Tammy:Deathtrap - Part 3 "Boy Or Girl?"

Printer-friendly version
 Deathtrap  

Part
 
Three

 

"Boy Or Girl?"

 

 
Tuesday 1st November 2016
 

"Hello?"

"Tammy, it's Sarah."

"Err, yeah, what time is it?"

"Six thirty. Look, Emily has gone into labour so I'm off to Inverness."

"That's great news, boy or girl?"

"She hasn't said. Anyway, I have a delivery due at nine, can you open up for me? Also need to despatch the order for Orkney for me."

"Okay, just this morning?"

"I will try to get back tonight."

"Okay, Sarah, drive safely."

Tammy knew from experience that Sarah's deliveries could be waiting outside the shop from 8am or might not arrive until 2 in the afternoon, so she dragged herself into the shower, no point laying in bed.

Tammy swung by the bakery after parking, there was no point being hungry mid-morning, and she wasn't sure if there was any milk in the shop for coffee. Suitably laden she finally arrived at the shop door just before eight.

"Oh Tammy, did you want an appointment this week?"

She turned around quickly, sending a take-out cup of coffee flying.

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry, Joanne, I was silly to try carrying all of that."

It caught your leg, you'll have a nasty stain. It's all my fault."

Tammy had chosen to wear cream trousers and was quickly regretting that decision. She put everything else down and reached for her keys, she could do nothing on the street. Once the exterior alarm was disabled she unlocked the shop door, quickly punching in the alarm code for the interior. Joanne had picked up the rolls, cake and fresh milk and dropped them inside the shop.

"Look, I'll get them cleaned but you need to get out of them."

Tammy waved her into the shop then locked the door. She grabbed a pair of grey leggings and disappeared into the stock room to change.

"Here you are, but I really don't think it was your fault, Joanne, I shouldn't have picked up so much. I don't have more than a small handbasin here so can't even rinse them properly."

"Leave them with me, now did you want an appointment?"

"Friday morning?"

"I have some slots free but did you want your hair done as well?"

"Yes."

"I'll check with Sandy."

"Okay."

Tammy let Jo out and locked the door, she didn't now have a drink and didn't fancy munching on her mid-morning snack with the aid of a beverage. She retrieved the till drawer from the shop safe and checked that the correct float was there - it was. She next made sure there was enough floor space in the store-room for the delivery, although he hadn't been told how much to expect. A package marked for Orkney was waiting and would need to be taken to the ferry terminal.

She was startled by a tap on the shop window; Sandy was stood outside, Tammy let her in and switched on the main lighting.

"I brought you a coffee, to replace the one that you lost."

"Thanks, Sandy, but unnecessary really."

"Nonsense, I happen to know you can't function without coffee in the morning."

"Guilty as charged."

"I have booked you in for eleven, you can see Joanne at half ten."

"Thanks."

"Your trousers will be dry by lunchtime, it looks like they survived the trauma."

"Cheers, I don't know how long I'll be here today."

"Any news?"

"Only that Emily is in labour, how's Tanya doing?"

"John was getting interrupted all day long so she's been told she can't ring him unless it's an emergency, in which case to ring me first."

"I take it she's insecure?"

"Yes, I just wish she hadn't left that job, her days don't have any focus unless she has an appointment with ante-natal or the shrink."

"What about her spending time in the salon?"

"We tried that, some of the customers wouldn't make appointments if they knew she was going to be there."

"Oh."

"Don't take this the wrong way, Tammy, but I think you'd make a much better mother than my youngest daughter."

"Except I can't."

"Who says? There are plenty of babies and young children who need a mother, the skill is being able to care, protect and nurture the child - it doesn't have a biological requirement."

"Well, it's not on my plan yet."

"You have a plan, Tammy? That's the first any of us have heard about it!"

"That's not fair!"

"But true!"

Tammy accepted the coffee and Sandy went back to her salon. It was gone half-past eight and there were people in the street outside the shop so it wasn't long before the first customer arrived.

"Hello, are you new?"

"No, I help out from time to time. Can I help you?"

That set the tone for the morning, half the customers didn't know Tammy, the other half did. Unsurprisingly the main topic of conversation was Sarah's imminent grandchild.

Tammy locked the door at one and went to the newsagents to get a bottle of water, she returned a few minutes later to find a man banging on the door.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah, where's the bloody woman who owns this store? I don't have all day?"

"That would be me then, and I don't like your attitude."

"I've been here fifteen minutes, I'm entitled to an attitude! I'll be late for the next delivery now, and I'll be sure to make you responsible for that!"

"Really, It's two minutes after one and I locked the door at one o'clock exactly. I checked the CCTV before I left the shop and there wasn't a delivery truck in sight. Now, where are you parked?"

He pointed down the road.

"So you parked outside the old store and decided to blame me for your cock-up when you realised what you'd done? I'm half-inclined to send you on your way and contact the supplier, but you have five minutes to get to our delivery bay behind the shop. I'll be waiting,"

Tammy watched him walk away before she took the keys and let herself back inside. She left the 'Closed' sign up and made certain the door was secure before unlocking the strong rear doors.

When the driver arrived a few mins later he was remarkably meek and restrained, even apologising for his earlier behaviour.

"My dad used to tell me that if you make a mistake, find a way of making someone else take the blame. It sounds really stupid but I used to look up to him."

Tammy wondered if she should feel sorry for the guy, but was he playing for her sympathy? She checked the delivery, more so than usual, before signing the pad and sending the driver off to his next unsuspecting victim.

Tammy unpacked the new clothing and made certain it was hung or folded before she re-opened the store. By three, however, it was clear that no-one else would be out shopping - the street was closed. Joanne had returned her trousers at two but hadn't stayed to chat.

She decided to run the package down to the ferry terminal herself so cashed up, secured the till drawer, enabled the alarms and stepped outside, the package by her feet. The chill of autumn was evident through the thin leggings, Tammy hadn't bothered to change.

It was a ten minute drive to the terminal, plus a few more minutes waiting for a parking space. She carried the parcel over to the ticket office.

"Can you complete this cargo form?"

Tammy quickly ticked 'No' to most of the questions, no it wasn't radioactive, and so on.

The clerk weighed it. "Five kilos, that's £7."

"It's on account."

"Oh, you're not the usual lady?"

"She's busy becoming a granny."

Tammy was most of the way home when her phone rang.

"Emily's had the baby! A healthy seven and a half pounds."

"Boy or girl?"

"We don't know, tests being run."

"Okay, I guess you're not around tomorrow?"

"No, I'll stay in Inverness tonight."

Tammy pulled up just behind her father and waited as he unlocked the gate into the rear paddock. Tammy secured the gate behind her.

"What's up Tammy, you look troubled?"

"Sarah's a granny but they don't know if it's a boy or a girl. Something as natural as childbirth and the answer should be obvious?"

"Not always Tammy, they had you down, incorrectly, as a boy for eighteen years?"

 
Thursday 3rd November 2016
 

"I'm heading home shortly and I'll open the shop tomorrow, Tammy."

"How's Emily doing?"

"They're sending her home in the morning but the babe might have to stay a bit longer."

"No name yet?"

"No, and I have a feeling it'll be a gender-neutral name. The chromosome test came up XXY, by the way."

"Oh, so the doctors are taking this slowly?"

"Yes, no quick or regretful decisions, they said. They should have finished their tests by Monday."

"Give my love to Emily. How's the boyfriend taking it?"

"He can't quite understand right now that there's more than two genders, he'll have to get used to it if he expects to stay with Emily!"

Tammy was home just after four, Pru met her in the hallway.

"Suzie rang, could you call them urgently?"

Tammy decided to use her mobile so had to open the secure box up, although she didn't leave the lid open any more.

"Hi Jenny?"

"Tammy, you are to drop any investigation into the Templeton brothers. Leave alone and destroy any notes you've made."

"Okay, but ...?"

"This is an order, Tammy. Did you take any photos or make any recordings?"

"No, not yet."

"Good, and speak to no-one about them."

"What's it all about?"

"Sorry Tammy, but that is a need-to-know, and you don't need to know."

"What do I do about college, and what about the school?"

"Neither are your concern, and you should not take any action that involves the brothers, however innocent that might seem."

"What about Dave?"

"I'm spoken to him, do not call him about this."

Tammy was none the wiser, this had looked like a pretty good Russian case but now she'd been frozen out. She walked back down.

"Did you want to use the study, Tammy?"

"No, Pru. I used my mobile to make the call. Have you heard from Dad today?"

"He's stuck at school, there's a staffing problem."

"Nothing new there then!"

Next stop was the kitchen, Zara was putting a pie in the oven.

"Dinner's another ninety minutes away, if you're lucky!"

She went back up to her room and took a shower, opting for a onesie once she was dry. As she stepped into the adult romper suit she recalled Elsie's dislike of the garment, especially at the breakfast or dinner table.

Tammy fell asleep and nearly missed dinner, he dad wasn't back by the time she went back upstairs.

 
Friday 4th November 2016
 

"Which firework display are you going to, Tammy?"

"I hadn't - Ouch - decided. Did you have to do that?"

"Sorry but that was a patch that needed extra wax."

"Warn me next time!"

"No way, you'll tense up. So, no invites?"

"No."

"That's a shame."

"Yeah."

"Any news on Emily's baby?"

"Yes, the name is Kim."

"Boy or girl?"

"Both, so to speak, but Emily will decide eventually whether to raise Kim as a boy or as a girl."

"It must be difficult?"

"Only for those who want to sweep such things out of the way, lest it brings shame on the family or some such twaddle."

"Tammy, the Highland folk don't like change or strange things, this isn't like London, or even Manchester."

"I know, I've encountered this behaviour before, haven't I?"

"You did, I'd forgotten."

Sandy was as efficient as usual and had Tammy through her chair in under half an hour. "It really only needed a tidy up."

She was just settling the bill when John arrived, he had something for Sandy.

"Hi Tammy."

"Hi, are you free at the moment?"

"I think I can spare twenty minutes?"

"Coffee?"

They escaped to the lounge of the Castletown Hotel, away from the prying ears of the salon.

"I've been meaning to call you, but I don't want to get Tanya by mistake?"

He pulled out a business card, "you can reach me through that number."

"Thanks, I've changed my number so I'd best give you that."

"What did you want to speak about?"

"I did a careers day at the school on Monday and we thought it would be good to bring recent students back, maybe two a week and set up a schedule of careers advice?"

"Sure, I'll do a slot."

"Thanks John, but what we need is for both of us to write to the students who've left in the past ten years."

"That's a lot of students!"

"All we do is write the letter, Janet will email it wherever possible."

"Can I come over, Sunday perhaps, and we can do this?"

"Sure, with or without Tanya?"

"That depends on her mood."

"Understood."

up
428 users have voted.
If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos! Click the "Thumbs Up!" button above to leave a Kudos

Comments

Intermission

joannebarbarella's picture

A very domestic chapter. Tammy could do with a bit of normalcy for a change.

Aah, . . to comment or not , . . . ?

OK, . . do it. Upon finishing the last 3 segments, my impulsive brain burst was, . . . Brilliant . . , just brilliant writing !! Nuf ' said ?? jjc

johncorc1

To comment or not to comment...

WillowD's picture

That is the question.

Is this a chapter I see before me?

OK. I'm just being silly now. But I've been enjoying a Tammy marathon over the past few days now. And I'm in a silly playful mood. I blame Shiraz for this. May she write many more such awesome stories.

*arches an eyebrow*

Alecia Snowfall's picture

completely disengage and destroy all materials? that leads me to a couple of conclusions. Better not say what they are, Shiraz will blindside me out of spite! *lol* Merry Christmas Shiraz!

quidquid sum ego, et omnia mea semper; Ego me.
alecia Snowfall

Indeterminate Gender

I'm XXY non-Kleinfelter's, and it's been an interesting road.

Gwen

Looks like

Tammy has some catching up to.

On a private note I hope your Christmas this year is special and fun!

Leave alone..

Podracer's picture

But will the plot leave Tammy alone? Going by her past history, what do you think.

"Reach for the sun."

Hope someone who has the

Hope someone who has the 'juice' to do so, will eventually explain to Tammy what exactly is going on regarding the Townsend brothers. Pretty dramatic to just be told to 'burn all papers, photos, etc and have NO dealings whatsoever with either of them in any manner. Even though she does see them at her school. Strange indeed, I can really understand her desire to know what is going on.

Donald Templeton

Since Donald Templeton gives Tammy her assessments at the University of the Highlands & Islands, it really isn't possible for Tammy to avoid him entirely. I wonder how her handlers plan to deal with this. They certainly haven't told Tammy.

Old Store/New Store

dani4familyfun's picture

Seems that the old store was blown up as I remember, but I didnt know about a new store being constructed. Where was that documented?

Dani4FamilyFun

Sarah's Boutique

Way back when (Tammy's first year, when she was still a student at St. Andrews), the shop (and flat above) next door to Sarah's original boutique came up for sale. As it was larger than the original, the shop was moved there over a Valentine's week. The flat was originally destined for Tanya and John, but a large consignment of drugs were found there (together with incendiary device) and the police ripped the place apart in their search. Before they handed it over, the Security Service (MI5) decided it would make a useful Northern outpost, and created the shell company Caithness Marine Research to be based in the former flat, now office, and thought it a good idea to install Helen Bell (from Unaccounted Gains) there, this time using the alias Hilary Bull. However, it later transpired she was moonlighting and became part of the "kill Tammy" plot when Tammy was testifying at the Inquests in the Royal Courts of Justice.


As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!

Need to know, not

Jamie Lee's picture

Tammy's handlers keep bring up to be careful what she says to whom, because she could unknowingly give away information.

Now Tammy is told to forget about the Townsend brothers. To destroy any documents and photos she has, and to stop any investigations.

And when Tammy asks why, she's told it's need to know and she doesn't need to know. Without specifics, that right there should heighten her Spidy senses to something actually going on and it's hot.

That delivery man and his dad have likely made a lot of enemies over the years with there motto of blaming others when the mistake is their's. It's a wonder that man has kept his job with that attitude.

Having a baby with XXY genes really puts pressure on the parents to raise the child to have the happiest life possible. Decide one way and the child could be happy or sad. Decide the other way and others could be happy or angry. And if one parent wants the child raised as a boy and the other parent a girl, a divorce and court battle could result. Hopefully both parents in this chapter can agree to raise the child as one or the other gender so the child is happy.

Others have feelings too.

Townsend Case

The complete shutting down of Tammy's investigations with the reasoning being Need to Know suggests that a case may have been discovered that threatens National Security so needs escalation (and probably handling by senior agents), so destroying all evidence of involvement (not that there's much apart from the one conversation, information dug up by Suzie and possibly questions about Stephen's suitability for teaching).

Meanwhile, thinking of Stephen, maybe he's the cause of the staffing problem at the school...


As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!