Melinda and Jenny have a fling during Melinda's temporary job as a lifeguard. Jenny finds herself falling for Melinda. But Melinda's time is up, and Mitch has to go back to his life. What is Jenny going to do?

This is a new, never-before published Bikini Beach story. Enjoy.

Author's note: This story takes place after "The Sub", but before "Cousin Trouble". It is strongly suggested that you read "Bikini Beach: The Sub" first.

This story and the Bikini Beach characters and universe are copyrighted by the author, all rights reserved.
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The old woman rose and shook his hand. "I think you're going to enjoy your time with us," she said with a smile. She reached down to her desk and picked up a card and handed it to Mitch. "Now, please swipe this through the employees' gate and get changed so I can get the park open."

As Melinda came out of the shower, she nearly ran over Jenny. "Hi," she said, laughing at Jenny's open-mouth stare of astonishment.

"Uh," Jenny stammered, uneasiness in her voice, "I didn't expect to see you here."

Melinda smiled. "The boss needed a sub for a few more days. I happened to be free." She shrugged. "It works out for everyone."

"How long are you going to be ..."

Melinda grinned. "Like this?" She laughed. "A couple of weeks."

Jenny gulped. "You _know_ that after the club, this is going to be kind of ... awkward," she said uncertainly.

Melinda turned down the path toward the lifeguard shack. "I've got to get to work." She glanced over her shoulder at Jenny. "And I don't think it'll be too awkward."

Jenny frowned. "Yeah, but you're not the one who's going to have to control yourself."

Melinda laughed. "Well, maybe you can think of it as a challenge. Can you seduce the new girl before she changes back?" She saw Jenny's mouth drop open in astonishment, and she could practically hear the thoughts running through Jenny's mind. Melinda thought that if Jenny and she _did_ hook up, it would be a very unique experience. And Jenny was _damned_ cute!

This story is copyright by the author. It is protected by licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Jenny watched Melinda walk away. Melinda was swinging her hips in an exaggerated but still alluring way. In her one-piece lifeguard swimsuit, Melinda looked quite attractive as she sashayed away. Her shoulder-length brown hair swayed in time with her hips. Once she got wet, her hair would hang straight, but, for now, her lightly curled hair was as alluring as the curves of her shapely bottom. For some reason, Jenny felt wobbly in her knees. She was so distracted watching Melinda that she didn't notice the boss coming up beside her.

"Jenny!" the old woman repeated, a bit louder

Jenny snapped out of her reverie and spun toward the interruption. "What? Uh, oh, hey, boss."

Her long red ponytail swung about her shoulders. She was easily as attractive as Melinda, but in a different way. With her grease-spotted pink Bikini Beach T-shirt and her tan shorts, she looked like a model that had been doing mechanic's work. In truth, that's what she was — a very attractive young lady who _also_ happened to be the chief mechanic and handy-person that kept Bikini Beach running.

The old woman glanced down the path just in time to see Melinda rounding a corner and disappearing from view. "Hmmph," the old woman snorted. She turned back to Jenny. "I need you to talk with Greg in the office. He's still working on the plans for the expansion, and I want _your_ input in those plans to make them right."

"Okay," Jenny replied. She didn't sound enthusiastic as she turned to the office building.

"Jenny," the old woman interrupted again.

"Yes?"

"Don't drool. It's not lady-like."

Jenny's jaw dropped for a moment, leaving her looking stunned, before she could regain her composure. She let her gaze drop from embarrassment. "Was it _that_ obvious?" she asked meekly.

The old woman nodded. "Yes." She saw the concern on Jenny's face. "Let's sit down for a moment." Without waiting for a response, she walked to one of the tables in an unoccupied corner of the entrance plaza. She knew Jenny would follow, if for no other reason than loyalty. She suspected, however, that Jenny's curiosity would be an even stronger motivator.

"You're really attracted to Melinda, aren't you?" the old woman asked after the two were seated.

Jenny blushed and dropped her gaze. "Yeah," she answered softly. When the boss said nothing, she looked up suddenly. "How did you know?"

The old woman laughed. "Dear, when I saw you with Melinda at the Palm Club, I knew you were attracted to her."

Jenny nodded. "I was trying to hide my attraction to her."

The old woman shook her head as she chuckled. "It didn't work. You were a little _too_ convincing when you rescued Melinda. I could tell you weren't just acting, even though you insisted that you were."

Jenny looked down again, feeling embarrassed. "I was just ..."

"... trying to help Melinda. The problem is, you were way too eager to go help her, and then you protested a little too loudly about your innocence." The old woman laughed. "_And_ you were much too eager to take Melinda home after she got drunk."

Jenny looked back up suddenly. "I swear, I behaved myself!" she said quickly and defensively.

The old woman chuckled. "I didn't say otherwise."

"I promised to behave myself, and I did," Jenny insisted.

"I don't doubt you, dear." She laid her hands atop Jenny's in a gentle, reaffirming way. "I understand if you're confused, that you find women more attractive. After all, you spent more than fifty years questioning your sexuality, wondering if you were perhaps gay. Fifty years of not being as attracted to women as your friends were, or the male stereotype demanded. You may not have ever admitted it, even to yourself. I'm guessing that you really _were_ gay, so I’m not surprised that you’re a lesbian. It took changing in to Jenny for you to realize that you _do_ have same-sex attractions, no matter how much you try to hide it."

Jenny looked into the old woman's eyes, and found them full of sympathy for her. "I ... was afraid that you wouldn't understand," she admitted.

"All I want to tell you, though, is to be careful." She patted Jenny's hand again. "Melinda is only working here as a temp. She only has a two week pass." She shook her head sadly. "I don't want you to get hurt."

Jenny took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly as she gazed toward the false volcano in the park. "I know." She sighed. "I wish I knew what to do."

"Normally, I'd say to follow your heart, dear," the old woman said gently. "But this time, my advice is to be careful."

**********

Melinda had just eased herself down onto the sofa in the break hut, cold soda in hand, when the door opened.

Jenny didn't walk directly in, but rather, and curiously, paused in the doorway to look around. Her face brightened when she saw Melinda resting. "I thought it was your break time," she said cheerfully.

"Yeah. I had to pull a long shift at the wave pool, because Tiffany got sick." Melinda took a sip of soda, relishing the cool liquid in her mouth and throat.

"I heard. I hope she's okay."

Melinda laughed. "Dr. Chastity said it looks like minor food poisoning, so she should be back tomorrow or the next day."

"That's good to hear. Since it's about lunchtime, do you want to go over to the Tiki Hut and grab a bite?" Jenny's words sounded like a hesitant invitation.

Melinda stood, careful not to spill her soda. "Sounds like a great idea. I started this morning. Liz is a real stickler for checking safety equipment and reviewing procedures before the park opens. It's been a long morning."

As they walked out of the building, Jenny said, "My treat?"

Melinda laughed. "Since staff lunches are free, you're making me sound like a cheap date!"

Jenny didn't know whether to blush from embarrassment from the suggestion that she was looking for a "cheap date," or from the suggestion that their lunch was any sort of a date. "Well, …" she began.

Melinda laughed as she put her hand on Jenny's. "I was joking," she said quickly.

Since it was past one-thirty, the dining area wasn't very crowded. Jenny ordered a small burger, while Melinda got a salad.

"What did you do before you started here?" Jenny asked as they sat.

Melinda shrugged as she took the plastic lid off her salad bowl. "For the last two summers, I worked in construction."

"Residential?"

Melinda laughed. "You wouldn't know it to look at me now, but it was heavy equipment. Last year, I drove a Cat. This year, though, there isn't much work, so …"

Jenny's eyes widened. "You drove a Cat?" She smiled. "You're right — I wouldn't have believed it."

"Well," Melinda added, "back when I was …"

"Hush," Jenny interrupted, looking around quickly to see if anyone was nearby. When she spied no-one, she turned back to Melinda. "We don't talk about … you know … when we're in the public parts of the park. Most of the guests have no idea just how _magical_ this place really is."

"Oh."

Jenny reached across the table and lightly touched Melinda's arm to reassure her. "You didn't know," she said. "No harm done."

"I'll … remember that."

Jenny realized that she'd interrupted their conversation. "So, what other interests do you have?"

Melinda swallowed a bite of salad. "I spent one summer, in the evenings and weekends, working with some some friends of mine on an oval, dirt-track stock car." She grinned. "That was a lot of fun."

Jenny seemed startled, but then she started smiling. "No kidding? I did that, too, back home when I was on the farm. Do you work on your own car, too?"

Melinda laughed. "Some. I rebuilt the engine, and put in a better camshaft. I put a tuning chip in the engine computer, too. I got about fifty-five more horses out of the engine, so it has a lot better acceleration." She saw the astonishment on Jenny's face. "Yeah, you could say I like to work on cars." She took another bite of salad.

Before Jenny could reply, Liz called out. "Melinda? I need you to take over at the Junior Lifeguard Academy."

Melinda frowned. "I just started my break," she complained.

Liz shrugged as she drew closer. "Holly had to leave to go to her lifeguard class, and with Tiffany out, we're a little short."

Melinda swallowed and took another quick bite of her lunch. "Sorry, Jenny," she apologized. "Duty calls."

Jenny smiled. "That's the way it works around here. But it was nice to spend a _little_ time talking. Maybe you'll come to the club tonight with a few of the girls?"

Melinda tossed the remains of her lunch in the trash can. "Yeah," she said with a grin. "That sounds like fun." She turned and strode quickly away.

Jenny sighed, then she gave Liz a look of displeasure.

"What?" Liz asked, not quite understanding Jenny's glare.

"You _had_ to interrupt, didn't you?"

Liz winced, but then she smiled. "Oh, that!" She laughed as she sat down with Jenny. "I wanted to talk with you about Melinda."

"Oh?"

Liz's expression turned to one of concern. "I'm a little worried about you and her."

"In what way?" Jenny seemed a little defensive.

"That you're falling for her," Liz said slowly. "That you're going to get hurt." Liz shook her head. "You're my friend, and I can't help worrying about you. She _is_ a temp here, you know."

Jenny frowned. "I know," she retorted, this time quite defensively. "And I'm not going to get hurt."

**********

"So why isn't Greg here?" Liz prodded. "Or, more accurately, since it's girls' night, why isn't _Gwen_ here?"

Anya frowned. Even with a look of displeasure on her face, she was very attractive, with her pretty features framed by her long, brown hair. "He's getting summer credit for his work on the park, and he's got a deadline with his professor on Monday." She sighed. "It's going to be a lonely weekend."

"Too bad," Jenny observed.

"You're darn right, it's too bad." Anya sighed again. "We were going to go out for dinner and dancing tomorrow night. Now _I've_ got to make other plans."

"Dancing — that sounds nice," Liz observed. "I used to _love_ dancing. Not this crazy hopping around stuff, but nice, slow partner dancing." She had a wistful look in her eyes.

"Were you planning to dance with Greg, or with Gwen?" Jenny teased.

Anya tossed an ice cube at her. "As Greg," she replied tersely. "I prefer him that way."

"Greg … changes into … Gwen?" Melinda asked uneasily.

"Yeah. You could say that Gwen is his female alter ego." Jenny laughed. "It's real handy when he wants to spend time with Anya, but we'd already made girls' plans. Sometimes, he can be _really_ hot!" She winked at Liz and Melinda.

Anya nodded. "But sometimes, he puts a damper on things, even when he's Gwen." She shrugged. "I guess there are things we girls talk about that he just doesn't understand."

"You haven't met Gwen yet, have you?" Liz prompted.

"No," Melinda said uncertainly. "From your grins, I take it there's something you haven't told me?"

Jenny giggled. "Depends on which version of Gwen you meet. Sometimes, Greg gets a little … carried away." She held her hands up far in front of her chest to demonstrate.

Anya scowled at Jenny. "He hasn't done that for … a long time." She looked at Melinda. "He usually just turns into what he would be if he'd been born a girl."

Melinda shook her head. "I don't know how you can talk about this like you're discussing the weather! It's all so … I don't know. Strange!"

Jenny wasn't going to quit teasing Anya about Greg. "When he overdoes it," she continued, "we have to deal with a load of guys hanging around who want to stare into Gwen's cleavage!" She grinned as she finished her glass of wine.

"You're okay with that? With him changing into a girl?" Melinda was dumbfounded.

Anya shrugged, as if it were nothing. "As long as he doesn't get too obsessed or carried away," she paused, a small shiver causing her to tremble, "it's okay." She realized that Melinda was staring at her. "Besides, it gives him a chance to try life on the other side, if you know what I mean." She winked at Liz and Jenny. "He wouldn't be the first to wonder, if you get my drift."

“And curiosity isn't confined to guys." She smiled as Melinda's jaw dropped.

Liz glanced at her watch. "It's getting late, and I've got an early start tomorrow. I think I better be heading home."

Anya nodded. "Yeah. I know what you mean." She looked at Jenny. "Are you okay to drive?" she asked.

Jenny nodded. "I'll be okay. I've only had two glasses of wine."

"But you're probably at or over the new, low alcohol limit, so if you get stopped …." Liz added.

Jenny nodded. "Yeah, that's what I was thinking, too. But I hate to leave the truck here and take a cab home."

Melinda glanced at Liz and Anya. "Since I rode down here with Liz," she offered, "I could drive Jenny back to the condos. It's only a couple hundred yards from there to my car."

Jenny's eyes lit up. "Yeah, that'd work!" she said enthusiastically.

Anya shot a disapproving frown toward Jenny.

Jenny either didn't see, or didn't care to reply. "Here are my keys," she said lightly to Melinda.

"See you tomorrow," Liz said, sounding not very enthusiastic, as Jenny left with Melinda. She guessed that Jenny wanted to hold on to Melinda's arm, or hold hands with her. As the pair stepped through the door, Liz turned to Anya. "I'm worried about her," she said simply.

Anya nodded. She grabbed her purse and started walking, with Liz beside her. "Yeah," she agreed. "So am I."

"Jenny's going to get hurt, isn't she?"

Anya laughed. "Are you asking if I can 'see' that, or if I think that's what's going to happen?"

Liz chuckled, but not convincingly. "I'm not sure I want to know what your 'sight' tells you about her."

Anya's expression became somber. "To tell you the truth, I've been afraid to use my 'sight' with her. I'm afraid of what I'll see." She paused. "Even if it _did_ work when love is involved."

**********

"Are you sure this is okay?" Melinda asked, worried. "I don't want you to get in trouble, and Anya didn't look too happy."

Jenny laughed. "It's okay. You heard them — it's safer for both of us this way. Besides, since you're an employee, you're covered by the park's insurance."

As the truck pulled into the street, Melinda sighed. "This isn't nearly as much fun to drive as my car. Still, it handles a _lot_ better than a dump truck!"

"I suppose you drove a dump truck, too?" Jenny said with a laugh. "Knowing what I've already learned about you, I'm not surprised. Is there anything _else_ you haven't told me? Amateur brain surgeon, maybe? Or an international spy?"

Melinda grinned. "If I _was_ a spy, and I told you..."

"You'd have to kill me," Jenny finished. "Somehow, I don't think you could bring yourself to do that. You don't have that look in your eyes."

Melinda frowned. "What ... look ... do I have?"

"The look of someone who's playing hard-to-get, even though she's wildly attracted to the object of her desire," Jenny said, as she stared longingly at Melinda.

Melinda gulped; this wasn't quite going where she'd intended. "So do _you_ work on cars?"

Jenny sighed. Melinda _was_ playing hard to get. "I used to. Newer cars aren't nearly as much fun to work on as older cars — cars from before everything was run by a computer."

A look of bewilderment crossed Melinda's face. "You make it sound like you worked on cars practically back when they were invented!" She tried to laugh. Inwardly, she wasn't sure that she wanted to understand what Jenny was implying.

Jenny shrugged. "There's a lot about me that you don't know. I hope, though, that you'd like to get to know more about me, just like I'd like to know more about you."

Melinda pretended not to hear Jenny's blatant invitation to romance. "What _have_ you worked on?"

Jenny sighed again. This girl was a challenge, she decided. "I used to have a '66 Pontiac GTO convertible. I dropped in a Chevy 396 engine." She got a nostalgic look in her eyes. "That thing was fast in a straight line, but it couldn't turn out of its own way!"

Melinda whistled. "Sounds like some kind of car."

Jenny laughed, a hollow sound. "Yeah. It was." She shook her head. "Now I drive a used pickup truck owned by my boss."

Melinda felt a little sorry for Jenny; she _knew_ what it was like for a "gearhead" to not have a car to work on. "Maybe on Sunday, you'd like to help me with my car?"

Jenny saw the opening. "Yeah," she answered quickly. "That would be fun. And maybe afterward, we can grab a bite to eat?"

Melinda pulled the truck in to the parking lot of the condo, and eased it into Jenny's covered parking spot. "I guess we're here." She sounded a little disappointed. She opened the door and began to climb out.

"You know," Jenny offered in a seductive voice, "it's a _long_ way up to my condo, and I really would like someone to make sure I don't get hurt."

Melinda laughed. "Or lonely? If you were drunk, I'd _have_ to take you home to make sure you made it."

"So you could take advantage of me, maybe?" Jenny said playfully. She saw Melinda's startled, yet eager, look. "Maybe you can come up for some coffee and conversation?"

Melinda gave Jenny a quick kiss, which a very surprised Jenny tried to prolong. "If I didn't have to take my little sister to band camp at six in the morning," she said after she broke the kiss, "I'd be _very_ tempted." She turned toward the park, but paused and glanced over her shoulder. "Maybe some other time?"

Jenny smiled. "I'll hold you to that."

**********

"Do you have today off, too?" Melinda sounded a little eager as she spoke into her phone. She waited for an answer. "I don't know. I just thought that, maybe, we could go hang out."

"I've got to pick up some things at the mall for my mom, and I thought you'd like to come along to keep me company." Another pause. "I figured we could think of something to do."

"Great! I'll pick you up in front of your condo in about an hour." Melinda hung up the phone. She was humming happily to herself as she finished getting ready. She looked in her dresser drawer and pulled out a white pair of shorts. She looked at it, doubting herself for a moment. Would Jenny think that she was being suggestive? "Maybe I _want_ Jenny to think I'm being suggestive," she said to herself with a grin. She pulled on a tight light-blue polo shirt, pausing to admire how it clung to her curves, and then practically skipped into the bathroom.

At first, Melinda had been shocked by the prospect of wearing makeup. It was only after she'd learned that the park's magic had given her the skill to apply make-up, that she dared to wear it. After only a few days, it seemed perfectly natural.

As she strode lightly past the kitchen on her way out, she called out, "See you later, Mom. I'm going out."

"Where to?" her mother called back.

"I'm going to pick up your dress, and then I'm just going to hang out with some friends." As she opened the door, an idea occurred to her. She paused and ran back to her room. Quickly, she gathered up what she was looking for, and with it under her arm, she walked happily to her car.

It was only a short drive to the condos by the park. As she pulled up to the entrance, Jenny came out of the building. She stopped and whistled appreciatively at the car. While she climbed in, she said, "Very nice."

"Thanks. I try to keep it looking good."

Jenny grinned. "I was talking about the driver. You look stunning."

"Oh, pooh! It's just something that I found in a drawer."

"I'd like to see what you have in your closet, then!"

In ten minutes, they were at the mall. The shop where Melinda had to pick up her mom's dress was close to the entrance. While they were waiting for the sales clerk to get the altered dress, Melinda and Jenny started casually looking at the clothing.

Jenny held up a dress. "Oooh," she purred. "I bet this would be cute on you!"

Melinda blushed. "I doubt it."

In answer, Jenny held the dress in front of Melinda, and then turned her so she was facing a mirror.

Melinda gasped. Jenny was right — the dress was darling. For a moment, she could see herself in the dress, dancing in a ballroom or at a fancy cocktail party with the rich and powerful.

"I doubt I'd ever get a chance to wear it, though," Melinda said almost reluctantly.

The two girls looked through some tops for a bit before the clerk returned with the dress for Melinda's mom. After checking the garment, Melinda put the box it was in under her arm and headed for the door. "How about some lunch?" she suggested to Jenny. "It's almost noon."

Jenny seemed to be thinking about something. She suddenly frowned. “I ... I lost my cell phone." She glanced over her shoulder. "I'm going to run back to see if it slipped out in the store." She started back towards the store.

Melinda turned. "Okay, I’ll come with you."

"Uh, no!" Jenny protested weakly. "It'll just take a sec. Why don't you just wait here?"

Melinda didn't quite understand Jenny's protest, but she shrugged. "Okay." She sat down on a bench to wait.

In moments, Jenny was back. “Got it!" she said with a smile. "Must have slipped out when I set my purse down to look at the blouses."

"I'm glad you found it," Melinda said with a smile. "How about lunch at that new deli? I've heard great things about it."

Jenny smiled. "That sounds like a good idea."

Ten minutes later, the girls were sitting at a booth, relaxing as they ate their lunch. Jenny smiled. "This is nice. I don't get out of the park for lunch very often, you know."

Melinda laughed. “I've _never_ been outside the park at lunchtime, since I started working there. I think the closest sandwich shop is almost two miles away!"

Jenny nodded. "Ronnie's going to develop some of the land near the condos and the park. Everyone has asked her to put in a good lunch spot. Maybe a soup and salad kind of place!"

"That would be nice. I get kind of tired of eating at the Tiki Hut every day," Melinda chuckled. "And I've only been doing it for a week!" Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "That gives me an idea of what we can do this afternoon. Let's go to the park and play! As customers, not as employees!"

"What?" Jenny was baffled.

"Sure! I bet you've never been there to just play, have you?"

Jenny shook her head. "But ... we _work_ there!"

"Not today, we don't! I checked — the Boss lets employees visit as guests twice a month. I bet you've _never_ used that privilege, have you?"

"Well, no..." Jenny shook her head. "It sounds kind of silly."

"It'll be fun. Besides, you'll get to see me in a bikini!" Melinda tempted her.

She saw Jenny looking down at her sandwich, embarrassed. "Did I say something wrong?" she asked, suddenly confused.

Jenny shook her head again. "It's just that ... I don't _own_ any swimwear!" she admitted. In truth, Jenny seldom wore anything besides her shorts and a T-shirt. They were comfortable.

Melinda laughed. "That's okay. They have some bikinis in the shop inside the gate, and, if worse came to worst, we could go back to the mall and get you one!" She saw Jenny's resistance crumbling. "You'll be a knockout in a bikini," she added. "And remember, I'll be with you — in _my_ bikini!"

If Jenny had been nervous about wearing a bikini, the thought of spending the day with Melinda overcame that reluctance— at least for now. "I guess." Jenny tried to sound hesitant, but failed.

Melinda saw through her façade. "Come on," she encouraged. "We'll have a blast!"

The two girls disposed of the remains of their lunch and walked out to Melinda's car. To Jenny's bewilderment, Melinda approached the passenger door and began to climb in. "You drive," Melinda said, holding out her keys. She read the hesitance in Jenny's expression. "You said you like cars, and that you don't get to drive much besides the company pickup. So you drive!"

Jenny _was_ a good driver. She handled the manual transmission well, not abusing either the clutch or the transmission, but making solid, quick gear shifts. She didn't over-rev the engine either upshifting or downshifting, either. Melinda saw a gleam in Jenny's eyes as they pulled into the parking lot.

Jenny looked at Melinda as she shut off the key. “I like your car," she said. Then she grinned. "Thanks. I haven't done that in … years."

Melinda took her swimsuit from the back seat, and with Jenny, walked to the employees' entrance. After swiping their passes, the two bypassed the women's locker and headed for the gift shop.

It was Melinda's turn to embarrass Jenny by holding up various bikinis to see what they'd look like on Jenny. The one Melinda liked best was actually an unusual one-piece, with two wide fabric strips sweeping up from the hips, over the breasts, and tying around the neck like a conventional bikini. It would leave Jenny exposed from the navel up between her breasts like a super-deep V-neckline, but it had little more modesty than a thong bikini. It was Kelly-green with silver accents; with Jenny's red hair, it could contribute to an Irish look. Melinda grinned appreciatively.

"I don't know," Jenny wasn't too sure. "It's kind of … bold, isn't it?"

Melinda settled the issue by taking the swimsuit to the counter. "We'll take this one," she announced. She showed her employee badge. "Charge it on my account."

"I can't let you …" Jenny started to protest.

"Too late!" Melinda cut off her objections. "I'm not going to pass the opportunity to see you wearing this!"

Jenny felt conflicted; she wasn't about to turn down the offer of friendship and generosity from Melinda, but she didn't want to feel obligated, either. She wasn't about to turn down a chance to spend the day relaxing in the park with Melinda, either. She sighed. "Okay." When Melinda signed the receipt, she continued. "Let's go change."

As they stepped out of the changing room into the entrance plaza, Jenny felt exposed. That changed when Anya and Grandmother happened to come out of the office.

Anya did a double-take. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "Look at you, girl!"

Grandmother patted Melinda on the arm. "Good for you," she said happily. "I'm glad to see that _someone_ can get Jenny's nose out of her trade journals and manuals and make her spend a little time _relaxing_! Lord knows how often I've tried!"

Jenny pouted, a look made even more alluring by her swimsuit. "I'm not _that_ bad, am I?"

Anya laughed. "You make me think of Scotty from 'Star Trek'. He hated shore leave, and wanted to spend his time with his engines and his technical journals!"

The old woman smiled. "You two have fun." She and Anya walked past, continuing on their errand, but the old woman stopped and glanced over her shoulder. “Jenny?"

Jenny was startled by her turn. She immediately suspected a problem with _her_ precious machinery. "Yes?"

"Under no circumstances are you to even _think_ of touching the equipment! You're a guest here! Got it?"

"But, if …." Jenny started to protest.

"Under _no_ circumstances! Other people know the procedures to reset the pumps, if needed. Are we clear on that?"

Jenny pouted. "I guess."

"And Jenny?"

Jenny looked up again.

"Have fun." The old woman was smiling pleasantly.

Melinda took Jenny's hand and led her into the park. "Wild Rivers, or Tropical Paradise?"

Jenny winced. She'd obviously never considered the park from a customer's point of view. "Maybe the lagoon to start?"

Melinda laughed. "Maybe the wave pool to start!" she countered.

Contrary to her fears, Jenny had a blast body-surfing in the wave pool. She delighted in the slides on the volcano. When she tried the plunge, she screamed as she shot down the slide, and as she climbed out of the runout slide, Melinda was laughing. Jenny quickly realized that her breasts had popped out of her swimsuit. She stuck her tongue out at Melinda readjusted her suit, then she started laughing herself.

The two floated around the Old Man River, climbing out at one point, so they could carry their tubes to the new whitewater run that twisted and turned and splashed down to where it rejoined the main river. Jenny was starting to understand why some rides were more popular than others.

As the afternoon wore on, they tried just about every ride they could, laughing and giggling, and, on more than one occasion, holding hands, as they walked down the paths between rides. At the end of the day, they decided to hang out in the hammocks by the lagoon, just resting and enjoying the view of the sun setting slowly behind the volcano and palm trees. It _felt_ like paradise, and neither girl really wished the day to end.

When they walked out to Melinda's car, Jenny was both exhausted and happy. They walked arm in arm, and Jenny was leaning on Melinda’s shoulder contentedly. "Thank you," Jenny said as they stopped to open the car door. "I had a wonderful time."

"The day's not over," Melinda offered.

Jenny smiled. "You wore me out." She kissed Melinda quickly. "Thank you."

Melinda smiled happily. "It was my pleasure." She kissed Jenny. "How about we get a light dinner?"

Jenny smiled. "That sounds good." She climbed in the car, while Melinda held the door for her, and sat back in her seat. She was happy. She'd had one of the best days in as long as she could remember.

By the time they got to the seafood restaurant, Jenny was asleep. True, it had been a long day, and it was already after eight, but Melinda was still surprised at just how tired Jenny was. She decided to not wake Jenny, but instead got some salads at a drive-through restaurant and headed back to Jenny's condo. She helped her weary companion up to her condo, and then, when Jenny sat down and promptly fell asleep on the sofa, Melinda moved Jenny to a more comfortable position.

Melinda put Jenny's salad in the refrigerator, scribbled a note, and left it on the refrigerator door, where Jenny couldn't miss it. Smiling, she bent over the weary girl and gave her a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you," she said again. Then she let herself out, locking the door behind her as she left.

**********

"You have exquisite taste in restaurants," Melinda said as she gazed across the table toward Jenny. Melinda was a picture of beauty in the dress that Jenny had secretly bought for her, the one that Jenny had said would be attractive on Melinda when they'd spent part of the day before doing errands at the mall.

"And in dinner companions," Jenny added with a smile.

"I was going to say that," Melinda replied with a grin. "Actually, I think _I_ have the best dinner company." She picked up her glass. "And I like your taste in wine. Cheers." She raised it briefly as if toasting, and then took a sip.

Jenny smiled and sipped from her glass. "I'm just glad you accepted my invitation."

Melinda laughed gently. "It sounded more like you were asking me out on a date."

Jenny tried to act surprised, but she couldn't manage it. "Actually, I was," she confessed. She saw that Melinda's glass was nearly empty, so she lifted the bottle from the ice bucket and poured Melinda some more wine. "And it only took me three days to get up the nerve to ask, too!"

Melinda laughed again. "Are you trying to get me drunk?" she asked.

"Moi?"

"Because you might not have to," Melinda added quickly and softly.

"You're already a bit tipsy."

Melinda shook her head, smiling. "No, I'm not. Not unless I'm drunk on you." She paused, as if embarrassed by what she'd said, and glanced at their dinner plates. "You know," she commented, "we've hardly touched our meals."

Jenny continued to stare into Melinda's eyes. "All I'm hungry for right now is you."

Melinda returned the lustful gaze. "I thought you were sexy from the first moment I saw you," she said softly. "You make me feel ... warm inside." She saw Jenny's eyes widen. "And it's not the wine."

"Would you like to continue this conversation somewhere more ... private?" Jenny suggested.

Melinda felt her heart patter. "Oh, God, yes!" she answered enthusiastically. "I was beginning to think that _I_ was going to have to ask _you_."

**********

Anya and her grandmother watched as Jenny strolled casually toward her workshop. She had a happy smile, and was whistling a tune as she walked.

"I've never seen her this ... happy before," Anya commented.

The old woman nodded. "I know," she said. She sounded sad.

"You don't approve of her being happy?" Anya asked.

"I _love_ seeing her so happy. Everyone deserves happiness."

"Jenny and Melinda have been seeing a _lot_ of each other, haven't they?" Anya asked, but her question sounded more like a statement of fact.

The old woman nodded. "Practically every night this week."

"I'm worried about Jenny," Anya said bluntly.

The old woman nodded. "So am I."

"Are they falling in love?" Anya asked, and then she laughed. "You know that when love is involved, the 'sight' doesn't work very well!"

"I know," the old woman laughed. "That just means you need to work on it more." She sighed. "I'm afraid for Jenny. Melinda is temporary. In a few days, she goes back to being Mitch."

**********

Melinda hummed to herself as she walked down the path. Any of the park's patrons who saw her would think nothing of seeing a park lifeguard, in her red one-piece swimsuit, walking between the rides and pools.

Melinda, though, wasn't walking to another ride or pool. She stopped and opened a gate marked "Employees Only". Around a corner, unseen from the main paths, a low building squatted. Melinda smiled as she stepped to the door. Carefully, so as not to make any noise, she twisted the door handle and eased the door open a crack. Melinda smiled as she slipped through the door, closing it gently behind herself.

Across the room, a figure in a pink T-shirt and shorts was bent over a workbench. Her long red hair, tied back in a ponytail, swayed back and forth along the sweaty back of her T-shirt as she worked.

Melinda crept silently across the floor, and slid her arms around the figure as she leaned forward and began to kiss her lover’s neck.

"Mmmm," Jenny purred as she straightened and leaned back against Melinda, reveling in the attention she was receiving. "You know I'm supposed to be working."

Melinda nibbled on Jenny's ear. "Yeah. But I didn't want to waste a break."

Jenny pulled herself back and turned, slipping her arms around Melinda's neck. She kissed Melinda passionately. When the kiss ended, she leaned back, and laughed.

"I didn't think I was _that_ bad a kisser," Melinda feigned a pout.

Jenny shook her head, still chuckling. "You're great, but now you've got some of my 'makeup' on, too!" She wiped at the grease smudge on Melinda's cheek.

"I don't care," Melinda replied as she leaned forward and kissed Jenny again.

**********

Liz sat down across the break room from Melinda. "You know," she said lightly, "I'm going to miss you. You're a good life-guard."

Melinda blushed at the compliment. "Well, I'm just doing my job."

"I hope you'll oblige us for the customary 'going away' dinner tonight?"

Melinda smiled. "I have a ... previous engagement."

Liz laughed. "I thought that might be the case." She stood, walked to where Melinda sat, and offered her hand. After Melinda stood, Liz gave her a big hug. "You can work with me any time."

Melinda felt her eyes misting. "Thanks. I've loved it here. It's been a real treat to work with you all."

Liz dropped her arms. "Are you sure we can't convince you to stay?"

Melinda laughed. "Believe me, the thought _has_ crossed my mind."

Liz grinned. "Is it because of all of us at the park, or because of Jenny?"

Melinda dropped her gaze and bit her lip.

Liz nodded somberly. "That's what I thought. You know, I'm _very_ worried about Jenny. She's very much in love with you."

Melinda turned away. "I know," she said softly. "I know." She wiped her cheeks. "I'm afraid one of us is going to get hurt."

Liz put her hand on Melinda's shoulder. "Or both of you."

**********

"You haven't touched your dinner," Melinda observed. She sat across the table from Jenny, in a booth in what had become their favorite restaurant. They'd eaten there every night since their first date.

Jenny shook her head, lowering her eyes. "I ... don't feel much like eating." She turned and wiped her cheek. "I wish ... it wasn't ending like this," she sobbed.

When Jenny turned back toward her, Melinda saw that Jenny's tears were flowing freely. "I wanted to have a special night with you," she said softly. "Dinner, maybe dancing, and then ..."

Jenny shook her head. "I can't. It already hurts too much. One more night would just make it worse."

"I thought ..."

Jenny wiped her left cheek again. "No. I wouldn't want to let you leave, and when you change back ..."

Melinda dropped her gaze. "I ...."

Jenny looked at her, tears streaming down her cheeks. "This is goodbye, isn't it?"

Melinda paused, and then nodded slowly, her own eyes leaking tears.

In response, Jenny slipped around the table, sat down beside Melinda, and put her hands on Melinda's cheeks. She moved forward and kissed Melinda, long and passionately. There was something missing, though. Happiness was gone. Joy was absent. It _felt_ like a goodbye kiss.

"I ... love you," Jenny said through tears as she stood. "Goodbye." Her words were soft, but her intention was unmistakable and bore a sad finality. She turned and fled the restaurant, not even once looking behind her.

**********

Jenny drove to the park, and sat in the parking lot, staring at the gate for a long time. She let her tears roll off her cheeks, not even trying to stop them. Eventually, though, she drove the short distance to the condo building, to her parking spot.

As she walked into the building, she paused, as she normally did, to check her mail. She tossed the advertisements in the trash, and carried the remaining post to the elevator. As she rode the elevator up, she sorted through the envelopes. As expected, there were bills. But unexpectedly, she found a plain white envelope, with no return address, and its address hand-written.

When she got to her condo, she added the bills to a neat stack on her desk, and then she turned her attention to the plain envelope. She sat heavily in her chair, and slid her finger under the flap.

She started reading the letter, and she began sobbing anew, then crying aloud.

Dear Jenny,

I want you to know that this is the hardest letter I've ever written. You are very special to me. You're warm, and fun, and wonderful. You're so tender and loving. I wish this didn't have to end, but we both know that it has to. I have to resume my life as Mitch. I have a construction job, starting tomorrow.

I won't be coming back to the park. I can't bear to see you, because it would hurt me to know how much you mean to me, and that we can never be together. Even looking at your picture makes me cry. I also couldn't stand to see the pain in your eyes, knowing how much you will be hurting inside if we had to part again.

I wish you had never fallen in love with me. But I will _never_ be sorry for the time we had together. It was very special, and I will always cherish it, as I hope you will.

I'm sorry I hurt you. I love you.

Goodbye.

Melinda

Jenny let the letter fall to her lap as she began to cry. She continued crying long into the night.

**********

"You wanted to see me, Boss?" Jenny asked.

The old woman nodded. "We're having problems with the pump on the spillway slide again."

"I'll get right on it." Jenny didn't sound at all enthusiastic.

That’s number two on your list," the old woman added. "The wave pool has priority. Right now, it's a _calm_ pool, not a wave pool, and that's not what the customers expect. It always draws more customers than the spillway slide, anyway."

"Okay."

"Did you get the parts yet?" the old woman asked.

Jenny thought for a moment. "I think so."

"You _think_?" The boss shook her head. "Jenny, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Jenny replied without any thought. "I'm okay."

The old woman gestured to a chair. "Do you want to talk about Melinda?"

Jenny shook her head. "Not really." She dropped her gaze. "She sent me a 'Dear Jenny' letter."

Jenny _did_ need to talk about it, her protests to the contrary. Just thinking about the letter, and Melinda, was causing Jenny's eyes to mist. She wiped at a tear that was trying to run down her cheek.

"I'm sorry," the old woman said, her sympathy genuine. "Do you need to take a little time off?"

Jenny shook her head. "No." She appeared uncomfortable talking about Melinda. "Can I get back to work?"

The old woman closed her eyes for a moment, and nodded. “Yes." She watched Jenny turn and leave, staring after her and shaking her head.

Anya came in from the parking-lot entrance. She saw her grandmother staring at the door. "Jenny was just here, right?"

“Yes, she was." The old woman sounded quite sad.

Anya closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, they were filled with sadness. "She's not going to make it, is she?"

The old woman shook her head. "I'm afraid not. Her work is slipping — badly. She's totally heartbroken."

"I was afraid that this was going to happen. I knew she fell hard for Melinda." Anya shook her head. "I don't know what to do."

The old woman sighed. "There's not much we _can_ do."

**********

Mitch glanced up from his food and spotted a familiar figure. With her long red ponytail and her ever-present Bikini Beach pink T-shirt and shorts. Jenny was hard to mistake for anyone else. Mitch felt a surge of unpleasant emotions, as he debated whether he should call to her or not. Even though it had been two weeks, his heart still ached when he thought about Jenny.

Unfortunately for Mitch, Jenny picked that moment to turn and look around. She, too, was getting a bite, and needed to find a place to sit. She spotted him.

Faced with the inevitable, Mitch waved.

Jenny paused visibly, having the same internal debate about whether to talk to Mitch or not. In the end, she sighed and moved to his table. "Hi," she said softly as she sat down.

"Hi," Mitch replied.

"How are you doing?" Jenny asked, forcing a conversation.

Mitch shrugged. “Okay, I guess. Work is keeping me busy — and tired. You know how construction jobs are. How are things ... at the park?"

Jenny's eyes were misting. "It's okay. The usual problems — routine maintenance, broken pumps. You know. It's busy." She lowered her gaze. "Things are busier than normal, though."

"Are ... you okay?"

Jenny looked down. "I'm fine," she lied.

"Really?" Mitch wasn't convinced.

Jenny shook her head. "I can't stop thinking about Melinda."

"I'm sorry."

Jenny looked up sharply. "About our ... relationship?"

Mitch shook his head, looking down. He couldn't stand to see the sadness in her eyes. "No. I'm sorry that I hurt you so badly. I really didn't mean to."

"I guess it still hurts," Jenny admitted after an awkwardly silent moment. "I kept your 'Dear Jenny' letter, because it reminds me of how much you cared, but that hurts, too."

Mitch felt his eyes starting to water. "I'm sorry, Jenny," he said again. "I'm so very, very sorry."

“Do you think we could try it like this?" he asked. “As a man and a woman?"

She shook her head sadly. “You _know_ that option wouldn’t work. Neither of us would be happy in that kind of a relationship. After what we had, could _you_ be happy … like that?"

“I know." He knew that he was fighting a losing battle against his own tears. He rose quickly and darted from the food court, leaving his food behind.

**********

Anya didn't normally go to the mall, but she _did_ need a new “power suit." Grandmother was having _her_ do a couple of presentations at the upcoming theme park trade show, and she needed to look her professional best.

As she strode casually toward the store, she was glancing about. After all, she never knew when _he_ and his store might be around, and it seemed like ages since she'd talked to her friend Danni, the wizard's apprentice.

Anya did a double-take, and changed direction. "Mitch," she called and hurried toward him.

Mitch turned at the sound of his name, scanning the crowd. He quickly spotted the source. "Anya," he answered cheerfully. He stopped walking, so Anya could catch up.

"What are you up to these days?" Anya asked as she fell in beside him.

"Construction work," Mitch shrugged.

"It must keep you busy," Anya replied lightly. "So, tell me why you're so down in the dumps."

Surprised by the fact that she'd read his emotions, despite his false bravado, Mitch turned to her. "I'm not ...." He saw the knowing look in her eyes, and he quit trying to lie. "How's Jenny?" he asked instead.

Anya started at his question. "I ask how you're doing, and your first question is about her?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

Mitch nodded. "Yeah," he said sadly. "I ... really like her. And I'm so sorry that I hurt her."

Anya shook her head. "She's not doing well. She's really broken up inside."

Mitch sighed. "I know." He looked down. "So am I," he admitted softly. "I ... think I love her. She's special."

Anya put her hand gently on Mitch's arm. "Melinda was more than just her lover. She was Jenny's best friend. We never saw her as happy as when you two were ... together."

"I ... didn't know that. I thought she just liked me … physically," Mitch said. "Is Jenny going to be okay?"

Anya shook her head. "I don't think so."

Mitch's eyes widened with surprise.

Anya continued. "It's serious enough that her work is really slipping. Grandmother and I have both noticed. If she can't focus on keeping the park running ...." She left the sentence hang, but her meaning was very clear.

**********

"Anya."

Anya looked up from her computer. "Yes, Grandmother?"

"Jenny didn't go out with you girls last night, did she?"

Anya shook her head. "No. She hasn't been out with us for weeks."

"Do you think she'd accept counseling for depression?" the old woman asked.

"I don't know. Somehow, I doubt it. She can be very ... stubborn."

"And independent," the old woman added. "We'll have to ..." She stopped, a frown on her face. "Anya, can you leave, please? I've got a visitor coming, and I don't think you should be here."

Anya frowned. It wasn't like her grandmother to ask her to leave, _or_ to keep secrets from her. "Okay," she answered. She got up and walked stiffly out the park entrance door.

As soon as she was outside, Anya stopped and concentrated. She focused her magic, and “saw" that Mitch was walking across the parking lot toward the office. Her eyes widened in surprise. About then, however, her “sight" went dark. She wondered if her grandmother was using her own power to mask Anya's sixth sense. Anya stamped her foot in frustration; she _really_ wanted to know what Mitch was up to.

Half an hour later, she sensed Mitch leaving the office. She waited a minute more before she walked back into the office.

"What was Mitch doing here?" she asked bluntly as she sat down at her desk. "Is he coming to work for us again?"

Grandmother was startled for a moment by Anya's knowledge of her visitor's identity, but then she smiled. She _had_ been insisting that Anya practice her 'sight' more, after all. "No, he's not coming back to work."

"Then ... what?" Anya was puzzled — her sight didn't work well when love was involved.

"It was something else, entirely," the old woman said enigmatically.

**********

Jenny trudged slowly toward her workshop, looking down as she walked. Even though it was a beautiful, sunny day, she felt gloomy. She sighed and pushed open the door and walked through, letting it close behind her. She glanced around, as if she might find something to cheer her up. Alas, there was nothing.

As Jenny neared her workbench, she spied something that didn't belong there. It was ... an envelope. She felt a surge of panic; she still had _the_ letter — in fact, she cried over it nightly.

Steeling her nerves, she stepped to the bench and picked up the envelope. This time, the address was typed, giving no hint as to its origin. With trepidation, she opened the envelope and extracted the letter.

She recognized the handwriting at once, and she almost dropped the letter. She forced herself to read.

My dearest Jenny,

I am so very sorry that I hurt you. I can't stand to see the pain in your eyes. There's pain in my heart, too. I realized that I loved you, just as I realized how much you loved me.

Jenny's tears were flowing freely. She made herself continue.

We both know that things couldn't work as they are now. You didn't fall in love with Mitch, but with Melinda, even though Melinda and Mitch are two sides of the same coin.

More than anything, I want you to be happy.

Please turn around.

Slowly, fearfully, Jenny turned from her bench, toward the door. A gasp escaped her lips. She wasn't sure if she was seeing things, but she ran across the floor to wrap her arms around her love, around Melinda, as tears streamed down her cheeks.

After Jenny had cried and hugged Melinda for several seconds, she backed up a half step, her hands lifting to gently cradle Melinda's cheeks. "I ... don't understand," she said.

Melinda smiled. "I'm back."

Jenny turned away, sobbing. "Please, don't. I can't ... go through losing you. Not again."

Melinda put her hands on Jenny's shoulders. "You won't have to. I'm never going away."

"But ..." Jenny turned, gazing at Melinda with a confused look. "Your college. Your family." She shook her head. "You have your life. I _can't_ ask you to give up all that!"

Melinda smiled warmly. "You don't have to. The way things are now, my family always had _two_ daughters, not one. And opportunities for women engineers are plentiful — actually better than for men." Melinda explained. "The way reality rewrote itself, I got a good scholarship ... as Melinda. And I've got a summer job — at the park expansion. I _do_ have to be a girl to work there, you know."

Jenny shook her head. "I don't want you to do that for me! I can't do that to you."

Melinda smiled. "You didn't. I decided on my own. With two brothers, I sometimes felt like I was redundant. And while I was working at the park, it seemed like I got along with my mom and my sister much better. It all fit."

"You ... can't!" Jenny protested again. "What if ...?"

Melinda's smile broadened. "Too late. I already bought a lifetime membership. I'm all girl, now and forever." She looked down, not sure how to continue and afraid of what she might hear. "I'm _your_ girl, if you'll have me."

Jenny was frozen with surprise for a moment, but as soon as she knew that she’d really heard what Melinda had said, she wrapped her arms around Melinda and pulled her closer so she could give a proper answer with a very passionate kiss.

**********

Anya looked up sharply from her computer. She felt a smile creep across her face. She turned to her grandmother. "Jenny is going to be okay," she announced.

Grandmother nodded. "Yes, she will."

"So _that's_ what Mitch was here for — getting a lifetime pass?"

The old woman nodded. "He and I had a very long talk, so he would understand the enormity of what he was seeking to do. He knows that it's going to be a bit difficult for him, for a while. He knows that, someday, he and Jenny might break up, and then his entire reason for becoming a girl would be gone. It didn’t matter to him. His love for Jenny was much stronger than any reasons he could give for staying as Mitch."

"So ... you didn't want me around, in case I might accidentally spill the secret to Jenny?"

Grandmother smiled. "No, dear. I trust you to keep a secret. But Mitch wouldn't have been as free to talk with two of us. He knows that you and Jenny are very good friends, and I was concerned that he might think that your opinion was biased. He likes you and trusts you — as a friend, but he needed a ‘parent’ to discuss this with."

"I hope they'll be very happy," Anya said wistfully. "They deserve it."

Grandmother clucked. "If you'd been practicing with the 'sight', you'd know the answer to that instead of having to hope or wish. But I agree. They deserve happiness."

**********

Epilogue

Jenny gave Melinda a big hug as the other passengers pushed and ducked around them. "I'm going to miss you," she said, as she wiped a tear from her eye.

Melinda smiled. "And I'll miss you, too." She gave Jenny a quick kiss. "I have to board now. I know three months seems like a long time. I promise I'll call you every day, and text you as often as I get a chance." She hugged Jenny again. "I wish I didn't have to go."

Jenny shook her head. “That fellowship is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. You _need_ to go."

Melinda wrapped her arms around Jenny, holding her tight. "I love you."

Jenny returned the embrace. "When you get back, we can talk about you moving in with me?"

"We won't just talk, my love! I'll be counting the days, until I can be with you all of the time." Melinda forced herself to step into the line, before it got any longer, and she missed her flight. She blew Jenny a kiss, and started moving through the winding path to the security checkpoint.

Anya put her hand on Jenny's shoulder, causing her to flinch. Jenny hadn't seen Anya coming behind her. "You'll be okay," she reassured Jenny.

"I know," Jenny said. "It's just that I'll miss her."

"You have the rest of your 'family'," Anya reminded her. "We're here for you." She hugged Jenny, but Anya suddenly felt something, as if her “sight" had given her a brief view of events to come. She realized, as she focused on the vision, that Melinda's absence _was_ going to be felt terribly by Jenny, especially as Jenny faced some type of family crisis. "We all wish she was staying," Anya said. "She's part of the extended family, too."

Anya knew that she was going to have to focus her 'sight' a little more. Whatever difficulty Jenny was in for, she knew it was going to be rough. Jenny was going to need all the help she could get.

"How about if I treat for dinner tonight?" Anya suggested. “Maybe that new Chinese restaurant?"

FIN