Chapter 12

I drove home in a daze, this morning I had resigned myself to waiting patiently for Wishes to decide where she wanted this to go. Then this afternoon she had been all over me and so willing to express her love in public. I just didn’t know what to expect from tonight. I somehow thought that amongst her own friends she would be a bit more reserved, but I could accept that.

At a quarter to eight I parked outside of Wishes’ house. I walked up to the door feeling very self conscious about my dress. I had never worn anything this revealing in public before and I was trembling with nerves, what am I talking about I hadn’t ever worn a dress before this week!

Alhana answered the door almost before I knocked.

“Linda,” she gave me her warm smile and pulled me into a hug. “You look beautiful, you make such a lovely couple.”

“Thanks Alhana. Um, has Wishes said anything about this afternoon.”

“Come on in darling don’t stand on the doorstep. She’s still upstairs getting ready. Your dress is beautiful and so is the one you bought Wishes, clever move love.”

“Wishes said you talked today and that I knew about you both.” Alhana tried to look stern but the corners of her mouth kept twitching so I knew she wasn’t really angry with me.

“I’m sorry Alhana, but Wishes was so worried that you would be angry with her, I couldn’t let her worry about it all day.”

“I know darling and I think it’s sweet that you worry about her so much. You didn’t tell her anything else about our chat did you?” I could see that she was serious about this.

“No, I didn’t think it would be helpful if the woman I loved thought that I had lost my marbles.”

“I think that would be best kept between us. Ok.”

“Ok Alhana, I won’t say anything.”

About a minute later a copper haired vision descended the stairs dressed in green. I noticed that Sally had found a dress that was almost identical to mine, but where mine had a strap on the left and sloped down to the right, Wishes dress had the strap on the left and sloped to the right.

“Wishes, you look beautiful!” I gasped as she came towards me.

“And so do you my love. Thank you for this.” She said indicating the green dress.

“You both look wonderful.” Alhana stated. “Now go and enjoy yourselves.”

We both hugged Alhana and headed for my car.

Arriving at the party we made one hell of an entrance. We didn’t hold hands or anything like that, we just walked in but the crowd couldn’t help noticing the way we had dressed so alike. After we had been there for a few minutes we split up to mingle amongst the crowd. I didn’t really want to part from her side as I didn’t know anyone there but I was trying to give Wishes some space to greet people she knew. Even apart our eyes kept meeting across the crowded rooms.

I had just returned from the kitchen where I had picked up a bottle of beer when I heard raised voices from the living room.

“Why the hell did you have to invite that fucking dyke Chez?” It wasn’t hard to recognise Mark’s voice.

“Because she’s my friend and I wanted her to come ok.” I could hear the restrained anger in Wishes voice and I hurt for her. I wanted to go to her, to offer her my support but I thought that would probably make things worse.

“Fucking hell Chez! You’re spending so much time with that fucking bitch everyone’s going to think you’re turning into a fucking dyke as well!”

“Yeah well maybe I am!” Wishes had lost her temper now and her voice rose in pitch. “Maybe I am a fucking dyke Mark. All I know is I love her. And you can go fuck yourself!”

I didn’t even realise that Wishes knew I was in the doorway but she headed straight towards me, the crowd parted in a way that would have been comical at any other time.

Reaching me Wishes threw one arm behind my head and pulled me into her. She kissed me fiercely, all around us the room went quiet.

“Fucking Dyke bitches.” Mark’s voice rang out loudly against the silence.

“Give me a moment.” I murmured to Wishes.

Disentangling myself from Wishes I walked across the room to Mark. I looked up at him, he was at least six foot three and looked like a powerful guy.

Back when I was Graham Pearce, the quiet bank manager had a past that he never talked about. During the second world war I was in a protected profession and could have sat out the war at home. I didn’t want do that, Maddie didn’t like it when I volunteered for officer training. I was singled out during my basic training and sent to the Special Operations Executive. Oh I learned a lot in the months I spent training before our first job. Then more training between every job. They were skills I had never even told Maddie about after the war. I think that the Graham that was in the war was such a different person to the Graham that returned to the bank. They never met, they didn’t move in the same circles, so it wasn’t necessary to explain what Major Pearce could do. They were old skills, not used for half a century, but they were so deeply learnt that they were always there, waiting.

I smiled up at Mark.

“Big words Mark. Big words from a big guy, to hurt a little girl.”

“So fucking what! Fucking dyke bitches. What the fucking hell did you have to bring the fucking slag here tonight for. Fucking dyke sla...”

Before Mark could finish his sentence he was on his knees, one arm was twisted up behind his back. My other hand had grabbed his family jewels through his trousers and was applying enough pressure to let him know I would rip the things off if he moved.

“If you ever speak to my girlfriend like that again you will spend the rest of your years as a fucking eunuch.” my voice was flat and emotionless like cold steel rasping across a whetstone. Our instructors had spent weeks teaching us how to sound that way and I found it worked even better as a contrast to my new feminine voice.

“Do you understand me Mark?” Steel slid across the whet stone again.

“Yes, yes, now get off me.” he gasped in pain, the fear showing in his voice.

As I released his arm I gave him a nudge forward, already off balance he sprawled to the floor.

I ignored him and walked slowly over to Wishes and gathered her into my arms kissing her lovingly.

“Watch out!” I heard a male voice call out. Without turning I slid Wishes slightly to one side and hearing the rushed steps flung my arm out palm flat at what I judged to be the right height. There was a jarring impact on my arm and the sound of a body hitting the floor. I didn’t turn to look, I just carried on kissing Wishes as I heard whistles and cheers around us.

When we came up for air we were greeted by half a dozen excited young women who all seemed to want to talk to us at once.

Hearing movement behind me I turned and saw Mark being helped to his feet by four angry looking guys. I swallowed hard, I knew I could take on any one or even two of them but four, this could be painful.

I sagged with relief when one of them, I remember being introduced to him as Mark’s best friend Paul, winked at me. I must have looked relieved because his face cracked into a grin. I had to grin back.