes sense. If both parties to a relationship know about all this magic stuff then you don’t have any secrets to hide. If we all do this then we can put the past behind us and move forward with our lives. A totally clean slate especially with what else Mr Harcourt said to you.”
Barbara and Christine looked at me.
“He offered me a job doing what he does,” I said quietly.
“That makes sense to me,” said Christine.
We all looked at her as she continued,
“All the time we were with you two yesterday it was clear that Roberta had her head screwed on the right way. I was thinking about this last night and I realised that I’d trusted her almost from the off. Even when she told us that you two were men, I didn’t worry. I haven’t felt like that with anyone other than Mum for years. She felt the same.”
I looked at Barbara who smiled.
I then realised that Fiona and Christine were sitting next to each other and holding hands. Fiona just looked so happy, happier than I’d ever seen Jon or Fiona.
Saying goodbye to Barbara and Christine at the airport was hard for both of us. I really didn’t want them to leave us. Their flight to East Midlands left the day before ours so they’d removed their bracelets the evening before. They looked like any other Mother and Daughter travelling together. This version of Barbara was pretty good looking as well.
When we met up the following day at the airport to say goodbye, I noticed a big change in both of them. Their changes we not as dramatic as ours but even so, Barbara looked a whole lot less sure of herself. They had no idea what they were going back to.
“If there is trouble at home, you know where we live. You are more than welcome to come and stay with us,” I’d said over our end of holiday dinner the previous evening.
I looked at Christine and Fiona who now seemed to be joined at the hip. Fiona had smiled and laughed more in the past few days that she’d ever done. Something had always been missing from her life. That wasn’t the case now and I’d never seen him or indeed her so happy.
This was hammered home by the length and the passion of their goodbye kiss. It did draw some glances from the other passengers but the smiles on their faces when they parted was more than enough to show that they were serious about each other.
That night, Fiona and I removed our bracelets with a good deal of reluctance but there was no way that we were going to fly home as women, yet.
Yes, I’d made the decision that Roberta was soon to come into existence and stay until it was time for me to meet my maker.
Both of us were subdued the following morning. Jon was especially down until he received a phone call from Christine letting us know that they’d got home successfully.
Our journey home was uneventful but the M6 on New Year’s Eve was not much fun. We got home in mid-afternoon and while Jon sorted out our things, I went to the Supermarket.
A couple of times I had to stop and remember that I wasn’t wearing my Bracelet. This was especially true when I nearly went into the Ladies toilet rather than the Gents. I filled my trolley with a load of stuff but to be honest, my mind wasn’t really on the task.
Jon and I toasted the old year out right on the stroke of Midnight. The end of the old year had been pretty eventful and had changed our lives beyond all recognition.
It was back to work for me on New Year’s Day. Thankfully, we were running a Sunday Service and Burnley were not playing at home so the number of passengers was pretty light.
[To be continued]
I sat for a while when I was back in the Depot at the end of my first week back from holiday. It had been working for the company for almost ten years and very soon, I’d be giving it up for good. Letting go was hard but it had to be done. It was time to move on to pastures new.
On my way out of the Depot, I checked my schedule for the next day. I smiled when I realised that I’d be returning to the Depot in the middle of the afternoon to change both the type of bus and the route. I’d have a chance to go into the supervisor’s office to hand in my notice. In a strange way, I’d miss the place and a good few of the regular passengers that I carried almost on a daily basis.
Jon was waiting for me when I got home. The expression on his face told me that he had something he wanted to tell me.
“Out with it!” I said as we sat down to eat.
“I was sort of wondering if I could go and see Christine for a couple of days?”
I smiled.
“You are missing her already I take it?”
He nodded.
“Who would be going, you, this Fiona or the new and improved Fiona?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes, it does. You know that they only have two bedrooms. Need I say any more?”
“Dad? You can’t be serious?”
I smiled.
“Christine and her mother have been through the wringer in recent years. So yes, I am serious. Go as Fiona Mk 2 by all means but if you go as you are now then please, please be careful.”
Jon just shook his head and glared at me.
“Don’t go giving me that grumpy teenager look. When was the last time you had a serious girlfriend? Let me answer for you. You haven’t. Ever since you discovered Fiona you really have not been interested in girls or boys come to think of it. I know that she likes you especially Fiona but things happen so all I’m asking is for you to be careful. Any responsible parent would do the same.”
“Ok, I’ll go as Fiona.”
“Good. But have you asked her and importantly, her Mother about going?”
“Not yet,” he said quietly.
“No time like the present is there?”
Jon went off to phone Christine while I sorted us out something to eat.
A few minutes later, Jon returned looking very serious.
“What’s up?” I asked half-heartedly.
“Christine’s Dad arrived at their place a couple of hours ago. He was demanding to know where they were and who they were with over Christmas.”
The smile disappeared from my face in a flash.
“They called the Police and he was made to leave but they know that he’ll be back.”
“Then they have to come here tonight,” I replied defiantly.
“Dad?”
“I mean it. We’ll make room for them. I’ll call Barbara right now.”
Twenty minutes later, I put the phone down. Barbara had just called me to say that they’d left home.
“They are on their way. They should be here in a couple of hours. We have a lot to do before they arrive, don’t we?”
Jon had brightened up considerably since he’d found out that they were on their way.
“What I said earlier still applies though.”
“I know, be careful.”
“Good. Can you make up the spare room? I think you should sleep in there. They can share your room.”
“Dad?”
“What else do you suggest then?”
Jon held up his wrist. He was wearing his bracelet.
“This do?”
“Ok, but for tonight at least you use the spare room. We don’t know what state emotionally they will be in when they get her. Ok?”
“Ok.”
“Just play it cool. They’ve had a bit of a shock so just go easy on them.”
Jon sighed.
“I get it Dad, I really do.”
Despite their best efforts, it was quite late by the time our guests arrived. They’d been held up on the M60 due to an accident. Still, we were both happy to see them although their smiles and reactions were rather muted. The final straw of frustration for them was that they’d had to park three streets away as there was nowhere near our home. We knew the problem very well. Even with a residents parking permit, we often had problems finding a space to park.
Barbara and Christine seemed to start breathing again once I closed the front door behind them. This was helped by something to eat and drink.
Jon took their belongings up to his old room while they relaxed. I didn’t press them to explain what had happened. I was sure that they would tell us in good time.
“Thanks for putting us up,” said Barbara.
“I said that we would and I meant it. No one should have to go through what you two have. Before we go any further, you can stay here no questions or pressure. Right Jon?”
Jon had finished taking their things upstairs.
“Right Dad.”
“Good. Then Ladies, unless you want to talk tonight, may I suggest that we all head off to bed. I have a shift tomorrow but Jon or rather Fiona will be here with you.”
Christine smiled as Jon took her hand and led her upstairs.
“I didn’t realise how serious they were about each other,” said Barbara.
“Jon seemed rather lost without her since we got back from Tenerife.”
“Young love eh?”
“We aren’t so old you know.”
Barbara looked at me and then smiled.
As she turned to go out the door she gave me a quick peck on the cheek.
“Thank you. You really don’t know how much this means to us.”
“As I said in Tenerife, you are more than welcome and don’t think that you have to move. If needs be, then we can make this your home,” I said without thinking of my new job.
Barbara gave my hand a squeeze.
I had a quick word with Fiona before I left for work the next morning. I left her in charge of things. I had to trust her because I was not allowed to use a mobile phone while driving a bus. People had lost their lives because of inconsiderate drivers using phones when they shouldn’t. Nevertheless, I kept an eye on it at the appropriate times of the day. Everything seemed quiet.
When I returned to the Depot in mid-afternoon, I called Fiona.
“Hi Fiona. Is everything ok?”
“Ok good. I’ll be back around six.”
“Yes, see you later.”
I paused for a moment and then went to see the shift supervisor Tom Wilks.
“Have you got a moment Tom,” I said as I stuck my head around his office door.
“Sure, come on in and take a seat.”
I went inside and after shutting the door, I sat down.
“What can I do for you?”
I took a deep breath before beginning.
“I’m giving you a month’s notice.”
He did a rapid intake of breath.
“Wow. I wasn’t expecting that. You have probably been my most reliable driver. Who are you going to work for? Anyone local?”
“No one. I’m… taking a new direction now that my son has turned eighteen. I’ve not got anything lined up yet but there are a few options opening up. Don’t worry Tom, I’ll work my notice out.”
Tom sighed.
“Is there anything I can do to get you to stay? Finding good reliable drivers is hard enough at the best of times.”
“Sorry Tom, my mind is made up. We may well be moving away from the area.”
“We?”
I smiled.
“My son and myself. There isn’t anyone else,” I replied with a bit of a sigh in my voice.
“I’ll inform HR. They will need a written letter but there is no rush. Later in the week is fine.”
“Thanks Tom. I appreciate that.”
I looked at the clock.
“I’d better go, there should be a No 9 bus waiting for me to take out.”
I arrived home tired but happy with my day. Fiona greeted me at the door.
“We have a visitor. It is that Mr Harcourt.”
I suddenly felt that I was not going to like what he was going to say. I followed my daughter into the living room. Christine and Barbara were there waiting for me.
“Hello you two?” I said trying to be cheerful. Then I saw the stern expression on Mr Harcourt’s face.
“I guess you are here to give us some bad news?”
“Yes and no. The bad news is that I am afraid that your former husband knows in general terms where you and your daughter are. Also, did you ever wonder how he tracked you to Chesterfield so easily?”
Barbara looked shocked. She made a move to get out of the chair but Christine put an arm on her mother.
“Your former husband is very resourceful. He knows your online banking passwords. He tracked you to Chesterfield simply by looking at your bank and credit card statements.”
“The rat. When I get hold of him, I am going to kill him,” exclaimed Barbara.
“But how does he know where we are now? We have been here all day and the last time we used any money was to buy some petrol in Stockport,” said Christine.
“He put a tracker on your car the last time he found you in Chesterfield.”
Mr Harcourt held up his hand.
“Don’t worry, we found it last night. At the moment, it is underneath a truck that is in Hull and waiting to board the ferry that is due to sail later tonight to Belgium. From the tracker that we have put on his car, he is also in Hull and should be boarding the ferry as we speak. We took the liberty of booking a Ferry for tonight on your bank card. He looked at those details a little over five hours ago.”
“So, he is going on the Ferry?” asked Christine anxiously.
“That seems to be the case. We have someone checking this. I hope to receive confirmation shortly.”
Both of them visibly relaxed.
“However, this does not address the fact that he won’t stop looking for both of you.”
“Mum? It is time. I don’t want to see you hurt again.”
Barbara looked down at her hands for a few seconds.
“But how will we live? Where will be live? What about …. everything?” she said slightly desperately.
“Barbara, all of that is in hand but to be done properly does take a little time. In the meantime, you can stay here if that is ok with you Terry?”
“That is fine with us isn’t it Fiona?”
Fiona smiled and looked lovingly at Christine. It appeared that they were a real ‘item’.
“It looks like we have a bit of a plan.”
“There is one more thing that you need to do Terry and that is to put this place on the market. When we get the new identities sorted out, you will all start your new life in a different part of the country.”
I had guessed that this would be the case.
“There are many parts of the country where the house prices are so high that the full value of this place would just about cover the deposit on a new one.”
“That is indeed true. That is why we provide housing for all our people. You don’t have to worry about it.”
Then he turned to Barbara.
“As part of cutting the chord to the past, you need to sell your car. In a couple of days, a colleague of mine, A Mr Dan Baines will call on you. He will give you the market value for your car. I think that in the light of the issues you have had with the car and your ex, getting rid of it will be the best thing to do.”
“Please accept his offer. He’ll pay cash by the way.”
He stood up and made to leave.
“Oh, and I nearly forgot, we will arrange for someone to clear out your old home. If you can make a list of the things that you really must have with you in your new life then we will make sure that you get them.”
When he’d left there was a lot of silence in the house.
“It all seems so final,” said Barbara.
“It is for the best Mum. A complete new start means letting go of the past,” said Christine.
The she said,
“If it means letting go of everything apart from me then I’m all for it.”
Then she looked at Fiona and myself.
“It does seem that we have found some nice people who are going through a similar process to us so we aren’t going to be alone are we?”
Barbara tried to smile but didn’t really make it.
“It just seems so final that’s all.”
The place was very down so I thought that it might be a good time to tell everyone of my decision.
“I handed by notice in today. I’m leaving at the end of the month.”
Fiona looked at me and smiled.
“Does that mean you have decided?”
I nodded.
“Yes, it does. I’m going to become Roberta and accept their offer of a job.”
Barbara looked concerned.
“Where will we go?”
I smiled.
“With us.”
Then I reached over and gently took her hand in mine.
“With me,” I said softly.
“Can we have a double wedding then?” asked Fiona.
Barbara and I glared at her.
“Don’t rush things darling.”
I turned to Barbara and said,
“You and your daughter have had a rough time. That’s why we offered a place for you here but as you can see, our children have become serious about each other. I would like to think that in time, we might do the same. Whatever happens there is a place for both of you in our lives.”
Barbara responded by gripping my hand briefly.
I had a hard time getting off to sleep that night. There was just too much rattling around in my brain but in the end, I must have drifted off because sometime later, I felt someone getting into bed with me.
“Don’t move,” said a voice.
It was Barbara.
“I need a bit of a cuddle,” she whispered in my ear.
I turned over and wrapped my arms around her. She was naked.
She snuggled down and was soon breathing gently. After a bit, I relaxed and went back to sleep.
In the morning, I woke and found myself alone again. There was only the feint whiff of her scent to remind me that I’d had a visitor in the night. Barbara was a bit sheepish over breakfast so I didn’t press things.
I left everyone in the kitchen and went off to work. I was working the 12-9 shift so wouldn’t be back until late.
I had a break for lunch at 4pm. I’d just gotten myself a sandwich from a shop near the bus station when I felt someone at my side. It was Barbara.
“Can I get you anything?” I said as I struggled for something to say.
She smiled.
“A tea perhaps? Milk, no sugar.”
I joined her at a table with my food and her tea.
After a rather awkward silence, she said,
“I’m sorry about last night. I needed to be with someone for a while.”
“That’s all right. Just a bit of a shock though.”
She smiled.
“Could I come back tonight?”
Those five words knocked me for six. I didn’t know what to say.
“Can we talk about this later?” I replied quietly.
She smiled and nodded her head.
“I was lying there with your arms wrapped around me and it just felt nice.”
This pleased me no end.
Then she showed me her phone.
“This is what woke me in the night.”
There was what could only be called an obscene text message from a blocked number. It described what the sender was going to do to her.
“Is that from him?”
She nodded.
“That is not nice. Not nice at all.”
We walked together a bit after we left the café. Barbara put her hand in mine. I tried to say something but could not find the words. All I could think about was that text and what she needed to do to break all the ties with her ex.
As I prepared to get back to work I said,
“There is a phone shop over there. I’d like you to go in there and buy four cheap phones and pay as you go Sim cards. Ditch your old one and get Christine to do the same. We can use these to call each other from now on. Give one to Fiona and I’ll sort mine out tonight. Just make a call to the phone company and cancel the contracts.”
She nodded.
“We can talk when I get back around nine.”
She squeezed my hand and said quietly,
“You are a good man Terry.”
Then with a smile she added,
“And I think that you will be an even better woman Roberta.”
Her words stayed with me for the rest of my shift. It had been a long time since anyone had said such nice words about me to my face.
When I got home, I was not sure what or who I’d find. The house was strangely quiet as I came through the front door.
I went through to the back of the house and found Barbara alone.
“The others have gone down the pub,” said Barbara when she noticed my concern.
“They wanted to give us some space.”
It all made sense.
I noticed a new phone in a box on the table. I smiled.
“Are the phones all working?”
“Yes. They were activated a couple of hours ago.”
“That’s great.”
“Fiona loaded all your numbers into them. Christine did the same with ours. There weren’t many and I guess that they will go down to two shortly,” she said in a slightly sad tone.
There was a bit of a stony silence before Barbara spoke.
“I feel everything is all happening so fast.”
I smiled.
“I think it is more of a case of needs must. The last thing you two need is him turning up here. Especially if he sees me as I am now and puts two and two together and makes four million.”
“I know and that’s why I don’t want you put you and Fiona to any trouble.”
I leaned over and took her hand. At first, she recoiled then she relaxed.
“We are here for you and you staying here is no trouble. It is nice there not just being the two of us.”
Once again there was a silence. Once again it was Barbara who broke it.
“Then there is the future. I know that Fiona and Christine are pretty set on being together. It feels like we are being thrust together.”
“And you are not sure if you can trust me?”
Barbara looked at me and nodded.
“So, we both follow our children and begin a new life.”
“But I’m not a lesbian,” said Barbara.
“At the moment Barbara, isn’t that the safest thing to be? If we appear as a couple then that will keep most of the men away. I can’t say for other women but… well, that might not happen.”
She looked at me with sorrowful eyes.
“You seem so clear on what everyone should do?”
“Clear?” I replied almost laughing.
“Far from it. I want what is best for my son just as you do for your daughter. I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to make my son or sister happy. Since she met Christine, she’s really grown up and is a totally different person. I don’t mean in looks which is obvious but in her outlook on life.”
Barbara nodded.
“Christine is the same. Fiona has given her a total new direction in her life. I didn’t realise it but we were both treading water. Now she has someone else who cares about her.”
“And I care about you,” I said without thinking. Then I hurriedly added,
“You are a very nice person who has been through a lot. For what it is worth, you have done a great job with Christine but now you need to think a bit more about yourself. The same applies with me. This whole thing with the bracelets will I hope give me and more importantly us a chance to… a chance to live again and if you are by my side then I know that we would make a great team.”
Barbara was clearly startled.
“Are you proposing to me?”
I laughed.
“No Barbara I’m not. A proposal is the last thing that you need right now. I’m saying that I’m your friend. I’m here for you. If over time and I don’t mean next week, month or even year, you decide that you want to take things further then I will be ready. Your coming into my bed like you did made me realise just how much I missed having someone share it with me.”
Barbara’s eyes moistened up. A tear rolled down her cheek.
“No one has even said things like that to me. Thank you,” she said as she wiped the tears away.
Before I could react, she stood up and left me alone. I heard her going up the stairs.
I sat back and as the song goes, ‘reviewing the situation’. I’d put my cards on the table. Now it was up to Barbara.
I got my answer later that night. Barbara came into my room and into my bed.
[Two months later]
“Is everyone ready?” I asked.
Fiona and Christine were cuddled together on the sofa. Barbara was sitting beside me.
No one objected.
“Then all we need to do is continue to wear these bracelets and the job will be done.”
Christine looked at Fiona who smiled back.
“Sis, it is not as simple as that.”
Both Barbara and I looked at our offspring.
“Christine and I have been talking about the future.”
Christine saw the look of concern on my face.
“I want to have a baby,” said Christine.
I started to understand.
“And you want the old Fiona to be the Father?”
A very sheepish Christine looked at Barbara and myself.
“Am I being selfish?”
I managed a smile.
“From my point of view, I don’t think so. What about you Barbara?”
“I’m not sure. They are so young,” she replied hesitantly.
“How else are we going to have a family?” asked Fiona.
I was stumped.
“Have you two been talking about this?” I asked.
They looked at each other. The look in their eyes said yes.
Then I had an idea.
“Perhaps there is a solution that everyone can accept?”
Suddenly, there were three pairs of eyes were staring at me.
“I read somewhere that people with testicular cancer sometimes get their sperm frozen before they have chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Perhaps you could do that and then when you are ready Christine could have some of that sperm implanted?”
There was silence in the room.
“Can someone please say something?” I pleaded.
Eventually Barbara spoke.
“Perhaps we should all sleep on it?”
No one disagreed so we didn’t say anything else.
That night, Barbara joined me in bed before I turned out the light.
“Can I turn out the light?” I asked as she slid in beside me.
“Please but…”
“You want to talk?”
“I do.”
I switched off the light and we got comfortable together.
“That was a great idea you had… about freezing the sperm.”
“Thanks… But I detect from the tone of your voice that there is something else?”
Barbara squeezed up closer to me.
“Why don’t you do it as well?”
“Do what?”
“Freeze some sperm…”
I rolled over to look her in the face.
“Barbara?”
“I mean it. The new me might like to have another child. The new us that is but only if things work out for all of us.”
[to be continued in part 4 of 4]
I was stunned by what Barbara had just said about becoming a sperm donor.
“Say something even if it is ‘No’?”
“I never even considered having another child.”
“Well, and thanks to the bracelets, we are going to have a new start in life, aren’t we?”
“This is a big… A big surprise.”
She laughed.
“And?” I asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Good. If there is one thing that I have learned from this thing with the bracelets and that is not to make snap decisions. Act in haste, repent at leisure seems rather apt.”
Barbara smiled back at me. Then she sighed.
“Why could be not have met years ago? You are a good man… or should that be woman? Either way, I don’t even want to think about my old life. “
There was an uneasy silence in the room.
“What do we do now?” I asked.
Barbara smiled.
Then she took my hand.
“I would like to experience you inside me… Before… before we change for good.”
I remained silent for several seconds.
Then I drew her to me.
“I’d like that very much,” I whispered.
The next morning, our slumbers were disturbed by the children. They came into our bedroom as we were contemplating getting up.
“Dad,” said Jon slightly nervously.
“Christine and I have been talking things over.”
To my shame, I groaned. Jon glared at me.
“It isn’t like that,” retorted Jon.
“We think we are being very sensible,” added Christine.
“Well, what is it that you two are being sensible about?” asked Barbara.
“We’d like for me to get pregnant before Jon changes for good.”
The two youngsters looked lovingly into each other’s eyes.
I looked at Barbara who was having difficulty holding back a laugh.
“What’s so funny?” asked Christine.
“We… We were talking about this last night and we both thought that this was an option,” I replied.
“And is it a good idea?”
“That depends my dear,” said Barbara.
“Depends? On what?”
“Are we totally free of your father or not. At the moment, we just don’t know. With that tracker he put on our car, there is always a chance that he’ll find us before we transition.”
From their reaction, neither of our children had considered that option.
“But didn’t he get on a Ferry? Or something?” asked Jon.
“That might be true but the ferry goes to Belgium but it also comes back and he could have been on the next one back to Hull. We just don’t know.”
The two youngsters looked downhearted.
“As I said, Barbara and I discussed this last night. I’ll make a few calls and may well have a solution to the problem. Neither of us think that we should delay our transitions any longer than we absolutely have to. That means sooner rather than later.”
Both Jon and Christine looked sad. Barbara came to my rescue.
“Just hang fire you two and we’ll sort things out as quickly as we can.”
For once they deferred to our wishes. To me this was a sign that they were growing up.
After they’d left us alone, Barbara climbed on top of me and said,
“Ok Buster, what is your wonderful solution?”
She’d winged it to support me just now and it was time for me to come clean.
“I thought that we could look into sperm donation.”
“We? What’s this ‘We’ thing?”
“Well…”
Barbara reached down between my legs and squeezed.
“Ok. Ok!.”
“Out with it or I squeeze even more!”
“If you are agreeable then perhaps I could donate as well.”
A look of absolute horror came over her face.
“If you think I’m going to have another two to three years of stinking nappy changing, you are very much mistaken. Are we clear on this?”
“Yes darling.”
She squeezed again.
“Yes, it is perfectly clear so only Jon to donate.”
“You learn fast.”
She let go and then kissed me.
“There, that wasn’t so hard was it eh?”
As they say, ‘the best laid plans’ and all that, events conspired to throw our desires into the rubbish bin.
Two evenings after we had decided on Jon donating we had a visitor in the shape of Mr Harcourt. The look on his face told us that it wasn’t a social call.
“Your former husband is back in town,” he said directly to Barbara.
“We thought that we had got rid of him?” asked Christine.
“We thought so too but he is a very determined person.”
“I guess that this means there is no time to faff around and most of us need to change once and for all?” I said sadly.
“Yes, that it what we think. We he has linked Jon here with you two. That means it is time for you three to not only change for good but to move to your new home,” said the visitor.
“How long?” asked Jon.
“We’d like you to change tonight and move in two days. It really is time to leave the past behind you and move on with your lives.”
Jon and Christine looked woefully at each other.
“We know that you two were hoping to start a family but I hope that you realise that your personal safety is more important than bringing a child into this world. I’m sure that when things settle down, something can be arranged around that.”
Then Mr Harcourt looked at me and winked. I knew what he was getting at.
Mr Harcourt opened the bag he was carrying and produced a thick folder.
“In here are your new identities and everything you will need to know for your new life.”
Then he turned to me.
“Your notice period is up in two weeks. We have arranged for a removal company to do the move once you are no longer working. Your new home has some furniture and the like which should do for the time being until the rest of your things get moved. The details of the movers are in the folder. First off, a Taxi will here arrive just before midday. It will take three of you on the first leg of the journey your new home. If ‘he’ is watching and tries to follow, we will make sure that his car breaks down before you have gone even half a mile. He will not be able to follow you.”
He let that sink in for a few seconds.
“Also, in the folder is the forwarding address for your mail. It is different to your real address. We will make sure that you get the mail safely and unopened. We think ‘he’ is getting quite desperate and there is no knowing what he’d do if he found you. That’s why there must be no delay to your moving south.”
Mr Harcourt left us alone a little later.
When I returned to the back room where we were sitting, the atmosphere was dead. No one was speaking.
“Come on now, don’t be so down. We’ll get through this.”
Barbara put her arm around her daughter to comfort her.
All of our bracelets were on the table. The folder lay there as well untouched.
I picked up the folder and opened it.
There were four clearly marked clear packets that had all sorts of things including passports and credit cards inside. I handed them out.
No one took up my challenge to look at them.
There was also plain brown envelope in amongst the identity documents. It didn’t have any lettering on which made it stand out. I looked inside and removed the contents which were a set of photographs.
As I looked at them, I could see that they had been taken locally and within the past few days. In each of them was a man. He was captured in various locations around the town including outside the College that Jon attended. On the surface it looked like that he was waiting for someone but if you looked closer, you could see that he was searching for someone.
I spread them out on the table. When Christine saw the images, she gasped.
“How could he? Won’t he ever get the message that we are done with him?”
“That’s why we need to put on our bracelets and be done with the old us once and for all.”
There was a general silence around the table. It was broken by Jon.
“Well, if no one else will start then I will,” he said defiantly.
He put on the bracelet and sat back.
“I’m done with Jon. Bring on Fiona.”
Slowly Christine and Barbara did the same with their bracelets.
The next morning, I was greeted by a squabble between Fiona and Barbara over who should get a turn in the bathroom next. Christine had raced ahead and bagged it.
“If I may interject?”
The two women looked at me with distain.
“I have a job to go to for a few more days so how about you two go downstairs and get the Breakfast organised so that I can get washed and shaved. I really don’t want to be late. I’ve never been late to this job and I don’t want to start now!”
Both of them looked at me and slowly nodded their heads.
I smiled.
“Soon, you will be somewhere else entirely. I hope to dear god that our next home has more than one bathroom!”
Their reaction told me that they’d forgotten what had been agreed the previous evening.
I left the three of them sorting out things to take with them and also packing up their other things ready for the move. Their initial early morning grumpiness had gone.
The day started normally but I wasn’t prepared for one of the passengers on my second trip of the day. My route for the day was the No 2 service to Higherford via Nelson. Waiting for me at the Bus Station was ‘him’, the man from the pictures and Barbara’s former husband. He bought a ticket to Nelson. I was so startled at seeing him that I nearly didn’t give him the correct change but I recovered enough to make sure that he had the correct amount.
As I drove through the streets of Burnley towards Nelson, I glanced at him a few times in the CCTV screen. He was sitting upstairs right in the front. I guessed that it would give him a good view of people in the street without them noticing him. Thankfully, this particular route did not go anywhere near my home.
As we approached Nelson he came downstairs and rang the bell indicating that I should stop the bus at the next stop.
I opened the doors after I’d stopped and he hurried off the bus. I looked at my watch and saw that we were two minutes early. I shouted to the remaining three passengers,
“We are a bit early so I’ll sit here for a couple of minutes.”
I didn’t move the bus but watched him turn down a side street. I saw the sign, Victoria Street. I wondered if he had a place to stay in the area but he stopped at the first car that was parked in the road and got into the driver’s seat.
I pretended to be looking at my timetable as he drove out of Victoria Street and into Manchester Road. As he turned in the direction of Nelson I breathed a sigh of relief and after checking the traffic, I pulled out and carried on with my journey.
I was due to be relieved by another driver at the end of the trip back to Burnley. As far as I was concerned, that could not come soon enough.
As soon as I was back in the Staff Canteen at the Burnley Depot, I called Barbara.
“Where are you?” I asked quite urgently.
“Oh good. No, I saw your ex. Not only that I carried him as a passenger out to Nelson.”
“I don’t think he associated me with you.”
“Ok, safe journey.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. The three of them were on a train heading towards London from Preston.
I called Mr Harcourt and told him of the encounter and also gave him the registration of the car that ‘he’ was driving. I was told that this was a new car to them and received his thanks.
For some reason, the rest of the shift was very boring indeed.
Once I’d received notification that it had been delivered, I switched off the phone and removed the SIM Card. I dropped it in the rubbish and then I did two factory resets. In my break, I took it to a Pawn shop and sold it. That was the end of another part of my old life.
Fiona called me that night. The three of them were in Poole. Theirs and my new home was given the seal of approval by them all. Not only did the master bedroom have its own bathroom but there was a large family bathroom upstairs and a small toilet with a shower downstairs. That should stop any squabbling about who goes first in the future.
I put the phone down and listened to a now silent house. It felt strange to be alone in what had been my home for longer than I cared to remember. I looked around feeling a bit sad that I’d be saying goodbye to it within a week.
Ten days later, I was with the girls unpacking the furniture and all the other stuff that the removal men had delivered that afternoon. I looked on at them with a good deal of envy. It was as if they didn’t have a care in the world. I sighed and said to myself, ‘soon, soon’.
A week after I’d moved down to Poole everything was reasonably straight in the house. Fiona had enrolled at the local college and was preparing for her exams. Christine was working at a Café near the sea-front while Barbara had just had a second interview for a job at a local school. That left me as they called it ‘twiddling my thumbs’ until I started training for my new job.
On the following Saturday evening, we had a family dinner. At the end, I said,
“I’m going to put my bracelet on tonight so don’t go having all the fun before I get used to my new body!”
They all laughed and gave me a hug.
“There is one thing that I need to say before we go much further.”
I paused.
“Well several things actually.”
I took a deep breath.
“Firstly, because of the rushed departure from Burnley, Jon was unable to donate any sperm before he changed. However, I donated some of mine on my way down so it is available if you and when it is needed.”
“Secondly and by far the most important to me is that we all have a chance to build a totally new life together here. I’m sure that this time around we won’t make the same mistakes as Barbara and I did the first time but without the two of you coming into our lives last Christmas, I’m sure that Jon and I would still be in Burnley middling along like we have done for years so lets’ all make the most of this second chance eh!”
That night in Bed, Barbara said as she clipped the bracelet around my wrist,
“Thank you darling for doing that with your stuff. I’m not saying that I will use some but you never know eh?”
The last thing I did as a man was to make love to her and boy did it feel good but as I fell asleep I couldn’t help thinking that I was not the only one who was going to enjoy exploring my new body in the morning.
I chuckled to myself when I remembered what I’d used to say when driving a bus and reached the end of the line. It seemed very appropriate for our current situation.
“End of the Line, all change, all change.”
The End.
[Authors Note]
I wrote this tale as a sort of antidote to the many tales where a lost boy goes into a ‘shop’ and gets something and suddenly becomes the girl of his wet dreams.
Life isn’t as simple as that. I wish it was but it isn’t. I hope this tale makes the magic seem more of an aide to starting a new life with people you love.