Continuation of the theme.

When It Rains, And Then It Pours...

I give Tanner a look that could kill... just before he qualifies what he said moments before.

“Mac. Believe it or not I just saved your bacon. Emerson was hell bent to take you to a casting couch and have his way when I told him you were signed exclusively with me...”

 © 2010 by Lilith Langtree & Rénae Dáºmas. This work may not be replicated or presented in whole or in part by any means electronic or otherwise without the express consent of the work’s Owner (copyright holder), with the exception of the private and non-commercial viewing by the reader who is also the end purchaser. ALL Rights Reserved, including but not limited to ownership of Characters, final content decision, and more. This is a work of Fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this story are fictional and any resemblance to real people or incidents past, present or future is purely coincidental. Any and all images which may be shown within this work are taken through license under Corel with the exception of the title image which is Photo Credit to Irina Sheik. No affiliations, involvement or gender assignations through the use of these or any images of the subject or subjects contained within those posted images is to be implied, intended or inferred.
An Aldoennetti & Langtree Original.

I begin to sputter and walk in his direction in as threatening a manner as I could adopt considering he outweighs me and I’m tottering on 2 inch heels, the extensive use of which I have been woefully unprepared for.

“Tanner, you can take your ‘exclusive contract’ and stuff it. I’m not a girl. I’m not even interested in dressing like one and I’m not going to pull you out of this jam by acting like one.”

“Mac. Simmer down. Easy, Mac; just let me talk for a minute. I promise if you do it I won’t let anything happen to you. This could be important for both of us and you could pull it off without half trying. Come over and look at the pics before you slit my throat.”

I still give him my best ‘I’m really pissed off’ expression even though he has picqued my curiosity bug which causes me to go over to take a look. He shows me the pictures on the computer. Somehow he had taken a half dozen from various angles but they all make me think of me in a skirt. The only redeeming feature is my breasts which, if I have my way, will go the way of the DoDo as soon as I have the money to do it.

“So I’m looking. All I see is me in this ridiculous outfit which I wouldn’t even be wearing if that storm hadn’t drowned me.”

“I can’t believe you can’t see it.”

“See what? I see me just fine and I look fuckin’ ridiculous in these clothes.”

“You just saying that because you are afraid to admit you look really great as a woman. Think about Ms. Fancypants who Emerson just fired. How does she look to you?”

I didn’t quite see where Tanner was going with this line but I didn’t intend to buy into it. Still if it hadn’t been for the drugs, Bianca was pretty hot.

“Well?”

“Well what? You want me to say she’s hot? Well she is, except for the drugs.”

“Hey, Irina. Who looks better, Bianca or Katrina here?”

“Katrina? Who’s Ka... Oh Schatzi, you ARE coming out. Katrina of course... There’s no comparison. Bianca is pretty, but Katrina is wholesome.”

“You’re both crazy. I’m getting out’ta here.” I turn and walk back to the privacy screen to change to my wet things so I may leave.

As I walk, Tanner is snapping more pics.

“Cut that out!” I spin and shake my fist at him so he takes a picture of that and I see it pop up on the computer screen a split second later, except that what I see on the screen is some young woman shaking her little fist in the air with her other hand on her hip and a slight sway in her stance. This isn’t good. Then again, I want to see that pic again and Tanner has been snapping several more by now.

“Tanner, wait a second... No really, wait a second. Back up the pics, I want to see the one where I was waving my fist in the air.”

He goes over to the computer and soon the picture is on the screen. I stare at it from a distance then walk over and take a closer look for probably a minute while he snaps a few more before walking over and talking to me quietly.

“As I said, how would you like to make five thousand just for the St. Peterburg shoot? And you’ll still receive your normal pay as well. You will be there with me and I won’t let Emerson get to you. Five thousand would go a long way toward helping you get to wherever it is you want to be. College tuition, Retirement fund. Whatever.”

I’m still looking at the picture. That’s the first one I’ve seen that actually looks like somebody else.

“Mac, come sit over at make up and let Irina do a little light makeup on you. You certainly won’t need much. Then we’ll shoot a few more pics so you can see how you look. That’s all. Just a little makeup and a few more pics before you decide.”

I lick my lips and wonder if I’m making a big mistake but, yeah, if they can make me look like a girl then five thousand for three days work is a hunk of change. If Tanner and Irina are there to protect me all the time it might not be so bad.

“All right. Irina can make me up and we’ll shoot a few pics then after I look at them I’ll decide.”

“Thanks, Katrina.”

That gets me to scowling again but... what the heck... Okay; for five thousand dollars temporarily I’m Katrina.

~O~

Well, it wasn’t a few pics... It was closer to a hundred photos with me modeling three different outfits. That’s all Tanner had on hand that were in my size other than the strapless gown and there wasn’t a bustier in the wardrobe, nor any of the other undergarments I would need for the gown. We were running out of time since Tanner has another gig coming up in a half hour. We cut it short and plan to take more tomorrow after we go out and purchase me some more clothing tomorrow afternoon.

“I’ll take the clothing expenses out of your profits from St. Petersburg but some of it the business will provide since it's necessary for your portfolio. When you finish with the stuff you may keep it or donate it back into the business wardrobe.”

That sounds fine to me as I’m not planning on remaining female for any stretch of time. I could just picture going home to Mom for Christmas as Katrina. Not a pretty picture, even if I managed to live through saying “Hi Dad.” Just for grunts and giggles Tanner sets up a contract with the name Katrina Van Derholt on it and I sign it the same. It is back dated by six months so if Emerson wants proof I was already signed to Tanner, we had it. Tanner offered to be my agent but said I should probably get someone else if things continued to percolate.

“You know, if you were to remain wholesome and not become stuck on yourself like some other model I could name, you could pull down a pretty big bundle of cash in the next year or two.”

“Yeah? And all I have to do is be a girl for a couple of years, right?”

“Yes, but would that be so bad? Think about it. Who would know besides Irina and myself? We’re not going to tell anyone because we would be slitting our own throats. Face it, you could make a bundle and we could make a bundle and then we would almost have enough we could all retire. Since your contract is with me, we won’t be limited to shooting solely for Emerson although he might try to force it. That means we could take on other contracts as well.”

If it wasn’t for the money I wouldn’t even be considering his proposal but... “How much do you think I could make in a year or two?”

“I don’t know. Not a lot the first six months or so until your pics begin to hit the market but after that the offers would begin to pick up. The second year would be the big gravy year. First year... maybe fifty to a hundred grand; second year — at least a couple of hundred after taxes. After that would you even care? You could retire somewhere and take it easy. You’re young, you would still have your life ahead of you whichever way you wanted to go. Maybe finish college and go into something else.”

Tanner has a way of making the most ridiculous seem normal. A quarter million AFTER TAXES for two years work? That’s almost inconceivable.

“Well? Do you want to go shopping tomorrow and we will create your portfolio to send over to Emerson? We can pick the best shots out of a few hundred and send the best fifty or so over. We could go for ten or twelve different looks in a dozen outfits. What do you think of that gown? Want to try some while wearing it?”

Irina has to get in his two-bits, “Do it, schatzi. You can pull it off. And we’ll make so much of that wonderful green stuff, too. Besides, I always wanted to visit St. Petersburg, all expenses paid.”

Tanner looks at me and adds, “And we could take more photos for your portfolio while we’re there so I may write off the trip and a tour of the city as an expense if I can’t get Emerson to pay for it outright. His pockets are a lot deeper than mine.”

I produce one of Bianca’s flourishes trying to place her accent and tonal inflections into my voice, “That would be wahnderful, dahling, but there must be a luncheon. I shan’t go unless I am fed.” Then more seriously, “And that gown is nice but the colour is definitely not me. I’m more into greens and blues, not hot pink.”

My imitation of Bianca cracks them both up and they start laughing. In moments I join them and the three of us are laughing so hard I almost fall down. After that we spend our last twenty minutes selecting some of the photos taken of me as I petulantly wandered around trying not to look feminine before the models arrive for the next shoot.

After the shoot, which lasted nearly an hour and a half, we break off for the morning since we have some more sessions to handle this afternoon.

We had successfully used up the remaining time which had been allotted for Emerson’s shoot in trying to convince me to do the St. Petersburg gig. In a rare display of largesse, Tanner takes the three of us to lunch with me, of course, still dressed as a female. I didn’t have much choice, I’m hungry and my lunch was destroyed by the storm. Tanner intends to write it off as a business expense since we will be discussing my portfolio and the clothing he wants me to model for it. He’s pretty good to work for but he’s always looking for an angle. At least he’s always been on the up and up with me. We discussed the ‘look’ we want to try for in the portfolio and decided on ‘wholesome’, whatever that is.

~O~

At lunch I’m shaking like a leaf, at least until Irina brings up Emerson and how he viewed me, “He thought you were a woman, schatzi. Didn’t you see him licking his chops? We thought he would devour you on the spot and he probably would have if Tanner hadn’t told him you were signed to him.”

This whole thing is still difficult for me to comprehend, but at the restaurant everyone treats me exactly like the person I appear to be. By the time we are ordering I’m beginning to calm down. Tanner modifies my order a bit and has me eating a lot more rabbit food and the rat nixes my french fries. He did allow me the meat patty, lettuce and tomato from the hamburger but the bun went by the wayside and he verbally scraped off much of the dressing which would have been used on it. He even gave the shake I managed to order as the waitress walked away to Irina, forcing me to drink water. This being a female model is for the birds.

“Katrina, you need to be much more careful about what you eat. You can’t afford to gain weight now. You must keep your figure just like this if you are going to go to St. Petersburg or anywhere else as a model. Gaining weight just became a big no-no.”

When the food arrived, I took a sad look at my little meat patty and salad. I don’t even get a glass of milk but have water with my meal, which isn’t that big a change since that’s what I drink at the apartment. Milk costs money, and that’s something I don’t have a lot of but I had been savoring the idea of having a shake or at least one glass of that white stuff since Tanner was paying for it. I watch as Tanner tucks away most of a nice top sirloin and Irina is scarfing down the same burger and fries order I had tried to place. My mouth is drooling but after I’ve eaten I discover I’m not all that hungry. Must be something to do with having this tight belt wrapped around my ‘waist’.

We make the arrangements for tomorrow; I’ll come to work dressed like this for the three shoots we have then we’ll all go out and shop for the clothes I’ll wear for the next few days as well as those for the portfolio. Even though I’m not that hungry I wish they would at least let me lick the plates. I manage to snag one french fry from Irina and pop it in my mouth before Tanner gives me a nasty look. I make a point of chewing and swallowing it.

“I can see you’re going to be a handful just like Bianca.”

The smile drops from my face immediately, as I reach my hand over to cover his, “Please say you didn’t mean that, Tanner.” I’m almost apologetic and if I could bring the fry back up whole and put it on the plate I would do so. I just don’t want to be thought of in the same light as that bitch.

“Well, maybe not it’s not as bad as it sounded. You really don’t want to be like her do you?”

I shake my head almost ready to break out crying and I don’t understand why.

“I’m sorry, Tanner. I’m still a little hungry. I didn’t mean to be like her.”

He smiles and cuts a couple of bites of his remaining steak putting them on my plate.

“Thank you.”

I chew them and swallow before he has a chance to change his mind.

“Salads, fruits and some meats won’t be bad, Katrina. You’ll find you will need the protein especially once we get into the shoots and the long hours involved with them. They won’t be like the ones we do in the studio which only last an hour or two at the most. Some days we will be up with the chickens and shoot all day with small breaks here and there. Lots of water, protein, and salads... No doughnuts, bagels, cookies, very little milk or dairy products, maybe an egg and no potatoes. You’ve got a lot to learn and only a couple of weeks to learn it. Not just about what to eat, either.”

I look at him dumbfounded, I hadn’t given a thought to the necessity of changing my diet. I’m beginning to learn I’ve got a lot to learn.

“I’m going to bring in a modeling coach for at least the next week. We need to prepare you for both runway and location modeling so expect me to keep you plenty busy even if we have no contracts for you to work. You will need to be as professional as possible before St. Petersburg and, if possible, before we hand Emerson your port in two days time. The next day and a half I’m going to run you ragged to prepare your port. Let’s get back, my early afternoon client will be arriving in about fifteen minutes.”

~O~

The next three hours go by quickly with two models arriving for their sessions along with our clients who hired them. The one girl is from an agency and hired by that client, the other is one of the ones contracted to Tanner. The sessions do go fairly smoothly and I watch the girls ‘strut their stuff’ as I try to learn pointers by watching them. I’m beginning to understand it isn’t as easy as they make it seem. About the only good thing, if you can call it that, I learned was that the models seem to consider me to be competition which means they accept me as being a female. At first I was appalled but then I began to think of it as a complement. I was passing as a woman right in front of these gorgeous women and they are becoming jealous of my looks. That’s kind of a trip. Be humble Mac... Be humble.

One of the clients asked Tanner about me and they discussed my availability for a few minutes. Thankfully this was done after the model finished and departed so she didn’t come over to tear my hair out. Now there is another client who wants to see my portfolio. This has me a little worried but when I look at Tanner all I see are dollar signs in his eyes. I think I need to have some serious alone time to think about this.

The clients have gone and left a few more items for us to add to our wardrobe. Tanner is looking at one of the business suits and asks, “This might fit you. Would you give it a shot? That would give us some more shots for your port and another outfit for your normal clothing if it fits.”

Going behind the privacy screen I change and find the suit to be a little loose but generally okay. I come out from behind the screen and am nearly blinded by the first shot he takes before he has me go over and attempt to pose much like the model did who wore it earlier.

“Okay, turn more this way... that’s good, hold it.” SNAP, SNAP, “ Head back a little... fine.” SNAP, SNAP, “Now turn to your right slightly, good, now profile your head... raise your chin, good.” SNAP, “Adjust your feet, that isn’t the way a model stands. No not like that, hold it. Remember how your body is positioned.”

He comes over and shows me how to place my weight on the hind foot and heel while placing the forward foot at a angle allowing the toe to heel line to cross back through the heel of the rear foot. “That’s good. This is how you would generally place your feet during a static shot. Now give me the body position we had before but with your feet properly aligned. Great...” SNAP, SNAP, SNAP. Toss your head so your hair flies ba...” SNAP.

This goes on for about five minutes before he announces we are going to go out and shoot some shots in the park before it begins to get dark. We take his RV so I have somewhere to change into another outfit or two and we drive out. Irina follows with his car with the makeup kit.

It takes about twenty minutes to set up the strobes near a fountain in the park. Nearly half that was spent lugging the stuff to the fountain area and deciding which side of it to set up for the shots. We go through a couple of dozen shots before I’m escorted by Irina back to the RV to change. We repeat it all again. By my second change I’m beginning to think the glamor of this sort of thing really isn’t all that great. I feel like I’m a piece of meat or a clothes rack. No wonder so many of the girls begin to fuss a bit or get into mind deadening pharmaceuticals. If I can just hold it together for two years then I’ll have all the money I’ll need to be able to eliminate these unwanted accessories attached to my body, finish college in style and then some.

By the time we pack everything back into the RV and retreat to the studio again it’s beginning to get dark. The pics have transferred, as we arrive in the studio, from the camera to the computer via the wireless memory chip and are now ready for us to review them. Tanner runs everything through his photo enhancing program and stores the enhanced photos in a separate folder. Looking at the photos is quite an education for me. I don’t see me in them at all. There is this model called Katrina showing off the clothing and she looks much like the other models I’ve seen here strutting their stuff. I don’t know if I’m glad I am able to do this or if I’m frightened. At this point the only thing keeping me going is the thought of all that nice money. I’m not afraid someone will start pointing at me and yell, “BOY!” but I am afraid I might begin to like this. Stay humble, Mac stay humble. It’s only for two years and then your body may be repaired and your college education will be awaiting. Two years is beginning to seem like an awfully long time.

By now it is dark out. I go check my male clothing only to discover it’s still damp. Duh, of course since I dumped it in a pile instead of laying it out to dry. It also has a particular odor which is not all that appealing to me.

“Guys? How am I going to get home? I can’t ride my bike like this, and my clothes are still damp and smell pretty ripe.”

“Are you nuts. You’re not going to ride a bike any more. We will have you riding around in a limo. It’ll be a small one for now, but a limo. A model doesn’t walk or ride a bicycle or drive her own car. There’s too much invested in her looks to chance anything. And you, young woman, are going to be a hot property.”

I’m not certain if I like that idea or if I’m frightened of it. I should be angry about all this but the two hundred thou or so still has that nice attraction for me. I hope I don’t become someone like Bianca. I’ve got to remember everyone is important and not let the boredom get me down.

Tanner pulls me out of my deep concerns once again, “I’ll have Irina show up at your place tomorrow morning to do your makeup before you come in. You can ride in with him tomorrow. Hopefully the three sessions I have scheduled here will all complete quickly so by three, or at the worst four, we may go out and purchase you some clothing. After all you can’t wear the same thing around day after day. We also need to get some things for you to wear under strapless or nearly strapless gowns. As a model you would have a large wardrobe and a lot of lingerie.

The more shoots you do the larger your collection will become. Of course some of your pay is taken in the clothing you keep but that’s a small part, seldom over ten or fifteen percent unless it is something really pricey and if that’s the case they usually don’t leave it behind anyway. After all, you need to have good clothing in the event you happen to go out to some special event and the designers will receives kudos for the design if you are wearing it so in effect that is free publicity for their design and for that reason they are usually more than happy to just give you any clothes that you might want to retain.

The agency will get you a new place as soon as the contracts begin paying so you wont need to worry about that for too much longer. We need to place you somewhere you will be better protected. We can’t have you mugged while traveling to or from work. Or anywhere else for that matter. That’s the reason most of the limo drivers are also licensed armed bodyguards.”

I hadn’t given that any thought. I now begin to understand how it could become easy to see oneself as far superior to so many others due to all this special handling. Maybe since I’m a guy masquerading as a model I’ll be able to keep it all in some sort of perspective. I know I always appreciated the few models who treated me like I was a real person.

~O~
~O~

To be continued
(chap. 2 of 28)