Chapter 38 (Revised)   Simon Jones is Eve Jones. But she didn't know.

 
Previously:
 
Claire has delivered school work to Eve, but hasn't apologised for forgetting last week's bundle of work. Eve told her she needed to spend more time on the work than on Claire who then walked out.
 
Now the story continues.
 
 
Eve Chapter 38
 
 

The following morning I was up just after seven again and started work on my laptop straight away. Mum made some comments about a shower, breakfast and something else so I reluctantly closed it down again. I was getting out the shower when the phone rang, mum answered it and I went to get dressed.

"Eve?"

"Yes mum?"

"That was Mr Dixon. Ms Holts got one night in the cells and a £200 fine."

"That all?"

"Apparently she claimed it was all down to stress."

"Yeah, and pigs can fly?"

"Never mind the sarcasm, we're needed in half an hour."

"What for?"

"There's a detective constable who wants to interview us, at Mr Dixon's office."

I finished dressing quickly and grabbed two slices of toast, this was becoming a habit. As it was we made it to our solicitor's office a few minutes late, due to the traffic. We were introduced to DC Barnaby by Mr Dixon, of course we'd met before.

"Good morning Miss Jones, Mrs Jones."

"Mornin'"

We all sat and the officer explained he wanted to go back through our involvement with the father and son, the Davids Stevens. Making certain which one we were talking about was difficult at times, but the DC managed to be certain about what he was writing before committing his pen to the statement.

We were on page nine before the incident at the retail park came up.

"I took some photos."

"Did you? Could I see them?"

I showed the photos, which included images of DVD's on the floor, as well as the son hitting the uniformed copper in the stomach. DC Barnaby was very excited at this image.

"Could I take your phone please? That picture could be very useful."

"Certainly, but can I have it back today?"

"I'll see what I can do. Have you copied these images off the phone or shown them to anyone?"

"No."

"Good, I'll need that included in the statement."

We finished off the statement then read back through it, with Mr Dixon making the odd observation. Finally at eleven the statement was finished. DC Barnaby had popped my phone in an evidence bag and left. We sat for a minute longer, Mr Dixon spoke to us.

"I'm afraid, Eve, you won't be seeing your phone for a while, as it's now evidence in an attempted murder case so it has to be preserved for the court. I'd suggest you get a replacement and let me have the receipt, it will go down as legal costs. You should buy the equivalent handset if the exact model's not available."

"I wish I hadn't mentioned it now, but if it helps to put him away ..."

"It will indeed help judging from what I have seen. If that's all?"

We left the offices and stopped at the Asda for a few essentials before heading home. While we'd been out the post had arrived, two were from the hospital. The first was from Dr Preston, his letter told me that, as far as he and Dr Fox were concerned, I was a month into my Real Life Test and he included to 'to whom it may concern' letter. I made a note to check on the 'net what it meant.

The second letter told me to report to the hospital for an appointment in the Genito-Urinary department with Dr Roberts for Monday morning a month hence. I remembered his attitude last time, and his eyes for mum. I showed mum the letter to mum, she pointed out a second page that said I should have nothing bar water from six the previous evening. I had to be at the hospital at eight with an overnight bag.

I didn't understand what this meant and mum said we'd speak to Sharon later, she then saw the letter from Dr Preston.

"Do you know what this means?"

"You're to be treated as female in almost every respect, except in the eyes of the government, you should make a few copies straight away."

After lunch we went out with a few copies in my bag. The first stop in town was the solicitors, he was out but a receptionist took the letter. Next was the Post Office for a few Driving Licence forms and a passport form. Next stop was the doctor's surgery where the receptionist, who was obviously new, couldn't work out what was going on. I should have put it in an envelope, isn't hindsight wonderful?

Back home I went to see Sharon.

"It looks like you are going to have a procedure under anaesthetic. Give the hospital a call and ask if you want to. Don't worry though, there's probably another letter but they arrived in the wrong order."

We were there when the girls returned. Claire threw herself at me, almost pushing me over. When she calmed down I told her about the letters.

"That's wonderful, I mean the RLT not the surgery."

"Do you know what it is?"

"Yes, we've had some talks on discrimination and tolerance. One of the speakers was a Dr Preston."

"Oh. He's a Gender Identity specialist."

"Yes, he said something like that. So, you're definitely a girl now, my girl!"

I couldn't quite see how my life had changed since yesterday so decided to change the subject, and location. "I suppose so, are you ready for that bike ride?"

We rode out along the canal but it was too damp to sit on the grass and a sudden shower had us dashing home after forty-five minutes. We were both suitably soaked but agreed to talk later so I could get some more work done. I spent an hour working before we broke for dinner, just as we sat down there was a knock on the door an a courier delivered an envelope. I signed and took it to the kitchen table, in it was a letter from the hospital with a compliment slip apologising for the delay.

All the letter said was that a question had come up following my ultrasound scan, something that wasn't clear. It was stated that my bloodwork was within normal parameters so this was not being treated as an emergency, I was however to inform them immediately if I was in pain or discomfort.

After dinner I went up and concentrated on getting an essay completed. At nine I again stopped work but checked if Claire was online before calling her. We chatted for a while and I let her know that I would be in the school in the morning. We exchanged kisses, as well as you can with video-conferencing and cut the connection.

I gave up the idea of a hot chocolate so just got a glass of water. I was asleep by half nine.

***

At ten the following morning mum and I were sat outside Mr Spinner's office at St Peter's Comprehensive & Sixth Form College, St P's for short. I'd managed a few more hours work that morning and had brought everything that I'd finished so I could hand it in.

As we'd arrived in the middle of a period I hadn't spotted any of my former classmates as yet, but this was the first time in about six weeks that I'd been in the building. The door opened and my headteacher invited us in.

"Good morning Miss Jones, Mrs Jones. Thank you for coming in."

"Mr Spinner, I have some paperwork for you." I handed him the name change Statutory Declaration, the 'To whom it may concern' RLT letter, together with the hospital appointment letter for the following month.

"I see, we'll need to have your records updated and you are to be treated as a female. Then you're going to be missing for a day or so in November?"

"That sounds right."

"I understand that you feel you'll be ready to return after half-term?"

"Yes, there's only a week left and there are some ongoing issues =. I'm not certain my shrink or GP have said I'm fit to come back before then."

"Well, it's a time-scale that works for us. It's not as if you haven't been doing any work, although I understand there was a recent problem?"

"My fiancée claims she had a bad memory."

"You mean Claire Johnson, I understand congratulations are in order?"

"Thank you sir. I hope it won't be an problem?"

"It shouldn't but no doubt someone will take offence, that's not something we can plan for but we'll help educate any closed-minded individuals. Which brings me to a teacher change."

"Change?"

"Yes, I understand you had a problem with Mrs Abbott?"

"She was refusing to handle my coursework."

"As a result of recent events, all the staff were put on a diversity course. Mrs Abbott unfortunately refused to attend, claiming she didn't have to educate someone she didn't like. This goes no further, you understand? Anyway, I accepted her retirement request on Tuesday, she finishes next Friday. You'll get Mr Dunn instead."

"I did wonder about her, thank you for explaining. I take it none of the other staff are a problem?"

"No, and we have some new staff who never met you. I'd plainly like not to lose any more staff."

"I have some coursework to hand in."

"Leave it on my desk, I'll have it distributed later."

"Okay. When do I get my new schedule?"

"I'll print it off later and post it to you."

"Thanks."

"Now, we have the issue of facilities. Fortunately you don't have any PE or sports but you will need the toilet. There's a disabled loo on each floor so could you use those for now?"

"Do I have to?"

"That's a ruling from the Local Education Authority, we have to accept it until you're legally female in the eyes of the law."

"Okay, but it's bound to be asked about. I'd like a quiet existence if possible."

"As the sixth form common room and many of the classes are in the wing on the far side of the site you won't see much of the lower years, we'll bring the whole sixth form together when you get back to tell them, if you don't mind."

Mum now spoke, "I'm not so keen on that."

"Okay, it's not anything that needs pre-planning so we'll leave it there."

"Thank you Mr Spinner."

"Any questions?"

"None, sir."

"Then I'll see you in a couple of weeks."

"Indeed. Thank you."

"Bye."

The bell had just gone and the corridors were starting to fill up, fortunately the Head's office was very close to the main entrance so we escaped without any inquisitive looks.

The rest of the day consisted of more of the backlog of coursework, breaking only for lunch and dinner. Mum kept me stocked with iced water. Claire's visit around seven was curtailed by her own need to submit homework the following morning, apparently 'I forgot' wasn't an acceptable answer from her now.