“Well,” Jamie said as the end credits rolled on the cartoon. “That was - that was different.”

“Yeah,” Charlotte concurred. “I mean, I’m used to seeing myself on TV, but - yeah. Not too sure about that.”

“But I’m sure the kids will love it,” Hannah said. “And there’s no arguing with the message, right?”

“Definitely,” Jamie said. “If we help only one person with this cartoon, it’ll be worth it.” Much like the main Angels show, Jamie thought to herself as she and her friends filed out of the makeshift cinema.

“Oh - absolutely,” Alice said. “So then, what are we doing for the rest of the day?”

“Whatever we’re told to,” Charlotte said with a giggle as she gestured behind her to where the Angels’ PA was standing, checking her iPad.

“Hmm?” Nikki said, looking up with a puzzled look on her face. “Oh - believe me, I’m not in charge today, hehe!” Nikki cast a glance to the side of the auditorium, where a familiar tall, dark-skinned man was approaching the group.

“My superstars!” Joshua boomed across the room. “As beautiful in ink as in the flesh!”

“Actually, I think that cartoon was computer animated,” Hannah teased, earning a loud chuckle from her boss.

“Well, whether it’s ink or pixels, you are all still magnificent!” Joshua “Did you all enjoy your grand tour of America?”

“Definitely,” Abbey-Gayle gushed. “Florida was AMAZING, I can’t wait to get back there!”

“In time, in time!” Joshua said, before letting out a tired sigh.

“Joshua?” Jamie asked, a look of concern spreading across her face. “Are you okay?”

“I am just a little tired, that’s all,” Joshua replied, before beaming a trademark wide smile. “My heart is fine, seriously! I had a checkup just last month. I am as strong as an ox! But we have all worked hard this week. We will definitely have earned a break when we get back to London!”

“We just have to get through the busiest day of the whole week first, heh!” Hannah said with a tired sigh of her own.

“One final push!” Joshua said. “And do not worry, I will make sure that next year’s AngelCon will be in London. The same hard work but at least you will be able to sleep in your own beds.”
“And in our own time zone!” Kelly said with a giggle and a yawn.

“AngelCon 2020 will be in Rome, so you need not worry about that for at least three years!” Joshua chuckled. “Though it would be good to be back in America for 2021, especially if the two new groups take off.”

“Hmm,” Jamie mused. “I might have an idea about that, actually, can we go somewhere to talk?”

“Of course,” Joshua replied. “The rest of you need to stick around for a bit, the Californiangels will be arriving shortly for a private introduction.”

“Sure thing, boss,” Charlotte said as the ten women began to disperse, while some of the other women who had watched the cartoon headed to one of the venue’s many drinks machines to quench their thirst.

“I kinda liked that,” Becca said as she and her two bandmates helped themselves to hot cappuccinos. “It was different, you know? And we’re gonna get royalties every time they play ‘Stronger’, hehe!”

“Maybe we should ask Uncle Joshua if we can have our own cartoon?” Adeola said with a smug grin on her face.

“If any of us has a chance of getting that to happen, surely it’s you?” Becca teased her best friend.

“Uh- no,” Adeola giggled. “Not since last March when Uncle Joshua because GREAT Uncle Joshua, hehe!”

“Meh,” Becca shrugged. “We’re still filthy rich and world-famous, that’ll do for me, hehe! Especially if our American fan club shows up tomorrow, right Steph?”

“Hmm?” Stephanie asked, having been lost in thought. “Sorry, Becca?”

“Our fan club?” Becca asked. “You know, the girls you met when you were over here in the summer? Think they’re based in LA, aren’t they?”

“Oh - oh, yeah,” Stephanie replied. “San Francisco, actually, but I’ve looked on their Facebook and they said they’d be along tomorrow. One of these days, they might actually meet the whole band at the same time, heh.” Becca and Adeola both smiled sympathetically, quickly realising the real reason for their friend’s distraction.

“Well, they can come to London anytime we have a show there,” Adeola shrugged. “And we’ll be back over here again next year, I can guarantee that.”

“Assuming none of us are on Strictly next year?” Becca asked, biting her lip as Stephanie frowned yet again. “Anyway, I think we’re supposed to hang around for a bit, I’m going to see if there’s any, umm, food…”

“I’ll go with you,” Adeola said, before grimacing and pausing. “Steph? You hungry?”

“Ah - no, I’m okay, thanks,” Stephanie replied, before sighing as her bandmates walked away. Stephanie had enjoyed a brief webchat with Kayla when she woke up that morning, but it was cut short when Kayla had to go to the BBC studios for her final rehearsal, and even though it was lunchtime in California, it was late evening in London. Stephanie instinctively knew that Kayla would be getting an early night ahead of her show the following day.

With a heavy sigh, Stephanie returned to the main auditorium to drink her coffee, before sighing again when she saw that her confidante from that morning was sitting eating lunch with her wife.

“Hey, you two,” Stephanie said with as wide a smile as she could force onto her face. “Mind if I sit?”

“Go right ahead,” Sarah replied with a smile. “I was beginning to think I wouldn’t get to see you this week- well, not not on a screen, anyway!”

“Yeah,” Stephanie chuckled. “How was Minnesota? I really hope Alexa and Jenny will be here tomorrow so I can chat with them properly…”

“Oh - they’ll be here,” Nikki giggled. “I Think they’ve already booked flights to London for 2020, hehe!”

“Cool,” Stephanie said. “Annnnd we’ll be on our flights to London on Monday, heh. Back just in time for your birthday, hehe!”

“Yep!” Sarah said with a quiet giggle.

“You sound almost like you can’t wait to get home,” Nikki said.

“You mean you can?” Stephanie retorted.

“Well l - now I can, heh,” Nikki replied as she exchanged a gentle kiss with her wife, before letting out a soft sigh. “But I get why you’d be eager to get home. And it sucks that Kayla has to miss this, she’d love all the - umm, attention…” Nikki blushed as she realised she’d inadvertently insulted the absent woman.

“Oh - definitely,” Stephanie agreed. “There’s plenty enough to go around though, hehe!” The three women shared an excited giggle, which only stopped when they were approached by a slender, nervous-looking dark-haired young woman holding an iPad.

“H- hi,” the young woman said. “Are you Nikki?”

“Yep, that’s me!” Nikki replied, standing up and exchanging a gentle handshake with the newcomer.

“Hi!” The dark-haired woman nervously giggled. “I - I’m Jenna Da Silva, I’m the PA for the Californiangels, your boss said I should speak to you about arranging for the Angels to meet our group?”

“Yep, I can sort that!” Nikki said, before turning to her wife and her friend with a tired smile. “Duty calls, heh!”

“See you in a bit,” Sarah whispered as she pressed her hand into Nikki’s in the special way they’d been doing for as long as they’d known each other.

“So,” Nikki asked as she escorted Jenna back to where the Angels were sitting, “how d’you come to be working for the new Angels?”

“Oh - umm, Christina - one of the Californiangels?” Jenna replied. “She’s my cousin, my dad’s her manager, so we kinda have a family business, heh.”

“Oh - Heavenly Talent is TOTALLY like that,” Nikki giggled. “Let’s see… Viks is married to Jonathan, who’s the nephew of Joshua, who is also the uncle of Adeola, whose best friend Becca is engaged to the brother of Krystie, whose husband Mikey is the best friend of Stuart, who in addition to being Jamie’s husband is also Becca’s brother and godfather to Mary’s oldest daughter and Charlotte’s son, whose father is Keith, whose younger brother Reuben is engaged to Abbey-Gayle, and believe it or not, I COULD go on.”

“Uh - no, you kinda lost me very quick there, heh!” Jenna said. “Though it’s cool that it’s like that, you’re all, like, one big family.”

“WE are all one big family,” Nikki said with a giggle. “You and the other new Angels are.”

“Well - they might be, I guess,” Jenna said. “I’m just, like, the PA…”

“Don’t say JUST the PA,” Nikki said. “’Cause what we do is important. Sure, we might not get the fame or the money.”

“…But?” Jenna asked.

“Oh, there - there’s no but,” Nikki said quietly, before sharing a giggle with her new friend. “Ahh… Job’s still great though.”

“Totally,” Jenna said, before grimacing. “Nikki, you - you said - you mentioned Stuart earlier, he’s Jamie’s husband, right?”

“Yes…” Nikki replied.

“But he - he used to be, umm, a woman, didn’t he?” Jenna hesitantly asked.

“Erm, yes…” Nikki said. “But believe me, there is NOTHING even remotely feminine about him. Jenna, umm, if - if you have a problem with this - this, you know, thing, you...“

“Oh - no, believe me, I don’t!” Jenna giggled.

“That’s probably for the best,” Nikki said. “Even though there aren’t any transgendered Angels in either of the American groups, I would’ve hoped that it’s common enough knowledge that the other groups, well, you know…”

“Yeah,” Jenna said. “That - that’s kinda how I learned about the group, even before Christina signed up for the Californiangels. Well, I learned about Out of Heaven first after watching a YouTube documentary about them, where...“

“Where you watched an interview with Stuart and learned about his history, I see,” Nikki said.

“And like you said, everyone’s linked, so I learned about Jamie and the other Angels,” Jenna explained. “And so did Christina, so when they were advertising for LA-based models for a group over here, she jumped at the chance.”

“Who wouldn’t?” Nikki giggled. “Surprised you didn’t make more of a fuss of Stephanie when you saw us sitting with her.”

“Oh - I wanted to, believe me,” Jenna sighed. “But like you said, we have a job to do, heh!”

“Very true!” Nikki giggled as the two women approached a group of eight young women in their early twenties, all of whom were immaculately made-up and dressed in expensive designer clothes.

“Hey Jen!” One of the women, who Nikki immediately assumed to be Jenna’s cousin based on her resemblance to her, said as she greeted Jenna with a gentle hug. “Who’s your new friend?”

“Hi, you must be Christina, I’m Nikki, the Angels’ - well, the UK Angels’ PA,” Nikki introduced herself. “Jen says you haven’t met the UK Angels yet?”

“No, and we’re really looking forward to it!” Another of the American women said.

“We’ve been fans of the show for, like, years,” another Californiangel said.

“Well - no time like the present!” Nikki giggled as she led the group toward where the UK Angels were gathered.

“Hey, Nikki!” Charlotte said with a smile that widened when she saw that her PA was not alone. “Ah, and you must be the newest members of our family, hehe!”

“Hi, yes!” Christina said as the two groups of Angels began to mingle, exchanging handshakes and gentle hugs before eagerly getting to know each other.

Nikki and Jenna stood back with proud smiles on their faces as the eighteen young women got to know each other, exchanging contact details and taking what seemed like hundreds of selfies. Jenna’s eyes widened, though, when one of the English women split off from the group and headed over toward her.

“Hi, I don’t think we’ve been introduced yet?” Jamie said with a warm, friendly smile. “I’m Jamie-Lee Milton, it’s nice to meet you!”

“Oh, I - I’m not one of the Californiangels,” Jenna stammered as Jamie extended her hand. “I’m - I’m just...“ Jenna sighed, before exchanging a knowing look with Nikki. “I AM the PA for the Californiangels.”

“Well it’s still nice to meet you,” Jamie said. “…Can I - can I know your name?”

“Oh - god, sorry,” the dark-haired woman gasped. “I’m Jenna, Jenna Da Silva.”

“Oh - any relation to Christina?” Jamie asked.

“We’re cousins,” Jenna replied with a nervous giggle.

“Cool!” Jamie giggled. “It’s great to be able to work with family, I know Stuart - my husband- loves that he gets to work so closely with his sister. She’s not as keen on it though, hehe!”

“Heh,” Jenna chuckled. “Your husband’s sister is Becca, right? From Out of Heaven?”

“We’ve got ourselves a fangirl here,” Nikki whispered to her mentor, who smiled sympathetically as Jenna blushed.

“The best kind of girl,” Jamie giggled. “And even though you’re NOT ‘just’ a PA, you can still come and meet the girls, hehe!” Jenna squeaked as Jamie and Nikki escorted her to where the other Angels were standing, who all greeted the young woman as a new friend.

After everyone had been introduced, and the Californiangels (and Jenna) had been introduced to the other international Angel groups, the women all found themselves at a loose end. Rather than stick around the venue, the group opted instead to head out and explore Los Angeles, particularly the ostentatious part of Hollywood surrounding their hotel. Hundreds of photos were taken in front of the famous Hollywood sign and on the Walk of Fame, as well as countless other sights that the famous city had to offer.

As afternoon turned into evening, the many Angels began to disperse and head to nearby restaurants for dinner, while Nikki and Sarah hailed a cab to take them to LAX airport to greet their Minnesotan friends. However, much to the couple’s surprise, they found that they wouldn’t be travelling alone.

“Hey,” Jenna said as she approached the young couple. “Where you headed now?”

“Umm, back to the airport, picking up a couple of friends of ours,” Nikki replied.

“Hoping to show them a little of LA before the big event tomorrow,” Sarah said.

“Cool!” Jenna enthused. “So, umm, so you - so you need a tour guide?”

“I’m actually pretty familiar with LA,” Sarah said. “My mum’s cousin lives out here, we used to visit her every summer holiday while I was still in school. Jenna, do - do you want to hang out with us? ‘Cause we’d both be okay with that, right Nikki?”

“Oh - definitely,” Nikki said. “Why wouldn’t you want to hang out with your cousin and her friends, though?”

“Meh, I can hang out with them any day,” Jenna replied. “I’ve made some great new friends, and I want to spend time with them while they’re in LA. And you can never have too many friends, right?”

“Very true!” Sarah giggled. “Jamie will be happy to hear that catchphrase has crossed eight time zones, hehe!” Nikki smiled and nodded in agreement with her wife as the three women climbed into the back of the cab, though Nikki couldn’t help but wonder whether there was something Jenna wasn't telling her.

Just under an hour later, the three women were standing in the concourse of LAX airport, and as had become tradition, Nikki and Sarah let out near-deafening squeals of excitement when they saw their American counterparts approaching. Their squeals intensified, however, when they saw that Alexa and Jenny hadn’t travelled alone.

“Hi girlies!” Katie squeaked as she let go of her fiancé’s hand and greeted her British friends with tight, friendly hugs.

“Oh my god!” Nikki squeaked. “I didn’t know you were coming too!”

“Like I’d miss it?” Katie retorted.

“Do we get hugs too?” Alexa asked with a mock pout, which turned into a wide grin when Nikki and Sarah exchanged hugs with her and her wife.

“Do I?” Danny asked, before yelping with alarm as five young women immediately pounced on him and wrapped him in a group hug. “Okay, okay, sorry for asking!” Nikki allowed herself a devilish laugh at the young man’s expense, before smirking as she spotted her newest friend stood off to one side with a bemused look on her face.

“Girls - and Danny,” Nikki said as she dragged Jenna toward the impromptu huddle. “This is Jenna, she’s the PA for the new California Angels group - basically the ‘LA me’, hehe! Jenna, this is Alexa, Jenny, Katie and Danny, friends of ours from Minnesota.”

“Ah, well, welcome to the Golden State,” Jenna said with a grin as she exchanged polite handshakes with the four Minnesotans.

“Thanks,” Alexa replied with a grin. “We’ve only ever been to California once before but never to LA, we’re really excited to have a look around after the event tomorrow.”

“When she says ‘look around’, she really means Disneyland,” Jenny whispered, giggling as her wife gave her a playful nudge with her elbow.

“Oh - I totally get that,” Jenna giggled as the group made their way toward the airport’s main entrance. “Dad used to take us to Disneyland every summer, before - well, umm, we haven’t been in a while.” Jenna bit her lip as an awkward silence fell over the group.

“So, Jenna,” Danny said. “Rams or Chargers?”

“BOY,” Alexa and Jenny replied, pre-empting Nikki and Sarah and triggering a large giggling fit among all six women.

“I’m not really a football fan,” Jenna replied. “Well, not what we’d call football, anyway, those two - maybe.” Nikki and Sarah both giggled and blushed as Jenna gestured toward them. “My brothers are huge LA Galaxy fans, and I liked them when Beckham played for them, and now that Zlatan's here, well, hehe!”

“…Okay, you don’t get a ‘BOY’ for that, hehe!” Nikki giggled, earning a confused look from her wife.

“So you’re looking at footballers now, are you?” Sarah asked, making her wife’s cheeks flush as the Americans giggled at her expense.

“Katie - Hendo, that is - had posters of Beckham on her bedroom wall,” Nikki sighed. “As you already know.”

“…Yeah, I know,” Sarah said, making it up to her wife with a gentle cuddle.

“Oh - knock it off, you two,” Katie sighed. “I had to put up with these two on the plane for the last four hours.”

“Us!?” Jenny protested. “And you were snuggled how far into Danny?” the women all giggled as Katie blushed while her fiancé rolled his eyes, though Nikki couldn’t help but notice that her newest friend had a faraway look in her eyes.

“Jenna?” Nikki asked. “You okay?”

“Hmm?” Jenna replied. “Umm, yeah, I’m fine, it’s just...“

“Feeling a bit like a ‘seventh wheel’ among three other couples?” Sarah asked with a sympathetic smile. “It’s okay, I get it. Last few days in London hanging out with my friends Lauren and Ophelia and their other halves weren’t fun, heh. Even though I’ve known them for more than a few hours, I can get why this might be a little overwhelming!”

“Do - do you have a boyfriend, Jenna?” Nikki asked. “Or a girlfriend, of course?”

“Kinda between relationships right now,” Jenna replied. “So busy with work, especially this weekend, heh!”

“Yeah, I can definitely appreciate that!” Nikki giggled as they arrived at the taxi stand. “So… How are we going to do this? All seven of us aren’t gonna fit in one taxi…”

“Especially not with all the luggage SOMEONE brought along,” Katie teased her two best friends, who stuck their tongues out in response.

“Danny can take the roof,” Alexa suggested, earnings giggles from the women and an eye roll from her brother.

“Only if you go in the trunk,” Danny retorted.

“Tell you what,” Katie said, “how about you four take one taxi, and Jenna can come with us in the next one so she doesn’t pick up too many bad habits from you?”

“Bad habits?” Alexa asked. “Us?” The couples known as ‘Jexy’ and ‘Snikki’ pouted at their friends, before giggling and loading their luggage into the first taxi while the other three loaded their luggage into the second one.

“It’d probably be too confusing having two ‘Jen’s in one car anyway,” Sarah said, earning a giggle from her newest friend as the taxi set off.

The seven people arrived back at the hotel late in the evening, their excitement levels still high after their trip through the glistening city. As they waited in line to check in, though, the Minnesotans’ excitement levels rose even further when a familiar face approached them and immediately wrapped the newly married couple in a tight hug.

“Hey you two!” Stephanie happily squeaked. “I was hoping I’d get to see you this weekend!”

“Hey Steph!” Alexa said with a happy giggle. “SO wish you could’ve made it to Thanksgiving…”

“If I’d known in advance that was an option, believe me, I’d have gone,” Stephanie said with a sad sigh.

“Well, consider yourself permanently invited from now on,” Jenny said with a grin. “You AND Kayla.”

“Ah, the popular half of the band,” a refined London accent said from behind the group, making Stephanie roll her eyes and causing Alexa and Jenny’s excitement levels to rise even further.

“Ah, heh,” Stephanie giggled as the owner of the voice and her best friend approached the huddle. “Becca, Adeola, let me introduce Alexa and Jenny Quinn-Thompson. Alexa, Jenny, let me -“

“Yeah, we - we know who they are!” Jenny said nervously as she exchanged polite handshakes with the two singers, before giggling as they eschewed the handshakes in favour of gentle, friendly hugs.

“I was hoping we’d get to meet you properly,” Becca giggled. “My moron older brother’s always going on about our ‘American fan club’, heh!”

“Yeah,” Alexa giggled. “Speaking of moron older brothers, this is my brother Danny and his fiancée Katie.”

“Nice to meet you!” Adeola said as she and Becca exchanged hugs with the engaged couple.

“Is your brother feeling alright?” Becca asked. “He’s looking kinda flushed…”

“It might have something to do with the fact he’s surrounded by nine gorgeous women,” Alexa teased, giggling as her brother began to sweat even more.

“Eight,” Danny protested. “You’re my sister, you don’t count.”

“ONE,” Katie said firmly. “I’m your fiancée, I’m the ONLY one that counts.”

“BOY,” the nine women said simultaneously.

“Now we’re just being cruel,” Stephanie said with a giggle and a roll of her eyes. “The other BOYS are up in one of the rooms babysitting. Well I say ‘babysitting’, what they’re actually doing is playing video games while keeping one eye on the kids. I’ll get Stuart to text you which room they’re in. Assuming you don’t mind playing FIFA instead of Madden?”

“Uh, I - yeah, thanks,” Danny said, scuttling off seconds later as his phone beeped.

“Ahh...” Becca sighed happily. “Older brothers are FUN, hehe!”

“Is your Danny here this week, Steph?” Jenny asked as she and her wife received their room keys.

“No, he’s too busy with the pub,” Stephanie sighed. “Well, that and wedding prep. And prep for his fiancée’s birthday, which is next Thursday. So, kinda bad timing all around for him, heh. God…”

“Steph?” Alexa asked with a look of concern on her face.

“Oh, it - it’s nothing,” Stephanie sighed. “I’m just thinking - ‘cause I said I’d drop in and see him at the pub when I get back, just how weird it’ll be to get back to reality, heh.”

“And back to Kayla?” Alexa whispered, smiling sympathetically as Stephanie nodded.

“Anyway, I um, I should let you two couples get checked in,” Stephanie said, exchanging another hug with each of her friends. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

“Sure,” Alexa replied with a friendly smile.

“Come on,” Nikki said as she escorted her American friends to the elevator. “I’ll show you where the FUN party room is, hehe!”

“I’ll text Jacinta and other Katie to let them know we’re on our way,” Sarah said, prompting an excited look from one of her friends.

“Hendo’s here?” Katie asked excitedly as the elevator doors closed.

“Meanwhile,” Stephanie said to her two bandmates as she glanced to one of the lobby’s many chairs and the young woman that occupied it, “I thought I saw a familiar face hiding herself away! Becca, Adeola, this is Jenna Da Silva, PA for the Californiangels. Jenna- Jenna?”

“Hmm?” Jenna asked, suddenly distracted from her phone. “Oh, umm, sorry Steph, was kinda - never mind.” The smile quickly returned to the American girl’s face as she stood up to greet Stephanie’s bandmates. “Nice to meet you!”

“Likewise!” Becca said with a genuine smile.

“Take it my uncle and your bosses are keeping you busy ahead of tomorrow?” Adeola asked.

“Actually, everything’s just about ready,” Jenna replied. “Just need to start the show now, heh! You guys are performing tomorrow, aren’t you?”

“Only a couple of songs,” Becca replied. “The band just isn’t complete when there’s only three of us.” Stephanie suppressed a sad frown as she nodded in agreement.

“Though singing in front of an American crowd will be REALLY fun,” Adeola said. “Are we - are we, you know, popular over here?”

“Well - you’ve definitely got a lot of fans, that's for sure” Jenna giggled.

“The three women who just left, for starters,” Stephanie said to her bandmates, who beamed proud grins.

“And the woman you’re talking to now!” Jenna said. “I must’ve listened to your first album a million times when I was taking my SATs.”

“Glad we could help,” Adeola said. “Anyway, me, Bex and Riley are about to head out for a late drink - you two are welcome to come if you want?”

“I, umm, I’d better not - I’m still only 20,” Jenna replied.

“Ah - shit, forgot about that,” Adeola grimaced. “Legal drinking age in England is 18, you see.”

“Yeah, I - umm, I know, heh,” Jenna replied as her cheeks started to redden.

“I’d better - take a rain check? Is that how you say it over here?” Stephanie asked, smiling as Jenna nodded. “It’s, like, almost morning in England and I’m STILL struggling with these time zones, heh.”

“Okay,” Becca shrugged. “Well - see you tomorrow!”

“See you!” Stephanie giggled, waving after her bandmates as they left the hotel. “So, Jenna, what’ve you got planned now?”

“Umm, early night, probably,” the American woman replied.

“Don’t blame you,” Stephanie chuckled. “I’m probably going to head up to the party with Nikki and the others for a bit then get some kip myself.”

“Oh - okay,” Jenna said, a disappointed look spread across her face.

“…Though I suppose the party isn’t going anywhere,” Stephanie said with a soft smile. “Do - do you want to get a non-alcoholic drink?”

“Sounds good,” Jenna replied with a grin as the two women went to get a drink from a nearby vending machine, before returning to the lobby’s comfortable chairs.

“So then,” Stephanie asked as she took a sip of her Diet Coke, “nervous for tomorrow?”

“A little,” Jenna replied.

“More nervous for your cousin, though?” Stephanie asked.

“Well - kinda, I suppose,” Jenna said. “She’s been a model since she was fourteen, though, and I haven’t even been - umm…” Stephanie frowned in confusion as Jenna’s face began to redden.

“Je- Jenna?” Stephanie asked. “You’ve never been… What? A model? Me either, not professionally, I mean, I’ve posed for album covers and the odd promotional event, but - Jenna?” Stephanie paused as tears started to stream from her new friend’s eyes.

“I - I’m sorry,” Jenna sniffled. “I - I shouldn’t - ugh, talking to you, of all people…”

“Umm, what do you mean, ‘me of all people’?” Stephanie asked. “Jenna, if something’s wrong, please, I’d like to hel-“

“I’m transgendered,” Jenna suddenly blurted, stunning Stephanie into silence. “I - umm, I should - I need to go…”

“W- wait, Jenna, wait!” Stephanie said, chasing after the American woman as she raced to the elevator. “Please!” Stephanie groaned with frustration as the elevator doors closed, separating the two women and leaving Stephanie in a state of near panic.

It had never occurred to Stephanie that Jenna might be transgendered - she was barely taller than Stephanie herself, had a slender waist, well-defined curves and breasts even larger than her own. And yet, as Stephanie thought back, she realised that Jenna's nervousness wasn't just that of a mere fan - she'd obviously had something she'd wanted to tell Stephanie, a secret she didn't want to hide anymore. Stephanie grimaced as she remembered the start of her own transition, and realised that it was a feeling she was all too familiar with.

After taking a deep breath to compose herself, Stephanie reached for her phone and fired off a quick text message to Nikki, fidgeting nervously as she awaited her friend’s reply.

‘Hey Steph,’ Nikki’s message read. ‘Can pop out to chat for a bit, what’s up?’

‘Will explain when I see you,’ Stephanie said as she took the elevator to the floor her friends were gathered on and met her friend outside her room.

“What’s up?” Nikki asked with a concerned look on her face as she rendezvoused with Stephanie in the hotel corridor.

“Umm, uh,” Stephanie mumbled as she wondered how to sensitively word her concerns. “How - how much do you know about Jenna?”

“Jenna?” Nikki replied. “Hardly anything, I know she’s from here, from LA, her cousin’s one of the new Angels…”

“Did -“ Stephanie asked, before lowering her voice to a quiet whisper. “Did you know that she was, you know, umm… ‘Like us’?”

“Like u-“ Nikki said, before her eyes widened in shock. “You - you’re kidding, right? How did - how did you find out?”

“She told me,” Stephanie replied. “We were chatting about tomorrow, I asked her if she was nervous and she just blurted it out. Then she ran off before I could talk to her further about it. Do you have her number, have you got her on Facebook maybe?”

“Umm, I sent her a request, don’t think she’s replied yet,” Nikki replied. “Steph, I - I honestly wouldn’t have guessed, you know? Though… When you think about it, does it really matter? All the new friends we’ve made this week, hell, all we’ve experienced over the last few years…. I feel - I feel more ‘girl’ than ‘T-girl’, if that makes sense?”

“Perfect sense,” Stephanie replied. “I feel the same way, even if I haven’t had SRS.”

“Ooh, has - has Jenna...“ Nikki asked cautiously.

“Don’t know, didn’t ask,” Stephanie said. “Didn’t even think about that, if I’m honest. Guess that doesn’t matter either, heh.”

“Can’t argue with that,” Nikki said with a sympathetic smile. “So- so where do you think she is now?”

“Ugh, no idea, that’s why I was asking you,” Stephanie sighed. “Maybe with her cousin?”

“I haven’t got contact details for any of the Californiangels either,” Nikki sighed. “Ironically, if I needed to get in touch with one of them, I’d seek out Jenna, but as I haven’t got her on Facebook yet either, well, yeah. Ooh, but I know who might have some contact details- Jamie.”

“Right,” Stephanie said. “Where’s she right now?”

“Ah - out to dinner with some of the other Angels,” Nikki replied with a tired sigh.

“Oh - hey Steph!” Alexa said, interrupting the conversation as she approached. “Nikki, the film’s about to start, thought you’d want to know.”

“Thanks, I’ll be there in a bit,” Nikki replied with a grin. “We’re watching La La Land, heh. Felt it was appropriate given what city we’re in!”

“Yeah, Kayla loves that film,” Stephanie said with a sigh. “Alexa, do you, umm, do you have Jenna’s contact details by any chance?”

“Yeah, I got her number,” Alexa replied, earning a confused look from Nikki. “We swapped numbers while we were in the bathroom at the airport, why do you need it, weren’t you two just in the lobby?”

“There - there’s been a bit of a development,” Nikki said. “Turns out the three of us have more in common with Jenna than we thought.”

“Wh- wait, what?” Alexa said, her jaw dropping. “Really?”

“That’s what she said,” Stephanie replied. “Right before running off to god knows where. It’s like she told me, then just freaked out, and now - now I’m kinda worried.”

“Just a sec,” Alexa said, dashing back into the hotel room and emerging seconds later with her phone already pressed to her face. “It’s ringing. Hi, Jenna? It’s Alexa here, I’ve got Steph and Nikki with me, they’re kinda...“ Alexa paused, and bit her lip as she listened to her phone. “Jenna - Jenna, please, we’re concerned, and we...“ Alexa paused again and began to fidget, her knees gently trembling. “Just - just we know where you are. Please.” Alexa blinked back tears as she nodded and made a mental note of what she was told. “Okay. We’ll see you in a bit.” Alexa ended the call and took a deep breath, before grunting and stumbling forward only to be caught by her two British friends.

“Easy, easy,” Nikki said softly. “You did well, that is NOT a call I’d like to have made."

“Where is she?” Stephanie gently asked.

“In her room,” Alexa replied, taking several deep breaths to compose herself. “She sounded - she sounded like a mess, all panicky…”

“What number room is she in?” Nikki asked.

“622,” Alexa replied. “I - I’m, umm… I want to go too. I’ll let Jenny, Sarah and the others know we might be a minute.”

“Are you sure?” Nikki asked softly.

“I’m sure,” Alexa said, before letting out a quiet chuckle. “I mean, all the help you’ve given me, it’s the least I can do, right?”

“Only if you’re sure,” Nikki said, before grinning as her American counterpart nodded. “Alright then!”

“I’ll get the elevator,” Stephanie said as Alexa returned to their hotel room, only to emerge seconds later with a wide grin on her face.

“Everyone okay?” Nikki asked.

“Better than okay,” Alexa giggled. “I said that something came up and we’d be a few minutes, and everyone in there volunteered to come with us. Though I thought that Jenna might not want an entire army comforting her.”

“They’re all that concerned about her?” Nikki asked.

“Nope, didn’t mention Jenna by name,” Alexa said with a proud grin. “Just said that WE needed to do something, and everyone jumped up to help.” Nikki sighed happily as she wiped a solitary tear from her eye.

“We have the best family ever,” Nikki giggled as she and her two friends, or as she considered them, her sisters entered the elevator.

A short while later, the trio were standing outside room 622, where Stephanie took the lead and gently knocked on her new friend’s door.

“Hello?” Stephanie asked. “Jenna, are you there?”

“I - I’m here,” Jenna said in a tiny, emotional voice as she unlocked the door and allowed her friends in. “I’m sure you’ve got, like, a MILLION questions…”

“Just one,” Stephanie whispered. “Are - are you okay?” The three guests in the room all sighed softly as Jenna tearfully shook her head.

“Come on, sit down, take a deep breath,” Nikki said softly as she escorted Jenna back to her bed.

“Would you like something to drink?” Stephanie asked as she made her way to the room’s Keurig machine. “Umm… Alexa? Can you give me a hand with this thing?”

“I’m okay, thanks,” Jenna whispered.

“Do you mind if we have something?” Stephanie asked, smiling as Jenna shook her head. “I’ve got to admit, I - I was surprised when you told me what you told me. Not - not shocked, I mean, just - you know, surprised, it was kinda unexpected…”

“And we definitely mean that as a compliment,” Nikki said, giving her newest friend’s hand a gentle squeeze.

“Honestly, none of us would’ve guessed,” Alexa said softly.

“Thanks,” Jenna said with a tired chuckle. “I - I’m guessing you want the whole story, then?”

“Only if you want to tell it,” Nikki replied.

"I do," Jenna said, before taking a deep breath to compose herself.

The three guests sat and listened intently as Jenna described her early life - how her parents had rarely been around, how she'd been raised mostly by aunts and uncles and how they had been the only ones to support her when she had come out, and how she'd struggled to afford HRT until she began working for her cousin. After Jenna was finished explaining her story, Nikki asked a question that had been burning in the back of her mind.

“Do the other Californiangels know?” Nikki asked. “I mean, I’m guessing your cousin does, right?”

“They all know,” Jenna said. “But that’s as far as it goes, the public doesn’t know that their PA used to be a boy, god knows what they’d think if they did.”

“They’d wonder why you weren’t an Angel too?” Nikki asked, frowning as Jenna scoffed. “I’m serious, Jenna.”

“They’re all beautiful, successful, popular women,” Jenna retorted.

“As are you,” Stephanie said softly. “All four of those things.”

“I’m not a model, though,” Jenna protested.

“Neither was Viks when she joined the Angels,” Nikki retorted.

“And I’m only twenty,” Jenna said.

“So’s Abbey-Gayle,” Stephanie said. “Jenna, do - I mean, would you want to be an Angel?”

“…More than anything,” Jenna confessed with a sad sigh.

“Then why don’t you ask to join them?” Alexa asked.

“Because the Californiangels is a group of EIGHT women,” Jenna replied. “Because they’ve made all the promotional material, the merchandise…”

“All of that stuff can be replaced very cheaply,” Nikki assured her friend. “Besides, your bosses would love an excuse to pump out more merchandise.”

“Most of the stuff that was made when Out of Heaven had five members are now collector’s items,” Stephanie said.

“…But would I be accepted?” Jenna asked in a quiet, timid voice.

“You’re friends with all the Californiangels, aren’t you?” Nikki asked.

“Oh - I’m not worried about THEM,” Jenna said. “I mean - I mean, you know…”

“You’re worried the American public isn’t ready for a transgendered ‘Angel’?” Alexa asked. “Trust me when I say that WE are. More than ready, in fact.”

“You only regret the things that you DON’T do,” Stephanie said softly. “I think all four of us can speak from experience there.”

“Definitely,” Nikki and Alexa said simultaneously as they contemplated their lives - specifically, the rings on their left hands.

“…I’ll have a word with Christina tomorrow,” Jenna sighed. “But if they say no...“

“Then you’ll still be a beautiful, successful and popular woman,” Stephanie said. “You don’t need to be an Angel to be THAT.”

“Says the world-famous singer,” Nikki teased, giggling as Stephanie gave her a playful nudge. “She’s right, though.”

“Th- thanks,” Jenna said softly. “And - and I’m sorry for taking you away from...“

“Don’t apologise, seriously!” Nikki giggled. “That’s what friends - no, that’s what SISTERS are for.”

“Thanks,” Jenna whispered. "You guys are the REAL angels, heh!"

"Well - I won't argue," Nikki said with a proud giggle.

"Me either," Alexa said. "I mean, you don't need to be from Britain to be an Angel anymore, do you?"

"Hmm... Nope!" Jenna said with a quiet giggle.

“Are - are you going to be okay by yourself this evening?” Stephanie asked, before shaking her head. “Actually, scratch that, the rest of the girlies are going to watch La-La Land.”

“And there’s always room for one more,” Alexa said.

“…Sounds great,” Jenna said, giggling happily as her new friends escorted her out of her room and toward where the rest of their friends were gathered.

“You took your time,” Jenny teased her wife as she and her friends re-entered the room. “Is everything okay?” Alexa smiled as she stared back at her three friends, all of whom had happy smiles on their faces.

“…Yeah,” Alexa said. “I think everything’s going to be okay.”

“We invited Steph and Jenna to watch the film with us,” Nikki explained. “Guessing that’s not a problem?”

“Well that depends on one thing,” Sarah said. “Can you have too many friends?”

“No!” Everyone in the room cheered simultaneously.

After watching the film (and an ill-advised attempt by a tipsy Nikki, Sarah, Alexa and Jenny to recreate some of the dance sequences), the young women each decided to get an early night, eager to hit the ground running for what would be the busiest day of the entire trip.

Despite their sore heads, Nikki and Sarah woke up at 7:30am, and despite their overwhelming urge to remain in bed with each other, they immediately got up; and after showering and dressing for the day in short but smart dresses light-coloured tights, they headed down to breakfast in the hotel restaurant. As they sat down to eat, Nikki smiled with relief when she saw that Jenna was sitting with several of the other Californiangels, and, dressed in her clingy top and designer black skirt, she would never have guessed that Jenna wasn’t a member of the group - or indeed that she had ever been anything other than 100% female. The smile that Jenna flashed Nikki as she passed by was also reassurance for Nikki that everything was going to be okay.

“Think she’ll be okay?” Sarah asked quietly as she and her wife picked at their meals.

“Yeah,” Nikki replied with a grin.

“Think she’ll ever be an Angel?” Sarah asked in an even quieter voice, which made her wife pause to think.

“…I hope so,” Nikki replied. “Even if she isn’t, she’ll be alright.”

“Well, we’ll find out in July, at least,” Sarah said, prompting a confused look. “At AngelCon 2019? In London?”

“Assuming this year’s AngelCon is a success,” Nikki retorted.

“I’ve got a feeling it might just be,” Sarah said with a smug grin.

Sarah’s suspicions were proved correct a short while later when the taxi ferrying herself, Nikki, Hendo and Jacinta arrived at the venue to discover a crowd outside that put even the New York crowds to shame, both in terms of size and the noise that was being generated.

“…Wow,” Jacinta breathed.

“Tell me about it,” Nikki said as she stared at the excited crowds, among whom were many girls wearing t-shirts bearing the logo of the UK Angels.

“What a way to end the week, eh?” Hendo asked with a giggle. “Gonna be a bit of a downer when we get back to London…”

“Until AngelCon next year, anyway,” Sarah said. “Which I think we can say will DEFINITELY be going ahead, hehe!”

“Hell yeah!” The four women cheered as their taxi pulled into the venue, where many of their friends were already gathered.

"...Sounds like you did great," Jamie said softly, bringing a smile to Stephanie's face.

"I guess," the young singer sighed. "But, I - you know? I replay it in my mind, and..."

"Don't dwell on it too much," Jamie advised. "You did what you thought was best, and looking at Jenna now - I'd say you can be proud of yourself."

"Yeah, but..." Stephanie said, before sighing and blushing. "I - I wish you'd been there, you know? You're better at this sort of thing than I am..."

"Well, I can't be everywhere," Jamie chuckled. "Though it's good to know that even if I'm not, the job of 'guardian angel' is in good hands, heh!"

"Yeah," Stephanie said, before giggling and sighing as she and Jamie exchanged a gentle hug.

"If you weren't in Out of heaven," Jamie said, "you'd make a DAMN good Angel. But as it is, you definitely make an awesome friend."

"Thanks," Stephanie said with a happy, tired smile, which turned into an excited grin as she saw activity in the backstage area reach fever pitch. "Ooh, looks like it's almost showtime..."

"See you on the other side," Jamie said with a wink as she skipped over to the where the other Angels were standing, ready to go on stage.

Jamie allowed herself a moment to try to relax as she and the other Angels awaited their introduction to the LA crowds. Like Nikki, Stephanie and all of her friends, she had had a long, tiring week, made all the more exhausting by having to care for a young child as well. However, Jamie knew that she would come to look back on the tour with only fond memories. The places she’d seen, the fans she’d met and the friends she’d made would hold a special place in her heart for the rest of her life. And as she looked around her at the numerous other Angels from around the world, she knew that wherever she went, she'd always be surrounded by friends.

“I think it’s showtime!” Krystie giggled to her friends as the noise in the auditorium reached fever pitch and a familiar large-framed man walked out onto the stage. Jamie took a moment to adjust her form-fitting designer dress, before smiling as that familiar large-framed man strode out onto the stage.

“Hello Los Angeles!” The always ebullient voice of James Corden reverberated through the auditorium, drowned out only by the noise of the crowd.

Jamie found herself only partially paying attention to the famous MC's introduction, before the familiar strains of 'Angels' by Robbie Williams filled the arena and she and her nine colleagues strode out onto the stage.

“What’s up, LA?” Jamie yelled into her microphone, whipping the crowd into an even greater frenzy. Jamie didn't doubt that many of the crowd knew the 'truth' about her, but if they did, they certainly didn't seem to care, which made Jamie all the happier to be in front of them. Jamie also knew the same was true for all of the other transgendered Angels as the other international groups were introduced to the LA crowd.

“And now,” James announced into his microphone, “give it up for LA’s very own: The Californiangels!”

Jamie stood back and grinned as the eight young women walked into centre stage and soaked up the adoration from their fans. Jamie didn’t mind playing second fiddle on this occasion, and neither did any of the other Angels - after all, the Californiangels were their friends, and Jamie was happy for them to have their time in the spotlight. Besides, in eight months’ time it would be time for the second AngelCon from London, when Jamie, Charlotte and the other Angels WOULD take centre stage.

However, Jamie still couldn’t get out of mind the niggling thought that there were still no transgendered Angels in the US…

“Alright!” James cheered as he retook the stage and stood among the Californiangels. “Come on, gather round, gather round. So, how does it feel to officially be Angels!”

“It feels amazing!” Nikita, one of the Californiangels, replied.

“Being here, on stage, with so many amazing women is just incredible,” Christina enthused. “We really have been made to feel like we’re part of the family.”

“And so are all of you!” Nikita yelled, earning loud cheers from the crowd.

“We’ve got a short clip from the premiere of your show,” James announced. “After that, think you can stick around and answer a few questions?”

“I think we can, yep!” Nikita replied with a giggle as the auditorium lights dimmed and a TV clip played on the big screen.

After the clip played, the eight Californiangels were given comfortable chairs to sit in and answer questions, while Jamie and the other international Angels retreated to the backstage area to watch. Jamie found her attention wandering as questions were asked about the Californiangels’ lives, their relationships, fashion choices, likes and dislikes, but her attention was brought straight back when the one question she was anticipating was asked.

“A lot of the other Angels from around the world have transgendered girls in them,” the audience member asked. “A lot of fans were disappointed when neither the New York nor California Angels had trans girls in them. Was this a deliberate choice?”

“Not at all,” Christina immediately replied. “We were chosen to be part of the group as we’ve all worked with at least two other girls from the group in the past, so we all know each other. But that doesn’t mean that this group is fixed, never gonna change - the English girls added new members a few years ago, and we’ll probably do the same in the future. Maybe the next girl we add to the group will be transgendered - after all, there’s absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t.” The applause that reverberated through the arena brought a smile to Jamie’s face, but it was the knowing look on Christina’s face that made Nikki grin- a grin that was reflected on Jenna’s face, who knew exactly what her cousin was implying.

After the Q&A session ended, Jamie and the rest of the Angels were escorted back to the arena concourse, where they spent the rest of the day meeting their fans, signing autographs, taking selfies and answering the fans’ many questions. Unlike in New York, Jamie didn’t return to the stage to answer any questions, but she didn’t mind - interacting with the fans one to one was just as satisfying for Jamie, especially the fans who told her how inspired they'd been by her. Jamie didn't ask what any of the fans had meant by that, but she didn't need to. All she needed to know was that there were girls out there who she had helped, and that there were still many more who she could help.

The arena was buzzing for the rest of the afternoon as thousands of fans lined up for autographs and selfies, as well as at the many merchandise stands and the other attractions that had been laid on, including karaoke machines, costume competitions and much more.

As the day drew to an end and the crowds began to thin, all the people in the arena - fans, Angels and PAs alike - returned to the auditorium where the MC had once again taken to the stage.

“Has everyone had a great time?” James yelled to the crowd, who all replied with excited, albeit tired cheers. “Before we go we’ve got one last treat for you all! Singing a song I’m sure you all know, give it up for Out of Heaven!” The crowd applauded as Stephanie, Becca and Adeola took to the stage, microphones in hand.

"Hello Los Angeles!" Becca yelled to the delight of the crowd. "We want you ALL singing along to this one."

"'Cause as far as we're concerned," Adeola said, "you're ALL our friends."

"When you're down and troubled,
And you need a helping hand,
And nothing, nothing is going right,
Close your eyes and think of me,
And soon I will be there,
To brighten up even your darkest night.

You just call out my name,
And you know wherever I am,
I'll come running, oh yeah baby, to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer or fall,
All you've got to do is call,
And I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah,
You've got a friend..."

As the song reached its climax and the crowd screamed, Stephanie couldn’t help but feel mixed emotions, even as she exchanged a hug with her bandmates. On the one hand, she’d just sung in front of a massive crowd in one of the biggest cities in the world, but on the other hand, Kayla wasn’t there to share it with her. Stephanie knew just how much of a kick Kayla would’ve got out of singing in front of such a huge crowd

As the venue slowly emptied, Jamie, Nikki and Stephanie found themselves sitting together, watching with melancholy looks as the venue staff stripped the decorations away.

“Kinda feel, you know, deflated now,” Nikki mused as she slumped back in her chair. “We’ve been planning for this for so long, and now that it’s over, you know?”

“Oh - definitely,” Jamie said. “Jonathan and Joshua are really happy, they say our profile’s, like, exploded in America, but - dunno.”

“I know what you mean,” Stephanie said. “I mean, singing on stage in Hollywood should be a highlight of my career, but now that I’ve done it - you know?”

“Yeah,” Jamie sighed. “And - I guess, I - I just hope we’ve done some good. Like, we’ve accomplished something other than just making money, or fame, that we’ve been able to help someone, you know?”

“I think we can say ‘mission accomplished’ there,” Nikki giggled as she watched Jenna walk past, deep in conversation with her cousin. “I reckon both groups of American Angels are going to work out fine. Both official groups, anyway - the unofficial American Angels have of course been doing great for years!”

“Speaking of, where are Jexy?” Stephanie asked.

“Heading back to the hotel,” Nikki replied. “They’ve decided - or rather, Alexa decided and Jenny agreed - to spend a day at Disneyland tomorrow. Kinda wish I was going with them, heh. But, you know, duty calls.”

“Especially now that someone’s received the promotion they deserve!” Stephanie teased, making her young friend giggle and blush.

“Seriously,” Jamie concurred. “This tour wouldn’t have been nearly as successful without the work you put in. Both of you.”

“If you can call being adored by thousands of fans ‘work’!” Stephanie giggled. “Ahh… Though I guess it would’ve been if we’d gone to any of the, you know, bible belt states?”

“Well - you can only educate people one at a time,” Jamie said. “And god - heh, irony - knows there are millions of Brits who could use a better education. The real ‘work’, heh.”

“Well, we’re leaving America in capable hands, at least,” Nikki chuckled. “At least the next two, France and Holland, will be less than eight time zones away!”

“I’m already looking forward to it!” Jamie giggled. “But I’m looking forward to getting home first. Can’t wait to sleep in my own bed, heh.”

“Same here,” Stephanie sighed. “But we are totally coming back to America, aren’t we?”

“Oh, hell yes!” Jamie cheered, before leading her friends to a nearby refreshments table and grabbing three drinks. “I think this calls for a toast - to the United States of America - the perfect host for the last week, and home to millions of new friends!”

“The USA!” Nikki and Stephanie both cheered with wide grins on their faces.

All of the many men and women who flew home the following day were exhausted following their long week, and looking forward to returning to their London homes, but all of them found that a part of them longed to be back on the western side of the Atlantic Ocean in the nation that was their home for a week. They’d worked hard, entertained their fans, raised their public profile and even, in a limited way, raised awareness of the struggles many girls and boys go through on a daily basis, simply because their bodies don’t match their true selves.

But what the men and women thought most about were the many friends, old and new, that they’d met during their trip. Friends who would always hold a special place in their hearts, no matter how many miles separated them, because of the one simple truth - you can never have too many friends.