Whatever Next?

by Angharad ap Gwilym

(A Gaby fanfic based upon the characters created by Maddy Bell)

Part 7

“When are you gonna tell the rest of the gang?” asked Maddy.

“What about?” countered Drew.

“You know,” said Maddy, “Going back south.”

“Oh that,” said Drew casually as he lay back on the bed.

“What did you think I meant?” said Maddy looking quizzically at him, “The fire ‘n' thin's?”

“Nah, it's not important,” Drew replied dismissively.

“Yes it is,” Maddy said while poking him in the ribs to emphasise her point.

“Ouch Mad, God you've got bony fingers girl!”

“Well tell me then, or I'll poke these bony fingers in all your sensitive places!” Maddy held up her hand menacingly, although the smirk on her face showed the threat was minimal.

“Promises, promises,” Drew's voice was deliberately pathetic and moments later he was squealing as Maddy carried out her threat, and began to tickle him. It wasn't long before he was coughing, his chest not quite recovered from his recent infection. “Stop Mad, I need a wee,” he squealed as his cousin showed no mercy.

He managed to wriggle off the bed and rushed to the bathroom: voices floated up the stairs, occasionally sounding heated. He went back to the bedroom and Maddy was about to continue her tickling attack when he stopped her. “Sounds pretty bloody downstairs,” he offered.

“Oh,” was all she said, before inviting him to cuddle some more with her. “What we gonna do if Dad says no?”

“Dunno, maybe I'll have to go on my own,” Drew pulled Maddy closer to him as he spoke, he felt very uncertain and perhaps a bit scared.

“I won't let them split us up, we make a good team, my flair and your looks,” said Maddy, smiling.

“Oh yeah, my looks. I look so wunnerful as a boy everyone thinks I'm a girl!”

“Gabs, I don't care what you are, I still love you.”

“Thanks Mad,” replied Drew snuggling into her, “Even if I am a freak.”

Maddy sat up and with a very serious face said firmly, “You are not a freak and I don't want to hear you say that again. Promise?”

Drew looked down at the bed and said very quietly, “Promise.”

“You are the loveliest boy and prettiest girl I know, either way, you are like, brill.”

“I'd rather just be Drew,” he said sniffing.

“I know kiddo, but for the moment it's better to go with the flow.”

“So people keep on telling me. Sometimes I think I'd be better off disappearing to Germany where no one knows me. I could be myself there.”

“I'd miss you lots;” said Maddy once again stroking his hair, “ ‘n' could you be yourself, if you look like a girl how will going abroad make you look any more masculine?”

“I'll get a stick on beard and a chest wig,” he said jokingly.

“You'd look like the bearded lady and then you would be like a freak.”

“I was only joking Mad,” he protested

“So was I,” she claimed tickling him again. This led to a more general wrestling match and into both of them falling off the bed and onto the floor as Jenny and Carol walked into the room.

“Just what are you doing?” said Carol loudly and angrily at the two pairs of feet and legs sticking up in the air beyond the bed.

Almost immediately a pair of teenage heads popped up: partly from exertion but mostly embarrassment they were blushing profusely. “Sorry Mum,” said Maddy, “We were having a tickle fight and fell off the bed.”

Carol shook her head in disapproval, “Madeline Peters, aren't you getting just a little old for children's games?”

“No,” said Maddy, “I hope I never am, it's just a bit of fun.”

“Well I hope you're a bit more restrained when we go back to Dorchester,” said Carol.

“What?” said both teens in almost synchronised voices.

“The men have agreed to let you go for two weeks, after which we shall review how things are going. If it isn't to their liking we come home and you'll have to sort something else out Gaby;” continued Carol.

“Yeah, like okay;” said Drew almost unable to believe his good fortune; although he now began to realise the new problems it would create.

“Who's coming with us?” asked Maddy, meaning from the parental contribution.

“I will and so will Auntie Josie, so you'll have to behave yourselves, and Jules of course.”

The two teens looked each at each other and said, “Of course,” and then smirked nearly to the point of chuckling.

“Jules will share a room with Gaby again, Maddy will share with me and Auntie Josie will have the third bedroom.”

Maddy was about to protest but she kept her own counsel, Drew felt her tense and was about to say something to head her off, then she relaxed so he kept quiet, too.

“We're going back down the day after tomorrow, so we need to look at laundry and things. Maddy I want you to sort out all the stuff you two need to take.”

Maddy pouted but accepted her mother's instruction.

“Gaby, you need to sort out all your cycling stuff and which bike you're taking and also one for Maddy. I'm sorry but my spare Bianchi stays here,” said Jenny.

“Okay,” nodded Drew, “She can borrow my Tiffi, unless you want my MTB?” He addressed the latter part of this to Maddy, who shrugged her shoulders and looked blank.

“My Tifosi, which is a road bike or my mountain bike.”

“I've got one of those of my own,” said Maddy.

“We could p'rhaps borrow something from Matt.”

“Why can't Maddy use the Specialized?” asked Jenny, “It is after all a women's bike.”

“I've got kinda used to it, and would prefer to continue with it,” said Drew unable to believe he'd made a choice against his previous favourite bike.

Jenny also looked surprised at his decision.

“If you take my Bianchi, I'll hold you personally responsible for its safe keeping Gaby Bond, and you will pay me back out of your pocket money until it's settled in full if anything happens to it. Understand?”

Now Drew and Maddy looked surprised, and Carol, who was astounded asked “How much are we talking here?”

“It's my practice bike, but about fifteen hundred,” said Jenny, while Drew looked on with a serious expression on his face. “I think you'd better tell your friends what's happening as well.”

“Yeah, we'll see ‘em tomorrow,” offered Drew.

“Better set it up now then,” said Maddy standing up and picking up her mobile.

Within ten minutes most of the gang had agreed to meet the next morning, Rhod was the only uncertain one and he'd said he would try. Initially they would all converge on the Peters' house and then decide where to go. If the weather held, they could go for a walk or even sit about the garden; if it rained, there was always the shopping mall, or they'd have to find someone with a room big enough to accommodate them all and whose parents were out.

Drew had begun checking out the bikes, Dave refused to help, sulking because he thought the whole idea of sending his children from the frying pan into the fire preposterous. He wondered if he'd sleep at all until that maniac was caught.

John was less visibly upset, but he was wondering how he might manage to get down to the Yeovil office as often as he could, something which had previously been a chore.

Maddy eventually collected up all the dirty washing and loaded the machine with the first wash, it would take about an hour so she set about compiling a list of all the things she'd need to take. She paused and looking in her drawer she found a padded bra in white and one in black. They were Drew's size, so with a bit of luck, his budding breasts and the bra should mean he wouldn't need to use the breast forms as often. Maddy felt pleased with her finds and hoped Drew would.

He came up half an hour later and flopped on the bed. “I've chipped all my nails fiddling with the bikes. I'd forgotten how dirty they can be. I've checked the tyres and brakes, oiled the chains and put together a basic tool set with some spare tubes and a couple of tyres. Wotcha bin doin'?” he said looking at Maddy.

“Playing wardrobe mistress, why?” she sat alongside him and stroked his knee.

“Jus' wunnered, s'all,” he mumbled, aware of Maddy's hand on his leg. It was relaxing and arousing at the same time and that confused him.

“Found you some new bras,” she said producing said garments with a flourish.

“Gee thanks,” said Drew half heartedly.

“So that's all the thanks I get for ransacking the house looking for these!” snapped Maddy.

“I thought I had enough bras, bloody things!” groaned Drew making obvious that they were not his favourite garment.

“Do you like wearing those breast form thingies?”

“You know I don't,”

“Well these might help you avoid wearing them sometimes,” Maddy smirked as she said it, knowing that she had won on points yet again.

“Y'what?” he said sitting up.

“They're padded enough to enhance the little booblets you've got to more realistic proportions,” dropping them in his lap.

“Crikey, they are padded aren't they,” he said feeling them.

“Try one on and see what it looks like,” urged Maddy.

“Do I have to?” groaned the wunderkind, filled with apathy.

“Yes, c'mon.” Maddy started pulling at his top and he reluctantly stripped it off and then removed his bra. Although Maddy had seen his chest before many times, he seemed unusually shy. Eventually, he handed her his still warm bra and took the padded one.

She made him stand in front of the mirror, it fit perfectly and enhanced his small bustline. He replaced his top and it looked much better, he began to look like a teenager rather than a prepubescent child. “When did you wear these then?” he asked Maddy.

“I can't remember, ages ago,” she said blushing.

“They look pretty new to me,” he said accusingly.

“Yeah, I didn't like, really need ‘em very often.”

“What?” he said staring at her well-rounded chest.

That night Maddy had a nightmare. She had a flash back to being kidnapped by Meadows, and thankfully Drew woke before the others and managed to calm her.

“It's okay Mad, it's only a dream, you're okay, honest.”

“Oh Gabs,” she sobbed, “ it was horrible. That awful man had got me again and I couldn't get anyone to hear me calling for help.”

“Where were you?” asked Drew, now pretty well awake.

“At the shopping mall in Sheffield.”

“What Meadowhall?”

“Yes, I think so.”

Drew felt a little relief, at least it wasn't in Dorset again. “Was I there?”

“Yes, but you couldn't hear me. I could see you, but you couldn't hear or see me.”

“Was I looking for you?”

“Yes, but you hadn't realised what had happened.”

“What, you mean you'd sloped off as usual once you'd seen some shops.”

“Don't be cross with me,” said Maddy and burst into tears, “I'm scared.”

“Okay, okay, I'm not cross with you,” he cuddled her and she felt calmer.

“We aren't like, gonna see him when we go back to Dorset, are we?”

“I dunno,” answered Drew with honesty, “But the next time I see him, I want him put away for a long time.”

“I don't wanna see him at all,” sniffed Maddy trembling.

“Don't worry Mad, if he shows up Harry and me, we'll see he regrets it.”

“Oh Gabs, you are so brave,” sighed Maddy in awe.

“Nah,” said Drew, his chest expanding with a combination of bravado and pride, “We just need this guy off the streets, so me ‘n' Harry will have to catch him again.” Inside his mind was saying very different things and scolding him for his showing off. A few hours before he'd been wanting to meet Meadows for ending his own misery. Now if he met the maniac, he was going to capture him. It appeared Drew's perspective could change quite rapidly, including that of reality.

They cuddled for half an hour or so before Drew fell asleep again, his arm still protectively around Maddy, who'd also slipped into slumber.

They awoke both stiff and uncomfortable, Drew couldn't feel his arm where Maddy had lain on it, and she had a stiff neck. When they recalled what had happened they both laughed as they coped with their respective aches.

“What time is the gang coming around?” asked Drew looking at Maddy's big pink and white alarm clock.

“Ten or half past, why?”

“It's nearly eight, do you think we'd better get up?” asked Drew anxious to get things sorted.

“Dunno,” yawned Maddy, “I feel knackered,” snuggling down under the quilt again.

“I think I'd better get up and get showered. What d'ya think the gang will say?”

“Nothin' much,” yawned Maddy, “they all know you as Gaby, so what's the big deal?”

“Did Rhod say he was coming?” asked Drew wanting to see his old friend.

“He wasn't sure, don't think he was too interested for some reason.”

“That's a bit odd, I mean we haven't like, seen each other for over a month and he doesn't know if he's comin', some bloody mate he is!”

“I forgot what he said now, he might have a very good reason for not being able to come. I was tired and I was busy when I phoned them all. I mean if you want a boy here, I could call Clive.”

“No thank you, Clive has a one track mind and it isn't cycling.”

“Welcome to the real world of women, Gabs, you'll get the hang of it eventually.”

“I don't want to Mad, this is only a temporary thing.”

“Yeah okay,” said Maddy thinking something very different as Drew went off to shower before Jules woke up and captured the bathroom until lunch time.

He came out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his chest and another turban style on his head, Maddy smiled at him, he was so feminine at times without trying, yet he insisted it was all a temporary thing. She went into the shower once he was safely inside the bedroom.

By the time she was back in her bedroom Drew was wearing a pair of jeans and a pink tee shirt with ‘Little Miss Bossy' and a picture of the carton character created by Roger Hargrave. As she slipped on her underwear, she watched Drew cleaning off his chipped nail varnish with solvent. She wondered if he would leave them unpainted. Her question had to wait as he dried and brushed his now quite long hair instead of doing any more to his nails.

Maddy also dressed in jeans and tee shirt, then as she was drying her hair she watched secretly as Drew applied his eye makeup like any ordinary teen girl. It looked so normal, but here was someone who used to be a boy until very recently. Could ordinary boys pick up these skills so easily or did Drew have some sort of predilection for them?

Maddy mused some more when she saw him open the bottle of varnish and paint his nails again and then his toenails. He'd obviously wiped them clean before she got back, and was astonished at how careful he was getting over his appearance. Drew hardly noticed if he had his trousers on, but Gaby could tell you what colour her underwear was too.

“What d'you think of the new bra?” he asked Maddy.

For the moment, Maddy was tied up in her musings and she had to replay what he'd said before she could answer. “Oh yeah Gabs, that looks much better.” Dressed as he was, she considered he had a marvellous figure and the new bra gave his chest that little bit of emphasis it had been lacking for him to move on from little girl to young woman.

“Ready for some breakfast?” he asked her.

“S'pose so,” she answered, wishing she had time to do her nails as he'd done, so instead of sandals like he wore displaying his painted toes she opted for trainers.

Dave and John had already gone to do something at the house, then they were going to work. Carol was going to take Jenny to the airport that evening after Jenny had tried to organise some school places for Gaby and Maddy. Judging by the harassed look she was wearing, it wasn't going too easily.

Josie, Drew and Juliette's grandmother, was out for a walk; Jules was still abed, so Maddy and Drew ate by themselves in the Peter's large kitchen. Drew made tea while Maddy sorted some toast, the pair working together as a team without any obvious instruction, they seemed to know what the other was going to do.

Carol stopped in the kitchen and cadged a fresh cuppa, “You look a bit different Gaby,” she offered as she waited for Drew to fill her mug with tea.

“What is it?” she asked out loud though she was in reality talking to herself.

Drew smiled, he knew perfectly well what it was that was different, and Maddy looked away trying not to snigger.

“Watch Mum's cup doesn't overfloweth!” she shrieked from behind her hand.

Drew immediately caught the joke and laughed, nearly pouring tea all over the table.

Carol looked on bewildered, “There is something different.”

“Oh hi Gabs, new bra?” asked Jules as she wandered into the kitchen.

“Of course it is, that's what is different. Now I see the joke Maddy,” Carol said laughing.

“What joke?” asked Jules yawning and everyone else fell about laughing.

Eventually, Drew gave Jules a cup of tea and she poured herself some cereal.

“Want any toast?” asked Maddy.

“No thanks, I wouldn't mind if I ate as much as Gaby, if I was only as fat as she is,” retorted Jules making faces at Drew.

By way of response, he turned to Maddy and said, “I'll eat them if no one else wants to.” Maddy handed him the plate at the same time looking at Jules, who shook her head and groaned.

“I like the nails Gabs, is that your varnish Mad?” asked Jules looking at Maddy.

Maddy shrugged her shoulders and looked at Drew, who was busy using his painted fingers to shove toast into his mouth. “It's mine actually,” said Drew holding his fingers up to admire, “I take it you like it, then?”

“Yes Miss Wunderkind, now can I borrow some or do I have to beat it out of you?”

“There are times when I'm quite glad I don't have siblings,” said Maddy moving quickly away from the table.

“Spoilt brat!” came the comment from the table, then everyone chuckled.

A little before 10.30, the phone rang. Maddy answered it and after talking for a bit called Drew over. She just handed him the phone without saying who it was.

“Hello,” said Drew nervously.

“Who is that?” barked an unusual voice in Drew's ear.

“Gggaby Bond, who are you?” said Drew now even more nervous.

Laughter, loud and staccato came from the ear piece, then a voice Drew recognised emerged, “Ha ha, caught ya.”

“Rhod, you tw..ister,” said Drew as Carol walked past. Then as soon as she was out of earshot, he added, “What are you playing at you arsehole?”

“What am I playing at, ‘ark who's talkin'? I'm not runnin' around in a dress or goin' away on holidays as a girl.”

“Oh you know about it then?”

“Course we do you numpty, it was all over the bleedin' telly and in the local rag. You were a minor celebrity in your absence.”

“Oh my giddy aunt!” exclaimed Drew, too thrown to even swear at his friend.

“Clive kept askin' when you were comin' back to this area. ‘Cos he's an even bigger dumbo than you he didn't seem to notice all the little discrepancies; you know like, how come he never sees you and Gaby together, that sorta thin'. How come Gaby races bikes as well as Drew? ‘onest to God, Gabs, I wonder how he manages to do up his own bloody shoelaces.”

If Drew hadn't felt very intimidated by what Rhod was saying, he'd have laughed too, but he wasn't laughing and Rhod eventually noticed. “You okay Drew, I mean Gaby?”

There was a short pause before Drew could answer. “Yeah, I'm okay apart from being homeless, I'm okay.” He paused a little longer then asked, “You comin' over?”

Now it was Rhod's turn to pause, “Nah, gotta go back to me Dad's place this afters, back end a next week. That's why I rang, to say, ‘hi and catch up later', sorry we're not gonna get together before school.”

“Ah well,” said Drew passing on numerous issues, “ ‘s the way it goes, innit? Have a good time with your dad and see ya soon I s'pose.”

“Same to you Gabs,” a laugh sounded on the phone which Drew wasn't sure he liked, but before he could say anything Rhod said, “See ya,” and put the phone down.

Drew walked back to Maddy feeling very unsettled.

Angharad ap Gwilym 29.04.07 © 2007
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