“Keep it, he would be insulted if you refused it.” I said, and opened my envelope.
There was a soppy card, to MY DAUGHTER, and he had scribbled ‘Dad’ in it. But there was a letter inside.
Sandi.
I’m not a great writer, but here goes.
I told you I was sorry about everything, well, I really am. The men who came to the house work for a man in London Called Frankie Holland. Frankie was after a deal, that I managed to get, and thereby he lost a lot of dosh. I mean a lot, over £5,000,000.
Frankie is not a man to cross, and those that do have a habit of snuffing it in lots of nasty ways. The bloke Bruce was his main man, so he will take it very personal now.
They will try to get to me through you, so you may have to fuck off quick. Just be ready to go at a moment’s notice, have a bag ready, and just run, don’t look back. These people do not hesitate, and they can’t be bargained with. I know, as I’ve tried and failed.
Sounds like the Terminator, don’t it?
Anyway, I’m trying to fix things with Frankie, just so they will leave you alone. I’m not that hopeful, though. They still think you’re a boy, so don’t change back now, whatever you do. (my poor attempt at a joke.)
Hopefully, you will be a bit shrewd and get the stuff out of the house and into a safe deposit box. My guess is they will take the house out next.
Good luck with the operation(s). If I get a chance, I’ll come and see you, but it may not be possible. If Frankie can be bought off, I might be lucky, but the chances are slim. Cross Frankie, and he crosses you out permanently.
There is one bloke I trust, and ironically he’s a copper in London. His name is James Randall, and last I heard he was a Detective Inspector in Stoke Newington, but he may be somewhere else by now.
I did a bit of work for him, information and the like, so he came to trust me. I’ve left a folder at Heathrow Airport left luggage in Terminal One. The key is on the page, go there, and take the folder to Jim Randall. Tell him it is from me. He will know what to do. There is enough dirt to bury Frankie Holland for a very long time.
If you’ve cleared out my safe you will know that you’re a very wealthy girl, so be wise and live long.
I love you, too little and too late, but know that I do.
Your Dad.
PS All the stuff you inherit is clean. I promise.
I put the key into my purse, and folded the letter up. I wiped a tear away from my eye, and Dave came over to me.
“Hey what’s up?”
“My Dad, he’s deep in the shit,” I said.
“What kind of shit?”
“Smelly shit. He is a bit of a villain, and it seems that he’s crossed the wrong man. You remember the man in the car, the other day?”
“Yes, what about him?”
“He works for a guy my old man crossed, he was looking for Dad, and they didn’t realise that he is my Dad. They thought I was just a girl who works at the hotel, and goes in to make the beds and stuff.”
“Oh.”
I smiled, as he really was stuck for words.
“It’s okay, I haven’t inherited his dishonest streak.”
He smiled. “You look great.”
“I feel like shit,” I admitted.
“Why?”
“I’m pumped full of female hormones, so I imagine I’m feeling the same as some women feel every month. I feel depressed, tired and just grotty. My Dad is running for his life, and I may attract some of the shit meant for him. I’m not a healthy person to be around at the moment.”
“Oh,.” he said, and I laughed again.
He handed me a small box, wrapped in gaudy paper.
“Happy birthday.”
I opened it, and there was a small ring, with a single white diamond winking at me.
I hugged him and gave him a kiss.
“Thanks Dave, it’s lovely.”
I slipped it on my right ring finger, and it sparkled at me.
“I’d like to get you one for your left ring finger, but that’ll have to wait,” he said, smiling. I felt the emotion well up, so the tears came again.
“See. Look what you made me do,” I said, so he hugged me until I stopped crying.
I really enjoyed the party, and was almost overwhelmed with people’s love and generosity. If it wasn’t for a small piece of useless flesh in my knickers, I would have been really content.
I sank into my bed a little after midnight, a much changed person. The fact that people cared, even my father, had a profound effect on me. The fear and trepidation I felt against this Frankie Holland, changed to a degree of anger and outrage. How dare he try to ruin my life like this? Who the hell was he to dictate who lived and died?
I had enough crap in my life without him and all he had to offer. I decided that I was not going to run any more. I was going on the offensive.
4.
School became a different place for me now. I was no longer the anonymous androgynous lump in the background. I had friends, and I was clearly female, outwardly at any rate. I had a boyfriend who was one of the hunkiest guys in the school, and I knew that I looked good.
My schoolwork improved, and my whole outlook changed. I was no longer a taker, but gave of myself to others, and found a whole new chapter of my life began to open up.
The summer was warm, and sunny, and as June was nearly over, my skirts became shorter and my tops were skimpier. I grew slightly, as I was about 5’8” in my bare feet now. My bust was still growing, so I had to change to a C cup. I asked the Head if I could play tennis, as I had not been playing any sports for a while.
Jenny and I played quite a bit of tennis, both at school and on the court at the hotel, as long as the guests didn’t want to. We worked in the hotel whenever we could, and I actually enjoyed the life I was now leading. I was fitter and healthier, and a hell of a lot happier. Every now and then, I took some money out of my safe deposit box and put it in a high interest account in the building society. I couldn’t bear the thought of money sitting about not doing anything.
The most startling change was that I had friends now. Not strange men in sleazy chat rooms on-line, but real, living breathing friends, who seemed to find my company fun and, with whom I enjoyed doing normal things. In fact, I had not been on-line for weeks. There was Jenny, my best friend, who was as close to me as a sister. Caroline, who seemed to want to follow me about. She was a hoot, and I actually enjoyed her company. The other girls in my form, Jane, Alicia and Rachel, all came to my party, and gradually moved into my sort of inner circle.
Then there were the boys. For some strange reason boys wanted to be my friends now, so I flirted outrageously with most of them. Dear Dave, who knew my inner secrets, was always there, never pushy, but always there, helping and supporting. I realised that I was more than just a little fond of him, yet he never made any demands of me. It was that very reason that I was very reluctant to form a close liaison with anyone else, and one day I told him.
He just smiled.
“You never know, one day I may just claim my just reward,” he said, and left it at that.
We kissed frequently, and he never took anything further. He knew that while I was where I was, that I did not wish to go any further. I wanted to be a girl for him, but I was not yet at the place I wanted to be.