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Eve Chapter 23

by Topsy

Friday was going to be a much better day, even though I had an assignment to hand in, and hadn't written it yet.

I was up just before seven and had a quick shower so I could quickly be back in my room to work. I dashed through the kitchen for a mug of coffee. At half eight mum came to me to remind me that I hadn't had any breakfast, and that I had to see the Doctor at nine. She made a suggestion that had me stripping and redressing.

I saved my work and reluctantly followed mum downstairs. After a bowl of cereal we headed out of the door to catch the bus to the surgery. As I closed the front door, mum's car was driven onto the driveway. A mechanic got out.

"Mrs Jones?"

"Yes."

"We wanted to bring your car back yesterday lunchtime but no-one was here to sign for it."

"That's alright."

"Can you sign here, and there. Thanks, here's your keys."

Mum and I took a walk around the car. Not only was the graffiti now history but a few scratches and one minor dent had also gone. We stared at one spot so long the mechanic laughed.

"As the insurance was paying we thought we'd treat you to a little extra."

"Thanks!"

"Don't mention it. By the way, we know who's handywork this was, we have CCTV of him doing the same design on our workshop wall."

"Can you speak to my solicitor, Mr Dixon of Dixon Hill, and let him know. He may be able to help you."

"Will do, I'll have a word with the boss, my dad."

We went to jump into the car but first had to pull off the clear plastic seat covers that garages use. Mum had to adjust the driver's seat, then check her make-up in the mirror, before we could set off.

We arrived at the surgery with a few minutes to spare. Mum asked for the practice manager and took her aside for a few minutes, handing her one of the Deed Poll copies. Mum then returned to the waiting area.

"I've told her you need a new medical card. She'll get the local NHS Trust to issue you a new card in your new name. Strange was, she said she was going to ask me for some identification anyway."

We were called in to see Dr Kumar.

"Welcome back ladies, please take a seat. How would you like your coffees?"

We weren't in his usual room, this was more of a small conference room.

"Just a splash of milk for both of us please."

"Mrs Jones, I have been receiving some strange messages from the hospital. I am at a loss to understand what is going on. Could you help me?"

"Doctor, unfortunately we have had problems this week. Someone cancelled my daughter's Wednesday out-patient appointment by impersonating my deceased husband. The Trust's Deputy Chief Exec has promised to contact us about that but we haven't heard from him yet. My solicitor was also at that meeting so that may explain why they have been speaking to you more than normal. Also, I was told yesterday that Eve has been referred to a Gender Identity specialist."

"I see, that also explains the message asking me to confirm the identity of anyone claiming to be you or your daughter."

Mum nodded.

"Right, let me tell you what I know. I have asked the university medical school to do a detailed investigation of Eve's blood test results over the past six weeks. They did not know Eve's name and were told nothing about you. They have tried to extrapolated Eve's hormonal levels back to puberty but their report was inconclusive. Interestingly, whilst I did not give them Eve's gender, they should have raised a query but didn't. I passed this information to the hospital earlier in the week."

"What about Eve's hormones now?"

"Mrs Jones, Eve's hormone levels have stabilisied and are largely unchanged over the last three blood tests. They remain appropriate for a girl entering puberty."

I thought I should say something, since the converation was about me.

"Thank you Doctor. So where does that leave me?"

"I was hoping that Mr Bishop or his team would supply that information. I'll speak to him later."

"Thank you."

"Could you both come this way? I think it's time those stitches came out."

I followed the doctor into a treatment room where he had me remove my wig before sitting. A nurse joined us and swabbed the wound whilst the doctor washed and put on gloves. He spent ten minutes removing the stitches before asking the nurse to swab it again. She then put a dressing over the wound.

"That's only in case the stitching holes weep. You can remove the pad this evening."

Dr Kumar checked with mum to see what tablets I still needed and if I required another prescription. He then got a different pad out.

"Eve, your school insisted on a sick certificate from the start of this term, your current one finished yesterday. This is a new one until the end of the month, make sure they get it."

"I will. Thank you."

"Eve, while the nurse is here please can you take your top and bra off."

I was prodded for a minute before being allowed to put my clothes back on. I lost another armful of blood in the process.

"Eve, your breasts are developing as expected for late-onset puberty. Now, as I said, all we have to work out is why."

The nurse gave Dr Kumar a strange look. Obviously she was not aware of the facts.

We finally left there at eleven, after a second coffee in the meeting room. Dr Kumar wanted to fill some gaps in his records, apparently, despite the recentt flurry of communications, the hospital had not been regularly updating the wonderful new NHS Patient database. We left, having made an appointment for the following Friday.

We drove into town and parked in a small carpark a short walk from the precinct. We engaged in a little retail therapy on foot, this time mum also spent some money on herself. One of the stores had a dress sale on, we stopped outside it.

"Eve, your birthday's approaching."

True, my birthday is the first of November. This year I'd be seventeen and could start driving lessons.

"How would you like to go to the theatre with Claire?"

"So long as we're talking."

"Don't talk like that, she'll be there for you."

"Okay, What's showing?"

"There's a production of Romeo and Juliet by the English National Opera. I believe that's part of your English syllabus this year."

"It is. I'd love to see the ENO. I'm sure Claire would too."

We walked into Dress Heaven, the name was very appropriate. I must have tried on at least a dozen dresses. The easy one was something for the theatre. The difficult choice was the right ball gown for Christmas. As there was a sale on, we got two. Something about not being seen twice in the same dress. I picked up three other formal dresses at the same time.

I'd wondered why mum had suggested I wear my breast forms and the 34B bra this morning, but now it was obvious.

"By Christmas you could well be a natural B cup. Your dresses have to still fit you in three months, preferably longer. There's no point buying a ball gown for this Christmas and not being able to get into it!"

Mum took advantage of the sale and picked up a frock for herself to wear at the theatre.

"Eve, I forgot. Your birthday is on a Sunday this year so I've booked the tickets for the Saturday instead."

"Halloween?"

"Oh, I hadn't realised," in false alarm, then a giggle.

We took the frocks back to the car and mum phoned the tutor to give an excuse about being stuck somewhere. That gave us the rest of the afternoon. Lunch beckoned to we went to a town centre pub.

This one used to be a furniture store and was huge inside, despite the number of middle aged men inside the air smelt amazingly clean. I doubt we would ever have been in here before the smoking ban. We found a quiet corner, not that it was noisy inside, and concentrated on the menu. Mum went to the bar to order and came back with some bottles of spring water. The food followed by ten minutes and was simple but excellent. We left suitably refreshed.

Back at home we stowed the dresses in the little remaining closet space I had. The evening meal was an egg salad, we were still feeling the effects of lunch.

Once we'd eaten I went to my room and tried to phone Claire. Annie answered the phone and passed it straight away to Sharon, her mum.

"Hi Eve."

"Hi Mrs J. What's up with Claire?"

"She's frightened. Your mum asked me to have a chat with her a few days ago and it scared her."

"Was this a chat about our relationship and children?"

"Yes. What did you tell your mum?"

"That I didn't know. I wanted to tell Claire that I won't do anything without talking to her first. I love her as I am, not as Simon."

"Eve, I'll try to speak to her. I tried to yesterday but she might take it better if it comes from you.""

I hung up and walked back downstairs to mum. We were both tired and settled own in front of the telly. Then the doorbell sounded.

Mum found Claire on the doorstep. She ran straight in and wrapped herself around me, sobbing.

"I've been so silly."

"Claire, it's nothing."

"Eve, I love you so much but I was scared."

Mum spoke, "Claire, sorry but it was my fault."

Claire didn't seem to hear mum and continued to sob quietly on my shoulder. We went upstairs and hugged each-other until mum suggested it was time for Claire to go home. It was gone ten.

Eve Chapter 24

I was emotionally drained on Saturday morning after the events of the last few days but had woken at seven and couldn't get back to sleep. Rather than just laying there I used the time to continue work on my essay about European history, unfortunately it was supposed to have been handed in yesterday. Breakfast was a ten minute interruption, as was my shower.

Claire came into my room just after nine. I'd managed about two thousand words by now and was well into the flow, with the rest of the report mapped out - in my mind at least.

"Want a break? I think we both need some time out."

"Claire, you know I won't argue about that. I don't think I can stare at this screen too much longer this morning."

"How about we go see a film?"

"That sounds ok, but what do I wear?"

"Come on girl, you should have an idea by now. Let's have a look."

She threw open my wardrobe and started pulling out clothes. In the end we settled for jeans and a long-sleeved top, but there were quite a few giggles while trying to make our minds up. Of course I wasn't wearing my enhancers up until now and had to change my bra to accommodate them. Claire promised not to mention this transgression if I didn't, but teased me mercilessly while I was changing.

It took another ten minutes to get my make-up done, so it looked like I wasn't wearing any. One day all this will make sense to me.

We walked downstairs and spoke to mum while she checked my clothing choices. Claire had apparently already mentioned her plan, I was just a little surprised they were on talking terms. Of course I didn't know the whole plan yet, nothing new there,

"Be back by six." She handed me some cash, muttering that I wasn't to spend it all.

That was easy enough. We left, hand in hand, and walked to the bus stop. Saturday services were similar to weekdays and we didn't have to wait too long, just over ten minutes later we were pulling into the town centre bus station. Traffic had been light, but then we were still seven weeks from Christmas, another three weeks and the Saturday morning roads would be awful.

There was a multiplex cinema on one of the out of town retail parks but bus services there were lousy so we used the three screen cinema in town. The show didn't start for nearly two hours so Claire pulled me into the nearest clothes shop whilst I was otherwise staring at the film posters. We spent the next hour going through the various shops in the centre of town, trying on everything. My artificially increased bust was needed to properly wear some of the tops. We giggled throughout.

In the end we had one bag each, my cash supply hadn't suffered too much. As it was now half-past eleven, and my feet ached, Claire suggested lunch.

Mum's never been keen on fast food but I wasn't too bothered. We went in, ordered and took our buns and shakes upstairs to the seating area there. Once we'd finished Claire reached for my hands.

"Eve, I need to say this again. I'm sorry I hurt you. I should have spoken to you instead of making assumptions."

"Claire, I'm sorry that my mum interfered and then involved your mum, it wasn't her right to do that. We have to be in control of this relationship, not them. I promise I will talk to you first if I think this sort of thing is happening again, I'm not always sure that mum has my best interests at heart, but I have to trust her, for now."

"Eve, I promise the same." She mouthed 'I love you'.

I wanted to grab her there and then but a family of four had sat a few tables away. I had another idea.

"Lets go for a walk?"

We walked out, holding hands, and walked to the middle of the precinct sitting in full view of the Saturday shoppers. I reached over and pulled her lips to mine. All was forgiven, whether or not it needed to be.

When we broke for air, not one person was looking, not that I was concerned about such a public show of affection, not any more. Claire reached into her pocket and pulled out a letter.

"This was given out to us at school yesterday. Have a read."

The letter was from the Acting Head and explained that the original head would return on Monday. He went onto state that intolerance and bullying would not be tolerated and that David Stevens had been excluded permanently. He also said that one other student had been given a two week suspension and was under suspended exclusion. Most this I knew, or had worked out. Some of the words were retorique, they could hardly say they supported bullying, could they?

What was also mentioned was that the Bursar had resigned for personal reasons and that a new code of practice for staff and students was being drawn up. Ofsted had made an unexpected inspection of the school this week and had expressed concern so a repeat inspection would happen before Christmas. In the meantime, he said, the Governing Body had taken measures to address Ofsted's report and no further disruption was expected.

I handed the letter back to Claire and gave her a peck on the cheek then walked across to the cinema and chose a soppy film that was starting at one.

We walked in with bottles of spring water, after the chicken burgers and shakes we did not need any popcorn or fizzy drinks. As we sat down we heard some shouting behind us in the lobby, I ignored it,as did Claire, and waited for the film to start.

It really was a weepy with a little comedy thrown in, at least that's what the poster in the foyer had claimed, only thing was I only got a few glances at the screen over the next two hours. Claire and I had found a double seat so spent the duration in each-others arms. The only times I did that a few look at the screen was when I wasn't looking into Claire's eyes. We didn't dare speak, so as not to annoy the other filmgoers, but who needs words when you're in love?

We left arm in arm and walked to the bus station, finally reaching our homes by half three. We went into Claire's house and up to her room, Sharon and Annie were out. We forgot the rule about the bedroom door, even so. I reckoned Her tonsils needed another check over.

There was a soft knock on the bedroom door and Annie walked in.

"Did you hear what happened in town today?"

"No."

"David Stevens went to the cinema but they wouldn't let him in. Security put him outside but he made threats so the police were called."

Claire and I looked at each-other.

"We were in the cinema when we heard some shouting but didn't see anything." I said.

Annie left us. I wondered briefly if the trouble had anything to do with us, but was soon caught up in Claire's lips again.

I walked indoors at five to six and put my shopping bag by the stairs, I was cutting it fine but was technically within mum's deadline.

"Good film?"

"Yes."

"So how much did you actually see?"

"Hmmm."

"Eve, I was young once, believe it or not. By the way, your lipstick told me everything I needed to know."

Our meal was simple. Just as well as I could still feel that chicken burger and wondered if I had a touch of indigestion.

We sat and watched some telly after dinner. Strictly Come Dancing was the main show for the Beeb on Saturdays and would be until almost Christmas. We were starting to doze just after ten so I reluctantly took myself upstairs to wash and change. The hot chocolate was again forgotten for the night and I fell asleep quickly.

I dreamed of Claire and I dancing in ball gowns on a huge dance floor. The glitter ball was spinning and the band was playing. Just for us.