All of the original situations in this story are mine, the rest is the intellectual property of Maddy. Cat is a fictional character, any similarities to anyone living or dead is purely my warped mind in action.

Winter Catalyst 2

Part 16

Over the next couple of weeks life dropped back to something like normal. Catching up with my schoolwork didn't take me long, adjusting to life on crutches took a little bit longer. I still had my tormentors but they weren't paying me as much attention. Either they got bored, had grown up or found someone else to mess with. I would have put my money on them finding a new victim but to be honest I was just glad it wasn't me anymore.

The computer room and the library had been places I went to seek refuge but not anymore. I went there by choice and most days either I would find Eve or she would find me working away on some project or another.

One Friday in the afternoon I arrived ready for my next class but the teacher sent me straight to the office for a message. I went as fast as the crutches let me because I was worried that something had happened to mum or dad.

"I was told to come here by my teacher," I blurted out to the school secretary. "Please can you tell me what's going on."

"What's your name?"

"Birch," I replied.

She raised her eyebrows then replied, "Catrina Birch, you need to call your mum. Use this phone, the number is here in case you can't remember."

I dialled and waited for the other end to pickup, I didn't give them a chance to speak.

"Hi, can I speak to Mrs Birch please, it's her daughter."

"Hi Cat, I'll put you straight through."

"Thanks Jackie," I replied.

A couple of seconds later I heard mum's voice.

"What's up, is Dad ok?" I asked.

"Calm down dear, he's fine, I'm fine, it's Gran who isn't. I'm afraid that she broke her leg quite badly," she replied.

"She's going to be ok though," I stated, as much in hope as anything else although Gran had always seemed indestructible.

"As we get older our bodies don't bounce back as quickly. She's in Mansfield General and I think she'll be there over the weekend," mum said. That didn't reassure me.

"Dad and I are going up to see her," she continued. "We've spoken to the school and they have said you can leave early today. That's if you want to."

I quietly replied, "I'd like that."

"Right then," Mum replied. "Dad will pick us both up, we'll go home, chuck some things in a bag and hit the road before the traffic gets really bad."

Half an hour later we were on our way up north to visit Gran.

I gazed out of the window and watched the countryside whizz by. I thought about Gran and hoped she would be ok, I couldn't imagine her giving up her independence without a fight.

I thought about Drew and Maddy and the rest of the gang, it would be nice to see them again. No wait, they were all in the US on that exchange visit, bum. Oh well. I hoped they were having fun and that Brit wasn't stitching Drew up again, although the chances of that were pretty slim.

With no friends in Warsop this time I thought about Eve, who has lived with HIV all of her life. Was I the only girl at school who knew? Why did she tell me? What could I do to help her?

All this thinking had made the drive much shorter, we were on the outskirts of Mansfield when Dad spoke up.

"You've been quiet the whole time," he said.

"Just been thinking," I replied.

"I wondered where the noise was coming from."

"Noise?"

"Yes, the sound of cogs whirring," he replied.

"Ok Dad, whatever," I giggled.

We found a parking space and, with the help of a friendly porter, our way to the ward.

After waiting a couple of minutes for a nurse to finish doing whatever it is nurses have to do these days we worked out where Gran would be and found her.

"Hi mum."

"Hi mum."

"Hi Gran."

"Hello dears," she said then turned to me. "A right couple of bookends we are, you with your leg and me with my hip bone."

"That's serious isn't it mum?" Dad said.

"Nothing a little bit of rest won't sort out, I'll soon be back on my feet," she replied.

I looked across to Mum and Dad, neither of them seemed convinced but they weren't going to say anything.

"Did you have a good journey?" Gran asked.

"Fine," Dad replied. "A bit busy from Kegworth but we missed the worst of the traffic.”

"Is there anything else that you need from home?" Mum interjected.

"My slippers and a few other things, I've made a list," Gran said. She took a small piece of paper from beside the bed and handed it to Mum who looked it over.

"Ok, we'll go and get the stuff and be back before visiting hours are over," she replied.

With three of us working through the list we were in and out with almost military precision. In fact it took longer to get the key from her neighbour than it did to find everything. We had no problems finding a parking space when we got back to the hospital either.

"Back again Gran," I said.

"And we got everything on the list," Mum added.

"Thank you," Gran replied.

Someone came in to take her empty dinner plates, so our timing had been good for avoiding mealtime too.

I got the impression that Gran didn't want to talk about what had happened to her. She spent the rest of our visit asking us how Mum and Dad's jobs were going, how I was coping at school and whether I had changed my mind about learning an instrument.

I've got no idea how long we were there but I'm pretty sure that visiting hours had finished a while before we left. The sister didn't seem too bothered so I guess it was okay.

We grabbed some takeaway on the trip back to Gran's and did our best to settle in but it didn't seem right without her there.

In the morning we managed a little grocery shopping before we went back to the hospital. Gran was in the chair beside her bed when we got there so I sat on the edge of it and Mum and Dad grabbed seats from elsewhere.

We all chatted for a while, I was quite happy to stay put but Mum suggested I go to the cafeteria or something. I guessed that she wanted to talk without me there but I decided that I wouldn't make it easy for her.

"That's it, make the poor crippled girl drag herself across the hospital," I said in mock protest.

"Boooo, get offf," Mum said like I was some corny actor, which I guess I was. I took my cue and exited stage left.

I had almost got to the cafeteria when I overheard a surprising piece of news. Normally I'm not someone who eavesdrops but my 'radar' picked up on something that these women were talking about.

"You'll never guess who I've just seen," the first woman said. "I was just in oncology and saw Jenny Bond, I've not seen her since I left school."

"Didn't your brother go out with her once," her friend replied.

They carried on talking after that but I wasn't listening anymore, I'd heard all I needed to hear. Could they be talking about a different Jenny Bond and what was it they did in Oncology? I decided that there was only one way to find out.

I followed the signs and looked through the door hoping to be able to spot her.

"Can I help you," said a voice behind me. I guess she noticed the crutches when I turned round to face her because she continued, "This isn't Physiotherapy but I can point you in the right direction."

"I'm' here to visit someone," I replied to the nurse.

"Oh that's a different matter, what's this someone's name?"

"Jenny Bond," I said softly.

"There's no one in there under that name, what made you think she was here?" she enquired.

"I overheard someone in the corridor," I stated truthfully. "I just wanted to see if it was the one that I know. I'm glad I was wr... ."

I stopped to get out of someone's way, then I saw who the someone was.

"Mr Bond?"

"Cat? What? Why?" he said, sounding more confused than me.

It took a couple of minutes to explain what had happened to my leg and to my Gran. The nurse hadn't hung around, she would be back in a while.

"So why are you here if Mrs Bond isn't in there?" I asked.

He looked puzzled for a second before answering, "She's in as Mrs Peters, we're trying to keep it under wraps for as long as possible."

I was confused again.

"People think you only get that type of cancer one way."

"Cancer!" I said far too loud, then remembered that's where I'd heard the term Oncology before and did a silent 'doh'. Would she be ok? What must Drew and Jules be feeling?

"I'm sorry, I'll go now, I promise not to say anything," I stated.

"It's okay," he said. “Why don't you go and say hello, she's been d... She would like to meet you."

I made absolutely sure that he really thought it was a good idea then ventured through the doors.

The Jenny I saw was nothing like the one on the poster and in the magazines. Still it wasn't a surprise for her to look ill, she was ill.

"Hello, do I know you?"

If it wasn't for the crutches I might have turned and run. Instead I composed myself and spoke, even after everything she had done I realised that she was still my hero.

"Not exactly but I know you and I met up with Drew a few times last year," was what spilled out from my lips.

"Kirsten?" she enquired.

"No I'm Cat," I replied.

"That was my second choice," she said and smiled. She looked more like the person in the cycling magazines when she did that.

"So the crutches, let me guess. You were out riding and the car didn't see you?" she said.

"Got it in one," I replied.

"How much longer in plaster?"

"Just a couple more weeks, three at most," I said.

"I've got something at home about ways to get back up to your peak after an injury, I'll get Dave to send it," she said.

We spent the next five minutes talking cycling, it was just like talking to one of my friends at the cycle club, it felt very strange.

"I think I better get back to Gran now," I said, noticing that she was tiring too.

"OK, you get well and get straight back on that bike, from what Drew tells me you have a future on two wheels."

"He really thinks that? I hope I can prove him right," I said. "Bye Mrs B, get well soon."

"Goodbye Cat," she replied, as I made my way back out.

Mr B was outside the door.

"Was she OK?" he asked.

"She was great," I replied. "She's going to be alright isn't she?"

Mr Bond said she would be fine but the rest of his face suggested he wasn't feeling as confident as he sounded.

I said thank you and made my way briskly back to Gran.

"You will never guess who I've just met," I said.

"Elvis?," Gran suggested.

"Couldn't be," said Dad. "He works the night shift." Which left me with no choice other than to punch him lightly on the arm.

"Jenny Bond," I said quietly.

"Drew's mum?" asked my mum.

"And world champion and Sports Personality of the Year," I added. "She was on a ward but it's a bit of a secret."

"Then don't say another word," said Gran.

She was right, I managed to find other stuff to talk for the rest of the time we were in the hospital but on the way back to Gran's house was a different story.

"I can't believe how normal she was," I said. "I mean I know she's Drew's mum but I expected her to be... You know... Starry."

"She is ill," mum pointed out.

I didn't respond to that, I knew what the truth was.

"There is one thing I don't understand," I stated.

"What's that then?" dad asked.

"Mr Bond said that people think there is only one way to get the kind of cancer she has, what would he mean," I replied.

"I think I know," mum said.

She went on to explain how lots of people assume that cervical cancer is sexually transmitted, when it can be because of a family history, certain drugs given years ago and a few other things too.

I could see similarities with Eve's HIV and my transgenderism, people think they know about something but really they only get half the story, what gives them the right?

I realised it was a bit silly to get wound up like this, I just had to look out for myself and let the Bonds look out for Jenny.

When we got back to Gran's house no one really felt like cooking, so we got some fish and chips and watched a film as we ate it.

Next morning Mum had an announcement.

"I'm going to stay up here for a couple of days," she said. "It'll be easier for me to get compassionate leave and once they let Gran out she will need a little while to adjust, just like you did," she said, as she looked at me.

I couldn't think of anything to say so I stayed silent. When Dad didn't either, I guessed that they must have talked about it already.

It did make sense though, I didn't want Gran to come home and struggle.

She was sat on the bed resting when we arrived.

"Morning kids," she said.

"Hi Gran," I replied at the same time as my parents spoke.

"How are you feeling today Mum?" asked Dad.

"Still quite sore but ready to go home," she replied.

"That's good because Mum is staying here to look after you," I said.

Dad gave me a look and I guessed that I had spoken out of turn.

"Not really look after you," Mum said, trying to cover for my blunder. "Just helping you get back on your feet."

"So how does that foot taste?" Dad asked me, meaning my little indiscretion.

"Cheesy," I replied quietly.

I guess that Gran realised Mum's intentions because she didn't argue.

I hung around for a while before I decided I needed something to eat, or at least that's what I told my folks. Really I wanted to go and see Jenny again. Yesterday I had been so busy being a groupie that I hadn't even asked how Drew and Jules were doing in the US, some friend I was.

I got to Oncology and asked to see Jenny Bond only to be told she wasn't there. So I tried to think what name she would use as an alias but I couldn't remember what it might be. In the end I said, "she's in that bed over there," then realised that the bed was empty.

She couldn't be could she? Maybe that was why Mr Bond had looked like he did, maybe that was why he let me see her.

But she hadn't looked that ill. Ok, she wasn't going to win any cycle races in that condition. Heck in that condition even I might have had a chance to keep up with her. Anyway if she was that bad they would have brought Drew and Jules back to be with her.

"The woman in that bed was discharged this morning," the nurse on duty told me.

So maybe she had gone to be with her family, maybe Drew and Jules were on plane right now!

I 'ran' back to where Gran was and tried to tell my parents what I knew.

"She's not there anymore, she's gone home to die," I stated.

"Who has gone home to die?" Mum asked.

"Jenny has," I said, getting more and more distressed with each sentence. "I went to ask about Drew and she wasn't there."

"What makes you think that's why she's been discharged?" Dad asked.

"Why else would she be?" I replied.

"She might be feeling better," said Gran.

"Or just having a break in her treatment," Mum added.

I wished that they were right, but in my own mind I knew the reason she had left hospital, I just hoped that Drew and Jules would get back in time.

We stayed with Gran a little bit longer but Dad and I had stuff to do so we could go home.

Almost the last thing I did was to make Gran promise to be on her feet and chasing me around the next time I saw her. She laughed and said that was one thing she would most definitely do.

Back at Gran's place we packed our stuff into the car and got ready to leave without Mum!

"I'll be home in a few days," she reassured us.

On the drive home I was as quiet as I had been on the drive up. I spent most of it thinking about Jenny and what was happening to her.

When we got back we checked in with mum on the phone then I made us both a sandwich. As soon as I finished mine I made my way to my room and put Jenny's poster back in its rightful place on my wall.

I tried reading a book and listening to music to take my mind off things, but it didn't work that well. In the end I did the only thing that could have helped - I went to bed.

When Monday morning came I tried to follow my normal pre-school routine. I was still eating my breakfast when dad left for work but I left the house in plenty of time to catch the bus and after a short walk I was in the classroom for registration.

Even after Jenny won Sports Personality of the year most of the boys still had no interest in anything other than football. Luckily some of the girls were interested in a successful sportswoman, even if they didn't follow the sport.

"Hiya Jo, guess who I saw at the weekend," I said.

"Your Gran?" she replied.

I gave her 'the look' and said, "Well yes but I meant as well as my Gran. Someone famous."

Gareth Gates was the next name that she offered. If I had got an inflatable hammer I would have used it on her. I supposed it was too much to expect her to get it right, so I put her out of her misery and told her.

"It was Jenny Bond," I said.

"No way," she said.

"Yes way," I replied with a grin.

"Did she show you all her winner's medals and trophies?" she asked.

It would have been strange if Jenny had taken her trophies in to hospital. Of course Jo didn't know that was where she was and if I told her then I'd have a whole lot more explaining to do.

"It wasn't like that," I said. "I just met her while I was out and about."

"What was she like?"

I could have spent most of the day telling her things about Jenny.

"It was really strange to begin with. I'd seen her picture in the magazines all the time and felt like I knew her. But when she actually knew who I was too it blew me away, you don't expect that," I said.

"She was even better than Drew had said, she was great," I continued.

"Who is Drew?" she asked.

"He's her son, he's a cyclist too, national schoolboy champion," I gloated on his behalf.

"Is he fit?" Jo asked.

"He's got to be very.... Oh you mean fit like that, I really don't think of him like that," I just about managed to say.

I felt embarrassed talking about a friend in those terms. Luckily I was spared any further blushes by the arrival of our form teacher to take the register.

At lunchtime I met up with Eve and we found a spot to talk in private in the library. I told her the whole truth about Jenny, what I had been told and what I didn't need to be told. I made extra triple sure that no one else heard what I said.

For someone who had never met her, Eve was very sympathetic towards Jenny's situation as well as to the way I was feeling about things. She tried to comfort me, unfortunately she did that just as a couple of boys looked along the row of shelves we had been hiding down.

"Ew, lezzers," said one of them.

"Let's get out of here before they start swapping spit," the other responded.

I pulled away from my friend and thought 'great, just what my reputation needs, more fuel for the fire'.

Regrettably that must have sent the wrong signals to Eve, because she calmly got up and walked away.

I called after her but she didn't even turn around.

I started to follow her but something told me that would have been a bad idea. It wasn't my reputation I was thinking of either. If keeping my friends meant the remarks and the teasing came back then so be it.

I needed to give her a chance to cool down so that she would actually listen to my explanation.

That afternoon seemed to drag by, probably because I was so concerned for my friendship. I just about managed to concentrate on my schoolwork but I was very happy to hear the bell go for the end of school.

I had no expectations of being given a lift today so I went quickly down the hill and caught a bus home.

I let myself in, turned the TV on and did the little bit of homework I had while watching the kids programmes.

With Mum away I took it upon myself to prepare something meal like. The things that I found all ended up under the grill, they were cooked before Dad got home but I managed to keep everything warm.

"The menu was a little unorthodox but it worked," Dad said. "We might have to get you in the kitchen more often."

We had started to clear everything away when the phone rang. Dad answered and it didn't take me long to work out that it was Mum he was talking to.

They chatted for a while and then Dad called me over to speak to her myself.

"Hi Mum," I said. "How's Gran getting on?"

"She's doing good, in fact she'll be home in a day or two," she replied.

"Great."

She continued, "So I'll be home this weekend I think."

I didn't say anything but I was really glad to hear that.

"I've got another piece of news for you, love," she said. "Are you sitting down?"

"Oh?"

"I went to see the Bonds on my way back from the hospital."