Professor Prick

by Karin Roberts

 

Crossing the Divide

 

Within three weeks all plans had been finalised for my final transformation to Nikki. Switzerland was the chosen venue for my operation at a top clinic just outside Zurich. My mother had made some excuse to Robert and would accompany me on the trip with the story that it was a girly shopping week away paid for by Eddie as a thank you to us for our kindness and help following the death of his parents. Eddie by this time was back at University, so with cases packed one early April morning we set off for the airport. As I called Eddie from a phone booth at the airport to thank him for what must have felt like the millionth time I watched my mother and Robert share a passionate embrace as the said their goodbyes "Babes" I said as his phone answered "You ok" he asked "Great just at the airport now our flights in an hour" I replied "You scared" he asked "A bit, I suppose" "It'll be ok you've got the best surgeon that money could buy" he reassured me "Your right it'll be a breeze" I said with renewed optimism. "Well call me when your fit enough" he asked "I will and Eddie I Love you so much" "Not as much as I do you" he replied "Oh yes I do" I countered "Let's not get in to this debate" he said with a laugh in his voice "Just be safe" he said "I will see you soon" I said as I ended the call and headed back out into the airport. Ninety minutes later we were in the air and I was on my way to meet my destiny.

We checked in to a rather plush Hotel in central Zurich and unpacked. Changing into a short red skirt and white blouse with 3 inch red high heels I touched up my make up and then grabbing a red leather purse I dropped in my cigarettes and left the room to meet mum for dinner. Knocking on her room door I entered, she was dressed in a white skirt with matching heels and a silky deep pink blouse, "Hungry" she asked "Yeah a bit" I replied "Well make the most of it, your admitted to the clinic early tomorrow night so this is the last meal before your surgery" she said. We walked along the lobby and waited for the lift guests looked and smiled at what to all of them seemed to be an attractive woman with her daughter on the way to the restaurant. We picked a table over by the window with a view of the bustling city as commuters made their way home from a busy day at the office. I took out my cigarettes and offered one to my mother flicking the lighter into life I lit it and inhaled the cool menthol flavour removing it from my lips I stared as the red lip mark on the filter held my the slim fingers with long red manicured nails holding it so delicately.

"Penny for them" my mother asked "Oh just thinking" I replied, "It's been quite a journey" she continued "You know dear I'm proud of you" she said reaching out and taking my free hand she gently squeezed it. "You have been through so much, and you've been so supportive of Eddie through his loss" A tear began to form in my eye "I love you mum" I said with a stammer in my voice as I choked slightly on a tear putting out the cigarette I took a tissue from my bag and gently dabbed the corner of my eyes "Let's eat dear" she said as a waiter approached. After our meal we returned to the

hotel bar for a couple of glasses of wine. We found a booth near the back of the lounge and sat down lighting cigarettes we sat and chatted over our drinks. I noticed a couple of well dressed men probably in their late thirties standing at the bar and caught one looking over at us and saying something to each other. Soon they picked up their drinks and headed towards us.

"Sprachen sie Duetsches" one asked, my mother took the lead "Eh no sorry" "Ah English" he replied "Well no Scottish" she responded. "Can we join you" has asked "Well were only staying for one more" she said "Nonsense, Kurt please get these ladies a drink" he gestured to his friend and he walked back to the bar. The guy sat down next to my mother and once the other returned with the tray of drinks he slipped in beside me in the booth. "You ladies here on business or pleasure" he asked "Just a shopping trip. You" she asked, I was so glad she was taking the lead on this as I was as nervous as a kitten as it was obvious these two were trying to pick us up. "Business we fly back to Frankfurt" tomorrow he said. "What do you do" she continued "Well we work for a Pharmaceutical company as contract managers" he replied "I'm Wolfgang and this is Kurt" he said gesturing towards his friend we all shook hands as my mother replied "I'm Clare and this is Nikki my daughter" she said "Oh I would never have put you old enough to have a daughter that age" he said with a sleazy smile, the usual tired old chat up line I thought or maybe an insult to me did I look quite old I thought.

The chat continued and it was obvious that they were trying to come between us Wolgang chatting away to my mother while Kurt tried his best to chat me up. "You are married" he asked "No, engaged"

I said extending my hand towards him and showing my ring. "Very nice" he said taking hold of my hand his middle finger stroking the inside of my palm as he held my hand. Awkwardly I removed my hand from his grasp and returned it to my lap. Aware of his gaze down my cleavage with my other hand I buttoned another button of my blouse. At that point my mother announced she was going to the toilet and Wolfgang rose letting her slide out as he went to the bar to get more drinks leaving me and Kurt alone. Nervously I reached for my bag and took out my cigarettes "Here let me" he said picking up the complementary book of matches on the table and tearing one off he struck it into life and moved it towards my cigarette I bent forward immersing the tip in the flame and inhaled "Thanks" I said "So what does your fiancé do" he asked "Oh he's studying ay University to be a chemist" I replied "Ah he's in a similar line to us" he responded his hand moving on to my knee as I froze a little "Eh yeah I suppose" I stuttered as I took an nervous drag from my cigarette and blew out some smoke "I could help you" he went on "How's that" I asked "Well" he said moving a bit closer to my ear "I could get him started in the business maybe a research post with my company good salary car private health insurance" he said his hand caressing my knee as he spoke "And just what would I need to do to earn that" I asked pulling on my cigarette again "Well maybe we could go upstairs get to know each other a bit better" he asked, lifting his hand from my thigh I said "No thanks I don't think so my fiancé will do just fine without your help" I continued crushing out the cigarette and picking up my bag I stood and stepped out of the booth round the other side "Your loss" he said as I left "No actually your's and my fiance's gain" I said turning and blowing him a kiss as I left.

I found my mother in the lobby of the hotel on the telephone to Robert "Oh here's Nikki coming, I need to go" she said hanging up the phone as I approached. As I stepped towards her she instantly knew something was wrong "What happened" she asked "Can we just go to our rooms" I asked "yeah ok, Nikki what happened" as we moved towards the lift, "I'll tell you upstairs" I snapped as the doors opened and we stepped inside. Back in the room I told her of Kurt's proposal "Oh dear I sorry, I shouldn't have left you alone with him I knew they were trying to chat us up." I lit a cigarette and sat on the edge of the bed. "It's ok I suppose I need to get used to that type of thing," "Yes you do my dear because someone as attractive as you will face it one day again, but judging from how you handled it it seems you won't need any coaching from me" she said sliding her arm around my shoulder and giving me a hug. "Suppose I better get some sleep" I said standing and crushing out the cigarette "Long day ahead oh me tomorrow" rising behind me she said "Sleep well dear I'll see you in the morning" as she kissed me on the forehead. I turned and left the room heading back to my own room to spend my last night as Craig.

I stripped out of my clothes and put on a powder blue teddy nightgown before going to the bathroom and removing my make up. Back in the room I fluffed up the pillows and climbed into bed relaxing back I clicked out the light and put my head down to sleep. Sleep did not come easy and about a hour and a half later I was still tossing and turning a bit. I wasn't sure if it was excitement or second thoughts or last minute nerves that were going through my mind, finally I rose again and walked to the Mini-Bar in the room opening it I took out a small bottle of Chardonnay and opened it pouring it into a glass picking up my cigarettes I retired to a settee in my room and pulling a coffee table slightly closer to me I put down an ashtray and lit my cigarette and took a drink of wine from the glass. I could not have been there more than a minute or so when there was a light tap on the door "Who is it" I asked "It's me Nikki" came my mother's voice from the other side of the door. I got up and crossed the room opening the door "You still awake" she said walking past me and into my room "Yeah how did you know" I asked "Mother's intuition, you got one of those for me" she asked looking at my drink "Eh yeah help yourself I think there's another one in there." She walked to the mini bar and took out another small bottle unscrewing the cap she poured it into a glass and returned to join me on the settee.

"You having second thoughts" she asked "No It's not that, it's just nerves I think worrying if thing's go wrong or what happen's in the future if me and Eddie don't work" I said. "Look Nikki, I don't think you have anything to worry about on that score the surgeon is the best we could get, he's done hundred's of these all the prognosis's have been good and with regards to you and Eddie I don't think I've ever seen a couple more in love than you two, so if anyone can make it work you two will, trust me I know what I'm talking about after what happened with your dad" she finished " So what about you and Robert" I asked "We are fine, ok I'll never love him the way I loved your father but he comes close and that's good enough for me" she said lighting one of my cigarettes. She went on "Listen darling, I've told you before I could not have wished for a better son and I just know that I'm going to get an even better daughter, and I know that Eddie is going to get a loving and attractive attentive wife, it's been a pleasure having Craig as a son and it will be a pleasure having Nikki as a daughter, now get some sleep" with that she rose and crushing out the half smoked cigarette she hugged me again and kissed me on the forehead once more before turning towards the door "Mum" I said "Yes", "I Love you so much," I know dear now get some rest." Putting out my cigarette I finished my glass of wine and returned to bed this time sleep came easily.

The next morning I awoke and took a leisurely shower before pulling on some clothes a knee length black skirt and wine blouse I reapplied my make up and called my mother's room. "What do you want to do today" I asked "Let's just have a walk around town, you need to be at the clinic by six" she said "Ok meet you in the lobby in ten" I said replacing the phone. Picking up my jacket and bag I left the room and went downstairs, looking at my watch I saw it was just after nine, so I figured would still be able to talk to Eddie. I picked up the phone and dialled his number "Hi Eddie" I said as the phone was answered "Is that you babes" he asked "Who else would it be at this time of the morning, you got another piece on the side stashed away" I joked "Not likely there's only one girl for me, and I'm talking to her" he said, "Good keep it that way," "I will, how's it going anyway you ok, I wish I could be there," "It's ok mum's been great" I said "Were just off to do a spot of window shopping" I said "I'm not due at the clinic till six" I continued "Well treat yourself to something sexy on me" he said "Thanks I, but you've given me enough already" I responded "No seriously get yourself something it will keep your spirits up," "Well maybe" I said "Look I need to go I've an exam at nine but you be careful, and Nikki I love you so much" he said "I know babes I love you too, and I miss you," "I miss you to" he said as we parted company for the moment the next time we would talk Nikki would have finally reached her goal.

A few hour's later after having gone shopping we were back in the hotel packing our overnight bags for the clinic. I put away the rather sexy white lingerie that Eddie had talked me into buying knowing that when I finally wore this for him all the right bits would be in the right places. Packed and ready I met my mother downstairs as we made our way out to the Taxi not to our surprise we spotted two familiar looking Germans trying to chat up two Oriental air stewardesses in the bar, a smile crept across our faces "Some people never give up, what do you think Kurt would have said if he'd known" my mom asked "Never had a chance" I replied "That's my girl" she said as we climbed into the taxi and it pulled away from the hotel.

Forty minutes later we were checking into the rather plush clinic in the Swiss countryside. The clinic had private facilities for family members to stay over during the course of the treatment so we were allocated adjacent rooms. About an hour later I was stripped and in bed waiting for a final meeting with my surgeon, my mother by my bedside. The final chat with the surgeon was just to go through the procedure once more check that there was no second thought's and reassure the patient that everything would be ok. With that over and my mother back in her own room I settled back to read a book soon I was asleep and tomorrow would be another day.

  

  

  

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