Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 600.

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Whortleberry Droppings
(aka Bike)
Part 600
by Angharad
       
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As I mused on what Henry thought about me, I walked towards the special care baby unit. I reasoned that as he hadn’t seen me as anything other than a girl, that was how he saw me. Oh well, I can’t turn back into a boy just to annoy him, can I? I’m permanently stuck as a female, legally too now. Hooray!

I breezed into the unit, feeling quite good for a moment, although I knew it couldn’t last. “Look sharp, here comes Lady Muck,” said the snotty nurse/midwife.

“At ease, chaps,” I said in as plummy a voice as I could manage.

“Yes, ma’am,” she replied.

“May I see my niece?” I asked.

“You can feed her if you like, we’re running a bit behind today.” She came out with a bottle of the warmed milk; “You can change her too if you want, after of course.”

“No I think we’ll take this one home,” I joked back, today was looking up after all.

“Eh?” said the nurse, either not picking up on the joke or having no sense of humour–maybe both. I didn’t explain the joke, it’s time was past.

I gave Puddin’ her bottle and she wriggled about, cooing and laughing to herself. When I’d finished, I asked about changing her.

“I thought you said you were going to keep her?” So she had heard it, probably many times.

She handed me a fresh nappy, some wipes and a plastic bag in which to bin the dirty one. She opened the incubator, “There you go, hello beautiful, your auntie is going to change you today,” with that she left.

I talked with the baby the whole time I was touching her. It felt so good to think I was actually touching her, well through a latex glove. I undid the dirty disposable nappy and wiped her naughty bits and bum with the disposable wipes the nurse had given me. Then a bit of cream and on with the new nappy. Easy peasy, if a bit smelly. I wrapped up the dirty stuff and dumped them in the bin.

I felt so much love for this little scrap of humanity, yet she was no relative of mine except by forthcoming marriage–if we went ahead with it. Part of me had qualms about it, as I’m sure Simon must, not least because of his bruised ribs.

I closed up the incubator, wondering why I loved this little one so much. Was it just her helplessness, or that she was related to Simon and Stella, or even Des? Perhaps it was simply that I loved babies, I knew I did when one of the dormice dropped a litter. I loved babies–so what?–I’m a woman, it’s allowed. Another reaffirming moment. The day was getting better, although I still had to travel through the valley of death, where Stella was.

I blew Puddin’ a kiss and went in search of Stella. I found her and wished I hadn’t. What was she wearing? A dress over a pair of jeans and her nightdress on top of that. She hardly knew me. However, I decided I was going to make her look more normal and less ridiculous.

It took all of my powers of persuasion to get the nightie off her, then the dress. I explained I needed to wash them. Then, as she didn’t smell too sweet, I persuaded her to take a shower and wash her hair. Amazingly she did as I asked. And I helped her dry afterwards, her naughty bits were very different to Mima’s, which were different to mine. That made me feel good too. It seems we’re all different yet the same.

After she washed and dressed, I rinsed out her jeans and hung them to dry in her shower room. It was very warm in there so they’d be dry by tea time. I helped to style her hair, at which I’m no expert, but she looked a bit better, at least lived-in rather than unoccupied.

I sat looking at her, holding her hands. “Yes, just take her, I don’t care.”

“What?” I asked as she appeared to have read my mind. She went back to her distant stare which frightened me. “I’m going home now, Stella. I’ll try and come and see you again tomorrow.” She stared straight through me by way of reply, I found it unnerving and left the ward.

I did some shopping on the way back and after dropping it off began preparing for the lamb dinner I’d promised Tom. It would be just the four of us, he and I and the two girls. What a waste?

Mima had fallen asleep with Tom and Trish was glad to come and help me. She seemed to have something to talk to me about as well. I waited for the oven to come up to temperature and popped in the meat and potatoes to roast. I made a cuppa and sat down at the kitchen table with it while Trish drank a very milky tea.

“So, what’s on your mind, young lady?” I asked her. She became very shifty and looked at the floor or the table.

“Gramps said something about his daughter, Catherine.”

“Oh what was that?”

“She was a boy, she’s like me, isn’t she?”

“Sadly she’s dead, Trish, but yes, she was born a girl but with a plumbing problem, just like you. He helped her to become a young lady, just as I will help you, if that’s what you want when the time comes.”

“Of course it is, I’ll never change my mind, Mummy.”

“I don’t doubt it for one moment, darling, but just in case you do, we have to enable you to have that choice.”

“You didn’t change your mind, did you Mummy?” as my brain received these words I felt quite sick and hot.

“About what, darling?” I made light of it.

“Being a girl.”

“What do you mean?” I felt myself blushing and shivering at the same time. What do I do now? Bluff my way through it or tell the truth? Oh shit, if only I was prepared for this, but it’s like a lightning strike.

“The judge man in the court, he said about it and so did the man talking for you. Gramps mentioned you were like his daughter, and I wondered why Dr Rose asked you to look after me, when no one else would.”

“So what are you saying exactly?”

Trish began to weep and blush, “I’m sorry, Mummy,” she jumped down off the chair and rushed upstairs.

I was shell shocked, had she worked it out; had we dropped too many hints despite knowing she was very bright? Was this a good thing? Should I lie to her or tell the truth?

I reflected on what Henry had said, the publicity about the film or some other time, like the wedding–it could all come out then and others might tease her. If she knew already, it would at least give her a chance to choose what she said in response rather than be shocked by the revelation. I knew what I had to do.

I found her sobbing, not on her bed, but on mine. I sat alongside her and stroked her hair. “Do you want to talk about it?” I asked her. She nodded then shook her head.

“I was going to tell you,” I sniffed, then felt the tears roll down my face. “I wasn’t lying to you, but I just wanted you to feel like you had a normal Mummy. I’m sorry, Trish.”

She scrabbled about and wrapped her arms around me and lay her head in my lap. “I love you, Mummy.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

“You’re the best Mummy, I’ve ever had.”

“Thank you, sweetheart, it’s very kind of you to say so.”

“You are a lady, really, aren’t you?”

“I am now, though I started out feeling like you do, I was girl who everyone wanted to be a boy, except me–I wanted to be a girl. I had to wait a bit longer than you have, but I eventually became a proper girl and had my body fixed to match my idea, my feelings about myself. Do you understand?”

She nodded, “Yes, Mummy. Can I become a real lady, too?”

“If it’s what you want to do when you’re a little older, I’ll do all I can to help you.”

“Thank you, Mummy.”

“I’m sorry if I deceived you, sweetheart, I knew you’d find out sooner or later. When they show my film on the telly, there could be some publicity about it all. Some people like to make a song and dance about what is essentially a personal matter for myself and my family and friends. So rather than you hearing it from an outsider, I was going to tell you anyway. However, you beat me to it. You’re far too clever for me.”

She hugged me close to her. “I love you, Mummy. You’ll always be my Mummy, never mind what anyone else says. You’ve been so good to me, and I love you, and want you to be my Mummy.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” I hugged her and tears rolled down my face in profusion, “of course I’ll be your mummy, it’s a privilege and an honour, even if I’m not really worthy of it.”

We hugged for several minutes. The cat was firmly out of the bag, and no amount of shoving would get it back in there ever again. In some ways I felt cheated, because I did want Trish to see me as an ordinary woman. In others, I felt so relieved that my guilty secret was out.

“Does Daddy know?” she asked after a long pause.

“Yes, and Gramps and Grampa Henry, only Meems doesn’t know and I don’t think she’d understand just yet.”

“Because, I wasn’t going to tell him.”

“You are one special little girl. Thanks for your offer, maybe we’ll just keep it from Meems for the moment, although one day soon, I shall have to tell her.”

“Okay, Mummy, I won’t tell her.”

“Thank you. Well, young lady, I can smell roast lamb, so we need to get the vegetables on. C’mon, I’ll show you how to do curly kale.”

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Comments

SIX HUNDRED !!!

Congratulations on yet another cliff hanging milestone!

yes

and even at 600 the story is still there and still being read and loved be all who read it so thank you for this lovely story and here's waiting till tommorrow to read even more.

well hugs
from sara v

Another Milestone

And a deliciously weepy episode with which to celebrate it. Congrats, Ang. I know 'er upstairs asleep will enjoy filling a tissue or three when we read it together tomorrow. Yon wee lassie is way tae bricht fer her ain guid, as Grandpa Tom might say.

Hugs,

Hilary

Angharad - Its Time

 

anime.gif     to resolve that depression issue of Stella's. Either have Cathy shoot flames from her fingers into Stella's brain to heal the cause of depression or have Cathy wheelchair her out to see nature settings. Maybe take her to observe a playground full of children and ground her back into reality (back to earth so to speak) and get her to understand what children are all about. Reignite that mothering instinct Stella so superbly squashed. What is it Stella wants (not the offing herself) in life? Cathy? or what? That dreary room is killing her.

Sephrena Lynn Miller
BigCloset TopShelf

Thank You Angharad

600 times now. Today I only had to look up curly kale and whortleberry.

I'm Glad The Truth Is Finally Out

jengrl's picture

Cathy agonized about when or if to tell Trish about herself. She should have known that Trish knew about it already. I am sure the judge was very impressed that Cathy has made a success of herself and wanted Trish to know that her mummy was someone to admire and emulate. he was obviously impressed with Trish and her initiative to speak directly to him.

PICT0013_1_0.jpg

Is that a milestone, or kilometre stone? or a bunch of them?

Whichever, congratulations and now get beck to the keyboard. After all, you already know what Cathy has done, don;t you?

It’s not given to anyone to have no regrets; only to decide, through the choices we make, which regrets we’ll have,
David Weber – In Fury Born

Holly

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

Holly

We Still Have Good Old-Fashioned…

MILESTONES here in the UK, Holly, and long may it remain so.

So, Ang, “Salute DC,” as the Ancient Romans might have written.

Gabi

(OMG, such erudition)

Gabi.


“It is hard for a woman to define her feelings in language which is chiefly made by men to express theirs.” Thomas Hardy—Far from the Madding Crowd.

Cat Out Of The Bag?

OK, When Was Bonzi Ever IN The Bag? but WHY is Stella bonkers? Maybe when Puddin is in her arms, she'll be healed.

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine
    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

Why is Stella....

Think about all she's been through, since she got to know Cathy. I dunno about you, but most folks I know would be in pretty bad shape with just HALF that much happening.

I AM finding this story a nice diversion from the world out there. With all that's going on in my life right now, it's nice to be able to "put it aside" every now and again. Thanks Angharad.

Annette

Congratulations, and

many, many thanks. 600 is an unprecedented milestone, and I love you to pieces for it. Please don't stop this story soon, you've a captivated audience, and I dare say that BCTS wouldn't be the same without it. So o-m-g, you're doomed! Doomed to forever write episodes of EAFOAB, or well until you reached a number approaching the total of Coronation Street.

If I may ask one small favor, would you consider a turn for the better for Stella? I feel so sorry for her, it's breaking my heart to see her slowly disintegrate into this hulk of a proud strong woman, ultimately crumbling into pieces. If you must torture and shatter some poor woman perse, take someone we can all dislike right from the start.

Thank you,
Jo-Anne

I Agree

jengrl's picture

I feel the same way about Stella's situation. That poor woman deserves something positive to happen with her. If you allow her to succumb to this darkness, then the scumbags who did this to her will have won. Cathy has been a miracle worker in so many lives. It is time for Stella to feel this too. Cathy has too much stress in her life right now. I have no doubt that she loves Puddin with all her heart, but this wee one needs her mother to be there for her. Besides, Cathy needs her sister to be Maid of Honor at the wedding.

PICT0013_1_0.jpg

Yes 600

Angharad; She did the right thing, telling fibbs to Trish would of come back on her later. Now 600 Chapters for the BEST serialise story on the WEB!!! Thanks Angharad! Richard

Richard

Loved heart-to-heart

between Cathy and Trish. Brought them closer than ever. Sure hope the courts don't screw it up but courts being courts I'm sure there will be more. I hope Stella is on a 24 hour watch. Feel so bad for her. Looked back at earlier chapters to remind myself of where Stella used to be. Sure hope that something can be done to bring some of that back.

Oh My! 600 episodes and the

Oh My! 600 episodes and the story just gets better and better. Thank you Angahard.
If Cathy has a blue light for "Puddin"; perhaps in her bag of tricks she can find a green light for Stella. Green would be for regrowth and regeneration of Stella's psyche. Trish constantly amazes me as she is so observant to everything around her, yet keeps much inside. She is a definite sweetheart. J-Lynn

GREAT EPISODE!

Angharad,
Congratulations on achieving this wonderful milestone of chapter 600! The story was perfect for such a milestone, filled with mostly uplifting elements (Cathy was even able to work a small bit of her magic on Stella...hopefully, she will continue to help bring her future sister-in-law back to health).

Here's looking forward to the next 600 episodes!

Jenny

600th Chapter.

Just to let you know I'm still reading Bike. If you are wondering why there are gaps in my progress it's because I'm playing catchup at two different locations. One of them is at work where I still work shift, (it gives me a better schedule and more time to do my other stuff like clubbing and whatever.)That's why I appear to be reading the story in the middle of 'the wee sma' 'oors'.
As to the story; well you certainly touch upon many many aspects of the transgendered life. (I was about to say life-style, but that might be considered insulting to you because the word style implies some sort of temporary 'skin-deep' transience while in reality yours is a very real and permanant life.)

The story is a fantastic fantasy of Heroine Cathy and I can see your many feelings constantly showing through. I loved the way she (Cathy) bettered the psychoatrist, (That's right PSYCHOATRIST; the Psychopathic Psychiatrist.) I'm up to chapter 623 now but I'm stepping back to make a comment at chapter 600 because I don't make comments on the works computers. The IT Department might pick up something and out me.
God! I'll be glad when I retire with my index linked pension and free to spend all my time trannying.
This is a fantastic TG Soap and I'm enjoying it so much so that I've put my own writing on hold until I catch up.

Thanks for the lovely tales of Cathy,
Love and hugs,
XOXO
Beverly Taff.

Lots of things.

Lots of things happened in this chapter.

I don't know much about the subject, but I believe there very good meds for chronic maniac/depressive. Cathy's job, should she decide to accept it, it to make sure her sister take them the way she should. Too many real life stories people stop taking them and then something really bad happens.

Sounds like the snooty nurse was a bit friendlier. Wonder if the letter arrived yet? Most women do not mind changing diapers, especially for loved family and the first time. The real test is going to be Simon, I think.

I solved my Dads desire to change nappies by nailing him right between the eye the first time. Someone really should warn new dads about little boys.

600 and counting...

One of these millennia I'll catch up to the present. Wow. I'm with everyone else regarding Stella. Damn, she needs to catch a break.

It occurs to me that there's no reason that the blue light thing can't have some sort of in universe scientific explanation. After all, isn't magic simply things we haven't worked out the mechanism for yet? Of course, this might all be building for the ultimate dream sequence smackdown, in which case I'll have to send guys called Tiny in cooperation with Simon's Russian friends to sort out the author....

You know, I commented many many many episodes ago that there seemed to be an awful lot of swooning going on. (At least I think I did. I could just be imagining that.) I wonder if that's related to the blue light. Cue epic retcon in....

Hiya~

I have read for quite a bit,and i am quite happy to say that i love your writing~ thank you for writing such a beautiful serial <3

Aurora

Wonderfully handled, a guideline of explanation

WOW, did this chapter get a lot of comments !
I was wondering how soon Trish would learn everyone in Tom's house started off male !! Think of IT.
I think Cathy is now the baby's mother, Stella be damned. Stella still is unaware of Des' will.
Hey Angharad, easy way to finally get rid of Stella, locked up forever in a rubber wallpaper room.
About to bring up the fact that legally Cathy can't touch dormeese anymore, isn't it ?

Cefin

Well. I've made it through

Well. I've made it through #600, and it just makes me want to read more.

Those poor dormice, don't they need Cathy too? And, those bikes, just gathering dust in the garage. Sounds like my house. ;-)

A real yanker on the heartstrings

That's what this chapter is, and Trish shows how smart she is by putting it all together. Best part is her love for Cathy is just as strong now as it was before, it might even be stronger due to the common ground they have between them.

I had a big awwwww moment when Trish grabbed Cathy and snuggled up, putting her head in Cathy's lap.

Now this I don't understand

How can I be the first to comment on this chapter? Glad you are posting the tissue alerts, love it.

And of course

now the comments show up!