Part Forty One   "The fashion show-off"

 

Saturday 7th March

Although she wasn't having breakfast at home Tammy arrived in the kitchen shortly after seven in search of a coffee to aid waking her before she put on her simple make-up. All night she'd tossed and turned with alternating thoughts about the fashion show and Angela going around in her head. What was most troubling was that she still didn't really know what was going on with Angela and even Joan appeared to be avoiding her.

Back in her room she packed a few essentials in a backpack, not knowing if she'd need a strapless bra or a suspender belt. She took both items.

Tammy surprised a few of the sixth form when she arrived for breakfast that morning, her first time on a Saturday since the previous November. What surprised them more was seeing a visitor, her father, in the refectory shortly after seven thirty. Visitors were never normally seen at breakfast but thankfully he was sat with the Head and senior masters.

Tammy poured herself a coffee, her first one hadn't had the fully awakening effect. None of the food was out as yet, however, so she took her space at the sixth form table with the others.

"What's he doing here, Tammy?"

"Keeping an eye on me, I think."

"I hear you're becoming a rebel?"

"Don't believe everything you're told, John. When's Tanya due here?"

"Just after ten I think, what time does it kick off?"

"Two. I hope you're not planning to take her up to your room to look at your stamp collection?"

John went a little red whilst some of the nerds missed the point entirely.

"Would I?" He tried to regain composure, "If it doesn't start until two, why are you here now?"

"There's tons still to do and it might be the only chance I get to sit down today plus I didn't fancy struggling to find a parking space later."

"How many are expected?"

"Around two hundred."

"That many?"

"There's apparently fifty-ish who are invited to a luncheon then everyone else arrives after the meal. We should be done by three thirty."

"Good, I hate disruption, I also don't want anything strange to happen. The prefects have all been tagged as stewards, by the way."

"So you get to enjoy the show!"

"Only when Tanya appears!"

The rest of the table were less impressed with this banter so moved en mass to the servery to gather their breakfasts as the shutters went up. Tammy shrugged and joined the herd.

By the time each of the tables in the refectory had visited the servery the chatter had reduced to a minimum. The Head took this opportunity to deliver the morning notices.

"Firstly, it cannot have escaped your attention that St Andrews is hosting a fashion show today. Whilst it is probably not of interest to many of you it is nevertheless an opportunity for the school to be shown at its best. Therefore school uniform will be worn until four o'clock."

There was a groan throughout the room.

"We will have dignitaries, business people, parents and the press here; any behaviour that does not meet our normal standards could bring the school into disrepute. Because of that the prefects will be stewarding the public and will send any boy who is misbehaving or out of uniform back to their room. The only exception will be the sports teams who should change at the earliest opportunity. Please do not use the main entrance today, that is out of bounds until four o'clock."

He paused to take a sip of fruit juice.

"If you have any problems during the day please seek a prefect in the first instance. Prefects, there will be a briefing for you at nine o'clock. Miss Smart please see me immediately after breakfast."

Tammy nodded, even though the Head couldn't see her. A few near her whispered "What have you done this time, Tammy?". She just smiled.

"Finally, there is one birthday today, Mr Christopher Jones in the lower sixth. That is all."

As Chris Jones was a day student he wouldn't have heard the announcement. The noise level in the room started to rise quickly, from murmurs to full arguments at some tables.

"Silence!"

Tammy had almost finished breakfast when her phone rang from inside her handbag. As this was an awful breach of protocol it made her the centre of attention instantly. She fled the room before answering it.

"Hello?"

"Hi Tammy it's Penny, we're outside." It was only eight o'clock but they had arrived early as Tammy had guessed.

Tammy peeled herself away at nine, without having seen the Head, to join the prefects for their briefing. Tammy and her father were delivering it, with his agreement it was suggested that a couple of the prefects, John Hibbert and James Hunter, had their phones with them so they could call Tammy or Richard Smart if a problem arose. By nine fifteen they done and had received their assigned positions. James had the main entrance whilst John had the main hall doorway, others were positioned at the limits of the area the public would have access to.

In the main hall the lights and PA were tested, it must have been a bit of a shock to everyone, except the show crew, to hear very very loud R&B suddenly coming out of the speakers. Tammy had noticed that many of the crew had earplugs and now understood why.

An outside catering company was providing the luncheon as the school kitchens couldn't manage the extra load, so Tammy found herself directing the catering staff, including silver service waiters and waitresses. It amused her that an environmental health officer was around the rear of the school checking the refrigeration before making a snap inspection of the school's main kitchens. It was the closure of those kitchens in November the previous year that had prompted Tom to become Tammy.

The first trouble was when visiting rugby players from Wick Comprehensive arrived for their eleven o'clock game and walked straight through the main entrance, whilst James was absent on account of an urgent need. The sounds from the main hall had the eighteen boys and two teachers peering in whilst John was enjoying a cuddle, or two, from the recently arrived Tanya. Richard first found John and Tanya but then had to deal with the interlopers, assisted by James who was running from the loo.

Tammy took Tanya away, she was now barred from contact with John whilst at the school.

"That's not fair!"

"Tanya, if that had happened whilst the public was here you'd be the talk of Thurso for weeks! Can't you see the headlines now - 'Fashion show overshadowed by snogathon'?"

"Still not fair."

"Come on, you can help me."

"I don't know my way around, I've never been in here before."

"Neither have most in this room. Stay with me anyway, we#ll drop our bags backstage then see what Penny's up to."

What was curious to Tammy was that the teaching staff who lived at the school were almost all absent. The Head hadn't been seen since breakfast and she'd only caught fleeting glances of a few teachers. By eleven the hall was decked out with eight seater circular tables around the runway and seating in rows beyond those. This would give the special guests the best view and meant they wouldn't have to change their seating for the show.

The special guests started to arrive just before midday ready for the half past twelve luncheon, to which the models were not invited. The models however were all now gathered in the green room behind the stage being given the run through. Tammy instantly decided she didn't like two of the girls who resembled bean poles. The three professional models also decided to blank the local girls.

Tammy earlier queried with Penny which of the local boys she'd chosen.

"Sorry dear, I meant to tell you. We weren't getting the right responses from our male Spring range at the other shows so we've dropped it from the show here."

That also meant they only needed one changing room. Tammy was told by the dresser she needed a thong for one of the first items, micro shorts.

"Umm, I can't, I'm on."

"It'll be fine with a tampon."

"I can't use them."

"Okay, swap outfits with Tanya, you're about the same size."

Tanya wanted to say something but Tammy shook her head. Each of the five girls had six outfits to model, with not much time between each of their appearances on the runway. Tammy had also never walked the catwalk but Tanya quietly talked her through it.

"I've seen it a couple of times, once you're on the stage pause at the runway then walk down keeping your eyes straight but showing to the left. Stop at the end, turn and walk back, then go straight off the stage."

"How long do I wait at the end?"

"Listen to the commentary, you'll work it out."

Some of the models had their lunch, a banana and a slimline drink. Tanya complained she was hungry, she'd missed her elevenses. Tammy was also in need of at least a coffee and a bun so she took Tanya's hand and walked the back way to the refectory. Surprisingly no-one queried the second girl, not at least until they were ready to leave.

"Miss Smart, my office."

"Yes Sir, but what about Miss Smith? She won't know where to go and we're due backstage shortly for make-up."

"Hmmm, see me Monday at eight thirty."

"Yes Sir, thank you."

Backstage it was madness as each of the girls made it into make-up before they could finish dressing. She was surprised that one of the professionals was also using enhancers, this relaxed her a little, although she doubted there were any other transgendered models there. Out in the main hall lunch had been cleared away and the rest of the guests were allowed in. Quiet music filtered through to backstage, finally at a quarter to two they were ready.

At two exactly the music went up a few decibel and the show's announcer, a man in a penguin outfit, welcomed everyone to the show. Then they were off.

To say that Tammy was nervous was an understatement, but Tanya was truly frightened. All of the bravado Tanya had shown up to this point evaporated as she was called onto the catwalk for the first time. Tammy was next in line, bringing up the rear.

Penny, in selecting the outfits, had Tammy and Tanya, both now a size twelve, taking the more 'normal woman' viewpoint for the audience, as opposed the size six or eight of the other models. This was despite size sixteen being the most common size in the UK and the first to sell out from any rack.

Tammy's experience in the public eye gave her a rush but nearly meant a change of underwear too. The lights were searing, the camera flashes blinding, the music too loud and the host was saying things Tammy couldn't process. She followed Tanya's suggestion, waited at the end for twenty seconds before spinning and strutting back.

"That was good dear but don't linger any longer than necessary."

"Okay Penny."

"You've no time to wait, next outfit and make-up check!"

And so it went on. Tammy lost count of the number of costume changes she'd done when she came off the catwalk for the sixth time and had been expected to find another outfit waiting.

"No dear, but we're going back on for our encore!"

Back out went all five girls as the host wrapped up the show "And I present our Spring Collection".

The cameras flashed as the five girls all took their turn to walk the runway one last time.

Within a minute all the girls were back in the changing room shedding clothes in favour of the clobber they'd arrived in. The professional models were definitely under-dressed for a Scottish Spring as it still looked like mid-Winter outside! Tammy and Tanya were wearing layers and had spare clothing in their bags. Tammy checked her phone for the first time and saw a text from Sarah.

"Looking good!"

Tammy called her.

"Hi, I just saw your message."

"I was waving from the second row."

"There's no way I could have seen you, I was blinded out there! How did it go?"

"Very well, I've been getting queries about the range I'll be stocking. I could do with a hand tomorrow, Tammy."

"I'll ask Dad but I have a driving lesson first. Who's in the shop today?"

"Emily came back last night but has to go in the morning and I have a storeroom to sort out."

"Okay Sarah, I'll see what I can do."

She rung off and was handed a bunch of wet wipes to clean off her face, she'd sort out her makeup later, probably after a well-deserved shower. The dresser, a small Chinese lady by the name of Ming came over with a couple of garment bags and handed them to Tammy before doing the same with Tanya.

Tanya looked confused.

"Penny told me we'd get the clothes we wore."

"I was hoping we'd just get a pick of the collection?"

"That wasn't the deal."

"I want to give all of that to John, for him to look after."

"So you have an excuse to collect them from his room later? No way. We can put them in my mini for now, what time are you being collected?"

"Mum can't leave the salon until at least half five."

"Then come back with us. You can have a shower, you need one!"

Tammy took Tanya outside and stowed the gear in the rear.

"Nice car."

"Yeah, shame I won't get a chance to drive it too often until I pass my test."

"Can't we go?"

"I need a qualified driver to supervise me and Dad doesn't have his own car here."

"Okay, but can I have a little tour?"

"So long as you don't want to go into the accommodation blocks!"

Tammy and Tanya didn't get very far as they kept meeting guests who hadn't left the school as yet. Walking back into the main hall they were beckoned over by Penny.

"Brilliant girls, are you sure you've never done this before?"

They shook their heads, Penny then handed them an envelope each.

"Please don't open them until you get home, and keep them safe until then."

With that she was off to supervise the dismantling of something. A number of boys in uniform now appeared, mostly heading to their rooms from various locations around the grounds. Richard caught up with the girls just outside the library.

"What are you planning?"

"We both need a shower but going up to my old room probably isn't a good idea?"

"Don't be frivolous. I think you should go home, what about you Tanya?"

"I can go for another hour or more so Tammy suggested I showered at her's."

"Right, I have a few minutes so I'll go back with you."

Tammy drove them back to Dunbankin in ten minutes, as soon as they arrived Richard got into his Land Rover and went back to where they' just left. Tammy and Tanya walked in through the scullery and into the hall.

"Oh, hello Tanya."

"Hi Mrs Small."

"You can call me Joan."

"Thank you Joan. Tammy said I can shower in her room, if that's okay?"

"That's fine, do you know the way as I'd like to speak to Tammy."

"Sure, er no. It's the first time I've been here."

Tammy quickly escorted Tanya to her room, noting the packages that were on her desk, before walking back down to the front hall.

"Let's use the kitchen, none of the staff are around."

"Okay, mum."

Joan poured them both a long fruit cordial before joining Tammy at the large wooden table.

"Tammy, I'm concerned."

"There's nothing wrong with me, I feel fine."

"I don't mean your health, but all of this could affect it."

"All of what?"

"That's what I don't fully understand. Your dad's told me some but even he's unaware of some of what you're doing. You are putting yourself in danger but without knowing what it is I can't advise you."

"I signed the Official Secrets Act."

"So your Dad told me, but does that stop you telling me anything?"

"I don't know, I haven't been told what the restrictions are, all of that's supposed to be sorted out in June."

"Do you trust the people you're dealing with?"

"Dad and I met Heather and Sophie from Cornwall, and we know they were with that Inspector from the counter terrorism team, so they're fine as far as I know."

"Are you dealing with anyone else?"

"A Jenny, or Jennifer, in London. She's arranging my training."

"Where?"

"I can't say."

"Or won't say?"

"No, I haven't had any information about where to report to, only a date."

"We spoke to Suzie yesterday, she mentioned a Jenny as well, and had met a Heather from Cornwall who was part of the team."

"Oh. What else did she say?"

"Nothing at all, except this was her first week of training. She couldn't tell me where she was apart from being in London."

"So you're worried that we've both fallen for some scam?"

"Well, no, yes, I don't know. I'm scared for both of you. Now Angela is worried she's going to lose both of her sisters."

"Because both of us are working for an intelligence agency, for the same department it would seem!"

"Bit of a co-incidence, isn't it? What's in the packages? Can you fetch them?"

Tammy went up to her room, Tanya was still in the bathroom. She quietly gathered the packages and slipped back to the kitchen. With the aid of a knife she carefully opened the boxes, taking her time.

"Here's the despatch note, twelve GPS trackers and a new mobile phone."

"What's a GPS tracker?"

"It picks up satellite signals to work out where it is then sends a message to relay that information. Some of them have microphones too, apparently."

"So, bugs after all. This is deadly serious, have they said anything about guns?"

"Not yet, I presume that'll be included in the security briefing?"

"I knew IT!"

They spun around to find Tanya in the kitchen doorway wearing a towel.

"I only came down to ask where your hair dryer was and all I can hear is from a spy!"