Tammy: Flying High Part 11: All Points North & South Shiraz Turvey & Alecia Snowfall

 
This story follows on from Tammy: Rank Stupidity and Snowfall's Butterflies, Asphalt & Insanity

Part 11: All Points North & South
 
Tammy found herself quickly writing another report but this time the subject was Suzie’s recent behaviour. She took this into her scheduled meeting with Dave Brown.

“I guess you were expecting Suzie to break?”

“Not me, Tammy, I’m not a psychoanalyst, just an analyst who does a few things on the side.”

“But?”

“Okay, yes, the medical staff guessed that it wouldn’t take many more triggers to expose her issues. She’s been good at covering them up, hiding if you prefer, but Suzie is just one step from accepting that she needs help.”

“That counsellor was waiting deliberate;y, wasn’t she?”

“Correct, you should know how this house works.”

“So, is she flying back with me on Monday?”

“That depends on far too many factors, but in short she is currently a risk to herself and to others.”

“As pilot I would have to make a judgement and say she can’t fly.”

“So, there’s your answer.”

“Yes, Dave.”

“Did you speak to Joey?”

“Yes, can she be picked up at Euston in the morning off the Highland Sleeper?”

“Do you have her ticket details?”

Tammy found the info in her phone and wrote it for Dave.

“Excellent.”

“Tell me Dave, has Joan been interviewed yet?”

“Reference?”

“The Small family dynamics at the time George and Joan moved to Thurso, when Suzie left home and the first time you met Tim. In fact that seems like a good starting point for our chat. Do you have your diary?”

Tammy produced a memory stick and smiled.

“Yes, I know there are banned. Check your emails, it’s there.”

“Thank you, now hide that USB device before security destroy it!”

For Tammy, going back to when she was fifteen seemed like an age ago. She recalled a Mr Small, history teacher, joining the school but Tim, now Angela, hadn’t been in any of the same classes until they reached the sixth form. Even then Tim wasn’t seen outside of classes and never willingly participated in class.

“I’m not sure how much of this is relevant, Dave?”

“Believe me, it is.”

“Then how is this helping Suzie?”

“Indirectly it is.”

“You want to know if Joan’s a victim?”

“There is that, Tammy”

“I worked with Sarah, remember? Joan would come into the shop with barely enough money for one item. If the shop was busy she would have to leave empty handed or George would be banging on the window. We rarely saw her because of that.”

“Oh.”

“I’m not certain Tim knew any of this, he didn’t come into town on a Saturday so wouldn’t have seen them. In fact he might have outed me without realising it, that was typical Tim, and Angela still does it.”

“Open mouth before engaging brain?”

“Yes, it’s a rare event but it does happen.”

“Were you frightened of George?”

“As a teacher, yes, as Joan’s husband and Tim’s father, very.”

“Did you know about Suzie?”

“No, not until everything started to happen, just before Christmas 2014. I was simply told that she hadn’t moved with the family and was in school in England. I didn’t see anything complicated there, as a school kid you don’t.”

“Even at 18? That’s how old you were then.”

“Yes, Dave. You know what that school is like, you are shielded from the outside world, It really doesn’t give you any experiences to help you in real life, outside school. That’s why I was so grateful for the job with Sarah.”

“That was one reason for working there? The ability to be Tammy there on Saturdays when you were Tom for the rest of the week?”

Tammy cringed when she heard that name.

“Sorry Dave, I can’t really talk about myself back there except in abstract.”

“So, when did you first meet Suzie?”

“Just before George’s funeral.”

“How was she?”

“She wasn’t sure about me and definitely wasn’t sure about Angela, but was describing this new job she had, which was working in your unit.”

“She didn’t join my unit directly, she had training and induction, but yes. I debriefed her after the funeral so she described you nicely.”

“I know, she was a really good analyst and really observant. When we went to Scilly in the summer of 2015 she was fun.”

“Remember that Tammy, Suzie will be back eventually.”

The next few days passed without sight of Suzie although Joan did now re-appear in the conservatory for a few hours daily.

Joey had arrived on Friday morning and Tammy had been allowed to brief her before she sat down with Dave Brown, who she had previously met. After lunch Joey was interviewed by John Smith and in the evening she completed a long questionnaire on a PC in the study.

Saturday was apparently a free day, plus the weather was warm, so Tammy took the gaggle of girls down to the small hut by the late to raid the ice cream freezer.

“Hey, Tammy, why hadn’t you told us this was here?”

“Maybe I didn’t want to find the freezer empty when I did finally get down here?”

“That wouldn’t happen!”

“It has and it would! I was first here three years ago and I’ve been here many times since then but for some reason I don’t get to enjoy ice creams very often.”

“That’s because they are incompatible with your diet, Tammy.”

“Thank you for reminding me, Maisie.”

“Hey, when’s the wedding?”

“Thanks Joey, we don ‘t know.”

“Tammy, we were supposed to be at Cathy’s for a BBQ today?”

“Yes, Angela, but no-one could have predicted what’s been happening?”

“Yeah, but?”

“Look, it’s been put back to next Saturday. We’ll be home Monday afternoon, you didn’t have any social plans? Did you?”

Maisie jabbed Tammy with her elbow. “That was mean!”

“Sorry, Angela.”

Sunday was another round of interviews with everyone and Tammy got the idea that every one of the vetting and counselling staff had been comparing notes the day before, which was why they hadn’t been seen.

None of the probing that Tammy encountered was hard but she did recall some more details for her inquisitor. Joey got a session on the range and Maisie re-took her test, scoring better.

Sunday evening everyone of the Small, Smart and extended clan made it into dinner, with no-one else joining them. Richard made a toast.

“When each of us arrived here, we had no idea what we would be doing, where we would be going and what the future held. In many respects we still don’t know, but maybe we now have a better idea of how our pasts and our weaknesses impact us. From here on in it’s just one day at a time. Here’s to us, all of us.”

Joan looked tired and Suzie was subdued, the overall mood of the dinner was hard to pin down but there were no jokes and very little small talk.

They gathered on Monday morning, 25th June, readying to join a minibus that was currently outside the main door to the house. Tammy couldn’t recall having gone through that door previously.

By request, Tammy and Maisie left a few items of clothing at the house in case of further unexpected visits.

Dave Brown had five minutes with everyone before they joined the bus, Tammy was last.

“That’s been an intense few days, Tammy.”

“Quite, I am still surprised that Suzie is going back with us.”

“The medical staff reckon that if she can make her peace with her mum and Angela then she’ll get back to herself.”

“You wouldn’t send her back to Thurso without a plan?”

“True. Alison and Andrea McPherson have already travelled up, one of them will be available to Suzie or the rest of you.”

“I don’t think Suzie knows them?”

“True, but Joan and Angela do, as do you and your father. The ladies are both trained in mental health and will report back to the centre here.”

“On what basis?”

“We’ve employed them as our outreach medical team. You are their first case.”

“But they’re family.”

“Not by blood or marriage, Tammy, there’s no conflict of interest.”

“Semantics, Dave.”

“I know, but it ticks all the boxes. You had best get going. The catering team have provided some food for the flight.”

Tammy landed safely at Wick Airport at two that afternoon and cars belonging to Richard, Maisie and Tammy welcomed their drivers, with Maisie taking Joey. Tammy took her time making certain the post-flight was completed, including her log book.

She reported to Jim.

“Thanks for bringing the Sport back.”

“No problem, it gave me some fixed wing hours.”

Back home Tammy decided to say nothing but she decided to contact the Colonel.

“Sir, We’re back home. I’ll supply you a report in due course.”

“Understood and yes, I will appreciate a report.”

Maisie had arrived behind Tammy.

“Angela phoned, something about Alison & Andrea being here?”

“They are almost my cousins, they’re nurses. They looked after me a few years ago when I went down with a nasty bug.”

“Okay, anyway, Cathy rang and asked if we would like to pop over there Thursday for lunch?”

“Sure, what about Mary?”

“Re-arranged for Wednesday.”

Tammy next phoned her solicitor Jeremiah Smith.

“Ah, thank you for calling Miss Smart, we have had contact back from the Crown Agents, what name should go on the books for this?”

“I think Smart Properties should own the site for now, but I need to create a new company for the bulk of the site, then sell some of it back to me personally.”

“I see, to manage the tax?”

“Indeed, and liabilities.”

“Of course. When can you drop in to sign the documents?”

“Tomorrow morning?”

“Certainly, Miss Smart. Tomorrow, shall we say ten o’clock?”

Her father then rang,

“The twins have just collected Suzie and taken her back to Cathy’s. Suzie seemed to know about it, did you?”

“I was told the ladies would be here, but not much beyond that, Dad,”

“Okay. Be careful Tammy.”

“Yes, Dad.”

The next few days had Tammy and Maisie catching up with paperwork and appointments. Tammy saw Jeremiah and next made it to the office where Joey was sat.

“That was a neat house, I told mum I’d now been there.”

“Just be careful what you say to people.”

“Yeah, Mr Smith said that, is that his real name?”

“It’s the name I’ve known for three years.”

“Oh, but you left school three years ago?”

“Yes.”

“So you were involved with them whilst still at school?”

“Yes, Joey.”

“I’ve been told I’m okay to help you at the new place.”

“I was told the same. That permission can be withdrawn at very short notice.”

“Yeah. Thanks for the dress by the way.”

“You looked good.”

“I felt good, although I only wore it to dinner on Sunday. I’ll wear it again when the time is right. You know I was never girly.”

“Yes, Joey, and I have a good idea why. I can promise you that you’re safe.”

“Safe? Like when a Scorpion appears in the street?”

“Hey, the pilot is a friend, if I ever see him again.”

“So, will you close this office?”

“I really don’t know. I will need an office at the new site as we’ll probably sell the house, but nothing has been arranged yet. There’s a job for you regardless.”

“Thanks.”

Tammy made her way to Dr Adi as she was just about out of HRT.

“There’s a note that you were seen last week and a prescription was issued?”

“Yes, but I left that supply there. I ended up in London very suddenly and had nothing with me, no clothes, no make-up and no pills. I managed to get around the clothes problem but there was an on-site nurse’s station and pharmacy so they issued enough for me to take whilst there and are keeping the remainder for my next random trip there.”

“Where’s there?”

“Just outside of London. I was in Yorkshire when I was told to head South with zero notice! Again!”

“Okay, seeing as it was just a single 28 day supply, I’ll give you a fresh three month supply now.”

Mary had heard from her employers about the sale.

“That was very quick?”

“I know, I was surprised myself, but the agent wanted to meet me in person so we signed on the spot.”

“I had thought I would get a warning?”

“Look, Mary, my solicitor is handling this so I’m assuming that the place isn’t mine yet, but you can have a month, even two if you need it.”

“Won’t you be moving in?”

“Not yet, but I might be pulling down the barn next to the carpark and putting up Maisie’s fitness centre there as soon as I can get planning permission. If the nuclear folk stop paying you then I’ll employ you under the same terms.”

“They’ve just given me a months notice, that was last Friday.”

“Okay, so how about I pay you from the middle of July to the end of August, or until you have everything ready to move South?”

“Sounds reasonable.”

“There will be a London based survey team arriving at some point, as well as local surveyors for the new building.”

“I can handle them.”

“One of the survey team drinks apple tea.”

“Ah, if I buy some then it won’t go to waste?”

“Of course not, but give me the receipt and I’ll refund it.”

Tammy debated mentioning the subterranean spaces but decided against that – Mary didn’t need to know.

The next afternoon Tammy and Maisie arrived at the home of the Clan McPherson.

Cathy met them in her mum’s favourite small lounge.

“Now, Maisie, firstly congratulations but you never knew Elsie? This was her house.”

“No but Tammy has mentioned her a few times.”

“Okay, there are two things at work here, maybe three? I am not my mother’s replacement as no-one could ever do that but everything we do here is achieved once we consider what would Elsie have done.”

“I see.”

“Tammy, do you still work like that?”

“Was it obvious? Yes, absolutely.”

“Good, because I get the feeling you want my help. Please don’t think I’m going to insist on the best way forward as I can’t be correct all the time. I hope that, with Elsie’s help, we can find a suitable solution. Now, what is the issue?”

“Our wedding, Cathy.”

“Thank you Maisie. Now, what do you need from me?”

Tammy took over. “We would like to hold the wedding here, before the summer is out, before we need to move home and before Maisie is too big!”

She earned that slap on her bum.

“Okay, holding a wedding here isn’t new, the last one was your parents, Tammy. So far that’s not complicated. What’s this about moving?”

“We have bought a former farm site on the far side of town. There’s no fields or actual agriculture there. The farmhouse will be our home and our businesses will also be there.”

“So you want to spend time getting your new home ready?”

“Yes, which is why we definitely won’t be flying out to a beach wedding.”

“Don’t give me ideas, Tammy!”

“Will you help us?”

“Of course I will, and I’ll have plenty of help. Right now my brother Michael is spending weekends here, my daughters Florence and Daisy are on their summer breaks, Suzie is having some time here, away from things whilst Alison and Andrea are making sure Suzie has support, If you don’t mind, none of them are free right now.”

“Of course, Cathy, we were told that A&A would be here for Suzie, and mum I guess?”

“Correct. That family needs healing but this will involve the whole McPherson clan, not just the Smalls, not just the Smarts. We face these issues together.”

“Indeed, Cathy, because I would hate to think of the alternatives.”

“Yes, Tammy, but wedding planning is a great diversion. Suzie will participate if she feels up to it.”

“That’s all we can ask.”

It was over six weeks later and their wedding was a week away. Tammy had just passed her re-arranged helicopter training and was at home scanning the documents ready for filing and to send them on. She also had copies of Lizzie’s new licences.

Tammy went to the lock box at the bottom of her wardrobe to store the documents, finding a sealed envelope there.

Four years earlier Tammy had attended the funeral of her only aunt, Bella Sonatina, after knowing her for only a few months. Bella’s solicitor, Frances Jones, had sent the envelope to Tammy six months earlier but Tammy wasn’t ready to open it then.

With some trepidation she slit it open. A separate envelope fell out, along with a handwritten note.

Dear Tammy,
 
If my dear solicitor has done her job well then five years will have passed and you have transitioned. It is important that this is your legal name.
 

If the five years isn’t up, never fear, as something unpredictable has happened. Right now the time doesn’t matter.
 

Firstly, I did have a will and my solicitor promised me that she would have made the charitable donations that I designated. So far as the will is concerned, that was that.
 

Before I passed I sold or donated all my earthly possessions but monies from those sales didn’t come to myself. My solicitor will have taken her fee and placed the majority of the rest in an account bearing your name.
 

There should be a deposit book for that account in the sealed envelope. You will need to produce current ID to access the funds.
 

Why am I doing this? I have no children and just about everyone in the family shunned me when I transitioned thirty years ago. You made an effort despite the prejudice and maybe I helped you make your own leap, possibly into a slightly kinder world than I found myself?
 

Frances should have one more letter for you, when you confirm that you have acted on this one.
 

Bella.

Tammy unsealed the latest envelope and took out the bank deposit book, opened when Tammy was still seventeen.

The deposit was £985,000

Tammy had no current idea of her own personal fortune at that point but knew she already had well over four million pounds in stocks, shares and properties. This money alone would almost make her a cash millionaire.

The bank was in London and that would necessitate an overnight stay, possibly two.

She was having trouble deciding how to handle the tax on it, and that would mean disclosing it to her father for his advice. Tammy had no wish to invoke jealousy in the family but her father was equally well off.

Her mobile rang, she put the bank book down.

“Hi Suzie, how are you?”

“I got the all clear, Tammy.”

“When are you back?”

“I’m off sick leave now but I’ve opted to take two weeks holiday so I can stay for the wedding and not have to rush back to London.”

“That’s great news.”

“Tammy, I’m really sorry for what I said.”

“Suzie, I forgave you, there’s just one person you can’t forgive.”

“I know, and he’s dead, good riddance.”

“Suzie, I wouldn’t normally speak ill of those who have passed, but, yeah.”

Tammy ended the call as she heard Maisie bounding up the stairs.

“Oh, you’re back?”

“Yes, oh, your scan?”

“Yes, but what’s that?” Maisie pointed at the bank book, Tammy handed it over.

“Just under a million, Tammy? What, how?”

“It’s a legacy from an aunt I barely knew. Anyway, what’s the result, is our baby okay?”

Maisie handed over an ultrasound scan print.

“Er, two?”

“Yes, Tammy, it’s twins but I think we can now afford them a little easier!”

Tammy will return!