Chapter 9

Our company ground crew finally came on board to take the plane to its parking spot and check it over again. I signed off and picked up my personal bag, put my heels on and left them to it. I knew that Betsy would be in good hands because she was our meal ticket. Without her we may as well go by bus.

I went through immigration with a slight hold-up when I was queried about having a picture of a guy and the letter M on my passport. I explained that I was looking the way I did because the band had insisted on ‘the look’ and one officer, who had seen me once before in the pink shirt and blonde wig with an earlier tour, suggested that I must be the go-to captain when they wanted someone gay. I refrained from any reply because it was easy for them to believe that, and it would not be easy for me if I hit an Australian Border Force officer.

Once I was out, I caught up with the crew who had collected all of our bags and we went to the company bus that waited for us. At the hotel I was given a couple of packages at reception along with my pass card.

In my room I unpacked my case, a novel experience. I then opened the packages. One held a letter to Jim and a company name badge with ‘Tour Photographer’ on it. The other was the official letter for Molly and a set of new wings which would turn up on her next uniform, when she got to put one on, maybe a year or so in the future. There was also a company name badge in her name as captain.

I disregarded the ’look’ outfit and put on a full set of underwear and my, now favorite dress, put the packages in my bag and went down for lunch. I first went to Jim and gave him his paperwork, congratulating him on his elevation and commiserating about the fact that he would be spending close to a year with us.

He actually gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek with a “Thank you, CeeCee, you are really the best.”

At the crew table where they were all also in the civvies I stood behind Molly and the others all went quiet, not knowing what to expect.

“Dear friends and good company employees of EMH-OTE. I have great pleasure to announce that we will, today, be the ones to welcome a new captain to our midst. I welcome you, Molly Edwards, to the level of responsibility and worry that will undoubtedly age you prematurely but you will be an excellent captain, me and Terry are sure of it.”

I gave her the package and she stood and gave me a kiss which would have given Lesley a fit had she seen it. Actually, when I looked, Lesley had just come in the room and had seen it by the look on her face.

As the rest of the crew gave Molly hugs, I called Lesley over and told her that we now had two captains on the flight as Molly had just been promoted. Lesley had a look of relief at that, thank goodness.

While we were together, I said, “Crew, we will be spending our mornings in a gym while we are here in Brisbane. You should have seen exercise outfits in your wardrobes, along with a bag. If you can go and get them, we will be picked up in an hour. After lunch today we have the first session and the next four days it will be mornings and then we will be in the usual salon and dress routine in the afternoons.”

They all said “Aye, aye, captain.”

We finished our lunch and went to our rooms to collect our kit and Molly looked like she was walking on air. When we assembled at the lobby the bus came for us and we were taken to a gym on the other side of the river where we were shown where we could change.

It was a business-like group that lined up with a couple of guys in front of us. They split us into two groups of four and set us to warm-up exercises first and then we did a session on karate moves, followed by one-on-one with the instructor.

As I have said, all my girls were already belted so it was just a session to remember the moves this time. I was a different kettle of fish because, although I had done unarmed combat training, I now needed to learn new tricks as a woman.

Our instructor took me to one side while the others all got together again for an extended session on the walking machines. I was given some pointers as to using my hands, elbows and knees in ways that had been somewhat ‘ungentlemanly’ with my earlier training.

The oddest thing was when he got a large mango and held it while I found out how deadly my new nails could be with a stiff finger jab. I needed to go for a shower after that.

When we finished and everyone was showered and redressed, we got back in the bus and taken back to the hotel where we dropped off our bags and then went out into the shopping area to explore and spend some of our money.

Seven of us clubbed together and bought Molly a very nice necklace and earing set to commemorate her promotion and I got some summer outfits to add to my collection. When it was time to eat, we went into a restaurant and had a nice meal with a little wine.

Strolling back to the hotel Molly linked her arm in mine,

“Thank you, CeeCee; it has been one of the best days of my life. I did get you a little present to add to your stash, I’ll drop by your room and give it to you later.”

I had pulled the covers back and was in my nightie and gown when there was a knock on the door. When I let her in she gave me a nice kiss and then a bag from a lingerie shop we had spent time in. It contained a lovely satin nightie,

“Put it on so I can see if it fits.”

I took off my gown and nightie and slipped her gift over my head. It was a really beautiful one. When I turned back to her she had unzipped the shift she had been wearing and stood there in an exact copy of the nightie.

“Let’s see if they work” she whispered, and I turned the lights down and we went to bed after she had helped me lose the gaff.

As we had the next day off, we were all in our new outfits for breakfast; Molly and I being a little late from taking advantage of a morning glory. She had left me to go and get her shower after that and I had a little bit of a lie in to contemplate this situation I was in.

I could not get Lesley out of my mind. There was something about her that made me do things that I had never done before but, with Molly, it must be sheer lust, seeing that I must be a good fifteen years her senior.

I thought about my ‘friend’ in Auckland and suppressed a giggle. It would be a hoot for two guys, pretending to be girls to get into bed together; not knowing which one should take the lead.

After our gym session we were taken back to the hotel to drop off our bags. I had been here before on other tours and knew a great way to spend the rest of the day. I had organized the bus and driver again and we were all loaded up and heading down south to the Gold Coast and Sea World.

I gave our driver a large denomination note and told him to come back in the early afternoon. None of the others had been there and it was a delight to be wandering around, looking at all the animals. The dolphin show was excellent, and we all had a laugh at the sea lion show. The eight of us got a lot of admiring glances from lads but were not bothered.

There was a good lunch in the restaurant and then our driver took us to Harbour Town where we came out with more bags of goodies. I had spent big in a leather bag shop and now could match any of my new outfits with the right bag.

We had our dinner with the others at the hotel and were told about the various radio and TV interviews the band had endured. Molly went to her own room tonight and I had a good sleep in my new nightie. The next four days would be all work.

And so, it was. We had breakfast, our gym session, early lunch, into the salon and were dressed and ready to go to the stadium at about four, ready to be proper hostesses. This one was a similar set-up to Auckland and all four nights were similar.

The orchestra here was first rate and would be with us for the rest of the Australian leg, travelling by commercial flights. The first night, of course, was the usual government and media people and Molly and I took the bigger names.

As usual Lesley greeted me with a hug and a kiss at the break as well as at the after-party, now with space set aside for fans. As usual, we had those who stayed for the second half and those who left. It had become second nature to escort those leaving from the venue and found that no-one complained about not being well looked after.

On our final day there, the local organizers had arranged for us and the band to be taken north to see Australia Zoo where we were terrified at the crocodiles but entranced by the bird flight display, all getting pictures standing next to a wonderful eagle.

We were, of course, besieged by fans much of the time and they didn’t seem to be able to differentiate between us and the actual band. We all just signed whatever they thrust under our noses. Julia told me later that she had signed as Elvis a few times as well as Marilyn Monroe.

The following morning, I packed my suitcase and decided that I may need to buy a bigger one if I was going to continue like this. We went out to the airport to find Betsy now hooked up in the domestic terminal.

We did all of the pre-flight checks and filed our simple flight-plan and then waited for our passengers. We were there early enough to avoid most of the fans, but I could sit in the cockpit to see them building up, only to erupt as the band arrived.

It was the usual mayhem to get them and the rest of the passengers aboard and then we were able to close up and get pushed back. I scanned the viewing platform and was relieved when I didn’t see anyone professing their love for me.

Brisbane to Sydney is about three and a quarter hour flying time but there was a time difference with Queensland not having daylight saving time. This meant that Sydney was already an hour ahead. Molly and I took our seats to take off and we got away at ten, aiming to arrive in Sydney at about two thirty local time.

Once again, we had the following day off so that the band could do the interviews and we would be in Sydney for five shows which were, I was told, all fully booked out. Sydney was well known as an LGTBQ friendly place, what with the Mardi-Gras they held, and there were a lot of fans waiting for us when we arrived.

The airport authorities had obviously decided that they were not going to put up with the mass of fans in the terminal so, when we landed, we were directed to an isolated parking spot where a number of vehicles waited for us.

I could see the crowds and the banners on the viewing platform and wondered just who had decided to be the Grinch today. When we had stopped and shut down, they pushed some steps up to the plane and we opened the door. The band members left first, and you could hear the screaming across the tarmac.

There was a scissor lift at the baggage door and Julia was organizing the luggage sorting, our own bags going in the crew bus. The bus with the band left and went to a gate that led directly to a road to the city. It wasn’t long before our other passengers had claimed their bags and left in a couple of other busses going out the same way. That left just us professionals to talk to our company ground crew and sign Betsy over to them for the duration.

When we got into the city our driver got a message to go around the back of the hotel because the front was jammed with fans; so, we arrived at the back entrance and had to tow our own bags to reception.

We were given our room passes and went up for a shower and change into our own outfits for dinner, only to be told when we got down to the dining room that our dinner was to be at the Government House, and we were invited so needed to go back upstairs to change again; this time the dressers were there to help.

It was to be a latish affair, so the time spent did not matter; it was the wrench from the timetable that irked. Eventually we joined the band in the lobby, all decked out in our finery, our tour jewels and great hairstyles.

There was a police contingent that made a space so that we could all go across the pavement and get into a luxury coach that was waiting to take us to the Government House, which was good as there must have been hundreds of fans waiting outside.

They had scant regard as to who was who and I suppose that with our long dresses it was difficult to tell. All I know is that I was photographed many times; had flowers thrown at me and smiled a lot.

The Government House dinner was lavish and attended by all of Sydney’s’ finest and most influential. The band was feted regally, and I wondered why the crew had been invited.

I found out when a pompous git stood up and welcomed the band ‘and their very beautiful group of hostesses that have graced the shows’. I reckon that the Premier of Queensland (a member of the other party) had sent down a message to fete us; entirely to smudge the reputation of the Premier of New South Wales. I didn’t mind as the meal was magnificent and we got to chat with a number of quite famous Aussie actors.

I had to smile when I saw Lesley in a deep conversation with one of the bronzed hunks they call ‘Ironmen’ as he was so far from her normal companion it wasn’t funny. The odd thing was that she was looking as if she was enjoying it.

I had a laugh when one of the far-right broadcasters, that Sydney seems to grow on trees, got into a conversation with me and did so while touching my arm a lot and calling me ‘dearie’. He wanted to know what I did when I wasn’t being a ‘hostess’ so I told him that I flew the plane.

He thought it was a joke until I collared Molly and asked, “Tell this doofus what we do for a living, sweetheart.” She told him the same thing and he left us, muttering darkly.

I heard that he had a real blast at the Premier on the radio the next day for not checking his facts, something that had been a bone of contention between them for some time. Perhaps he should have done a little fact checking of his own before trying to get into my panties.

The day off was just that, for we crew. We lazed around, did a little shopping; well, when the hotel is in the middle of the best shops you have to have a look around, don’t you?

That afternoon there was quite a crowd of us in the hotel bar. It had happened to me before, the point where the tour is no longer exciting and merely a job to do. It was, I know, a bit different for me this time but for Molly and Julia it was a first time as well as the big group of dressers and make-up girls that had joined us.

The light and sound guys were all earning their keep perfecting the stage and it was an all-girl group who decided that they wanted to see the sights of night-time Sydney. One of them asked a waitress where we should go and were advised to visit the Stonewall but to make sure we were cashed up as they didn’t do cards.

We made several cabbies happy as it was hardly a proper trip but way too far to walk in heels. By the time we left the hotel we looked like a bunch of hookers off to work but Molly assured me that we were in proper clubbing outfits. I felt that I was hardly in my outfit at all. We had a meal before we went up to change because I had also been told that clubbing didn’t start before ten and to prepare to get to bed as the sun rose.

It all went as I had been told. We danced, drank and danced some more. I danced with some of our group and then found myself bopping along with Molly and Julia and three guys.

By the early hours I was somewhat numb and didn’t react when a slower number came on and the guy I was dancing with grabbed me and pulled me close to him. He was more my age than most of the others there and had not said a lot.

I put my arms around his neck, and we danced the slower number very quietly until a point where he pulled his head back and then kissed me while moving his hands down towards my butt. It may have been the drink, but it may have been something that I wanted to do but I held him close and returned the kiss.

When the music ramped up again, he took my hand and pulled me out of the dance floor and to a dark and quiet room where there were settees. We sat on one which I suddenly realized I needed because my feet were on fire.

What I didn’t need was for him to pull me into a passionate session of kisses. I didn’t mind when he caressed my breasts because I didn’t feel a thing. I started to mind when he took my hand and pulled it to his groin.

I took a look around me and saw other couples, some of them same-sex couples, all in the throes of making out. I rubbed his dick through his pants, and he moaned as we kissed.

I was able to unzip him and expose his dick to the world and he said, “Suck me, darling.”

So, I did, and it didn’t take very long before he was pumping his seed into the back of my throat.

Marianne Gregory © 2022