Gruesome Tuesday

PART TEN

©2004 Tanya J. Allan

This work is fictitious, and any similarities to any persons, alive or dead, are purely coincidental. Mention is made of persons in public life only for the purposes of realism, and for that reason alone! Certain licence is taken in respect of medical procedures, terms and conditions, and the author does not claim to be the fount of all knowledge!
The author accepts the right of the individual to hold his/her (or whatever) own political, religious and social views, and there is no intention to deliberately offend anyone. If you wish to take offence, that is your problem!
This is only a story, and it may contain adult material, which may include sex and intimate descriptive details pertaining to genitalia. If this is likely to offend, then don’t read it!
Unfortunately no politicians were injured or killed in the writing of this story, and no one else was either!
If you enjoyed it, then please Email me and tell me! If you hated it, Email me and lie!
I will always welcome contact!
tanya_jaya@yahoo.co.uk
The legal stuff!

This work is the property of the author, and the author retains full copyright, in relation to printed material, whether on paper or electronically! Any adaptation of the whole or part of the material for broadcast by radio, TV, or for stage plays or film, is the right of the author unless negotiated through legal contract! Permission is granted for it to be copied and read by individuals, and for no other purpose. Any commercial use by anyone other than the author is strictly prohibited, and may only be posted to free sites with the express permission of the author!

AUTHOR’S HEALTH WARNING

Dear Reader,

Life can be a crock sometimes, so if it all right with you, I actually prefer happy endings! So, if you want the hero(ine) to have a really miserable time, READ SOMETHING ELSE!

But if you want to see good prevail, and end up with a soppy smile, then I have achieved what I set out to do!

Please enjoy! Tanya

10. Sophie’s Story.

Anna Martin left me a note every day after the Ball, and we met surreptitiously on three occasions. She was a very nice girl, and I felt quite attracted to her. We were relaxed and got on very well. We laughed at the same things, and just enjoyed each other’s company. On the second meeting, behind the school chapel, we had a sneaky kiss and a cuddle.

I had no qualms about it and found myself aroused. I gave her breast a stroke, and enjoyed the response from her. We became very close and rather tactile. I enjoyed walking with her and holding her hand. I hoped that Dad wouldn’t mind!

We even managed to sit together for the first performance of the senior play, and held hands where no one could see.

“She’s not as good as you!” she said, indicating the leading ‘lady’ in the play.

“Ah, talent such as mine is a rare commodity!”

She giggled, and gave my hand a squeeze.

We had one more meeting before the end of term, and it was rather emotional.

A School up in the north of England had lost a senior housemaster in a road accident, and her father had been selected to replace him! Anna was being moved with her family, and had to start at a new school and everything.

“Write to me, Rob!” she pleaded.

“Of course!” I said, fully intending to.

We had a long hug, and a kiss, and she left, and I never saw her again! The end of term was upon us, and my ‘parents’ arrived and took me home. I arrived back, and was obviously so much more Rob than at half term, Sally treated me as if it had all been a joke!

Sean was a different boy! He spent all his money on the telephone in the main corridor. He spoke to Angela every evening for about half an hour, and was so cheerful that it got up everyone’s nose.

I was packing my stuff when Sean popped his grinning face around the door.

“Hi Rob! Got a mo?”

“Sure, what’s up?”

He sat on my bed, and looked at me.

“I just want you to know how much I appreciate what you did for me! I think I went a little loopy for a while. Only, after Sophie introduced me to Angela, I realised exactly how much she must have hurt by doing that!”

“Sean, …” I started to say, and he held up a hand.

“I know what you are going to say, but hear me out! I don’t know how or why, but Sophie was a real girl. I think even you know that! She wasn’t the same person as you, and I should know! We have been friends for two years, and I know you, and Sophie wasn’t the same person as you! She was kind and gentle, and she had the most loving heart! I loved her Rob, and I miss her so badly! But I was able to see that I was wrong, and now Angela is almost everything that Sophie was!

“Words can’t express what I feel about what you and Sophie did! One day, I’d like to meet her again!”

“One day, Sean, I guarantee you shall!”

“Thanks, mate. Have a good Christmas!”

“And you!”

Home was the same as always, and we decorated the tree in the hall. I went Christmas shopping with Sally and Mum, and Sally let it slip that they were getting me an Atari games console. I smiled, as this was so archaic that in my time one could buy wristwatches with better memory and games on than this thing!

I got a long phone call from Anna, and she was in tears, as they were moving in the New Year! I promised to write, and listened to her tale of woes! She was happy in her school, and although a year behind me, she was not looking forward to changing everything! But her father’s new job meant more money and a bigger house. It also meant that she would be going to the school he taught in, and free!

I attempted to persuade her that it was a better deal, and almost succeeded. Except she wailed that she didn’t want to move away from me! I had to promise to write again, and call, when ever possible.

Finally she rang off, and I was relieved. I was fond of her, but she had fallen very hard for me!

Christmas Eve arrived, and I wasn’t feeling too good, too many cheese straws and mince pies! So I went to my room after supper, and lay on my bed reading. I must have dozed off.

I awoke and found myself sitting beside the bed on a chair. My arms were folded in front of me, and my head was resting on my arms. For a moment I thought that somehow I had put on my costume for Sophie! And then it dawned on me that I was in a hospital.

There was a bleeping monitor, which was making all kinds of strange noises.

Dad was in the bed, and one hand was on his forehead.

He turned his head and looked at me.

“Hi Sophie, welcome back! Sally delivered your letter!” he said, and grinned.

“Dad! Oh Daddy!” I shouted and flung my arms around him!

Nurses and Doctors came running in, and I refused to let go of him!

I held onto his hand, and he was holding me just as tight!

The doctor examined him and shook his head in disbelief. The nurses were crying, as was I, and there was a real hullabaloo!

I suddenly received a flood of memories, that I knew weren’t mine, and I stared at him in amazement!

I couldn’t speak, but I went bright red when I realised what had happened between Matthew Kaiser and ‘me’!

And ‘I’ only ended up going to the concert with him!

The senior registrar was called in, and after a thorough examination, he could see no reason why Dad couldn’t go home. I rang up Sally and she whooped in delight and told me that she would be over to pick her brother and niece up. I asked her not to tell the grandparents, as I wanted this to be a real Christmas Eve surprise for them.

Dad had some clothes, as I realised that ‘I’ had brought him in some clothes in the hope that he was going to come round. This memory business was going to cause me some real headaches for both of us. Dad dressed, and then hugged me. There were nurses loitering, and we were both dying to talk about what had happened.

“Well, Sophie, how’s this for faith!” said the doctor ‘I’ had spoken to early on.

“I knew he would come back to me!” I said.

“Happy Christmas!” he said, and I burst into tears.

Sally arrived, and we had a three-way hug, and she looked at me closely.

“I’m me again Aunty Sally. Thanks for keeping the letter!”

“This is so weird! But I am so pleased to have you both back!”

We pushed dad in a wheelchair to the car, as the hospital didn’t want him collapsing on their premises!

When we finally got to the car, and were on way, we were able to speak.

“Dad! What the hell have you done with Matthew?” I said, and he grinned.

“Call him, he loves you!” he said.

“That’s is not the point, he loves you, not me!”

“No sweetie, he loves Sophie, and that is and always was, you and you alone!”

I opened my mouth, and he said, “And while we are on this subject, what about Sean, and Anna?”

I shut my mouth and went red.

Sally looked at each one of us in turn and shook her head.

“This is too weird!” she said, and we both laughed.

“So, young lady, how did you like the 1970s?” he asked.

“They were okay, but that bloody game, it ought to be banned!”

“You got me my colours, if it is any consolation, I went on to be captain of the firsts in my final year!”

I grinned, and felt genuinely pleased and proud of myself.

“And so you should!” he said, and I realised that he knew what I was thinking!

“You read my mind!” I said.

“No, it is just that for four months it was my mind, and I feel I know you far better than a father normally knows a daughter! And by the way, I got rid of Mrs Hardacre!”

I searched my memories and started to smile, particularly when I realised exactly what ‘I’ had said.

“Dad! How could you?”

“I didn’t, you did!” he said, with that evil grin of his.

I sat back and let the memories come flooding through, and I was shocked, horrified, embarrassed, pleased, flattered and overjoyed! But most of all I was proud of how my Dad had coped, and what he had achieved.

Sally pulled the car to a halt outside the house. We got out, and I cried as I looked at the house again. I admitted that I thought I might never see it again, as Sophie at any rate!

“It’s been a long time!” I said.

“Yes Sophie, it has. Before we go in, come here!” Dad said.

I went over and he just held me, and we both cried.

We cried in relief, joy, pride and happiness. We were where we both belonged and I loved him so much!

Sally went in, and the Grandparents were sitting watching TV with Steven. Dad and I walked in after Sally.

“Hello everyone!” he said quietly.

Granny, who was nodding off, shook her head and blinked vacantly several times. Steven took one look and was immediately in his father’s outstretched arms.

Grandpa surprised me by bursting into tears.

“My Boy! Robert! My God, what a miracle!” he said, and immediately joined us, to be followed by a weeping Granny.

Joy was present in our household that night, and we watched as Dad tucked away a huge plate of ham and eggs.

At midnight, I went up to bed, and found my room exactly how I had left it. Except for a photograph of Matthew with To Sophie, with all my love, Matt XXXX written thereon. It had been taken at the Justin Timberlake concert, and I remembered it as if I had been there!

I was just in bed when my Dad came in.

“Steven is asleep!” he said.

“Oh Dad, what an adventure! Did you know when it was going to end?”

“Not for ages, but then when Sally gave me the letter, she told me that I behaved very oddly on Christmas Eve. I went up and had a nap, and came down at about ten and hugged everyone. I guessed that it was then! So I had to be in the hospital when it happened, then I knew we would be together!”

“I missed you so much!” I admitted.

“Me too sweetheart! I have to confess, I became you, and would have quite liked to have continued being you for as long as I could! But this is for the best! You have your life to lead, and I have already had my chance!”

“Dad?”

“What, sweetie?”

“What happened to Anna?”

He shrugged.

“Could you find out?”

“I don’t know, I suppose so. There might be something on the internet!”

“Did you write to her?”’

“For about three years, then we just lost touch!”

“Ring her tomorrow!”

“I don’t know her name, or her number!”

“Dad! I feel this is important!”

“Okay, I’ll see!” he said, and I immediately knew that expression.

“Dad!”

“Okay, I will try hard!”

“Good. Shit Dad, you sneaked my first kiss!”

“Well, you kissed my best friend, and Anna and the other girl who I would rather forget!”

I giggled.

“Quits?”

“Quits!”

“Oh Daddy, you have no idea how good it is to be home!”

“I do, sweetie, I do!”

“I don’t suppose we have bought any Christmas presents?” I said.

“I think we have the best Christmas present that we could have ever wanted!”

We just hugged each other for a long time. It was okay being Rob, but this was better!

I woke up late on Christmas morning, and found Steven up and opening the stocking that his grandparents had produced. They even gave me one, and it had all sorts of goodies in it. I hugged them, I preferred them as Grandparents, and could hardly recognise Grandpa as the strict father of the 1970s!

Dad was already up and in his study. I went in and gave him a hug.

“Morning my sweetie!” he said, “Happy Christmas!”

“Morning Daddy, Happy Christmas!”

He was looking at the screen, it was the web site of the school to which Anna Martin’s father had gone, and to which Anna attended up to leaving at eighteen! He had found her details.

She had gone to St. AndrewsUniversity in Fife, and then gone on and become a teacher. She had met and married another teacher called Edward Lumley, and they had a daughter. They settled in Perthshire, and both taught at the same school. Edward died in a car crash three years ago, and she had not remarried.

I dialled 118118, and asked for Anna Lumley’s number in Perthshire.

The operator asked if I wanted to be put through, and I said yes. I then wrote down the number, and handed the phone to Dad.

He looked horrified and scared, and I laughed. He took the phone and held it to his ear.

“Hello, Anna! Look, you probably won’t remember me, and I apologise ..”

“Yes, that’s right, I’m Rob!….”

“How did you know? … Oh, the papers, I didn’t realise!”

“No, I’m fine now, I came round last night!”

“Yes, you are the first person I called!”

“That’s right, she died of cancer four years ago!”

“No, no one, you?”

“Look, this is a long shot, but do you fancy meeting up for New Year?”

“You do! Wonderful, how about coming here! There is room and I’m sure your daughter and mine will get on!”

“Sophie is nearly sixteen, how about your daughter?”

“Another Sophie! Amazing!”

“From the play too, yes, that is why I called her Sophie as well!”

“I have another, a son, Steven. He is ten!”

“Anytime you like, if you fly down, I’ll pick you up from the airport!”

“Twenty seventh? No, that will be fine, I’d love to have both of you for as long as you want!”

“No, I never forgot you either!”

“Look forward to it, I’ll see you then!”

“Goodbye!”

He gave me the phone, and looked bemused.

“She read about me in the papers, and prayed for me every night! I never realised that it hit the nationals!” he said.

“So, she’s coming?”

“Yes, she and her daughter are both coming. She called her Sophie too, after the play!”

“How old is she?”

“Thirteen in March!”

Dad was looking rather shocked.

“Are you all right?” I asked.

“I am confused, why do I feel so excited?”

“I don’t think either of you ever stopped loving the other! You just lost each other!”

We sat together, and talked through some of the amazing experiences we had been through. I felt as though we had grown so close that we were almost one person!

“Ring Matthew and wish him a happy Christmas, and see if he liked his present!”

“What? Oh Daddy, you didn’t?”

But daddy was dialling Matt’s mobile, he had it memorised, and we both smiled.

He handed me the phone, and I was almost shaking.

“Hi Matt, it’s Sophie!”

“I know, Happy Christmas! And thanks for the chain and medallion! I have it on! I’ll never take it off!” he said. I went all goosebumpish at the sound of his voice.

“I’m pleased you like it!”

“Have you opened my present yet?”

“What present?”

“I put it under your tree!”

I stood up, and went to the tree in the living room.

I found a very small parcel on one of the lower branches.

It had, ‘To Sophie from her bloke’, written on a tiny label.

“Hi Bloke!” I said, and I heard him chuckle.

I opened it with some difficulty, as I tried to balance the phone at the same time.

“Have you shares in Sellotape or something?” I asked, and finally opened it. It was a small box, and inside was a pretty ring with a pair of sapphires set in the gold.

“Its beautiful!” I said.

“The blue are your eyes, and the gold is your hair!”

“Soppy sod!” I said, and tears fell from my eyes.

“Are you crying?”

“No!” I lied and then spoiled it by sniffing.

“You are! Who is the soppy one?”

“Me!” I said, and blew my nose.

“Sophie, I miss you so much!”

“Me too. When are you coming back?”

“On about the twenty seventh. Will you be staying at home?”

“Yes! Oh, and guess what, my Dad came round yesterday, and he is home now!”

“That’s great, I suppose you will want to be with him?”

“We are having a party on New Years Eve, he has an old girl friend coming, and I thought I’d invite some friends, so see if any of your friends can come, say about five or six!”

“Cool, okay. But what about the twenty seventh?”

“Just come round, Dad won’t mind you being here, bring a sleeping bag and just doss down wherever there is a corner, for as long as you want!”

“Your Dad won’t mind?”

I looked at Dad, and he smiled.

“My Dad is the best Dad in the world! He is so cool, he is out of this world!”

“Okay, I’ll be there on the twenty seventh!”

“I can’t wait!” I said, and found that I meant it!

“I love you Sophie!”

“Yeah I know!”

“I mean it!”

“I know!”

“Tart!”

“I know, but I love you too!”

“You do?”

“No, I just say that to all the boys! Of course I do! Twat!”

He laughed, and the sound filled me with expectation and joy!

“Does the ring fit?”

I slipped it onto my right ring finger.

“Yes, on the right hand. I’ll wait a few years and then you can buy me one for the left!”

“Done!”

“See you soon!”

“Bye!”

I turned and looked at my Dad, and he smiled at me.

“Thanks Dad, you did good!”

He nodded.

“So did you, Sophie, so did you!”

To be continued in Chapter 11

since 04/26/04