This story is also available at Sapphire’s Place - www.sapphireplace.org

 

Soccer Queen               by: Andrew

Part 4

 

Chapter 16

David turned from the door and looked at his sister. They seemed to be getting along better now that she thought of him as her sister. And he did love her; all the tormenting he had done was out of a twisted desire to show how different they were.

After hearing Coach Everrett describe all the different types of transgenderism, he thought that it may really have been envy.

****

At the Hewlett Packard offices, Andrea McCall answered the phone for what seemed like the thousandth time. The phones had been ringing all morning, giving her little time to learn the rest of her duties.

She hoped that she would be able to perform well enough in all her duties to keep this job. They needed the money, and Bob's medical care would be impossible without the insurance cover from HP.

"Hello, Hewlett Packard. May I help you ?"

"Good morning. This is the police. May I speak to Andrea McCall, please ?"

"Speaking. How may I help you ?"

"Mrs. McCall, I am Officer Hunter. I have been reviewing accident reports received over the last week. I am sorry to tell you that we made an error when dealing with your husband's accident.

"The officer on the scene saw how drunk your husband was, and placed all the blame on him. Fortunately, his partner was more observant and noted the state of the truck.

"The rods it was carrying were not secured properly. While I am sure that your husband's drunken state would have led to a crash anyway, the severity of his injuries would have been much less if the rod had not come loose.

"I apologise for not informing you of this earlier; I didn't receive the reports until this morning. There was obviously a mix-up at the scene of the accident.

"If you decide to sue the construction company, I will be happy to send the name and address of the company to your lawyer."

"Thank you for telling me this. I'll consider taking legal action against the company, but I've just moved into the area and don't have a lawyer. I'll have to engage someone if I decide to sue the company. Can my lawyer contact you at the station ?"

"Certainly, madam. I am on duty 9 to 5 Monday to Thursday and 5pm to 1am over Friday night/Saturday morning. Please tell your lawyer to contact me at any time within those hours."

****

David and Gail sat watching television until Samantha came round. She had her skating gear with her.

They went to the skating park, where they stayed until lunch time. A quick lunch at a local hamburger joint proved that fast food didn't necessarily mean good food.

David mentioned visiting their father that afternoon. Gail agreed that this would be a good idea, though Samantha could not stand the thought of seeing her friends so upset. She excused herself and returned home.

David and Gail skated to the hospital, being careful to avoid pedestrians and when crossing roads. Having seen their father put in a coma by a traffic accident, they had great respect for the dangers of roads.

They spent the afternoon holding their father's hands and talking to him. Eventually, the weeping pair were escorted out at the end of visiting hours.

For the remainder of the afternoon, they watched TV. Deciding to give their mother a treat on her first day at work, they started preparing tea at 4.30, guessing she would be home by 5.30 at the latest.

****

After the call from the police, Andrea returned to learning her duties and the routine of the office. Throughout the day, as her duties allowed, she thought about what the officer had said.

At lunch time, she had discussed the situation with her co- workers. They had all recommended that she sue. They had also provided her with a list of lawyers names.

Deciding that, since everyone gave the same advice, it might be a good idea to pursue legal action. Before her lunch-break ended she had used the public phone in the canteen to go through the list of lawyers she had been given.

The fourth name on the list was a local company calling itself Smith Whiteman. Their receptionist was very efficient when Andrea phoned and asked for an appointment.

Fortunately for Andrea, there had been a cancellation for the following day and the junior partner, Mr Whiteman, could see her at 11:30. Andrea decided that she would ask her boss if she could get an early lunch tomorrow in order to keep the appointment.

When he heard the reason for her request, he had been most agreeable. His only stipulation was that she be back at her desk in an hour.

The rest of the day was spent answering phones and becoming accustomed to her duties. The time went fast, and soon it was 5 15 and finishing time for Andrea. She handed over to her replacement, then picked up her handbag and headed for home.

She arrived home at 5.30, parking her car in the driveway. She was surprised and delighted to smell cooking when she entered the house.

"Just sit at the table, Mum," called Gail. "We've cooked tea for you, since this is your first day at work."

"Well, thank you, girls. Now what do you want, I wonder ? You normally don't do anything in the kitchen without being bribed or coerced."

"Nothing, Mum," answered David, coming up behind his mother and giving her an enormous hug. "We just thought the new working girl deserved a treat."

"Well, this is unexpected. And I am most appreciative. I've had some good news today, and this is just icing on the cake."

The children served the tea for their mother in silence. She was surprised to find it consisted of boiled potatoes, baby carrots and a mince and onion pie, which she suspected was store-bought.

After tea, Andrea sat Gail and David down and explained to them what the police had told her. She also described her co- workers attitude and advice.

When they heard that she was going to see a lawyer the next day, they were both extremely worried.

"Isn't that going to be expensive, Mum ?" David asked.

"Apparently not; I've heard that most lawyers here operate for a percentage of any award. There will be an initial fee, but I should be able to cover that from the sale of our house in Edinburgh."

They discussed the ramifications of the new information about the accident. If they won the lawsuit, they might be awarded enough money to solve any money worries for good. On the other hand if they lost, they might end up with a large award against them.

Andrea decided that they did not know enough about the American legal system, and that further discussion of the subject could wait until after she had seen the lawyer.

The doorbell rang, bringing the conversation to a halt. When David answered it, it was Samantha arriving as arranged.

David welcomed her and they walked towards his room, calling out for Gail to join them as they passed. Once the bedroom door was closed, they started chatting about what had happened that day after Samantha left them when they visited their father.

"How's your father ?"

"The same," replied David. "He's still in a coma, but his wounds appear to be healing. I don't know what he's going to do when he wakes up. Oh God, I hope he wakes up soon."

Gail hugged her brother, agreeing completely with the sentiment. "What did you do today ?" she asked Samantha to change the subject.

"Becky and I went to the mall. We didn't have any money, so we spent our time window-shopping and scoping out the boys. When dinner time arrived we headed home, and here I am."

Gail looked at Samantha slyly and asked "Were there any cute guys at the mall today ?"

"A few," Samantha replied. She returned Gail's look "We were only window-shopping today, you know."

David and Gail dissolved in giggles at her joke. While they were still laughing, Samantha flopped back on David's bed. She felt utterly relaxed and content with her new friends.

After recovering from their bout of giggles, Gail told their friend about their mother's news. When she heard what the police had to say, Samantha immediately agreed with their mother's proposed course of action.

"Sue the pants off the construction company. Even if your father was drunk, I'll bet they have been told before about improperly loaded trucks. You're bound to make a mint.

"Now, what else are we going to do tonight ? I don't feel like sitting round doing nothing all evening."

After discussing the options, they decided to have a game of football in Samantha's garden, though she insisted on calling it her 'yard'.

David immediately changed into his strip while sending Gail to her room to change. Samantha ran to her house to get her own strip.

Rotating the position of goalkeeper, they had a great time playing one-on-one. Samantha and David took the time to show Gail some moves, which improved the quality of the game as she started playing better.

By the time they were called in by their mothers, they were all hot and sweaty. Samantha called a cheerful "goodnight" as she entered her house.

Gail and David raced each other for a shower, a race Gail won because she started nearer their house. David sighed and sat down in front of the television with a cup of tea while he waited for his turn.

After his shower, David changed into his night gown. Walking into the living room, he kissed his mother and Gail goodnight.

Lying in his bed, he reflected on the events of the day. It had certainly been eventful.

First, Coach Everrett had revealed secrets from her past and offered her help and support. That meant a great deal to David, and he found that the respect he already viewed her with was changing to the kind of love he felt for his mother.

Then his mother had informed them of the phone call from the police, and the resultant appointment with a lawyer. He hoped that nothing bad came from that visit - he had little experience dealing with lawyers. He only knew that his parents had grumbled at the size of the fees charged by the lawyer dealing with the sale of their house. Samantha's confidence made him feel better, though.

Sighing at the complexity of it all, he rolled over and fell asleep.

 

Chapter 17

David woke, relieved to be in his own bed after spending last night on the floor. Swinging his legs out of bed, he felt the night gown settle round his ankles before he stood up.

*What an extraordinary day yesterday was* he thought. *Coach Everrett really surprised me with what she said. I hope that lawyer Mum's going to see today can help us.*

He was slow today; Gail was already in the bathroom when he got there. Sighing in resignation, he walked to the kitchen where he poured a bowl of corn flakes and made himself a cup of tea.

While he was eating, his mother opened the door and told him she had left a list of chores for him and Gail to complete that day. This caused him to feel rather put-upon, but he didn't object, realising that the faster he could complete the chores, the sooner he could go out to play.

"When you do the washing, Davina, remember to separate the whites from the colours," His mother kissed him goodbye and left for work.

When Gail finished in the bathroom, David dived in with a muttered "finally" as he passed her. Gail just stuck her tongue out at him and retreated to her room to change.

Finally washed and dressed, David returned to the kitchen to see Gail just finishing her breakfast. He picked up the list left for them by their mother, and brought it over to the table.

He and Gail became extremely depressed looking at the list - surely that would keep them busy all day They divided the chores between them and started.

David had drawn what he thought of as the short straw. He had to do the washing and vacuuming, while his sister did the dishes and the dusting as well as cleaning the windows.

Remembering his mothers' advice, he went through the basket, separating it into two piles, The whites he immediately stuffed in the washing machine and closed the door.

He turned the power on at the mains, then pressed the on button. Noticing the tray for soap powder, he opened it, wondering how much powder to use. The box contained a scoop, so he guessed that one scoopful would do.

The tray had three compartments, one labelled "Pre", one "Wash" and the other "Cond". Reckoning that these compartments were used for their stated purpose, he poured the powder in the "Wash" compartment. He was about to close the drawer when he saw the fabric conditioner as he put the powder away.

He poured some conditioner into the compartment marked "Cond" and closed the drawer. Then he tried to figure out how to start the machine.

He stood looking at the washing machine for a full five minutes, trying to work out how to operate it. It seemed easy enough, just turn the dial to the required temperature and choose the programme. However, he had no idea what settings were required.

He walked back into the kitchen where his sister was putting the last of the dishes away.

"Do you know what temperature to wash clothes in ?" he asked her.

"Dunno, but Mum says you should wash whites in hot water, and colours at a cooler temperature. Why not put it to the maximum for whites, and in the middle for colours ?"

David thought about that and returned to the utility room, where he followed his sisters advice. He looked at the programmes, and selected "Wash/Spin" then pressed start.

Finished with that for the moment, he returned to the kitchen to start on something else. He saw that Gail was dusting the furniture, so he got the Hoover out of the hall cupboard and started vacuuming the floor.

As he worked, he listened to the washing machine. When it stopped, he returned to the utility room and took the whites out of the washer and put them in the drier, replacing them with the colours.

Then he stopped and looked at the temperature control again. His sister had suggested something in the middle for colours, so he moved it to 60 degrees and hoped that was right. Pressing start again, he returned to the vacuuming, wondering if he would ever get out of the house that day.

While he was vacuuming the floor, his mind wandered to the times he had been out on dates with Jack. He thought about what he and Jack had done, and was deeply troubled. While he had enjoyed it immensely, he was aware of the cultural barriers to same-sex pairings.

*I'm either turning gay, or I'm starting to think like a girl. I don't know which is worse, but judging from the way I'm dressing, I think it is better to _be_ a girl rather than a poof or a nancy boy.*

****

Andrea McCall walked into the lawyers office at 11:25 and told the receptionist that she had an appointment with Mr Whiteman. The receptionist checked in her diary and told Andrea to wait while she called Mr. Whiteman.

After 5 minutes, she was shown into an office where a young man, who looked to be in his late twenties, sat behind the desk. He greeted her and introduced himself as Peter White- man. Asking her to sit, he asked her what the problem was.

Andrea outlined the accident, admitting that her husband had been drinking. She told him about the call she had received from the police, and what they had told her about the rods not being properly secured on the van.

"Do you have any further information about the company, Mrs. McCall ?"

"I'm sorry, the police told me that they would only give further information to my lawyer. I guess that's you if you want to take the case. Officer Hunter is the man to contact. He is on duty 9 to 5 Monday to Thursday and 5pm to 1am on Friday."

"Certainly, I'll see what I can find out for you. Can you tell me where I can contact you ?"

Giving Mr. Whiteman the number for HP and her home number, she thanked him and stood to leave. Telling him that she had to return to work, she shook his hand and left the office.

****

David and Gail took a break for lunch at midday. Looking in the fridge, they found the makings for a variety of different sandwiches, along with plenty of soft drinks. Settling down with their sandwiches, they discussed what they had been doing that morning.

"How come you get all the easy jobs ?" David complained.

Gail stuck her tongue out at her sister/brother and replied "''Cause I'm a good girl."

This caused David to react angrily. All morning he had been working hard on the washing and vacuuming, getting more and more frustrated. His sister sticking her tongue out at him was the last straw.

He jumped off the chair and raced round the table. Gail saw that she had pushed him too far, and leapt away from the table and raced out of the house.

Finally catching Gail at the end of their drive, David put her in a head-lock and dragged her back to the kitchen. He dragged her back to her side of the table and said in a sugary tone of voice

"You're going to do the rest of the vacuuming, aren't you ?"

Gail realised that David was truly pissed, and wouldn't take any more teasing. She also thought that it would be fair if she completed the vacuuming, and let him finish the dusting and clean the windows.

"OK, OK!" she cried. "Just let's finish our lunch in peace."

David thought about the tone of his sisters' reply, and realised that he shouldn't press any further. He released her, and just told her to remember. As he was walking back to his seat, Gail stuck her tongue out at his retreating back.

When all the chores had been finished, David and Gail decided that they could do with some exercise after spending all day in the house. Gail grabbed her skipping rope and they headed outside.

****

Throughout the day, Andrea wondered what would come of her conversation with the lawyer. As she answered phones and helped visitors, she caught herself thinking about the possibilities.

At 4pm, the phone rang again. Answering as usual, "Good afternoon, Hewlett Packard," she was delighted when the man on the other end asked to speak to her.

"This is Andrea McCall. How may I help you ?"

"Good afternoon, Mrs. McCall, this is Peter Whiteman. I've spent the afternoon searching for details about the company. I found that this is not without precedent. They have had many similar cases in the past where materials they were transporting were improperly secured. Your husband's is the most serious injury to have resulted from this lack of care.

"I don't think they would like to go to court. The precedents would be available to the judge, and would be likely to influence him on your behalf. Despite your husbands' drunkenness, I think they will want to settle out of court.

"However, we have to be prepared to take them to court, and that might be expensive. Do I have your approval to proceed ?"

"Certainly, Mr Whiteman. Do I need to sign anything ?"

"Not at this stage, Mrs. McCall. Your presence will be required later when the company starts making overtures. I'll just start the ball rolling by serving the company with a subpoena. You should hear from me again within two weeks."

"Thank you, Mr. Whiteman. You have lifted a great weight from my mind. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future."

"I anticipate a favourable result on this one. Thank you for your time. Goodbye, Mrs. McCall."

"Goodbye, Mr. Whiteman".

After replacing the phone, Andrea felt really happy. It now looked like something good would come from the tragedy that had hit the family. Time flew as she continued working in a very upbeat mood until quitting time arrived.

The drive home went as fast as it had the day before, and she was soon turning into her own drive. The delicious smells she remembered from the previous occasion she had come from work were missing.

Looking around the house, she noticed that it was noticeably cleaner, so apparently the children had completed their chores. All the washing appeared to have been done and the furniture had all been polished.

As she was wondering where they had gone, she heard the front door opening as David and Gail entered the house. Both looked up as they realised their mother was waiting for them. They both had a guilty look on their faces, realising they had not made the tea as they had the day before. Their mother just sighed and asked them what they wanted for tea.

Andrea started cooking tea and noticed the state of her children. She sent them both to clean up and have a shower - they were sweaty and dirty after hours playing football.

While they were eating, David mentioned that they hadn't visited their father that day. "I hope he recovers soon," he added.

"They're doing their best, David," his mother replied. Why don't we visit him after tea ? I think visiting is allowed after 7pm, so we should be able to see him for a while."

"That's a good idea" "Let's" both children spoke at once, which caused their mother to hold up her hands and say "One at a time. OK, we'll go when the dishes are cleared."

This started a flurry of activity as David and Gail ran to wash and dry the dishes. Their mother came in and helped them put the dishes away before sending them off to get ready to visit their father.

After going to the toilet and making up their faces, David and Gail grabbed their handbags as they walked to the door. Their mother was already in the car waiting for them, and they left for the hospital.

After a harrowing visit, they were ejected by the nurses at the end of visiting hours. As they were leaving, David asked the nurse what the chances of his father surviving were. The nurse assured them that everything that could be done for him was being done.

"His body has received a massive shock in the accident," she told them. "It will take time for everything to heal to the point where he can wake up. I assure you, though, that we are taking care of him to the best of our ability."

They left the hospital soon after that, but they were all too keyed up to return home immediately. A stop at the ice cream parlour in the shopping centre was agreed on by all as a good idea.

Letting the children make their own choice, Andrea decided that a double chocolate wafer would be perfect comfort food for herself. She paid for the ice cream and they sat down to relax and enjoy the treat.

While they were eating, Mrs. McCall related to the children what the lawyer had said. They were both pleased that he was hopeful of getting a large settlement for them. All three hoped it would teach the company to take better care when loading their trucks.

That night, as he lay in bed, David reflected on the events of the day. He realised that housework had to be done, so wasn't too angry about having to do it. He hoped Gail would share the tasks more equitably next time. After their fight, he thought it likely.

He also considered his thoughts about Jack earlier in the day. As he reflected on what he had decided, an image of Jack sprang up in his mind and he could feel himself getting excited. He really hoped that Jack would call soon.

Playing this afternoon after cleaning the house had been fun. He and Gail had played with a skipping rope until Samantha had come along, after which they had gone down to the park for a good kick-about with a football. They had just got home after that in time for their mother to make the tea.

Visiting with his father this evening had been painful as usual, but he loved his father too much to stay away. He hoped the nurse was right and he would wake up soon after he got over the shock.

Ice cream with his mother and sister had been a real treat, one he hoped would be repeated in the future. He fell asleep with a smile on his face, remembering the taste of ice cream.

 

Chapter 18

Samantha stretched luxuriously as she woke up. She was sorry to have missed Davina and Gail last night; she had some good news for them.

Jim had phoned last night, inviting her to a dance on Friday. He had told her to pass the word on to Davina and Gail; Jack and Alex were also going to the dance, and wanted them as dates. When she had gone round to tell them, their house had been locked up.

She wondered what they could do today. Stretching again, she rose from her bed and headed for the bathroom to have a shower.

As she returned to her room after drying herself, she decided that she would dress casually in shorts and sneakers, so that she was ready for anything.

****

At breakfast that morning, David and Gail discussed their fight the previous lunch time. Their mother had already left for work, telling them to behave themselves.

"Sorry for hurting you, Gail" David started.

"That's okay," Gail replied, "I've been a bit of a pig to you since I got here. I'll try to do better. I really do love you, you know."

She continued "You make a very beautiful girl, you know. Do you think you will stay as Davina, or will you return to being David ?"

Her question mirrored his own thoughts of yesterday. Remembering the conclusions he had come to, he replied "I don't think returning to David is an option any longer. Too many people know me as Davina now. Maybe I could have gone back when Samantha first put me in her strip, but Mum seems to like me this way. Then there's before Jack. That changes everything.

"I am extremely attracted to him, but I don't think he would be attracted to me if he knew the whole truth. More likely, he'd kill me.

"Then there's Becky. She likes Davina, but Samantha says she has a bad attitude towards cross dressers, which I suppose I am at present. Samantha told me that Becky hates cross dressers with a passion.

"Coach Everrett describes me as transsexual like herself, so I guess that's about the best description. I think I'll have to live as Davina from now on. I only hope I can be registered at school as a girl!"

Gail didn't understand everything David had just told her. She asked "What's a transsexual ?"

"A transsexual is someone who has the body of one sex, but the mind of the other. Nowadays, medication and surgery can give these people the outward appearance of their desired sex."

Gail was stunned. "You mean Coach Everrett wants to be a man ?" she squeaked.

"No, she used to be a man. Don't tell anyone, I don't think she wants her circumstances spread round the school as gossip. As the girl's PE coach, it could be really embarrassing for her."

That floored Gail. She had seen Coach Everrett and knew how feminine she appeared even in a track suit when she was training the team. Then she looked across the table at her sister/brother and realised just how feminine he had become in only a week and a half. If he kept this up for years, she decided that there would be no way to tell him from someone born female.

Just then, the phone began to ring. David ran to answer it. "Hello, McCall residence" he said into the mouthpiece.

"Davina! It's lovely to hear your voice," said a voice on the other end. After a moment's thought, David identified it as Jack. His heart skipped a beat as he answered excitedly

"Oh, hi Jack. What's up ?"

"Are you coming on Friday ?"

"Sorry, what's happening on Friday ?"

"Didn't Samantha tell you about the dance on Friday ? Jim was supposed to ask her to invite you and Gail - Alex will be there as well."

"When did Jim talk to Samantha ?"

"Last night, about nine o'clock, I think."

"Ah, we didn't see Samantha last night. We were at the hospital visiting Dad and didn't get home until late.

"I'd love to go to the dance with you, but you'd better get Alex to ask Gail himself. It would only be polite. However, I'll tell her about the dance and to expect Alex's call."

"Great! I'll see you Friday, then."

"OK, see you then. I'm in the middle of breakfast just now, so I'll have to go. I'll talk to you later. Bye."

"Bye"

As David put the phone down, he thought about what had just happened. Hearing Jack's voice on the phone had really excited him, and he was eagerly anticipating the dance on Friday. *This is not normal for a boy,* he thought. *I must be beginning to think like a girl now.*

He turned back to the table and Gail was sitting with an expectant expression on her face.

"What was that about Alex ?" she asked. "I heard his name mentioned, but I didn't catch what you were saying."

"The boys are going to a dance on Friday, and they're asking us to accompany them. That was Jack on the phone, inviting me. Well, he thought we knew about it, apparently Jim called Samantha last night, but we haven't seen her since teatime yesterday.

"I told Jack that Alex should ask you personally, it's only polite."

"Thank you, Davina. You're the best sister in the world, you know that ? As a brother you were a beast, but I like you much more now.

"You know your birthday is on Saturday, so we can treat the dance as a sort of birthday party. I bet the boys will go for it."

As David was about to reply, the doorbell rang. He changed directions and walked over to the front door. When he opened it, he saw Samantha standing there with a huge grin on her face.

"Guess where we're going this Friday," she said as she bounded into the house.

David looked at his friend as he closed the door, and was happy to see she was as excited about Friday as he was.

"Jack just called, to check that I was going on Friday. At first I didn't have a clue what he was talking about - we hadn't seen you since football yesterday. Then he explained about the dance, and I became as excited as you obviously are."

As he was talking, David and Samantha walked into the kitchen where Gail was just finishing her breakfast. She immediately got another cup out of the cabinet, and offered Samantha a cup of tea.

"I'd really prefer coffee, if you have any," replied Samantha.

Putting the kettle on, Gail lifted a jar of instant coffee from the work top. She waved it at Samantha and asked if that would be OK.

"That'll do," Samantha replied, so Gail put some coffee granules in the cup and waited for the kettle to boil. When it did, she poured water onto the coffee and passed it to Samantha telling her to help herself to milk and sugar.

They sat round the table as David finished his breakfast and Samantha drank her coffee. Gail poured herself another cup of tea as they discussed what they could do that day.

Gail and Samantha both wanted to go swimming, but agreed that David couldn't change in the ladies' changing room without fear of discovery. They were still puzzling over what to do, when the telephone rang again.

Gail jumped up, shouting "I hope that's for me!" as she ran to pick it up. She recovered her breath before picking up the receiver and saying "Hello ?"

"H-hello, c-can I s-speak to G-Gail please" a nervous voice answered her.

Gail thought it might be Alex, so she said "Alex ? It's Gail speaking. Calm down please, there's no need to be nervous."

There was a great sigh of relief from the other end and Alex said "Hello, Gail. Do y-you w-want to go to the d-dance with me on F-Friday ?"

"Of course, silly. There's nothing to be frightened of. I'll be glad to go to the dance with you. I'm already looking forward to it, and you will be the most perfect partner there. I'll make sure of that."

"I'm not very good at talking on the phone. I always get t-tounge-tied and start s-stuttering when I have to do it. I-I l-look f-forward to seeing you on F-Friday."

"Oh Alex, you loveable lunk. We'll have to work on your telephone manner. Practice makes perfect, you know. (*giggle*)"

"Awww, G-Gail, don't t-tease me. I-I'm f-frightened enough as it is. I'll s-see you on F-Friday then ?"

"Of course. I'm really looking forward to it. See you then."

"Bye."

As Gail was about to reply, she heard the phone at the other end being put down. "Bye ?" she said to the dialling tone, and replaced the handset.

"That was Alex," she announced as she returned to the kitchen. "He wants to take me to the dance on Friday. The ninny was so nervous he was stuttering. He even replaced the receiver before I said goodbye. I'll have to teach him some manners."

"That's great, Gail!" shouted David. "Now we all have dates for Friday night. I agree that we should make it a sort of birthday party. I've not had a chance to organise one. Samantha, is Becky coming to the dance ?"

"Yes, she should be there. Jim said that Ted was going to the dance as well, and as far as I know, they're still together. I'll ask her later today, though, just to make sure. What's this about making it a birthday party, though ? Who's birthday, and when is it ?"

"It's my birthday on Saturday, I'll be sixteen," David replied. "Hardly sweet, though!"

He laughed at his own joke as Gail and Samantha dissolved in giggles.

"Wow!" shouted Samantha. "Don't you worry about a thing. Just enjoy the dance, and let's see what we can arrange with the boys.

"Now, what can we do today ? Swimming is out, so how about a game of tennis ? We've played soccer nearly every day, so let's do something different."

"What can I wear for that ?" questioned David. "Besides, we don't have racquets."

"Just wear a short skirt and sneakers. Besides, you can hire a racquet at the tennis court."

"Sneakers ?" David sounded puzzled. "What are sneakers ?"

"Like these," Samantha said as she pointed at her feet.

"Ahh, training shoes. OK, give us a minute to get changed and we'll head down to the courts when we're ready. Help yourself to another cup of coffee while you're waiting if you want."

David and Gail returned to their rooms to get changed as Samantha poured herself another cup of coffee. She sipped at it as she thought about these two people, her new friends.

*It sure is nice having two girls next door,* she thought *Even if one of them isn't _exactly_ a girl. We can get together and have lots of fun.

*Now what can we do for Davina's birthday ? The boys will agree to make the dance a party for her, but where can we get a cake ?*

She thought about that for a while, and then picked up the phone. "Jim ?" she asked when he answered the phone. "Listen, it's Davina's birthday on Saturday, and we want to make Friday into a kind of birthday party for her. Do you know where we can get a cake ?"

"That's great!" Jim's warm voice responded. "I'll phone the organisers of the dance, and see if they can do anything for us. I'll phone now, to give us as much notice as possible. See you soon, love."

"Bye. Kiss"

As she replaced the phone, she wondered how Davina would take this. *It'll probably end up being one of those really embarrassing affairs where a large cake is given to the birthday girl. Ah well, she'll survive a little embarrassment.*

David and Gail returned at that point, both dressed for a game of tennis. They left the house and walked to the courts, talking excitedly about the dance coming up on Friday. Samantha didn't mention the arrangements she had asked Jim to make.

 

Chapter 19

David, Gail and Samantha were still giggling as they walked down the road. All the time they had been playing, there had been a crowd of boys trying to see their panties.

With a red face, David recounted his experiences whenever he had to bend down to pick up a ball.

"All the boys seemed to get very interested then," he said. "I don't know what it is with boys, but they only seem interested in seeing my underwear."

"Get used to it, hun," Samantha advised. "It *is* all they're interested in!"

That caused them all to dissolve in giggles. David gradually lost his blush as they continued to laugh at the actions of the boys.

They were all feeling a pleasant tingle from a morning of hard exercise. Although they were all sweaty from all the running they had done, they agreed that tennis had been an excellent idea. With three people playing, they had managed to book a court for three hours. That had allowed three games of an hour each, so they had all played each other.

"What do you want to do for lunch ?" Samantha asked.

"Dunno, we've nothing ready-made," replied Gail.

"Do you want to go to the food court ?" David asked at the same time.

Samantha looked at the and shook her head. "One at a time, guys. Davina, that's a good idea. Do you have enough money ?"

After searching their purses, the three decided that they could afford both bus fare to and from the mall and a light lunch.

"Let's shower and change before we go to the mall. I'll come over when I'm finished and we can go when you're ready."

As she was talking, Samantha came abreast of her house. She waved to her friends and ran into the house to shower and change.

The phone was ringing as David and Gail entered their house. David ran to answer it, and gasped "Hello, McCall residence."

"This is Doctor Jamieson. May I speak to Andrea McCall, please ?"

"She's at work at present. Do you want her number ?"

"No. I'm too busy to phone round for her. Could you please tell her that we need her decision urgently ?"

"Certainly. I'll pass your message on."

"Thank you. Sorry, I'll have to go now; I've just been paged. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

When the dialling tone sounded in his ear, David quickly dialled the number for HP. After a few rings, he heard his mother's voice "Hello, Hewlett Packard. May I help you ?"

"Mum, it's me, Davin ... I mean David. The hospital have just rung; they want to know your decision urgently."

"Hello, Davina. Thanks for telling me; I'll get back to them when I have a moment to spare. How are you and Gail managing ?"

"We went to the tennis courts with Samantha this morning. It was great, and we're going to the food court at the shopping centre for lunch. After a shower, that is. We're all hot and sweaty from all the exercise."

"That's good, now you and Gail behave yourselves, hear. I'll be home at teatime. Do you think you and Gail could get something ready tonight ?"

The last was spoken in a sugary tone of voice that David recognised as his mother issuing an order, rather than making a request.

"OK, Mum. Do you have any idea what you'd like ?"

"No, just buy something at the grocery. I'm sure you can whip up something between you that will do."

"OK, Mum. I'm heading for my shower now. I'll see you when you get home."

"Bye, love"

"Bye."

David put the phone down and looked round to tell Gail what had been said. He didn't see her and realised that she had already gone to have her shower. Muttering about the perfidy of sisters, he walked to his room to get a change of clothes ready.

As Gail was coming out of the bathroom, the doorbell rang. Passing David as he entered the bathroom for his own shower, she opened the door to let Samantha in. David hung his skirt and blouse on the back of the door as he stripped for his shower.

The two girls got cans of soda from the fridge and sat discussing the morning and plans for the afternoon. Gail wanted to visit the hospital to see her Dad, and finally managed to persuade Samantha to come along with them.

Twenty minutes later David came out of the bathroom, his still damp hair wrapped in a towel that was wound in a turban-like arrangement. He immediately went to his room to put light makeup on and to blow-dry his hair.

Walking into the kitchen, he grabbed a can of coke from the fridge and sat beside his sister and Samantha.

"That was the hospital on the phone for Mum. They said she had to make a decision soon. I hope that Dad is going to be okay, and the decision doesn't involve donor organs or anything."

"I'm sure it won't" said Gail. "They surely would have told us if he was dying. Anyway, let's hope he gets better soon."

"We'll see this afternoon," added Samantha. "Gail has persuaded me to visit the hospital with you this afternoon. I know how distressing you find this, so I'll be there to support you."

"Oh, by the way, Gail," David added. "We have to buy something for tea tonight. Mum wants us to make something that will be ready when she gets home." Gail just groaned and rolled her eyes.

Gail and David checked their purses and discovered that they might be a bit short of cash. They asked Samantha if she could loan them some money until their mother got home.

"I'll go and ask Mom," she replied as she ran out the door. She was back within minutes with a $10 note, which she gave to David.

He immediately put it in his purse, before swinging his handbag over his shoulder. "Coming, girls," he asked as he walked over to the door.

They walked down to the bus stop, where David noticed the same two old ladies he had seen the first time he had gone to the shopping centre dressed as a girl.

"Hello, dear," one of them said to him. "Going out with your friends ?" she added, indicating Gail and Samantha.

To be polite, David smiled at her and indicated Gail saying "She's my sister," and pointing at Samantha "and she's my neighbour."

"That's nice, dear. We all need our friends and family. Why when I was a young girl ..."

David tuned out as she began a long and rambling account of her adventures when she was young. However, he kept a polite smile on his face and did not allow his eyes to glaze over so that she wouldn't suspect that he wasn't listening. It seemed to satisfy her, and she kept up a non-stop monologue until the bus arrived.

As they were boarding the bus, the old lady turned to her friend and said "What a lovely young girl. Not at all like all those hoydens you get these days."

David, Gail and Samantha ran to the back of the bus before dissolving in a fit of giggles. They looked up at the front of the bus where the two old ladies had resumed their conversation as if there had never been an interruption.

Arriving at their stop, the three got off the bus, amused to see that the two old ladies had not stopped talking yet. They waved goodbye as they walked past them on their way to the food court.

Entering the shopping centre, David became very nervous as he felt the stares from all the boys hanging around. *I'm just getting used to one boy, and now I have to deal with this. It's worse than this morning - at least then they were only trying to see my panties. I feel as if all these boys and men want to strip me naked.*

He mentioned his feelings and both girls turned to him with pitying looks in their eyes. Gail said "That's boys for you. They never seem to grow up, and all they want to do is grab an eyeful of tit."

David and Samantha dissolved into giggles, which caused two nearby boys to look nervously at the three pretty girls walking along behind them. They feared that they were the target of the girls' humour and both felt highly embarrassed.

The threesome walked into the food court and ordered a light salad with a soft drink each. David looked in his purse and sighed. After paying for the meal, he had no money left other than one bus fare and the $10 he had borrowed for groceries. It looked likely that he would be walking to the hospital to see his Dad, or else he would have to walk home from the hospital.

"Do you know any way of earning some money, Samantha ?" he asked. "I'm nearly broke, and I need another source of income."

"You're nearly sixteen, right ? If you could drive, you could get a job with one of those fast food joints as a delivery driver. If you can't, you might still be able to get a job in one of the restaurants. Of course, there's always the supermarket - they always need checkout girls."

"Thanks, Samantha. You're a real friend, you know that ?"

"Thanks, Davina. You're sweet."

Gail had been listening to this, and she was getting a bit jealous. So she asked Samantha if there was any way she could earn money.

"Since we're too young to hold down a regular job, the only way we can earn money is through a paper route or by baby-sitting. I've been baby-sitting for the last two years, and the extra money certainly helps."

Gail thought about that. She was fond of children, and thought it might be a good way to make some easy money.

"How do you go about getting baby-sitting jobs ?" she asked.

"Mostly it's just neighbours. When they want to go out for the evening, they sometimes need someone at short notice. That's what I do a lot of.

"Sometimes, Mom goes out with her sister and her husband. I have to look after my cousins, but I don't get paid."

Gail thought about what she had been told. It seemed to her that Samantha was only doing relief work, so she couldn't be earning much money.

"Why don't you try to get a regular baby-sitting job ?" she asked.

"Most people already have regular baby-sitters. You've got to have something special or be available on all the time to get a regular position. With my commitment to the soccer team, I can't afford the time to be a regular sitter."

"I could fill in for you the times you're not available. Do you think people would accept two part-time baby-sitters instead of one regular one ?"

"That might be a good gimmick. We could also double up if they wanted more kids watched. Let's think about that, and see if we can't come up with a proposal."

They finished their lunches in silence, then walked out of the shopping centre. Looking in their purses, they saw that they were all short of money, so decided to walk to the hospital.

On their arrival, they walked to the room assigned to David's father. It was empty. David felt a wrenching pain in his gut when he saw this and started to cry. Gail too was beginning to collapse. A passing nurse noticed this and said

"It's OK, you can see him tomorrow. He's in surgery just now."

David sagged with relief. He turned to Samantha and buried his head in her shoulder as he recovered himself. Gail just lay on the floor for a minute before dragging herself to her feet. She joined in the hug with Samantha.

"He's not dead, then ?" he asked the nurse.

"No, he's doing fine. We really hope that he recovers soon. Honest, it's just some cosmetic things that need doing."

Still limp with relief, David looked round at Gail and Samantha, Gail was in as bad a state as himself, and Samantha wasn't much better.

"What do we do now ?" he asked.

"Let's just go home; I don't feel up to doing anything strenuous now," answered Gail. Samantha nodded her head in agreement and they left the hospital hoping that the bus wouldn't be long.

While waiting, David remembered that they had to buy something for tea that night. He persuaded Gail and Samantha to stop at the grocery store on their way home, to get that chore out of the way.

Back home, David started putting the groceries away. For tea that night, he had bought a pound of mince, along with carrots and onions for seasoning. A selection of herbs and spices could be used to add flavour to the mince, and he had also bought a bag of potatoes. The sweet he had bought was a blueberry cheesecake, a particular favourite of his. He put the change on top of the till receipt, so that his mother could pay back Mrs. Davis.

While they were in the grocery, he had enquired about the possibility of employment. There was an opening for a till operator, and he had filled in an application. The manager told him that he would need some proof of his age, and that he could only be employed after his sixteenth birthday. That gave him a few days to figure out a way of providing the proof.

Dressed as he was, he had no option but to give his name as "Davina" and fill in the "sex" box with an F. He hoped that his mother would be able to help him solve this dilemma.

After the groceries were put away, David put the kettle on for tea. Remembering that Samantha liked coffee, he got the coffee-maker out of the cupboard and filled that as well. While the coffee was brewing, he got out three mugs and put the tea in the teapot. Searching in the cupboards, he got together a selection of biscuits and put them on a plate.

Once the kettle had boiled and the coffee was ready, he poured Samantha a mug of coffee and filled the teapot. Collecting everything onto a tray, he carried them through to the living room, where Gail and Samantha were watching a daytime soap on television. They were grateful for a distraction, and helped themselves to their drinks and biscuits.

As he settled back with his own cup of tea, David thought they were in for a boring afternoon with only the television showing afternoon soaps for company.

 

Chapter 20

As they sat watching TV, Gail suddenly remembered what she and Samantha were discussing at lunch.

"Samantha, do you think we could really get together to provide baby-sitting ?"

Samantha roused at the sound of her name. Her normal reaction when she watched afternoon soaps was to fall into a kind of daydream where she became one of the glamorous people portrayed by the actresses.

"Huh ? Oh, the baby-sitting thing. Yeah, let's talk about it. Have you ever done any baby-sitting before ?"

"No, but it doesn't seem too hard. After all, we'll be older than the kids we are watching. We just have to tell them what to do."

"It's not that simple. For example, do you know how to change a diaper ?"

"A what ?"

"A diaper; you know the things you put on babies to stop them making a mess all over the floor."

"Oh, a nappy. No, I've never done that. Doesn't seem too hard, though."

"It isn't, but it does take practice. Do you have any dolls here - you know, the large baby kind."

"We're still waiting for our stuff to arrive from Scotland. Don't think I have any of those dolls left. I gave them away when my guide troop help a jumble sale."

"OK, come next door, and I'll show you what I mean. But first let's go to the store, we need to get some diapers."

"What will we use for money ? We're all broke, remember."

"Davina still has the change from the groceries. We can use that. Davina!"

David had almost fallen asleep, the soap was so boring. He roused at the sound of his name, even if it was the feminine version. He had been getting used to it over the last week and a half.

"Huh ? Whassup ?"

"Do you still have any money left from your groceries ?"

"Yes, it's in the kitchen on top of the till receipt. What do you want it for ?"

"We need to get some diapers to practice for baby-sitting. I'm going to show Gail how to change one. I'll teach you as well - you never know when you'll need to know how to do it. You'll make a wonderful mother someday."

David got a funny feeling inside when he heard this; all his life he had thought he would be a father someday. Now, Samantha was telling him that he would make a good _mother_. He supposed that as he became more feminine, that was increasingly likely.

"OK, just write a note telling Mum what you want the money for. If the change and the till slip don't add up, I'm in deep trouble."

Samantha was tempted to "forget" to write a note, but decided that would be too cruel. She asked David for a piece of paper and a pen and wrote a quick note telling Mrs McCall what she wanted the money for. At the bottom, she wrote a quick explanation of where the money had come from, and the amount her mother had lent.

Collecting her purse, she threw the strap over her shoulder as she called "Come on, let's go" to her friends.

David and Gail both collected their handbags and followed Samantha out of the house, David making sure that he locked the door behind them. Replacing the key in his handbag, he followed Samantha and Gail to the store.

Samantha collected a box of the smallest size diapers and took them to the checkout to pay. She just had enough money; there was only two cents left.

Returning to her house with her purchase, she showed David and Gail into her room. On the way through, she went into the front room and told her Mom what she had bought and why.

Mrs Davis was used to Samantha getting an idea into her head and acting on it. The usually ended up costing her a lot of money, and if it only cost her for a box of diapers this time she would be happy.

She remembered the time a much younger Samantha had decided a neighbour's pet would look pretty with pink nail polish on. Although funny at first, the poor hound had licked so much polish off that it had ended up costing her over $100 for vet's bills to treat the animal.

This time it seemed that Samantha was actually starting to act responsibly, and trying to earn some money. Mrs Davis chose to treat Samantha's purchase as an investment in her future, and let it pass for now.

Samantha was just as happy that her mother was not screaming at her this time. She took this as a good sign and went to her bedroom to join her friends.

Once there, she searched in her old toy chest for her old crying baby doll. It was still there, so she got it out and broke open the box of diapers.

"Here, watch what I'm doing," she said as she took the first diaper out of the box and carried it and the doll over to her bed. She wrapped it round the doll as if it were a real baby and attached the tabs.

"Of course, when it's real, it might be wet or worse. Don't be offended - we all smelled like that at that age. You just have to wipe the baby to make sure she is clean and dry. Apply a little talcum powder to prevent diaper rash. You try, Gail."

Gail took a diaper out of the box and picked up the doll. Removing the diaper Samantha had put on the doll, she tried to copy what Samantha had done as she struggled to put the new one on. Of course, it fell off.

David and Samantha broke up, their giggles causing Gail to turn a fiery red. "Here!" she screamed at David, throwing the doll at him. "Let's see you do it, Miss Wonderful."

David shrugged, and got another diaper out of the box. Gail's attempt having fallen off, he only had to put the new one on. After struggling for a few minutes, he got it wrapped round the doll, but could not place the tabs properly. Again it fell off.

Mrs. Davis stuck her head round the door when she heard Gail's shout, and asked "Everything OK, girls ?" She saw Gail's attempt with a diaper and started chuckling, and watched with interest as David struggled with the diaper.

Samantha was almost falling off the bed she was laughing so hard, and Gail had started giggling too. David got a sheepish look on his face as he shrugged and said "Well, it's harder than it looks".

Looking at the giggling girls, Mrs Davis said "Here, let me show you," as she picked up a diaper and proceeded to competently put it on the doll. She described what she was doing as she did it, allowing David and Gail to see what each stage of the process was.

David and Gail were both still red-faced from their previous failures. Gail picked up the doll, and tried to replicate Mrs Davis's actions. This time she nearly succeeded, leaving the diaper just about snug round the doll's body. Seeing what his sister did, David proceeded to copy her actions and to get the diaper on the doll.

"There," Dvid said. "We can at least put diapers on babies. But that isn't all you do when you're baby-sitting, surely."

"You'd better believe it.," Samantha replied. "Isn't that right, Mom ?"

Mrs. David looked at her daughter and said "You know most of what to do. Why don't you teach your friends ?"

"That's what I'm doing. Before Gail and I can start baby-sitting, we have to be able to look after the little monsters ... I mean darlings."

Mrs. Davis chuckled again and returned to her housework leaving the youngsters in peace. Samantha sighed and flopped down on her bed.

"At least she didn't scream at me for wasting money this time," she commented. "Now, as well as changing diapers on babies, you've got to know how to feed them"

As the afternoon progressed, she described all the techniques needed for baby-sitting. David, knowing that it was really Gail who was learning from this, excused himself at about 4 o' clock, saying he had to fix tea. Samantha looked puzzled and stated "It only takes a few minutes to make tea. Why do you have to go now ?"

David laughed and said "Tea is our evening meal. We usually have it when Mum comes home, and I have to go and cook it now."

Samantha said "Oh," in a small voice. Then louder "We call the evening meal dinner. Well, I'll see you later, then."

When he entered the kitchen, he looked at the food he had bought, and decided to make an old Scottish favourite, mince and tatties (potatoes). But since they were in a new country, he decided to add something extra with the herbs he had bought.

****

When Andrea got home that evening, she immediately noticed the distinctive smell of cooking mince. With a pleased smile on her face, she entered the kitchen just as David was serving the meal.

"That's nice, dear. Will your mince be as good as your mother made ? " *Giggle*

"Doubt it, mum, but I've tried something new for the new country."

They sat down to eat, and Andrea noticed the extra flavouring in the mince. As well as the carrots and onion, she detected some herbs and spices that gave the mince an exotic flavour.

"That's delicious, dear. What did you add to the mince ?"

David pointed to the jars on the counter, indicating how much of each he added. Andrea was very impressed and told him that he would be making the same dish again some time in the future.

"Mum," David began. " I've got a problem. "

"What, dear"

"I've applied for a job; I'm running out of money and I need to earn some. Oh, that reminds me. I had to borrow $10 from Mrs. Davis to get the groceries. The till receipt is on the counter there, but Samantha took the change. You'll have to pay her back, and in future could you please leave money for groceries if you want me to buy anything."

"OK. dear. I'll leave the money. Now, what's the problem with the job ?"

"Well, considering how I'm dressed and everything, I thought it best to apply as a girl. Now I'll need to provide ID to prove my name and age.

"The manager liked me, but said I could only get the job when I'm sixteen. When I told him I was sixteen on Saturday, he asked me to come back then and show him some ID.

"Now I've got until Saturday to figure some way out of this mess."

"Don't worry, dear. I'll help you all I can. Just wait until Saturday and you'll see what I mean."

David was intrigued, but knew that he would get no further information at this point. He just hoped that his mother was right and she could help him get this job. Going without money was no fun.

As the meal progressed, David suddenly remembered their visit to the hospital that afternoon. He told his mother about his experience when he found his father's room empty, and what the nurse told him.

"Yes, dear. That was what the surgeon was wanting to talk to me about this morning. I had to pop in at lunch time to sign some consent forms for the work. It's nothing for you to worry about. He'll be back in the room tomorrow and you can visit him then."

After tea, they were all sitting down to watch some TV when the doorbell rang. David ran to answer it and was pleased to see Samantha at the door.

"Do you and Gail want to come to a movie ?" she asked. "Becky's meeting us at the cinema. It'll be a girl's night out; the boys are all busy tonight."

"Well, we would like to, but we're both skint," David fell into colloquial English from Edinburgh, forgetting that Samantha would have no idea what he was talking about. "You saw that this afternoon."

"Skint ??"

"Sorry, me and my mouth. I mean we've got no money. I'll go see what Mum says. Come in just now."

They walked back to the living room where David asked his mother if he and Gail could go to the movies with Samantha.

"I thought you were out of money. How are you going to get into the theatre ?"

"You couldn't lend us the money, could you ? I'll pay you back my share if I get that job, and Gail and Samantha are looking into being a baby-sitting team."

Gail was listening to her mother and David talking. She wanted to go to the movies with Samantha, so hoped that David could persuade Mum to give them some money.

Andrea sighed and said "Since you are looking to get a job and this is just a loan, I suppose I can lend you something.

"Gail, how far have you taken this baby-sitting idea ? Do you have a place yet ?"

"No, Mum. Samantha and I are just planning it just now." She giggled and said "Samantha was showing Davina and I how to put nappies on babies You should have seen our first efforts!"

Her mother chuckled at the image that presented and turned to Samantha.

"Have you ever baby-sat before?"

"Yes, Mrs. McCall. I've done it lots, but I can't get a permanent place because of my commitments to the soccer team. So Gail and I are going to be a team; we can cover for each other when necessary."

"Well, I suppose that the two of you know what you are doing. Davina, I'll lend you $20, but that has to last you until the end of the week. You can pay me back when you get paid. If you need extra for next week, we'll see about it."

"Thanks Mum," Gail and David said at the same time. They looked at each other and giggled.

"Can we have some change for the bus, please" David added.

"I suppose so, just don't be back too late."

With money in his wallet, David led the way to the bus stop. They were on their way to see a movie, and it was a good feeling to be going out with his sister and Samantha. This looked like being an extremely interesting evening.

 

© 2001
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