by Julie O & Amelia R & Bob Arnold

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Introduction: Josh Reid was a typical teenage boy when he was transformed physically into a young woman. She became Jirra Reid and struggled to accept her new female persona. This is the continuation of her journey to find balance in her life. This tale also contains cameos from many of my other stories, including Ambition, Celestial Awakenings, and the Turbulence series. It also contains a major guest star, Jennifer Stevens from Bob Arnold's wonderful series Zapped.

Chapter 1

It was almost 3 AM on a cold Wednesday in January when Jirra sat down in the corner of the mud bath room. She was sitting on a thick Navajo blanket with her legs crossed. She had specifically picked the spot because she knew she wouldn't be interrupted; a vision quest needed privacy. Cari, the woman who ran the baths, had given Jirra permission to use the room. Jirra's mom, Liz, also knew where she was. Jirra wasn't about to repeat the grief she had given her mom and friends the last time she had gone out to seek her spirit guide. While it was a successful quest, she had neglected to tell anyone where she was, and a massive search had been launched.

Jirra had much on her mind, and she needed the advice of her spirit guide, Killara, a kangaroo rat. Jirra smiled at the idea that seeking advice from Killara wasn't the strangest things that had happened to her. It was now just seven months since she had been struck by lightning while sitting in one of the copper kettle baths enjoying a warm mud bath. She looked at the kettles and could picture the June afternoon when her life had been changed. There had been a bolt of lightning, and it had somehow combined with the chemicals in the mud to transform her into a girl.

Unfortunately, the transformation was only physical, and while Jirra begrudgingly accepted that she was female, mentally she was still Josh.

Jirra turned away from the kettles, took off her hiking boots, and made herself comfortable. The last time she had sought her guide, it had been up in the hills above the spa, but being it was in the mid-twenties and there was three inches of fresh snow on the ground, Jirra decided that the mud bath room would have to do.

She was wearing a pair of jeans, a turtleneck top and a sweater. She took the sweater off and stared down at her chest. Thanks to a recent growth spurt, her breasts now stretched out the top. It was just one of many things that she hadn't gotten used to.

Jirra closed her eyes and began to clear her mind, which wasn't easy. While she had been totally accepted by her mom and friends at the spa, she was carrying a lot of mental stress about her transformation. The recent holidays hadn't helped. It was agreed that for the most part the truth about Jirra's transformation would only be shared with the most trusted of people. The agreed story was that Jirra was transgendered and had decided to live as a girl.

Jirra understood that they needed a cover story even though it would cause all sorts of waves. Liz and Jirra had told their immediately family, and while they accepted the story, many pulled away.

Oh, there were a few relatives that still accepted her, but it hurt Jirra's feelings that many did not. Her dad's sister was totally cool about it. Aunt Gail even talked about coming out for a visit. Unfortunately, her dad's parents were less than understanding and didn't even send a Christmas card.

This rejection particularly hurt, as her dad had been killed the previous year. It was bad enough going through the holidays without him, but the added rejection only made it worse. While she tried to be upbeat, it was the most depressing holidays she had ever experienced.

Jirra was also worried about what her life would be like once she left the spa. While it was wonderful that she was so accepted at The Caldera de Gaia Spa, it was also a concern for her. She was about to finish her high school education and head off to college, and the idea of being off in the real world troubled her.

Then there was the issue of her relationship with Alexis Eden. In spite of her best efforts to just consider the actress as a "good" friend, Jirra was still deeply in love with her. There were numerous reasons why their relationship shouldn't happen, but Jirra didn't care. Even the great distance between them did nothing to diminish her feelings for Alexis, who had spent the last few months in Crete filming a movie.

Another issue on Jirra's mind was the simmering homophobia in the local town. Thanks to an idiotic ex-employee of a spa contractor, Jirra had been outed as a lesbian, and some of the local high school students had attacked her for this. What bothered Jirra most about it was that the harassment was anonymous and petty. She knew that Randy and some of his friends were behind it, but she had no proof. Just the other day, someone had hacked into the spa's website and slipped in an anti-gay tirade. Thankfully, it had also crashed the page, so no one saw it, but it was still disturbing.

Several of the employees at the spa were gay or lesbian, and so were many of the guests. The owner, Judy, didn't care, but apparently there was a growing backlash in town.

The combination of all these things only increased the urgency of seeing Killara. Jirra sat and cleared her mind and began to focus on seeing her guide.

"Well, Roo, I've been wondering when you'd seek me again."

Jirra opened her eyes and, instead of the mud bath building, she was sitting on a rock overlooking a small stream. The warm sun felt good on her face.

"Killara?"

"Of course, who were you expecting, Yoda?" replied the kangaroo rat, as he hopped into view.

Jirra smiled back. She decided not to waste her time asking how her spirit guide knew about a movie character. "It's wonderful to see you again."

Killara moved next to her. "Likewise, Roo."

"This is beautiful," she stated as she looked around. "It looks familiar."

"This is what it looked like here 1,500 years ago at the time of the people you call the Anasazi."

Jirra looked around and while she didn't see any people, there were signs that someone else had been there. There were footprints in the mud by the stream.

"Who made those," she asked, pointing to the prints.

"The Anasazi, who else?"

"But, from what I've read, they were never around here," replied Jirra, looking around.

Killara cocked his head and using his rear leg, scratched his head. "Who are you going to believe, your spirit guide or some dusty book?"

Jirra giggled. "Okay, you got me there."

"You have a lovely laugh, too bad you've stifled it so much lately," he replied.

"I'm still seeking balance, and am failing."

"I wouldn't say that," he replied.

"I caused a split in my family," stated Jirra. "They can't accept that I'm now a girl."

"It's their loss," he replied. "In time the true ones will come around. Give them time and don't give up so easily."

Jirra nodded. "Okay, but what about what will happen when I leave here? Killara, I'm terrified about how others will treat me."

"You're surrounded now by wonderful and caring people; you'll add others to this circle. Soon, you'll meet a person who'll have a great influence in your life."

"Really? Who is it?"

"Roo, you're not the type to skip to the end of a mystery are you?"

Jirra laughed again. "Okay, that would be too easy wouldn't it?"

"I will tell you that there will soon be more conflict in your life, and this won't just affect you, but the entire spa," continued Killara.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't tell you, but the old will save the new."

Jirra sat back. "What does that mean?"

"The old will save the new, it's pretty obvious if you ask me," he replied as he scratched his ear with his foot.

Jirra repeated the words a few times.

"You're doing fine, Roo. Life is full of challenges, and you've taken them on. I'm very proud of you."

"I wouldn't have made it this far without my mom and friends," stated Jirra.

"A strong person relies on their friends for strength, only a fool goes it alone," replied Killara.

"It's so difficult. I'm just not a very good female. I hate putting on makeup, I hate wearing dresses, and you don't want to get me started on having my period!"

"I'd say you've done pretty well; it's only been a few months. You're adapting better than you're giving yourself credit for. I think you protest too much sometimes, just to remind others and yourself that you were once male."

Jirra absorbed his words silently.

"To find balance, you can't hide your feelings or repress new sensations. I think you know what I'm talking about."

Jirra bit her lower lip and nodded.

"Jirra, you have a long and exciting life ahead of you; remember the past, but don't dwell on it. Now, it's time for you to go," stated Killara.

"But I just got here; I have so many more things I want to talk to you about. Please don't send me away!" pleaded Jirra.

"It's time, Roo," he replied firmly. "You can come back in a few months."

In a flash Jirra was back in the empty dark room. She looked at her watch and saw that it was now 6:30. She put on her boots, sweater, and jacket and stepped outside into the frosty morning air. She looked to the east and could see the predawn glow in the distance. It would be a clear day. Jirra turned and looked up into the hills and wondered if the Anasazi really had been this far east into New Mexico. .

She walked briskly back towards her house, the sound of the snow crunching under her boots; she wanted to record her observations as quickly as possible.

Chapter 2

Jirra was still typing away when Liz entered the kitchen.

"I take it you were successful," greeted Liz as she leaned down and kissed her daughter on the cheek.

"Good morning, Mom," replied Jirra. "Yes, I met Killara. I'll let you read this once I'm done."

"I find it all fascinating," stated Liz. "I'm heading up to the dining room for breakfast; I have an early morning, as it's time for the staff physicals. You want to join me?"

"Sure, I'm just about done."

As they walked up to the dining room, their conversation centered on Jirra's vision quest.

"Aren't you curious about what your spirit guide looks like?" asked Jirra.

"I may try it some time in the future, but for now I'll leave the mystical trips to you, Roo," replied Liz.

Jirra giggled. "Okay."

"By the way, just to remind you, your physical is tomorrow morning at ten," stated Liz.

"Is it really necessary?" asked Jirra.

"It's required for all spa employees. I even have to get a physical."

"Are you doing it locally or are you going to Santa Fe?" asked Jirra.

"Santa Fe, why?" asked Liz.

"Can I please tag along? There's a bookstore I want to check out. It's for my history project," replied Jirra.

"Sure, just as long as it doesn't interfere with your job."

"The newsletter is almost done for the week," Jirra replied immediately.

"Okay, I'll be going there Thursday."

They walked up to the counter and were immediately greeted by Hannah, the head chef.

"Good morning, Liz, and good morning, Jirra. What would you like this morning?" asked Hannah.

"Just some oatmeal, please," asked Liz.

"Regular or cinnamon-raisin?" asked Hannah.

"I'll take the cinnamon-raisin," replied Liz, as she filled a mug with coffee.

"What about you, Jirra?" asked Hannah.

"Are you making pancakes this morning?" she asked hopefully.

Hannah nodded. "Lindsey's back in the kitchen making up a fresh batch. I also got a new supply of real maple syrup in from Vermont."

"That sounds great," replied Jirra.

"Oh, Liz, Judy was in a few minutes ago; she wanted to me tell everyone that there'll be an emergency staff meeting this morning in her office at ten," stated Hannah.

"Did she say why?" asked Liz.

"No, but she seemed upset."

"Thanks, Hannah, I'll see you at ten," replied Liz.

‘Oh, Jirra, you need to be there too," added Hannah.

Liz and Jirra sat down next to Cari and Tara.

"How did it go this morning, Jirra?" asked Cari.

"As usual, I was left with more questions than answers," replied Jirra as she poured some orange juice from a pitcher into her glass.

"I know the feeling. I think my spirit guide takes special pleasure in confusing me," added Tara.

"He cut me off before I could ask him half the questions I had," continued Jirra. She then looked down and sighed. "Like if my breasts were ever going to stop growing! I mean, is it normal for them to jump a whole cup in just a few weeks?"

"Ahhh, the breast growth spurt, I remember how mine popped up a cup just before school started," mused Cari.

"You mean it happened to you too?" asked Jirra.

Cari nodded, as did Tara.

"Mine happened when I was younger than you, but considering everything you've been through, this just might be part of the normal maturing process," stated Tara.

Jirra looked down at her chest. "Normal or not, I just hope they don't get any bigger. It's a pain enough as it is sleeping with them."

Cari, Tara and Liz laughed.

"We're laughing with you, not at you, Roo," stated Liz.

"On the plus side, you'll need to do some shopping," stated Cari.

"Did someone say shopping?" asked Lindsey as she walked up with a tray of food.

"Yes, Jirra needs to ‘expand' her wardrobe," joked Cari.

Jirra shook her head in mock disgust. "That's not funny."

"Oh, I see what you mean," stated Lindsey. "No worries, we can go into Carsonville this week. They just opened a new boutique near the coffee house. Don't worry, Jirra, it's not ultra-fem sort of stuff, it's more outdoorsy."

"Okay," replied Jirra, as she began to pour syrup on her pancakes. "I do appreciate the fact that you all care about me, even if it means that I'm providing you with entertainment."

"So I wonder what the big meeting is all about," stated Tara.

"I have no idea, but Judy seemed upset this morning," added Cari.

Chapter 3

Judy's office was crowded with the spa staff by nine-fifty-five. Judy walked in and sat down at her desk.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your busy schedules, but I have some important news that I want you to hear before it reaches the local grapevine," stated Judy. "As you know, the land along the road that leads up here is owned by the government; however, it looks like a large tract of land that borders the entrance of the spa will be sold to a major hotel chain. Right now the sale is being contested, but if it goes through we'll have a competitor right outside our gate."

There was immediately a lot of murmuring among the gathered staff.

"Please hear me out," interrupted Judy. "The company that wants to build there has contacted me and has made me a very generous offer to buy the Caldera de Gaia. If I sell out, they will leave the land adjacent to the spa undeveloped. Just so you know, I have no intention of selling. I am also trying to raise the capital to make a bid on the land, should it be sold."

"Do you think the land will be sold?" asked Cody, Hannah's husband and the spa entertainment director.

"My lawyer says that it's 50-50 right now, although he also thinks that the land sale might just be a bluff to get me to sell. I expect that the hotel chain will turn up the heat on us. Actually, I take this as a sign that we're doing a great job if we've attracted the attention of the corporate suits."

"How can we help?" asked Liz.

"Just do your jobs. I promise to keep you updated on anything that happens. This is my land. It's been in my family for generations, and I have no intention of selling it just as it's becoming successful," stated Judy defiantly.

There was a round of applause.

"I've also been in contact with the town. They've offered their support," continued Judy.

"Why? Wouldn't they profit by another resort being here?" asked Gregory, the head groundskeeper.

"No, they're afraid of being priced out of here, as has happened in other towns. They like the fact that the spa is bringing new life into the town, but they don't want to change completely."

"What about those who don't like us?" asked Cari, referring to several anti-gay incidents involving local townspeople.

Judy nodded. "I've talked to the town leaders. They acknowledge that there are some people in town who feel that we're bringing in an ‘unsavory' element. I told them that I treat all my employees and guests the same and have no intention of giving in to ignorance."

"So what happens next?" asked Liz.

"The initial hearing on the land sale won't happen until spring. There needs to be an environmental statement on the land; there're also concerns about water usage. Nothing is going to happen overnight, but I promise to stay on top of it," replied Judy.

They talked for a few more minutes before the staff began to disperse.

"Jirra, I need you to stick around please," stated Judy.

Chapter 4

Jirra sat across from Judy, who was now sitting on the edge of her desk.

"I have another assignment for you," stated Judy. "We have another VIP arriving here next week."

Jirra looked up.

"Actually, she requested you. Apparently, your friend Alexis told her about the spa and you."

"Who is it?" asked Jirra, her eyes lighting up at the mention of Alexis' name.

"Jennifer Stevens," replied Judy.

Jirra stared back. "Isn't she the one who used to be a guy?"

"Yes, according to her biography on IMDB, she was transformed over a three week period. Now if this hits too close to home, I'll assign her to someone else," replied Judy.

Jirra stared down at the ground in deep thought. It would be nice to be able to talk to someone who had gone through a similar experience, she thought. She also knew that Alexis would never have told Jennifer about her own transformation without telling her.

"You don't have to make up your mind immediately, you can give me your answer later," stated Judy.

"No, it's okay. I don't mind," answered Jirra.

"From what I've read, she seems like a nice person."

"When is she arriving here?" asked Jirra.

"Monday. Thanks to the storms in the Midwest and back east, we're not going to be all that busy. I've already gotten three cancellations this morning. Thankfully, all three rescheduled for later in the month," replied Judy.

"How serious is the threat of the big hotel moving in next to us?" asked Jirra.

"If everyone plays honestly, I wouldn't be worried, but these big chains often play dirty," replied Judy. "I've told the town that if the land goes on the market, and if I get it, I'll keep it as is and declare it a nature preserve. I should get local support for this."

Jirra wondered if this was what Killara was talking about, but decided not to share this with Judy.

"Back to Jennifer, will she be using a pseudonym?" asked Jirra.

"No, she's too well known for that. She's coming here to relax and to enjoy our mud baths. It shouldn't be too stressful for you," replied Judy. "Not like last time."

Jirra cocked her head.

Judy smiled back. "Yes, my dear, I know about you and Alexis."

"Was it that obvious?" asked Jirra. A slightly horrified look was forming on her face.

"No, but then again I got to observe you two together more than most people. I also want to let you know that I'll support you in whatever happens."

"Right now we're just friends, and I'm okay with that," replied Jirra, her voice drifting off.

"That's probably best for now, considering how far away she is," replied Judy. "Is she still in Crete?"

Jirra shook her head. "She flew back last week, but she's in New York this week. She's doing some re-recordings for the movie."

"Tell me again what the movie is about?" asked Judy.

"It's a big screen telling of the story of the Minotaur. Alexis is playing Ariadne, daughter of King Minos. She falls in love with the Greek hero, Theseus, and helps him defeat the Minotaur," replied Jirra.

"Is that why the movie was filmed in Crete?" asked Judy.

Jirra nodded. "That and the producer's daughter is on an archeology dig there."

"Must be nice to combine business and pleasure," replied Judy.

"Alexis says that the hardest part of the movie was pretending to be afraid of something that wasn't there. The Minotaur will be CG."

"I wonder if she's worried about when they make the actors all CG," replied Judy with a laugh.

Jirra laughed. "Well, Alexis says that she's also contracted for the computer game. She'll provide the voice for her character."

"Will there be action figures too?" asked Judy.

"Yes, along with fast-food tie-ins."

"Sounds like this could make Alexis very wealthy."

"That will make her happy, if only because it will allow her to retire soon. She wants to give up acting as soon as her contract expires. She'll have four more movies to make after this one. She only went into acting to pay off her tuition and create a nest-egg."

"I hope she can walk away from it all, as long as it makes her happy."

"I can relate in some ways to what she's going through, keeping a secret that is. She's seen as a leading lady in movies and TV directed at males 18-24. If word got out that she's a lesbian, her career would be over. I don't think Alexis would care, but she feels obligated to the people who got her to where she is."

"I'm not surprised. She seems like a woman of honor."

"She's very special."

Judy smiled. "You're still very attracted to her, aren't you?"

Jirra's eyes began to well up with tears. Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke. "Yes."

"It's okay, Jirra," replied Judy, as she handed her a box of tissues. "Does she know how you feel?"

"I think so. We've mostly communicated via e-mail since she left the spa. It's hard to express true emotions in e-mail."

"I hope it works out for you, Jirra."

"Thanks, Judy. I appreciate that."

Chapter 5

Jirra spent the rest of the morning in her small office searching the internet for information on Jennifer Stevens. She had read an article on her a year earlier, but had thought it was all nonsense, which was of course before her own transformation. She found it interesting that lighting had been responsible for both transformations, although Jennifer's took place over a three week period. Jirra wondered if there was a connection. Maybe the mud acted as an accelerant, she thought.

As she read Jennifer's biography, she discovered that Jen had also experienced a reduction in age. Jirra let out a sigh of relief that she hadn't gotten any younger, the last thing she wanted was to be a little kid again. It did make her think though, what if my aging process has changed? She would mention this to her mom when she had her physical.

As it was, Jirra was already getting a medical checkup every few weeks. Liz wanted to have a running database of Jirra's health and, in addition to height, weight, blood pressure and things like that, she drew a sample of Jirra's blood to be analyzed by a friend back east.

Jirra printed out one of the more reputable articles to show her mom. Then she checked her e-mail and was very excited to see one from Alexis.

Dear Roo,

I guess you know by now that Jen Stevens is coming to the spa. I've known her for a while and she's very cool. You can trust her completely. I wish I could find the time to swing by the spa, but it's crazy nuts around here. Between re-recording audio tracks and doing voices for the computer game, I'm exhausted. We might even have to fly back to Crete for some additional scenes, although the studio is trying to shoot them on a sound stage. Anyway, stay in touch and have fun with Jen. She knows that I like girls, so don't feel the need to hold back.

Love, Alexis

Jirra smiled and let out a sigh. She then typed out a reply.

Dear Alexis,

Great to hear from you. Judy just told me about Jennifer Stevens coming to the spa. I do plan on talking to her, when the time is right. She'll be the first person that I've met who has experienced what I have. Any idea of when you'll be free?

Love, Jirra.

Jirra reviewed the mail and then hit send.

Chapter 6

"This is very interesting. I wonder if Ms. Stevens would be willing to let me see her medical records to see if there are any similarities, especially in your blood samples," stated Liz, as she read the article that Jirra had printed out.

She was sitting at her desk in her medical office, taking a break from the physicals. Jirra had brought over some vegetable soup for lunch.

"I don't know. Alexis says that she's pretty cool, but many of the articles say that she doesn't like talking about what happened. I suppose she's found her balance and sees what's done is done," stated Jirra. "I wish I could do that."

"It'll take time, Roo. As for her talking about it, I think she might, considering you've had a similar experience," replied Liz. She then took a sip of the soup. "Oh, this is really good."

Jirra nodded. "I just get worried thinking about what could happen. I mean, my recent breast growth has freaked me."

"Like we said this morning, it's normal," stated Liz. "Your latest hormonal readings are normal for a woman your age."

Jirra nodded as she drank some of the soup.

They finished lunch and Jirra departed. She immediately headed over to see Tara.

Chapter 7

"I'm sorry to bug you, but I have some questions that need your expertise," stated Jirra as she sat down across from Tara.

"I'm no expert on the spirit world," replied Tara. "But I'm still a good listener."

Jirra smiled and took her laptop out of her backpack. "I typed it all down as soon as I got back to the house. I wanted to record every detail."

"That's better than I've ever done. Then again, I didn't have a laptop with me when I had my last vision quest," she stated as she read Jirra's text.

"Where were you?" asked Jirra.

"Sitting naked in a small canyon twenty miles from here," replied Tara.

"I'm not up to doing it naked."

"You should try it sometime. I did it after spending time in a sweat lodge. It makes the vision more detailed."

"I'll take your word for it."

"Jirra, you have a lovely body. You should be proud of it."

Jirra began to blush. "Thanks."

Tara smiled back. "Would you have done it naked when you were male?"

Jirra cocked her head to the side. "I don't know. I don't know if I'd had even gone on a vision quest when I was male."

"See, in some ways you're more adventurous than before," noted Tara.

"Maybe you're right… but I'm not ready to sit in a canyon naked!"

Tara laughed. "By the way, your writing is very detailed. I'm very impressed."

"So do you think that this rival company coming in is what Killara referred to?" asked Jirra.

"It could be. I just wonder what the salvation will be," replied Tara.

"I have no idea."

Tara handed Jirra back the laptop. "Anything else on your mind?"

Jirra smiled back. Tara had become like an older sister to her.

"Well, I'm still in love with Alexis. I have no idea of what to do about it."

"Long distance romances are difficult."

Jirra nodded slowly.

"Can I ask you something personal?"

"Sure," replied Jirra.

"Do you only have feelings for girls? Now, think about your answer first."

Jirra stared back. "I haven't felt anything towards a guy. I mean I like Barrett, the guy who works at the coffeehouse in town, but not in a sexual way. Why?"

"You're still changing and adapting. I know as Josh you were hetero, but you're not Josh anymore. You won't find balance if you repress your true feelings. I'm not saying that your feelings for Alexis aren't real, but you need to be honest with yourself. Does that make sense?"

"Yes…yes it does. Thanks for the advice, Tara." Jirra then got up and hugged Tara.

Tara smiled and then looked at her watch. "Well, I have two guests arriving in twenty minutes. I need to get going."

"Thanks for listening," replied Jirra.

"Anytime, Roo, anytime."

Chapter 8

"So? When do you want to go shopping?" asked Lindsey as she stepped into Jirra's office.

"I don't know, it's not like it's an emergency," replied Jirra without looking up from her computer.

"Bull. Judging by the way you've been twitching around in your seat lately, I imagine that your bra is killing you," stated Lindsey as she sat down across from her friend.

Jirra looked up. "Is it that obvious?"

Lindsey nodded. "It's not like it's the end of the world, Jirra. Big deal, your boobs grew."

Jirra laughed in spite of herself. "I just feel funny going in to get some new bras."

"Look, you need comfortable clothes. A tight bra is awful."

"I guess it just makes sense to get some."

"You might as well get some new tops while you're at it. Your t-shirts and sweaters should be okay, but you've been stressing out the threads holding your buttons on your blouses lately."

"Anything else?" asked Jirra in a tone of mock annoyance.

"No, that should be enough for now. Come on, we can get to town and be back before dinner if we leave now." She held out the keys to her parent's jeep.

"I need to let Mom know that I'm going," stated Jirra.

Lindsey picked up the phone and dialed the number to the medical office. "I talked her into it. We'll see you tonight." She then hung up the phone.

"Bitch," whispered Jirra.

Lindsey laughed. "Okay, this was a conspiracy, but in a good way."

The drive to Carsonville was uneventful. They parked right in front of the new boutique. It was next to the coffee shop and Jirra wondered if Barrett was still working there. He had been working in the family owned business during his winter break from college and she wasn't sure when he was heading back.

"Clothes first, coffee later," stated Lindsey, as if she was reading Jirra's mind.

The shop was filled with mid-ranged to expensive casual clothes. The type of things people with money wore to look as if they weren't rich, but without actually wearing everyday clothes.

"Thankfully we get a twenty-five percent discount in here. I love their stuff, but there's no way I could justify buying things in here at full price," whispered Lindsey as they walked in.

A blonde woman in her late twenties walked over to greet them. She flashed a bright smile. "Lindsey, it's great to see you again. Oh, please tell your mom that I tried that recipe she gave me for beef Stroganoff. My husband loved it!"

"I'm glad to hear that, Grace. Oh, this is my friend Jirra; she's also from the spa," replied Lindsey.

"My mom is the spa doctor, and I work part-time for Judy," stated Jirra as she extended her hand.

"I've heard all about you, Jirra, from some of the other businessmen and businesswomen in town. We really appreciate the business your newsletter has sent us," replied Grace. "So are you two girls just looking or do you have something specific in mind?"

"Jirra needs some help," said Lindsey before Jirra could say a word. She then leaned over to Grace and whispered. "She's had a little growth spurt."

"Well, we can take care of that. Jirra, please follow me. I want to get your measurements," stated Grace as she headed back to the fitting rooms.

Jirra glanced over at Lindsey who stuck the tip of her tongue out.

Back in the fitting room, Grace asked Jirra to take off her sweater and bra. As Jirra undressed Grace nodded knowingly.

"Looks like you're long overdue for this. I'd say that your bra is at least a cup too small. Have you ever been sized for a bra?"

Jirra shook her head. "No, why?"

Grace began to measure Jirra. "A poorly sized bra can cause all kinds of problems, ranging from just discomfort to bad posture. Now, I'm going to measure your chest and breasts. Then I'll give you a few bras to try on."

After a few minutes, Grace was done measuring and made a few quick calculations. "Okay, try this one on," she stated as she handed Jirra a plain white bra. "Don't worry about the style, we're just going for comfort and fit now."

Jirra tried it on. Thankfully, she didn't struggle anymore with the back hooks as she had for the first three months after her transformation.

"Well?" asked Grace.

"It feels good," replied Jirra.

Grace made a few adjustments to the straps. "I'd say it's a good fit."

"What size is that?" asked Jirra.

"36-DD," replied Grace. "I know you were wearing a 36-C, but it's not that unusual for a girl to just jump up a cup or higher."

"I didn't realize that they were that big," replied Jirra as she stared down at her chest.

"For your size they look good. Now, I have a few bras that you might like, but between you and me, I think for your everyday bras and sports bras you can go to the Target down the road. That way you can save money for the real nice things."

Jirra giggled in spite of herself. "Okay. I do need a few tops while I'm here."

"I think we can help you," replied Grace. "Look, having big breasts can be a pain, but you'll get used to them. I did."

Jirra hadn't noticed until now that Grace was rather large breasted herself.

"I'm 38-DD myself, and trust me that you'll be much happier with properly sized bras," replied Grace.

An hour later Jirra and Lindsey walked out with several bags of clothes.

"You still want to get some coffee?" asked Lindsey.

Jirra nodded vigorously. "I really need some caffeine now!"

After putting their clothes in the back of the jeep, they walked into the coffee shop. Jirra was pleased to see that Barrett was behind the counter. He saw them walk in and he waved.

"I thought you were heading back to college?" asked Jirra.

"I leave this weekend, although I'm trying to convince my advisor to allow me to do some studying back here in the spring," he replied.

"Cool. So what do you suggest today?" asked Jirra.

"Ahhh, I want you to try this, it's my new mocha recipe. If you drink it, you'll see things that no one else can see and do things no one else can do," replied Barrett with a wink.

Lindsey turned to Jirra with a confused look on her face. "What is he talking about?"

Jirra just laughed and took the cup. "Are you calling it the Jack Burton?"

"Who?" asked Lindsey.

"Damn! I thought I could slip that one past you," replied Barrett. "Obviously, Lindsey has never seen Big Trouble in Little China."

"I love that movie," stated Jirra. "The mocha is pretty good by the way."

"The mocha is good, but I've never heard of the movie you're talking about," interjected Lindsey.

"I have it on DVD. My dad loved that movie. We can watch it tonight," stated Jirra.

"What is it, some Kung Fu movie?" she asked.

Jirra looked at Barrett who began to laugh. "It's sort of hard to explain. Just watch it."

"Well, I hope you get your way, Barrett. Good luck," stated Jirra.

"I'll keep in touch," he replied.

Jirra and Lindsey paid for the drinks and headed back to the jeep.

"Is this movie really good?" asked Lindsey.

Jirra nodded. "Trust me."

Chapter 9

On the way back to the spa, Jirra kept looking down at her chest.

"What's wrong now?" asked Lindsey.

"My breasts look huge!" replied Jirra.

"And?" asked Lindsey.

"This isn't funny. I mean I'm trying to blend in, and then ‘they' decide to grow!"

"Barrett didn't seem to notice," replied Lindsey.

"He's cool. He knows that I only like girls," stated Jirra. "I know this is normal, but I don't need something like this to attract attention… especially from boys!"

"I see, well I suppose the only alternative is to bind your chest."

"Very funny!" replied Jirra.

"Seriously, we can strap those babies down every morning, squishing them against your chest. How does that sound?" asked Lindsey with a laugh.

"Stop it! I don't want to start laughing!" replied Jirra.

"Oh, wait, there's always duct tape!"

Jirra started to laugh.

"That's better," replied Lindsey. "Look, at least you have a nice body. Grace's right, they look good on you. I wouldn't worry about the boys, most just look anyway. Don't tell me that you didn't stare at the girls with big boobs in school."

Jirra shrugged her shoulders. "That was different."

"How?" asked Lindsey. "Guys have no idea what a pain it is to have them always staring at our chests. Look on the bright side; at least you're not in a real high school setting."

"Oh yeah, that would go over great. It's bad enough that the local cliques know that I'm a lesbian, then to throw in these… ugh, I don't even want to think about it."

"Yeah, it's a good thing that college boys don't care about big breasts," added Lindsey.

Jirra laughed again. "Speaking of college boys, how's Dave."

"He emailed me this morning. He said that he misses me," replied Lindsey.

"I'm sure he does. He spent most of his break with you."

"Speaking of long distance romances, how's Alexis?"

"Busy. Apparently this movie is going to be a big deal. The studio is trying to get it ready for release later this year, most likely for around the Christmas vacation period."

"Why not this summer?" asked Lindsey.

"Too many special effects to finish before summer. Alexis said that they're going to be spectacular."

"Cool. I can't wait to see it."

"Do you think that it's dumb for me to be in love with Alexis?"

"No more dumb that me being in love with Dave. Love is like that, it's never convenient."

Chapter 10

Liz thought that the movie idea was excellent and invited over Lindsey's parents, along with Tara and Cari. Jirra helped her make several big bowls of popcorn.

"I'd forgotten how funny this movie is," commented Cody, as he munched on some popcorn. He was sitting on the couch next to Hannah and Liz.

"Kurt Russell is still pretty sexy," stated Liz.

"Kim Cattrall is pretty hot too," added Tara with a wink, who was sitting on the carpet next to Cari.

"I can't believe how corny the dialog is," commented Lindsey.

"It's supposed to be corny," interjected Jirra. "That's what makes it so good."

"You know, we ought to do this more often, have a movie night," commented Hannah. "It's way too far to drive to a movie theater."

"I agree," stated Cari as she motioned for one of the bowls of popcorn.

"We can host it next time," stated Tara as she reached into the bowl. "I have the perfect movie too, The Princess Bride."

Jirra just smiled and soaked in the warmth of having so many good friends around her. Still, her mind drifted to Killara's words and she wondered what they meant.

Chapter 11

On Thursday, Jirra and Liz drove down to Santa Fe.

"I should be done by lunch time," stated Liz.

"Okay. The bookstore I want to go to is only a few blocks away from the medical center. There's supposed to be a good pizza place next door; why don't we eat there?"

"I could go for some good pizza. I don't like the place in town; they don't know how to make thin crust pizza, but then again very few pizza places do, away from the Northeast," replied Liz.

Liz dropped Jirra off at the bookstore. It was a store that Barrett had mentioned several times; he claimed it had a great section on local history. He was right, as it had a huge section on New Mexico's history. Jirra was soon browsing away, finding several books on the Anasazi. As soon as she picked up a book, she skimmed the index. None of the books mentioned any evidence of settlements in the area around the spa; still she knew what she had seen in her vision quest.

"May I help you, Miss?" asked an older man's voice.

Jirra turned around to see a small elderly man. He still had a full head of hair, although it was completely white. The nametag on his sweater identified him as Abe. He had a friendly smile, and there was a tinkle in his gray-blue eyes. Jirra immediately knew she could trust him.

"Yes. Do you know of any books concerning Anasazi settlements in the northeast part of the state? Say in the area north of Santa Fe?" asked Jirra hopefully.

He put his hand to his chin and began to rub it as he appeared to be contemplating her question. "That's the second time in the past few weeks that someone has asked me that question. The first was by some grad student. He claimed that he had found some evidence of them being much further east that earlier suspected," replied Abe.

"Did he have a goatee?" asked Jirra.

Abe nodded. "Yes, he did. He also suggested that I put a coffee stand in my store."

"Was he named Barrett?" she asked.

"Yes, do you know him?" asked Abe.

Jirra nodded. "His family runs a coffee house in the town near where I live."

Abe shook his head in disgust. "Coffee stand in a book store? Whatever happened to just buying a book?"

Jirra laughed. "So, were you able to help him?"

"There's one book we have in stock. It was written by an archeologist back in the 1930's. He claimed that he found sites in the hills north of Santa Fe that he dated back to the Anasazi. The trouble is, he never bothered to document these finds. The book is an interesting read, but I don't know how much you'll learn from it. He refused to note the exact location of the sites, something about not wanting to disturb them until the time was right," stated Abe as he led Jirra to the book.

Jirra noted that the shelves were filled with books on local history ranging from Billy the Kid to Roswell.

"Ah, here it is. Technically, this could be considered a rare book, as it was published in 1939, but since no one, other than your friend, has looked at it in all those years, I'll sell it to you for five dollars." He handed the book to Jirra.

Jirra held the book and opened it up carefully. It was covered in cheap leather. The title was The Anasazi of Santa Fe by Dr. Randolph Margate III.

"The book was a failure, and everyone with a college degree laughed at his findings. He claimed that he was planning an expedition to the sites to prove his theories, unfortunately he disappeared," stated Abe.

"Disappeared?" asked Jirra.

Abe nodded. "Yep. I found an article in the newspaper's archives stating that he was going up into the hills in the spring of 1940. No one ever heard of him again. Not that unusual, people come and go all the time. Still, it would have been nice to have known what happened to him."

"He was a doctor, didn't anyone look for him?"

"No. His biography says that he earned his PhD from Oxford. I wrote to them and they have no record of a Randolph Margate III. So, he was either using a fake name or he was lying."

"Sounds like you have more than a passing interest in him," stated Jirra.

Abe laughed. "You could say that. This shop has been in my family for three generations. I suspect that will all end when I pass on; none of my kids want to run it. Anyway, it's hard to compete with the big chains, and I'm not willing to put in a coffee stand. My father bought one hundred copies of that book. I was working as a stock boy back then, and I read everything new that came in. I must have read that book twenty times. I bought a topographical map and tried to figure out where he had gone. I suppose it became a hobby or maybe an obsession. Now, there is one catch to me selling you this book, if you find out anything, you must promise me that you'll share it with me. Is that a deal?"

Jirra nodded and extended her hand. "It's a deal, Abe."

Abe took her had and shook it. "And what's your name, young lady?"

"It's Jirra," she replied with a smile.

He began to chuckle. "Your parents named you kangaroo?"

She joined him in the laughter. "It's a long story, but it has something to do with a vacation they took before I was born."

Abe laughed. "Well, Jirra, in addition to the book, I think you'll need some maps. Maybe you can figure out where old Randolph was hiking about. Just so you know, his descriptions are vague enough to describe almost any canyon in the state."

An hour later Jirra had added three topographical maps and two additional books on the Anasazi to her pile.

"I'm sorry to hear that you can't get your family to continue the store," stated Jirra.

"All may not be lost. My granddaughter is expressing an interest in running it," he stated.

"Do you have an e-mail address?" asked Jirra, "just in case I find out something on Randolph."

"Of course. I may be old, but I'm no fuddy-duddy," he stated as he handed her his business card. "But I'm not going to put a coffee shop in here!"

"Thanks. I promise that I'll let you know if I find out anything at all about Randolph or the site."

"I know you will, Jirra."

Chapter 12

A short time later Jirra was sitting across from Liz in the pizza place. She told her all about Abe and the book.

"I wonder if Judy knows about Randolph," stated Liz as she ate her salad.

"Or Abe," added Jirra. "When will that pizza get here? I'm starved!"

Liz laughed.

"I'm going to e-mail Barrett and tell him that he made quite an impression on Abe," continued Jirra.

"That reminds me, no exploring up in the hills without telling someone where you're going. Also I don't want you going up there alone," ordered Liz. "Promise me."

"I promise," replied Jirra.

Just then the pizza arrived. The waiter's eyes were locked on Jirra's chest. She noticed and nervously crossed her arms. The waiter winked and walked away.

"What a jerk," she muttered as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I know it's hard, but try to ignore it. Just remember you can use those to your advantage," stated Liz, as she put a slice of pizza on her plate.

Jirra's eyes opened up. "Mom!"

Liz smiled back. "I'm just saying that there will be times when you're glad you're well developed. Men turn into idiots around them. I got out of a speeding ticket once, just for having my top three buttons on my blouse undone. They don't call them boobs for nothing."

Jirra broke up laughing, so hard in fact that she was soon crying.

"Now eat your pizza before it gets cold, it's not too bad, but the crust is still too thick," noted Liz.

"True, not like what we used to get back in Philly," replied Jirra. "Do you ever miss it?"

Liz shook her head. "I've lived so many places, so home is where you make it. Your father loved Pennsylvania."

Jirra let out a soft sigh. "I really miss him."

"Me too, Roo."

"I dreamed about him the other night," continued Jirra. "Nothing special happened; it was just nice to see him again."

"I dream about him all the time."

"I can't believe that it's almost been a year."

"I know."

"Did he really have to go to Afghanistan?" asked Jirra.

Liz cracked a small smile. "Your father loved both of us, but he also had his honor. He was a soldier, like his father and his father's father. I joined the service on a lark, to help pay my college and to piss off my family. But with Travis it was his family business. He once told me that Reids had always been soldiers; he joked about the fact that they weren't good at anything else."

Jirra knew the family history well. Her grandfather had served in Viet Nam and her great-grandfather had been killed at Normandy. Her father had traced their family's service all the way back in the Civil War, when the first Reid had enlisted in the Union Army just ten days after stepping off the boat in New York City. Sgt. Ephraim Thaddeus Reid had survived the war, minus an arm he lost outside of Richmond in 1865.

"Still he never pressured me to join," interrupted Jirra. "Why?"

Liz nodded. "That's true he didn't. He wanted you to pick your own path. I think he was hoping that you wouldn't join up."

"Why?"

"He loved his job, but he also hated war. He treated the loss of every one of his men as if they were his children. I don't think he could stand losing you."

Jirra stared back in silence.

"You were so young when he was in the first Gulf War. His unit lost three men. When he got home, your father went and personally visited the families of those men. It was the only thing that seemed to bother him about the war. I think that's part of the reason he insisted on going along with his unit to Afghanistan; he didn't want to be away from them if they were in harm's way."

Jirra felt a tear run down her cheek. She wiped it way. "He never talked much about the war with me."

"No, he didn't want to burden you with it."

"I know I've asked this before, but how do you think he would react to what happened to me?"

Liz smiled. "It wouldn't have made any difference. He loved you dearly and would have loved you just the same, if not more. Although, I think he would have been slightly overprotective of you."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just say that the he probably would have had a talk with the waiter," replied Liz.

Jirra laughed. "Are you serious?"

Liz nodded. "Now, let's finish lunch so we can get back to the spa."

"Thank you for telling me this, Mom."

"You're welcome, Roo."

Jirra stayed up to nearly one reading the book. While it wasn't the best written book she had ever read, it was incredibly interesting. Dr. Margate stated that he had found proof that there were Anasazi sites in eastern New Mexico and proposed that they might have gone even further east. While he described several small sites where he had found evidence of the Anasazi, he didn't give any specific details on the locations of the sites. He described an area that covered much of the land north of Santa Fe.

What really excited Jirra was that he described one site that could be near the spa. Granted she may have been reading in between the lines, but he did mention the local town, stating that he stayed there overnight before heading north again. She wondered if Barrett had also picked up on this.

Chapter 13

Friday arrived bright and clear. The temperature had dipped into the low twenties overnight leaving a fine layer of frost covering everything. The sun was out in full force, melting the frost off the darker colored walkways around the spa. Almost everything else looked like it was covered in a blanket of glistening diamonds.

Judy was already in her office when Jirra arrived and she decided to ask her about Dr. Randolph Margate.

Judy examined the book. "I wish I knew you were so interested in this; I could have saved you ten dollars."

Jirra was about to ask Judy what she meant, as Judy opened the door of a bookcase. She pulled out a much nicer copy of the same book.

"Does this mean that he was around here?" asked Jirra excitedly.

"My grandparents told me about him. They said he was a very eccentric man. He claimed to be English, yet they said he had more of a Midwestern accent. He spent a summer here searching the hills. He asked for permission to search the canyons on many of the private lands around here."

"Didn't anyone ask him what he was looking for?"

"Jirra, back then this land was mainly used for cattle ranching. My grandfather thought he was looking for gold or silver. He would head up into the hills for weeks before coming back for supplies. My grandfather offered to help him, but he refused all assistance. He did send us this copy of the book. He came back a few years later before he disappeared."

"Didn't anyone look for him?" asked Jirra.

"By the time anyone noticed he was missing, it was fall. They searched the hills, but didn't find a thing. Almost anything could have happened to him. It was foolish of him to be alone up there. Nature is very unforgiving."

"As you've reminded me several times since my vision quest last summer," interjected Jirra.

"Exactly! Oh, just so you know, I'm starting a new rule for hikers once the weather improves; they'll have to log out before heading up in the hills. That rule will also apply to staff. I'm thinking of calling it the Jirra Rule," stated Judy.

"You wouldn't!"

Judy laughed. "There will be a log, but I'm not naming it after you."

"Thank you."

"I got an update on our latest VIP; she's coming in early and will be here on Saturday. I'd like you here at ten to meet her," stated Judy.

"Okay. Actually, I'm looking forward to meeting her."

Chapter 14

Saturday's weather was a repeat of Friday's. The frost was quite a bit heavier though and everything, even the walkways, glistened in the reddish glow of the rising sun.

Jirra slipped on a skirt, even though she wasn't fond of them especially with the colder temperatures of winter. It was an important day, and she figured that she had to make a good impression as a representative of the spa.

She picked out a matching sweater and then slipped on the black leather knee-high boots that her mom had given her for Christmas.

Jirra even put on some makeup. It wasn't much, but she wanted to look professional. Thankfully, Liz had shown her the art of minimal makeup.

As she stepped into the kitchen, Liz nodded approvingly.

"You look very nice, Roo."

"Thanks," replied Jirra, as she ran her hands down along her skirt. "I figured that this is a big deal for the spa and the least I can do for Judy is wear girl clothes."

Liz smiled. "Well, you look lovely, very professional. So what time does Ms. Stevens arrive?"

"Sometime after ten," replied Jirra.

"I'm sure you'll do fine," said Liz, as she washed out her coffee mug. "I'm off to work. I'll see you later."

They gave each other a quick hug.

Jirra made herself a mug of tea and watched some TV. She was slightly nervous about meeting Jennifer Stevens, not because she was a celebrity, but rather it was her background. The more Jirra thought about it, the more anxious she became. She had so much she wanted to ask her, but at the same time didn't want to bother her.

Jirra looked at her watch and saw that it was nearly nine-thirty; she sighed and headed up to the spa office.

Chapter 15

"Jirra, you look lovely," stated Judy. "And I thought you hated wearing skirts!"

"I do," replied Jirra, "but this is business, and you've taught me to look professional."

Judy nodded and smiled knowingly. "I'm glad you've remembered that."

"So where is she staying?" asked Jirra.

"In the same cottage that Alexis used; in fact, she requested it specifically, something about the view," replied Judy.

"It does have a nice view of the sunrise from the deck, not that she'll be using that in winter," replied Jirra with a laugh.

"Well, we'll find out soon enough, as it looks like she's arriving," stated Judy looking out the window of her office.

A dark green Ford Expedition pulled up in front of the main office of the spa. A young woman with a blonde ponytail stepped out of the passenger side and stretched. She was wearing jeans, boots, and a black leather jacket that was open to show her red turtleneck sweater. She was also wearing a Syracuse University ball cap with a pair of sunglasses propped on top of the cap. In many ways she looked like a college coed instead of a famous movie star.

Judy walked over to the main door and waved her in.

"Ms. Stevens, I'm Judy Ramone, and I want to welcome you to Caldera de Gaia Spa."

The woman smiled. "Please, call me Jen, Judy."

Judy smiled back. "As you wish, Jen, this is Jirra Reid; she'll be your guide around the spa."

Jen's eyes opened up as she turned to Jirra. "Well, I've wanted to meet you for a while, Jirra. Alexis raved about you."

Jirra felt her face getting warm as she greeted Jen.

"And please don't tell me you got dressed up for me," continued Jen.

Jirra was at a loss of words.

"Please, in the future, Jirra, dress as you normally would. I don't want you to go out of your way for me. Still, I'm very impressed, it's nice to see a young woman who knows how to make a good first impression," continued Jen with a smile.

"Okay, I will. Now would you like to see your cottage?" asked Jirra.

"That sounds wonderful, Jirra," replied Jen.

"Your bags are being delivered as we speak, Jen," interjected Judy.

"Thank you. What I said to Jirra applies to everyone. The last thing I want is anyone going out of their way for me. I just finished a movie, and all I want to do is relax," answered Jen.

"Oh, how do you want us to handle your privacy? We don't have a lot of guests this week, but I want to make sure that you're not bothered," continued Judy.

"I'm not into fake names or anything like that. Just as long as no one barges into my room or is snapping photos for the tabloids, I'll be okay. I've sort of gotten used to the publicity," she replied.

"I'll get the word out to the staff and quests," replied Judy. "I want all our guests to enjoy their stay here."

"If it's half as good as Alexis told me, then I'll be pleased," replied Jen. "Okay, Jirra, lead away."

Jirra slipped on her coat and led Jen down the path to the cottage. She still felt funny about the cottage, as it was the place where she had been with Alexis.

"It's so beautiful here," exclaimed Jen as they walked through the cool morning air. "Now, you're not originally from around here are you?"

Jirra shook her head. "No, I was an army brat. We lived all over the place before moving here. My mom is the staff doctor."

"And your father?" asked Jen.

Jirra took a breath. "He was killed last year in Afghanistan."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Damn, Alexis told me that. I'm sorry."

Jirra turned to Jen and smiled softly. "It's okay. Well, this is it." She then opened the door to the cottage.

They walked inside and Jen nodded. "It's perfect. It even has a fireplace."

"It's gas, cleaner than wood," noted Jirra.

Jen walked around the room and noticed her bags were in her bedroom. "Very nice indeed. Now, I've been warned about the wonderful food here, still I like to cook for myself."

"The basics are already stocked in the kitchen. For anything else, just fill out the form on the fridge door and drop it off at the main office, it'll be filled as best as possible the same day."

Jen smiled. "Judy knows what she's doing."

"You can say that again."

"Well, hang around here while I unpack, then you can start the grand tour," stated Jen.

Jen unpacked and made small talk with Jirra, who was finding that she was fast learning to like the young actress.

"Oh, Jirra, can you hand me that bag? It has something very valuable in it," stated Jen.

Jirra handed her a black leather duffle bag. "What's inside?"

Jen opened it up and pulled out a box of Tastykake chocolate cupcakes. "These are one of my guilty pleasures. Have you ever tried them?"

Jirra laughed. "Tried them? Before we moved here, we lived outside Philly. I lived on these things!"

"Have you had any since you left?" asked Jen as she opened up the box.

Jirra shook her head.

Jen smiled and handed her a package of the cupcakes.

"Thank you," replied Jirra, who after opening it up, peeled the frosting off the cupcake and ate it separately.

Jen laughed. "Now I know you're from Philly; no one else would know to do that!"

"You wouldn't have any of Amoroso's rolls in there too?" asked Jirra hopefully.

Jen laughed and shook her head. "I know how good those are, but I'm not from Philly."

"Still, thanks for the Tastykakes."

"You're welcome. By the way, I only share them with people who appreciate them!"

Chapter 16

Thirty minutes later Jirra led Jen out of her cottage for her orientation tour. The temperature had warmed up to thirty-four.

Jirra noticed Jen shivering slightly as they walked down to the mud bath building but didn't say anything about it. She didn't think it was that cold and she didn't know Jen well enough yet to comment on it.

Jen was very impressed with the mud baths and signed up for her first one for later that afternoon.

As they walked up to the dining hall, Jen commented how much Alexis loved the mud baths.

"It's one of the main reasons I picked this place," remarked Jen as they walked inside.

"How long have you known Alexis?" asked Jirra, as she hung up her coat. "You can hang yours here."

Jen shook her head. "No thanks, I'll keep it on for now. I first met Alexis in the green room of a late night TV show. We immediately hit it off, and while I wouldn't consider us best friends, we do see each other around. What I like about her is that she's very genuine, even if she has to hide her private life."

"Oh, you know about that too?" asked Jirra softly.

Jen smiled. "I was the one who set her up with her last fake boyfriend. I really feel for her and others like her. It's amazing that they have to keep their sexuality a secret, especially when they live and work in Hollywood!"

Jirra nodded as they approached the counter. "Okay, we usually have several choices for lunch, in addition to salads and soups. Hannah, our head chef, makes the best soups!"

"Also if you don't see anything you like, I can try to fill any special orders, assuming I have the ingredients," interjected Hannah. She extended her hand across to Jen. "I'm Hannah, and I'm pleased to meet you, Jen."

Jen smiled. "I've heard wonderful things about your cooking from Alexis. She still raves about the barbecue you prepared. I'm also pleased that you called me Jen."

Hannah smiled back. "We're a small spa. Judy got the word out pretty quick. Let me know if you need anything."

Jen nodded. "Yes, I do. I'm sorry to say that I have a deficiency problem."

"Deficiency problem? What are you lacking?" asked Jirra.

"A good cheesesteak!"

Jirra's jaw dropped open. Jen reached over and gently lifted Jirra's chin.

"Hey, just because I'm not a Philly girl doesn't mean that I'm not hooked on 'em. Hannah, I ordered everything we need, even Amoroso rolls, fresh from Philadelphia. With a bit of luck we'll be having Philly style cheesesteaks for lunch or supper tomorrow. I ordered enough for the entire staff and all the guests. And, yes, I DID get the Cheez Whiz!"

"If you don't mind, I'll have some other types of cheese available for those who'd prefer something a little healthier," interjected Hannah with a grin.

Jen shrugged her shoulders. "That's fine, but the best place in South Philly uses Cheez Whiz! Besides, you shouldn't worry about healthy if you're eating a cheesesteak."

"How did you get hooked on cheesesteaks anyway?" asked Jirra.

"I used to make a lot of public appearances for a national chain of computer stores. I've been to Philly several times to visit the stores there."

"Ordering all that stuff must have cost a small fortune. Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Hannah.

"I have more money that I can possibly spend. My money just sitting there in the bank is only good for the bank. Besides, I enjoy sharing my good luck with the people around me. I just figured it would be a nice way to introduce myself to the spa," replied Jen.

"It's a lovely gesture and I'll alert my staff to for the arrival of the food," stated Hannah.

Jen selected a bowl of rich-looking beef barley soup and a grilled ham and cheddar sandwich on rye. Jirra had the soup with a small chef's salad.
Chapter 17

After lunch, Jirra left Jen with Cari.

"I'll see you at dinner," stated Jen.

Jirra nodded and walked back to the main office. Judy waved her into her office as soon as she arrived.

"How's everything going?" asked Judy.

"Great," replied Jirra. "Jen is very nice. Did you hear that she's throwing a cheese steak lunch for everyone tomorrow?"

Judy nodded. "Sounds interesting, although I'm not really into that sort of food."

"You've just never had the real thing!" replied Jirra with a grin.

"I'm glad to see that you're in a good mood again."

"I guess you're right about that," replied Jirra. "Well, I'm going to work on the newsletter if you need me."

Jirra retreated into her office and turned on her work computer. Jirra had a system down for the newsletter and it usually only took her a few hours each week. The hardest part of the job was ensuring that her contributors turned in their articles. Jirra usually sent out an email the week before the newsletter as a reminder. This week there was a recipe from Hannah for venison chili, and an article on cold weather hiking from Cody. There were also listings of spa events and the week's discounts in town. The last thing she had to do was type in the names of the week's guests.

Jirra glanced over her shoulder and saw that the US map now had pins in 39 of the fifty states. The world map had pins in twenty-four countries. This was her way of keeping track of who was visiting the spa. A set of duplicate maps was now hanging in the dining room.

After running the text through an editing program, Jirra e-mailed the newsletter to Judy for the final review. Judy usually caught a few minor grammar errors, which annoyed Jirra to no end. She prided herself on the newsletter and every mistake bugged her.

Jirra then checked her own e-mail and was pleased to see that Alex had sent her some mail.

Roo,
Hope you and Jen are getting along. Be warned; don't try to keep up with her in eating! I have no idea how she can eat all the junk she does and keep her figure! Attached is a preview of what I look like in the computer game. I think they made my boobs way too big! BTW I'd like to see an updated photo of you! Catch you later.
Love,
Alexis.

Jirra opened the attached file and saw what Alex was talking about. The character was an overly curvaceous blonde in a short toga-like dress. She had a very large chest, several cups bigger than the real Alexis. Jirra then typed her reply.

Dear Alexis,
Thanks for the mail. Jen is very cool and we're hitting it off famously. As for your alter ego – well, at least teenage boys will like it!
Love,
Jirra.

Jirra then headed back to her cottage. She had some reading to do for her history project.

Chapter 18

Around six Jirra got a call from Jen and she headed up to the woman's cottage.

She found Jen relaxing in her cottage. Jen was dressed in a sweat suit with a throw wrapped around her shoulders. There were fuzzy pink slippers on her feet and she had a big mug of hot chocolate in her hands. A fire was burning strong in the fireplace. The stereo was playing some old 60's Motown.

"Oh, Jirra, the mud bath was wonderful!" exclaimed Jen. "I plan on doing one every day I'm here!"

Jirra just nodded and sat across from Jen who sat down on the couch, well within the warmth created by the fire.

"Do you want some hot chocolate?" asked Jen.

Jirra had found that since her transformation she had come to crave chocolate more than she ever had as a boy. "Sounds good. Is it in the kitchen?

Jen got up. "No, please let me fix it for you. Trust me, you'll love this!"

Jirra watched mutely as Jen filled a mug with hot chocolate and then added a handful of mini marshmallows, followed by a big squeeze of Hershey's Chocolate Syrup.

"I call this The Chocolate Overload, and it's marvelous! Oh, wait, you'll want some of these to go with it," explained Jen as she handed Jirra some Oreos.

"You must be kidding!"

Jen shook her head. "No, you'll love it."

They walked back into the living room. Jen returned to the couch and kicked off her slippers. In one graceful movement her feet disappeared under her body.

"Sorry, but even though I grew up in an area that has cold winters, I've never liked it. I guess I get cold too easy," complained Jen.

Jirra nodded as she sipped her drink. She noticed that she had become more sensitive to the cold since her transformation.

"Well? What do you think?" asked Jen.

"It's very good, but how do you keep so… slim?" asked Jirra, as she licked some of the chocolate off her upper lip.

"I'm blessed with a high metabolism I guess," replied Jen.

Jirra wondered if it was a result of the transformation, but she still didn't think that she knew Jen well enough to ask her about it.

"Do you usually eat dinner at your cottage or up in the main hall?" asked Jen, as she dunked an Oreo into her mug.

"Depends on Mom's schedule. Judy also likes the staff to eat with the guests a few nights. We also have dinner with our neighbors once a week," explained Jirra.

"Who are your neighbors?"

Jirra told her about Lindsey and her family and Cari and Tara.

"It must be nice to have such good people around you," stated Jen.

"It is. At times it feels like we're a big family. Judy was very selective about who she brought in here."

"So you moved out here after your father died?"

Jirra nodded. "Yes."

"How long ago did you father die?" asked Jen.

"It'll be one year next month."

"How're you doing?"

Jirra held out her hand and rocked it back and forth. "I miss him so much."

"I sensed that you're under some emotional stress," noted Jen.

"I have good days and bad days, as does Mom. The upcoming anniversary doesn't help," replied Jirra. She then told Jen how they'd ended up at the spa.

"I can't imagine having to deal with all that," said Jen. "So are you eating up at the hall tonight? If so, I'd love to join you and meet your mom."

"Really?"

Jen laughed as she nodded.

"I'll call her up and see what her plans are," replied Jirra. "Can I use your phone?"

"Sure."

Jirra picked up the phone and called the medical office. She talked for a few minutes before hanging up.

"Mom says that she'd love to go to dinner with you," stated Jirra. "She said that she'll meet us there at seven."

Jen looked at her watch. "Well, I'd better get dressed then."

Chapter 19

Jirra and Jen walked into the dining hall. It was less than half-full due to the partial booking of the spa. Jen's presence was immediately noticed by the guests and staff.

"Excuse me while I make the rounds," stated Jen with a wink, "Otherwise I won't get a chance to enjoy whatever smells so wonderful!"

Jirra watched as Jen introduced herself to everyone in the room. Jirra sat down next to Liz.

"I must admit she's a mistress of crowd control," commented Liz.

"She's pretty cool. Did you hear that she's throwing a cheese steak party tomorrow for everyone? She's even flying in Amoroso's rolls!" replied Jirra.

"Well, that's one meal I won't miss. I'm glad that you're hitting it off. Have you talked about your situation yet?"

Jirra shook her head. "No, not yet. I'd like to get to know her better before telling her."

"I understand. You do what you feel is right," said Liz. "Well, it looks like she's almost done."

Jirra noticed too that Jen was at the last table of guests. A minute later Jen walked over to Jirra's table.

"Well, that's out of the way. I told them that I'll be happy to talk and sign autographs and the like before dinner, but would appreciate not being bothered while I eat."

"And does that actually work?" asked Jirra.

Jen laughed. "Sometimes."

"Jen, this is my mom,"

Liz stood up. "I'm Liz, pleased to meet you Jen; it's a pleasure to meet you."

Jen smiled back. "I've wanted to meet you; Jirra has told me a lot about you in the short time we've known each other."

"Well, why don't we go see what Hannah and Lindsey have prepared for tonight's feast, and then we can talk," suggested Liz.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea."

The special of the evening was a variant on Chicken Parmesan, with a layer of sautéed mushrooms between the chicken and the cheese. It came with a side of small pasta shells with a chunky tomato sauce that had bits of ham and fresh broccoli florets in it. All three of them chose that, along with small side salads.

Over dinner they got to know each other a little better. Jirra noticed that Jen was guarded about her past and wondered if Jen felt the same sort of anxiety that she felt.

Jirra was pleased to see Lindsey walking over towards their table with a tray of her own.

"I was hoping you'd find time to join us," stated Jirra. She then introduced Lindsey to Jen.

"I'm a huge fan, but I promise to let you eat. Besides, I wanted to see if you like what I prepared tonight!" stated Lindsey.

"You cooked this tonight?" asked Jirra.

"Yep. I planned the whole menu. Mom gave me two nights a week from now on!" exclaimed Lindsey with pride.

"Well, I for one am very impressed. This is much better than most of the overpriced slop they serve in trendy Hollywood bistros," commented Jen.

Lindsey laughed. "Thank you, even if it is an exaggeration."

Jen shook her head. "No exaggeration, Lindsey, this is wonderful. Have you ever eaten in one of those places?"

Lindsey shook her head. "I've never been to Hollywood."

Jen smiled. "Keep up this sort of work and you can put most of them out of business. I mean, even the ranch dressing on my salad is the best I've ever had."

"My first celebrity endorsement!"

They all laughed.

Lindsey continued, "The secret to the dressing is making it from scratch using fresh buttermilk, and I add a small dash of horseradish to give it just a little bite."

There was a quiet pause as they all savored their food.

"Have you invited Jen for our movie night, Jirra?" asked Lindsey.

Jirra shook her head as she swallowed a bite of food.

"What is that?" asked Jen.

"We've started watching movies together, rotating between our house, theirs and Cari and Tara's," replied Lindsey, as she pointed to Jirra. "I think it'd be cool if you joined us."

"I don't want to intrude," stated Jen.

"You wouldn't be," interjected Liz.

"When is this weekly event?" asked Jen.

"Wednesday evening at Cari and Tara's cottage," said Jirra. "You met Cari today at the mud baths; she lives with Tara who runs the massage and hot spring baths."

"Oh, I met Tara too, they're both very nice. You don't think they'll mind?"

Jirra looked at Lindsey and they both began to giggle. "No, they're both cool."

"Okay, that sounds great as long as it's not one of my movies that you're watching. I tend to be way to critical of myself to enjoy them. Oh, by the way, what time do the hot spring baths close? I was hoping to get a soak in before bed."

"Midnight," replied Jirra.

"Wonderful. Well, if you don't mind, I'm going to take a soak and then retire for the evening. I'll see you all in the morning," stated Jen.

"Wait!" said Lindsey. "You have to try my new dessert!"

Jen groaned. "I'm not sure I have room for dessert."

"Yes, you do," replied Lindsey. "It's chocolate."

"Oh. Then you may have to twist my little finger." Jen laughed.

"Just a minute, I'll get it for you. It has to be warm when you eat it." Lindsey hurried off to the kitchen and soon returned with portions for each of them.

"Ta da! Chocolate shortcake!" she announced.

It was made with warm, split, fresh-baked biscuits filled with a generous helping of hot, rich dark chocolate pudding and topped with a big dollop of fresh whipped cream.

Jen licked the chocolate pudding from the corners of her mouth after she licked her spoon clean. "Lindsey, my tummy thanks you and I thank you. I still say those snooty Hollywood places could learn a thing or two from this place and from you!"

Jirra agreed it was excellent, although she had never been much of a chocolate fan until lately. She wondered if it had something to do with her change.

"Cool, what time would you like to meet for breakfast?" asked Jirra.

"How ‘bout eight?" she replied.

"Sounds good, have a nice soak," answered Jirra.

Jen nodded and left after saying goodnight.

Liz turned to Jirra. "Well, she certainly doesn't fit the stereotype of a big star."

"No, I doubt if Alex would tell a diva about our spa!" added Jirra.

"I'm so psyched about what she said about my meal, I can't wait to tell Mom!" stated Lindsey giddily.

Chapter 20

Later that evening, Jirra lay in bed thinking about her day. She wondered when the right time would be to bring up her past with Jen. She let out a long sigh and stared at the ceiling. She reached up and ran her hands over her breasts and shook her head in disbelief over their size.

As her fingers swept past her nipples, she felt a minor wave of pleasure emanate from them, which then swept through her body. This was something else that she wasn't used to. It was so much simpler when her sexual pleasure zone was concentrated between her legs, now she had multiple areas of gratification. This should have been a blessing, except for the fact that Jirra still didn't accept that this was her body. When she did pleasure herself, she felt guilt, as if she was betraying herself. There was also the feeling that it was wrong. She tried to shake these feelings but it was hard.

She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't even noticed that she was now massaging both nipples with her fingers. By the time she noticed what she was doing, it was too late to pull back, as she was now too excited to stop.

Jirra leaned over to her nightstand and pulled the vibrator out of the drawer. Liz had bought it for her and told her it was normal. Jirra fumbled to turn it on and began to rub it against her labia. It was so much simpler when she was a guy; all she had to do was stroke herself and think about Kathy Everett, the cute brunette that sat next to her in chemistry. Now, she had to give equal time to several parts of her body.

Jirra's thoughts drifted away as she slowly worked towards her orgasm. In spite of her internal struggles, she had to admit that overall the female orgasm was superior to that of a male. It lasted longer and seemed to spread out over her whole body, unlike the male orgasm that was concentrated between the legs.

After her orgasm, she relaxed and felt her body come down from the sexual high. A strange thought ran through her mind, and instinctively she shook her head to get it out. This was not the first time that the idea had slipped into her thoughts, and it bothered her to no end.

As if she was trying to chase it away, she whispered softly. "I don't like boys."

Chapter 21

Mid-morning on Sunday found Jirra sitting in her office fixing a few minor errors in the newsletter. She shook her head in disgust as she corrected a minor grammar error.

Earlier that morning she had read an e-mail from Barrett. He told her that he was using the Randolph book in his studies, but so far he had found nearly sixty canyons that might be the one that the book mentioned.

"Knock-knock," stated Jen from just outside the door.

Jirra looked up and smiled. "I thought you were working out."

"I did, in case you haven't noticed it's almost eleven," replied Jen.

Jirra looked at her watch. "Wow, time flies when you're having fun."

Just then they heard Judy's voice bellowing out of her office. "Shit! Those little bastards have done it again!"

"What's wrong?" asked Jen.

"I don't know, but it might have something to do with our website," replied Jirra, as she got up and headed towards Judy's office.

They walked in to see Judy glaring at her computer's monitor.

"Look at what they did!" she exclaimed.

Jirra noticed that across the opening page of the spa's website was written NO FAGS and NO DYKES. The writing was bright red and the lettering looked as if it was dripping red paint.

"Has this happened before?" asked Jen.

Judy nodded. "Third time in the past two months."

"Alexis told me about the trouble you had with the local high school kids," said Jen.

"It's gotten worse. There's a small minority in town that has been giving us trouble. They're worried that we'll turn the town into a miniature version of San Francisco," replied Judy with disgust.

"Can I look at your system?" asked Jen.

"Sure," replied Judy.

"I used to do this sort of work before I went into acting," stated Jen as she sat down in front of Judy's computer. "I'll need your password for the site."

Judy nodded and reached into her file cabinet and pulled out a folder. "This has all the information on the website."

Jen opened the folder and looked at the technical data. "I can see one problem right off the bat, your security software is definitely outdated. No offense, Judy, but a sixth grader could have done this."

"Great, that makes me feel even worse," replied Judy with a laugh.

"I can get you a better program and install it if you'd like."

"Can you figure out who has been doing it?" asked Jirra.

"Maybe, if they were sloppy."

Jen turned her attention to the problem as her fingers started flying over the keyboard. Judy and Jirra looked on in amazement.

"Do you mind if we watch what you're doing, Jen?"

"No, not at all, Judy. In fact I think that it's a good idea that both of you know a bit more about the system. You might be able to catch things before they get out of hand again."

"Great!"

"You two should feel free to stop me in my tracks and ask any questions you might have as I'm working. I used to be so good at doing stuff like this that I just do things almost on automatic pilot. Make sure you get enough of an explanation so you're comfortable with my answer. If I use words that are way too technical just whomp me upside the head and make me explain ‘em, okay?"

Judy and Jirra nodded in agreement as Jen turned her attention back to the video screen and keyboard.

Almost an hour later, the system was upgraded with all latest security patches and the spa's web site was repaired. A stack of paper nearly an inch and a half high was in the output paper tray of the laser printer attached to the system.

Jen leaned back in the chair before shaking her head and sighing. "Damned script kiddies. Older Rug Rats or usually teenagers that get their jollies by breaking into systems using tools developed by real hackers. They weren't very smart though. They made no attempt to cover their tracks and left a trail of evidence all over the system." She pointed toward the paper tray on the laser printer. "That stack of paper is the appropriate sections of the system logs for all of the break-ins and print outs of the compromised web pages of this break-in. This is the same information I burned onto a CD. I suggest that you make copies of both of these and keep the originals."

Jen handed the CD to Judy. "Do you think it was someone local?" asked Judy with a concerned look on her face.

"Probably, Judy. I traced the TCP/IP address they came from back to the same local Internet Service Provider that you're using. There's only one in the town, right?"

Judy answered after pausing a few moments. "I think so."

"If I were you, I'd take this up with the local police first. If they can't or won't do anything about it, let me know. I have some friends in high places that might be interested in helping."

Jirra seemed a bit surprised. "Just who do you know anyway?"

"Well, all I can tell anyone is that when I was working at a college in upstate New York I stopped a hacker who was using a system he compromised in our network to break into a government computer. Once I saw what was in the files he was going after, I was able to stop him and track his location. He was arrested within an hour or so after I called the Agency. That much was on the news, anyway."

"What was in the files?"

"That's something I can't talk about unless you happen to have a security clearance equal to the President of the United States. I have that same level of clearance now, by the way. That's why I take anything told to me as being strictly confidential unless the person telling me says otherwise, Jirra."

"Okay, please forget I asked, Jen!"

Jen winked at Jirra. "Asked what?"

Judy picked up the stack of paper then placed the CD on top. "What are the chances that this will happen again?" She put the stack and the CD in her top desk drawer.

"I don't think you need to worry about the kiddies now. With the security upgrades I installed, it will take someone a lot more knowledgeable than that bunch to cause problems. I'm not saying that the system is hacker-proof, but it should be a lot more resistant to tampering than it was."

"That's fantastic! Okay, what do I owe you for the help?"

"Nothing except lunch, Judy. It was a real pleasure for me. This was the type of work I did before my transformation. I'm glad to know that I've still got those skills. So much has changed for me that I sometimes wonder if there's something that I've lost."

"Well, you paid for the lunch today. A FedEx truck delivered several boxes this morning marked "Keep Refrigerated." I sent them right over to the kitchen after I peeked inside the first one."

"Thanks, Judy! That's great! I can't wait to get my lips around a real Philly cheesesteak; right, Jirra?"

Chapter 22

Since some of the food was still frozen the decision was made to serve the cheese steaks for dinner. At Hannah's insistence an alternative meal would be available for those not wishing to partake in the feast. In addition to the ingredients for the cheese steaks, there were bags of Herr's potato chips and Bachman's pretzels, plus several boxes of Tastykakes.

Jirra, while excited about the upcoming meal, had other things on her mind. Her previous night's sexual pleasuring was heavy on her mind and she sought out Tara.

She stood outside Tara's office nervously, and after a slight hesitation she knocked on the door.

"Come in," stated Tara from behind the door.

Jirra took a deep breath and entered.

"Hi Jirra, what's on your mind?" asked Tara.

Jirra smiled slightly. "Is it that obvious?"

"I could tell from your knock, when it's soft and barely audible I know it's you with a problem."

Jirra laughed slightly. "I guess I'd better not play poker then."

Tara nodded in agreement and made a motion with her hand to the other chair. Jirra closed the door and sat down.

"Hmm, closing the door, this is serious."

Jirra sighed. "I'm troubled by some new feelings."

"Please tell me, Jirra."

"Last night I had… well, you know, those urges… and well, I began to play with myself," started Jirra. "That's not what's troubling me, it's that once I was… well deep into it, I began to think about… boys."

Tara stared back. "And this worries you?"

Jirra nodded vigorously. "I've only ever thought about girls, both before the accident and afterwards."

Tara cocked her head. "Only girls?"

"Well, that is until recently. It's not serious, but I've had thoughts a few times."

"Any specific boy?"

Jirra shook her head. "No."

"I see. Why does this bother you?"

Jirra stared back. "Why? Why does this bother me?"

Tara nodded. "Yes, tell me why."

"I can't like boys!"

"Why? It makes more sense than you liking girls."

Jirra was about to make a counterpoint but stopped with her mouth half open.

"Jirra, you underwent an incredible transformation. The physical changes were almost instantaneous. Doesn't it make sense that there would be emotional and mental changes too?"

"But why is it happening now?"

Tara shrugged her shoulders. "I can't tell you that. I can tell you that I've known many people who have had issues regarding their sexual attraction. Do you still like girls?"

"Yes!" replied Jirra immediately.

Tara laughed. "Okay, and now you're experiencing certain thoughts or fantasies about the opposite sex."

Jirra smiled back. "And in my case what is that?"

Tara put her index finger up. "Ah ha!"

"Huh?" replied Jirra.

"Look, Roo, you're a special case. Who is to say what's normal and what isn't? I wouldn't get all wrapped up in locking your sexuality up into gay or straight. I do know that hiding or repressing your feelings is bad, trust me on that one."

"So you're saying that I shouldn't get all worked up over a sexual fantasy?"

"Exactly. Like it or not, you're still changing. You've only been female for six months, that's nothing! What's more, lots of people have sexual fantasies that they never act on."

"It just scares me, that's all."

Tara nodded. "You're afraid that you're losing the old you?"

Jirra bit her lower lip gently and nodded. "What little is left."

"Change is hard, but look on the bright side of this, you have a lot of support to help you through all this; many of us who have faced change haven't."

"I guess you're right. I still don't like the idea of being attracted to guys."

"Why? Maybe you'll like it?"

"Tara, please!"

"Look, you're not going to get kicked out of the ‘I like girls club' just because you find guys attractive. Just be honest with those you're with."

"Have you ever liked guys?"

"I experimented once or twice, but it's not for me," replied Tara.

"Can I ask how far you got?" asked Jirra leaning over towards Tara.

"I'm not a virgin, if that's what you mean."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry, but I was just wondering what its like," continued Jirra.

"I'm not the best person to talk to about this, as I didn't exactly enjoy it fully."

"Thanks," replied Jirra with a smile. "I appreciate your honesty." She began to stand up.

"Just one thing, I know you're not about to go out and do something stupid, but if the time comes, please be careful. Remember, Roo, you can get pregnant now."

Jirra stared back. "Oh."

"Oh is right!"

Tara began to laugh and Jirra joined in.

"I have no intention of having that happen to me," stated Jirra firmly.

"No one ever does."

Chapter 23

Jirra was still thinking about her conversation when she met her mom for dinner.

"So are you ready for your first cheese steak since we left PA?" asked Liz.

"Yes."

"You okay?" asked Liz. "You seem a bit subdued."

Jirra smiled. "It's nothing. I'm just dealing with another issue regarding my change."

"That's not nothing," countered Liz.

"I know. I'm doing better since I talked to Tara," replied Jirra, as they entered the dining hall.

"I know that there are things you prefer to talk to her about, and I'm not jealous or anything, but you can always talk to me," stated Liz.

"Anything?" asked Jirra, as she took off her coat.

"Yes, even sex," replied Liz.

Jirra froze and turned around. "How did you know it was about sex?"

Liz laughed. "I'm a mother. Now, let's get in line and place our order.

Lindsey and Hannah were behind the counter taking orders. There was a sign at the head of the line with the options for the sandwiches.

"Excuse me, Lindsey, but there's a misspelling on your sign, it's not ‘with,' it's ‘WIT'!" stated Jirra.

"Okay, but I refuse to say ‘Yo' every time someone speaks to me," replied Hannah, as she handed Jirra and Liz a slip to record their orders.

"Not everyone in Philly says ‘Yo,'" replied Jirra, as she wrote down her order for a steak with Cheez Whiz and peppers, no onions.

Jen walked over and greeted them. "I'm glad to see that you dressed appropriately, Jirra."

Jirra was wearing a grey Philadelphia Eagles sweatshirt.

"It seemed like the thing to wear," replied Jirra.

"Do you like football?" asked Jen.

Jirra shook her head. "No, I love it."

Jen looked slightly confused. "Really? I wouldn't have thought you liked football."

"I've always liked it," replied Jirra. She noticed the look on Jen's face and decided to shift the subject. "I see that you've been busy."

Jen nodded as she glanced over her shoulder at the guests. "I've must have posed for a photo with everyone here. Oh well, the price of fame!"

"Don't you ever get tired of it?" asked Liz, as she filled out her order for her steak, plain with provolone.

"It can be a pain at times. I still like to go out to do my own shopping. Back home people know me and treat me accordingly. But when I'm in a strange area it's a hassle when I'm recognized. Sometimes I just tell them I just look like Jennifer Stevens."

Liz and Jirra laughed.

"Jirra, come back and eat with me," stated Lindsey from behind the counter.

Jirra turned to Liz who nodded.

"Thanks, I'll see you two later," stated Jirra.

"Have you picked out a seat?" asked Jen.

"No," replied Liz.

"Well, why don't we sit together?"

They walked over to an empty table and sat down. A short time later their sandwiches were brought out.

"They look wonderful," commented Liz.

"What, no onions or peppers?" asked Jen looking at Liz's steak.

"They give me terrible heartburn," replied Liz, as she picked up her steak.

"Thankfully, they don't bother me," replied Jen.

"I just want to tell you what a wonderful daughter you have," stated Jen. "She's very mature for her age."

"Sometimes she is," countered Liz with a wink.

Jen laughed. "There's something about her that I can't put my finger on. She seems different, yet very familiar. I mean there aren't a lot of teenage girls who like — correction, make that love football."

"She picked that up from Travis, her father. They used to watch games together from the time she was three."

"She told me about your loss. I'm so sorry," said Jen.

"Thank you. It hasn't been easy," replied Liz, as her voice tailed off.

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have brought it up."

Liz shook her head. "It's not your fault. I encourage Jirra to talk about it and be open with her feelings. After everything she's been through this year, the last thing I want her do is hide her feelings."

Jen nodded and wondered what else Jirra had experienced in the past year.

They talked for a few more minutes before Jen got another photo request; this one was with the kitchen staff.

"I'll talk to you later, Liz," stated Jen as she got up.

Liz nodded. "Have fun."

Jen struck a pose and then laughed. "Actually, this is all a lot of fun."

Chapter 24

While Jen and Liz were talking, Jirra was eating with Lindsey.

"What do you have on your cheese steak?' asked Jirra, staring at Lindsey's sandwich. There was a look of disgust on her face.

"Barbecue sauce, why?" replied Lindsey.

"On a cheese steak?" asked Jirra.

Lindsey shrugged her shoulders.

Jirra shook her head. "That's so wrong in so many ways."

"It's good, you want to try it?" asked Lindsey.

"No," replied Jirra with a smile.

"So what's Jen really like?' asked Lindsey.

"Pretty much the way she acts. She's really down to earth and totally unpretentious. You know, we're really going to be in trouble if a real celebrity ever shows up here; we won't know how to handle them."

"I can't believe she was once a guy; then again, I can barely imagine that you were a guy."

"Do you mean that?" asked Jirra.

Lindsey nodded. "Oh, you have your moments, but most of the time you're pretty much a girl."

"Is this something new?" asked Jirra.

Lindsey took another bite of her sandwich. "Yes, I'd have to say that you've changed since I've known you. You seem softer, more accepting of what happened to you."

"Not from my point of view," countered Jirra firmly.

"Okay, now you're acting like a guy."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Jirra.

"I've just noticed that there are times where you seem to try to emphasize that you're still part male, it doesn't seem natural."

"Wow."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much," continued Lindsey.

Jirra stared back at Lindsey. She then told her about what had happened the previous night and her subsequent talk with Tara.

"Does it really bother you?" asked Lindsey.

"The more I think about it, the more it confuses me. I guess I'm afraid of what might happen if I give in to my feelings. I guess part of me is hoping that I'll change back and if I do, I'll be too feminine."

"Have you talked to Jen about this?"

Jirra shook her head. "I don't know her well enough yet."

"Or maybe you're afraid of what she might tell you," stated Lindsey.

Jirra nodded. "Maybe you're right."

Chapter 25

Jirra and Lindsey rejoined Liz and the others in the dining hall. Jen was sitting on one of the tables telling a humorous story about some mishap during her latest movie. There was a scene where she was supposed to fall face first into a mud pit and come up covered completely in thick gooey stuff. The director had her do the scene at least a dozen times before he got one take he felt was good enough. She had the crowd in tears from laughing.

When she finished she sat down next to Liz, Jirra, and Lindsey.

"I must tell you, Lindsey, that you and your mom did an excellent job cooking the steaks," stated Jen.

"Thank you, it was fun," replied Lindsey.

"Jirra tells me that you want to have your own restaurant one day," continued Jen.

"That's right, but I have a long way to go. I'm going to business school, in addition to cooking classes."

Jen nodded. "Good for you. I've known a few chefs who have absolutely zero business sense."

"I'd love to see some of the restaurants in Hollywood, out of professional curiosity of course," stated Lindsey.

Jen laughed. "Oh, of course!"

Lindsey and the others laughed.

"Okay, I'd love to do it because it was cool too!" added Lindsey.

"Honest answer. Maybe I can arrange something sometime for you," replied Jen.

Lindsey looked at Jirra and then back at Jen. "That would be so cool."

"It's the least I could do for someone who filled my cravings for a cheese steak."

"I won't tell you what she put on her steak," piped in Jirra while giggling.

"It wasn't mayonnaise was it?" asked Jen with a horrified look on her face.

Lindsey shook her head vigorously. "It was barbecue sauce."

"I don't exactly approve, but I won't hold it against you," stated Jen.

Tara and Cari walked up and thanked Jen for the feast. They then began to talk about the upcoming movie night.

"We're thinking of one of three movies, and we thought we'd ask your opinion," stated Cari.

"What are they?" asked Jen.

"The Princess Bride, Local Hero, or The Freshman with Marlon Brando," answered Cari.

"Wow, all three are great movies and I like them all. I'd say, go with the Brando flick."

"Cool, I love that movie," stated Tara.

"So when is the movie night?" asked Jen.

"Well, we'd like to move it up to Monday, as we have to go to Santa Fe for a few days starting Wednesday," stated Tara.

"Is everything okay?" asked Lindsey.

Tara nodded. "We're just taking a few days off and decided to go see the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum."

"Among other things," added Cari with a wink.

"I think Monday would be fine," answered Jen, "as long as everyone else approves."

"It's fine with me," stated Liz.

"Cool, we've already asked Hannah and Cody. So see you at our cottage Monday at seven," stated Cari.

Chapter 26

The movie, The Freshman, was excellent, but Jirra's mind was on her present situation. In the movie, Matthew Broderick plays a college freshman who gets caught up in a wild scheme run by Marlon Brando, a New York City importer/mob boss. She immediately found herself relating to the character played by Matthew Broderick, and how his life was turned upside-down by circumstances beyond his control.

She also took notice of how his character decided to be totally honest with Marlon Brando's character. Jirra began to think, "What's the worst thing that could happen?" by telling Jen her past; after all Jen would be leaving in a week, so she made up her mind to sit down with Jen the next day.

"Hey, you've been quiet all night, are you okay?" whispered Lindsey.

"I just have a lot on my mind," replied Jirra. "But I think I know the right thing to do now."

After the movie they all talked about the movie.

"Have you ever worked with any of the people in the movie, Jen?" asked Cari, as she passed the popcorn bowl around.

"No, but, I've met a few of them. Unfortunately, I never met Brando, that would have been exciting," replied Jen.

"He stole every scene he was in," stated Hannah. "I especially loved the reference to On the Waterfront when he was trying to walk the Komodo dragon at the end of the movie."

"That was pretty good. He was able to parody himself without going overboard," added Tara.

"I also love the fact that the dialog was so well written; that's something that's becoming a lost art," said Jen, as she ate some popcorn.

"I know. Alexis says that while the movie she just made was fun, the dialog was juvenile at best," piped in Jirra.

"That's true. Richard Thorn's movies are never known for stimulating dialog, but he certainly knows how to make a great action movie. I think it's because he's such a great fan of movies himself. He'll watch a movie from a filmgoer's point of view, not a director or producer's; that's why his films are always big moneymakers. I know he'll never win an Oscar, but he sure gives the fans their money's worth," stated Jen.

"So do you think it'll be a big hit?" asked Jirra.

"Most likely, he's got all the ingredients for a blockbuster, too bad for Alexis," replied Jen.

"Why do you say that?" asked Liz.

"She's already being typecast from her TV show, now all she'll get is more films like this one."

"Won't they let her try something else?" asked Lindsey.

"Unlikely, she's not big enough yet or well enough known to go out for something more serious, and if this movie is a hit producers might be afraid that no one will take her seriously in the role. Her best bet is to do some small independent films, that is if she wants to try something different."

Jirra nodded, as this wasn't anything new, Alexis had written to her about this several times.

"Changing the subject slightly, are you going to the Academy Awards this year?"

Jen nodded. "I'm not up for anything, but the studio wants me there."

"What's it like?" asked Lindsey excitedly.

"It's pretty cool, especially when you get to walk down the red carpet. I did it last year."

"That would be pretty cool," sighed Lindsey. "I'd love to go."

"I agree," piped in Jirra.

Jen just smiled.

They talked for another hour or so before heading out into the crisp cold night air. It was a clear night and the stars were shining brightly.

"While this is too cold for me, I do love how the night sky looks," remarked Jen, as she stuck her hands deep into her pockets.

"It's wonderful up here, I'd forgot how many stars there were in the night sky," commented Liz.

"Being this is New Mexico, have you ever seen anything strange in the sky, I mean you're not that far from Roswell?" asked Jen.

Jirra and the others laughed.

"Unfortunately no, stated Lindsey.

"So nothing strange happens around here?" asked Jen.

"I wouldn't say that," piped in Lindsey, who immediately got a nudge in the ribs from Jirra.

"Judy can tell you some stories sometime," interjected Hannah.

"I must talk with her then, I'm looking for ideas for my next movie," stated Jen. "Well, I see we're at your places, I'll see you all tomorrow. Again, I had a wonderful time," stated Jen, as she walked away to her cottage.

Chapter 27

Mid-afternoon Jirra knocked on the door of Jen's cottage. She smirked slightly as she realized this was the same place that she had come out to Alexis.

"Just a sec," yelled Jen from behind the door.

A moment later the door opened up, Jen had a look of surprise on her face. "Well, I didn't expect to see you this afternoon, but it's always a pleasure, come on in, I just finished a workout."

Jirra noticed that Jen was wearing sweats.

"I'm sorry, I can come back later," replied Jirra.

Jen shook her head. "No, it's okay, come on in."

Jirra walked in and took off her coat. She then sat down on the couch next to Jen.

"You seem to have something on your mind," stated Jen. "I may be a blonde, but I'm also observant."

Jirra nodded slightly and let out a sigh. "May I ask you something regarding your change? I don't want to be rude or anything but it's kinda important."

"Actually, I'm surprised that no one has asked me about it yet. I was beginning to think this place is too good to be true," replied Jen with a smile. She then noticed that Jirra wasn't smiling. "Sorry, Jirra, I've developed a bit of an edge regarding what happened to me. I forget that no one else can relate to what I experienced."

"Do you ever wish you were a man again?" asked Jirra in a very serious tone.

"No. I've accepted that the change is permanent. I mean the doctors have no real idea why it happened, so they don't have a clue on where to even start to look for a way to reverse it. By all rights I should have been killed by the amount of electricity that went through my body."

Jirra stared back. "I hadn't thought about that."

Jen got the impression that Jirra wasn't talking about her situation.

"Do you miss being male?"

Jen shrugged her shoulders. "Not really, oh there are things I miss being able to do. I wish I was strong like I used to be. There are other things I don't like about my new gender such as no one taking me seriously as an intellectual, I mean they look at the blond hair and the body and assume all bod no brains! I guess I shouldn't complain about that too much though. There have been a few times where having someone underestimate what lies under the blond ponytail has been an advantage."

Jirra smirked slightly.

"I guess my biggest complaint is that my change was so public. I didn't have a chance to live a normal life, as I was reborn right into the spotlight so to speak. I guess this forced me to accept what happened and not to live in the past."

"I have one more question, I read that you date men, has this been an issue?"

"Again, not to sound like a broken record, but no. I'm very happy with my sexuality. It feels normal, even though as a male I never thought about being with a man."

Jirra looked back as if she was absorbing and processing everything that Jen had said.

Jen wondered where all this was leading to, as she was kind of taken aback by the questions asked by Jirra.

Jirra stared off to the side and appeared to be wiping back a tear. "The reason I needed to ask you these questions is… is… that I….used to be a boy."

Jen's eyes opened up. "Excuse me?"

"Last year I was in one of the mud bath caldrons and the building was struck by lightning. The combination of the mud and the lightning changed me. When they got me out I was a girl," stated Jirra. She then reached into her bag and pulled out some photos and handed them to Jen.

Jen took the photos and looked through them. She kept glancing up at Jirra as if to compare them to her. The boy in the photos definitely looked like Jirra.

"I'm not playing some sort of sick joke on you, Jen. My mom, Tara, Cari, Lindsey, and several others were there when I was helped out of the caldron. They all agreed to protect my secret. You can ask them if you want."

"I believe you. Did you tell Alexis this?"

Jirra nodded and wiped away another tear with her hand. "I figured I could trust you with my secret."

Jen smiled and pulled Jirra close in a long hug. "I wondered why Alexis said to answer any of your questions if I came here, even the things I don't like to talk about. Thank you for trusting me."

They hugged for a long time before releasing. Jirra reached for the box of tissues on the end table and wiped her eyes.

"I guess you're more emotional now too. I know that I am." commented Jen.

"Oh, yes. Just one of the many things I haven't gotten used to," replied Jirra.

"What do you mean?" asked Jen.

"Physically, I'm all female, but mentally, that's another story. I'm dealing with a lot of issues, and I figured that you might be able to help me."

"Oh, of course! Okay, that was a blonde moment there!" laughed Jen.

"I mean we were both transformed via lightning, although my transformation was apparently instantaneous."

"And mine appeared to be both mental and physical."

"Exactly," stated Jirra.

"I need some hot chocolate, what about you?" asked Jen

"I'd like that," replied Jirra.

Chapter 28

Over the mugs of chocolate they began to compare their transformations.

"So you've been developing feelings for males?" asked Jen.

"Yes, and I don't like it," replied Jirra.

"Why? You might find that you like it; I do," replied Jen.

Jirra sighed. "It's hard to describe."

"You don't want to be seen as queer, even if it's in your own mind?" asked Jen with a wink.

Jirra giggled. "Okay, you got me. I know that since I like girls I'm seen as a lesbian. I've been harassed for that, and it bothers me because it's none of their business. But I can't come to grips with the idea of being with a guy."

"Give it time. You're young and have your whole life ahead of you. You may find that the changes aren't done yet."

"That's what really scares me," replied Jirra as she sipped her chocolate. "I don't want to lose any more of me."

"I can understand that. Thankfully I didn't have your problem," she replied.

"I know and I'm envious of you."

"I'm envious of you Jirra," stated Jen.

Jirra put her mug down and stared back in shock. "Me? Why?"

"You have a chance to live your life relatively normally in peace and private. I'll never have that. I'll always be that girl who used to be a guy!"

"I never thought of it that way. I'm sorry; I guess I've been too wrapped up in my own sorrows to think about what it's been like for you."

Jen smiled. "Thanks. I guess we both have some baggage to deal with. At least we both now know that we're not alone."

They hugged again.

"Oh, I have another thing to ask you; my mom would like to talk to you regarding your health, if that's okay," stated Jirra.

Jen hesitated for a moment. "I guess since our transformations have similar circumstances that might be beneficial for both of us. Has she noticed anything unusual about you?"

"No, other than that fact that my DNA has some Anasazi in it," replied Jirra.

"Well, that's pretty cool," replied Jen. "I'll tell you what; why don't I go down and see your mom now and set up a meeting?"

"Do you want me to go along?"

"That won't be necessary. Thank you again for sharing this with me," answered Jen.

Chapter 29

Jen was sitting across from Liz in the medical office.

"I can't imagine what the past year has been like for you," stated Jen.

"It's been trying. I love Jirra so much, and I'm just happy that while she's struggling to deal with this rather dramatic change, she's pushed forward and hasn't given up."

"She's a remarkable young woman," agreed Jen.

"I also appreciate the fact that you're willing to share your medical history with me. I've been monitoring Jirra and well…."

"What?" asked Jen.

"She's almost too healthy. Her immune system is above average, as is the rest of her body."

Jen nodded. "Would you consider me one of your patients now?"

Liz smiled. "Of course."

"Then I'm going to share something with you that only a few people know and I expect you to keep to yourself. Whatever caused my transformation gave me a very strong and healthy body, to the point where I never get sick and my injuries heal virtually overnight. My doctors think that I may live for hundreds of years."

Liz stared back in shock. "Have you told Jirra this?"

Jen shook her head. "I wanted to talk to you first."

"Thank you. I'd like to keep this a secret for now, until I can see your charts and compare them to Jirra's, with your permission of course."

"I insist. In some ways, it's a curse. I dislike the idea of outliving all my friends," replied Jen.

"I think it might be too much for Jirra at this time. She's making progress on finding balance in her life right now, and this would throw her for a loop."

"I agree. If it looks like she's like me, I'd like to be there when you tell her. I liked her before knowing her secret, but now I see her as a sister, if you know what I mean," stated Jen.

"I do. I appreciate that you see her this way."

Chapter 30

While Jen and Liz were talking, Jirra typed out an e-mail to Alexis. Knowing how flimsy e-mail security could be, she never directly mentioned her transformation when talking to Alexis.

Dear Alexis,
I had a long talk with Jen and we talked about my situation. She's been wonderful. I have one question for you, did you rave about the spa to her for this reason?
Love, Jirra.

An hour later Jirra received a response from Alexis.

Dear Roo,
I'm happy you had a great talk with Jen. As for your question, who me?
Love, Alexis.

Jirra laughed as she read the e-mail. Of course Alexis was thinking of her when she suggested the spa to Jen, she thought. She really does care about me!

She got up and walked out of her office and noticed that there were two strangers standing just outside Judy's office talking to her. Jirra didn't recognize either one of them. One was a man with gray hair who looked like he was in his sixties and the other was a younger looking woman with short brown hair. Both were dressed in business suits, carrying briefcases, and definitely didn't look like guests.

"Jirra, please come here, there are some people I'd like you to meet," stated Judy as she waved Jirra towards her. "This is Neal Covington and his daughter Nancy; they're my lawyers."

Jirra smiled and greeted the two attorneys.

"They stopped by to give me an update on the land sale," continued Judy.

"Is it going to happen?" asked Jirra.

"Not if I can help it," replied Neal with a broad smile. "I have my office working on a series of obstacles that should delay the sale for years if not forever."

"Let's not get too optimistic," piped in Nancy. "The hotel chain has a huge staff working on this deal, and they're not going to just give up without a fight."

"True, but I'm working on a whole coalition to fight this, from the ranchers to the Native Americans," stated Neal.

"Are they still trying to buy you out?" asked Jirra.

"Yes, they just upped the offer," replied Judy, "but I'm still not selling."

"They really want the land, I'm still not sure why; there are plenty of places in the area they could start a spa," said Nancy.

"Not with both mud and hot mineral baths," stated Judy.

"Anyway, Judy, we'll be in this to the very end. I'll keep you apprised on what's happening," said Neal.

"I appreciate that, Neal. I have full confidence in your firm," answered Judy.

After they left, Judy motioned Jirra into her office.

"Neal was my father's lawyer, and his firm has represented our family for years. Nancy's his handpicked successor, and it has nothing to do with her being his daughter, she's a damn fine lawyer," explained Judy. "They're the ones who processed your name change."

"Really? I wish I had known it was them, I would have loved to thank them," replied Jirra.

"You can do that another time. Actually the reason I introduced you to them was they wanted to meet you," continued Judy.

"Oh," replied Jirra.

""They just wanted to meet the young woman that I've been raving about," added Judy with a smile.

Jirra grinned. "Thanks."

"No problem. They were telling me about their meeting with the local business association. Apparently, they're going to support us, even though there were some issues raised by some of the members."

"Like what?"

"The ‘unsavory element' the spa has been attracting," stated Judy in a sarcastic tone.

"What are you talking about… oh…. you mean people like me?"

Judy nodded. "There are some of the good people in Carsonville who have been grumbling about how the spa has been lowering morality in town."

"I'm sorry," stated Jirra.

"For what? You're not the problem, they are. The spa isn't trying to change Carsonville into a gay resort, and at the same time I'm not about to turn away paying clients or get rid of talented staff. So far their complaints have fallen on deaf ears from most of the business community, but it could be an issue with the land sale."

"Why?"

"The hotel chain could use it against us, but they have to be very careful themselves about how they do it."

"Why?"

"Because, Jirra, they have hotels in Key West, San Francisco, and several other cities that are popular gay tourist sites, if they try to raise a stink here, I'll make sure that the word gets out; two can play hardball. A boycott of their inns and resorts would hurt them badly."

Jirra laughed. "I'm certainly learning a lot about running a business from you, Judy."

"I told you, dear, that I'm not giving up this place without a fight."

Chapter 31

Jirra arrived back at her cottage to find Liz and Jen sharing a bottle of sparkling grape juice.

"I invited Jen over for dinner, I didn't think you'd mind," remarked Liz with a wink.

"No, not at all," replied Jirra, as she walked into the kitchen to grab a soda. A few moments later, she returned to the living room and sat down across from Jen and her mom.

"Liz was just telling me how they've explained your change. It's not a perfect solution, but it beats what I've had to go through," stated Jen.

"I can't imagine how horrible it must have been for you in those days after you woke up," commented Liz.

"It was pretty awful. Thanks to the tabloids, I'm now old news. The good thing about being a celebrity is that there are always other celebrities doing all kinds of stupid things. My real life is kind of boring," replied Jen.

"I just wish I could get on with my life. When I applied to Penn, they seemed more interested in my gender status than my academic record," lamented Jirra.

"We're different, and that will always spark interest. It's not all bad, I've met a lot of transgendered people and their supporters. I've also met people who are just curious about it, as gender is something that people just assume is stable and set in stone. If you're born with a penis then you have to be a male; when there are people who disprove this, then it causes waves in what people believe."

"I know, but I'm not transgendered, even if I have to pretend that I am," stated Jirra.

"You are transgendered, Jirra, just like I am," retorted Jen.

"Jen's right, Roo, you didn't have a say in all this, and neither did anyone else," added Liz.

Jirra appeared to be contemplating what the others had just said for a few moments. "I guess you're right. I never thought of it that way."

"We just did it backwards," stated Jen with a laugh.

Jirra smiled at Jen's quip. "Do you think that there are others who have changed like we have?"

"I imagine that there are. I've gotten some rather strange letters at times that have hinted at it, but you're the first person I've met who has been changed in a similar manner."

"The mud has some rather interesting minerals and chemicals in it, nothing that would change a person's gender soaking in it for days, weeks, or even months at a time," explained Liz. "It does have some natural compounds in it that are beneficial for a woman."

"Like what?" asked Jen.

"Well, I'm still studying it, but it does seem to ease PMS, and it does seem to have some effects on fertility. All I have now is anecdotal evidence, basically comments from guests and staff. I have no real proof, and we don't advertise it; still we're getting guests here who have heard about it from friends," stated Liz.

"PMS relief? Well, I may stay here more often. If it works, I may be here more!"

"Do you suffer from it?" asked Liz.

"I don't suffer as badly as those do around me," laughed Jen. "All kidding aside, I don't look forward to my period. I've tried several drugs and nothing really works."

"I hate my period too," piped in Jirra. "Thankfully, I haven't got PMS."

"You do get a little bitchy during your period," noted Liz, as she refilled her glass. "The last one was a real pain for both of us."

"MOM!"

"I'm just helping you, Roo. A part of being a young woman is being embarrassed by your mom," replied Liz with a smile.

Jirra felt her face turn red.

"It's okay, Jirra. I wish I had someone like your mom around me at times," stated Jen.

"I know, I just don't like talking about it," replied Jirra.

"Have you had any other issues down there?" asked Jen.

"Just a minor problem, I'd like to change the subject now."

"Minor problem?" asked Jen.

"Yeast infection," answered Liz.

Jirra rolled her eyes.

"Roo, I'm a doctor; besides it happens to most of us," replied Liz.

"Uh huh, can we talk about something else now, please?" begged Jirra.

"Okay, Roo, we'll change the subject," stated Liz.

"Thank you. How do you get used to this sort of stuff, Jen?" asked Jirra.

Jen shrugged her shoulders. "It really doesn't bother me. I guess it has something to do with my transformation, maybe because I'm older than you and have had a longer time to deal with it. I was forty-five when I was transformed. It's been almost four years now since I changed."

"That makes sense, I guess," replied Jirra.

"Well, I need to get started on dinner; why don't we move this conversation into the kitchen and you two can help me," stated Liz as she stood up.

"I'm not sure how much help I'll be," stated Jen.

"It's not that hard," stated Jirra.

"What? You like to cook, isn't that something girls like to do?" kidded Jen as they walked into the kitchen.

"Funny! I'm not a chef like Lindsey, but I can cook a few things," replied Jirra.

"Jirra, why don't you take care of the pasta? I'll defrost some of the meat sauce I made up last month," stated Liz.

"Hmm, I love Italian food. Canastota, the little town I grew up in, had a large Italian population, so we had some of the best food possible with lots of things imported from Italy," stated Jen.

"It's actually a recipe from a friend back in Philly. It's a holiday pasta sauce that contains several types of meat. My friend said that they would serve it after midnight mass. It has Italian sausage, ground beef, ground veal, and ground pork in it," explained Liz.

"Also pancetta, when you can find it," added Jirra, as she filled a large pot with water.

"Oh yes, cannot forget that, but if you can't get pancetta you can use Italian cured pork," stated Liz. "I usually make up a big pot and freeze the rest for later. If you like it, I'll give you the recipe."

Soon the kitchen was filled with the aroma of the sauce as it was heated up.

"What else is in it?" asked Jen.

"Tomato sauce, beef stock, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, and red wine, along with some herbs and spices," noted Liz.

"It's really thick, so we usually use penne pasta with it," added Jirra.

"It smells wonderful. I might have to actually try this sometime, or at least have someone cook some for me," replied Jen. She smiled and threw her hands up in the air. "Hey, what's the point of being rich if you can't treat yourself?"

Jirra and Liz laughed.

"Hey, that's an idea!" exclaimed Jen.

"What's an idea?" asked Jirra, as she checked on the pasta.

"Be right back, I need to make a phone call!" stated Jen as she rushed to get her cell phone from her purse.

"What was that all about?" asked Liz, as she tossed the salad.

Jirra shrugged her shoulders and spooned out a piece of pasta to taste. "Almost done."

About the time Jirra was straining the pasta in the colander, Jen walked back into the kitchen. She had a very satisfied look on her face.

Jirra noticed this. "Okay, what's up? You look like the cat that ate the canary."

"Maybe. I'll tell you later," replied Jen.

As they ate dinner, Jirra wondered what Jen was up to. As they cleaned up after dinner, Jen's cell phone went off. She excused herself and went into the living room to talk. A few minutes later she returned with a bigger smile on her face.

"I was trying to think of a way to thank you for everything you've done for me since I've been here, and I just checked with a few friends to confirm it could be done," Jen said.

"What?" asked Jirra.

"Well, this is dependent upon Liz's permission and also that of Hannah and Cody. I'd like to take you and Lindsey to Hollywood for a weekend," stated Jen.

"Really? That would be so cool!" exclaimed Jirra.

"When are you talking about, Jen," asked Liz.

"Early March," replied Jen with a smile.

Jirra cocked her head for a moment; there was something special about that time of year. Then it hit her. "Isn't that when the Academy Awards take place?"

"Oh didn't I mention that? I just talked to some friends, and we'll be going with them, if that is okay?"

"Mom, can I please go?" begged Jirra.

"Don't worry, Liz, I'll look after her, besides one of the friends is Alexis," replied Jen.

"You're kidding?" asked Jirra.

Jen shook her head.

"I suppose it is a once in a lifetime opportunity," replied Liz. "Let's see what Hannah and Cody think about it."

Jirra ran over and grabbed the phone and dialed Lindsey's number and handed the phone to Liz, who proceeded to tell Hannah Jen's offer. They talked for a minute before Liz handed the phone to Jen.

"Well?" asked Jirra anxiously.

"All I can say is that you'd better tell me everything!" replied Liz with a smile. "Oh, and you must write a report about it as part of your home schooling."

"Oh my God! Does that mean yes?" asked Jirra.

Liz nodded and was immediately hugged by Jirra.

Jen hung up the phone. "Lindsey sounds pretty excited about it too."

"This is very generous, Jen," stated Liz.

"I don't mind, besides it'll be fun. Most people who attend the Oscars act so jaded, it'll be nice to go with a couple of wide-eyed young women."

"Thank you so much," stated Jirra, as she hugged Jen.

"You can show your appreciation by letting me breathe!" gasped Jen.

"Sorry, I didn't realize I was hugging you that tight," replied Jirra.

"Now, I know you're not totally comfortable with your feminine appearance, but part of going to the awards is dressing up. If you're coming with Alexis and me, then you're going to have to look glamorous. That means everything from the top of your head to your toes. Don't worry, it's all part of the Jen Stevens Oscar tour package," explained Jen. "Oh and that also goes for Lindsey."

"She'll love that," replied Jirra.

"Come on Jirra, you have to admit that you like getting a facial and a makeover."

"Okay, I've only had it done a few times, but it does feel okay."

"Just okay?" asked Jen cocking her head to the side.

Jirra looked over at Liz and then Jen. "Well, maybe better than just okay."

Jen winked at Liz. "That's better."

Chapter 32

Jirra got together with Lindsey the next morning over breakfast.

"I can't believe that we're going to the Academy Awards!" squealed Lindsey.

"I know," replied Jirra.

"Are you worried about it?" asked Lindsey, as she took a spoonful of oatmeal.

"Worried, about what?"

Lindsey took a moment to swallow her oatmeal. "What will you do if someone interviews you?"

Jirra's eyes opened up slightly. "I hadn't thought about that, but I doubt if anyone will even notice us."

"Even with those?" asked Lindsey, pointing towards Jirra's breasts.

Jirra stuck her spoon in her own oatmeal and cocked it back as if she was about to fling it at Lindsey.

"You wouldn't!"

Jirra squinted. "Go ahead… make my day."

"Okay I surrender… no more John Wayne imitations."

"It's Clint Eastwood. Jeez, if you're going to the Oscars, you'd better improve your movie knowledge!"

"What are you girls arguing about?" asked Jen as she walked over with a mug of coffee.

"Lindsey is rather lacking in her movie knowledge," stated Jirra.

"And you hitting her in the face with a spoon of oatmeal will help this?" asked Jen.

"It couldn't hurt," laughed Jirra.

"I do know some things about the movies, but I'm no trivia expert like Jirra," stated Lindsey with a wink.

"Really? So, Jirra, how often do you go to the Internet Movie Data Base?" asked Jen.

"Only three or four times a week," shrugged Jirra.

"Good girl," replied Jen. "Now have you two seen any of the movies that should be nominated for awards?"

"I've only seen two of the movies that should get a best movie award. We have to wait until they're released on DVD," bemoaned Jirra. "Carsonville has a duplex, but they only show the big budget films."

"Well, I can provide you with some DVDs of the major films, but you'll have to sign a release and promise to send them back. If you do that, I'll also send you a copy of my new movie when it's finished," stated Jen. "You can use it for your movie night."

"That would be great," replied Jirra. "Is there a chance you'll come back to watch it with us?"

Jen smiled back. "Anything is possible."

Chapter 33

"Well, I'm both stunned and pleased by your offer," stated Judy, who was sitting behind her desk in her office.

"This isn't being done on a whim or anything. I'd like to own one of the cottages here. I love the spa, but more importantly, I feel like I belong here. I've become rather close to Jirra and Liz," stated Jen who was seated across from her.

"It's just that I never considered your sort of offer before," stated Judy.

"If you want, I can have a new cottage built near the staff housing. I won't be here all the time, but it'd nice to have a place to get away from it all. I talked to Alexis about it, and she's interested in going 50-50 with me on it. We're not interested in changing the spa and turning it into some celebrity hideaway; the exact opposite is on our minds, we like the spa the way it is."

Judy nodded. "I need to let you know that there may be changes going on down the line." She then briefed Jen on the hotel chain's offer and land bid.

"Is there any way I can help?" asked Jen.

"I appreciate the offer, and I may take you up on it later, should my lawyers fail. What angers me is that this land has been in my family's hands for generations and now some big corporation just waltzes in and thinks that I'll just sell it to them. I spent almost every summer as a kid on this land. My parents and grandparents had their ashes spread out from the top of the mesa you can see from the spa building. And if I don't sell it to them, then they're going to try to run me out!"

"Well, let me know if you need help. I do know a few people who owe me favors," replied Jen.

"Thank you. I promise that as soon as we win this, I'll consider your offer for the cottage, but in the meantime, if you give a week heads-up, I can always get you in."

"Will do. Oh, Jirra shared her secret with me. I think it's wonderful how you've protected her."

"She's pretty special," replied Judy.

"I have to agree. Were you there when she was changed?" asked Jen.

Judy shook her head. "No, I was off in Carsonville. However, I made it very clear that we would protect her and her secret."

"I wish I had had someone like you to protect me," stated Jen softly.

"I can't believe the way your privacy was betrayed."

"Well, I'll do everything in my power to help preserve Jirra's secret. I also want to help her see that she has a great future ahead of her and not to let this drag her down."

"Join the club. I initially gave her the job as newsletter editor just to keep her busy, now it's just one of her duties. If she wasn't so set on being a writer, she would make one hell of a businesswoman."

"Looks like she has her share of guardian angels."

"And woe be it to anyone who hurts her," stated Judy.

"I'll drink to that," replied Jen.

Judy smiled and got up and opened up her desk drawer, and removed an aged bottle of whiskey. "I just happen to have something worth toasting with. It's Irish and has quite a punch to it." She poured two glasses.

"I normally don't drink, but this is one time that I'll make an exception!" Jen picked up the glass and touched it gently to Judy's. The liquid felt warm going down. "Wow."

"That's a good description."

Jen looked at her watch. "Well, I have a mud bath in twenty minutes, and I don't want to keep Cari waiting."

Judy smiled and returned the bottle to its drawer. She then picked up a framed photo from her desktop. It was her great-grandfather. He had shot three men who'd tried to steal the land back in the 1800s. "Well, Jake, it's too bad I can't do the same with corporate executives," she stated aloud with a smile.

Chapter 34

Jen was sitting next to Lindsey and Jirra in the mineral bath. Outside the spotlights were illuminating snowflakes drifting to the ground.

"I'm so excited about going to Hollywood with you, Jen," exclaimed Lindsey. "Hey, this is going to require a new outfit." She then glanced over at Jirra.

"Well, other than the awards and the post-Oscar party, we're going to be casual. We'll go out for dinner one night to a trendy place, for your education, Lindsey. But for the most part you can dress the way you normally do," stated Jen. "I've already contacted the owner of a boutique to have some outfits standing by for you two. I got your sizes from your mothers."

"Wow, you think of everything," stated Lindsey.

"What's the weather like in LA this time of year?"

"Winter is the rainy reason. The temperatures can drop down cool at night but not like this place. It should be in the sixties during the day, but at night it can drop down into the low fifties," stated Jen. "It'll feel like a heat wave compared to New Mexico."

"So who else are we going with besides Alexis," asked Jirra. "Assuming she can be there."

Jen smiled. "I have a favor to ask you two. If you don't want to do it, I won't mind. You know that Alexis often dates men to hide her real sexuality."

Jirra and Lindsey nodded.

"So she'll be with a guy?" asked Jirra.

"Yes, one of her co-stars from the Minotaur movie, he's gay and so it serves both of them," replied Jen. "There are two young actors who you'll be with, if you want."

"Are they gay?" asked Lindsey.

Jen nodded. "It's silly, so much of Hollywood is LGBT, but it has to remain a secret to the public. Anyway, these two guys are really nice. Kyle Hoffman was a supporting actor in my latest movie and Nick Carlton plays a supporting role in Alexis' movie. They're also dating each other, but as neither is big enough of a star yet, they have to stay deep in the closet. Both are twenty and really nice."

"Nick? Isn't he in CSI: Seattle?" asked Lindsey. "He's cute."

Jen nodded. "Kyle thinks so too. All you'll have to do is walk in with them down the red carpet and then sit next to them at the awards."

Lindsey looked at Jirra and shrugged her shoulders. "Why not?"

"What about Dave?" asked Jirra.

"I'll tell him the truth, more or less. I will make it clear that it wasn't a date and it's definitely not serious," replied Lindsey.

"Who is Dave, your boyfriend?" asked Jen.

Lindsey nodded. "He's a freshman at New Mexico."

"Be honest with him, but don't tell him that Nick is gay," stated Jen.

"I won't. I'm very good at keeping secrets, right Jirra?"

Jirra laughed. "Yes, you're wonderful at keeping secrets."

"That's good to hear. My situation has made me rather well-trusted among the gay and lesbian community. I'm powerful enough to get who I want on my films, while at the same time helping to protect those who need it."

"Is that how you met Alexis?" asked Jirra.

"No, Alexis is lucky in that she's in demand and that she's not dead set on being a star. She could quit tomorrow and never look back."

"Do they know she's a lesbian?" asked Jirra.

"If you mean Hollywood executives, yes, they do, but since it's not public knowledge they're willing to take the risk. Although there are those who know and are also sympathetic," stated Jen.

"Like who?" asked Lindsey.

"Try Richard Thorn, the producer for her new movie."

"Really? That's cool," replied Jirra.

"It's not that surprising, after all, Richard's only daughter is a lesbian. I met her once at a party, she's very nice, as is her partner," stated Jen.

"Why should the public care away? I mean they're playing roles!" stated Jirra.

"Beats me, but they do. What really is strange is that a straight actor can play a gay character and not loose credibility, but if an ‘out' gay actor plays straight, it's a big deal. I mean I could play a Nazi and no one would accuse me of being a fascist; they'd call it acting."

"Maybe it's because of the whole fantasy side to Hollywood," stated Lindsey. "So a guy or girl can fantasize about being with the star, even though it will never happen, and still have hope, but if it turns out that the star is gay or lesbian then all bets are off, right?"

Jirra looked at Jen and they both looked at Lindsey.

"I think that made sense," replied Jirra. "So where do you fit in, Jen?"

Jen smiled. "That's part of the big mystery. I get letters stating that there is no way I could have been a man, that's it's all a publicity ploy. It doesn't hurt that I'm a fair actress, if I do say so myself! I've lost roles because some director or studio doesn't want to take the risk, but now I've solved that problem by producing my own flicks. The studios won't argue with success, as money is money."

Jirra and Lindsey laughed.

"I'll arrange your airline tickets and everything else. Just bring casual fun clothes for a few days and your cameras."

"This is so very nice," stated Lindsey.

"I like both of you and want to share my success," replied Jen.

"Looks like the snow is coming down a bit heavier," noted Jirra.

"Well, I think we'd better get out of the bath, before we turn into prunes," stated Jen, as she climbed out of the tub.

"Or frozen prunes," added Lindsey.

"Just so you don't think I'm rude, but as soon as we step outside, I plan on sprinting back to my cottage to sit in front of the fire for a while," stated Jen as she began to dry her hair.

"Just don't slip and fall," said Jirra.

"Not a chance," replied Jen with a smile.

Chapter 35

Jen met up with Jirra the following afternoon. Jirra was in her office working on the latest newsletter.

"Are you busy?" asked Jen.

"No, just adding the names of the new guests arriving this week," replied Jirra.

"I wanted to talk to you a little more about what happened to you and how you're adapting to it, if you don't mind?" asked Jen.

Jirra stopped typing. "I don't mind talking about it. I have some questions for you too."

Jen smiled back. "Okay, so roughly twenty-five people here know what happened to you, and the rest assume that you were born female. Is that right?"

"Yes," replied Jirra.

"But you've told your extended family that you had SRS, correct?"

"We had to tell them something. Even if I tried, I couldn't look like Josh."

"And how have they reacted?" asked Jen.

"Most have politely and quietly pulled away. I doubt I'll be invited to any family reunions soon. There are a few cousins and an aunt on Dad's side who have been cool," explained Jirra.

"Were you close before?" asked Jen.

Jirra waved her hand back and forth.

"Give them time."

"What about your family?" asked Jirra.

"My father and sister knew about the change before I did; they watched it happen. I was never very close to my dad before and that hasn't changed much. I guess I'm a little closer to my sister now though."

"What about your mom?"

"She died almost fifteen years ago, Jirra." A stream of tears rolled down Jen's cheeks. "Damned emotions. I never know when they'll overwhelm my self-control." She dabbed at the tears with a tissue.

Jirra hugged Jen tightly. "I'm sorry."

"It still hurts when I think about her. Somehow I think she would have easily accepted my change. I was much closer to her than I ever was to my father. I never met any of the family on her side, so I have no idea how they would have reacted. On my dad's side of the family, most of my relatives did accept me. A few never wanted to see me again. They changed their tune when I became famous and started making lots of money. I'll never be able to trust them."

"What about your friends? Did they accept your transformation?"

"Most of my friends did accept me. A few were like some of my relatives; they rejected me, only to say they accepted me again when the fame and fortune started."

"Wow! At least I know who my friends are. Things are strange enough without having to deal with that."

"Okay, changing the subject slightly, tell me about the troubles in Carsonville?" asked Jen.

Jirra explained all about the troubles with Randy and his friends.

"Sounds like it's grown to be more than a few stupid high school kids," noted Jen.

Jirra nodded. "The business community has been supportive, and a lot of that is because of Judy. She's well respected in the area. She told them that she wouldn't tolerate any harassment of staff or guests. She reminded them of how much revenue the spa has brought into the area. Most are pretty cool and fully supportive, but there are some who aren't."

"So where is the problem coming from?"

"Judy seems to think that it's from a citizens group that originally formed to fight sex education in the schools."

"You're kidding?"

Jirra shook her head. "Judy told me that it started as a group of concerned parents and has sort of become the morality firefighters for Carsonville. When they see a threat to their morality, they try to stamp it out."

"Let me guess, Judy came up with the firefighters analogy?"

Jirra smiled and laughed.

"So they feel threatened by the spa and its influences on the community," stated Jen.

"Yes. Judy hopes they'll come around and see that no one is trying to destroy their community."

"How do you feel when you go into town? Be honest."

"I feel nervous at times. I still get dirty looks from some of Randy's friends, but that isn't what scares me. I can handle that. I may not be as strong as I once was, but I can protect myself."

"You're afraid that they'll discover the truth about you, right?"

"Yes, that's it. They would have a field day with something like that. I don't want to see the spa get hurt either."

"That makes sense. Tell me more about Randy and the barbecue."

Jirra described how she had fought off Randy's advances at the barbecue the previous summer. In arguing with Randy, she'd outed herself as a lesbian.

"That fits with the bits and pieces of the incident that I got from Alexis. You fought back, but afterwards you broke down and cried, right?" asked Jen.

"Yes," replied Jirra.

"Sounds like something a woman would do. I think you're changing more on the inside than you're willing to admit," observed Jen. "Having been around you these past few days, I don't see a lot of masculinity in the way you act, except when you're trying to be butch."

Jirra nodded. "You're not the first person to tell me this."

"But you don't buy it."

"I still feel the same inside," replied Jirra, gently hitting her chest with her fist. "I've noticed how I've changed in how I react to things, but I still don't feel different inside, and that's what so frustrating… and scary. I just want to be normal, but there's a part of me, a very deep part that resists changing, as if there's an outside hope that I will be male again. Does that make any sense, or am I rambling?"

"It makes perfect sense. I felt the same way."

"Mom, Tara, Cari, Lindsey, Judy, and Killara all tell me that it will take time to find balance."

"Who is Killara?" asked Jen.

Jirra let out a small laugh. "He's my spirit guide."

"You've had a vision quest?" asked an astonished Jen.

"Two actually," replied Jirra.

"I've been curious about them."

"They're amazing; you can feel the wind blow and the heat from the sun."

"Maybe someday," replied Jen.

"My guide is a kangaroo rat, and he can be very frustrating. For every answer he gives me, he creates two more questions. Still, I look forward to our next meeting."

"Except for looking forward to our next meeting, that sounds like my lawyer."

Jirra laughed.

"I have one more thing to talk to you about; if the trip to the awards and being dressed up is too much for you, we can do something else. The last thing I want to do is force you into something," stated Jen.

"It's okay. My practical side is slowly learning to adapt. I wear a skirt or a dress when I have to; Judy and Mom have taught me that. I may not be overjoyed with dressing up and putting on makeup, but I've learned how to do it. I'm more nervous about being in the spotlight, but I've rationalized it to myself that no one will be looking at me. I'll just hold onto his arm and smile and hope that I don't trip. I do insist that my dress not be low cut; the last thing I want is for my boobs to pop out!"

Jen laughed. "Okay, no ‘wardrobe malfunctions', I promise! Trust me, Jirra, you'll have a wonderful time and no one will bother you."

Chapter 36

Three days later Jen was standing in the main office waiting for her ride to the airport.

"I wish you could stay longer," lamented Jirra.

"Me too, but I have to get back to work. My movie is in post-production and, since my name is on it as the producer, I want to make sure that it doesn't get butchered," replied Jen. "Besides we'll be seeing each other at the end of February, that's not that far off."

Jen and Jirra hugged.

"Now, you have my personal e-mail address and phone numbers; when you have issues concerning your status, don't hesitate to contact me. If you can't find me, call Barb at my office. I've already told her to track me down wherever I am if you need me," stated Jen.

"I'll do that."

Judy walked out of her office. "Jen, it's been a pleasure having you stay here; you're always welcome."

"I'll be in touch about my cottage," replied Jen. "This is a special place, and I'm already missing it. Let me know if you need help in the fight."

"I will, Jen. It's even more special to me."

A few minutes later Jen was sitting in a Ford Expedition waving goodbye.

"She was very nice," stated Judy.

"I'll definitely miss her," said Jirra. "Oh, I'm going to town this afternoon, you need anything?"

Judy shook her head. "Where are you going?"

"I got an e-mail from Barrett at the coffeehouse. He's back in town, and he's going to show me his research on the Anasazi."

Chapter 37

An hour later Jirra was sitting inside the coffeehouse drinking a latte. Barrett was sitting next to her with a topographical map of the area around Carsonville in front of them.

Jirra looked at the map and pointed to a red circle. "What does that mean?"

"It's a canyon that meets some of the descriptions in Dr. Margate's book. The ones with an X through them I've eliminated," replied Barrett.

"That still leaves a lot – looks like forty or fifty," remarked Jirra.

"Forty-seven to be exact," he answered.

"How long will it take you to check them all out?"

"I think I should be through a quarter of them by the end of this summer. The biggest difficulty will be getting to them. Some are very accessible, and anything of interest would have been discovered by now, so I'm eliminating them from the search for the moment. I've made up a list of the ones that I think have the most potential. Unfortunately, several of those are on private land, and I'm waiting for permission from the owners."

"Won't it take a long time to examine the sites?"

Barrett shook his head. "The good thing about archeological sites in New Mexico is that they stay pretty well preserved. I'll be able to tell in a few minutes if the site has any promise to it."

"Why hasn't anyone ever discovered the site before?"

"Some of the larger sites have only been discovered in the last fifty years, and some of those were large settlements. What I'm looking for was a place that was kept hidden, away from the rest of their society. From what I read in Margate's book, he seemed to think it was a sacred site, to be used by only certain members of the tribe. Unfortunately, as you know, he was deliberately vague in his descriptions."

"So it may be untouched from the time of the Anasazi?"

"That's my hope, especially if it's in some remote canyon."

Jirra noticed that two of the circles were on Judy's property. "I can get you permission to search these two."

"That's nice, but neither of those is very promising."

"Why?" asked Jirra.

"Just the general location, I only included them because Dr. Margate stated that he searched the ranch as part of his investigation of the area. I'm thinking that these three sites hold the most promise," he stated, pointing to some canyons south of town.

"What will you do if you find anything?"

"Stop immediately and contact the university. The last thing I want to do is to be accused of being a grave robber."

"Grave robber?"

Barrett smiled. "Sorry, it's a term we use even when there aren't actual graves involved. Archeologists aren't the only ones searching for Anasazi sites; there's a huge market for their pottery in both the open and black markets. Then there's the whole sensitivity thing with the native people. Any site that is legally found must follow very strict rules. If I find the site, I know it'll be protected. If it's rare enough, then the Feds will get involved."

"But won't that lock you out?" asked Jirra.

"That's a risk I'll take. I want this site to be documented and protected; hopefully, I can get in on the excavation."

"I don't know, I have a feeling about Judy's ranch," stated Jirra. She thought about the vision quest and how the land looked.

"Feeling, huh? Well, if you can tell me something more solid than that, I'll check them out with you, but it won't be until summer."

"Why do you have to wait?"

"Jirra, it's winter. Why, this canyon will be an all day hike from the spa just to get there. I like camping, but not in the dead of winter."

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that," replied Jirra.

"You can still come along; don't worry you can trust me," replied Barrett.

Jirra nodded gently. She hadn't thought about spending the night out in the hills with Barrett. It would have been different if she was still a guy, but she wasn't so sure about doing it now.

"What's the matter, haven't you ever gone camping?" he asked.

"It's been a while," she replied. "I suppose it'll be okay."

"Cool, I don't mind the solitude, but it's more fun with someone else."

"Is there really that big of a market for Anasazi relics?" asked Jirra, as she thought about camping as a girl.

"Unfortunately, yes. They'll dig up a site, destroying everything just to get a few potshards. I don't know who I hate worse, those who dig up the sites or those who are paying for the artifacts."

"So it's illegal then?" asked Jirra.

"Well, it's legal to own Anasazi items, as long as they were excavated from an established site. The illegal side comes into effect when the relics are gathered without permission of the landowner. Many of the known sites are on tribal lands, and… well some people still feel they have a right to take whatever they want from the native people. Some sites are actual grave sites, and often the remains are discarded as if they were garbage."

"That's disgusting," replied Jirra.

"I know, it makes it more difficult for those of us doing legitimate research, many of the most promising sites are now off limits. Even with private land, getting permission is difficult."

"I see, but if you have permission then you can sell the items?"

Barrett nodded. "Sure, but I'd rather anything I find end up on public display, preferably in a museum. Why are you asking?"

"I saw some jewelry in one of the new gift shops that looked like it was made using small pieces of potshards. They could have fakes, but they look like some of the pottery in some of my books. The patterns look like Anasazi."

"Which shop?" asked Barrett. There was a serious note to his voice.

"I'll show you if you want," replied Jirra.

"Sure, that sounds good. I'll put this stuff away and get my coat."

A few minutes later, Barrett and Jirra walked into a gift shop. It featured art and jewelry of the Southwest and had a whole section of native art. Everything was upscale and rather pricey.

"Do you know the owner?" whispered Jirra.

Barrett shook his head. "No, they're new to town. They arrived here last fall, and the shop just opened a few weeks ago. Pretend we're just shopping," he whispered back.

They slowly made their way back to a jewelry counter, and Jirra pointed out some necklaces that had what looked like small pieces of decorated pottery attached to them.

Barrett leaned over to examine the pottery shards.

"That's a really nice piece," stated the saleswoman as she walked up.

Her nametag said her name was Cindy, and she had a broad smile on her face. Jirra estimated she was in her forties, although judging by her bleached blonde hair and wardrobe; she was trying to look much younger.

"Can you tell me about it?" asked Barrett.

"It's genuine Anasazi," replied Cindy.

"Really?"

Cindy nodded vigorously. "I bought these items from an artisan who told me how he created these works of art from discarded potshards. He told me that he gets them from local sites."

Barrett's left eyebrow rose as he cast a quick glance at Jirra. "Really? I didn't think that the Anasazi were this close."

Cindy shrugged her shoulders. "That's what he said; to be honest, I don't know that much about the local tribes. It's a lovely piece isn't it; would your girlfriend like to try it on?"

Jirra almost choked when she heard Cindy refer to her as Barrett's girlfriend.

"That would be nice," said Barrett as he was handed the piece and slipped it around Jirra's neck. "How much is this piece?"

"That's three hundred, but it's worth every dollar," replied Cindy.

"It is nice, don't you think so, Jirra?" asked Barrett.

Jirra nodded. It was a nice piece, she thought. There was something familiar about it, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She also felt a strange feeling sweep through her body as Barrett slipped the necklace around her neck.

"Well, maybe another time. Oh, do you know the name of the artist?"

Cindy smiled and walked back to her office. She returned with a business card. "All we have is a name and phone number."

Barrett looked at the card. The only thing on the card was R&S Jewelry and a phone number.

Jirra took off the necklace and handed it to Barrett, who examined it before handing it back to Cindy. "Thank you, Cindy."

As soon as they left the store, Barrett pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number. All he got was an answering machine asking him to leave his name and number.

"Well?"

"It's definitely Anasazi, and from what I could see it's a very unique pattern. I'd like to talk to whoever found it."

"You don't think that it was obtained legally?" asked Jirra.

"I have no proof one way or the other. Cindy is either rather clueless or clever like a fox. If it's legal, then whoever made this would have documents and permits. I'll talk to my professor, he'll know if this is legitimate or not," replied Barrett.

"Too bad he's not closer, you could have him look in the shop himself," replied Jirra.

"Well, he is coming out this way in April to check up on my progress. He's the one who is allowing me to do my thesis work here. His name is Dr. Daniel Montgomery, and he's really cool. I love working with him."

"I'd like to meet him."

"Well, you just might. He'll be out here for a week, and the spa is the best place around to stay."

Jirra opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "Here's the spa's number and website."

Barrett took the card and examined it. "What? I don't see your name on it, what gives?"

Jirra laughed. "Very funny."

"Well, I need to get to work. Let's keep in touch," replied Barrett as he gave her a big hug.

Jirra smiled and walked away. On the way back to the spa, she thought about the hug and the way Barrett treated her. Did he like her as a friend, or something more? And what also bothered her was that she began to question her feelings for him.

Chapter 38

After dinner Jirra told Liz about the trip to the gift shop and her feelings when Barrett touched her.

"I wouldn't read too much into it, as it's just another new sensation for you," explained Liz. "It doesn't matter to anyone who you like or are attracted to, other than you and that person."

"So it wouldn't bother you if I started dating a boy?" asked Jirra. "Not that I'm about to start dating or anything."

"No, it wouldn't bother me; it would take a little getting used to, but as long as you're happy I wouldn't mind," replied Liz, as she sipped her coffee.

"Oh, I guess that makes sense. I'm just confused about these feelings, they seem both foreign and well… normal," stated Jirra. "Does THAT make sense?"

"It does. Look, as I've said before, you're still adjusting to your new body. Jen's transformation took weeks, yours was almost instantaneous, it would make sense that you were still changing."

"That's what scaring me."

Liz nodded. "Anything else on your mind?"

"Well, how do you feel about me going camping with Barrett? It would be for educational research purposes, and I do trust him," explained Jirra.

"You'll be nineteen in June; I think I can trust you, although I would like to meet Barrett before you go off into the hills with him."

"I can invite him to dinner sometime," replied Jirra.

"Now, I know you used to go camping with Dad, but things are a bit different now," stated Liz.

"We'll use separate tents," replied Jirra with a grin.

"That's not what I was talking about; have you thought about the bathroom situation?"

Jirra was about to answer and then stopped.

"I thought so; it's not as simple as it used to be for you. Don't worry, I can teach you a few tricks I learned," continued Liz.

"I'd appreciate that," replied Jirra. "Changing the subject, have you found any similarities between Jen's and my transformations?"

"I haven't got her full medical files yet. Obviously, lightning is the common denominator; I'll start with that and look over the files."

Jirra nodded. "I still can't believe that it happened to either of us."

"I know. Both of you should have been killed, or at the very least severely injured from the bolt; instead neither of you suffered any physical injuries such as burns. I treated one lightning strike before when I was an intern; some guy was hit while playing golf. He had burns on his head and at the base of his legs. He also was temporarily deaf. He was lucky that one of his partners was a doctor and was able to perform CPR on him."

"Did he live?"

Liz nodded. "He was in the hospital for a while, but he was able to walk out a few weeks later."

"So do you think that there might be something about me that was different even before the strike?"

Liz shrugged her shoulders. "If there was, I wouldn't know where to even start looking. No, I think it was a combination of the energy from the lightning and the chemicals and minerals in the mud. I don't have proof yet, but the composition of the mud was different after the strike."

"Jen said that she's envious of me and the fact that my transformation has been kept a secret," said Jirra.

"Jen's a remarkable woman. I doubt many people would do as well as she's done considering everything she's been through."

"I like her a lot," added Jirra.

"Me too."

"If I haven't told you lately, thank you for putting up with me. I know I can be a pain sometimes," stated Jirra.

"Roo, you're my child. I love you, even when you are a pain," replied Liz with a wink.

Jirra laughed. "Still, I know how hard this last year has been for you. My whining about my period or wearing a dress must get on your nerves."

"It does, but I try to put myself in your shoes and imagine what it would be like to be the opposite sex, and I cut you a little more slack."

Jirra laughed. "I appreciate it."

"Oh, I almost forgot, I got a call from Penn today," said Liz.

"About what?" asked Jirra, barely holding in her excitement.

"They wanted to know more about your homeschooling projects. I told them what you were working on, and then gave them the numbers for the people grading your projects. The man from Penn seemed impressed, especially when I told him about your interview with Alexis that appeared in the local paper," explained Liz.

"Oh yes, The Carsonville Tribune, published six days a week, suitable for wrapping fish of all species!"

"Really? Then why did you buy five copies of the issue with your article in it?"

"Okay, you got me. So he really sounded impressed?"

Liz nodded. "I also told him about your Anasazi project for your history grade."

"Cool. It would be great to go to Penn!"

"Well, all you can do is to continue to work hard. Speaking of which, I have a long day tomorrow; Judy is sending over three new employees, and I need to give them their physicals. See you in the morning, good night, Roo."

"Good night, Mom, I love you."

Chapter 39

The next few weeks seemed to drag by for Lindsey and Jirra. Lindsey was in a tizzy over the prospect of seeing Hollywood, and she told Jirra that she felt like a little kid waiting for Christmas.

Jirra had a mix of feelings. She was looking forward to the trip and seeing the Oscar ceremony. Then there was the possibility of seeing Alexis. It was still fifty-fifty on whether or not she would be in Hollywood for the ceremony. There were some post-production scenes for her movie that were being re-shot at a studio in London. Jirra really wanted to see Alexis again, but was also worried about where it might lead as she still had strong feelings for the actress.

Then there was the date for the Oscars. At first it seemed like a simple thing to do, just pretend to be the girlfriend for an in-the-closet gay actor, but the more Jirra thought about it, the more it caused her concern. It had nothing to do with the actor's sexuality; rather it was related to her own situation.

Her growing sexual confusion only added to her concerns. Jirra knew that there was little to no possibility of her having a relationship with the actor, rather it was just that whenever she was close to a male that she liked, she felt strange.

She found herself feeling this way around Barrett, and it was getting harder and harder to ignore. Now Barrett hadn't made any moves towards her other than the standard greeting hug that he gave her, but then again he did this with other close friends. It wasn't that Jirra didn't like Barrett, she did, but it was the idea of being attracted to boys.

She still felt a strong attraction to women, and she often pleasured herself thinking of them, but twice in the last few weeks she'd found herself dreaming about men, and twice she woke up so hot and bothered that she needed to use her vibrator to get relief.

A week before the trip, Alexis called her.

"Wow, it's so great to hear your voice!" exclaimed Jirra.

"I know how you feel, Roo," replied Alexis.

"So, are you going to be back for the awards?"

"I'm planning on it. Barring any major problems, my last scenes will be done on the Wednesday before the show, and I've already booked a flight back to the states. I should be back on Thursday evening. I assume that you'll be staying at Jen's place," said Alexis.

"She insisted on it. She's so nice," replied Jirra.

"I know, I like her a lot myself. So are you looking forward to your date with Nick? He's a nice guy."

There was a long pause before Jirra spoke. "I'm feeling a little funny about it."

"In what sort of way?"

"My feelings for the opposite sex are growing," replied Jirra.

"And in your case, what would the opposite sex be?" asked Alexis holding back a giggle.

Jirra also began to snigger. "Okay, very funny. I'm finding that I'm developing feelings towards boys. I still like, rather make that love girls, but I've noticed that I'm changing."

"And this bothers you?"

"Yes!"

"Why?" asked Alexis.

"Because I'm a…."

"You're not a boy, Jirra," interrupted Alexis. "You were once, but that's in the past. Times change, and you need to accept the fact that you're not the same person."

"You don't understand," replied Jirra.

"Don't I? Roo, I used to be an average college student, now I have action figures modeled after me. I have to sneak home to see my family to avoid the local media. I know it's not as dramatic as a gender shift, but change is a part of life. You can't live in the past, even if you want to."

"I'm sorry… I guess I was feeling sorry for myself… again, but it still feels strange."

"And throw on top of that the fact that we have feelings for each other," added Alexis.

"Yes, there's that too."

"Look, Roo, we'll always be friends, and if the fates allow, we might be more than that. As for now, I don't mind if you feel the need to explore your feelings. If you want to date a guy, I don't mind. Just because I'm a lesbian, it doesn't mean that I hate men."

"Oh," replied Jirra sheepishly.

"I'm telling you not to jump into something without thinking either, do what you think is right, but I can tell you that it's not healthy to hide your feelings, trust me on that one. Just remember you can always talk to me."

"You're not the first to tell me that either."

"Oh, that reminds me, how's Tara?"

"Gee, how did you know I was talking to her?" asked Jirra with a laugh.

Alexis laughed back. "Seriously, Roo, you need to accept the fact that you're changing, and sometimes change is hard to accept. Speaking of which, I may have a big change in my life soon."

"What do you mean?" asked Jirra in a concerned voice. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yes. No, what I'm talking about is a career change. I've been given a big offer, and I have to make up my mind in the next few days."

"Can you tell me what it's about?"

"I'd love to, but I can't, not even to you. I will tell you that you'll be one of the first to know."

"Oooh, a mystery!"

Alexis laughed. "If it happens, it should be a great change. Anyway, I gotta run, I have to be at the studio in forty minutes. Take care, and remember that I love you."

"I love you, too, Alexis."

Chapter 40

"I want lots of pictures, and I promise to tape the pre-show red carpet walk," stated Liz, as she drove the Land Rover down the highway. It was a clear cool Thursday morning in late February with just a hint in the air that winter might be over soon.

Jirra laughed. "I'll promise, and I promise not to fall down or make a fool out of myself."

"What time is our flight again?" asked Lindsey nervously as she looked at her watch.

"Relax, Lindsey, Jen said that her jet would pick us up as soon as we reached the Santa Fe airport," replied Jirra.

"Well, we'll be there in less than twenty minutes," said Hannah.

"I can't believe that we're going to Hollywood in a private jet!" squealed Lindsey.

"You sure you still want to go with her, Jirra?" asked Hannah, as she glanced over her shoulder. "She's been running on full power since four this morning."

"You got up at four?" asked Jirra.

"I couldn't sleep anyway; besides, that way I got all the hot water I wanted!" replied Lindsey.

A short time later they pulled up to the private jet terminal. A security guard stopped them at the gate.

"Excuse me, we're here to meet Jennifer Stevens's jet," stated Liz, as she leaned out of the window.

The security guard checked his clipboard. "Okay, but I'll need to see your ID first, that includes everyone in the vehicle."

A few minutes later they were parked next to a fence line. On the other side was a private jet.

"Does Jen actually own the jet?" asked Lindsey.

"No, she gets use of it as part of her contract, or at least that's what she told me. She says that it's a lot easier than getting mobbed for autographs in airports when she travels," replied Jirra.

A man walked over and smiled. He was wearing a pilot's uniform. "I assume that you are Ms. Stevens's guests; let me get your luggage for you."

"I could get used to this real fast," stated Lindsey to Jirra.

The man heard them and smiled. "My name is Marco and I'm the co-pilot, which also makes me the luggage handler, flight attendant and head bottle washer. Is this your first time in a Lear jet?"

Jirra nodded.

"Well, I promise that you'll love it. Ms Stevens is one of our favorite customers, and I'm happy to assist some of her friends," said Marco. He then pulled out several business cards and handed them to Liz and Hannah. "This number will ring in the passenger compartment, and the other number is our main office."

"Thank you very much," replied Liz. She then turned to Jirra. "Have a wonderful time, and I'll see you Tuesday."

Jirra hugged her. "I wish you could come along."

"That's nice, even if you don't mean it," laughed Liz. "Trust me; no one wants to go to Hollywood with their mom!"

Jirra smiled back. "It still would be fun."

A few minutes later they were inside the jet. Marco gave them a quick safety brief and then showed them where the food and drinks were.

"I'll be up front, but if you need anything, just pick up that phone," explained Marco.

"So if you're the co-pilot, who's the pilot?" asked Lindsey, as she sat down in one the plush leather seats.

"That would be me," stated a pretty red-headed woman. "My name is Carly Ashburn, and I'll be flying you to LA."

"Carly's our best pilot in the company, as she just got out of rehab," stated Marco with a grin.

"Yes, and I'm glad to see that you finally got paroled. What was it for this time, impersonating a pilot?" retorted Carly with a wink.

They both started laughing. Marco then turned to Jirra and Lindsey. "Carly and I both served together in the Air Force; we've been needling each other since flight school."

Jirra and Lindsey introduced themselves to the two pilots.

"So Jen is taking you two to the Oscars? That's pretty cool of her," stated Carly. "She's really nice. It burns my buns when I read that trash about her."

"Jen's one of the good ones, that's for sure," added Marco.

"So who are some of the bad ones?" asked Lindsey with a grin.

Carly glanced at Marco and then both began to laugh again.

"Sorry, Lindsey, but that's a company secret!" replied Marco.

"Okay, we'd better get going, it was nice talking to both of you," stated Carly. "Has Marco shown you everything?"

The two girls nodded.

"Okay, we should have you in LA in a few hours, just sit back and relax," said Carly.

Jirra sat back and stared out the window as they flew towards LA. Lindsey was busy exploring the flight compartment. She even placed a call back to her mom.

"This is so cool, Jirra. I mean this jet has everything including a TV!"

"The sad thing is that this will probably be nicer that my first couple of apartments while I'm a struggling writer," replied Jirra with a laugh.

"Not me. I've decided that I definitely want to be rich," exclaimed Lindsey.

"How many restaurant owners have their own jet?" asked Jirra.

"I don't know, but I'm willing to be the first," replied Lindsey. "Hey, I can't help it, but I like luxury."

"It is pretty nice. When Jen invited us I was expecting First Class, but this is beyond my wildest dreams."

"So will Alexis be joining us?" asked Lindsey, as she opened the wet bar.

"Won't know for another day, but she's planning on it," replied Jirra.

"You want something to drink?" asked Lindsey.

"I'll take a SoBe if there's one in there," replied Jirra.

"Green Tea or Cranberry-Grapefruit?" asked Lindsey.

"Cranberry-Grapefruit, please."

Lindsey sat down next to her and handed her the bottle. "If you want to spend time alone with Alexis, I don't mind, and in fact I insist upon it," stated Lindsey as she opened up a can of ginger ale and poured it into a glass.

"Thanks. I hope she gets free."

"I hope you two can get together, and I'm not talking about just this weekend," continued Lindsey. "You make a great couple."

Jirra smiled back. "Thanks. By the way, how's Dave?"

"Mildly jealous of my trip, but overall he's pretty cool about it."

"Did you tell him about the date?"

Lindsey nodded. "I told him that he didn't have a thing to worry about."

"You didn't mention that Kyle is gay, did you?"

Lindsey shook her head. "No, but to most college guys all the Hollywood pretty boys are gay."

"From what Jen and Alexis have told me, they just might be!" laughed Jirra.

Chapter 41

Upon arrival in LA, a limo picked up Jirra and Lindsey to drive them to Jen's condo.

"Ms. Stevens apologizes for not being able to be here herself, but there was a last minute problem she had to take care of," stated the chauffer. "She just called and will meet you at her condo."

The drive through the city was uneventful. The driver seemed to know which roads to avoid as they arrived outside Jen's place with little delay. Jen was standing outside the renovated warehouse as the limo pulled up. She was wearing jeans, a red t-shirt, and a denim jacket. The temperature was in the low sixties with overcast skies.

"Welcome to Hollywood," she greeted them as Jirra and Lindsey stepped out of the limo. Jen immediately hugged both of them. "Let me give you the grand tour."

They followed Jen into the huge building. The doors led into a massive central common area. The ceiling looked like it was the actual ceiling of the building over eighty feet up. "Impressive isn't it?" asked Jen with a smile.

"It certainly is." Jirra leaned her head back to get a better look at the large room. She counted five different levels to the balconies lining the walls. An elevator large enough to drive a car into was at the far end of the room with stairs zigzagging up the walls to the balconies. The balconies formed a ring around the wall for each floor with the elevator stopping at each one.

"I found that I was spending so much time out here on the west coast that I decided to buy the building and have it renovated into condos. Mine is on the second floor."

The chauffer finished loading the baggage into the elevator then waited patiently for them to walk aboard. He pulled the huge gate closed then hit the button for floor number 2. The old elevator groaned to life slowly lifting everyone. It took almost half a minute to move between the floors before it lurched to a stop.

"Oh, don't worry about the elevator. It's been fully reconditioned; it just acts old. My apartment is this way." Jen walked off the elevator then turned right to walk down the long balcony that ran to the front of the building. She stopped when she came to a set of large double doors made of steel.

"This used to be rented warehouse space for a lot of local businesses many years ago. I have the whole floor on this side of the building." Jen pressed a few numbers into the security pad by the door. There was a low clunk as the door lock released. "I'll give both of you your own access codes a bit later. Don't let me forget that."

She pushed the large doors open. "Let's get your things to your rooms then I'll give you the rest of the tour."

They all followed Jen up a winding staircase off the entrance hall. It looked a lot like one of those sets of stairs that you used to see in large houses in the older movies. At the top of the stairs was a hallway with four doors along one side and several more doors on the other.

Jen pointed to the second door. "Lindsey, that's your room. The third door is Jirra's room. Your baggage will be up in a few moments. Now go have a look."

Jirra opened the door to her room then stepped inside. It looked like a miniature version of an entire house. The living room had a large screen television and several overstuffed chairs in addition to the large couch in its center. There were several doors off the living room. One was a large bedroom with a huge king-size bed. The thing that really grabbed her eyes was the huge picture window that looked out over the city. There, standing out through the slight haze, was the HOLLYWOOD sign perched on a hilltop. It looked just like the pictures she'd seen so many times in books and magazines.

Off the bedroom was a separate bathroom. It had the largest tub that Jirra had ever seen, larger than even the spa's hot springs tubs were. In one corner of the bathroom there was a large glass booth. Jirra made a mental note to ask Jen about it. There was even a small room containing a complete kitchen. Somehow, Jirra doubted that she'd have any need for it over the next few days.

Jirra heard a knocking sound on one of the doors and opened it to find Lindsey bouncing with excitement.

"This is so cool! Did you see the view we have from the bedroom, Jirra?"

"Yes, I did. I doubt that I'll ever forget it."

"Have you looked in your closet yet?"

"Closet? What closet?"

Lindsey walked into the bedroom and opened a door that Jirra hadn't noticed. "This one, of course!"

Lindsey pulled Jirra inside then pointed to the clothing rack. Hanging there were at least a dozen different outfits and their various accessories. In the rack next to the clothes, Jirra saw about eight different pairs of shoes; some were heels, a few were flats and there were two pairs of running shoes too.

"What's all this?"

They turned around when they heard a small laugh behind them. It was Jen.

"A little surprise for you. I know that you both brought your own casual stuff, but I wanted to make sure that you could fit in with the California crowd if you wanted. You're to take these home with you, and I'm not taking no for an answer!"

Lindsey was nearly ready to explode. "Thanks, Jen! Thank you so much!"

Jirra made a quick scan of the clothing and found to her approval that nothing appeared to be too feminine or outlandish. "It's a very nice gesture, Jen, thank you very much."

"Now do either of you have any questions about the rooms?"

"Are those actual satin sheets on the beds?" asked Lindsey.

"Yes, they are. I found that they feel so nice against your skin when you're sleeping. If you haven't tried them, please feel free to do so. I recommend sleeping au naturel on them though."

Jirra passed a quick glance towards Lindsey, who began to snicker.

"Um, Jen when you say au naturel you mean naked, right?" asked Jirra.

Jen smiled back and nodded. "Of course, trust me on this one; it's an experience you won't forget. Of course, if you prefer cotton sheets, there's a supply of them and other things like towels in each of the closets"

"Well, I'm willing to give it a try!" stated Lindsey confidently. "What about you Jirra?"

"We'll see," replied Jirra softly as she ran her hand over the sheets. She had to admit that the sensation was pleasant.

Lindsey was off exploring the rest of the room. "I noticed a glass booth in the bathroom, Jen. What is it?"

"I almost forgot to explain that. When I was traveling in Europe shooting a movie, I ran into them in the hotels over there. They're actually whole body driers. They use warm air to dry your body without needing a towel. I love them and installed them here."

Jirra walked over to join Lindsey and Jen. "I also noticed the big tub. One of the seats in the corner of the tub has about double the number of jets that the other seats do."

"Very observant, Jirra. They are a bit special. There's a red button near each of the seats. If you push that button, it activates a special program for the water jets. I can guarantee that you'll feel very… uh… well, let's just say ‘relaxed' if you decide to try it!"

Jirra and Lindsey both blushed deeply. "You don't have to if you don't want to, but I do strongly recommend trying it."

Jirra looked at Lindsey then at Jen. "I'll consider it, Jen."

"That's all I can ask of either of you. Want to go see the rest of this cavern?"

After nodding in agreement, they followed Jen out of Jirra's room back into the hallway. Lindsey pointed to the fourth door at the end of the hallway.

"What's that?"

"Another room like yours. It's empty at the moment."

Jen walked down the staircase back to the lower level of the condo. "This is the living room. It has a large screen projection TV set and a thirty-five millimeter projector setup in a room next to this one. There's a screen that drops down from the ceiling and a full theater quality sound system. There's even a theater style popcorn machine at the bar."

The next stop was the gigantic kitchen. "I hope you don't mind doing a little cooking duty, Lindsey. Since we're here for only a few days, I didn't bring my housekeeper out with me on this trip. At times I don't trust myself to boil water."

"Mind? Are you kidding? This is a kitchen fit for a professional chef!"

"Well, I think it will be just breakfasts and snacks, Lindsey. We'll be rather busy and probably won't eat here much. By the way, I'm not one for the fancy foods. Plain and simple is fine with me. If there's something you want to make and we don't have everything, just let me know."

"Okay."

"Just to let you know, there's an indoor pool on the first floor. You both have access to it if you want to go for a swim. If you didn't bring a suit, there are a couple in the things I got for you. One other thing, you're very likely to see a few other famous faces around here. All I ask is that you respect their privacy while you're here. When I built this place, I decided that the residents here would have a safe haven to just be themselves without the pressure of the public intruding on them. If you see someone you'd like to meet and they don't introduce themselves first, just ask me and I'll arrange an introduction. Okay?"

Both girls nodded in agreement.

"Well, that's about it for the place. Oh, there's more to see, but you can explore that later. What do you two want to do now? Maybe get settled in?"

"That sounds like a good idea," replied Jirra.

"I also suggest that you two change into something more suitable for California, this isn't cold New Mexico," said Jen.

"Oooh, that sounds like a great idea. I'm going to pick out one of the outfits in the closet!" replied Lindsey.

"Dress casual nice, no jeans, there's a restaurant that I want to take you two for lunch," stated Jen. "Oh, and bring a light coat, it might rain later."

Chapter 42

Jirra picked out a pair of khaki slacks, a white cotton tee-shirt and a short jacket. The jacket was a deep azure colored denim jacket. For shoes, she picked out a pair of brown flats. She was impressed that everything fit perfectly.

Lindsey was wearing a pair of black pants, and a deep purple colored top. She topped it off with a black leather jacket.

"You look great, Jirra, I'm really impressed with your growing fashion sense," stated Lindsey. "Like it or not, you know how to dress."

"I just don't like standing out," said Jirra as she applied a touch of makeup. "If I dress down too much, I stand out; if I dress too feminine I stand out… at least in my mind. I'm just trying to find a balance."

"Well, you're doing a great job of it either way," replied Lindsey. "Come on, let's go meet up with Jen."

Jen had also changed and was now wearing black chinos, a red silk blouse and a black leather jacket. She nodded approvingly at the two girls' appearance. "Very nice. Now, let's go hit the town."

They walked outside. Jirra and Lindsey stopped and stared at the vehicle parked in front of the condo.

"You've got to be kidding!" exclaimed Jirra.

Jen laughed. "Nope, this is my baby!"

The vehicle in question was a bright metallic red H2 Hummer.

"I know it's not exactly practical, it's a bitch to park and it gets lousy mileage, but this is Hollywood, and it doesn't hurt to stand out. Besides, I love the look on the faces of people when I step out of it," continued Jen.

"I thought you didn't like unnecessary attention," stated Jirra as she walked around the Hummer.

"I don't. But in Hollywood, there is no such thing as unnecessary attention. I probably wouldn't drive this around New Mexico, but here, this isn't that unusual," answered Jen. "Come on, you'll love the way it rides. Also, being this is LA, the only thing safer to drive in is a tank."

She hit her remote and the doors unlocked. A step automatically came out on the side. "I had those installed to allow me to get in and out in a skirt."

Jirra sat in the front passenger seat and Lindsey hopped in the back. "I get shotgun the next time," she stated from the back.

"Do you want to listen to the stereo or a CD? I have both XM and Sirius satellite radio systems, as I like channels on both."

"Cool!" exclaimed Lindsey.

"Doesn't matter to me," replied Jirra. "I'm just happy to be out here."

"That's the spirit! Now, how hungry are you, or do you want to see some of the town first?" asked Jen.

Jirra turned around and looked at Lindsey, who shrugged her shoulders. "I'm game either way."

"Let's just drive around first," said Jirra.

"Okay," stated Jen, as they pulled out of her driveway.

Jen drove them around, giving them, as she put it, the "fifty-cent tour." Eventually they pulled next to the curb in front of a trendy Italian restaurant. A valet ran out and opened the doors of the Hummer.

"I think you'll like this place, the food is excellent, although they do try a little too hard to be hip," stated Jen.

The owner of the restaurant appeared almost immediately to greet Jen. He fawned over her for a few minutes before they were shown to their table. Lindsey made mental notes about the layout of the restaurant.

"Is it always like that, Jen?" asked Jirra.

"No, usually only in places around here," replied Jen, as she picked up her menu.

"Is there any chance that I could take a peek into the kitchen?" asked Lindsey.

"I think I can arrange that," replied Jen with a smile.

Jirra ended up ordering a pasta dish called orecchiette affumicato, which was made up of smoked chicken, sweet onions, gorgonzola cheese, rosemary and a port wine cream sauce over small pasta shells.

Jen nodded approvingly. "You'll love it, Jirra, now what are you ordering Lindsey?"

"Have you had the pasta al frutti de mare?" she asked.

"Oh, yes, it's very good, especially the mussels," replied Jen.

"What are you having, Jen?" asked Jirra.

"I'd like to order the veal, but it's not politically correct here, so I'm having the mustard crusted golden trout with the orange scallion pesto," replied Jen.

"That sounds great, I'd like to add that to our menu," said Lindsey.

The food was excellent and halfway through their meal the owner came over to see Jen.

"Excellent as usual, John," stated Jen.

"And who are the lovely young ladies with you, future co-stars?" he asked with a smile.

"They're my guests for the weekend," stated Jen, as she introduced Jirra and Lindsey to John. "Oh, is there a possibility that you could let Lindsey see your kitchen? She's an up and coming chef at a lovely spa that I stayed at out in New Mexico."

"Really?" asked John as he sized up Lindsey with a grin. "So in your professional view, how would you rate my place?"

"I would use a little more garlic in the pasta al frutti de mare."

"Excuse me?" he stated, slightly upset by Lindsey's blunt comment.

"Seriously, it would complement the taste of the seafood better," replied Lindsey.

John cocked his head for a moment. "May I?" he asked as he pointed to her dish. Lindsey nodded as he picked up a fork from an empty table and took a small sample. He ate it and then nodded. "You're right, it does need more garlic. You have an excellent sense of taste. When you're finished, I would be happy to show you our facilities."

Lindsey looked over at Jen and Jirra. "I'm ready now, if you don't mind."

John laughed. "No, not at all,"

Lindsey got up and followed John back towards the kitchen.

"You just made Lindsey's day," stated Jirra, as she took a drink of water.

"It was worth it to see John's face. He thinks everything here is perfect, granted he's not that far off most of the time," replied Jen, as she broke off another piece of bread.

"I'm glad that things have worked out for you, you deserve it," said Jirra.

Jen stared back. "That's one of the nicest things that anyone has said to me in a long time, thank you."

"I mean it. You're also a role model for me, as you show me that I can overcome my incident."

"I hope you do have a successful life too, Jirra. I know that it must be hard for you to adjust, but I also know you can do it."

Jirra stared back and nodded slightly. "I hope so."

"So, changing subjects, do you want to know the schedule for the week?" asked Jen.

"Sure," replied Jirra, as she watched one of the stars of Lost walk by their table.

"After lunch we'll go and get your dresses fitted. I took the liberty of picking out several dresses that I thought would look good on you two, but they will need adjustments, you'll also have to pick out shoes and other accessories," explained Jen.

"What are you wearing?" asked Jirra.

"Well, I'm wearing a rather simple, yet elegant, red silk strapless gown, it was designed by a friend of mine, and she's giving it to me to wear so she'll get some publicity," replied Jen. "There is a slight pattern in the material, but the light has to hit it just right."

"What sort of gowns did you reserve for us?" asked Jirra.

"Basic black for you, emerald green for Lindsey," replied Jen. "I selected some styles that should show off your assets, while at the same time looking chic."

"When you say assets, you mean my boobs, right?"

"That's only part of it; you have a lovely body, with very nice curves. I know you may not like what I'm about to say, but you'll need to show off a little cleavage; with your looks it would draw more attention if you didn't."

"I'm afraid they'll pop out," whispered Jirra, leaning over towards Jen.

"I wouldn't worry about that. The woman we're going to go see has dressed women with much larger assets than yours, and she's never had an accidental wardrobe malfunction," replied Jen with a wink.

"You mean some of those weren't accidents? I thought so," replied Jirra.

"Not all the visual effects are in the movies, Jirra!"

They both started laughing, which drew some attention their way.

"Well, as soon as Lindsey returns, we'll head out. I'm too full for dessert, besides I know a much better place to get some sweets," stated Jen.

A few minutes later Lindsey returned with John.

"Thank you very much, John. I really appreciate the tour," stated Lindsey.

"It was a pleasure showing our kitchen to someone who actually knows what they're looking at. By the way, don't forget our deal!"

"What deal is that?' asked Jen.

"She's sending me her mom's recipe for southwestern chicken breast, and I'm sending her our trout recipe," replied John.

"Having had both, that seems like a fair trade," said Jen.

Chapter 43

Thirty minutes later they were in the fitting room of an LA boutique. The woman attending them was named Greta, and from what Jirra could guess from her accent she was from somewhere in Europe, but she couldn't quite place it. Jen was no help as to Greta's origin either.

"I have no idea where she's from; one minute she sounds German and then Italian or even French," whispered Jen. "Personally, I think she's from New Jersey, and she's just faking the accents."

Greta was a short thin woman who, even though her hair was nearly totally grey, still moved with the dexterity of a younger woman, and she wore a tailored dress that seemed to flow over her shapely body. She retrieved two gowns and approached Jirra and Lindsey.

"Now, Ms. Stevens picked out several gowns for each of you. However, after now seeing you both in person, I believe you should start with these two," stated Greta, her accent sounding slightly British now, as if she had overhead Jen and had changed to deliberately mess with Jen's mind.

"Greta, please call me Jen. I think I've been seeing you long enough now that you can call me Jen," requested Jen.

"Ja, Fraulein Stevens," replied Greta in suddenly heavily accented German.

Jen threw her hands up in mock disgust.

Jirra then caught a wink from Greta as she was handed the dress. Jirra could barely hold in her giggles.

Jirra retreated into the changing room and examined the gown. It was jet black and was strapless. As she examined the gown, she found that the top of the gown had been reinforced to provide much needed support. She stripped down and tried it on. While she felt that it showed off her breasts too much, she had to admit that the hidden support made her feel more at ease. The only thing that needed to be adjusted was the hem.

Jirra stepped out and was immediately inspected by Greta.

"This fits you perfectly, young lady. Now, may I suggest the three-inch heels; they go very nicely with the gown. You don't want anything higher than three inches if you plan on walking down the red carpet," stated Greta. Her accent was back to sounding slightly French. She held out a box of shoes to Jirra.

"Three inches is fine with me," replied Jirra, as she tried on the shoes.

Greta reexamined Jirra after she put on the shoes. "Yes, I thought those would be perfect. Now stand up on that block, and I'll get your hemline straight.

"I like how the dress holds me in," stated Jirra.

"Yes, I designed it that way, as Ms. Stevens told me how you're a little uncomfortable with your chest size. You have nothing to worry about, young lady, everything will stay in place. Now, I have a lovely shawl for you to wear with it, that auditorium can get rather chilly."

"So have you been to the Oscars before?" asked Jirra.

"Several times. I must admit that I still get a thrill out of it, but don't tell Jen!" whispered Greta.

Jirra smiled back. "I promise!" She noticed that there was no trace of an accent in Greta's voice.

"Okay, my dear, now carefully slip out of your gown. I'll have it ready on Saturday morning for a final fitting," stated Greta. "Now, I need to get your friend."

Lindsey came out wearing a deep emerald gown. It was a bit fancier than Jirra's gown, as it had a tight bodice, but was more sweeping as it flowed down to the ground. It was also strapless.

"Lindsey, you look fab!" exclaimed Jirra.

"So do you!" replied Lindsey.

"Come, come, my dear, I need to get you in some heels," interrupted Greta.

Jirra smiled and walked carefully back to the changing room. She slowly removed the dress and shook her head in disbelief that she was trying on a gown to attend the Oscars.

She redressed and met up with Greta and Jen.

"The dress looks perfect on you, Jirra. You're really going to turn some heads Sunday night," stated Jen.

"I agree with Ms. Stevens, you'll look lovely," concurred Greta.

"Thank you," replied Jirra, figuring there was no use to plead for a less revealing gown. "Not that anyone will notice me anyway with all the stars there."

"I'll notice you," stated a familiar voice.

Jirra's eyes opened up wide at the sound of Alexis's voice.

"Surprise! I got here early!" exclaimed Alexis as she stepped out from behind a fitting screen and ran over to hug Jirra.

"I've missed you so badly!" stated Jirra as she hugged the actress.

"The feeling's mutual," replied Alexis.

They slowly broke away from the hug. "When did you arrive?" asked Jirra.

"A little over an hour ago, I was hoping to meet up with you at the restaurant, but not even Lindsey could stall you there forever," replied Alexis with a grin.

On cue, Lindsey stepped out of the changing room.

"So was everyone in on this?" asked Jirra.

"Just about everyone, except we didn't count on a three car crash on the 405," stated Jen. "Come on, we can continue this back at my place. Greta, as always, you've done a masterful job."

Greta nodded somewhat formally and replied, "It's always a pleasure to serve you, Ms. Stevens." This time she spoke with a slight New Jersey accent.

Chapter 44

Lindsey sat up front with Jen as Alexis and Jirra shared the back seat.

"I'm so happy to see you," stated Jirra.

Alexis smiled back. "I feel the same way, Roo. So are you ready for some big news?"

"What is it?" asked Jirra anxiously.

"I've been offered my own TV show," said Alexis.

"Really? But I thought you wanted out of TV."

"This is totally different. It's on a premium cable channel, and I'll only have to do fifteen episodes a season," replied Alexis.

"What's the show?" asked Jen.

"It's a detective series. I'll be playing Erin Flynn, and the series will be filmed in Boston," replied Alexis.

"Erin Flynn, huh? That's a great series, I've read most of them," said Jen.

"It'll be great; the author is the executive producer and has control over the scripts. Faith Collins is really something, and get this; she personally picked me out to play the lead!"

"But won't this prevent you from doing more movies?" asked Lindsey.

"Yes, but that's no great loss. The new flick looks great and should be a hit; unfortunately, between the movie and my past TV experience, the only movies I'm getting offers for are more action/adventure flicks. There's not a long career for actresses in those sorts of films. I want to do something more interesting, and I doubt if I'll get any offers," replied Alexis. "The TV show's going to be well written, and I have a three year contract."

"They gave you three years?" asked Jen. "That's amazing."

"It's the only way that Faith would agree to the plan. They've been drooling over doing her books for TV for ages; she's sold millions of copies, and that means a solid audience before the first show. We're going to be extremely faithful to the books."

"So you'll be filming in Boston?" asked Jirra.

"Yep, and I'm planning on moving there too."

"How far is Boston from Philly, Alexis?" asked Lindsey.

"Just a few hours by train, so what's in Philly?" asked Alexis with a straight face.

Jirra stared back for a moment before she realized that Alexis was kidding.

"Did you get accepted to Penn yet?" asked Alexis as a smile came over her face.

"No, but I should find out, one way or another, any day now," replied Jirra.

"You'll get in, I know that for sure."

Jirra just nodded back and stared into Alexis's eyes. Alexis smiled back and reached out and placed her hand against Jirra's face.

"It's good to see you again, Roo."

Chapter 45

"By the way, I love your tan," commented Jirra as they walked into Jen's condo.

"It's mostly natural. I needed it for my character in the movie, and thankfully I was able to get to the tone they wanted on my own. I had to use a tanning booth to maintain it while we did the studio shots. No one can tan in England in the wintertime!" replied Alexis.

Jirra laughed. "So are we sitting near each other for the awards?"

"I'll be in the same row; you being with one of my co-stars will make it look natural to the press. I'm going alone this time."

"Won't that cause some talk?" asked Lindsey.

"No, as I've been on a movie shoot the past few months, it won't cause a stir. I will be getting some spotlight as the Erin Flynn announcement will be released tomorrow."

"When do you start shooting?" asked Jen, as they sat down in the living room.

"I've already got the first couple of scripts, and we're going to start shooting in six weeks. Apparently they've had everything in place for a while as they worked out the final agreement with Faith."

"So if it's cable will there be lots of sex, violence, and cursing?" asked Lindsey.

"What do mean by lots?" replied Alexis with a smile. "It's not going to be like The Sopranos or Deadwood, but it will be real world and gritty. Erin has a love interest in the stories; actually she has several throughout the series. Have you read the books yet?"

Lindsey shook her head.

"I have, they're very good," replied Jirra.

"They don't have a lot of violence in them, but they don't pull any punches when it comes to sexual assault and spousal abuse, which are major themes in the stories," added Alexis.

"So where in Boston do you plan on living?" asked Jen.

"Initially, I'll be in a condo rented for me by the studio, but I plan on buying a place eventually."

"Alexis, since I haven't read the books…yet, tell me about Erin's lovers," requested Lindsey.

"Well, she's bi and that will cause some interest," replied Alexis.

"So the studio is going to include that part of her character?" asked Jen.

"Faith insisted on it," replied Alexis.

"Does Faith know about your sexuality?" Jen asked.

"I spent a weekend at her home in Connecticut. I told her that I'm a lesbian and hoped that it wouldn't be an issue. She just smiled and stated that it was my life and that she didn't care. I brought up that it could affect the ratings of the show, and she just laughed and told me that she wasn't worried about that. She said that over the years she had invested her royalty checks from the books, so that she could quit immediately and not have to worry."

"She sounds pretty cool," added Jen.

"Cool doesn't even start to describe her; she's almost as exciting as Erin. Did you know that she helped to break up a teen sex ring back in the 80's?"

"I remember something about that, she wrote a non-fiction book about it, right?" asked Jen.

"Yes, I've just found a copy and have started to read it."

"So back to you telling her your sexuality, does that mean that you'll be coming out publicly?" asked Jen.

"I'm not going to make some grand announcement or anything like that, but I'm not going to hide it anymore," replied Alexis, casting a glance at Jirra. "I'm not dating anyone at the moment or anything like that, but I don't plan on staying in the shadows either."

"That's a major decision," said Jen.

"I know, but I'm not going to live my life afraid either. I've made a lot of money in a short time. I'm going to make a bundle from the movie, and I have a very good contract for the Erin Flynn series, guaranteed three years, six figures, with options for DVDs and reruns. My agent worked a hard deal. If the series is a hit, I have the right to automatically renew my contract, with incentives. I'll be able to walk away from this not having to work again in show biz if I want," explained Alexis.

"Well, living in Mass won't hurt," added Jen.

"Exactly," replied Alexis.

"Well, I'll be in your corner," said Jen, as she got up and hugged Alexis.

"I really appreciate that," replied Alexis.

"Maybe you can appear on the show!" interjected Lindsey.

"I'd love that, Jen. We're getting a killer supporting cast, and we're already talking about bringing in guest stars. The director believes that once the show hits the air, she'll have to beat away stars who'll want to appear on it," stated Alexis. She then looked over at Jirra. "I might even find a small role for a certain young Penn student."

"Really?" asked Jirra. "Um… on second thought, the last thing I want to do is be on TV."

"It'll be fun, trust me, Jirra, no one will know your past by then or care."

Jirra nodded softly. Alexis was right, and it would be cool to be on a TV show; still, there was the lingering doubt in the back of her mind. "Okay, I'll do it."

"Well it won't be for a while, but I'll make sure you get a good part."

"How ‘bout a hooker?" suggested Lindsey.

Jirra nudged Lindsey in the ribs. "She's casting me… not you!"

Chapter 46

For dinner Jen said she had the perfect place to continue their conversation. They piled into her Hummer and headed up towards Studio City.

"I know where we're going," stated Alexis in a sing-song tone as they headed down Ventura Boulevard.

"Shhhh, don't say a word," replied Jen.

"Obviously, we're not going anywhere fancy," interjected Jirra. "I just hope they have good food, I'm famished!"

"You won't be when we leave," said Alexis.

They pulled up in front of Art's Delicatessen a few minutes later. The valets ran over in competition to drive Jen's Hummer.

"A Deli?" asked Lindsey.

"Not just a deli, it's the best one in LA," replied Alexis.

"This is a favorite spot around here, and what's great about it is that they treat everyone the same," explained Jen.

The hostess smiled at Jen and led them to a booth. Jen passed out the menus.

"Everything is great here," she stated.

"The sandwiches look huge," noted Jirra.

"Trust me, they are," replied Alexis.

"So, you've eaten here often?" asked Lindsey.

"Many times, it's a very popular place to eat after work. You come here to eat, not to be seen," replied Alexis as she plucked a pickle from the bowl in the center of the table.

Jirra ordered the hot pastrami on rye, and she had it admit it was the best she had had since she left Philly. Alexis ordered corned beef on rye, and they shared an order of fries. Lindsey also went for the pastrami, as did Jen, who also had a bowl of matzo-ball soup.

"How can you have soup when you're eating that huge sandwich?" asked Jirra.

"The question should be, how can you pass on soup this good?" replied Jen. "Just remember they also have killer desserts here."

"I doubt if I'll have room for dessert," replied Jirra. "If I eat much more, Greta will have to alter my gown."

"We can split an order of apple strudel; trust me on this one, it's killer," interjected Alexis.

"So, what's the plan for the rest of the week?" asked Lindsey.

"I have some things to do at the studio tomorrow, so I figure that you can hit the town with Alexis. If you want, we can go up to Universal Studios, it's actually a lot of fun," stated Jen. "However, I want you two to relax on Saturday, as Sunday will be very hectic. We're getting our hair, nails and makeup done, and then we have to get dressed. The limo will pick us up mid-afternoon so we can meet up with your dates, and then off to the Oscars."

The flash of a camera interrupted their conversation. Jen turned around to see a man with several cameras hanging from his neck.

"Smile, Ms. Stevens," he exclaimed. "You too, Ms. Eden." He began to snap off photo after photo.

"Hey you, get outta here; you know the rules," announced the night manager as he ran over.

The photographer ignored him and continued to snap photos. He moved closer until he was only a foot away from their booth. His lens was almost in Jen's face. It was as if he was trying to provoke Jen into doing something, but she just kept eating and ignored him.

"This is private property, get your butt out of here before I call the cops," stated the manger angrily as he approached the photographer.

"Hey, hey, don't you dare touch me, I know my rights," the photographer yelled back. "Besides, the cops can't do anything to me."

"I beg to differ," came a voice from another booth as two policemen stood up. "You're interrupting my dinner, and in here that alone is a crime. Please stop taking photos and come over here."

The two officers were motorcycle cops. The first one was a large burly man with a full brown mustache. His partner was a younger Hispanic man who was cleanshaven.

"I'm just trying to do my job," complained the photographer to the cops.

"What a coincidence, so am I," replied the cop with the moustache.

"Hiya, Rick, Miguel, I didn't see you two come in here tonight, but then again I just came on shift" stated the manager, as he shook the hands of the two cops.

The photographer looked slightly nervous when he saw the cops and the manager were friends.

"We were just ready to order dessert and coffee, but now it looks like we're going back to work early. You want to press charges?" asked Rick.

"I just want him out of here," replied the manager. "They know that they're not allowed in here."

"What about you, Ms. Stevens? Does anyone at your table wish to press charges?" asked the Hispanic officer. "What about you, Ms. Eden?"

"We're just trying to enjoy our dinner, officer. I agree with the manager, and would just like him out of here," replied Jen in a friendly manner. "I won't bring charges – unless any of those pictures appear in the media."

Alexis nodded in agreement, as Jirra tried to disappear into the recesses of the Naugahyde covered booth. The last thing she wanted was a confrontation with a paparazzi.

"Well, that makes it unanimous, why don't you leave, before we charge you with trespassing and disturbing the peace," stated the first cop to the photographer.

"Fine, but I'll be waiting outside," stated the photographer.

"That's your right, but if you bother anyone, we'll be back here," replied Rick.

The photographer, seeing he wasn't going to get his way, walked out of the deli watched closely by the two cops.

"God, I hate those bloodsuckers," mumbled Rick, but just audible to Jen and the others at the table.

"I'll have your coffee and dessert right up, guys," stated the manager. He then turned to Jen and the others. "Sorry about the interruption, I hope it won't affect your opinion of Art's."

"It wasn't your fault, besides I appreciate the way you and the officers handled it,' replied Jen. There was a big smile on her face, as she shook their hands.

"Can I pay for your dinners this evening?" asked Jen as she turned towards the two policemen.

"That's okay, but I wouldn't say no to an autograph from both of you," replied Rick. "My wife is a big fan of both of you."

"It would be a pleasure," replied Jen with a smile.

The manager handed her a couple of paper placemats, and Jen and Alexis signed them for the officers.

"Thanks a lot, and give us a call if that guy gives you any problems," stated Rick, as he examined the autographs.

The two officers returned to their booth for their coffee and dessert.

"Well, that was pretty exciting; does that happen a lot?" asked Lindsey.

"It gets pretty crazy leading up to the Oscars. We get a lot of out of town photographers, and the competition is pretty tight as it is," replied Jen. "That guy broke the rules by coming inside; they don't usually do that. Now, let me warn you, it might get a little nuts when we leave. Our friend might have called some of his friends to make it more difficult for us. Just keep your cool and don't let them get under your skin," explained Jen.

"They want you to do something crazy as that will make their photographs worth more. I doubt anyone will pay big bucks to see Jen eat matzo-ball soup," added Alexis.

"So he was trying to provoke you?" asked Jirra.

Jen nodded. "Yes, it makes for a better photo. I have a bad temper left over from my old life. I control it most of the time, especially when I'm out in public, but it's difficult around jerks like that."

"I'm glad the two cops were here," added Lindsey.

"So am I," said Jen. "I would have hated to waste my soup by tossing it in the face of that parasite."

"What'll happen if he's out there?" asked Lindsey.

"Remember, I drive a Hummer; I just hope one of those Neanderthals steps in front of me," replied Jen with a laugh.

"We could get you a stamp to put silhouettes of them on the side, like fighter pilots do," added Jirra.

Jen laughed. "Now there's an idea!"

Ten minutes later they walked out of the deli. A few people stopped to ask Jen and Alexis for autographs, which they readily agreed to.

To everyone's surprise, the photographer was nowhere to be seen. The valet brought up Jen's Hummer, and they drove away without incident.

"I guess there was someone more famous to bother," noted Alexis. "It's things like this that makes me want to leave Hollywood."

"I don't see how either of you deal with it," said Jirra.

"It's an occupational hazard. Most of the paparazzi are harmless, but there are those who press the boundaries of privacy. It was hell the first few months after I had my accident, but eventually they lost interest in me," stated Jen. "Other than the fact that I used to be a man, my life is too boring for them."

"I shudder to think what my life would be like if they learned my secret," sighed Jirra.

Alexis slipped her arm around Jirra. "I noticed that you got a little camera shy back there. You do know that your photo will be taken when we go down the red carpet?"

Jirra nodded. "That's different. This was like an assault. I know that I'll have to deal with others concerning my change someday, but I'd like to be in control of it."

"That may not be possible," countered Alexis.

"I know that. I've already had to answer questions from Penn concerning my being ‘transsexual.' I don't like the idea of lying to people, but at the same time I just want to live my life."

"I know you'll handle it, and just so you'll know, I'll be there for you," said Alexis.

"Count me in," added Lindsey.

"Me too!" stated Jen.

"Thanks," replied Jirra. "That really means a lot."

Chapter 47

The four friends sat up until well after midnight talking. Eventually it was just Alexis and Jirra.

"I must remember to thank Jen and Lindsey for suddenly feeling sleepy," quipped Alexis.

Jirra chuckled. "And I always thought that Jen was a better actress than that."

They were sitting on the couch cross-legged, facing each other. Alexis reached over and took Jirra's hands into hers.

Jirra trembled slightly, feeling a rush of emotions that had been initially sparked back at the spa.

"Well, obviously distance and separation did nothing to lower the feelings I have for you," said Alexis. "You do still have feelings for me, right?"

"Yes… yes, I do. I tried to put them off as a crush and that I was just star-struck, but every time I got an email from you, I felt all tingly all over," replied Jirra.

"Me too," stated Alexis. "The question is, can we do anything with it?"

Jirra nodded softly.

"When I told Faith that I was a lesbian and planning on coming out, I half hoped she would want someone else for the series. I'm so tired of hiding the real me. I have enough money put away that I could walk away if I wanted, but I can't."

"That's because you're proud of what you do and want to prove that it doesn't matter what your sexuality is, right?" asked Jirra.

Alexis cocked her head slightly. "You're pretty bright."

"I understand a little of what you're going through. Alexis, it terrifies me that I might be outed. I mean, if the truth comes out, what will happen to me, Mom, the spa, and everyone there?"

"Let's not get all upset over something that might never happen."

Jirra tried to smile but instead a tear began to run down her cheek. Alexis saw it and gently wiped it away.

"Look, Roo, you're going to make it. I know that it's tough, but you're a sweet person who is blessed to have a strong circle of friends around. I can only speak for myself that it's not out of pity either, that sort of thing passes quickly. I'll be your friend and maybe more, through thick and thin. Jen has made it, and she's had some hard times too, but like you she's blessed with people who care deeply about her."

"I know, but sometimes I can't help feeling sorry for myself. I've had so many wonderful things happen to me since the… change. I asked my spirit guide about it, and he said that it was just something that happened… no big cosmic reason or purpose; one minute I'm a guy and then in a flash I'm female. The universe has a perverse sense of humor if you ask me," said Jirra.

"I don't think your spirit guide was telling you everything. I don't believe that you had this life-changing event just out of the blue; there must be a purpose to it. From what your mom has told me, you were a nice smart kid before the accident, and you're still a nice smart kid. This happened for a reason, and I think that you'll learn the reason someday when you're ready. Right now, you're still adjusting to the change. That's enough for now; if you also knew you had some great task ahead of you that would be even more overwhelming."

"Why didn't I get the same sort of mental adjustments as Jen did?"

"I have no idea, Roo. I'm not sure which way I would prefer myself. By the way, how's the guy thing coming along?"

Jirra rolled her eyes. "It's still there. It's weird having feelings that I know are natural and everything, but at the same time being disgusted and horrified that I might actually act on them."

Alexis laughed. "I felt that way the first time I was turned on by another girl!"

"It's not exactly the same thing," replied Jirra.

"It's not that different either. Look, I don't care if you like guys; if we can somehow make this work, I do expect you to be honest to me and loyal to me, and I will give that back in return."

"Do you think that we might make something out of this?"

"I hope so," replied Alexis. She then leaned over and in a gentle movement kissed Jirra softly on the lips.

"That was nice."

"It was, but I think that's where we should stop for now. But I do want you to know that this isn't the end."

Jirra smiled and they kissed again before heading up to their rooms.

"Goodnight, Roo, sweet dreams."

Chapter 48

Jirra undressed and debated Jen's suggestion regarding the sheets. She had never slept naked before and had never slept on satin sheets. She wondered if she should do it.

"Come on, Jirra, it's not like they're going to bite back," she stated aloud to herself.

Jirra decided to give it a try, and after turning out the lights she removed her pjs and got into bed. The sheets felt very smooth, and it was momentarily overwhelming to her senses. For a moment she thought it might be a mistake to do it, as she was still slightly aroused from her contact with Alexis, but to her total surprise she drifted off to sleep almost as soon as she closed her eyes.

Jirra slowly awoke feeling very rested. To her total surprise, when she looked at the clock on the nightstand was showing 9:45. She sat up in bed and reached for her watch, which confirmed how late it was. She couldn't remember the last time she slept in this late.

Stepping out of bed she also found that she had forgotten that she was naked. "Well, mark that down for another thing Jen was right about," she stated aloud as she drifted slowly towards the shower.

After a very long shower and an invigorating experience in the dryer she got dressed. She decided that she would take a bath tonight before going to bed to try it out.

She decided to go with jeans, a sage colored sweater and the cowgirl boots that Tara and Cari had bought her for Christmas. She hadn't worn them too often back at the spa as she felt funny about wearing them, as if she wasn't western enough for them. She knew it was silly, as many of the girls in town wore them and some of them didn't know one end of a horse from the other.

They were really nice boots, modeled after a style from the 1880's. The leather was distressed brown softened goat, with a very minimal pattern. For boots they were very comfortable and as soon as she put them on, she was glad she brought them. They went perfectly with jeans or something dressier.

She walked downstairs and found the others in the living room.

"Well, look who's up, it's true, the dead lives!" stated Alexis.

"I thought the dead came out after dark," added Lindsey.

"Very funny," replied Jirra, as she sat down next to Alexis.

"Oooh, nice boots!" commented Jen.

Alexis ran her hand down the side of one. "I agree, these are very nice, where did you get them?"

"Cari and Tara gave them to me," replied Jirra, as she eyed the tray of muffins on the coffee table.

Alexis bent down to examine the boots. "Wow, these are genuine Luccheses!"

"I'm even more impressed," stated Jen.

"What's so impressive about them?" asked Lindsey.

"They've made boots for everyone from John Wayne to Michael Jordan," replied Jen. "The cool thing is that they put the same quality into their boots for the general public."

"I like them, as they're comfortable, if only I could feel more at ease wearing them back home. I mean I'm too much of an East-Coast person," replied Jirra, as she picked out a blueberry muffin and began to pick it apart.

"I wouldn't worry about that," replied Alexis, "soon you'll be kidded for being a hick at Penn by East-Coast snobs!"

"Gee, I guess I'd better get a cowgirl hat too!" replied Jirra as she began to giggle. She was so happy to be around Alexis again, even if it was for a couple of days.

"Well, I guess breakfast is out of the question," commented Jen as she looked at her watch. "I gotta run down to the studio. I'll be back for dinner. Do you have any requests?"

Lindsey raised her hand and began to wave it back and forth. "Ooh, ooh, I have an idea!"

Jen laughed. "Okay, what is it?"

"Let me cook you all dinner! I'd love to use your kitchen and cook you your favorite meal as a way of thanking you," stated Lindsey.

"Well, you already cooked me a cheese steak," replied Jen.

Lindsey shook her head. "Come on, Jen, I'm serious. I want to cook you something special."

"That's a great idea; we can go out to some of the local grocery places to get what we need. There's a Whole Foods in Beverly Hills, that'll be fun just going there!" stated Alexis. "We can also go to Trader Joe's, they're everywhere."

"You can't be serious, Lindsey. You're in Hollywood and you want to cook me dinner?" asked Jen.

"I'm deadly serious. Jen, I love cooking and creating meals for friends, it's not a chore for me. I'd love to go through some of the food shops around here," replied Lindsey. "Besides, if I make something you like, it could be something for my resume!"

Jen nodded. "How can I say no to that?"

"Cool!" replied Lindsey as she got up and hugged Jen. "Now, I'm going to see what you have in the kitchen before I make up my shopping list."

"Now that's something the supermarket rag sheets would love to know, what sorts of horrors exist in Jen Steven's kitchen!" stated Alexis fighting back tears as she started laughing.

Jen simply shook her head. "No science experiments running amok in there I'm afraid. My housekeeper, Gertie, keeps everything in top shape when she's here and I tend to use the microwave or eat out whenever I'm here by myself."

"Darn! No juicy tidbits for the tabloids then. Well, that won't stop us from making up a few!" Alexis continued to giggle.

Jen looked skyward. "Sheesh! With friends like these who needs enemies?"

"So, Jen, what do you want for supper anyway?" Lindsey had a pad of paper and a pen ready to take notes.

"Well, I eat out so much that something nice and simple would be great. I guess my favorite meal is a good beef stew. Nice big chunks of beef with loads of veggies." A far away look formed in Jen's eyes. "I remember my mom telling my dad to take a walk through the garden whenever she made stew in late summer or early fall. Almost anything in the garden was a fair target to put in the pot. Potatoes, carrots, celery, turnips, green beans, onions, leeks and whatever else he planted that year that was still growing. A real treat was the fresh baked bread or biscuits too. We never had much money so mom would scratch bake as much as possible when she did bake. Sometimes we had dark chocolate Devil's Food cake with a vanilla buttercream frosting or plain brownies for dessert."

Jen stood there not moving or saying anything for several seconds. Jirra started to worry and put her hand on Jen's shoulder. It seemed to bring her back to reality.

"Sorry. Just having a little bit of a flashback to simpler times in my life folks. I'm fine."

Jirra wasn't so certain since she noticed tears starting to form in the corners of Jen's eyes.

Jen picked up her purse from the table. "I'm certain whatever you decide to fix will be fine, Lindsey. I trust you with my taste buds. I've got to get going so you all have a good time today."

Jirra looked a bit confused. "Jen, you only have the H2. How are we going to go shopping? Take a limo or a cab?"

"Oh, I forgot to show you something. Follow me." They all followed Jen to a garage at the back of the building. They saw two spaces to park cars. One was empty while the other held a shiny red Dodge Viper 2 seat convertible.

"This is my other California transportation. I tend to use it when it's just me or when I'm with one other person. There isn't room for more than that comfortably. It fits the ‘star' image I have to keep up too."

Jirra and Lindsey looked the car over as Alexis stood back and watched. She'd seen the car before and on occasion borrowed it when she was in town. "Uh, Jen, you know I don't like driving the Hummer."

"That's okay, Alexis. Jirra can handle it." Jen opened her purse then tossed the keys to the H2 to Jirra. "The registration is in the glove compartment along with the insurance card if something happens."

"Jen, I can't drive that!"

"And why not? You drive an SUV at home don't you? Your mom told me you drove hers and Judy said you did fine on your business trips with hers, right?"

"Yes, but…"

"Just remember that it's a bit wider than a normal SUV and you'll do fine. Besides, you need to use it since there are three of you and you'll need the room in it for the groceries." Jen took another look at her watch. "Damn, I'm gonna be late if I don't get moving!"

She pressed a button on the wall that opened the door behind the Viper then settled herself in the car. Moments later it started up then settled into a throaty purr as she carefully backed it out of the garage bay. With a wave through the open roof she was gone.

Alexis pressed the button to close the door. "There she goes again, Hurricane Jennifer."

"Hurricane?" Lindsey and Jirra said in unison.

"Yup, a force of nature not to taken lightly."

Jirra laughed. "It does sort of fit her doesn't it?""

Lindsey was laughing too. "Well, I guess I'd better survey the kitchen then get going." Lindsey took a few steps then stopped in her tracks. "Darn. How are we going to pay for the food?"

Alexis smiled. "Oh, don't worry about that, Lindsey. I'll take care of it. Jen's let me stay in one of her guest rooms and use her car whenever I've needed a place to crash. It will help me to say thanks to her too."

Lindsey left to inspect the kitchen as Jirra and Alexis took a few moments to lock up the garage.

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To Be Continued...