45th Annual Gala of Tiresias: 10 Final

 

Our story comes to an end with this installment. I am so grateful that so many people
seem to have enjoyed this story. That really is the paycheck for an author on BigCloset.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone who read the story and many extra thanks to those
who took the time to leave comments and critiques. Have a wonderful winter, or summer for
those of you in the southern hemisphere. I hope to be back with you all very soon!

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Author's Note: Thank you so, so much for all the comments! Please let me know
how you liked the story with possibly a review. ~Clara.
 
This version of 45th Annual Gala of Tiresias: 10 has been updated with many corrections towards spelling and grammar.~Sephrena.
 
Image Credit: Image created through the use of ai at https://perchance.org/beautiful-people .~Sephrena.

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Chapter 10 Final
 

"Did she just say that Sky is going to accompany ALL of the rest of the contestants?" Kathy asked Amanda.

"I think she did," Amanda replied.

"Why?" Kathy asked confused. "I mean, playing for himself makes sense, but giving the others a hand up...? Isn't that like helping the enemy?"

"You obviously don't know Sky very well," Lynn said. "I used to think that Sky was a weirdo, but once I got to know him, I realized that he is always trying to do the right thing. He was patient and generous to me when I was mean to him. I came today to offer support because he was so kind to me. Helping out the other girls in the pageant makes perfect sense to me."
 

~^~
 

Ellie went first. Skyler played 'The Saber Dance' beautifully while Ellie stacked and unstacked plastic cups in pyramids or other shapes. Ellie was very good at it. It was an oddly impressive display of skill and speed. Because he knew the piece well, Skyler was able to keep an eye on the performance and end at the exact moment that the last cup was in place.

The crowd was very supportive and applauded their appreciation for Ellie.

Next came Keely doing a ribbon dance to 'Wind Beneath My Wings.' Again, Skyler knew the music very well and was able to play it without any problem while also watching the performance. It went without a hitch and again the audience showed their appreciation with lots of applause.

Then it was Austin's turn to do his juggling act.

"I need your iPad," Skyler said to Karen, who stood in the wings.

Karen passed the tablet to him and whispered, "Good luck."

"Sky," he heard Hanna call from the wings. He turned and looked at her. "Don't take it too fast. I just listened to it. It's only supposed to be played at about one hundred and twelve beats per minute." She held up her phone and hit the 'play' button on a metronome app and it clicked off the appropriate tempo. It wasn't very loud, but he could make it out. That was actually very helpful. This song was a march and marches are usually played at a tempo between one hundred and twenty beats per minute and one hundred and forty beats per minute, so having the knowledge that this piece is usually played a bit slower allowed him to relax just a bit.

He tapped the tempo with his foot, which was shod in a woman's oxford from the nineteen-thirties, and he looked across the stage where Austin was taking the stage, after several different juggling props had been placed on a small table where he could grab what he needed.

Austin gave Skyler a small, concerned smile and then a nod that indicated that he was ready.

Skyler took a deep breath and started to sight read the piece.

It went very well, but he couldn't watch Austin's act as he played. He had played the piece through and was just about to take the last repeat when the audience applauded loudly. Skyler looked up to see Austin's hands up in air, about to take a final bow. It gave Skyler just enough time to take the final ending and end the song at the perfect moment.

"Wow!" Elizabeth Olsen said into the microphone. "Great job, Austin! Let's hear it for her amazing juggling."

"The audience applauded appropriately.

Then Elizabeth Olsen turned to the piano and said, "Sky, come on over here and talk to me for a moment."

A little surprised, Skyler stood and walked to center stage.

"I love this outfit you're wearing," the star said. "Tell us about it."

Instinctively, Skyler touched the soft blouse and skirt. "Oh... for my song, I'm supposed to look like a nineteen-thirties secretary. You know, the kind that would work for a detective or someone like that, in one of those old black-and-white movies."

"I get it," she smiled. "Well, you look perfect, Sky. You really do."

"Oh... thanks..."

"Now, Sky... before you perform your song... I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge what you've done for your fellow contestants here, today. Honestly, I can't imagine someone else doing so much to help out the competition." She looked at the audience. "I think that deserves a big round of applause, don't you?"

"YES!" Came the sound of Uncle Bill's voice over the roar of applause.

Skyler blushed and smiled.

"So, what's the name of the piece you're playing for us Skyler?"

"It's called, 'You Can Always Count On Me,' from the musical 'City or Angels,' but I'm not just playing it. I'm singing it, too."

"Oh, you sing, too?"

"You bet your ass she does!" Professor Marino shouted, causing a wave of laughter to waft across the space.

"Are you all ready to perform?" Elizabeth Olsen asked.

"I hope so," he shrugged and smiled.

Elizabeth Olsen kissed his cheek, which surprised him further. She kept her microphone down by her hip as she whispered into his ear, "Good luck, Sky. I'm rooting for you."

Skyler smiled even more broadly and headed towards the piano stool. He was surprised to see the other four finalists in the stage right wing, all in their cocktail dresses. Rodney had his arms folded and a smirk on his face, but the other three were grinning from ear to ear and offering thumbs up and other gestures of encouragement. He smiled at them and returned a little thumbs up to them.

When he looked into the stage left wing, he noticed that all of the other contestants were gathered there, all wearing their cocktail dresses and all offering as many encouraging gestures as possible.

He sat at the piano and then realized there was an issue.

"Umm... I need a microphone on a boom stand." He said, not realizing that while he was helping everyone else, he hadn’t considered what he’d need for his own performance. Originally, he was planning to stand and hold the microphone, but that wasn’t possible, anymore.

There was a bit of a commotion backstage before a stagehand held out her empty hands and raise her shoulders, indicating that there was not boom stand available.

Suddenly, someone hurried through the darkness and grabbed the microphone from Elizabeth Olson, then hurried onto the stage.

From the audience, it looked like Skyler’s identical twin sister had appeared with a microphone in her hand. Obviously comfortable on stage, she grabbed a chair and slid it up beside Skyler and held the microphone in its proper position for him.

He smiled at Regina and whispered, "Thanks." It was a whisper, but it went through the public address system and the audience heard it, too.

They also could hear Regina whisper to her brother, "You’re doing great, Sky. Show them who you really are."

Skyler smiled at her.

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You can do this, Sky. I love you."

"I love you, too, Reggie."

It was at that point that they realized that the audience could hear them because they let out a collective ‘awww.’

Skyler shook his head and nodded. Time to start.

There was the short, pretty introduction. Then...

"I'm one of a long line of good girls
Who choose the wrong guy to be sweet on
The girl with a face that says welcome
That men can wipe their feet on

I'm there when he calls me
The trusted girl Friday alright
But what good does it do me
Alone on a Saturday night?"

He played the triplet figures that led to the body of the song.

And everything felt good. His voice, the piano, the way his voice sounded in the hall. All of it felt good. And then there was Regina, just a couple of feet away from him, smiling. That felt good, too.

"If you need a gal
To go without salary and work too hard
You can always count on me
The kind of a pal
Who'd sneak you a file past the prison guard
Loyal to the "nth" degree

The boss is quite the ladies’ man
And that's my biggest gripe
Till I showed up he'd never hired a girl cause she could type

I'm no femme fatale
But faithful and true as a Saint Bernard
Barkin' up the wrong damn tree
You can always count on me."

The volume had been building, so he brought it back to mezzo-piano and gave himself some more room to grow from there to the end of the song.

"I don't need a map
I naturally head for the dead end street
You can always count on me
I'm caught in a trap
When joy is approaching then I retreat
I'm at home with misery

I've been "the other woman" since my puberty began
I crashed the junior prom
And met the only married man
I'm always on tap
For romance or chocolate that's bitter sweet
You can always count on me"

Then, he got bigger.

"I go for the riff raff
Who's treating me so-so
When I can play the second fiddle
I'm a virtuoso
I should be playing for a wedding band
But there're no wedding rings attached
Though you can bet there're strings attached"

This time he only reined it in a little so he’d be able to crescendo little by little from there to the end of the song.

"A matter of fact,
If you want an ill-fated love affair
You can always count on me

Though I’ve made a pact
To carry out research before i care
Men don't give a warranty"

At this point, he got playful and flirty.

"One Joe who swore he's single
Got me sorta crocked, the beast
I woke up only slightly shocked that I’d defrocked a priest

Or else I attract
The guys who are longing to do my hair
You can always count on me"

And then, he headed for the big ending. Start at mezzo-forte and build towards the big ending. It all felt so good!

"Though my kind of dame
No doubt will die out like the dinosaurs
You can always count on me
I'm solely to blame
My head gives advice that my heart ignores
I'm my only enemy

I choose the kind who cannot introduce the girl he's with
There're lots of smirking motel clerks who call me, ‘Mrs. Smith.’

But I’ve made a name
With hotel detectives who break down doors
Guess who they expect to see
You can always count on
Bet a large amount on
You can always count on me."

He hit the last note and it sat perfectly in that spot where he’d rehearsed it. The placement was perfect, the syllable was formed correctly, and he opened up to let the note flow just perfectly.

And then it was over.

And it had gone perfectly.

And the audience LOVED it!

They applauded.

They hooted.

They hollered.

They whistled.

He could hear the sound of his family’s voice, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying.

He felt Regina’s lips on his cheek again, and she was helping him up to a standing position. "Go take a bow!" She screamed into his ear over the din.

Skyler stood and was about to head towards the stage’s apron, but he was stopped by Hanna’s embrace. She couldn't help it. She’d run onto the stage from the wings and threw her arms around her small, beautiful boyfriend and said into his ears, "Oh, baby, you were so great!"

She kissed his cheek, too, then turned him so he could take his bow.

He arrived at center stage and took a quick bow, intending to retreat to the stage right wing to join the other finalists, but Elizabeth Olsen appeared and spread her arms in the ’give me a hug’ gesture. He hugged her, too, and she held him by her side and said into the microphone, "Isn’t she amazing!? Let's have one more round of applause for Sky!"

The audience was more than willing to comply. The swell of noise crescendoed again and as the swell receded, Elizabeth Olsen spoke again. "Let’s get our other four finalists back out here for the judges’ final decision."

Austin, Ellie and Keely hurried out, all in their cocktail dresses, and grabbed Skyler for a huge group hug. "You were great!" One said. "Unbelievable, Sky," said another. Skyler, being somewhat smaller than the other three, was blinded by the press of fake breasts against his face, so he was uncertain as to who said what.

Rodney came onto the stage as well. He held back a little and applauded a little, but had a fake smile plastered to his face.

Elizabeth Olsen was handed two envelops. One contained the names of the three lesser award winners. The final envelope contained the name of the first runner up. So, the name not announced would be the winner.

"As you all know," the guest host said, "all of these lovely finalists will receive a scholarship of some kind. These prizes range from a five thousand dollar prize to a one-hundred-thousand-dollar prize. So, no matter what, all these girls are big winners."

She opened the first envelop. "Our Miss Congeniality for this year’s Gala of Tiresias, and the winner of a five-thousand-dollar scholarship is... Keely!"

Keely smiled and stepped forward to receive an envelope and a peck on the cheek. He was disappointed to not have done better, but having made it to the finals was pretty amazing.

"This year’s Tiresias Junior Princess and the ten-thousand-dollar scholarship winner is... Austin!"

Austin was thrilled to have won the ten-thousand-dollar prize and beamed with joy as he got his envelop and peck on the cheek.

"And now... Our second runner up and winner of a fifteen-thousand-dollar scholarship... Ellie!"

Ellie was thrilled, too. She would have liked to have beaten Rodney, but this was still a huge victory for a fairly big guy who’d never really dabbled in pageants before. She got her envelop and peck on the cheek, then she and the other two moved to the rear of the stage, leaving Rodney and Skyler together by the end of the grand piano.

Skyler leaned towards Rodney and said, "Good luck, Rodney. You did a great job."

Rodney shook his head. "Don't condescend to me, Sky. There’s no way you're not winning this. If they make me the winner, there will probably be a riot in here. The whole audience looks at you like you are the second coming or something."

Suddenly, Skyler felt a little sad. "I’m sorry, Rodney. I was just trying to help everyone out."

"Well, you did. You helped them and you helped yourself, too."
 

~^~
 

"Now is the time," the congresswoman said into her megaphone. "You saw what happened to that man! They arrested him - and for what? For speaking his mind against these perverted degenerates. We have asked our local legislators to protect us, and they have not. We have asked our national legislators to protect us, and THEY have not. Now is the time for us to retake our land. It is time for each and every one of you to march on this mansion and stop the moral turpitude going on within."

"Moral turpitude?" the younger police officer asked the chief as they watched the crowd across the street. It had grown bigger - more than a hundred people had ultimately gathered there, most of them arriving after hearing that the celebrity congresswoman was there through social media. "It's just guys who look like women. Why are they so threatened?"

The chief shrugged and grabbed the microphone connected to the radio in the nearby patrol car. "I want everyone lined up in the front of the mansion right now. I think these people are about to try something. Now, remember, we are only keeping them back, not using any violence unless they use violence first. NO GUNS, OFFICERS! We want to retain order, not have another Kent State Massacre. Now, let's go. Everyone do your job and everyone will go home in one piece."

Then he took out his phone and pressed the number for the State Police Captain who was waiting about a block away with a contingent of troopers in well-marked cruisers. "It’s time for you and your guys to arrive, Cap," the Chief said. "If you can get here in the next two minutes or so and pull straight across the road to form a wall with your cars, that would be great. Oh, and Cap... I doubt the congresswoman will be planning on marching up the driveway in her sixteen-hundred-dollar shoes, but if one of your people could diplomatically keep her from leaving the scene, I think she has yet another charge of incitement in her very near future. Thanks, Cap."
 

~^~
 

"And our first runner up and winner of a twenty-thousand-dollar scholarship is..." She opened the envelop and with a great deal of joy and announced, "Pussy Boots!"

"Huh. Big surprise," Rodney said, shaking his head and then shunning Skyler by not offering the traditional, congratulatory hug. But he did stop after a few steps and turned back to say, "You’re very talented, Sky. I didn't want to lose, but at least I'm losing to someone with a lot of talent." Then he smiled. "But my ass is way nicer than yours." He continued to center stage to receive his envelop and peck on the cheek.

When Rodney had moved away, Elizabeth Olsen turned and motioned for Skyler to join her.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she announced, "this year’s winner of The Gala of Tiresias and the winner of a one-hundred-thousand-dollar scholarship goes to..."

Skyler knew that she said his name, but the roar of the crowd was too overwhelming for her voice to be heard. He smiled and waved as a crown was placed on his stiffly sprayed and heavily pinned hair. A sash that read ‘Queen of the Gala’ was placed over his puff-sleeved, sheer blouse, a huge bouquet of roses was laid in his arms, and he was handed an envelope.

He took many bows and waved his thanks to the crowd. He blew kisses to his mother, his sisters and his Uncle Bill as he walked down the central stage extension. And then he noticed Lynn was there - and not just one, but two of his professors - and then he spotted Alan. Everyone got a wave, and he blew them each a kiss before he turned and saw all of the other contestants standing behind him, all dressed in their cocktail dresses. They all looked so beautiful!

He was blowing them kisses as well, when he was redirected by an arm around his shoulders. When he looked, it was Jenny Jacobs who held a microphone in her hand.

"Congratulations, Sky," she said into the microphone. "How are you feeling right now?"

He smiled and looked around at everyone on the stage. They were all wearing such fancy dresses, while he was still in his costume for his song. "Kind of underdressed," he laughed. "Everyone else looks so beautiful, and I look like a character from a Humphrey Bogart movie."

"Oh, I think you look adorable, don't you Elizabeth?" Jenny said sincerely.

"I certainly do!" the star said with a huge grin.

Jenny held up a hand to quiet the still noisy crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen... I have attended several of these events. I sat in the audience for some, participated in one and this year, coordinated this one and I can say, with all honesty, I have never... ever... met a contestant as generous with their talent as Sky. Sky... I can’t think of anyone more deserving of winning this year’s award than you. Congratulations!"

"Thank you!" he said into her ear as she hugged him.

She handed him the microphone. "I just want to thank you all for being so supportive... the judges for choosing me... my family for all they've helped me with the last few weeks... my mom... my Uncle Bill... my older sisters, and of course my younger sister, Regina who was my microphone stand for the last song... my friends, Alan and Lynn for being here... my beauty consultant, James, who turned me from a homely little boy into this princess... my voice and piano professors who both came to support me... and mostly, I want to thank my girlfriend, Hanna." He looked to the wings where Hanna was standing by Regina and James. "Hanna... I love you so much and the fact that you can still love me, even though I've changed so much, proves to me that there is such a thing as true love in this world."

That did elicit an ’aww’ from the audience.

"Oh and thank you to all of my fellow contestants. You are all so talented and so beautiful. It's been an honor to spend the last few weeks with you. I..."

"Faggot!" Came the scream from a fairly sweaty and somewhat out of breath woman who'd entered the hall through slamming doors. She looked as if she’d just run up a steep hill and through a phalanx of state troopers and local police - and there was a reason for that. She was carrying a quart of red paint that she’d brought specifically to throw on a contestant or two, but now that she’d made her way into the performance hall, she realized that she’d not brought anything to open the can. So, instead, she chose to assail someone with vitriol rather than paint.

Everyone turned to see who had said the offending word, and a number of people wanted to attack her, but others held them back. Uncle Bill was halfway up the aisle when Skyler asked everyone to stop.

"No, no, everyone, please calm down!" he asked and, amazingly, everyone did. He put his flowers, his crown, his sash and his envelop on the piano and walked down a small set of stairs on the side of the stage to get to the audience level. Then he headed to the back of the house where the woman stood.

He still had the microphone in his hand when he reached the woman. "Hi," he said into the microphone, sounding as sweet as possible. "I’m Sky. What's your name?"

The woman, who was a bit confused by the calm behavior of her target sputtered a bit. "J... Judy," she said. "My name in Judy."

Now, normally, in a situation like this, Skyler would have moved to the side and let the events unfold, but not that day. That day, he was feeling empowered. Strong in an absolutely feminine way. Yet... at peace with himself and a way that he’d never been before.

"Hi, Judy. Come on up on the stage with me."

He took the woman’s hand and led her to the front of the house and up the stairs to the stage. When they were center stage, he turned to the woman, who seemed to be in a haze, and asked, "Judy... why are you here, today?"

This was not how Judy had expected her day to go – not at all! She looked around the room at the people on stage and the people in the audience and she was confused. She'd half expected to see a room full of semi-naked, sex-crazed demons, writhing on the floor as they indulged in all kinds of fornication! Instead... she saw people who looked just like her neighbors in the audience and some very beautiful looking people on the stage. Sure, some of the contestants were obviously men - they were taller and broader than most women, but they were very nicely and fairly conservatively dressed. This wasn't at all what she'd been led to believe she'd find in this room.

"I..." she spoke as she gathered her thoughts. "I... I'm here because... community... my community... children... Yes! To keep the children safe." She nodded; sure that she'd explained herself perfectly.

"Safe from me?" Skyler asked.

Judy looked at him. That couldn't possibly be a man, could it? "No... not from you... from..." She looked around. "I don't know."

"I want to introduce you to someone," Skyler said. He looked to the others and motioned for Rodney to come forward. "Judy, I want you to meet my friend, Rodney. Rodney... this is Judy. Say hello."

"Hi, Judy," Rodney said, nearly as confused as Judy was,

"Rodney, tell Judy about yourself."

Rodney brought a limp-wristed hand to his chest as his jaw dropped open. "Tell her...?"

Skyler nodded.

"Well..." Rodney shrugged and started speaking. "I’m a design major at RISD in Rhode Island... I'm twenty-one years old and I'm hoping to work in the advertising world after I graduate. I am active in my school’s LGBTQ+ organization where I participate in community outreach – providing meals for the elderly and those who can’t afford to help themselves through fundraisers like... well kind of like this. Fashion shows, talent shows... whatever... you know... we’re doing what we can to help."

Judy stared at the beautiful man confused. "Community outreach?"

Rodney nodded.

Skyler waved Ellie over.

"Hi, Judy," Ellie smiled. "I'm a clinical psychology grad student at Harvard where my focus is on suicide prevention amongst children with gender related anxieties. Young people who are afraid to be themselves because members of society might attack them."

Judy looked around. "You mean... people like me? I... I would never hurt a child. I swear it."

"I would hope not," Skyler said, "but you used a pretty hurtful word when you burst in here, Judy."

"I did?" she asked. That seemed so long ago at that point. "Oh..." she remembered. "Yeah, but they told me... I mean... I was told that there was..." A tear suddenly rolled down her cheek. "I’m sorry, but I thought that you were all..." she looked around again. "I’m... sorry."

By that time, several police officers had accompanied the chief into the performance hall. "Ma’am?" the chief said politely. "I'll need you to come with me. I’ll escort you out."

Suddenly, Judy looked frightened. she nodded, knowing she'd been in the wrong. She walked to the stairs, then turned. "I'm sorry," she said to everyone.

When the Chief had led Judy out, the room remained silent for a moment until Skyler raised the microphone to his lips and whispered, "Thank you."

There really was nothing else to be said, so the audience gave him one last round of applause and he gathered up his flowers, crown, sash and envelop then they all headed backstage.

Lots of contestants congratulated Skyler on the way down the hallway. He received many hugs, many kisses on his cheeks and many, many, many thanks.

When he reached James’ work area, it was pretty much packed up and James was zipping up one of the two large, wheeled suitcases he’d used to bring in everything he needed. When he glanced up and saw Skyler enter, he stopped what he was doing and smiled, his arms held wide.

"There’s my girl!" he grinned. He wrapped his arms around Skyler and swayed from side to side.

"Thank you for everything, James," Skyler said. "I couldn’t have done it without you."

James stopped swaying and held Skyler at arm's length. "Now, you listen to me, young lady. I just made you look pretty. YOU won this competition. It was your grace, your talent and your courage that won, today. Sky... I can’t tell you how many pageants I’ve attended over the years, and I can’t tell you how many times things have gone sideways during a show, but never like this, honey, and never have I seen a contestant take over and save the day the way that you did."

James shook his head and took in the girl in the nineteen-thirties attire before him. "You’re a bit of a miracle, Sky. A few weeks ago, when Reggie first brought you into my studio, I never would have thought you could win this. Now..." he grinned broadly and laughed. "... now... Sky, I believe you could do anything. Congratulations." He kissed Skyler’s cheek.

"Thank you, James. Thank you for everything." He looked at the bags. "Can I help you with this?"

"Are you kidding?" James laughed. "I’ve got this all under control. You need to go see your family. I’m sure they’re waiting to see you. I’m pretty sure you’ll be coming to visit me at the studio again pretty soon." Skyler blushed and laughed at that. "Go on."

Skyler reentered the hallway to find Jenny Jacobs waiting for him.

"Oh, good God almighty," Jenny said, wrapping Skyler in yet another hug. "What happened to that shy little guy that was being pushed into dressing up like a girl by his girlfriend that I met a few weeks ago? How did he become this mighty little woman in front of me?"

"I’m as surprised as you are," Skyler said with a nervous laugh.

Jenny released him and shook her head. "So... what now? Is my beautiful, confident Sky here to stay, or is quiet, little Skyler returning forever?"

Skyler smirked a bit at her teasing. "To tell you the truth, Jenny... I’m not sure that that shy guy you met the first day was ever really here. I think he was just pretending to be here because he was expected to be here. I think that, more than anything else, this pageant taught me who I really am. And I can’t thank you enough for that."

Jenny put her arm around Skyler’s waist, and they headed towards the lobby. "I’m glad to hear that, Sky and I have a proposition for you."

Skyler looked at Jenny, surprised. "What kind of proposition? You know that I can’t just leave school, right? I mean, that was the whole reason for being in the Gala in the first place."

Jenny smiled. "Of course, Sky. School is the most important thing, but you single handedly rescued this pageant from disaster. Like it or not, you’re going to be a legend in this community, so... I need you, Sky. I need your face, your talent and your courage to keep this pageant alive through all of the hate that’s coming at us from every direction. So, I want to work something out with you and my bosses. We’ll figure out a way that you can be the new face of the pageant while still at school. What do you think?"

"But... you’re the face of the pageant."

"I WAS, Sky, but after what you did here today... Let’s talk in a week or so. Ok?"

"Ok," Skyler agreed as they arrived in the lobby and the sound of his family and friends applauding for him caught his attention.

"I knew you could do it, Sky!" Uncle Bill shouted as he grabbed his nephew and lifted him right off the floor, spinning him around as if he was a child. "I have never been more proud of anyone, Sky!
Congratulations!" he finally put him back on the ground. "You're amazing."

Each of his older sisters hugged him and congratulated him effusively. Then his mother got a hold of him and hugged him so tightly it actually hurt.

"There’s my baby boy!" she said into his ear. "Sky... I was so scared when everything went wrong, but you just kept everyone so calm. I am so, so, so proud of you."

"And I won, mom," Skyler pointed out. "I can pay the rest of my college, now."

His mother smiled. "Yes, baby, you can. Congratulations."

The next in line was Lynn, from Uncle Bob’s store. "Hi, Sky," she said, a bit sheepishly.

"Hey, Lynn," Skyler smiled. "Wow, thanks for coming."

Lynn smiled but looked a little scared. "Sky... I’m so sorry."

"About what? The thing at the store? It’s all forgotten."

"No. Not that. I mean... I am sorry about that, but... today, I mean. The person who messed everything up in the tech booth... I found out that that was my dad again. I’m really sorry. I knew he was going to protest, but... I think he only came in because he found out I was in here to support you..."

She probably would have rambled on until she began crying, but Skyler hugged her before she could get to hyped up. "I don’t care, Lynn. Thank you for coming. It means a lot to me."

"There you are!" Alan shouted from across the lobby. "I’ve been looking everywhere for you!"

There was an awkward moment while Alan tried to figure out whether he should offer a handshake or lean down for a hug. Finally, he decided that a hug was in order.

"You... you... you..." he said, partly playfully and partly because he wasn’t really sure what to say. "You are... unbelievable!" He laughed at the inadequacies of his linguistic abilities. "You know what I mean, right? I mean... wow! Wow! Wow! I mean... I knew you were great, but... wow!"

"Thanks, Alan," Skyler smiled. "Thanks for understanding before. I just couldn’t... it was an odd and unexpected position for me to be in, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it," Alan smiled. "That’s all past. From here on out, just remember, I’m here and you can tell me anything."

Skyler smiled and wanted to reply, but someone grabbed him around the waist from behind, lifted him off the floor and swung him around. When he landed back on his feet, someone was kissing him hard and passionately on the lips.

When, at last, he could breathe again, he realized that the assailant was who he’s expected it to be – Hanna. "You won, baby! You won, you won, you won and kicked fucking ass while did it! Congratulations, my love!" Once again, his mouth was engulfed by hers. "I am so proud of you, baby! So, so proud."

"Thanks," Skyler said. All of this praise was becoming difficult to process at this point, and having Hanna being so affectionate in public was a really unusual thing. So, he just smiled.

Finally, Regina appeared. She smiled at him as she approached. "Sorry. I kind of ended up with the microphone and I was trying to find someone to give it to. I got talking to that woman named Karen and... anyway..." she suddenly ran to Skyler and hugged him. "You won, Sky. I can’t believe it, you won. I mean... I believe it, but... I CAN’T BELIEVE IT! You know what I mean?"

"WE won, Reggie," Skyler smiled and hugged her back. "You helped me sooooo much."

"Sky – I thought I’d taught you everything you’d need to win this thing, but it wasn’t anything that I taught you that helped you win. It was you. You were so brave and so... My God, Sky, I thought you were nuts when you started helping the others! I mean, if you’re here to win, you don’t help the others, but... Sky... I am just so proud of you."

"Thanks, Reggie."

"Oh, and James told me to remind you that those clothes are borrowed, so we need to get them back to him this week."
 

~^~
 

"And with this bill, we shall insure that our children are not exposed to the gay and trans agenda." The blonde congresswoman said.

"Congresswoman," the reporter shouted to get her attention, "what do you have to say about the chargers you’re facing in regard to the violent protest in Massachusetts a few months ago?"

"I have no comment other than to say that these are politically motivated charges and that I am innocent of any and all accusations."

"But a bystander took footage of you telling the crowd to charge The Ansonia Mansion in which the pageant was occurring, and you told them to do whatever needed to be done to stop the event. Isn’t that what led to the charges?"

"That footage is completely fabricated," the congresswoman said, dismissively. "Haven’t you ever heard of video editing or AI?"

"Are you implying that this footage was created using Artificial Intelligence?"

"Well, I don’t know how they did it, but nothing remotely similar to what the media has been touting occurred on that day."

"Just shut it off," Jenny said. "There’s no point in listening to her lies. We can’t argue with her, anyway. She’ll just spout more lies and her disciples will believe whatever she says rather than believe their own eyes."

"I know," Skyler said, smoothing his nonexistent skirt as he sat. It was very hot that day and he was wearing one of several cute rompers he’d bought for himself recently. "It’s just so frustrating to hear her lying about what happened like that. I don’t understand how she can say those things and never get into any trouble.

"She’s not the only one, Sky. She’s just the most vocal, and, as we plan next year’s Gala, we have to prepare, because we know that we are going to be hit with a lot of stupid and a lot of hate coming from every direction."

"I know," Skyler nodded. "I was on a podcast yesterday and they asked me about these kinds of attacks, and I just said that I was not in a position to judge what was going on in their heads, so I was just going to continue to be as patient and understanding with the people who hated me as I could be."

"Great answer," Jenny smiled, "but we need to be very proactive and push forward for the Gala. We can’t give an inch. You and I are the guardians of this great institution, Sky, and we need to make sure that the fortysixth Gala goes off without a hitch."

Skyler nodded and opened his laptop to get to work.

"I loved the pictures you sent me from your last photo shoot," Jenny said. "You and Regina are doing pretty well, aren’t you?"

Skyler smiled. "A little notoriety goes a long way in the modeling business. Reggie is almost as famous as me because she was on the stage with me that night. Hanna seems to love me doing it, too, so... win/win, right?"

"By the way," Jenny said, "I saw you on Fallon the other night. You did a great job. You played and sang beautifully, as always. The footage they showed of you at the Ansonia Mansion really helped make us look good."

Skyler smiled. "That wasn’t my intention at the time. Jimmy just happened to show the video, but I’m glad it helps."

"I thought it was very sweet that they brought Judy out, too. It’s amazing how reformed she has become since the Gala. She’s become an outspoken advocate of LGBTQ+ rights. I guess you couldn’t ask for a better advocate. She always makes a point of explaining how she’d been told that terrible things were happening in that room and all she found were regular people watching a pageant. Nothing evil. Nothing profane."

"She has a great story to tell, no doubt," Skyler smiled.

"And then YOU wow everyone by playing piano. Lord, you haven’t even started your sophomore year and you’re already a celebrity! You’re like the Greta Thunberg of the Queer Community."

He just shrugged and began looking at the papers in his folder as someone knocked on the door of Jenny’s hotel room.

"Come in," Jenny said, looking up.

"Sorry I’m late," Lynn said, entering with her briefcase and carrying a tray of coffees. "I brought Dunkins as an apology." She put the tray down and began pulling out her laptop. "Hey, Jenny... I know I’ve said it before, but thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. I really appreciate it."

Jenny smiled at her. Lynn had come a long way in the past couple of months. Even then, her soft violet sundress was evident of her new found independence. "Don’t thank me, Lynn. Thank Sky. She insisted that I hire you, and so far I’ve been very happy to have you working with us."

Lynn smiled. "I think Sky just got tired of me constantly crying of her shoulder and figured that the best way to shut me up was to give me something to do."

"I got you the job because I like you, Lynn," Skyler said. "And I figured that someone as gifted at writing as you are would be a big help. I shared a couple of your short stories with Jen and she agreed. That’s why you’re here." He smirked a bit before adding, "Besides, ever since you and Alan became a couple, I feel like you’ve become part of Hanna and my family."

"Well, I’m happy to be here, anyway. Thank you both," Lynn said as she began typing.

"So, Sky," Jenny asked, sipping her cup of coffee, "when is your next TV appearance?"

"The View on Wednesday."

"Ugh. You never know how they’re going to swing on that show. Just stay on message."

"Jenny, the message is just that we are no different from anyone else. Sure, we have different desires and needs, but that’s what makes us all human."

Jenny patted Skyler’s exposed shoulder. "You’re right, Sky. Now... let’s get down to business. It’s up to the three of us to make this world a better place."

THE END
 
 
MUSIC LINKS: I know I’ve posted ‘You Can Always Count On Me,’ but here is a live performance by the actress who created the role. Her name is Randy Graff. Kind of a great name for a character in a TG story.

Randy Graff - "You Can Always Count On Me" [Donahue 1990] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN0MjjJ4Qcw