Eva's Valentine's Day Choices

"Sorry?"

"I asked if you were a social worker. I've been phoning the council, asking one to see the poor lad for months now."

"Sorry?"

"Ever since his sister died, he's not been the same lad. During the first lockdown, we used to sit out here and share a beer over the fence, but now, he doesn't speak."

Eva could see that mirroring the table on her side of the fence was one on the other side, with a chair. She could imagine the two sitting in the sun, sharing a beer over summer.

"Mark's a good lad... He's lost so much weight now after his sister died... I've seen him, in the kitchen, or throwing rubbish out, often wearing women's clothing now... It ain't natural. He used to have a girlfriend, you know?"

Eva nodded, now seeing that maybe here was the catalyst for Mark becoming Mandy.

"I didn't like her... She was bossy, fat, and tried to lord it over him... I can't remember her name... But he found out she was gaming with someone else and having internet sex. How that happens over the wires I'll never understand, but thankfully he dumped her..."

"Er... Mr?"

"Ted, call me Ted... Mark used to call me Father Ted, after that TV show... When he still spoke."

"Okay, Ted... When did Mark's sister die?"

"It was terrible... He shut himself off ever since, it's only because I can hear him moving around through the walls can I tell he's home... Terrible for him, he was close to his sister, I liked her... I met her once, lovely girl lived up north, Birmingham."

Eva felt a lump in her throat, as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

"But, you should know all this... Being his social worker, so why are you asking me?"

"Er, yeah... But I'm interested in your thoughts, Ted. How do you think he's coping?"

"He ain't... He used to help me all the time, taking the bins out or in my greenhouse or with my veg, digging my patch. Now, nothing, not even a smile over the fence. He's not right, you know, dressing as a woman, it ain't natural."

"Just to confirm this all happened after his sister died?"

"Yes... Terrible for him, dreadful... With his parents a few years back, then his sister."

"So he's lived here for a while?"

"Yeah, a good eight or so years... You should know this? It must be in your records."

"Well, we don't keep a record of everything on everyone... And we're all working from home, so not all the records are available. I just want to be sure."

"Oh... Okay. Well, ask away."

"So, when did his sister die?"

"Mark had been isolating. He'd tested positive, so I'd not seen him for a few days... Then he went quiet for a few days. I assumed he'd gone to see his sister, as his car had gone."

"When was this?"

"The weekend before the second lockdown, late October. Everyone was going mad, buying up all the loo rolls and rice again. On the Sunday Mark's car returned, so I assumed he was okay, but we've not spoken since."

"But, his sister?"

"Oh... Overnight and early Sunday, whilst Mark's car was gone, there was a host of train cancellations in the Birmingham loop, so they were rerouting trains off the main lines via Oxford."

"How's that anything to do with his sister's death?"

Eva was getting frustrated with the old man now, labouring out the story to keep her engaged. She looked up at the frosted bathroom window; it was still closed and condensation was streaming out of the extractor fan. Hopefully, Mark-Mandy was still showering,.

"I'm getting to it. Mark's car returned on Sunday and shortly after, the police turned up. We thought he was getting arrested for breaking his isolation or something. But when I went down the Red Lion, for the chance of one last pint and a chat with Bill, who used to work on the railway... He'd heard that they canceled the trains because of a jumper... A suicide, off a bridge out in the country."

Eva gulped... Maybe she had been in the right place at the right time, after all.

"What with Mark returning on Sunday, then the Police, but they didn't take him away, I put two and two together... I checked the local Birmingham news on Monday on the computer and it was his sister. He must have gone to identify the body."

Ted looked as sorry as Eva felt. She needed to return inside, not wanting Mark-Mandy to think she was gossiping over the fence.

"Thanks for your help, Ted. This helps a lot. I'm taking Mark out this afternoon, so hopefully, we can help him. I fear it may be a long road. You'll need to be patient... All these lockdowns have been an anxious time for us all, but with the loss of a sibling, Mark could be struggling with survivor's guilt."

Eva hoped this may sound the kind of thing any social worker would say.

"Ahh, I'd not thought of it that way... Okay, thanks."

"Can I ask one more thing of you, Ted?"

"Yeah."

"Mark, dressing as a woman may be his way of coping with the loss of his sister, or it may be a more personal choice... Please try to understand and be sympathetic. You may be the closest person he has to a friend, outside of work, and I'm sure you'll both be chatting over the fence again soon. Thanks... Stay warm and safe, Ted."

Eva turned and walked back up the garden path, hearing Ted agree. She didn't want him asking any further questions about her name or council credentials, but he had filled in a lot of gaps in Mark's behaviour that morning.

Back in the warm kitchen, Eva warmed her hands up in the warm washing up water, swilling out the cups, plates and cutlery out, to sit them on the draining board. She replaced the teapot to the cupboard Mark had removed it from.

Eva hunted around until she found a new bin liner to place in the chrome kitchen waste bin. After she poured the water out of the bowl and once she'd checked that everything was how they found it that morning, she returned to sit in the lounge.

Everything seemed to pivot around the weekend before the second lockdown... The weekend his sister died... A good fifteen months ago, surely not enough time for any surgery, during lockdowns and when all clinicians were focussing on the sick, injections and boosters... Maybe enough time for boobs to grow though?

Eva didn't know... But first, she wanted to examine the photograph on the mantelpiece. In the lounge, she could still hear the shower running, and Mark-Mandy's muffled singing. The photo was innocent enough, but why would he keep a photo of his ex, if she left him and he was going through a transition?

She wasn't Eva's type, too large, geeky, but looked a little mean... Not helped by the Goth image and her expression on her face, despite Mark looking relaxed.

Mark was recognisable, same eyes, same hair, just a lot shorter, spottier, bushier eyebrows and a slightly bulkier nose, one that suited his larger frame. To lose that much weight in fifteen months was plausible and would have taken a lot of motivation, that somehow, she wasn't sure Mark had at the moment.

Eva replaced the photo and glanced at the photo of their elderly parents. You could see Mark and Mandy in them both. Eva sat back down, pulled her phone out and started googling the first of many questions she had.

Eva heard the click of the bathroom door lock, then the door opening and Mark-Mandy humming as he padded into the small hallway.

"Oh, bugger," Mark-Mandy's female voice exclaimed...

An aerosol can dropped into Eva's view, bouncing on the second step, then down to the fourth, to roll down to the bottom step and into the entrance hall, with a loud clatter.

"It's alright, I'll get it," Eva called, as a small, bare, wet foot stepped down onto the top step.

As Eva rose, a second bare wet foot padded down onto the second step, showing a bare shaved thin leg. Eva made her way to the hallway, as Mark-Mandy descended the stairs, with a towel wrapped tightly around him, his one arm reaching for the bannister.

Eva noticed the towel perched, covering two pert breasts, showing an ample cleavage. Her surprise must have shown on her face, as Mark-Mandy's hand left the rail to cover the obvious additions to his body.

Losing the handhold made Mark's duck walk down the narrow old stairs, very precarious in wet feet. His one foot slipped forwards as his weight fell backwards. Eva saw the inevitable in slow motion. Mark fell on to his backside on the staircase, but his weight was still moving downwards. His whole body bobsleighed down the stairs with multiple bumps.

The towel initially reefed up with the passing of each step, but by the third step pulled away from his body. His legs flayed, trying to catch a step, to slow his progress, but only encouraged the towel to unwrap itself from around his body.

As Mark's Body came to a halt on the hallway floor, Eva had a clear view of two wonderfully rounded breasts, a freshly shaved, thin body with a narrow, landing strip of pubic hair. Eva felt shocked and surprised at having been given a cock and bull story, as beneath the landing strip there was definitely no male genitalia hanging between her two athletic legs.

Eva had seen her fair share of attractive pussys and Mandy certainly had one. If this had been the finale of some pre-planned role-playing scenario, Eva would have been a thrilled participant. But without warning or planning, this was a whole more shocking affair.

Eva looked up at what was obviously Mandy's face, now free from her baggy hoody. Her stunning, pretty face glowed red in shame, knowing her secret was out. Tears of pain watered her eyes, as her hands scrambled to both stand and wrap the towel back around her.

"Eva, I can explain."

"I bloody hope so... You've taken me for a fool all day."

If Mandy hadn't been in the way, as she tried to cover herself and stand, Eva would have stormed out. She couldn't even use the back door with the garden being enclosed. Eva's eyes travelled up and down Mandy's stunning body as the towel closed to hide it from her view.

"NO... Eva, you've been wonderful... I can explain, please?"

Mandy, now covered and standing, with her one arm gripping the towel, the other spread, blocked Eva's escape route. Both women stood facing each other in a Mexican standoff.

"Please, let me explain... I need to tell someone."

Eva saw Mandy's face change from shock to defence.

"Yes... I'm Mandy and that was my brother Mark in the photo."

Her face dropped to resignation.

"All I wanted was to escape, and I just got myself into deeper trouble... I'm in such a mess and... Confused."

The water filling her eyes flooded out, and she threw herself at Eva, wrapping her damp arms around her, as her flood gates of emotion opened.

"I'm in so much trouble... I had no choice... Oh, Eva, you've been so kind. I don't know what to do. I get so confused trying to keep my stories right."

Mandy fell into blubbing hysteria on Eva's shoulder, whilst holding Eva in a tight hug. Eva tried to ride it out, but Mandy's crying seemed endless.

"Mandy, come on... I half suspected, so many things just didn't add up. Come on, you need to explain."

Eva pulled Mandy over into the lounge and got her to sit on the sofa, both pleased the heating had warmed the house up. Mandy curled up with her knees on the sofa, looking directly at Eva, pulling the towel up to cover her knees. Eva pulled a tissue from a box on the coffee table and gave it to Mandy to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"I've made such a mess of my life... After mum and dad died..."

She sniffed and sniffled, wiping the wet tissue over her nose.

"Start at the beginning."

"Oh, it's so jumbled up... I confuse myself... After mum and dad died, I met a wonderful man, and I thought my life was on the up. Soon I realised he was after my half of their house. Thankfully, I got my brother to hold my half in a special account. I wanted to use it as a deposit on a house of my own, but Steve wanted me to move in and extend his house."

Eva nodded but didn't want to interrupt, as Mandy she was now intrigued and wanted to know more.

"At first, I thought I was being careful, maybe a little overzealous, but Mark agreed. So we lied, saying I had brought half into this house... Steve sent a solicitor, supposedly on my behalf, to sign a document that he was to sell the house and share the equity fifty-fifty, as the housing market had gone up."

Eva pulled another tissue for Mandy, as she cleared her nose again.

"Do you know what lamp lighting is?"

Eva nodded. She had a rough understanding.

"Well, Steve was very good at it... He got into all my online accounts without my knowledge... He wanted me to stay home, sending texts to work colleagues, so they thought I was having an affair with my boss, and losing me that job. I managed to get another before the first lockdown. He went mad, barely avoiding striking me. Then he repeated his old ways, unknown to me."

"He told me my car failed the MOT... I signed the documents for it to be scrapped... It was only later I found he had sold it and it is still out there, taxed, insured and MOT'd."

"The first lockdown was perfect for him, keeping me stuck at home. I could work but I was at his disposal... Soon it all became normal... Then the sex went from wanting me dressed as a schoolgirl or maid to slut or hooker and it got rougher. There was no one to see the bruises. Twice I passed out when he strangled me."

Eva was now welling up herself. She placed her hand on Mandy's knee to console her.

"I don't want to go into detail, but it got worse... I was so relieved when the lockdown finished, I almost begged to return to the office. Then, with the threat of a second lockdown, I became terrified. He hinted at having a rape fetish, wanting to enact a scenario where I knew he would get violent."

"Surely the police or someone could help?"

"No... They would never believe me. I tried to talk to my brother, but he never answered my phone calls. In the preceding weeks of the lockdown, they held team-building meetings at work. During one breakout session, we were joking with the IT guys about things and it came out about my previous job. Steve had already weaselled his way to create more rumours in my new job."

"Several women had texts from me, asking advice about my having an affair with the boss... The IT guy checked, saying they hadn't come from my phone. Somehow Steve had cloned my number... I don't understand how. The same guy checked my phone; it had a sophisticated tracker hidden on it. Sending Steve any number, I phoned or text or received. He also found Steve had blocked my brother's phone numbers."

Eva didn't know what to say or do... Her hand felt useless on her knee, even more so when she patted it, making her feel worse.

"I rang my brother, he was isolating, having tested positive. He told me he'd received a text from me telling him to leave me alone and never call again. He was distraught after mum and dad died as I was his only family. Steve was behind it all. The IT guy went to his desk and got a spare old phone and charger. After some IT thing, he transferred the tracker from my phone to the spare one. I could use it as a dummy, so Steve wouldn't know where I was."

Mandy burst out crying again... The memory of her brother had opened the floodgates again. Eva still hadn't put two and two together. She collected the tissue box off the coffee table and gave them to Mandy.

"The anticipation of the lockdown was terrifying; each night I feared watching the news, knowing Steve was getting stronger, unafraid of consequences. Then, the last weekend before the lockdown, he announced he was going with friends on their last chance to play golf... I can't remember the details, but I decided I had to leave him."

"As soon as he'd gone on that Saturday morning, I left and caught the train home, taking only the essential things, travelling light. I left the spare tracking phone at home, so Steve thought I was following his instructions."

Mandy Burst out crying and threw herself at Eva, wrapping her arms around her, head on her lap, hugging her waist and sobbed into Eva's jumper.

"When I got here, I still had my spare key... I found Mark at the bottom of the stairs, just like me, just now... But head first... His head, resting on his cast-iron boot rack, without a pulse, clothed in some jogging bottoms and a T-shirt... He was barely warm."

"Oh, Mandy, you should have called for an ambulance."

"What and risk ending up with Steve again..."

"I cried for ages, there at the bottom of the stairs... Our live's flashing before my eyes, our school days together, mum, dad... The times we used to watch trains together... Then I realised he could be my salvation... We're very rare... Identical twins of the opposite sex."

"But the authorities... You could have gone to them and stayed here... free from Steve."

"Eva, you have no idea how cruel he was... He seeped into every pore of your being, to command it, to have control of it... He'd come down, I'd never be rid of him, he was too clever... No one would believe me."

Eva hugged her back... She was right Eva didn't know. Maybe she had been lucky with her girlfriends, with reasonably normal relationships. Yeah, the odd hiccup, imperfections, breakups and arguments, but nothing that couldn't she couldn't walk away from.

"I panicked but had an idea that would free me from Steve... I swapped his clothes with mine, not a good fit, but I hoped it would pass. I wrote a suicide note, outlining Steve's control over me and his abuse. It was a devil of a job getting his body into the car. I then drove back to Birmingham."

Mandy composed herself, sitting back up, wiping her eyes and resting her hand on Eva.

"There is an isolated railway bridge, within walking distance of Steve's house... By the time I parked on the bridge, it was dark. It was difficult, but I pulled Mark out of the car and balanced him on the bridge wall. I slipped my phone and suicide note into my coat, which I hung on the wall... And when the next train approached, I waited until the last second and tipped him over. "

Eva was aghast... This was more like some thriller or horror story, she wasn't sure. Mandy sobbed again as another tissue fell to the floor.

"But surely they would notice he had the additional equipment and male pelvis in the autopsy?"

"Oh... I hadn't thought that far ahead. On the wall, I hoped he would fall, land with his waist on the rail, crushing his bits... But I hadn't realised that as one train came towards me, another was coming from behind. He was now stiffer and as I pushed, he twisted. I couldn't watch, keeping my head down, but the noise as his body bounced between the two trains was awful."

Mandy's eye clamped shut, as her shoulders shook with more sobbing. Eva couldn't imagine the emotional anxiety Mandy was experiencing.

"I drove back here terrified the police would stop me for something silly, or be noticed by someone who could be a witness. Once back here, the reality of what I'd done sank in. I felt like I'd murdered my brother... And dismembered him... I couldn't bear to see the boot rack, so I threw it out with the recycling."

"Did the authorities contact you?"

Eva knew from Ted but wanted to be sure.

"Yeah... They were lovely, very considerate, and professional. I strapped my boobs up, wore several layers of clothing, and a mask. They explained the circumstances, and they had a phone and suicide note. They said there was very little left, which tested positive for Covid, so they'd not be doing an autopsy, as they had enough evidence for identity, including my driving licence. I confirmed he would be happy with a cremation."

"And what about Steve?"

"He wasn't playing golf... The Police took my suicide note seriously... They arrested him for questioning and when they checked his phone, he had cloned and was tracking other phones. He was stalking his ex-girlfriends and others. Four out of six previous girlfriends came forward, echoing similar experiences. He is waiting for his case to be heard, but after an outburst in court, the judge has held him until the court case. I'd hoped for a few days to escape and now he could be at her majesty's pleasure for years."