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Cheryl Angelica Crabtree- Chapter 1

It all started before I was born. Dad wanted a son and after two daughters he was certain the next born would be a boy. After all didn't he have two older sisters; it ran in the family. Mum on the other hand wasn't bothered as long as the child was healthy, but her husband was really getting irritating. When she went along for the scan, she took her best mate Paula along as hubby was at work and couldn't / wouldn't get time off.

The picture was clear, it was a boy. Mother's heart sank, however Paula knowing the situation came up with a plan, simply to delay the announcement! After all if he couldn't be bothered to get to the scan why should he find out everything it revealed. So mother just told him that although they could see the important body parts, they weren't sure about the babies sex. He accepted that, after all it wouldn't be long till the birth.

Now as fate would have it, he managed to miss the birth too. To be fair he attended the first two and planned on seeing his 'son' greet the world but a serious incident at his workplace prevented his attendance. Paula again stepped into the breach and I arrived double quick time, 7lbs 5oz, a beautiful bouncing boy. This is when mother and Paula came up with a jape to wind my father up. They had a chat with the midwife and doctor and the plot was put in place. When dad turned up later on he was introduced to his new daughter! Everyone on the ward was in on the plan, mother said his face was a picture.

Mum decided to keep the charade going till she got home two days later. However unbeknown to the pranksters, dad accepted he hadn't got the much wanted son and went to register the birth as he had his older offspring. To compound matters when the registrar rang the ward to confirm the birth time, the ward sister just told him the time without thinking. That's how I got to have a birth certificate that says I am Cheryl Angelica Crabtree, female. This was the name my parents had decided on in the event of daughter number 3. I should have been Charles Eric.

I guess at this point you will be asking why mother didn't own up and get the records corrected? I've asked her too and she just says it never occurred to her. When she got home and dad told her he had registered me, she decided to play on with the charade. Having two older sisters meant that dad general kept clear of bath times and avoided at all costs nappy changing!


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