This is a work of fiction, with a few real life experiences added in. All of the characters in this story are fictional, and any resemblance to anyone else living or dead is probably a coincidence. Please notify me if you are archiving this and the other chapters of the story on a web site. Permission specifically granted to Sapphire’s Place and Crystal’s Story Site to archive this. If you intend to publish this story in magazine or book (paper or electronic) format, please contact me for arrangements. Additional information on this story may be found at: Zapped! at Stardust.

 

 

Dear Diary,

WOW, the things that can happen in the space of a week or so! Maybe I'd better fill in the details…

Friday, December 27, 2002

It didn't take me long to get used to sleeping a little later now than when I was trudging to the college every weekday. The alarm clock went off right on time at seven AM. I reluctantly pried my eyes open and brushed aside a jumble of golden hair. As accustomed as I've become to this body during my wide-awake hours, it's still takes me a while each morning to wake up and realize who I am and how I got this way.

Reality clicked in as I sat on the edge of the bed looking down at my smaller feet and the two fleshy mounds that now occupied a large portion of my chest. Other more urgent matters, like my bladder full to almost overflowing, rudely forced their way into my consciousness as I stumbled off toward the bathroom to complete my morning ritual.

Nearly two hours later I had finished bathing, dressing and eating then plunked down at my desk in the computer room to sort through the huge piles of correspondence and boxes of items for review. Since I started the radio show the response from vendors and manufacturers of computer products had turned from a trickle into a tidal wave. It only got worse, if that's possible, when I started the Gadget Goddess spots on the morning TV show. I was drowning in paperwork, products, appointments, appearances and phone calls.

Try as I might, the resumes that had come in from several newspaper ads for an office manager weren't very promising. The some came from people just out of school or retired people looking for temporary work to supplement their incomes. The problem with hiring a beginner was that I had very little time to let them get accustomed to the job. I needed someone with experience. The problem with hiring someone that was retired was that many wound not have some computer experience to be able to run the operation when I was gone on appearances. The majority of the applications came from people displaced from their regular jobs by the sour economy. While one or two looked marginally promising, I wanted to find just the right person to fill such an important, to me at least, position.

The ringing of the front doorbell broke me out of my paperwork-induced haze. Nearly an hour and a half had passed since I started and I wasn't any further along in sorting out the mess. I fumbled for the doorknob as the bell went off again.

When I opened the door, a tall brown haired woman with brilliant green eyes was standing there. She wore a stylish if conservative pantsuit in a light green color. A pair of warm boots covered her feet while a long parka type coat was zipped almost up to her neck. A huge purse on a long strap was slung over her shoulder. "Hi, can I help you?"

She looked at me for a moment then smiled. "Maybe I can help you. I'm Barbara Samuels. Tammy said to stop by with my resume."

"Well, Barbara, please come in. It's freezing out there." She stepped inside and I closed the front door and locked it. She took off her heavy coat then looked for a place to hang it up. I took the coat and found a spot for it in the hallway closet. "Come on." I motioned for her to follow me to the office. "Would you like something to drink? Something warm maybe?"

"Umm…yes, please. Got any hot chocolate?"

"Yup. I've got some great hot chocolate! Follow me…" I headed for the kitchen with Barbara close behind me. I motioned for her to have a seat at the kitchen table as I prepared two cups of the delightful nectar of the gods. I placed one in front of her before I slid into a chair across from her.

Barbara lifted the cup and blew gently across the top sending little waves skittering across the dark brown liquid. The marshmallows I added bobbed up and down and spun in little circles in the cup. She took a long sip of the steaming liquid then turned to me and smiled. "Where did you get this? It's heavenly!"

"One of the perks of doing the morning TV show occasionally. It's a special blend they have made for them. I asked if I could get some too when I tried it. I know who makes this for them but I'm sworn to secrecy about it."

"Darn. I was going to ask where you got it so I could buy some too. Guess I'll have to settle for the store-bought stuff." She sighed then took another long sip of the steaming liquid. "So where do you want to start?"

"Well, let's start with your resume." She handed me several sheets of paper stapled together. It looked professionally prepared and, from want I could see in looking it over quickly, she had all of the qualifications I wanted and more. I did notice one small problem. "Umm… Barbara, you don't indicate what your current job is. Are you working now?"

"No. My last employer merged with a larger company and that left the office staff in the smaller company as duplicate staff. I worked about two months after the merger helping to integrate the companies then they let all of us go. That was about six months ago."

"I've heard that story before, Barbara. Sadly, that kind of situation is quite common in the business world. I'm surprised that with your qualifications you haven't picked up something else by now."

Her face turned from a smile into a frown almost immediately. She drank what was left of her chocolate then set the cup on the table. "I'm sorry for taking up your time, Miss Stevens. I'll be going now." She started to get up to leave.

"Freeze RIGHT THERE, missy." A look of shock swept over her face as her bottom hit the chair again. "Just WHERE do you think you're going?"

"This is the part where I tell you all about myself then you say you don't want me to work for you isn't it?"

"I do want to know more about you before I make a final decision. Just what do you think would make me NOT want you to work for me? Are you wanted by the police for doing something?"

"No but…"

"Do you take drugs?"

"No but I…"

"Well, those were the ONLY two things that were immediate no-hires, Barbara. What do you think is so bad that I wouldn't hire you?" I watched quietly as her face went through several contortions before she spoke again.

"You might as well know I'm a transsexual. I used to be a man."

"So, what's the big deal?"

Her jaw almost dropped to her navel. "You mean it doesn't matter to you?"

I took her trembling hands in mine. "Barb, uh… can I call you Barb?" She nodded. "Ok, Barb, how much do you know about me?"

"Not much, really. Just that you do that radio show and the TV thing once in a while. Tammy didn't tell me much, only that you were great to work for."

"Umm… Barb… where have you been living? Under a rock or in a cave or something?"

"No. I've been so wrapped up so much in my own problems that I never paid any attention to the news or anything."

"You just stay right there, Barb. I have to get something to show you." I went into the office and rummaged around in my desk for a scrapbook and the pictures from the hospital. "Barb, I want you to take a look at these then bring them back to me. I'll be in the office. We passed it on the way here. I'll leave the door open."

Twenty minutes later she came into the office and cleaned off a chair to sit down next to my desk. "So you're the one. I do remember hearing something about you but I didn't realize it was you until I saw the pictures."

"Ok, so now that you know who and what I am, do you think it bothers me one silly little bit that you are what you are? Of course I don't care. Can you do the job to the best of your abilities and be loyal to the boss?"

"Sure, but are…"

"But what?" If you can do the job then I think I've found the right person to fill the position. You've got every qualification I've been looking for and quite a bit more. So what do you say?"

She took out a tissue and dried the tears that were flowing down her cheeks making mascara streaks. She looked around the disaster area that was my office and smiled at me. "I'd say that it looks like someone tossed a hand grenade in here then ran like hell, boss."

The smile that lit up my face could have guided ships in from the sea. "You think THIS is a disaster area, wait until you see YOUR office next door." We both stood up and I gave her a big hug that she eagerly returned. She followed me into the room next to my office.

"Kinda bare isn't it? And look at all these boxes of stuff. Doesn't look so bad to me, Miss Stevens."

"What's this 'Miss Stevens' stuff? The name is Jennifer or Jen or Jennie. Please us it. I'm not much on the formal stuff unless there's a good reason for it."

"Well, Jen, I guess that you're just beginning to get things set up. Am I right?"

"Yup. I'm open to suggestions, Barb."

"Ok. I'll need a tape measure, some paper and a pencil or two. Give me an hour or so and I'll have this all planned out."

"You got it. Be right back!" I retrieved the needed items then left Barb to complete her plan. She came back into my office an hour later almost to the exact minute.

"Here you go, Jen. I figure that with some of the proper office equipment we can make the most of these two rooms without over-running the rest of the house too much."

The plan looked great on paper. "So where do we get this stuff?"

"There's an office supply store a few miles away from here. Want me to make a call?"

"Nope. Let's make a road trip instead. I want to see what I'm buying."

"You're the boss. I'm ready whenever you are!"

"Ok, give me a few minutes for a bathroom trip and I'll be ready. We'll take my truck so we can bring back a load to get started. The stuff that won't fit in the truck we'll have delivered."

By the time I finished in the bathroom, Barb had gotten her coat and mine from the closet and turned out the kitchen and office lights. I heard the dishwasher going and looked over at Barb.

She shrugged then smiled at me. "Well, it was full so I started it up. Might as well run it and get the dishes done while we're gone."

"Thanks, Barb, but your job doesn't include that kind of thing. I don't expect it of you."

"No problem, Jen. I'll be glad to help however I'm needed, office chores or otherwise. From what I've seen so far you have an awful lot happening and my guess is that you're almost snowed under even with the day to day tasks."

"Sheesh! She's a mind reader too!" I shook my head as I gazed skyward, "Come on Barb, let's go get us a load of office supplies and some lunch." She was giggling as she followed me out the front door.

We stopped at my favorite Chinese place for lunch and traded life stories over General Tso's chicken and hot and sour soup. I learned that Barb was just a month away from the end of her real life test. The doctors were confident enough in her progress and adaptation to living as a woman that they had set up a tentative date for the surgery to complete her transition. I assured her that I would set up medical coverage for her and would cover the costs of completing her transition.

My mind flashed briefly back to helping Dannie make her transition with the help of that curious ring. I also remembered that I nearly died in the effort. As much as I would like to give Barb the gift of being a complete woman, I realized that those abilities were forever lost to me now. Out of curiosity, I had tried on the ring several times since Dannie's change hoping to once again see the inner fire in the jewels that indicated a return of my abilities. The fire in the stones never returned and I finally put the ring away. That chapter of my life was over.

"Jen…. Earth to Jennie… Come in, Jennifer?" I snapped back to reality.

"Oh, sorry, Barb. I was just remembering something from my past. Occasionally I still have these flashbacks. Nothing to worry about. Just me still trying to adapt."

"I know how that feels. Must be even harder for you. You didn't expect to change or want to I imagine. You just woke up after the accident like you are now. "

"True. If I had the chance to do it all over again, and I knew then what I know now, I doubt that I would have changed the way things happened. My life has changed so much for the better than it was before. So many choices are open to me now that were only dreams before. I feel so alive now. I even have a special someone in my life that I never thought possible before."

"I still haven't figured out what to do about relationships."

I sat there carefully choosing my next words. "Barb, there I'm afraid I can't be of much help. For me the choice came with the change in my biology. I couldn't do much about it even if I wanted to. As for your choice of partners, only you can really determine what will be acceptable to you. Whatever your choice turns out to be, it doesn't matter to me."

"Thanks, Jen. I need a good friend right now." She pulled a tissue from her purse and dabbed at her eyes.

"Go fix your face while I get this paid for. You're starting to look like a raccoon again with all that runny mascara." Barb was giggling as she headed for the restroom. While she was gone I flagged down a passing waiter to take care of the bill for lunch.

Ten minutes later we were back on the road headed for the office supply store. I've seldom seen such a bewildering assortment of products all in one place. Barb just grabbed a shopping cart and took off at a furious pace. She filled the cart almost to overflowing with things from her list then started on a second cart with the aid of a store associate. We bought shelving, four file cabinets and what seemed like tons of other stuff to properly outfit the office. Only once did I over-ride her choice of supplies when I decided on a more expensive fax machine than the one she selected. I figured I might as well get a good one right from the start.

We got in line at the checkout with both carts. I think Barb expected me to faint when the cashier hit the total button. The expression on her face as I calmly pulled out my credit card and handed it to the cashier was priceless.

It took two helpers to load the truck. Even then we had to cram the last remaining bits of stuff in the back of the extended cab of the truck. The file cabinets wouldn't fit in the pickup so I arranged for all four of them to be delivered in a few hours. Looking at the packed truck, I had my doubts that we could fit everything we got into those two rooms at home and still have room to move. Barb was supremely confident and said that everything would work out fine. I shrugged and took her word for it as we headed back toward home.

It took us the rest of the afternoon into the early evening to unload the truck and set up her office then organize mine. When we were finished, I was amazed that everything fit and that we had tons of room left over after everything was properly filed and stored on the shelves. Of course, a couple of the shelves were really crammed with products for review and I would have to take care of looking at that stuff first.

Barb and I really bonded during the time it took us to finish for the day. I found her to be highly intelligent and a wiz with her organizational skills. Organizing things was something that eluded me as a man and now even more so as a woman. She left around six PM quite happy that she was now gainfully employed. I sent along a box of the special hot chocolate mix and promised her more if she wanted it.

Greg had only set up rehearsals on the weekend since a few people had indicated travel plans for Christmas and the first few days after the holiday. Since I had little to do I made the best of the time and took a long steamy bath until my fingers and a good deal of the rest of me started to look like a prune. I dried off then put on my favorite fluffy bathrobe and my pair of warm fuzzy slippers and headed for the kitchen. I made a batch of brownies from the recipe I got from Tammy then popped the pan into the oven to bake. As I closed the oven door the front doorbell rang.

Since I wasn't certain who would be visiting me at almost eight PM on a Friday night, I carefully opened the door keeping the security chain in place. Tammy stood on the front porch shivering in the sub-zero temperature. "Tammy! What are you doing here?"

"The way Barbara was going on about things I had to come over and see it for myself."

"See what for heavens sake?"

"The office silly." I closed the door after she stepped inside. She sniffed the air tentatively. "Is that a batch of brownies I smell?"

"Yup, I just put them in the oven. Let's go look at the new office. They'll be done by the time we're done in there."

Tammy followed me into the office ohing and ahing as she looked at everything. "I just love this, Jen. Looks like you've taken the next step in your new career."

"It does look that way doesn't it?" Tammy followed me into my office then plunked down in a chair beside my desk. "Umm… Tammy… why didn't you tell me all about Barb?"

Tammy got a silly grin on her face. "So she told you?"

"Everything, yes."

"I know I could have told you but I wanted you to hear it from her. I knew she didn't know much about your background too. I thought you two would hit it off just right when you got to talk about your experiences. You're a lot alike."

I shrugged then giggled a bit. "Well your little plan worked out fine."

"I know. You were all Barb talked about when she called me. She's so happy that she has a boss that understands what she's gone through and cares about her. I was getting worried about her but now I think she'll make it."

"Worried? About Barb? That lady has her head screwed on as well as anyone I've ever seen, Tammy. You don't need to worry about her."

"Not now. This morning I was worried that she was going to do something to herself, Jen. She's been so depressed over being turned down everywhere for a job. She couldn't even get a job flipping burgers anywhere."

"I'm just glad that I found someone that I think will be the right person for the position. It's a bonus that I've helped her with her problems too." I sniffed the air testing for the scent of burnt brownies.

"You look all comfy."

"Yup. I'm waiting for the brownies then I was going to pop the 'Monsters Inc." DVD in the player. Care to join me for a while?"

"I'd like that but with a simple change. Can I sleep over tonight? I'll make breakfast in the morning too."

"Hmm… let me think… if I let you stay overnight I can sleep in a bit longer in the morning because I won't have to get up as early to make breakfast and I won't have to eat my own cooking. Sounds like a good deal to me. Just one problem though."

"What's that, Jen?"

"Remember, the guestroom is gone? You'll have to share my bed. No funny stuff, I promise. I only have desires for Adam."

"No problem for me unless there's a problem for you, ok?"

"Then go call your mom and let her know that you're staying overnight." Tammy picked up the phone and started dialing as I headed for the kitchen to check the brownies. They were nearly ready so I got out the milk and a couple of glasses then filled both of them with ice. The timer dinged so I pulled the brownies out of the oven and set them aside for a few minutes to cool off.

Tammy wandered into the kitchen a few minutes later. "All set, Jen. Mom said no problem. Hmmm… those sure smell good!" She reached over to snatch one off the plate I was piling them on. I swatted her hand away from the growing pile.

"Not so fast there, Tammy! Grab the milk and the glasses while I get this plate full of goodies. We're moving to the living room for the movie."

We made ourselves comfortable on the couch as the movie started. Around ninety minutes later the movie ended. The plate of brownies was nearly empty and so was the gallon of milk we started out with. Both of us had little bulges on our tummies. I wondered how I could eat like that at times and never seemed to gain any weight. I always stayed at the same weight and shape. I knew Tammy was a bundle of nervous energy at her college classes so she tended to burn off whatever she had to eat anyway.

We helped each other up then finished shutting down the house for the night. After taking off my robe in the bedroom, I fell naked into bed. I felt the bed lurch as Tammy crawled in next to me. Within a few seconds, the lights were off and I was sound asleep.

Saturday, December 28th, 2002

Once again, the alarm clock jarred me awake. This time the feeling was quite different from yesterday morning. I found myself tangled in a jumble of arms and legs as Tammy's naked body was pressed up against mine. One of her hands was gently kneading one of my breasts as she muttered someone's name. It sounded like she was repeating the name Billy over and over and moaning softly to herself.

I felt a fire growing deep inside me as I lay there intertwined with the beautiful girl that had become a very close friend and my employee. While our breasts were just inches apart, everything below that was decidedly in intimate contact as her pelvis ground slowly against my own. The fire growing in my belly told me that, while my body was now completely female, enough was left of the old me mentally to get very stimulated at the situation now before me.

I stayed still for several very long minutes as Tammy continued to knead my beast. The fire continued to grow until I knew I had to make a decision. My body was screaming out that I should give in and enjoy the pleasure that might happen if I explored this situation further. My mind however kept telling me that this was extremely wrong. Tammy was an employee and a friend. My moral upbringing finally won out as I slowly disentangled myself. She didn't appear to wake up but I did notice her hand following my breast for a few inches as I slowly pulled away from her.

I got out of bed after turning the alarm off on the clock. The first thing I did after using the toilet was to take a cold shower. It had the desired effect on my body and jolted me back to a more stable attitude. As I stepped out of the shower I grabbed a towel to dry off then put on the robe I left hanging on the back of the door.

When I returned to the bathroom Tammy was gone along with her overnight bag. I stepped out into the hallway thinking that she probably left the house. Instead, I heard the shower in the bathroom of the old guest-bedroom-turned-office going. Well, that explained where she went. I headed back to my bedroom and closed the door to get ready for the rest of the day.

As I dressed, I couldn't help wondering if the incident in bed was accidental or something beyond that. I hadn't seen any sign of Tammy being awake as I got up but her hand did follow my retreating breast for a short time. I was torn between confronting Tammy or simply staying quiet to see what she would say about it. After several minutes of agonizing over the proper choice, I decided to simply say nothing about what happened. I finished up in the bedroom then joined Tammy in the kitchen. The aroma of waffles and sausage was nearly overpowering as I slid into a chair at the table.

Breakfast was relatively quiet and the talk soon turned to the events of the day ahead. All through breakfast, I couldn't pick up any sign of embarrassment from Tammy or any other sign to give me a feeling for what had happened earlier. Breakfast ended with being me much more confused over what went on in my bedroom as I woke up. I forced myself to file my bewilderment away and concentrate on the radio show this morning and the upcoming play rehearsals today and on Sunday. I simply didn't have the time now to try to figure it all out.

Actually, dear Diary, here I must comment that the rest of the weekend went just like the weekends of the last few weeks. The radio show in the morning, a quick lunch then the mad dash to the theater for the rehearsal. Unlike previous weekends however, this time the entire cast showed for both rehearsals so I didn't have to do any stand-in work. That left me free to do the final adjustments on some of the fixed spots and some tweaking on the sound system equalizer settings. That meant that at the next rehearsal everything was adjusted exactly like it would be used for the show. I'd fix anything Greg found wrong after the final dress rehearsal on Thursday night. I knew that, after working with Greg for nearly thirty years, anything I generally liked for the lighting and sound was almost certainly what Greg wanted. It was a great comfort to me that after all of my changes Greg still trusted me with the overall look and sound of the show. It left him free to concentrate on getting the best performances possible out of the actors without having to sorry about all of the other details.

Sunday was another rehearsal at the theater in the afternoon. That evening I worked on the massive stack of goodies I had to review. I only worked on the pile for a few hours. The usual soak in the tub followed by dinner in front of the TV and falling into bed completed the day.

Monday, December 30, 2002

Monday was another normal day for me other than I now had Barb working for me. I spent most of the morning working on all of the items for review that people had sent for me to review. I wanted to get the backlog cleared so I could spend some time with Adam this week before things got way too busy with the play. The phone rang around one in the afternoon with a call from Adam at the mall.

"Hi, Adam. Are we still on for that New Year's eve party?"

"Umm… that's what I was calling about, Jen. I've got to work tomorrow night. I can't get anyone else to sub for me at the mall's own party. Sorry, honey, but I'm not going to be able to make it."

I felt like Adam had stabbed me in the heart and suppressed the urge to cry. "I understand, Adam. I'll see you at the play rehearsal on Thursday night then?"

"Yes. I'm really sorry, Jennifer. I'll promise I'll make it up to you. Gotta run. Bye." The phone line clicked then I heard an off-hook signal buzzing in my ear. I put the phone back on the cradle then started to cry as I put my head on my arms on the desk.

I must have been there for several minutes crying then I realized something, just about six months ago I had been a man. I wouldn't have cared then if a friend couldn't keep a meeting with me. Why was I letting my now female body rule my emotions? Why should Adam having to work upset me so much? Just how much had I let my new anatomy alter who I was? Could I ever regain what I might have lost? Did I even want to go back to the personality I had before the change?"

So much happened so fast that I had very little time to think about the changes in myself. I lived with the changes in my body every day and had finally become mostly used to them. The long blonde hair, the full breasts over a slim waist and wide well padded hips were all familiar now. After six months, it took some effort to remember how it felt to be a man. I guess that bothered me more than anything else, my acceptance of being this way happened suddenly as if someone flipped a switch in my mind.

I sat at the desk with my head on my arms on the desktop brooding about my situation. The harsh buzz of the intercom built into the phone brought me out of my stupor.

"Ah… Jen? Can you take a call?"

"Who is it?"

"An ad agency in California. They want to set up an appearance for one of their clients. Can you talk to them?"

"Sure, Barb."

From then to the end of the day a few hours later I was swamped in arrangements for a series of appearances that would stretch out over the next two months. All were set up for weekdays since I had to leave the weekends free to support the play. The ad agency was working with a chain of radio stations that carried my show. The appearances were scattered all over the country in many of the major cities. One was even in Alaska!

I closed the office at the usual time telling Barb that I intended to work only a half-day tomorrow. I was going to give her a full day's pay for Tuesday and she would have New Year's day off as well.

The evening went as they usually did. A soak in the tub followed by a quick-fix supper in front of the television. When I finally managed to get into bed I was asleep seconds after my head ht the pillow.

Tuesday, December 31st, 2002

This day turned out to be a near carbon copy of the day before except that Barb and I went out to lunch at the Chinese place again. I worked by myself in the office sorting out the last large pile of goodies for review then stopped around five PM to get myself some supper. I was awake long enough to see the ball drop in Times Square then I hit the sack

Wednesday, January 1st, 2003

Dear Diary,

There was nothing special about today either. The only difference from almost any other day was that I spent some time shopping at the local mall. My problem with having cold feet hadn't gotten any better so I went looking for some nice warm boots. I managed to snag a couple of pairs of boots and some warm fuzzy slippers for use around the house. I had lunch at the mall then made the usual grocery run to stock up on things I had used during the week. I used the time in the evening to take a good long soak in the tub then went to bed early.

Thursday, January 2nd, 2003

The daytime hours were like the rest of the days this week, full of things related to the radio show. I got word that the morning show wanted me to stop by for an on-air appearance next week so I had Barb work with the show on the arrangements for my travel and lodging.

Thursday night was the final full dress rehearsal of Victor/Victoria. It would run as if there was a real audience out front so full makeup and costumes were the order of the night. Everything had gone well for the majority of the previous rehearsals with Greg getting more confident after every one that the play was going to be a success.

I left the office early and arrived about three hours before opening curtain time to get the sound and lighting systems in prime shape. I shouldn't have worried because Tammy was here already. She was relaxing in one of the front row center seats when I sat down beside her.

"Hi, Tammy. Everything running all right?"

"Sure, Jen, just like you taught me. We're the first ones here. Like you always say, first in and last out."

"Thanks, Tammy, you've been a great help. Do you feel comfortable with running the entire show tonight? I want to see what it looks and sounds like out in the audience one more time."

"Sure. How do you think things look, Jen?"

"Really good. I think Greg's done a great job on directing. The scenery looks good and the costumes are fabulous too. I have to give Dolly and Maggie a real tip of the hat on those."

"You'll have to let Dolly and Maggie know. They should be here almost any time now."

We heard a noise from the back of the stage and looked up to see Greg walking in with a very large frown on his face. He walked down the stairs at the edge of the stage and literally dropped into a seat beside me.

"Is something wrong, Greg? You look terrible."

"Yup, I know. Just before I left the house I got a call that Julie Walters, she's the one that plays the Norma Cassidy role, had a death in her family. She won’t be able to perform until next weekend. We have four performances to get through and no understudy for her role. I just don't know what to do."

The silence was almost deafening then Tammy got a huge grin on her face. "Ahhh… Greg, I think I know someone that could handle it on short notice." Tammy was looking straight at me. "We had a built-in understudy all along. Someone here as done that role before as a stand-in."

Greg looked at Tammy for a moment with a strange look on his face. Tammy just nodded her head toward me. Greg's eyes lit up.

"Now wait just a minute you two. You know I said I wasn't here to go on stage in front of an audience. Just the thought of it alone scares me to death. The answer is an absolute NO!"

"But, Jen…"

"No 'But, Jen…', Greg. I said NO damn it!"

"All right then YOU'RE going to be the one to tell the rest of the cast what happened and why the play can't go on tonight. And YOU'RE going to be the one to stand up in front of an audience of almost a thousand people to tell them that the play is cancelled for this weekend's four performances."

"That's cruel, Greg."

"Nobody ever said being a director was all sunshine and rainbows. I do what I have to do."

I sat there brooding for a couple of minutes. Greg and Tammy just looked at me expecting an answer. "Greg, do you really think I can pull it off?"

"Jen, how long have we known each other?"

"Over thirty years."

"Then you know me well enough to know that I'm telling you the truth when I say that you CAN do it. Don't tell her I said this, but you can probably do that role about three times better than Julie Walters could. If I was casting the role right now after what I saw in rehearsals you'd win easily."

"Thanks for trying to build up my confidence, Greg, but I'm not certain I have it in me. What about the costumes, will they even fit me?" I desperately hoped the costumes wouldn't fit so I could get out of all of this gracefully.

A voice came from the back of the theater. "What that about costumes?" We turned around to see Dolly and Maggie walking down an aisle toward us. Both of them looked like they could be someone's grandmother. Both had gray hair and kindly, slightly wrinkled faces.

"I'm glad you two turned up when you did. Julie Walters can't make it this weekend due to a death in her family. We were just trying to talk Jennifer here into doing her role for four performances until Julie gets back. Do you think the costumes for Norma will fit her?"

Dolly spoke up. "That's bad news, Greg. Stand up, hon, and let us take a look at you." I stood up and turned around to let them get a good look at me praying that the answer would be a resounding NO.

"What do you think, Maggie. She looks just a little bit smaller to me."

"She's real close, Dolly. The tape will tell. Come with us dear. We'll measure you and see. Right now, I'd have to say they should fit you. If there are any alterations needed they shouldn't take more than an hour or two to make."

I scowled then followed them to the wardrobe room. Greg and Tammy followed me. Dolly, Maggie and I went into the room. They stopped Greg and Tammy at the door. "Just the three of us, ok? She's nervous enough already. We'll let you know in a few minutes. All right, Greg?"

"Thanks Maggie. We'll be waiting in the seats."

Maggie closed and locked the door then turned to me. She said a single word. "Strip."

"What?"

"You heard me, get those clothes off. I can't measure you like that."

"But…"

"Look, honey, you haven't got anything we haven't seen before. We're all gals here right?"

"But…"

"But what? We know about your background. We don't live in caves you know! It doesn't bother us so it shouldn't bother you. Now strip!"

I shrugged then unbuttoned my jeans, opened the zipper and slid them off. My blouse followed. Dolly looked over and frowned. "Take off the bra but keep the panties, hon."

I reluctantly took off the bra and put it on a chair with the rest of my clothes. Maggie came over with a tape measure. Her face brightened as she made some measurements. "Dolly, get the costumes. I think they'll fit fine."

Dolly disappeared for a few moments then came back with an arm full of costumes. "Put this on, hon."

She tossed me a bra. It was a push-up type that accentuated my cleavage and gave me lots of breast showing over the cups. Next came the dress that Norma would wear in her first on-stage appearance. It was very low cut with loads of beads and glitter. It fit like a second skin, very little of my figure was hidden by the thin material. It had a couple of loose spots and Maggie made a few small marks with some chalk.

Dolly stood a few feet away watching. "Maggie, let's get her all set up in this costume and let Greg see her." Dolly tossed me some stockings with seams and a garter belt. I lifted up the dress and put the belt on. I sat down on a chair and worked the stockings over my legs trying to get the seams in the back and as straight as I could then clipped the tops of the stockings to the garter belt. Just as I was about to stand up again, Maggie came over with a pair of black high heeled shoes. They looked to be about four inch heels and close to my size. They had a single narrow strap across the toes and a strap around the ankle. I shrugged and put them on. I had worn five inch heels and barely survived. I hoped four inch heels were a little easier on the feet.

I stood up wobbling a bit on the heels. I managed to get stable after a few seconds. "So far she looks good, Maggie. We need a slip though. That dress is just a little to see through for the back lighting." Maggie found a slip and helped me put it on then get the dress back on. "There, that's better. No panties or garter belt showing."

A large handbag, a huge wide brimmed hat of the period, and a feather boa almost ten feet long completed my costume. Dolly grabbed a comb and styled my hair into something that looked like the period the play was set in then bobby pinned on the hat.

"Well, other than makeup this as good as we can do at the moment. Let's go show Greg what you look like."

"All right, Dolly." I followed them back to the stage then waited just off-stage as they told Greg that the costumes would fit with only minor alterations. I decided to make the best of it since it looked like I was hooked beyond any hope of getting out of the role. The tight dress took care of forcing me into a very sexy walk as I swayed my hips to move in the shoes they gave me. I cranked in a bit of New York City accent mixed with a little midwest twang into my voice and assumed the ditzy female attitude required by the role.

When Dolly and Maggie called me out onto the stage I walked out twirling the boa, swaying my hips and acting like I owned the place. I paused a moment then uttered the character's signature whine. "Pooookkkkiiiieeeeeeeeeeeee, where are you? I'm hoorrrrny!"

Greg and Tammy both looked at each other for a moment then shouted a single word in unison, "YES!" Then they collapsed onto the seats laughing. When they regained their senses I dropped out of character and stood there.

"Well what do you think?"

"Didn't what we just did give you a clue? Jen, you're absolutely perfect for the part. Dolly, will you and Maggie make the changes to the rest of the costumes please? Just don't make them permanent. Julie should return to the role next weekend."

"All right, Greg. Jen, come with us. You need to try on the other costumes before the rest of the cast gets here." I decided to snap back into character.

"Sure, lead the way, lady. I ain't gonna do no strip show for everyone though. Just keep the door locked!" I swayed off the stage waving the boa in the air. I heard Tammy and Greg laughing as I walked off.

It took another half an hour or so to quickly try on the other costumes and mark where changes needed to be made. I changed back into the first costume since that was the first one that I had to wear on stage. My first appearance was with Adam so I hoped that being with someone I knew would help with the stage fright.

The rest of the cast started to slowly trickle in an hour before the start time. Greg told them to all sit in the seats and the start of the rehearsal would be delayed a half hour because of a meeting. As soon as the rest of the cast had arrived, he started the meeting.

"I have some sad news to tell you. Julie Walters has had a death in her family and won't be able to perform her role as Norma Cassidy this weekend. She should be back next weekend though. While we don't have an understudy for her, we were very fortunate to find someone that could take over the role on such notice. Will you come out here please?"

I stepped out onto the stage in character twirling the boa and acting like a total ditz. I repeated the pookie line again and got a similar response to the one Greg and Tammy provided earlier. As the commotion subsided someone spoke up. "Just who is that, Greg. Do we know her?"

"You most certainly do. You've even practiced with her. This is our own Jennifer Stevens."

A round of applause went up from the cast. Adam applauded the loudest of anyone else there. He was smiling from ear to ear. Greg held up his hands to quiet the crowd.

"That's the announcement everyone. Now let's get this final rehearsal under way so Jen can get a feel for this. She only has one chance at it before tomorrow night. Let's give her all the help we can."

The cast members headed for the dressing rooms after getting their costumes from the wardrobe room. Adam came up on stage and gave me a huge hug and a kiss.

"Do you forgive me for missing the party we were supposed to go to?"

By now, I had mostly forgotten all about it being so busy with work of my own. "I suppose so, Adam." Now it was my turn to give him a hug and a kiss.

"Jen, you look wonderful. I'm so glad you agreed to take on the role even for a short time."

"Thanks, Adam. I need all the help I can get. I may look calm on the outside but I'm scared to death on the inside."

"Am I speaking to the same woman that spit in the eye of at least two twisters and survived to tell the tale? I would think that this is like a walk in the park compared to what we went through that day."

"I never looked at it that way before, Adam. I guess you're right. I may make myself look like a fool but I've done that plenty of times before and lived through it. Just don't let me bolt offstage tonight."

"I can take care of that." He stepped closer then planted a lip lock on me that melted me all the way to my toes. When he finally came up for air, I had completely forgotten my stage fright. A few other thoughts were crossing my mind just then however, none of which I could do anything about tonight.

"Umm… Adam?"

"Yes, love?"

"Can we do that every night? That helps a lot."

"My pleasure, Jen."

"And mine too." I gently kissed his cheek then walked off toward the makeup room.

The makeup folks took about twenty minutes to get my hair and makeup finished just right. I looked almost like a circus clown under the normal lighting in the makeup room. I knew that under the much brighter stage lighting I would look normal.

I walked back toward the stage and found a spot on an old prop couch out of the way to watch the opening of the show. In many years of doing shows, I had never seen one from backstage before. My normal place was out front in the orchestra pit. It was an entirely new experience watching the things that went on behind the scenes while the show went on just a few feet away.

Adam joined me a few minutes before my first scene came up. He kissed me again and I forgot about my stage fright temporarily. As our entrance neared, I pictured myself putting on a cloak that contained the personality of Norma Cassidy. I stood up and readied myself for my entrance with Adam. I only balked for a moment when the time came. I felt the gentle push of Adam's hand on my back as we walked onto the stage.

As the curtain closed on the final act, I remembered everything I did on stage although it was tinged with fear. I think I hit all of my marks and didn't flub any lines at all. I wondered if my interpretation of Norma was a little too over the top to mesh well with the other characters. As the applause died down from the small audience of parents and friends, Greg called everyone to have a seat for some final notes.

"Great performance everyone. I especially have to congratulate Jennifer. You were wonderful. Please don't change a thing." He went on for another few minutes with some notes on the performances of other cast members then finished by telling us to meet back here at five PM tomorrow for the eight PM show.

I was running on raw nervous energy at that point and felt almost ready to crash. Adam was setting beside me. "Umm… Jen, do you want to get together tonight?"

"I'd like that a lot, Adam but I'm in no shape to do more than talk and unwind. I've been running on nerves all night and I need to try to relax then get some sleep."

"All right, Jen. How about stopping for something to eat on the way home then?"

"That sounds like a great idea to me, Adam. I could go for a slice or two of pizza. Let me get changed back into my street clothes and get out of this infernal makeup."

"I need to change too. Meet you out at your truck?"

"All right, see you there."

I walked back to the makeup room as it was clearing out. Sam, one of the makeup people, had me sit in a chair as he began to strip off all of the makeup I wore. He used a conditioning cream last to put some moisture back into my skin. "You did very well, Jen. I'm glad you could step in on such short notice."

"I didn’t have much choice in the matter, Sam. I'm just glad that it will work out, that's all."

"See you tomorrow night, kiddo. Now go home and get some sleep. You're gonna need it."

"Bye, Sam, see you and the crew tomorrow night."

I headed to the wardrobe room where I had left my street clothes and changed back into them. Dolly and Maggie were excited about my performance. "Both Dolly and I are so proud of you, hon. You did great tonight. We're both sure you'll be the hit of the show."

"It was a lot of fun to play Norma. I never thought that I'd have the chance to be onstage again after I got sick and had to give up the male lead in one of Greg's plays years ago. It'll be fun for the four performances but I think I'll be glad when Julie's back to resume the role."

"Enjoy it while you can, hon, we're all behind you. Now go get some sleep."

They both hugged me then we walked to the stage door. Adam was waiting in his car next to my truck. He followed me to a pizza place a few blocks away from the theater.

We spent the next half hour talking over a few pizza slices and sodas. We compared notes and I found that he too enjoyed his time in the lead male role of King Marchand. Our experiences closely paralleled each other in the fact that he too was running on an adrenaline rush. We finished up our food and walked back out to our vehicles. Adam insisted on following me home to make sure I got there all right. He walked me to my front door and gave me a long lingering kiss goodnight. I sighed as I watched him leave knowing that while my brain said he should spend the night my body would never be able to keep up with it.

Once inside the house I headed for my bedroom. I stripped off my clothes and literally fell into the bed. I think I was asleep just a few seconds after my head hit the pillow.

Friday, January 3, 2003

I woke up only because the light streaming in the window fell directly across my face. I pried an eye open then glanced over at the clock on the table next to the bed. I never set the alarm last night. I was my own boss now so waking up late wasn't the disaster it used to be just a couple of weeks ago.

The clock read about eight AM so I reluctantly got out of bed and dressed in my robe. I headed for the kitchen to get breakfast after retrieving the morning paper from my front porch. I knew I would need lots of energy tonight for the opening of the show so I scrambled two eggs and fixed myself a grilled cheese sandwich to go with them. A glass of OJ rounded out my breakfast and I settled down at the table to eat. I turned on the television to my favorite morning news team.

The usual morning news stories unfolded as I had my breakfast. I paused when I heard a mention of the play and turned up the volume a bit more. The station was going to have a story about the play after the next set of commercials. I waited as the commercials completed then they introduced a live shot of Dorene in front of the theater.

"The community theater group will be opening their production of Victor/Victoria tonight at eight PM. In an announcement to the cast last night the play's director Greg Kingston told the cast that Julie Walters, the actress playing Norma Cassidy, would not be able to perform during the opening weekend of the play. He then introduced a temporary replacement. It turned out to be none other than our own local 'gadget girl' Jennifer Stevens. Miss Stevens was supposed to do lighting and sound for the play, instead she'll take over the role of Norma Cassidy for the first four performances. The play opens tonight at eight PM. Saturday's performances are at two PM and again at eight PM. There's a single performance Sunday at three PM. There are still lots of tickets available at the box office. I suspect that once word gets out around town that Miss Stevens is making her first appearance on stage that they will sell out quickly. Back to you, Chuck."

The report had a short clip of my performance in the rehearsal last might. I didn't even know that the TV crew had been in the theater. The lights are so bright that you really can't see much past the orchestra pit when you're on the stage. I turned the volume on the TV back down deciding to read the morning paper as I finished my breakfast.

I wondered if there was any mention of the play in the paper so I found the Entertainment section. Sure enough, someone had called our local critic last night. I scanned through his column and found the section on the show.

"In local theater news, late word has come to me of a change in casting for the community theater's presentation of Victor/Victoria. Julie Walters, the actress scheduled to play the role of Norma Cassidy, won't be able to perform during opening weekend of the show for personal reasons. In a surprise announcement at the final dress rehearsal last night, director Greg Kingston told the cast that Jennifer Stevens, our own 'gadget guru' on local and national radio and television, has agreed to do the role for the first weekend. This reviewer has to admit that Miss Stevens is an expert when it comes to resolving technical problems with computers and electronics. I have, in fact, called her show once or twice myself to get help with my own computer problems. I wonder though if she has taken too large a bite in trying to handle this role. Miss Stevens has no experience performing on stage. Most of her previous theater background covers lighting and sound systems. I only hope her poor performance does not detract greatly from what is expected to be one of the better shows put on in recent years. I shall be in the audience tonight and will report in the column tomorrow on the success, or more likely failure, of Miss Stevens opening performance."

I closed the paper in disgust with an instant intense loathing of the man for condemning me without even seeing what I could do. I resolved on the spot to put in the best possible performance tonight. I left the Entertainment section on the counter in my office after I finished my breakfast then cleaned up the kitchen.

I went back to my bedroom to finish dressing. A business appointment at Sal's would require that I dress well. I decided to take a bath first and stayed in the tub for about half an hour. I loved the warm water and the lavender scented bath oils I now used. I stayed until the water started to cool then got out and dried off.

I located a nice light green, knee length dress in the closet and retrieved a full slip, bra and panties from the dresser to go with it. I got dressed then took care of my hair and nails. A set of small gold studs replaced the silver ones in my ears. A spray of my lilac scent finished my preparations to face the day.

By the time I got back to my office Barbara was already there and had things humming along nicely. I went over to the coffee maker and filled my cup. I added some cream and sugar then plopped down in a chair next to her desk. "So tell me, Barb, what's up for today?"

"The fan mail is up. We need to get more photos. I'm starting to run out. Do you want to shoot something new or just go with the old one?"

"The old photo is fine one more time. I'll get something new done for the next batch. Go ahead and order around five hundred of the old picture, that should hold us until the new one is ready to go."

"You also have a meeting with Lisa Barton from the TV station at Salvatore's today. I made the reservation for you. I told Sal you wanted a table out of the way for the meeting."

"Great, Barb. Any new appearance requests?"

"Yes, two actually. One is MouseWorld in Orlando from this morning. The other is in Chicago. They called just after you left for rehearsal yesterday. Both want you on different Saturdays in April. Want me to go ahead and start making the arrangements?"

"Just tell them I'm interested. The play will be over by then so weekends should be fine. I can be available for a mid-week appearance if they decide they want me sooner. You said one was for the MouseWorld folks? What did they want?"

"They're opening a new technology exhibit and thought you might be interested in attending and doing your show live from the park that weekend. They said they could make a studio available for you."

"Go ahead and get more details. Don't commit yet since I need to talk to Tammy about doing the show. Tell them I can have an answer for them next week on Tuesday. Play it cool though. I want them to think they need me more than I need them. Well, actually that's true isn't it?" I leaned back in the chair smiling then took a large gulp of coffee.

"Yes it is. I left a large stack of mail on your desk that I can't handle by myself. I'd say you have your morning taken up with it."

"Great, more mail from folks wanting me to promote some hokey technical gizmo to grow hair faster or shave your legs without getting nicked. Well, that last invention is one that at least half the population could really use if it actually worked, me included! Let me get to the mail then. Just come and fetch me when it's time to go for the lunch meeting."

"Will do. I'm going to call the Orlando theme park people now. Do you want to talk to them if they ask for you?"

"Sure. Just put them through." I grabbed my coffee cup then headed for my desk in the next room. I had expanded my home office by converting the guest bedroom into Barb's office. I installed an outside door in Barb's office and another door between her office and mine. Both Tammy and Barb had the run of the house with their own keys and Barb took care of things for me when I was away on appearances.

I waded into the pile of opened mail on the desk. By now Barb had learned exactly what I was most interested in and she placed those letters on the top of the pile. Most were of limited interest. I wrote "TBNT - JMS" on the letter and set it aside. On those letters, Barb would send back a "Thanks But No Thanks" letter as a response. She was very good at personalizing our standard form letter to each situation. I learned long ago that it was better to simply say 'no thanks but keep us in mind for future product reviews'. Sometimes a little company would come up with a real winner and I didn't want to miss out when those opportunities came along.

I was just starting to read another letter when the intercom buzzed. "Jen, are you available?"

"Yes, Barb, what's up?"

"It's the MouseWorld people on two. They've just added a new wrinkle to their proposal. I think you should talk to them."

"Is it that good?"

"I wouldn't bother you if it wasn't."

"I'll get it." I picked up the phone then hit the button for line two. "Hello, this is Jennifer. What can I do for you?"

"Hello, Jennifer. I'm Mark Townsend with the company's media division. We have an offer we'd like you to consider."

"So what do the folks at MouseWorld want with me?"

"We'd like you to come down to our park and be at the opening of our new technology center."

"I already knew that. Barb said you had something new in mind?"

"Yes, we do. We would also like you to be there to act as our official mistress of ceremonies and to host a live one hour grand opening celebration show on the television network we own. The show will be replayed later on our cable networks."

I felt just then as if someone had punched me in the stomach. I simply blanked out for several seconds as my brain went into overload.

"Jennifer, are you still there?" I jolted back to reality.

"Yes, I'm still here, Mark. I just never expected an offer like this one before."

"We're quite impressed by your radio show and how fast it has grown. We're even more impressed by your impending stage debut tonight."

"But that only happened last night. How did you find out about it so fast?"

"When we decide to talk to someone about doing something for us we make sure to discover as much as we can about that person or business. There are a lot less surprises that way."

"You know all about me, what I was and what I've become and you still want me?"

"Yes. What has happened to you makes no difference to us. We're after your knowledge and reputation. Will you do it?"

"Mark, I have to be honest with you. I don't know yet what will happen with the play. It could be a huge success and get extended beyond the present running dates or it could bomb and close tomorrow for all I know. I need some time to think about this. My gut reaction is to accept your offer though. Can I call you Tuesday next week with an official answer?"

"Sure. We have to finalize plans in about two weeks though. Can I fax you several pages of information and the proposal itself?"

"Yes. Do you have the number?"

"I do. Barb is very efficient and she gave me everything. I also gave her all of our contact information too including my personal cell number. Please feel free to give me a call just about any time."

"Her efficiency is legendary in my area. That's why she's working here." I smiled to myself that I was extremely lucky to have her.

"Can I borrow her for a while?"

"Nope. She's one of a kind. I'd be lost without her. Sorry, Mark."

"Ah well, I tried. Top office staff is very hard to find. I'm calling dibs on her when she's done working for you. Please tell her I said that. I look forward to your official answer next Tuesday, Jennifer. Have a good night at the play."

"Thanks, Mark. I'll talk with you next week. Bye!" As I hung up, I heard the fax machine in Barb's office answer a call. A few seconds later it started spitting out paper into the tray. I retrieved my coffee cup and the pile of mail I already sorted through. I put the pile on Barb's desk then refilled the empty cup with some fresh coffee.

Barb said only a single word. "So?"

"I don't know, Barb. I never expected anything like this to happen. I'm afraid I'll wake up and find out I was only dreaming it." She reached over and pinched my arm hard. "HEY! That HURT! What was that for?"

She just smiled. "Now you know you're NOT dreaming."

I looked at the cover sheet of the incoming fax and saw that it was from Mark. "That fax is the details of the deal. Make a couple of copies and file the original. Start a new file for this. Bring in a copy to me and then read it over too, Barb. I want to hear your opinions on this too."

"My comments? Why?"

"Barb, you have a good head for business on those shoulders. I want an honest opinion from someone else who can be impartial when they look at this and you're it."

"If that's what you want boss, you got it."

"Thanks, Barb. I'll be in my office. By the way, Mark said to tell you he's calling dibs on you if you ever decide to stop working for me. I think he's serious."

"Hmmm… Is there a bidding war on my salary in my future?"

"Nope. I won't stand in your way if you want to move into the big times. I was hoping you'd be with me long enough to help get me there that's all."

"You're safe, Jen. I like a serious challenge once and a while. You'll do just fine for now. Now go read take care of business and let me get this fax copied."

She came in a few minutes later and sat down in a chair next to my desk. She handed me a copy of the fax. "You want to hear from me now or do you want to look at that first?"

"Let me look at this on my own first. Then we can talk about it. All right?"

"Give me a yell when you're ready. Remember you've got that lunch meeting in about an hour and a half."

"Gotcha. I'll yell when I've finished this, Barb." She went back to her desk to answer a ringing phone line. I went back to looking over the fax. About fifteen minutes later I called out to Barb.

Our discussion lasted another forty-five minutes. We both saw the only down side was the time that would be required of me to participate in the project. It would require at least a month or more of time away from home starting in early March. The company offered the use of one of their studios to support my radio show while I was away from home. I would be involved in a massive ad campaign for the new attraction and of course the grand opening ceremonies and television special. The fact that they offered a quarter of a million dollars for the effort attracted my attention too. All expenses would be paid, separate from the amount for my services, for me and any assistants I would need. That meant that I could take both Tammy and Barb on the trip. I would have to travel to Orlando for the majority of the work but several trips to both New York City and Los Angeles were involved in the project too. The New York City trip would be a round of press interviews on the morning and late night talk shows spread out over several days to talk about the grand opening.

I realized that if I was going to be as visible as they wanted me to be I had better find out much more about what they were planning. I made some notes on my copy of the fax. I would talk to Mark about them when I called him on Tuesday.

I looked at the clock and decided it was time to leave for Salvatore's. I wondered what Lisa Barton wanted. I told Barb I would be back around one thirty or so then grabbed my coat and purse and headed for the restaurant.

Salvatore greeted me at the door again and escorted me to a table out of the way in a corner. He helped me with my coat and held the chair for me as I sat down. "It's so good to have you back with us again, Jennifer. I missed you!"

"Travel has kept me away for too long, Sal. It's great to be back even if only for a few days. Thanks to the play I won't be doing any weekend traveling for at least a month so you are likely to see much more of me. Speaking of the play, do you do any catering?"

"Yes we do. Do you need something?" Over the next few minutes I talked with Sal and we worked out an arrangement. I agreed to his total cost estimate and approved the job on the spot.

"Thanks, Sal. This will make things much easier over the next few weekends."

"I'm pleased to do it. Is there anything in specific you want on the menu?"

"Not really. Just keep it simple and make sure that there are a few things for folks with vegetarian diets. I think that there are a few there. Could you do lasagna tomorrow?"

"Sure. Anything else that you would like?"

"Surprise me. Just no alcoholic beverages though. We don't need a bunch of drunks staggering around."

"My staff and I are honored to have the job. I'll see you there tomorrow night."

"Remember, Sal, you don't know who the benefactor is. You only know that the meals are all paid for. Just send the bill to my office and Barb will make sure it gets paid wherever I am. I'll see you at the theater on Saturday." He bowed as he kissed my hand then left to take care of other customers. I picked up one of the menus on the table. True to his word, Sal had added my special garden relish to the menu as 'Jennifer's Garden Relish'. I had to admit that Sal was a sharp businessperson, rarely missing an opportunity to promote his restaurant. He even bought some spots during my radio show. They were only heard locally in time allotted for each station to sell local commercials. A few minutes later he returned escorting Lisa Barton to the table.

"Hi, Lisa. It's been quite a while since we last talked. What's new at the television station?"

"Lots of things, Jennifer. It's still hard for me to realize that it's actually Bob in there. I remember when we worked together on PM Magazine and a few specials years ago. Is it really you in there?"

"Let's see. Hmmm… Remember when we went on that PM Magazine shoot at Osceola for the fiddler's contest?" She nodded. "You wound up in the creek behind the stage when those bees decided to invade. I wound up there, as did a few others including Ralph Dalton our cameraman that day. The equipment got a good dunking too. Good thing we had spares in the truck."

"It has to be you. There are only four people that would know about that and it never made it onto the show. I'm surprised you remembered."

"Those were great times for me, Lisa. I had lots of fun working behind the scenes on that show. I'm just glad I could contribute as much as I did."

"That's just what I wanted to hear. How would you like to work with us again, Jennifer?"

"I'd love to! What did you have in mind?"

"Remember the show you did called 'It's Already Tomorrow'?"

"I sure do. That was my Apple II computer that Jean used in the opening shots of the show. I did quite a bit of the music too. I think I still have it on VHS tape at home."

"I'm glad to hear that. We want to revisit the show and do an update on local technology businesses. You're the perfect one to host it for us."

"Why me? Why not Jean Simpkins again? She did a great job the first time."

"Jean retired a couple of years ago. Her health isn't what it used to be and she feels that it would be too much for her. She has agreed to do some opening shots with you to pass the baton so to speak."

"So why me and not someone at the station? You have loads of talent there."

"Your success with the radio show for one, the offer from MouseWorld for another."

I got more than a little suspicious. "How do you know about that?"

"That's easy. We're an affiliate of the network that they own. I was the one that they came to from the corporate office to ask for information on you. I thought that our program would make a great lead-in to the grand opening show. I've always wanted to do an update of that old show anyway. Things have changed so much over the last 20 years."

I slumped back in the chair. This whole day so far felt like some hack writer's desperate effort at a plot line. The only problem was that it was real and it was happening to me. I pinched myself and winced visibly at the pain.

"What was that for, Jennifer?"

"I thought maybe I was sleeping and dreaming all of this today. Lisa, can I give you my answer next Tuesday? I have several decisions to make and everything I need to make those choices should be in place by then. I'm inclined to go for it but there are still loads of problems to work out. The thing with MouseWorld will take up a good deal of my time and the radio show has to continue."

"I understand. I wish you the best of luck with everything. Jennifer." At that moment Sal appeared with a tray and three glasses of champagne.

"What's this for, Sal?"

"Just because I appreciate your business, Jennifer. This is my way of saying thanks for all you've done for me."

"I do appreciate that, Sal. Thanks."

We picked up our glasses and drank a toast to our continued good fortune. Sal took his glass while we remained at the table. While Lisa and I were talking, a waiter had delivered lunch. We continued talking for at least half an hour and we almost finished our meal. I motioned for the waiter and picked up the tab for the meal for both of us. I just smiled at Lisa and said "power lunch" stuffing the receipt into my purse. I told Lisa that I would be certain to let her know about the offer at the beginning of next week. We said our good-byes as I walked out to the truck to return home for a few hours.

The trip back to the house gave me some time to let it all sink in. I had gone from a virtual nobody to a nationally known figure in a matter of a few months, granted that part of it was because my change had made the national news. What was more important was the fact that I was breaking out of the mold of a medical curiosity and into the world of an entertainer and educator. The deal with MouseWorld would go a long way toward improving things. The offer from the local TV station was very good too. Just how I would juggle all of it was still a mystery though.

I parked the truck in the newly widened driveway. I saw Tammy's red Saturn beside Barb's yellow Neon. I went into the office not knowing what Barb might have told her. I glanced over at Barb with a questioning look. She simply shook her head no and glanced over at Tammy. I took that to mean the she hadn't said anything to Tammy about what happened so far today.

"Hi, Tammy. I'm surprised to see you here. What's up?"

"Well, you looked so wasted last night that I thought I'd come over to your house and pick you up to get you to the theater. Then I'll drive you home tonight."

"You really don't need to worry about me, Tammy. I'm fine."

"You've been so good to me and my mom. Please let me do this for you. I want to give back some of what you've given to me, Jen." She got that little girl pout that meant that I had better give in or endure her wrath for the rest of the night.

"All right, I give. I'll be ready to go in about two hours. I need to talk to you first though. Go on into the office." Tammy went into my office and took a seat. "Barb, is there anything I need to know about right now?"

"Nothing more important that what you’re about to do, Jen. Go talk to Tammy."

I nodded my thanks to Barb. She just smiled back and shooed me into my office. That girl has a lot of smarts about her. I closed the door and sat down at the desk.

"Tammy, you've been doing a great job so far. I'm glad you decided to help me with the radio show and everything else. I'm also quite pleased you've done so well in your college studies."

"It's been lots of fun doing this and I'm getting more practical experience in radio production than I ever thought possible. My instructor is happy to see one of his students doing as well as I have especially since my work is heard all over the country every weekend. I've also enjoyed the travel when my college schedule will let me go with you."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. What I'm going to tell you must remain private between us until I get all of the details worked out. Is that understood young lady?"

"Sure. You know I can keep a secret. I wouldn't be any good to you if I couldn't would I? I like my job too much to screw it up."

"I may have to go to Orlando for a month or more starting in March. The folks at MouseWorld have asked me to attend the opening of their new technology center. They also want me to MC the ceremonies and host a live one hour show on the TV network they own. What do you think of that?"

"That's an incredible offer, Jen. Are you going to do it?"

"Quite possibly, Tammy. Are you interested in going along?"

"I certainly am! What do I have to do?"

"First, we'll need to do the weekly radio show. They've agreed to provide a studio for us. Second, you'll be my personal assistant while we're there and for whatever other travel we do on this project. Third, I want you to document this with pictures and video and write a report to be submitted for your college classes on what you learned. Think you're up to it?"

"I'm there if you want me, Jen." I could tell that Tammy was almost ready to jump out of her chair with excitement.

"You'll need to get the college to agree with the time off and you'll need to take care of all of your coursework. No excuses young lady, do you understand?" Now she was really squirming in the chair. She was getting ready to blow any second.

"I agree, Jen. I promise no drop in my grade point either because of this."

"Then you're coming with me if the deal goes through." I thought 'thar she blows' as Tammy launched herself off the chair to give me a huge hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! Jen, is it OK if I tell mom?"

"You had better tell her young lady, she has to agree with this too you know. If anyone says no then you're staying home. I'll do everything I can to help but it's up to you to prove to everyone that you're worthy of the experience."

"I will, Jen. I promise. This is so fantastic! The girls at the college will never believe this!"

"Tammy, you can't tell them yet remember? You can’t tell anyone except your mom about this until I say you can. The deal isn't completed yet and it could still blow up in our faces. The fewer people that know about this right now the better. Understood?"

She pouted a bit. "I understand. Just let me know when I can tell others, ok? The girls and my instructors will never believe this when I can tell them."

"If anyone at the college gives you a problem with this after I complete the deal I'll gladly call them to explain what's going on. I'm even going to make sure you and Barb are listed as my personal assistants on the credits of the show. You'll have some hard work to do but I think you'll learn a lot doing it. Now wait out in the office and send Barb in please."

Tammy literally bounced herself out of my office. Barb came in a few seconds later and closed the door.

"I take it you told her and laid down the law?"

"How'd you guess?"

"By the cloud she was floating on when she came out."

"That's the one of the reasons I hired you. Insightful and observant as always."

"I thought you hired me because of my scintillating personality and experience."

"That too. Barb, I know you're due for your surgery soon. Do you think you'll be recovered enough to go with us?"

"I don't understand. I've always stayed here. You want me to come too?"

"If you can. This is the biggest thing I've ever taken on Barb and it scares me. You've been a great help in keeping me headed in the right direction. I want you with me on this one if you're able to be there."

"Let me talk to the Doctors and see what they say. I'll be with you if I can."

"That's great, Barb. Just don't delay the surgery for my sake. You've been waiting long enough to get this resolved. If it comes down to me or the surgery go for the surgery. If I find out that you postponed it or rushed things I'll be very upset to say the least."

"Jen, I truly believe you when you say that. We’ve been together long enough now that I can tell when you're being serious about things. I know that this is one of those times."

"The final decision day is Tuesday next week. I'll either decide to go ahead with it and let the folks at MouseWorld know or the whole deal will go down the drain. Just keep this all quiet until I can make a final decision please."

"You got it boss. Now you two had better get going for the theater. I'll lock up the house when I leave. I've got to get ready myself. I managed to get a ticket for tonight just to see how you did."

"That's great, Barb. Just have Tammy bring you backstage when it's over."

"I'll do that. Now MOVE woman or you'll be late!"

Barb passed Tammy as she came back into the office. "You had better take good care of her Tammy. She's one important lady now."

"That's why I'm here, Barb. I don't want her truck hugging a tree with her in it. You should have seen her last night. My guess is that she just made it home and into bed before she passed out. Am I right, Jen?"

"Damn, found out again. You sure you don't have my bedroom wired, Tammy?"

"I'm sure. I just saw how you looked when you got out of wardrobe and makeup last night. I'll tell you the truth, I felt just about like that too and I wasn’t even in the play."

"Ok. Come on Tammy. I need to change. Barb, I'll see you later tonight. And remember, be honest with me when you tell me how I did. No kissing my tush because your job is NEVER in trouble for telling me the truth. Same goes for you Tammy. Always lay things out like they are. I may get angry but I'll never fire you."

Tammy grabbed my arm and pulled me toward my bedroom. "I want you to go take a good shower while I get your stuff laid out for you. Don't get your hair wet though. It will take too long to dry it."

"Hey, Tammy, who's the boss here?"

"Right now, I am. GO!" She gave me a good thump on my backside then pushed me toward the bathroom.

"YES, MOTHER!"

I heard her muttering something about ungrateful kids as I undressed then got in the shower. Before I turned on the water I tucked my hair up under a shower cap I kept handy. I adjusted the water to the proper temperature then stepped into the spray. The pulsing showerhead invigorated me some and I just stood there letting it play over the skin on my back. I heard the bathroom door open.

"Jen, I'm going to leave you a clean bra and panties. I'll put these dirty things in the hamper. Come on out when you're done."

I finished up washing then rinsed off. I dried off then put on the bra and panties Tammy left on the table next to the sink. The rest of my clothes had disappeared. I just shrugged then walked back into the bedroom in my underwear. As I passed the mirror I noticed that the bra was one of the push-up type that Peggy had talked me into buying for special occasions. I had much more cleavage exposed than normal and a lot of me spilled over the cups of the bra.

I was looking in the drawer for another bra when Tammy came in. "What are you doing, Jen?"

"Finding another bra, that's what. I can't wear this one."

"You can and will wear that one. I saw what that idiot reviewer wrote about you this morning. You need to show people another side of you other than the conservative business woman that everyone is used to seeing. You're young and beautiful. It's about time you started acting your age dammit!"

Tammy's words knocked all of the wind out of me. I slumped down on the edge of the bed. I couldn't remember when, in the last few months, I had worn something really sexy other than the costumes I wore at the rehearsal last night. Then I remembered the hurt I felt after reading the reviewer's comments this morning. Something snapped in side me.

"Tammy you're absolutely right. Let's not go too overboard because of the MouseWorld deal. I do need to show that pompous idiot that he's totally wrong. Let's do to it."

Tammy smiled then went into my closet and came back with two outfits. The first was a low cut silk top in a bright pink color with a matching short skirt. The other was the cornerstone of every woman's collection, the famous little black dress. The LBD was extremely low cut with spaghetti straps over the shoulders, so low that I might have to change bras to keep the cups from this one from showing. The dress would end at least three inches above my knees.

I decided that the pink outfit was a little too loud for the occasion and went for the LBD. "I thought you would go for the dress, Jen. Now put these on." She tossed me a pair of sheer to the waist pantyhose. I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled them up over my legs. The feel of the pantyhose hugging my skin started to turn me on a bit. The bra Tammy chose for me did little to hide the arousal.

"Jen, if you keep those up they will certainly notice you tonight."

That deflated any arousal I was experiencing at the moment. "What's next, Tammy?"

"Let's get this dress on then I'll do your hair and makeup." She pulled the dress on over my head then helped me smooth it down over my body and zip it up. I looked in the mirror and gasped. I saw a beautiful and very sexy young woman nearly ready to go out into the world. Damn I looked good.

Tammy pulled me to the makeup table to complete my hair and makeup. In another twenty minutes, I hardly recognized myself. I looked like a Hollywood starlet ready to accept her first Academy award.

"Thanks, Tammy, I look incredible. How do you do it?"

"I can't improve on what nature did. I just highlighted things a bit here and there, that's all. Now let's get moving. Here's your shoes." She handed me a pair of stiletto heels that must have been 4 inches high. I groaned a little then put them on. I felt like I was walking on stilts for a few seconds when I first stood up. I looked over at Tammy. "Don't worry, the sidewalks are clear of snow and I'll drop you right at the stage door before I park the car."

Tammy handed me one of my heavier winter coats that would end well below my knees when I put it on. Temporarily, I put the coat over my arm. She tossed me a small purse with my house keys and wallet. She had another larger purse with the rest of my things in it. "Time to get going. Let's go through the office. I want Barb to get a good look at you." She grabbed my arm pulling me along behind her.

"My God, Tammy. How did you ever get her to agree to that?"

"I just reminded her about the critic in the paper this morning, Barb. Worked just fine."

"Jen you look great. Heads will certainly turn tonight."

"That's what I'm afraid of, Barb. Tammy, get me out of here before I change my mind." I put on my coat as I headed for the door.

"All right, Jen. See you later, Barb. Come find me and I'll make sure you get backstage when it's all over." Barb waved goodbye as Tammy and I headed for her car.

I remembered to enter the car properly after considering the short dress I was almost wearing. Tammy got in and turned on the heater after she started the engine. The car warmed up quickly on the way to the theater.

We got there just before after four thirty. Tammy dropped me by the stage door then parked the car nearby. I used my keys to unlock the door. I turned on the lights and boosted the heat a little as I walked through the silent halls on my way to the stage area, the clicking of my heels echoing off the walls. I reached the stage area and turned on the stage work lights as I entered. I found the old couch off on one side of the stage. I got comfortable and kicked my heels off tucking my legs up under me to keep warm then put the coat over my legs. The old heating system creaked and groaned as it eventually brought the theater up to a comfortable temperature.

Tammy meanwhile was working on getting the lighting system fully set up and the sound system all plugged in. With the repairs we had done over the last few weeks everything was working in top shape so all she needed to do was plug everything in and let it warm up. She turned on the sound system then started a CD playing over it. I recognized the CD as one I had made with some of my favorite oldies and a few other tunes on it.

"Hey, Tammy, how did you get that?"

"I borrowed it from your stash at home while you were in the shower. I figured that if you had something you liked to listen to you wouldn't get as nervous tonight."

"You figured right, Tammy. Say, I want to try something. Last few tracks are just music beds I did on the computer minus a vocal track. If I remember right, cue up number seventeen and pass me one of the wireless mics." I put my heels back on and walked to the edge of the stage to get the microphone. “Just stop me when the cast starts to come in, ok?”

Tammy had the song all ready to go and I tested the mic by snapping my fingers in front of it. I nodded to her and she hit the play button on the CD player. The tune was Manic Monday by the Bangles. I started in rather tentatively at first and found my full voice about fifteen seconds into the music. Tammy dimmed the house lights after bringing up the fixed spots. I couldn't see anything past Tammy in the orchestra pit.

The first tune finished followed by a two second pause. The next four tunes were Here You Come Again by Dolly Parton, Rose Garden by Lynn Anderson, Hopelessly Devoted to You By Olivia Newton-John from Grease, and Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves. All were separated by the normal two second space. The house remained quiet during the breaks between songs.

I barely noticed that the follow spots had come on as the fixed spots dimmed and were tracking every movement I made on the stage during Walking on Sunshine. I was very much in the "zone" as the last tune started. I called it “The Future is Now”.

This tune was one that I had written myself. It took nearly a year for me to complete the music track one agonizing note at a time with my composing software. I’m just not a musician at heart but the tune wouldn’t go out of my head. After the music bed was finished I wrote the words to match the music. It was all about how things we read as science fiction just a short time ago are real today.

On this one, I had added some background tracks using my own voice. One background track was even in my original male voice. I had worked more on the tune after my change and I decided to leave the male background vocal in place.
The music started with a four count on a pair of drumsticks followed by a low driving bass line almost hypnotic in nature. A synth keyboard added in a background line as a trumpet section did a short intro. I put everything I had into the vocal as I danced across the stage. Three minutes later the music faded and stopped.

"I wrote that last one myself. It’s called ‘The Future is Now’. Well, that's it Tammy, how did I do?" I handed the wireless mic back to her.

The house lights came up as I heard a roar of applause from the audience. I was so far into the performance that I hadn't noticed that all of the cast and crew had come in and found seats in the audience. There were even a couple of TV crews in the back with their cameras mounted on tripods pointed in my direction. I almost fainted on the spot. Focusing on Tammy's beaming grin was the only thing that kept me conscious. I found myself bowing to my impromptu audience. The applause died down as I walked down the steps toward a seat in the front row center.

The cast and crew collected around me congratulating me on my performance. They started to head backstage a few at a time to get things ready for the performance tonight.

Greg dropped into a seat next to me. "That was incredible, Jen. I told you that you could do it!"

"At least I don't have to do that again, Greg."

"I wouldn't be too certain about that if I were you. Word is bound to get out about your hidden talent and you'll be asked to do it again."

"I guess I'll deal with that when the time comes. Why are the TV crews here?"

"You. They want to get interviews with you both before and after the play. You're a hot story right now."

I shook my head and muttered under my breath. "It'll only get hotter in a few days."

"What?"

"Oh, sorry, Greg. Just mumbling to myself. If you can find a quiet spot where they can set up I'll give them the interviews they're looking for."

Greg was beaming as he walked back to the TV crews. They disappeared a few minutes later. While they were setting up, I headed for the wardrobe room.
Dolly and Maggie were both in their element now with the commotion going on in there. They waved to me then went back to handing out costumes and checking for last minute rips and tears. Having nothing to do for a few minutes I went back out into the audience and took up a seat again at center front.

Greg appeared again a few minutes later to lead me back to a room that one of the crews had set up in. The other crew was waiting in a room down the hall. This crew was from the station that had offered the hosting job to me earlier today. I suspected that the footage they shot of my musical performance would find its way to the corporate office in Florida very quickly. My guess was that Mark would have a copy of it on his desk Monday morning if not well before that via the Internet.

Both interviews went well since they both asked similar questions. It took only about twenty minutes to do both of them then I headed for wardrobe to get dressed in the first costume. This time Maggie and Dolly were waiting for me. They locked the door and went into stage mom mode helping me out of the LBD and into the tight costume. They adjusted the seams on my stockings to be ruler straight and told me to come back later after I had my makeup and hair done to get the rest of the costume.

Since the time was just a bit after six thirty, I decided to go back out onto the stage. It was set for the first scene of the first act with a few tables and chairs. I sat down in a padded chair and wiggled around a bit to find a comfortable spot in the tight skirt I was wearing. John Thurmond, the actor playing Toddie, wandered out on the stage and sat next to me.

"How are you holding up, Jennifer?"

"All right I guess, John, more a case of nerves than anything else."

"Jen, if you pour yourself into doing the show like you did a little while ago with your music you'll do just fine. Forgive me for asking but where did you learn to sing like that?"

"John, do you know anything about my background?"

"Yes, I know what's been on the news. There's more?"

"Yes. When I was born I had a birth defect. It 's called a harelip. My upper lip wasn't formed properly and the roof of my mouth was distorted too. Early on the doctors fixed my lip but there was very little they could do about the roof of my mouth." He nodded as I spoke. "The doctors recommended speech therapy when I started talking. It took many years, well into grade school, before my speech approached normal. One even suggested taking up singing to help me with the rhythms of speaking. It was natural for me since my dad and uncles had a little family country band at the time. I was encouraged to practice with them but I never got the chance to perform on stage. One of my uncles died and that put an end to the band."

"Sorry to hear that. What made you continue?"

"I realized that the singing really did help me with my speech and diction so I kept at it whenever I would drive to work over the years. I developed quite a vocal range but never had the overall quality of voice to perform. As Greg will tell you, after my change the range shifted a little and expanded a bit. I just kept at it whenever I was going to and from work. I guess you could call me a rush hour rock star. That's when I sing."

"You really shouldn't hide your gift, Jen. You have a great voice now."

"Events seem to be moving me in other directions, John. I can’t talk about them right now, maybe next weekend though."

"I understand. You look lonely. Are you ok out here?"

"Sure, John. I just need some quiet time to relax a little."

"I'm scheduled for hair and makeup so I better get going. Thanks for the conversation, Jen."

I waved to John as he walked off the stage toward the makeup room. I looked at the clock on the wall off-stage and realized how long I had been out here. I heard a few noises from the other side of the curtain and peeked out through a small gap in the curtains at the center of the stage. The audience was starting to come in. I decided I had waited long enough so I made my way across the deserted stage to the makeup room.

Sam greeted me again and went to work on my face and hair. Very soon I looked like a woman right out of the thirties era when the story takes place. The makeup was a little heavy but I knew that it would look proper under the glare of the stage lighting. I thanked Sam then left to get the rest of my costume. Dolly and Maggie set me up with the boa, hat, and purse again then shooed me out the door so they could attend to other cast members last minute needs. With nothing else to do I found a spot backstage on the old couch that would be used in a later scene and waited for the play to start.

I heard the crowd quiet down as the house lights dimmed. Greg made his way onto the stage from stage left and made an announcement to the audience.

"Welcome to our production of Victor/Victoria. We have one announcement. Julie Walters, the actress that normally plays the character of Noma Cassidy, will not be with us tonight. She will be back next weekend however. In her place is a young woman that has bravely volunteered to step in to permit the play to go on over the next four performances. Jennifer Stevens will take over the role for this coming weekend and the entire company thanks her for stepping up to the challenge on such short notice. Thank you for coming tonight."

Greg left the stage as the orchestra started playing the opening music. Everyone was ready and in their starting places. Since I wouldn’t be on until later in the act I watched the play get under way.

Adam joined me a few minutes before we were due on stage. He simply gave me a mind numbing kiss and all of my fears about the play evaporated. It’s simply amazing what a little stimulation does to you. As we went on stage, I felt the gentle pressure of his hand on my back again urging me into the glare of the spotlights.

I remember more about my performance in the play tonight than the dress rehearsal last night. I guess some of the fear was gone. I know that I appeared to do well since the audience roared when I went on stage for the curtain calls. We had at least six of them to thunderous applause each time. The applause finally subsided when the curtain didn't open again after the sixth call.

I slumped into the old couch on the stage and buried my head in my hands. I was so tired I could barely think. I realized that I hadn't had any supper and was running on fumes from the lunch I had at Salvatore's. At least supper was covered for tomorrow's performances. I had to remember to tell Greg about the plan tonight so he could arrange things tomorrow.

Tammy came over with Barb in tow. When she saw me she took off running. Moments later she was back with a large cup of water with ice and a candy bar from the concession stand. “Thanks, Tammy. How could you tell?”

“I didn’t have supper either. I know a little how you must feel. These should help.”

I wolfed down the candy bar and sipped slowly at the ice water. I began to feel a bit better as the adrenaline rush subsided and my nerves calmed down again. I stood up wobbling a little on my heels and slowly walked over to the makeup room with Barb following me. It had cleared out pretty well and Sam motioned me into a waiting chair to remove my makeup.

He finished so I thanked him and headed for the wardrobe room to change out of my last costume. Dolly and Maggie were excited that I had done so well in the role. They helped me back into my little black dress. I was ready to go find Tammy when Greg came to collect me for the after show interviews I had promised the TV stations. Barb went to find Tammy and tell her I would be tied up with more interviews.

This time the third major station in town was waiting too. I did all three interviews taking less than a total of half an hour. Greg was there at the end. I took him off to one side of the stage and told him what I had arranged for supper tomorrow night between the two shows. I swear that if his jaw wasn’t attached it would have dropped completely off onto the floor.

“Are you absolutely sure you want to remain anonymous, Jen?”

“I’m positive, Greg. Just tell everyone that a friend of the theater arranged it.”

“If that’s the way you want it, Jen.” I nodded yes. Barb had returned and took me to where Tammy was working. We ran into Adam on the way.

"Jen, do you want to get something to eat tonight?"

"I think I'll pass, Adam. Tammy is going to drive me home tonight."

"You sure you're all right? You don't look so good."

"I'm ok, Adam. Tammy is taking pretty good care of me. I'll be fine. Now go home and get some rest yourself. We have two shows to do tomorrow." I gave him a kiss before Barb and I resumed our search for Tammy.

When we found her, she was just putting away the last of the sound system. “Ready to go Tammy? I’m beat right down to my socks, if I was wearing any.”

“I’m done here, Jen. Will Greg lock up?”

“Yes. Let’s go. I need SLEEP!”

“Then let’s get moving. We’re stopping for something to eat then I’m taking you home and tucking you in bed. I’m not taking NO for an answer.”

“Yes, mother. Thanks for coming Barb. I'll see you on Monday morning.” I let Tammy lead me out of the theater toward her car. The cold air hit my legs and face temporarily waking me up. She guided me into the car and headed for home. We stopped at the same pizza place as last night to have a couple of slices. I was just able to finish them.

We finally made it back to my house just after midnight. Tammy followed me inside. “Tammy, it’s late. Why don’t you call your mom and tell her you’re staying over at my place tonight? I'm worried you might not make it home safely.”

“Are you sure, Jen? I know you have only your bedroom now. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“Don’t have to. I have a king size bed and there’s loads of room. You’re safe with me. I just want to go to sleep.”

“Go change. I’ll call my mom and let her know where I am.”

I got a set of pajamas from my dresser drawer then I went into the bathroom and stripped off my clothes. I just changed into the pajamas when Tammy came back into the bedroom.

“Mom said it was ok. I didn’t bring any extra clothes with me. Do you have something that fits me?”

“You’re smaller than I am so it shouldn’t be a problem. Check the bottom drawer of the dresser.” I finished up by taking the ponytail ring out of my hair and almost fell into bed.

A few minutes later Tammy crawled into the other side of the bed wearing a pair of my pajamas. She reached over to the switch on the nightstand to turn out the lights.

“’Night, Jen.”

“’Night, Tammy and thanks.”

To Be Continued in Chapter 11.2 of Zapped!