The Natural Sissy and the Gang

Settling

In the end, Amelia recognised Phoebe's face. None of the petticoatees had much to do with the children at school who were only there for the education, apart from the ones in their own classes. Or maybe it was the other way around, Amelia thought, as her mother led Phoebe into her room, which was going to be their room, moving forwards. Colin Carter had erected another cot bed for Phoebe, and Barbara had made some drawer and wardrobe space available, although a lot of Amelia's clothes were already in the box room in storage. Phoebe had been one of the academics, as the petticoatees called them, who walked past with their noses in the air, because to them, educational petticoating was really only about wearing the uniform, and to a girl, that was not really an issue. Every boy at Meadvale was in a tunic, which in the most basic of terms made them petticoatees, but the girls were just schoolgirls, even though the Meadvale uniform was strict, old-fashioned and distinctive. But Phoebe's nose was not in the air that particular Saturday morning as Barbara Carter squeezed her hand and gently pulled her through the door to see her new room and meet her new sister properly. She was looking down at the carpet, and definitely not making eye contact.

"Welcome home, Phoebe?" Amelia said, smiling as she stepped forwards to greet her, trying to be nice, even if she was still not entirely sure how she felt about things. Phoebe was wearing the same dress as her and Sebastian, who was doing the meet and greet with little Crispin and her father, with Auntie Caroline riding shotgun, a green tartan frock with a wide white collar and lots of skirts. Amelia was used to dressing the same as Sebastian. She liked dressing the same as Sebastian, even if she mostly disliked the actual clothes, because he was her brother and she loved him, but it was weird to be dressed the same as Phoebe, just like that. Her parents had talked about that, explained that, and had asked her to do her best, and to take the time to get to know Crispin and Phoebe. They said it would feel strange at first, for everyone, and that they would all have to adjust to being together. She glanced at her Mummy, who smiled and nodded, but as she moved in for a hug, Phoebe backed away.

"Not my home." Phoebe mumbled, briefly looking up, her red eyes full of fear and confusion and defiance.

"Come on, little one? Amelia wants to make you feel at home?" Barbara sighed, squeezing Phoebe's hot little hand again, whilst also looking at her daughter, encouraging her, because it was difficult for Amelia, too. Barbara realised that they had dumped everything on the children almost overnight, and that it was not ideal, but it was not their choice, and they had been dumped on as well, of course. Mrs Gloria Brownhill was a rather formidable and determined lady, and although she had sensibly planned for the future of her grandchildren without her one day, she had refused to tell them of her intentions. And if Crispin and Phoebe did not know, it did not seem fair to tell Amelia. For several reasons. Firstly, they did not think it would ever happen. They had gone through the legal process six years before and Mrs Brownhill looked like she would live forever back then. She fully intended to care for the kids until they were off to university, and the adoption was just a failsafe. Secondly, Barbara did not want to unsettle her darling daughter. Amelia had only been nine years old at the time, and she had really wanted some siblings. She had Sebastian, and because they lived right next-door, that relationship had always been close, but Amelia knew that Barbara herself wanted more children and seemed to just absorb the same aching desire. If they had mentioned even the chance of the Buckingham children joining the family, Amelia would never have been able to wait, or keep quiet, and the longing would have been too much for all of them. Ideally, they had thought, Mrs Brownhill would give them some notice, and that would allow them to prepare the ground with Amelia properly, not to mention the other two. But Gloria gave them just two days' notice, shocked into action straight after being diagnosed with colon cancer. That was understandable, but more than unfortunate for all the kids. Barbara and her husband were excited, it was what they wanted and they knew that Amelia would be so happy for them in the end, but everything was just so complicated, especially as they were determined to petticoat Crispin and Phoebe.