This chapter deals with Sally's recovery and 'coming out' as a transexual. Emotional issues are addressed.

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Martina’s Story 10.

Myself, Martina, A sexually dysphoric transsexual who has not yet determined what
Sex she is but prefers to present as a girl

Beverly My adoptive ‘aunt’ who is a mature she-male and my most supportive adult friend.

Chenille My older half sister.

Jennifer Aunt Beverly’s adopted daughter.

Beatrice Aunt Beverly’s second adopted daughter and Jennifer’s younger sister. One of my two best friends.

Sian. My lesbian mother who is married to —

Margaret Who is Chenille’s lesbian mother.

Sissy. My and Chenille’s transvestite she-male father.

Sandie. My doctor, psychiatrist and sexual counsellor.

Judge Elizabeth Porter. The judge who ruled that I should be allowed to live and dress as a girl.

Angela Hunt. Jennifer and Beatrice’s natural blood mother who is now married to Aunt Beverly who is a she male.

Baroness Wemite’ Sian’s old School Chum

Peter Baroness Wemite’s son

Melanie Baroness Wemite’s daughter and my other ‘best friend’.

Rosemary & Monika. Two bullies in the junior school.

Chrissie My older step transsexual sister.

Jeanette My transvestite friend at University.

Sally Transgendered Warden of Girls Hall of Residence.

Charlie Jeanette’s sympathetic big brother

Esther Jeanette and Charlie’s mum.

Miranda. Charlie’s Wife.
For those readers who wish to get a deeper insight and appreciation of my home circumstances, I suggest that they read Skipper, the story about Aunty Beverly’s rescue and adoption of Jennifer and Beatrice. This is a ‘follow on story’ about my childhood. It starts chronologically after Aunty Beverly finally married Aunty Angela. Some people might disapprove of our life style but I like it, as do my sisters, my mothers and my aunts.

Martina’s Story 10

I was woken by the Jeanette’s voice speaking quietly into her mobile. She was talking to the hospital.

“A comfortable night, - slept peacefully. Good, I’m pleased. Well I’ve got lectures all day but Martina’s free this afternoon. I can come in this evening.”

I stirred sleepily as I got the gist of the conversation. Jeanette had committed me to the Afternoon visit. I was a bit miffed she hadn’t consulted me first.

“I was going shopping with Bea this afternoon. Mel’s got lectures.”

Jeanette turned to me as she closed her mobile.

“It’s only until I can get some back up. She’s a very lonely, frightened girl.”

“What sort of backup?”

“I’ve got some good loyal TG friends outside of college. Don’t forget I had a life between school and Uni. Once I can get them to perhaps check in maybe once a week or something then it’ll be easier to spread the load. Sally’s going to need a lot of help.”

“Can these friends be trusted?”

“Yes. In each case I helped them through some rough patches. You don’t know you’re born Martie. God you were just so lucky and that Aunty Beverly, Beatrice’s adoptive mum, she’s been a real brick for you, well; all your mothers have. You heard Sally’s story, just how many more d’you think there are like hers, out there, - out there on the streets?
All right, all right. I didn’t say I wouldn’t go. May be I can go early at noon after the morning lecture then meet Bea in town.”

“Why not take Bea with you, - to see Sally that is.”

“Sally’s made her visitor list. There’s only you and me on it.”

“Yeah, well that’s got to change. Living like a recluse is one of Sally’s biggest problems. Take Bea along at noon then you can try to introduce her to Sally. They’ve met before anyway, lots of times. She doesn’t even have to know about Sally’s transgenderism. You can leave early and then get some shopping in. No! Better still do your shopping with Bea then take your shopping in to show Sally, It’ll motivate her to get better and get out of her hospital bed. Pick some really nice stuff, some lingerie maybe; the intimacy will reinforce your relationship with Sally. It’ll be a shared girly moment. That’s the sort of stuff she needs. Forget flowers unless she asks for some. Find out her size and buy her a really nice gift.”

“She looks about a size twelve to fourteen, British sizes.” I added.

“Well there you are then; get her some really nice panties or something, full cut of course and stretchy. I saw some lovely stuff in ‘New-Look’ only last Saturday.”

I smiled and grinned. Shopping was always a pleasure; having an extra person to buy for made it doubly pleasurable. Picking the stuff and gifting it.

As we ate breakfast, Bea was excited at the prospect and could hardly contain her enthusiasm though she thought she was buying for an ‘r-gee’. She was surprised that we were going first to New-Look.

“That’s a bit youngish for her isn’t it; I thought the dragon lady would be wearing pantie-girdles and stuff.” Bea observed.

“Well she’s young at heart underneath all that grumpiness. You shouldn’t judge until you know peoples stories.” Jeanette countered.

“Oooh! Hark at the philanthropist! Why d’you bother, she’s a nasty old bag anyway?”

“She’s sore and lonely and afraid!” Jeanette snapped back.

“Yes, - okay, okay then, Mother Teresa.” Bea cackled as she wagged her head and took her dishes to the sink.

“I’ll wash up for you. My lectures don’t start until ten.” Jeanette offered.

“Well thank you, that’s nice. See you tonight.”

As Bea set off for her nine o’clock lecture, Mel appeared sleepily from their room.

“Oh hello door-mouse. Finally joining us are you.” I grinned.

“Who’s mother Teresa?” She asked as she stifled a long yawn and stretched sensuously.

“Oh God.” Groaned Jeanette as her heterosexual eyes drank in Melanie’s delectable form. She decided to leave before temptation overtook her. Her excuse was lab work.

“You explain Martie; I’ve got some ideas to prepare for the practical this afternoon.”

“Use my room,” I offered. “The puter’s on. Don’t lose my stuff though.”

Jeanette retreated into my room and Jack later emerged as Mel and I were going to lectures.
He was washing the dishes as we left.

“D’you feel comfortable sleeping with Jeanette?” Mel asked as our heels clicked along the tarmac to the lecture halls.

“Yeah, she’s a perfect lady. Nary a wrong move all night.”

“I missed you last night.”

“Well why didn’t you say?”

“I thought you and Jeanette, -.”

“Good God no. She’s a hetero tranny. She’d be more interested in you or Bea. Didn’t you notice her eyes fill up when you came in stretching?”

“Well sleep with us tonight then.”

“What the two of us, me and Jeanette?”

“Well I’m not sure about that, not just yet. No just you for tonight.”

“Okay. Sure. Anyway, Jack’ll be staying in his own room tonight, over in the boy’s dorm. He’s got a lot of work for his half term dissertation. Chemistry’s a tough course.”

After our morning lecture, we shared lunch then Mel left to do her afternoon lecture while Bea and I prepared to go shopping. By three we had completed our purchases and we were arriving at the hospital.

“I’m shocked that the Dragon Lady likes such sexy kit.” Bea remarked.

“Jeanette found out when she took her laundry back to wash.”

“Is she really into this sort of stuff?” Bea wondered. “I mean it’s the sort of stuff you’d wear or more correctly Jeanette, -you know, tranny fantasy stuff. We r-gees go for comfortable.”

“You weren’t wearing ‘comfortable the other night at the ball.”

“Yeah but that’s for special, isn’t it? I mean if we score or something.”

“It was me taking you home! You silly moo. And besides; you slept with Bea as you always do!”

“Yeah, but it’s nice to feel sexy you never know.”

“Yeah, well I can’t condemn. I like sexy as well. Hey up we’re here.”

Soon we were talking to the ward sister.

“She’s awake but a bit bored, she’ll be pleased to see you,” The sister informed us. “And this young lady is,-?

“Beatrice, Beatrice Taff. She’d like to see Sally. I’ll check with her if you’re busy.”

I was being tactful, nurses always pretended to be busy when in truth all I ever saw them doing was gossiping around the nursing station. The sister nodded agreeably and I made my way into Sally’s room.
Sally gave a squeak of pleasure and extended her arms eagerly. I bent forward and embraced her carefully, mindful of her newly knitted thigh. She saw the little gift package from ‘New-Look’ and she reached eagerly for it. I held it out of reach and bargained with her.

“There’s somebody else to see you.”

Sally’s smile faded slightly as nervousness crept into her features.

“It’s alright,” I reassured her, “it’s not the tranny police or anything; it’s Beatrice, my flatmate.”

Sally’s face showed alarm.

“Oh shit! You haven’t told her about me have you?”

“No. Why? Would it alter things if I had?”

“I could lose my job; a man running the girl’s dormitory.”

“That’s not going to happen. Jeanette’s sorting that one out. Beatrice doesn’t know but she needs your permission before the sister will let her see you. Anyway, I don’t see what you’re frightened of. Beatrice knows about Jeanette and me; so does my other roomie Melanie for that matter. They’re both sympathetic. They sleep with me for God’s sake!”
Sally’s eyes widened with surprise as she digested the information then she sighed and a tiny smile played around the corners of her mouth. When the harnesses of despair and resentment were loosened from Sally’s expression she could look quite attractive in a motherly sort of way. I reciprocated the smile and she finally agreed to my suggestion.

“You promise she won’t spread it around?”

“Has she spread my secret around? I’ve still got what you’ve got, an outie instead of an inie. As indeed has Jeanette!”

“Well no; but you four are friends.”

“You could be as well if you let us befriend you. Then we’d be five.”

“I thought you and Jeanette had befriended me already, after the accident and all.” Sally riposted.

“Yeah! Of course we are; I meant Mel and Bea. We go around mainly as a foursome.”

Sally nodded and smiled gratefully.

“Can I trust them?”

“That’s hurtful Sally. They’ve proven themselves to be loyal friends of mine since we were eleven years old; all through our schooldays together.”

Sally nodded guiltily.

“Yes, maybe I was wrong to ask that. Go on, you’d better let the sister know so that she can add both their names to the list.”

“You can call her on the bed bell. They’re just sitting idle at the moment, reading flippin’ gossip magazines.”

Sally beeped her call button and the sister appeared by magic. Sally and I exchanged knowing grins; the sister must have been hanging poised by the ward door. She must have heard my remark about gossip magazines. As my face crimsoned with embarrassment Sally explained.

“Can you ask Beatrice to come in and can you add her to the visitor’s list and, - and, - what’s her name Martina?” She turned to me as she asked. “You know; your other friend, the tigress.”

“Oh Melanie; yes, the tigress; that’s her name and yes, you’re right, she can be a bit ‘up front and dangerous.”

“Do you want me to get Beatrice for you; she’s waiting at the nursing station, probably reading Gossip magazines,” the sister
remarked acidly.

“Sooorrrrry,” I mumbled shamefacedly.

Sally laughed at my embarrassment then grimaced as the movement jarred her hip.

“Ouch! Don’t make me laugh you two. I’m supposed to be getting better in here.”

The sister smiled and directed her remarks to Sally.

“Well that’s the first time you’ve laughed properly. Your friend’s visits must be doing some good. I’ll get Beatrice.”

As the sister slipped out Sally grinned at me.

“Really Martie! Gossip magazines! Consider yourself told off.”

“Yes Miss.”

We were still giggling when Beatrice arrived with the sister. Immediately Sally reached out her arms.

“Save me Beatrice. Save me from the fighting duo!”

Beatrice looked puzzled but naturally slid gently into Sally’s embrace and they kissed; Beatrice was still not yet aware that Sally was transgendered.

Sally invited the sister to sit with us and we chatted at length about many things. Once Sally had convinced herself that
Beatrice was sympathetic to transgendered people, she glanced at me and nodded.
I sat on the bed beside Beatrice and put my arm around her shoulders. Beatrice sensed something was up but she couldn’t quite figure it out. She gently took my fingers in hers and squeezed up to me as I finally broke the news to her. The sister listened avidly she had never been a witness to such a monumentous occasion in an individual’s life. A ‘coming out’!

“I’ve got a bit of news for you Bea.” I said softly.

“What?”

“Well it’s Sally’s news really but she’s a bit leery of breaking it.”

Beatrice turned to Sally and frowned uncertainly.

“Go on. What is it?”

“Sally’s one of us. Sally’s Tee Gee!” I replied on Sally’s behalf.

Bea looked at Sally for several moments as a slow smile crossed her face.

“Well I’ll be buggered! You sneaky cow!”

Sally’s nervous smile softened a little as hope filtered slowly into her expression.

“You’re not angry then.” Sally croaked with nervous relief.

“What, with you being a tranny? Good God no”! Martie’s still a tranny. He hasn’t declared if he’s a transsexual and we’re
all still waiting. It begs the question though why you’re so uptight about men coming into the halls of residence.”
Sally explained fearfully how she had to somehow appear super-protective of the girls to justify her job. Between tearful sobs of relief she poured out her feelings whilst occasionally touching upon her many brutal past experiences.
It was probably the first time Sally had cried properly since the last beating from her parents before finally running away from home. This was the first time she had ever found a sympathetic female shoulder to cry on and let everything just pour out. A lifetime of despair locked up for some forty three years from fifteen when she had finally run away, bleeding and broken as she hitched a lift from Aberdeen to London. From that day to the here and now aged fifty eight and staring at a lonely bitter retirement Sally had never ever given her feelings release!

Finally as her body was drained of all tears I spoke softly to her.

“Don’t worry Sally. You’ve got friends now. You’re amongst friends now.”

Even the sister was reduced to tears and she had stood in on some pretty desperate scenes.

Using the permission granted by the Psychiatrist Doctor Lindsey, we stayed after the afternoon visiting, shared a meal with Sally and remained chatting about plans and ideas right through to the evening visiting when Jeanette turned up with Mel.
With Sally’s express permission I had earlier called Melanie on my mobile and told her. She was then fully prepared and primed by Jeanette when they arrived. By the time the evening visiting was over, it was a very different Sally who reluctantly bid us goodnight.

“You’ll bring your other friends won’t you Jeanette?”

“Yes darling.” Jeanette replied. “I’ve got a couple of them in mind. Like you they’ve walked the walk, and hopefully you’ll be like them one day. Finally free of the torment; and I mean that in the nice way. See you tomorrow.”
We all gave Sally a kiss and cuddle then reluctantly departed.
Sally waved gleefully to us as the sister made her comfortable for the night. As the sister prepared Sally’s pain killers Sally could not contain her happiness.

“Would you believe it sister? They’ve invited me to a party next month. Me of all people! It’s Jeanette’s mother’s sixtieth. Can you believe Jeanette actually still sees all her family and they all love her; can you believe that?!!”

“Yes! They’re a good bunch so you’d better concentrate on getting this leg of yours mended if you want to be out of here in a month. You’ll still be in a wheelchair or on crutches mind. Now are you comfortable?”
Sally nodded blissfully.

“Good,” said the sister, “sleep well because sleep will be your best healer.”

It was as Jeanette had bet the psychiatrist and when Sally was discharged Doctor Lindsey made it a point to meet us.

“You win Jeanette, here’s the twenty quid; and I’m glad you’ve won.”

With twice daily visits by sympathetic friends who had much to share, Sally came on in leaps and bounds. She was out in three weeks and whizzing around the campus in her wheel-chair terrorising the students by her recklessness. They had put a pair of wooden access ramps to enable her to enter her Warden’s flat while we four friends visited regularly to help with the logistics. Sally was a new woman.

For the students that new woman was a sympathetic but fair warden who kept her domain trouble free.
The following weekend, Jeanette’s mother’s sixtieth birthday came around. It started in the early afternoon with Charlie playing master of ceremonies whilst simultaneously trying to control the barbeque.

Eventually we three girls took pity on him and took control of the smoking monster to allow Charlie to play ‘mine host’, indulge his mother and greet the guests. Jeanette arrived with Sally in the wheelchair and introduced her to her mother. Sally could not believe just how affectionate and supportive Esther was to her transvestite son. Additionally she was stunned to see the man-mountain Charlie actually kissing his own brother as you would kiss a favourite little sister. Sally started to cry as she recalled the ghastly abuse she had endured as a child.

“Just how could two families be so different?” She wondered. “Why had nobody been there to show her love, to take her in their arms and just once give her a cuddle?”

She wheeled her chair to a quiet corner of the garden and just broke down. It was me, Martie who found Sally as I was later looking for a ball hit by the children as they screamed with delight and completed a home run. Jeanette had belted it really hard off Charlie’s bowling and I had just found the ball after rooting around in the rhubarb patch. I had just chucked it back belatedly for all the children had made their runs when I found Sally tucked between the garden shed and the compost heap breaking her heart.

“Good God girl! What the hell are you doing here?”

“Just look at them, just listen to them laughing and squealing. Have you ever seen a happier family? And look, everybody’s included, there must be what about six trannies here but who would know? Why couldn’t I have had a childhood like that? Why!
Why!”

I realised that Sally didn’t know the whole story so I explained about the early paternal abuse that went on for over twenty years until Charlie was finally of an age and size to stop his father beating him and his younger brothers and sisters.

“Oh I know all about that Martie. But at least Charlie was finally there. He was there for Jeanette! Did you see how tender and sweet he was with her?”

I didn’t know how to respond but I tried.

“But we’re here for you now Sally. We can’t right the wrongs done to you, we just can’t, but let’s try and move forward, or are there other issues?”

Sally started to cry even more and I was getting nervous. I told her to wait and dashed off to get Jeanette who seemed so much better than me at dealing with stuff. I just couldn’t get my head around Sally’s life; there was just so much shit in it! Jeanette was only about three years older than Mel, Bea and me, but she seemed to have a head that was fifty years older. When we returned behind the garden shed, Sally had her back to us as she contemplated the compost heap.

Jeanette motioned to me to stay away as she approached the sobbing woman. I was secretly glad to be uninvolved. There seemed to be much deeper issues concerning Sally. I wondered where Jeanette had learned to deal with such issues for soon Sally had stopped crying and was talking earnestly with Jeanette. Then they discovered that the wheelchair was stuck in the soft earth and Jeanette had to call for my backup. We fell to laughing as Sally scolded us for our weakness.

“Call yourself men!” She scolded. “Lift it! Lift me out.”

At this remark Jeanette and I became helpless with laughter. It was no good. I couldn’t have moved a feather I was laughing so much.

“You’d better go and get Charlie.” Jeanette suggested to me between gasps for air as she caught a dose of hiccups through laughing.

I staggered away while Sally fell to laughing as she saw the funny side of what she had just said. Eventually I tracked Charlie down with Bea by the barbeque and explained. He had Sally free in no time at all and he wheeled her to the garden table for something to eat.

By now after an energetic game of rounder’s (Like baseball but on a smaller, mixed - sex scale; don’t ask me to elaborate.) the children were famished and they kept bussing back and forth for more food. Sally sat amidst a whirl of hungry traffic and simply enjoyed the fun. Eventually, Jeanette’s sisters came to sit at the table and fell to chatting with Sally about girly stuff and life styles. It was a treat to watch Sally’s face crease with smiles and then Jeanette came to join her four sisters. I was feeling peckish so I joined the party. Somehow, Jeanette had a knack for reconciliation and resolution for she finally got Sally to open up completely. We learned that Sally felt she was transgendered. She had always felt she was really a girl inside but her harsh Calvinistic upbringing had left brutal wounds that had never been properly addressed. The guilt load had utterly destroyed her capacity to emote.

After finally ‘confessing’ to her sinful needs Sally was truly ready for help. We all gathered around her to support her but the most effective agent was Charlie. When the man mountain came and sat beside her and put his huge arms around her, it was the first time Sally had ever felt safe near a man never mind in his arms. She fell weeping against his massive chest and stayed there for long minutes. Even Charlie’s two children became aware of the strange spectacle and asked their mother ‘what was wrong with the lady?’

Charlie’s wife Miranda smiled at the scene and explained to her children;

“Daddy’s helping her get mended, just like he does to you when you’re upset.”

“Can he do that mummy?” The little Belinda asked.

“You’re daddy can do anything, remember how he made Auntie Jeanette feel safe and happy after she was attacked coming home from school.”

With her question answered so effectively, Belinda left to resume the game of rounder’s. Sally had heard Miranda’s explanation and she pulled away to look from Jeanette to Miranda to Charlie.

“Is that true Charlie.”

Charlie just nodded and smiled as Jeanette explained.

“I was very effeminate by then and two of the school bullies decided to have some fun.”

They got away with it the first day but Charlie and his partner were waiting the next. He actually put in unpaid overtime on my behalf; me mind! his transvestite brother! The attackers were hauled up before the whole school and the head, (who was bit embarrassed that he hadn’t stopped it,) asked Charlie to read the riot act to the boys.
Nobody knew Charlie was my big brother and the boys were suspended for a term. One of them had ambitions to go to college and the lost term cost him dear. He had to work doubly hard for the next three years to catch up.”
Sally smiled as she dried her eyes.

“Just one more example of somebody ‘being there’ for you.”

“We’re all here for you now Sally. Will you be considering SRS?” Charlie added.

Sally fell silent in thought.

“I’m not sure. Am I too old?”

“Not really and you’ve certainly lived in your chosen gender roll for long enough. You’ve worked as the warden for what, twenty years?” Charlie replied knowingly.

“Yes, but will it count?” Sally wondered. “Don’t the doctors have to supervise it?”

“You’d best check on that. Go and see your GP next week. There are a million reliable witnesses who can swear you’ve lived and passed as a woman since Paddy came over. I for one have known you as a woman warden since I took over this patch and that’s a good five years.”

Sally looked long and hard at Charlie.

“How do you know so much about it? I mean you’re just an ordinary copper, a sergeant.”

Charlie just wagged his head as he sighed patiently then he spoke slowly and softly for effect.

“Sally! I’ve - got - a - transvestite - little - brother.”

“Oh yes,” she giggled, “stupid of me.”

With the conversation running in such a deep, meaningful and sincere vein, Sally’s mood soon improved and as the cool of the evening drove us indoors she was already on the first small step to recovery. She had come out completely and she no longer felt guilty. By the end of that academic year, Sally was booked in for SRS. She had passed all the psychiatric tests with flying colours. To her enduring astonishment, the college actually proved sympathetic and supportive. Transgendered rights had come a long, long way since Sally’s brutalised early years. They were years that could never have been called a ‘childhood.
Another pleasant development from that day was Jeanette and Charlie’s mother Esther learning of our family on the farm down in Dorset. As we chatted around the table that evening Bea happened to mention in passing about my conception by Sissy to Sian my lesbian Mum.

Esther listened avidly as Beatrice unthinkingly revealed my parenthood. Then she made a rare interruption.

“Martie? Do you mean to say your dad’s a transvestite?”

“Yes,” I replied as we chatted on without even stopping to consider the revelation.

Esther interrupted again.

“And your mum, - your mum’s a lesbian!”

“Yes,” I said aside again, impatient to carry on chattering, “both my mums are lesbian. They’re a couple.

Esther now took control of the chat around the table as she pressed her questions. It was the first time she became actively involved for up to that point she had simply listened.

“Do you ever see your dad Martie?”

“Oh heck yes, all the time when we’re down for the holidays.”Bea interrupted. “Sissy only lives a few miles from us. She owns a small hotel on the outskirts of Poole. She doesn’t run it anymore though but she still lives over the shop. She’s got that nice girl to run it, what’s her name?”

“Candice,” Mel interrupted without even thinking. So intimate was our relationship that we often answered for each other and outsiders would wonder at our social intimacy as it reflected our troilistic sexual attachments.

“So if Jeanette wanted a baby, she only has to find a nice sympathetic girl.” Esther observed.

A deafening silence descended the table as nearly everybody made the connection. Jeanette gasped at her mother’s forthrightness.

“Mummy!! Don’t be so forward.”

“Why not. Every mother has a right to have grandchildren.”

“But you’ve got grandchildren! Charlie’s two and your daughter’s kids, my nephew and all my nieces!” Jeanette cast around the Garden naming and counting them, - “and finally little Janet there in Charlotte’s arms. That makes twelve!! Heck Mummy, how many more d’you want?”

“But wouldn’t you like to be a dad?” Esther pressed, -“Maybe another grandson with our sir-name.”

“It’s not going to happen mummy. You’ve got Charlie’s son Zach, he carries the family name, and anyway; where would I find the right girl and where would I find the time to devote to its upbringing? Besides, there’re enough babies coming into the world.”
I could see the disappointment in Esther’s eyes but she hid it pretty well. The general mood of consensus around the table seemed to go with Jeanette but I caught Bea’s eyes and she gave just the slightest hint of a smile that twitched gently around her lips. It disappeared as quickly as it came but I had caught Bea’s mood. Later as we sat together on the sofa in the sitting room, I mentioned it to Bea very quietly.

“What were you smiling about?” I asked as I checked my laptop for emails.

“Why can’t Jeanette have a son?”

“No reason at all. Sian had me by Sissy.” I replied casually then turned to study my lover as she smiled enigmatically.

“Would you mind if I gave Jeanette a son?” Bea smiled.

“I suspected this. Go on.” I replied thoughtfully.

“Well look at the family. They are just so close nit. Any kid born into that sort of community has got to thrive. Come on Martie, look back at our childhoods on the farm; we had a wonderful childhood and all our parents were in some way gay or transgendered. It’s our upbringing that caused you to remain quite calm and content when I mentioned it. You didn’t fly off the handle or plunge into a jealous, possessive, testosterone driven rage.”

“So what about college? Are you going to sacrifice all that?”

“There’s no need to. As I see it, there’re two solutions.”

“Go on,” I pressed curiously.

Well the simplest one is to wait until we’ve graduated but that will affect our careers. Once we’re working and living more spread out lives the logistics of child rearing get harder.

“If I had Jeanette’s child now, while we’re all four together in college, we’d have a form of crá¨che. There would be four of us to raise the child, just like it was for us. D’you remember we always had a mummy to turn to, even when Mummy Margaret was in work in Poole doing the accounts, or Mummy Beverly was off on one of her many foreign jaunts, there was still Mummy Angie or Mummy Sian, there was always somebody to turn to if we were upset. Why can’t we do the same for our kids?”
I thought about Bea’s words and they made sense. Our early childhood had been truly idyllic. Besides that, we all three had inheritances coming to us that year. Our parents had all put aside monies for exactly what was happening. After our first year at uni in hall, we would have to find our own place. What better solution than to buy a large apartment.
Our mums and Mel’s dad had all put together what they could and we would be well set up if we pooled our inheritances. Mel's dad the Baron Wemite was loaded, and Mummy Beverly was certainly not poor.

She now part owned a small fleet of six ships trading to the Med and the Baltic not to mention our beloved Speedwell and Speedway. A child would be no financial burden and our shared parenting would address the nurturing. Bea was also pretty sure that the grandmothers on both sides would pitch in. Esther always seemed to have a whole heap of grandchildren around her and she obviously enjoyed it. One more would simply complete her dreams. Fortunately, the Benoon Family all lived in and around North London so the logistics of ‘Mum’s Taxi’ would be easy; - not to mention ‘Grandma’s taxi’ and ‘Auntie’s taxies.’ Jeanette was in the luxurious position of having an extended devoted family. I could see Beatrice’s smile widening slowly as she watched me digesting the idea.

“So, sister, what d’you think?” She pressed.

“You’ll still love me won’t you?”

“Hell yes, my second child will be yours, our kids will have half siblings all over the nursery, yours, mine, Mel’s and Jeanette’s. Sister! It’ll be like a genetic zoo! It’ll be just like it was with us four down on the farm, you, me Chenille and Jenny.”

My eyes teared up with relief and I flung myself into Bea’s arms.

“I thought you were going to chuck me for Jeanette.”

“Oh never Martie; never! Never! Never! And anyway, and this is to go no further. I’ve got to accept the fact that at some time you’ll have to marry Mel so that she can inherit her distaff titles and her estate. She deserves that at least. She’s been so loyal to the both of us since forever. That’s not to say I’m going to Marry Jeanette but you are definitely going to have to marry Melanie.”

“We’ve already discussed that.” I observed. “I marry Melanie, give her the babies; she inherits her title for keeps and the endowment then if we’re all agreeable I divorce her. Then we’re all equal again to live like we’re living now.”
Beatrice frowned.

“That’s not necessary Martie. The marriage certificate is only a scrap of paper, to make the kids legitimate and ensure the inheritance. Let it ride, I’m not bothered. Stay married, don’t get a divorce. Why give a bunch of lawyers the chance to make more money? We’ve got each other and that’s all that matters. So now, there’s just the small matter of getting Jeanette to make me pregnant.”

I smiled and we hugged with an exquisite fricassee of delight.

“Do you think she’ll agree?”

“Oh I think so; if it makes Esther happy then it’ll make Jeanette happy. She loves her mum to pieces. Besides, there’s another angle.”

“Go on. What have you been up to?” I asked suspiciously.

“Well, Mummy Bev has been looking at a flat just behind Bedford Square; it’s a new build, well; a renovated office block converted to flats. It’s only a few blocks from the college. I was talking to her on the mobile yesterday while you were in lectures.”

“And?”

“She wants’ us to go around and look at it next week. She hasn’t finalised the deal. “

“How does that affect babies?”

“Well you know we have to move out of hall after the first year and live in rented flats.”

“Yes, that’s the college’s policy, to make students independent.”

“Yes. Well Mummy Bev says there are some larger apartments for sale in the same block, even a couple of four-bed-roomed ones. It wouldn’t do us any harm to look at what Auntie Bev is looking at; see if there’s anything suitable for us; a larger apartment with more bedrooms or something in the same block. Mummy Bev reckons she can get a better deal by buying more than one apartment. She’s looking to buy a couple of the smaller ones anyway; she reckons they’re a good investment. Property prices are so low while we’re in the middle of this credit crunch. If we can tack on a larger apartment to the whole package, there should be some useful discounts. Then we’d all be living together, just like Jeanette’s family.”

“So what you’re looking for is an extra Nan to help with the baby minding.” I pulled a wry smile.
Bea smiled shyly and nodded as she looked bashful. I couldn’t help but smile myself. Just as Jeanette appeared with Charlie playing with baby Janet the youngest child of one of their sisters.

“God you look just like Madonna and child Jeanette,” I grinned”.

“Steady now Martie, we’re Jewish don’t forget.”

“All the more biblical,” Beatrice added. “Mary was a Jew, so was baby Jesus.”

I grinned to myself thoughtfully; Jeanette had not even considered the reference to her mistaken gender just her forgotten faith. I turned to her and asked bluntly.

“I bet you’d like to have a baby wouldn’t you Jeanette.”

“What, you mean be a mother?”

“Well that’s a non starter, but a father perhaps. I know your mum would like it.”

“It’s nice thought Martie but I’m not likely to meet a suitable girl with my life style. I mean a girl who likes trannies is probably a bit kinky and a bit unbalanced.”

“What d’you mean!!” Beatrice protested loudly. I like trannies, Martie’s a tranny, - well for now anyway! Are you saying I’m kinky and unbalanced?”

“Uuhhm no! Sorry, present company excepted but you’re spoken for, you Martie and Mel.”

“So you mean if I wasn’t spoken for, - ?”

Jeanette turned to her big brother Charlie and sighed resignedly as she handed the baby to him.

“You see what I mean big bro, the three of them; they’re the most contrary, capricious gang of witches since Shakespeare wrote Macbeth.”

Charlie grinned as he cuddled his newborn niece then nodded agreement.

“Yeah, and you hope to share a flat with them next year. Boy-oh-boy! Jeanette darling, you’re a glutton for punishment.” Then
Charlie did a double take as he realised what Bea had just said.

“What d’you mean; ‘if you weren’t spoken for’?”

“Exactly that, ‘if I wasn’t spoken for’!”

“But you are; Martie said it the other day; you’re a ménage.”

“Yes, we are but that doesn’t lock us into bondage. We’re still free spirits. If we want to go outside our relationship we can but we don’t betray our trust. We let each other know. The thing is we’re so fond of each other and deeply in love that we never have any need to go outside our relationship.”

Bea turned to me and I nodded with a smile. That was exactly how it was. We were free to step outside our ménage but because we were so intimately involved and deeply attached, it was never necessary. Furthermore, we talked to each other about such stuff all the time.

Jeanette looked from me to Bea uncertainly.

“You mean you’re not, - you know, - betrothed.”

“Betrothed?!!” Bloody hell Jeanette, you make it sound more like the bible all the time. Is that how you Jews see it?”

“Well,” Charlie interceded, “the Orthodox Jews might, but our family is pretty laid back about it all. Our dad was such a bigoted bully about his orthodoxy and sticking to the rules that we all became sick of it. We’re Jewish with a small ‘Jay’; a very small ‘Jay’.”

Both Bea and I could see Jeanette’s brain ticking away thoughtfully and we exchanged knowing smiles. Jeanette was wondering if maybe Beatrice might possibly be a suitable bride.”
The silence deepened for a moment then Charlie sensed the moment. He stopped rocking his niece Janet in his arms and looked at Beatrice and me before casting his glance to Jeanette. Slowly his jaw sagged as he realised there was an unspoken offer on the table. Finally he found words.

“You mean, - Beatrice; you’d have Jeanette’s baby, - sorry, I mean Jack’s baby, Jacob’s baby.”

Bea grinned.

“Well that’s three different people you’d have me sleep with. I’m not that promiscuous!”

Jeanette was still staring in surprise at the beautiful girl that had just confirmed her offer of making her, - Jeanette, a father.

“But, wouldn’t you, - are your ready for such a commitment, - I mean, your relationship with Mel and Martie? What about college?”

“What about college?”

“Well, it’s a huge sacrifice.”

Bea grinned at me and explained to Jeanette about our intentions to buy an apartment collectively.

Charlie listened in amazement as Jeanette became more hopeful and even more excited. Then a huge smile spread across Jeanette’s face as she turned to Beatrice once more to confirm absolutely that the offer was on the table. Bea nodded her head vigorously then spelled it out clearly.

“Jeanette, if - you — wish — I  ¬- will — have — your — baby!!! I’m feeling broody anyway.”

“But what about Martie, I mean, wouldn’t I be somehow affecting the rights of his first born?”

I wagged my head as I recognised Jeanette’s biblical hang-ups.

‘God, they seemed as fucked up as Fundamentalist Christians and Muslims. All faith and no Godliness! It was bad enough with poor old Mel and her titled inheritance laws.’ Would somebody please put the world right, I prayed privately.’
Charlie sensed my silent frustrations and he turned to his transgendered brother.

“Listen Jeannie, take the girl’s offer, you won’t get a better one and if you accept it now, you can have the exquisite delight of giving mum the best birthday present she’ll ever have; - the promise of another son.”

“How do you know it’ll be a son?” Jeanette giggled.

Charlie turned to Beatrice and grinned.

“It had better be; my boy Zach is tired of all female cousins. He’s totally outnumbered. ‘Bout time we had another boy in the Benoon tribe.”

We all couldn’t help but grin like Cheshire cats as Charlie and Jeanette flipped a coin to decide who would have the sheer delight of telling their mother.

“It’ll be the best birthday present she’s ever had.” Squealed Jeanette as the coin favoured her.
“Well we’re all coming to witness this,” Bea declared, “I for one wouldn’t miss this for the world!”

So saying we rose as one and stepped from the drawing room to the huge kitchen were all the female adults of the Benoon Clan were gathered chatting around the table while Sally sat in her wheel-chair next to Esther.