I stayed in my ‘Gaby’ guise to go back to Maddy’s, we were still jumping after the excitement of the afternoon. Mrs Cole had checked that I hadn’t broken anything in my fall, the verdict was it would hurt for a couple of days.

“How did it go girls?” Aunt Carol asked

“We won!” Maddy squealed

“The badminton?”

“Yes!” Maddy confirmed

“And Scott won the school Cup too” I added

“Oh well done!” Mrs P told us, “get showered and changed and we’ll eat”

“Maddy?” I called from the bathroom, “Ma-ad?”

“What?” she poked her head round the door?

“Have you got the bottle of remover stuff?”

“Isn’t it in you bag?”

“I can’t see it”

“I’ll have a look” she disappeared.

“Is it a sort of flat bottle?”

“That’s it” I confirmed

“Erm, I… “

“Come on”

“It’s broken” she revealed the smashed bottle bereft of contents.

“Oh shit”

“What’s all the shouting you two?” Aunt Carol asked

“The stuff to get Gabs breasts off”

“What about it?”

“The bottle got broken” I dejectedly told her

“I see the problem. Well young lady, it looks like you will be around a bit longer than planned.”

I groaned

“But it’s the dance tomorrow!” I bleated

“We’ll get some remover tomorrow, don’t worry” she tried to soothe me.

“You can stay here tonight” Mad suggested

“I guess”

So I ended up borrowing some more of my ‘cousins’ clothes, a hasty call to Dad cleared my absence from home. I got to watch the TdF coverage, Mum now had a five-second lead, I missed her call of course but tomorrow’s coverage is scheduled earlier so I can see it before the dance.

I sat in the Peters kitchen listening to Aunt C ringing around the theatrical suppliers. The news was not good. The type I needed was not the usual brand that wouldn’t work and so far no one within a hundred miles had any in stock. They could get it for Monday but today there was no chance.

“It looks like you’ll have to stay Gaby for the weekend”

“But I’m racing on Sunday!”

“We can strap them down I guess”

“I spose” I reluctantly agreed

“Any luck Mum?” Maddy came in

“No, it looks like it will be Gaby going to the dance” she told her daughter.

“I’m not going” I stated

“Oh Drew, you’ve got to” Maddy told me

Flash backs of Anna’s ‘party’ crossed my mind.

“Come on young lady, let’s go get you a dress and break you out of this fugue”

“But Mrs Pe” she cut me off

“Aunt Carol remember, and I’m not having you make my daughter miserable for the next three weeks!”

Blackmail. Well I guess I’m stuck with boobs until Monday now anyway.

“Okay! I’ll go! But I don’t need you to buy a new dress for me, I can borrow one of Mad’s” I suggested

“Not so likely, no niece of mine is wearing a hand me down to the dance!”

I shrugged and rolled my eyes skyward.

So I found myself in some of Mad’s jeans and a T on the way to Meadowhall.

“I’ve seen just the thing Mum” Mad stated

“We’ll see, it’s Gaby’s dress so she gets to choose right?”

“Yes Mum”

“Gaby?”

“Thanks Auntie” I still wasn’t that impressed with the situation.

There was obviously a budget, and to my relief that kept us out of the likes of Next. If I was going to have to pick a dress it would be something I liked! We toured the various boutiques; Maddy kept enthusing about various frocks, which mostly got the knock back from either me or Aunt C, or both of us. We broke off for a drink and then I saw it, the dress for me! Well Maddy really, it was pretty cool, I thought.

“There over in the Lanes” I pointed

“That pink thing?” Mrs P asked

“The green one?” Maddy suggested

“No. Hanging up at the back”

“The orange velvet?” Aunt Carol queried

“That’s the one!” I stated

“Lets have a look then”

We finished our drinks and headed to the small ‘alternative’ store where the dress hung.

“You sure Gab?” Maddy asked

“It look’s a bit heavy for a summer dance” Mrs P mentioned

“Please? Can I at least try it?” I was starting to sound like my sister.

“Okay”

I got my dress and Mad made a change of plan!

Back at Camp Peters we got ready early so that I could watch the Tour coverage before going to the dance. Maddy really went to town on her look, she looked quite scary. After my tantrum a couple of weeks ago, Aunt C did my makeup, quite restrained really. She swapped the cute studs in my ears to a pair of her own drops but left the small hoops in. Maddy put an ordinary stud in the hole at the top of my ear yesterday and that got swapped for a blue crystal stud, with the long wig on I was ready for my public.

I sat entranced during the TdF programme eagerly awaiting the coverage of Mums race. I was on the edge of my seat as today’s stage unfurled. The Apollinaris squad were doing a fair job of protecting their position and Mum, chasing down any serious contenders and letting the lesser lights have their head for a while.

One minute they were all riding happily along and the next chaos. A switched wheel maybe and a good number of the bunch were in a heap on the tarmac. Including Mum.

“Nooo!” I shouted at the screen

The cameras were obviously watching for Mum so we could see that although a bit scraped she was quickly back on her bike. But a small but dangerous group had escaped the carnage, according to the clock she was now no longer the yellow jersey on the road! The race radio soon alerted everyone to the position and the Apollinaris girls started a seemingly futile chase. However it soon picked up momentum as a couple more teams realised the danger to their own positions and with 50km left the chase was started in earnest.

Because it was only highlights, it was frustrating to watch but as they showed the break at the five to go kite, Mums bunch was in the frame behind them. They were in the last 2km before contact was made and in a rehearsed move, Mum took straight off down the opposite kerb. The spent break could do nothing and with Maria and the girls controlling the front no one in the bunch could make an immediate response.

So we watched my bloodied and tired mother cross the line for her third stage victory and enough time bonus that only a real disaster tomorrow would prevent her winning the overall classification.

I was back on cloud nine. I lifted my long skirts to join my girlfriend as we waited for Mrs P to deliver us to the dance.

We clambered into the back of the car, Maddy’s tight dress causing nearly as much trouble as my full-skirted affair. We had Mrs P drop us off at the main gates where we could see Rhod and Ally waiting with Bernie.

“Hi guys” Mad greeted the others

“We didn’t know you were coming Gab?” Ally mentioned

“I wasn’t planning on it but Drew had a last minute hitch” I hefted my breasts meaningfully.

“Like your dress Gaby” Bernie offered

“I thought you were getting your hair done today?” Mad asked

“I was, but Sylv suggested it would be better if I had it done when I wasn’t going straight out, in case I hate it”

“Figures I guess” Maddy noted

“Come on ladies” Rhod suggested, “ there’s dancing to do!”

There being no theme for this occasion, there were kids in the full spectrum of partying gear. A few of the older kids had come in full Goth, at least I wasn’t the only boy in a dress, one of the sixth form lads was wearing a spidery affair over lycra trousers and big boots. Weird or what? There were as to be expected a lot of mini dresses and skirts on the girls and most of the guys were wearing shirt and slacks.

I noticed a few looks my way as we crossed the hall but knowing I can pass as Gaby I wasn’t afraid of discovery. No what scared me were boys in general. They were sure to hit on me tonight, Mad reckoned I look a fox, why can’t I be ugly! Things got going and we started dancing.

“Gaby!” Jules hissed

“What?”

“Over here a minute” she motioned me to the side, “I thought Drew was coming tonight?”

“So did I” I told her

“Well, Dad got a call just before we left, you saw the race?”

“Yeah! Brill eh?”

“Well the team want us all there at the finish tomorrow” she informed me

“But how, there’s not enough time”

“All I know is that we have to be at that airfield near Retford at eight in the morning. So we need to get home fairly early ok”

“Ok. Shit! These boobs are stuck on and I can’t get them off”

“I don’t want to know how.” She mentioned, “I guess my sister is going to Paris tomorrow.”

“See you later Sis”

I returned to the dance floor at sixes and sevens.

“What did Jules want?” Mad asked as we boogied down

“We’re going to France in the morning” I told her

“But?” she pointed with one hand and covered her mouth with the other to stifle a giggle

“I know” I stated unamused

“Oh come on Gab, loosen up”

We danced for a while then found a table. Rhod and Ally went to get some soft drinks while Bernie; Mad and myself caught our breath.

“I told you”

“I know, but look she’s with her cousin”

I caught the end of the conversation and glancing round spotted Clive and Paul. Like rabbits caught in headlamps they froze and smiled at me when they realised I had clocked them.

“Looks like your admirer has spotted you” Bernie stated seeing where I was looking

Rhod and Ally chose that second to reappear saving me temporarily from my would be suitor.

“Never guess what guy’s?” Mad started looking at me for permission to tell the news.

“What?” Rhod asked keeping his attention on Al.

“Little Miss Bond here is off to France tomorrow”

“Kewl!” Bernie mentioned

“Miss Bond? Oh you mean you’ve got to go as a girl?” Rhod suddenly made the connection

“Unless there’s a miracle between now and eight in the morning!” I confirmed

“Ot oh, watch out Gab, Clive’s coming over,” Ally said out of the corner of her mouth.

“Er hi Gaby, would you like to dance?”

My girlfriends giggled and Maddy jabbed my sore ribs

“Go on”

Perhaps I can get rid of him if I dance with him for a bit? It might work I mused.

“Okay, but just one or two songs and no slow numbers!” I stated. The girls goldfished, Clive just beamed.

“Sure Gaby, whatever you say.” He replied

Rhod was smiling and shaking his head as my suitor led me back into the enthusiastic if unskilled dance troop on the floor.

I eventually managed to escape from Clive’s clutches by heading for the girl’s room. I’d forgotten about the queues and what a problem a long frock can be. I re-found the others and sat out a few numbers. I joined the others for another dance fest then I spotted my sister motioning to the time. Seems like Cinderella is leaving sharp at ten!

Maddy Bell 03.11.03