A Very Rough Draft of Chapter Two of Wildcat Fall; suggestions are appreciated

Chapter Two
 
She saw a sparkling ocean beyond the treeline. Walking carefully down to the beach, she marveled at how soft the sand was as she dipped a toe into the water. Rows of shells washed up from the incoming tide surrounded her, and she could see tiny crabs climbing in and out of the colorful shells.
 
 
Gina called Richard right after she talked to Jenn. He picked up immediately. “Hey, Gina! How’s your vacation coming along?”
 
“It’s been great relaxing in the luxury of Manhattan's Upper East Side, but I need to head into Philly.”
 
“Right. Phil and I were just discussing the good news about our wonder girl. Would you like me to arrange transportation?”
 
Gina smiled. “Sure. I was hoping you could do that.”
 
“Of course, I can. That’s my job. I’m guessing you want to head out in the morning.”
 
“I do.”
 
“How about ten o’clock? You’ll miss all the congestion of rush hour traffic. I’ll have the driver call when he’s out front.”
 
“Thank you.”
 
“Well, tell everyone, especially Teri, we’re sending our best wishes. We found the best gift for her.”
 
“Best gift, huh? What’d you get her?”
 
“I searched out five of Jimi Hendrix’s live albums on vinyl. All in mint condition.”
 
“You know she’s going to love that, guaranteed to brighten her day.”
 
“Good. The driver will have the package in the car when they pick you up.”
 
“Thanks, Richard.”
 
“Just make sure you tell everyone that we send our love.”
 
“I will. What have you and Phil been doing?”
 
“We’ve been spending Wildcat money. Dinners, shows, clothing, and a bit of travel, too. All the pampering we can give ourselves after a long, hot summer.”
 
“Well, you deserve it after steering this craziness.”
 
“Speaking of that. You know you’re booked for Thanksgiving as the backup band for Bee and Tee on SNL, right?”
 
“How cool is that going to be? Teri’s bright idea to have the two biggest pop stars in the universe doing a show together has become the most talked about thing on the internet.”
 
“We’ll have to see just how exciting it will be. Zoe will either be bursting with a baby or recently postpartum. And of course, Teri will still be dealing with post-operative recovery efforts of her surgery, too.”
 
Gina laughed. “Yeah. The Wildcats have conquered bigger challenges in the past. Imagine Zoe giving birth at Thirty Rock!”
 
“No, Gina. I’m trying not to, but we will have a team standing by. And, of course, you guys are handling the Christmas show, too. That’s a week of Wildcat skits with the cast and playing two songs live.”
 
“Richard, that should be so much fun. Everyone will be excited. I can’t wait to hear what the band wants to play.”
 
“Well, speaking of surprises, when was the last time you talked to your dad? He’s got something to share, and I won’t spoil the surprise.”
 
Gina nodded. “Okay, I’ll call him at work tomorrow when I’m in the limo. If I call him at home tonight, Mom will get on, and he’ll sneak off.”
 
“Well, when I hang up, I’ll arrange your transportation. Have fun!”
 
Gina started thinking about a present for Grace. She wanted to buy her something she knew was from her heart. She flopped down on the couch in Grace’s office and stared out the picture window. It had the best view of Central Park.
 
As she was sitting there, Gina got a great idea. She called Grace’s favorite gallery owner. In a few minutes, she outlined what she had in mind and was pleased to hear that the woman was just as excited as she was. It would be a great surprise.
 
 
Without hesitating, she walked into the warm ocean, smiling at how wonderful the water felt. Holding her breath, she lowered her head under the waves and began swimming.
 
 
Robyn and Julia took her back to see Teri, and she could spend the rest of the evening in her private room in recovery. Around ten o’clock, she kissed her sleeping girlfriend and took an Uber back to their apartment. 
 
After showering, she curled up in bed. She fell asleep, knowing that she’d be over at the hospital when they opened for visitors at ten.
 
 
The next morning, Gina saw the large two-toned SUV sitting outside Fifth Avenue and was pleased to see a cute young woman holding the door for her.
 
“Gina DeNardo?”
 
Gina looked over the pretty thing in her long-sleeved tee and yoga pants. She almost laughed out loud because she was wearing the same comfy clothes. “That’s me.”
 
“I’m Madison and ready to drive you down to Philly. Before we start, do you need anything? I’ve got snacks and water in the back. We even have a chiller, too.”
 
Gina had grabbed a bagel after her run this morning and wanted something sweet. “Uh, any ice cream?”
 
“Frozen Snickers, Milky Ways, and Heath Bars. Just watch biting down too hard. I’m not a dentist.”
 
“Great. And Madison, where are you when you’re not driving this machine?”
 
“School. Studying law in Philly at Kline.”
 
“You drove up this morning?”
 
“Sure. The service finds it easier to come and get you rather than farm out our services. Quality goes a long way.”
 
Gina smiled. “You sound like you own the business.”
 
“Well, it’s a family business with a few partners. The Wildcats are important clients. And you’re my favorite.”
 
Gina blushed at her statement. Her gaydar was pinging. She looked around and was impressed. The back of the SUV was a beautifully upholstered office with two recliners. “This is pretty nice back here. What is it?”
 
“It’s a Maybach. Mercedes makes them. This one is the top of the line and is all-electric.”
 
“Very cool. Okay. I’ll let you concentrate on driving us out of this traffic. I have to call my dad.”
 
“Put in a good word for me. I’m looking for an internship. His law firm is the best.”
 
“Sure. But then you’ll owe me.”
 
Gina watched the cute young woman stare into the rear-view mirror. Madison grinned. “Uh, you know you’ve got a reputation.”
 
Gina laughed. “Wait, do you keep a file on everyone you drive?”
 
“Nope. Just the beautiful ones.”
 
Gina inhaled and shook her head. She thought, ‘I love my life, I love my life.’ Picking up her phone, she called her dad.
 
“Dinardo, Hopkins, and Ryan. How can I help you?”
 
“Hi, Judy. It’s Gina. Could you have my dad call me when he’s not busy?”
 
“Gina, he just got off the phone. Let me connect you.”
 
A minute later, she heard his warm voice. “Hey, baby. How’s my favorite rock star?”
 
“Life is good. I’m heading down to the hospital to see Teri. What’s up? Richard told me to call.”
 
“Yep. Richard wanted me to share the news about William Wiggins wiring us a check. It’s for royalties from all the streaming services.”
 
“Oh, wow. I didn’t even know that existed.”
 
“Uh-huh. They pay the record company every time your songs get played. And all the services have been playing your hits all summer. Every time someone chooses a Wildcat song, you get paid. And all those pennies add up. After Warner takes their cut and Richard gets his cut, you guys split a hundred thousand. That’s twenty grand per Cat.”
 
Gina thought about the painting she’d ordered from the gallery and wondered if that money would cover it. “That’s unexpected. I was going to call you and draw some bucks out. I’m having Grace’s favorite artist paint the view from her apartment to hang in her office. But now, I don’t know if I’ll need it.”
 
She heard her dad chuckle. “My little girl is such a softy.”
 
“Love does that to you.” Gina looked up and realized that her driver could hear every word.
 
“Well, baby. I’m going to get back to work. Not all of us get six-month vacations. Richard told me that you’re going international in the Spring. Your mom and I will fly over to hear you if you play Italy.”
 
“Of course, we’ll book Rome just for you guys. Love ya.”
 
After she hung up, she closed her eyes and thought about how lucky she was to have a family who embraced her. Opening her eyes, she saw they were just going over the Ben Franklin into Philly. Gina looked up at Madison and smiled. “Hey.”
 
“Hey, back. I’ve been fantasizing about the favor I will owe you.”
 
Gina grinned. “You do know I have a true love.”
 
Madison hummed. “Oh, I know. And that’s what’s going to make it so special.”
 
 
She started swimming through the water and looked down at the fish around her. She swam into a large school, marveling at all the different reflective colors on their scales. Looking ahead, she realized they were headed out towards large reefs of colorful coral with hundreds of various species of fish, crabs, snails, and things she’d never seen before. Her eyes opened at the rainbow of beautiful colors against the sandy bottom below.
 
 
Lisa and Smith walked down the ramp toward the waiting plane. Lisa chuckled at the woman leading them to their seats as they entered the doorway. The woman couldn’t seem to take her eyes off Smith. Lisa knew he had that star charisma without trying after being in a world-famous band and several big movies. She liked that he didn’t notice the fuss surrounding him as they quietly sat in the corner of first class.
 
After sitting, the same flight attendant stood in the aisle, blocking the view of their seats so the rest of the passengers wouldn’t notice them. As much as she enjoyed the Wildcats' success, the constant staring had grown tiresome. She knew she’d never complain, but having the most beautiful man on the planet for a boyfriend made her invisible. She hadn’t quite figured that all out in her head. She made a note asking Grace Goldman for advice on dealing with passive-aggressive jealousy.
 
Smith leaned over and buried his nose in his iPad on his tray table. He was working on lyrics for new EBR music.
 
Lisa looked over and read some of the words. “Hmm. Storm clouds, lightning, heavy rain. Sure sounds like a recycled Eaten song.”
 
He turned his head slowly, smiling into her face. “Uh-huh. Except this one might have the sun coming out. You know, maybe throw some love into the mix.”
 
Lisa squeezed his thigh and inched up his leg using her fingers. She whispered in her sexiest voice, “The sun came out and dried up all the rain. And the itsy-bitsy spider went up the spout again.”
 
Smith inhaled as her fingers caressed him. He pretended to shake his head. “Why did I have to fall in love with such a wise-ass. It must run in the Nelson family. But how come your mom’s not like that?”
 
Lisa made a fist and smacked him hard on the bicep before she went back to stimulating him. “That reminds me. When things settle down, I want to hire a private detective to track down my sperm donor's biological parent. Wouldn’t it be ironic if he’s a musician?”
 
“Or a wise ass.”
 
Lisa’s hand grabbed down hard. “Maybe you don’t need this boy for a while.”
 
 
It amazed her as she swam along the coral, looking at the creatures inhabiting their colorful homes. It was all so beautiful and welcoming, even though it was alien to what she knew.
 
 
Robyn brought Jenn back to Recovery and Teri’s room at ten o'clock. She helped her stow her backpack and coat.
 
Jenn stared over at Teri. She looked so small and pale, lying there on the bed surrounded by big machines, all making different noises.
 
Robyn squeezed her arm. “Now it’s time to wake her up. Just sit tight and watch the action.”
 
Jenn watched as Robyn adjusted the controls, sending fluids into her body through a port on her hand. “I’m giving her a wake-up call, and we’re flushing any sedatives still lingering from the operating room. Give her a minute or two to figure it all out.
 
 
As she swam along, she noticed the light from above was getting brighter. She headed towards the sun and the surface. As her head broke through, she could hear sounds and opened her eyes.
 
 
The phone was beeping, and someone was running a vacuum. Lying in her old bed at her mom's house, Teri knew she should answer her phone. She lifted her head to look for it
 
But when she moved, everything spun around violently, and she discovered that her arms and legs were tied down. She attempted to scream, but the pain in her throat was terrible.
 
Having flashbacks of being tied down with duct tape and zip ties when Amos kidnapped her, she panicked.
 
 
Suddenly, a face loomed so close that she couldn’t focus. “Welcome back, Teri Nelson. I’m Robyn, your nurse on the recovery floor. You’ve just come out of surgery, so please don’t worry about your restraints. I’m removing them right now.”
 
As Robyn released the straps, she called out. “Honey, the operation’s over, and everything went well.” She continued speaking as she busied herself with the bed. “Your throat and tongue ache where they inserted a breathing tube during surgery. It’s been replaced with a cannula. I will get you some crushed ice and bring you a soda.”
 
Teri couldn’t feel anything below her waist. She heard a machine between her legs. She lifted her blanket to look.
 
“That’s the sound of an icing machine that keeps your surgical area cold. It’s important to keep the swelling down. Right now, you’re still numbed from your operation and packed with gauze to maintain the shape of your new vagina. There’s a drain inside to remove all the fluid and a catheter in your urethra. Those bags are under your bed. They come out this afternoon before you get up and walk around.”
 
Teri listened, but her mind drifted. Everything had evolved. She realized she’d been given a gift as her body and mind aligned.
 
She took a deep breath and felt the tears roll down her cheeks. The surgery was over. Instead of fearing falling into a bottomless chasm, she prepared to leap hurdles.
 
Robyn looked into her eyes. “And you have your first visitor.”
 
Teri looked up and saw Jenn standing right next to her nurse.
 
Robyn saw her tears and handed Teri a tissue. “Our job is to take care of you during your recovery.”
 
As Robyn showed Jenn the various machines surrounding her, Teri smiled. The surgery was over; the new adventure had begun.
 
“Teri, surgery took six hours. The general anesthesia takes a few days to leave your body.”
 
Teri watched as she pointed everything out but was having trouble concentrating. Her eyes kept closing. She felt a squeeze on her arm. She looked up and saw Jenn looking down at her. They were both crying tears of joy as they kissed.
 
A few minutes later, Robyn held two large styrofoam cups. “Here you go. Jenn’s going to feed you ice very slowly. Now take your time because choking is a real no-no.”
 
As she felt the bed lifting slowly, she heard a motor vibrating under her. When her head and trunk were raised, Teri saw she had a picture window, and the walls were painted a faded green. Her nurse, Robyn, was wearing dark blue scrubs.
 
Jenn grinned as she dipped a long-handled plastic spoon into the cup and brought out ice shards. She waited until Teri opened her mouth and fed them to her.
 
‘I’m a baby bird,’ she thought as the first shards melted on her tongue and trickled down her throat. Teri savored the ice and used her tongue to run it around her mouth before letting it slide down her bruised throat. Jenn filled one spoon after another until the cup was empty.
 
Robyn checked her legs. “You’re wearing elastic support stockings to prevent blood clots from forming. Now, are you ready to try a soda?”
 
Teri croaked out, “Please.”
 
Robyn placed a Coke and another cup of ice in front of her. There was a bendable straw attached to the cup.
 
Robyn opened the can and poured it over the ice. “You’re only going to get a little bit at a time. I’m going to let you hold the cup.”
 
When the soda was gone, Robyn whispered, “Remember that a catheter is in your urethra. You can’t feel it, but relax and let it go. Don’t try to squeeze your muscles and hold back. We want you to make sure everything works.”
 
Teri nodded as she felt the bed being lowered. She saw Robyn adjust the IV drips on a touchpad near the bags. “Time to close your eyes, honey. When you wake up, I’ll introduce you to Julia, the other nurse in this wing.”
 
As she closed her eyes, Teri took a deep breath and smiled.    

A Very Rough Draft of Chapter Three of Wildcat Fall; suggestions are appreciated

Chapter Three
 
When Teri awoke, the first thing she saw was Jenn staring at her. “Hey!” Her voice sounded hoarse. She remembered Robyn telling her that she’d had a tube in her throat during her surgery. Surgery. She still couldn’t feel below her waist, but assumed that was all related to yesterday’s operation. She was still pretty out of it. She had slept last night, but every two hours, somebody turned all the lights on and checked her vitals. So when Jenn appeared, it was great.
 
Jenn moved over to her side and kissed her. “Hey, baby. God, I missed you.”
 
Jenn was kissing her as Teri turned to Robyn. “Hey, could I have dreamed during my operation?”
 
Robyn shrugged. “It’s possible. Some anesthetics can give you vivid dreams. Ask your doctor when you see her.”
 
Teri was wide-eyed. “Well, I just had the coolest dream. I was on a hilltop, and then swimming in the ocean. Everything was in color, and amazing.”
 
Robyn shook her head and smiled. “Well, I’m happy they were good dreams.”

A few minutes later, Robyn held two large Styrofoam cups. “Here you go. Jenn’s going to feed you ice very slowly. Now take your time because choking is a real no-no.”

As she felt the bed lifting slowly, she heard a motor vibrating under her. When her head and trunk were raised, Teri saw she had a picture window, and the walls were painted a faded green. Her nurse, Robyn, was wearing dark blue scrubs.

Jenn grinned as she dipped a long-handled plastic spoon into the cup and brought out ice shards. She waited until Teri opened her mouth and fed them to her.

‘I’m a baby bird,’ she thought as the first shards melted on her tongue and trickled down her throat. Teri savored the ice and used her tongue to run it around her mouth before letting it slide down her bruised throat. Jenn filled the cup one spoonful at a time until it was empty.

Robyn checked her legs. “You’re wearing elastic support stockings to prevent blood clots from forming. Now, are you ready to try a soda?”

Teri croaked out, “Please.”

Robyn placed a Coke and another cup of ice in front of her. A bendable straw was attached to the cup.

Robyn opened the can and poured it over the ice. “You’re only going to get a little bit at a time. I’m going to let you hold the cup.”

When the soda was gone, Robyn whispered, “Remember that a catheter is in your urethra. You can’t feel it, but relax and let it go. Don’t try to squeeze your muscles and hold back. We want you to make sure everything works.”

She started opening the closet and turned to Jenn, “Would you like to help Teri wash her face and brush her teeth?”
 
Teri moaned. “Oh, please. I feel like such a grub. And the taste in my mouth is awful.”
 
After Robyn got her a warm washcloth and a towel, she brought out a disposable cup, a toothbrush, and toothpaste. Teri enjoyed cleaning her mouth.
 
She shook her head as she spat out the last of the paste back into a cup. “Do I get mouthwash, too?”
 
“Of course, Teri. This is a five-star hotel. Just ask and you shall receive.” Robyn reached into the bathroom cabinet and got out a sample-sized bottle.

Teri was finally able to take a deep breath, sitting in bed, and feeling the ice machine between her legs. As she looked across at Jenn, there was a knock on the door. Another smiling nurse was standing there, washing his hands with an antibacterial scrub before he entered. “Hi, Teri Nelson. I’m Hank. I’m a pulmonologist here to check your lungs and breathing.”
 
Jenn looked at him. “Do I need to leave?”
 
“Nope.” He beamed a big smile. “I’ll only be a few minutes.” Hank admired the two women, smiling at them both.
 
Jenn was fascinated to watch as Teri blew into a tube and recorded the information. He used a stethoscope to listen to her lungs and nodded in response. “You’re in great shape. You’ll be going home in no time at all! My assistant will return this evening and demonstrate the exercises I want you to do to build up your lung capacity. Knowing that you sing and play for a living, I want to make sure we send you home in perfect shape.”
 
As he was working, no one noticed Tiffany walk through the door. She immediately came over and gave Teri a warm kiss. “Surprise, Little. This is wonderful. Seeing you stuck in bed, I can keep on kissing and you can’t run away!”
 
She laughed and turned to Robyn and the doctor. “Can I climb up into bed with my girlfriend? I want to get under the covers with her. Is it too soon to have hot monkey sex?”
 
Robyn looked frantic, not realizing Tiffany was putting on an act. “Oh, please don’t. She’s still hooked up to too many tubes, and we don’t want anything to go wrong.”
 
Jenn covered her mouth and laughed. She knew Tiff so well and was enjoying her outlandish, impulsive behavior. The woman could make anyone laugh.  
 
The man’s jaw dropped. The beautiful, tall, leggy blonde carrying on with the exotic-looking brunette was an eyeful. He slowly exited the room, realizing that Jenn and Tiffany were laughing while everyone was talking. He made a mental note to return to this room soon and check on the patient.
 
As everything was settling down, Jenn’s phone buzzed. She glanced at it and asked Robyn if Teri’s mom could come in too.
 
“No problem. I’ll get them. The whole floor is quiet; we can even steal chairs from the other room.
 
Before too long, Teri and Amy hugged it while Tiffany talked to Conor. A professional surgical nurse, Amy was interested in what the doctor said.
 
Robyn was giving everyone the lowdown. “Well, she came in last night at around eleven. Teri was still pretty out of it. She said that she was very pleased with the whole operation and felt that, because Teri was so young and intersex, it made it much easier to complete the transformation. She also said they had to do less cutting and suturing so healing would go faster. She promised to come back again today and help pull out the catheter and check on the dressings.”
 
Amy was smiling at Conor. “I’m happy to hear that. Complications are a bitch.” She paused and shook her head. “Excuse my language. I’ve been agitated with worry through this whole business, and knowing all that could happen in this surgery has had me on edge. I’m relieved.”
 
An hour later, Robyn was getting everyone’s attention. “I need to kick all of you out. The doctor is on her way, and we’ll need to disconnect all of Teri’s tubes and her catheter. After the doctor finishes checking her dressings, I’ll bring you back so you can talk to her, and we can get her up and walking today. It should take me about thirty minutes, and when I’m done, I’ll come get you.”
 
Conor smiled. “That’s fine. We can all take a lunch break. We packed food and left it in coolers in the Recovery Lounge. C’mon, gang, let’s go eat.”
 
Teri sat up and waved her hands. “Hey! What about me? Who’s going to feed me?”
 
Robyn laughed. “Your cafeteria tray is on its way. It’s not catered, just hospital food. Get used to it. You’re on a pretty strict diet for the next three days.”
 
Teri could be heard moaning and feigning complaints as everyone filed out.
 
Amy and Conor pulled out sandwiches, sodas, and pretzels a few minutes later.
 
Jenn and Tiffany got out the napkins and paper plates as Tiffany spoke. “This looks good, Mrs. Nelson. Thank you for feeding us. You, too, Conor.”
 
Jenn always smiled that Tiffany was on a first-name basis with Conor. She remembered hearing about how, in the old days, when Conor was smuggling arms worldwide, he was very selective about who Zoe could bring home to his very secure home. Teri had told her that the mansion had walls and lights everywhere. She’d visited there once when she first joined the Wildcats.
 
Since then, Conor had fallen in love with Teri and Lisa’s mom. The Wildcats knew they’d played Cupid and were all pleased with themselves that the two parents had found each other. Zoe’s mom had died of cancer when she was nineteen, and both Conor and she had been heartbroken. When her mom had been diagnosed, Conor Finely had given up being an outlaw and dedicated himself to his family’s well-being.
 
Now, he was content to dabble in importing Japanese Saki and fine French wines. He was still sore that the government wouldn’t give him an export license to sell Kentucky Bourbon to the world. He said, “They’re still mad. They’d never made a case against me. And now it’s too late.”
 
A new voice could be heard as everyone munched down on Italian hoagies and Herr’s potato chips. “Hey, gang! Did you leave anything for me?” 
 
Everyone stood up and exchanged hugs and kisses with Gina. As they found her a soda and a sub, she told them her conversation with her dad: “We’re each twenty thousand dollars richer. I never knew it, but online services pay us royalties every time a song is played. Our checks are deposited. Mine is already earmarked for a Grace present.”
 
Tiffany turned. “Twenty grand is sweet. I also want to see the statistics from William Wiggins on which songs were requested the most, as well as the breakdown from the streaming services. I’m curious to see what songs were requested.”
 
Gina looked at her. “What’s that going to tell you?”
 
Tiff nodded. “It’ll give us insight into which songs were the favorites. That will help us to plan for the next record.”
 
Gina laughed and held up a wrapped package. “Yeah, speaking of records. Richard and Phil gave me a present to give to Teri. They discovered five mint-condition vinyl recordings of Jimi Hendrix's live performances. Cool, huh?”
 
Jenn was smiling. “Oh, my gosh. She’s going to be climbing out of bed to hear them. All she’s been doing since she was on the Tonight Show and met Questlove is going crazy buying vinyl. I don’t even ask her how much she spends.”
 
Gina smiled. “I thought she was getting all of her stuff through Questlove.”
 
“Right. The pair of them are music nerds. But even DJ Blank has been helping her track down vinyl.”
 
Tiffany smiled. “Blank! How’s he doing? Is he still at the Rendezvous?”
 
Jenn was nodding. “Yep. However, he’s branching out since helping remix "Show Me Some Love." He’s become pretty popular in the recording studio, too. He told Teri he’s doing shows all along the East Coast.”
 
Tiffany gave a thumbs-up. “It’s so good to hear that he’s become successful. It’s hard to believe that Teri conceived the song and sent it to him the second night we played together at the Rendezvous.”
 
Gina laughed. “Remember how she just taught it to us on the fly. And you made a big deal and didn’t want to do dance music.”
 
“Yeah, when I heard what he was doing, I worried about our cred as a punk band. And, hey. We might have been second-rate, but we had a reputation to keep.”
 
“Yeah, the bad girls of punk. So original.”
 
“Back then, Teri was our Little Shit. And to think, I was worried. Little did I know that that club song would make us famous.”
 
Gina laughed. “Yeah, I so remember you questioned Teri’s value. You want to kick that girl to the curb, saying that we didn’t need a fifth member and an eighteen-year-old would only slow us down.”
 
Tiffany was rolling with laughter. “And I was so right! I’m truly gifted when it comes to reading our future. Yeah, that Teri kid sure has been nothing but trouble.”
 
Amy cleaned up the lunch and packed everything in the cooler they brought. “Speaking of trouble, I’m going to buzz Robyn and see if we can get in and see my daughter.”
 
At that moment, Robyn pushed the door open, and Teri stood beside her. Her voice was hoarse and soft. “Hey, gang! What’s up?”
 
Of course, everyone took their turn hugging and kissing her. It was a real celebration.
 
Teri felt the tears through her hospital gown and realized that her mom was coming undone. “Mom, mom. I’m here and everything is fine.”
 
“Oh, I know,” she whispered. “It’s just how much I love you. My baby is the most amazing woman I know.”
 
Robyn cleared her voice to get everyone’s attention. “We need to go back inside recovery. Teri and I need to walk a few more steps. When we return, I'll get you from the lounge. We won’t be long.”
 
Gina’s phone buzzed in her back pocket. She looked at the phone. “Hey, Jenn.”
 
Jenn looked up from putting the waters back in the cooler. “Uh-huh?”
 
“How many people did you text about Teri’s surgery?”
 
Jenn nodded. “Teri and I made a list. You know Teri. Not a lot of subtleties.”
 
 
Robyn looked at Teri as she slowly walked forward. She knew how uncomfortable she was, but was impressed at how hard she was trying. “Hey. You’re doing great, and I know you’re all about recovery, but we’re not here to overstrain.”
 
Teri shook her head. “How many painkillers do they have me on?”
 
Robyn still held her arm. “Tylenol and something to help you sleep. Not as much as you’d think. You’re still pretty numb down there. By the time you head home, you’ll be better.”
 
 
Smith closed his laptop. About two hours had passed. He looked over and saw that Lisa had her eyes closed. He was very content to stare at her while she slept. Then he heard a voice.
 
“Why are you staring at me, cowboy?”
 
“‘Cause I like to.”
 
Lisa popped a mint. Then she leaned over and kissed him softly. “Thank you, even if it’s a little creepy to wake up to feeling all that electricity coming from you.” She snaked her arm out and around his neck, pulled him towards her, and gave him another kiss. “Mmm. How horny are you?”
 
Smith perked up and grinned. “You know that First class has its bathroom. You coming?”
 
 
Fifteen minutes later, a flight attendant came their way after they had settled back in their seats. She was grinning and holding out two flutes of champagne on a tray.
 
After they had taken the glasses and thanked her, Lisa leaned over. “She knows, doesn’t she?”
 
Smith turned bright red. “I’m guessing that she’s seen it all. Now, don’t tease, but you’re my first mile-high club partner.”
 
Lisa shook her head. “I can’t believe Eaten by Raptors never had a private plane and groupies begging the lead singer to show them fireworks.”
 
Smith shook his head. “You’ve watched too many rock and roll movies. In the three years we toured, there were no private jets or crazy buses full of groupies. Sure, I partied like crazy, but we were country boys still full of those Texas manners. You know, like in yes ma’am.”
 
Lisa nipped his neck. “I don’t buy it, but if that’s what you’re selling.”
 
Smith tried to look hurt. “C’mon. Seriously. The guys will back me up. No mile highs.”
 
Lisa leaned in and hugged him around the neck. “Oh, baby. I love you. I do. But you’re an old guy who probably has a ton of scalps on his belt.”
 
Smith sighed. “Okay, so you’ve got me. When we were on the road, I kept three families going: one in New York, one in Florida, and one on the West Coast. I’ve got eight beautiful children, and I love them all.”
 
When Lisa smacked him, she remembered to tuck her thumb so the impact left a large impression on his arm.
 
Smith rubbed his arm and made a face. “Ouch. Lisa. That hurt. Ya gotta stop picking on an old man!”

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A Very Rough Draft of Chapter Fall of Wildcat Fall; suggestions are appreciated

Teri looked around. Jenn was perched on the edge of her hospital bed. After reaching over and taking her hand, Teri pulled her to her and kissed. Jenn kissed back, and for a minute, they were all alone together. After a few minutes, Jenn pointed so that Teri’s attention was towards the picture window. That way, she could listen in on Tiffany and Conor. The two of them were discussing the Wildcats' website and the number of hits on their YouTube channel was receiving.

Conor was excited. “The YouTube channel is blowing up since Mike started uploading weekly posts from the tour. Even though the tour ended, fans continue to hunger for clips. The viewership is soaring. It’s like the fans can’t get enough Wildcats.”

Tiffany smiled. “Whoever thought that could happen. Last fall, another band offered me a job playing bass and singing for a cover band. They offered me more money than I was making with the Cats. I was almost ready to jump on it. My love life was in the dumps, and well, I thought I needed a change.”

Conor nodded and listened. He didn’t say he’d already heard the story from his daughter. “Yeah, well how about now. Would you ever have thought things would be so different?”

“Nope. Teri was the spark. She seriously changed us around and made us the band we are today. I never thought things would be like this. Flying private, limos, big money in the bank, and a man who loves me. My life has made a complete turnaround.”

Conor was nodding. “And now there’s more. I was talking with Wiggins about posting some live cuts from the tour to the website.”

“You mean the stuff Mike and Final Cut shot for the website? I thought we were just going to include tiny snippets, not full tunes. Wouldn’t that take away from sales when people can hear and watch us for free?”

“Yeah. I would have thought so too. But it’s funny. Wiggins and Warner believe they could increase interest in the album’s songs. They think more people will want to download them to their playlists and that would boost sales.”

Tiff shook her head, still not understanding the logic. “Hey, if Wiggins is behind it, let’s discuss it. But we need to remember that the band has to approve anything that Warner does with our music.”

“Right. I know Richard wants to talk to everyone when Teri is recovered and at home. He knows he needs to gather the whole band in one place so everything can be discussed about Warner and the music. You know he wants feedback from everyone.”

Teri still didn’t have much voice but waved to get their attention. She motioned for them to come closer.“Did Wiggins indicate which live songs they wanted to add?”

Conor shrugged. “I don’t know. This was all just mentioned in a Zoom.”

Teri appeared puzzled. “Who’s in that?”

Conor smiled. “You know. The backers, the money, and the bookers - Me, Wiggins, Gina’s dad, Phil & Richard, and Gimli.”

“Do you have these meetings frequently?"

“Only when there’s something to say.”

Teri smiled. “Well, I see myself coming out to the band house and noodling with the sounds in about two weeks. I haven’t talked to the doctor yet, but I envision a swift recovery. Seriously, I’ve heard I won’t be able to sit comfortably for a while, but I play standing up, and we’ve got lawn chairs out on the deck where I can rest.”

Jenn laughed and hugged her. “Oh, don’t I hope so, baby. You have way too much energy to sit still for long.”

Gina glanced over at the money discussion and then turned back to Amy. She told Teri’s mom all about the painting she had ordered for Grace. “It will be the view of Central Park from her condo. That way, she can hang it in her office where she meets with patients. I’m meeting with her favorite artist and arranging for her to take photos. Hopefully, it’s going to remain a surprise.”

Amy smiled. “What a great idea! You know that Grace will love anything from you! Okay, but now some serious stuff. I’m always wondering about you and Grace. Have you two ever thought about getting married?”

Gina hugged Amy and gave her a peck on the cheek. “I have thought about it. I guess I think about it more than Grace. Back when we were in New Orleans and after seeing Brono’s brother, Amos, heading toward us with a loaded gun, I had an epiphany. Life is too short, and Grace is way too important to me. I told her then, but she turned me down. She loves me and we’ll be together forever. I guess that’s all I can do.” Gina leaned over and whispered, “Between you and me, I think she’s afraid.”

Amy was surprised. She thought that Grace would have loved to marry Gina. “Afraid of what?”

“I think Grace has this notion that by giving me free will and not being married, it’s reverse psychology. I think she’s saying no in hopes that I’ll keep asking. You know, however you write it, we have a perfect relationship.

Amy whispered, “I heard that you have an open relationship. I don’t know much about that, having never been married.”

Gina hugged her again. “Yeah, I keep forgetting about you and the sperm bank. I think that’s the gutsiest thing I’ve ever heard. But Grace and I love each other an awful lot. I see love as much more important than random sex. The couple of times that we’ve fought and Grace has kicked me to the curb, well, it kills me. And it’s never over someone else either. It’s just that Grace sometimes gets freaked out that I’m only twenty-two.”

Amy shook her head. “Grace looks a lot younger than thirty-five. I feel pretty inadequate when I look in the mirror and think that I’m less than ten years older than her.”

Gina smiled. “It’s all genetics. But she is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever been around.”

Amy hugged her back. “Well, if you don’t mind me battering you with personal stuff, I’m curious about the band on the road. Smith is the first guy I have ever seen my daughter get all excited about. I thought that she’s a lot like you with the casual sex thing. But I’ve never asked.”

Gina laughed, thinking about the offer she received that morning from her driver. She was still considering it and knew where the cute woman could be found. But right now, she had more important things to think about. “Yeah, funny you should mention that. When I’m on the road and Grace is in New York, casual sex seems all right. But I don’t go hunting down anyone ever. I guess that’s just my thing. You know, if I get an offer, it’s always on the table.”

“Well, how about my daughter? And please don’t ever tell her that we had this conversation.”

Gina winked. “This conversation never happened. But Lisa’s different. She’s kinda like a camel that can go a long time in the desert without water. On the road, once in a while, you know there’s going to be some lucky guy popping up, and then that’s it for a while. She never seemed to be into sex. But that has certainly changed.”

Gina shook her head. “Now she had a thing going with Teri’s anesthesiologist, that I don’t know. I kinda figured that we were all staying in one place for a while, and they really got along well. But they were just friends with benefits. But Smith. Oh wow. That was a whole different story. I’d never seen her behave like she does with Smith. Seriously, when they met in the Carolinas at the movie set, well, we all looked in amazement at how hard they fell for each other. It’s scary just how compatible they are.”

“Uh-huh. I’ve noticed that too. But she’s not like a lovesick girl mooning all about him. It’s like they’re kindred spirits and have known each other for a lot of lifetimes. And he’s such a good guy. I think he loves her.

“Oh, he does for sure. Did you see the ring?”

“Ring? Is that what you call that stone? It’s more like a boulder! I think that’s the first time I’ve seen three carats of flawless diamond.”

“Uh-huh. She keeps it around her neck. I see her stare at it for a while and gaze off. I’ve never seen her like this before. The whole band loves him, and they are a match.”

“You know, when Conor saw that, he asked me if I wanted one, too. The man’s way too wealthy, and I know he’d buy me something in a heartbeat. But I told him I’m happy that way we have it. I never want to try to replace Zoe’s mom. The two of them loved her way too much.”

Gina smiled. “You know, Mrs. Nelson, you are so smart. I guess that’s where Lisa gets her Zen from. She is special.”

Amy whispered, “I’m betting that after Zoe’s baby is born, Lisa and Tiff are going to commit, too. I see a whole different tour with the Wildcats. I think you’re going to need a nursery when you head out the next time.”

Gina laughed. “Well, you’re looking at one girl that won’t be delivering….”

Teri was watching and attempting to read lips. She felt content simply being there, absorbing it all.

Thirty minutes later, Robyn kicked everyone out. Then she had Teri up and on her feet. As they were walking through the Recovery section, all the feeling started returning to her legs. But her surgical area remained numb. “Is that normal to still feel numb down there, Robyn?”

“Once the doctor removes all the packing, you’ll regain more feeling. However, those nerve endings need to recover. Numbness is not related to the recovery process. You are healing every day, inside and out.”

After returning from her walk, all her visitors returned to the room. As Teri was back in bed and getting comfortable, she looked around. She felt her eyes starting to close. All the voices began to blend and fade. As she shut her eyes, it felt like things got quieter. Teri smiled. It did feel right to take a nap. She felt a kiss and heard Jenn’s voice whispering in her ear. “Close your eyes and rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

At the luggage carousel in the Philadelphia airport, Bruno couldn’t help but smile as he grabbed each piece of their luggage and loaded it onto a cart. After Zoe waved at him to confirm that he had everything, they headed to a different part of the airport and walked through the doors to the outside. A white SUV started up when the driver spotted the couple. As they climbed in, Zoe gave the man directions to the hospital.

She turned to Bruno. “After I get there and figure out what’s going on, I’ll give you a call.”

Bruno kissed her forehead. “Tell everyone I said hi, especially Teri. I’ll take our luggage home and wait to hear from you. I need to check in and see what’s going on with my business. After all, I have to pay for our vacation. Plus, we need to have the contractor come out and measure for our new waterfall shower.”

Zoe leaned over and kissed him. She knew that she could have easily used some Wildcat money to pay for their vacation, but Bruno was old school and liked to pay, too. “That’s going to be exciting.” She squeezed his arm and slipped out at the hospital entrance.

As Bruno unpacked the luggage from their shuttle, he looked up at their townhouse, considering whether they needed to expand the place. He’d always used the four-story building as his home and office. It worked perfectly when he was a bachelor, dating Zoe, but everything was changing. After tipping the driver, he dragged all the bags through the front door and to the elevator. Bruno knew that most of their clothes were headed to the washer. The laundry room was off their bedroom and walk-in closets.

After he sorted and started a load, he called his agent. Meanwhile, his contractor returned his call and scheduled a time to discuss the project. Bruno had taken dozens of photographs of the unique shower in Hawaii, where water flowed over the rocks and splashed into the shower.

He grinned as he thought about Zoe. When he met her five years ago, he immediately knew he was hooked. Bruno respected Zoe’s bond with the band and recognized the essential role they played in her life. He felt secure and was never threatened while watching the women interact with each other. In his mind, he had married into a family of Wildcats, content to share Zoe with the other young women. The Wildcats were a significant part of her identity; it was all about the music.

While he’d never played an instrument, he understood the magic that had her transfixed. He attempted to compare it to painting. He recalled that one time, Zoe watched as he worked and asked, “What are you thinking about when you’re painting?”

He stopped and thought. “I don’t know. I guess I’m not thinking about anything except focusing on the task at hand. I’m not daydreaming or letting my mind wander. It’s all about the brushstrokes, the color, and blending to create what I’m hoping for. Funny, how I never gave it much thought.”

Zoe moved closer to his face. “When you stop, how do you feel inside?”

He blinked and laughed. “I feel content, happy.”

She kissed him.

Now, when he painted, he became increasingly aware of his actions. The task became all-consuming, drawing him into a deep immersion in his work. He could paint for hours, entirely losing himself in the process. He had to admit that he longed to attain that state of mind and lose himself entirely. He recognized it was his drug.

He understood how Zoe’s mental health depended on playing her music. She needed her fix, and he enjoyed watching her reach for a guitar. He loved listening to her start strumming. He could hear her hum and sing to herself as she played. Sometimes, he would watch her play the same riff repeatedly until she felt satisfied that it sounded smoother as her fingers glided across the fretboard.

When Zoe walked into the Recovery Lounge, she was greeted by the crowd of Teri supporters who embraced her with hugs and kisses. “Hey, gang!”

She grinned as everyone needed to touch her belly and comment on how she looked. Zoe grinned. Even though it had only been a couple of weeks since they’d left for Hawaii, she knew that she’d started to drop and gain more bulk. Knowing that her baby needed whatever it wanted, Zoe grinned. She smiled at Teri and blew her a kiss. “How’s my girl doing?”

Teri blew the kiss back and gave her a thumbs up. “Doing great,” she croaked out.

Jenn gave her a big okay sign. “She’s doing great. We all gave her a break and let her rest. She hasn’t been out of surgery for twenty-four hours, but we’re rooting for a speedy recovery.”

Zoe winked. “Are you going to sneak her off to your apartment and keep her all to yourself?”

Jenn laughed and shook her head. “Yeah. Right. I’m scared to death that I won’t be able to handle everything. I’m hoping you all will drop by and keep Teri company. I’m afraid that she’s going to get bored just being restricted to lying down. And I’m starting classes next week on Monday.”

Tiffany stared at her. “What’s this about lying down?”

Amy explained, “Her whole surgical area will be healing for a couple of weeks. She’ll be able to lie down or recline. But no hard surfaces on her butt for a while. I’ve already bought her an inflatable donut to sit on. But she’s going to grow uncomfortable quickly.”

Jenn nodded. “That’s my fear. Teri’s not a sit-still kind of girl. She likes to be moving, and I don’t want her popping any stitches.”

Tiffany was hugging Jenn. "Well, I’m coming by to entertain her. Perhaps we can create a list and take turns. I’m signing up for the first couple of days."

Gina was laughing. “Good idea. However, we can tag-team this operation, and I’ll help Tiff for a couple of days. We can entertain the Little Shit, and Jenn can concentrate on getting straight A’s.”

Amy listened. “Good plan, ladies. But Momma Bear is going to be hovering all over the whole thing. She’s my baby even though she’s an adult.”

Zoe laughed. “I hope your apartment is large enough, Jenn. It’s going to get pretty crowded.”

Amy laughed. “It’ll all work out. Honestly, she’d be going to be doing a lot of napping. It will take her a couple of weeks to start feeling like herself. She’s not going to be a lot of laughs for a while.”

“Hey,” a voice croaked. “Don’t underestimate your Little Shit. I’m not down for the count.”

While Zoe hugged her and they laughed, Robyn interrupted. “I’ve got to take your guitar player out to walk for about ten minutes. You can all wait here in Teri’s room. We’ll be back soon, and the doctor is coming up at two o’clock to talk to you. Hopefully, she’ll tell you about Teri’s surgery and discharge.

At two, everyone met her surgeon, Sydney Rallings. She shook hands and smiled. “I guess I’m meeting all the famous Wildcats of Allentown. It’s nice to see the faces of the women we’ve been listening to in the operating room. We like your rock. It keeps us energized. But I’m asking all of you to give us a few minutes. I need to do some work with Robyn, and then I’ll want to talk to Teri, Jenn, and Amy.”

She watched the women line up and leave. The doctor looked around and then focused on Teri. “Well, your surgery went great, much better than I had hoped for. We utilized a different technique and used the robot to go through your belly button. You’ll see our little indentations under the bandages. In the meantime, using a robot allows us a lot more time inside without using a knife. And in your case, you had female organs inside, which we had a chance to examine carefully. After studying your MRIs, X-rays, and CT scans, it was great to see what I was working with finally. You have a very healthy set of ovaries that we were able to connect to your newly constructed vagina. We used a small portion of your stomach lining, making the operation straightforward. Using this technique means that you’ll heal faster."

“Now, we’re going to remove your dressing and take a look at everything. Normally, I’d kick everyone out, but since you’re going to be her home nurse and Amy is a surgical nurse, please stay.”

Teri watched as miles of gauze and tape were taken out from between her legs. She was still so numb that she couldn’t feel anything except for the occasional tug or pinch.

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A Very Rough Draft of A Wildcat Fall 5

Teri stared at her portable keyboard, which she had brought along on their summer tour, as it was added to her luggage cart. Conor collected her headphones, laptop, and electronic piano, taking them down to the large SUV. She felt excited because she was being released today.

Jenn and her mom had vanished, clearing everything out of the room just as Robyn and Julia arrived. The nurses were pushing a wheelchair adorned with pink balloons tied to it.

Julia called out happily, “Hey, Rock Star. It’s time.”

Teri smiled. They’d heard Jenn calling her that, and it had stuck. She laughed inside and thought it was better than everyone calling her Little, short for Little Shit. She was waiting in the chair for them. Jenn had helped her get dressed and was fidgeting. The long peasant skirt that Jenn had brought her hid everything between her legs.

When Teri complained, Jenn reminded her, “It’ll be comfortable to wear in a wheelchair and in the car. When we get home, you can run around naked if it makes you feel better.”

Teri frowned. “All this gauze and packing is crazy. But wearing an oversized adult diaper is just downright embarrassing.”

Jenn kissed her and whispered. “It would be a lot more embarrassing if you started leaking everywhere. You know what Robyn said. After a while, you won’t need any of that.”

Teri shook her head. “Yeah, I know what I need to do. And I’m working on contracting those muscles right now. I’m going to tighten up everything as soon as I can. I just want to put on baggy sweats and get out of here.”

Jenn smiled as Amy arrived. She nodded to the nurses, and the entire group made their way to the elevator.

Amy spoke. “Conor is sitting in the car out at the entrance holding a space.”

After kissing her nurses goodbye, Jenn handed each of them a gift. Teri had asked her to buy them a trinket and a gift card. When she saw the Tiffany blue wrapping paper, she smiled. “Tiffany?”

Jenn whispered, “You’re a rock star, baby. You have to give them something fitting of a national recording artist from a top-selling band. After all, they got to meet all the Cats, and the two of them couldn’t have been nicer to you. I talked to Richard, and he arranged it all.”

“What did we give them?”

“Real pretty pearl bracelets with a silver clasp. The two gifts cost you a grand. But remember, you’re their Rock Star.”

Teri leaned over to give her a hug and a kiss. “Thank you.”

After they settled into the car, Amy asked if they could stop to pick up dinner on the way to their condo.

“Sure. I feel like a kid wearing diapers and sitting on an inflatable donut. But I’ll be all right for a while before I start to ache. What’s for dinner?”

Amy turned and looked at the two of them in the spacious back seat of Conor’s large Chevy. “I called Vertri Cucina and asked for take-out. When I explained the circumstances, they were happy to help. So tonight is roast pork, potatoes, and lots of delicious vegetables.”

“Dessert?”

“Strawberry shortcake and chocolate mousse.”

Amy knew she made the right choice when she heard three cheers fill the air.

After they stopped, they watched several staff members carrying the containers and bags to the back of the SUV.

Teri’s eyes were wide open. “Wow, that’s a lot of food for the four of us.”

Amy smiled. “Well, maybe I overordered. I figured it would be better to have leftovers that you could snack on later.”

The aromas of the food urge Conor to drive faster to return them to their new home.

As they rode up in the elevator, everyone grinned. Teri said, “I’m looking forward to getting a shower, putting on soft pajamas, then getting in bed.”

Jenn looked at Amy. “Sure, that sounds good, honey. I’ll help you shower, since you need to watch your incision. That’s not supposed to be scrubbed hard or get wet.”

“Great. I can’t wait.”

“Well, the PJs will have to be put on hold. I’ve got some oversized yoga pants and promise that everything is loose-fitting. But we’re going up to the roof to have our dinner.”

Teri knew their condo had a shared rooftop area with tables, chairs, and loungers for the other occupants. There were umbrellas and some canvas shade coverings, too. “Okay. I don’t know how much partying I can do, but that sounds like fun. I guess I’m ready for a change of scenery.”

Amy gave them both a kiss. “Well, Conor and I will meet you guys up on the roof. Don’t forget about us. I’m already hungry after smelling all that food.”

Jenn helped Teri in the shower. With a big sponge and plenty of hot water, she carefully washed away all the hospital sweat. The two of them did a lot of squeezing and hugging. Jenn breathlessly said, “We need some catching-up time.”

Teri was kissing her all over. “You bet. But you’ll have the advantage because I’m still pretty numb down there.”

Jenn giggled. “We’ll find a way to make you happy.”

I’m just happy to be home and in your arms.

“Good. Now, I’m going to dress you and assist you with your hair and makeup.”

“Makeup? Why would I need to wear makeup?”

“Listen to you. You need to be a beautiful woman inside and out. You need to feel good by looking good!”

Teri shrugged and did as she was told. She had to apply her mascara while standing and looking in the mirror, since sitting was still uncomfortable.

After dressing, they rode the elevator to the roof. When the doors opened, Teri heard a lot of voices. The first thought that crossed her mind was that someone else had already claimed the space and was celebrating their own Friday night happy hour. She really wasn’t ready for a crowd of strangers. She almost grabbed Jenn’s hand to pull her back in, but Jenn was already stepping out onto the roof.

As she turned the corner, the voices grew louder until all she heard was everyone yelling out, “Surprise!”

Teri looked around to see the entire rooftop filled with familiar faces. She turned to Jenn and exclaimed, “Oh, wow! A real party!” She spotted Jessica and Mac, DJ Blank and his beautiful girlfriend, Richard, Phil, Tiffany, Mike, Gina, Grace, Zoe, Bruno, Smith, and Lisa. As she received kisses and hugs, she struggled to see everyone through her tears.

As she was hugged and kissed, she listened to all the well-wishes until Amy’s voice rang out, “C’mon, party goers. Get yourself something to eat and drink!”

As Teri walked around and mingled, she approached Jessica Jade. The wonderful hero who had saved her life that day in Sea Isle City, New Jersey, gave her a long kiss on the lips. She whispered in her ear, “Now we truly have something in common besides saving each other’s lives.”

Teri recalled how Jessica had been struck by stray bullets while they were escorting a family away from a motorcycle gang. They remembered needing to get her to a makeshift surgery to stop the bleeding.

Teri kissed her back. “I love you, Jessica, and always will. But I’ll bite. What do we have in common?”

Jessica whispered in her ear. “We both have surgically constructed vaginas.” She grinned and kissed her again.

Teri looked her in the eyes. “I totally forgot that. Oh, my gosh. In my mind, you have always been a wonderful woman.”

Jessica smiled. “Well, that's the idea. I was just helping nature make everything right.”

Teri thought for a moment. “So I can count on you to help me through all of this?”

“You know it. We have a true bond through fire. You are the closest thing that I will ever have to a little sister. We’ve moved on from our past lives and are standing together as one. No one could ever know how we feel.”

Teri whispered, “Is it hard to become whole? I just want to live my life and stop worrying. Does that ever happen?”

Jessica wiped a tear from her eye and touched her wet fingertip to Teri’s nose. “You are so beautiful. But truthfully, you’re always going to remember where you’ve been and who you are. However, those memories make you a better person because you understand that life is challenging. Without all your tests and trials, you wouldn’t be the superwoman that you’ve become.”

Teri hugged her. “So it’s okay to be scared and worried about all of this? This surgery and healing. Is it all going to be okay?”

Jessica turned to find Jenn standing there. Reaching out with her arm, she pulled them both into her embrace. “You’re not alone. You have a wonderful woman who loves you. You have me and all these wonderful folks in your life to love and protect you.”

Teri kissed Jenn. Then she turned to Jessica and whispered, “Do you still help people like we did together those times?”

Jessica nodded. “There are more families out there that need our help. Their numbers are growing.”

Teri looked at Jenn. “Can we help? You know, like Lisa and I did with you?”

Jessica smiled and kissed Jenn on the cheek. “Of course. You and the band have been supporting many needy people wherever you go by donating your ticket money and drawing attention to the groups that help those in need. But if you want to go with me sometime, you’re going to have to recover and regain all your energy and strength. Do whatever Dr. Jenn tells you and take care of yourselves.”

They hugged and kissed. Then, more people gathered, waiting to share their love as Jessica smiled and then winked.

strong>

I want to dedicate this book to my perfect editor, and wish him well. Get better soon, Tom

As everyone watched Teri come up on the roof, one at a time, they each approached her to greet her with hugs and kisses. After a while, she realized she’d been standing for a long while yet still felt comfortable greeting all her friends.

In a strange way, Teri recognized that her week in the hospital had been beneficial. She understood that everything she did there accelerated her recovery. She felt strong and in complete control of her body again. While she acknowledged that spending so much time on her back wasn’t her preference, she had enjoyed the naps. Her biggest complaint was being interrupted every couple of hours each night by someone checking on her, which had messed with her body clock. She never had more than three hours of uninterrupted sleep. As a result, she grew tired easily. But that wasn’t the real Teri. The real solution was that she needed to be up and active.

Thank goodness, Teri thought, Julia and Robyn had gotten her up and walking countless times each day. Before she left, a physical therapist visited her several times and discussed exercises and how to gradually increase her activity. The therapist cautioned Teri that her muscles wouldn’t atrophy, and she could take her time returning to pre-surgery standards.

The first couple of days had been rocky until the anesthesia finally left her body, and the dizziness had stopped. The Tylenol she was taking for pain didn’t seem to affect her brain, particularly her balance, and she could have called herself clearheaded.

Her doctor had also told her that the surgical area would itch more than hurt, reminding her that the nerve endings would regrow and connect over time, leading to increased sensitivity. The doctor was more concerned with Teri keeping herself clean. She discussed UTIs, or Urinary Tract Infections, and how to prevent them. The best part was that Jenn was present at all these conferences, and Teri felt reassured that a second set of ears would be there to help.

As she was leaving, Robyn handed her a box containing the same dilators she’d been taught how to use this week. Absentmindedly, one time, Teri looked up the word dilate and discovered that it was a verb: make or become wider, larger, or more open.

As Jenn leaned in and whispered, “Your first sex toy.”

After that, Teri walked around and spotted Phil and Richard. She always thought of the two of them as her uncles. Of course, she gave Phil and Richard big hugs, telling them that she couldn’t wait to play her new vinyl on the stereo she’d installed back at the house. “When I get home to the band house, the first thing that I’m going to do is relax and listen to my Rock Gods! These are the Masters!” She paused for emphasis. “And I really want to record some new material. Having to stay laid up in the hospital for a week was tough; my brain kept coming up with new songs and lyrics for the band and I can’t wait to get back to work.”

Phil glanced at Richard and smiled. Richard turned to Teri. “Uh, just so you know, we had a gentleman’s wager that you’d be writing new material for another album when you were still in recovery. We figured that you could never just sit.”

Teri smiled. “That was the bet? And what did you bet?”

Phil blushed while laughing. “I’m not going to tell you, but I won.”

Richard grinned. “It’s the kind of bet that we both come out winners.”

Teri blushed, too. “This sounds like an X-rated bet that I’m not old enough to visualize. But I do have a question and need your advice. Is it wrong to start developing new material even though the album has only been out for a couple of months? I mean if we start playing new stuff that someone records, will that bother Warner?”

Richard smiled. “No, I think it’s what happens to every band. And back to discussing playing new material before you record it. I believe that the more the band plays the songs, the better they sound. You guys showed it off in the Philly recording studio. The band came rehearsed and ready to record those songs. Your first album was a great example of well practiced material. It’s a work of art!”

Phil laughed aloud. “Ignore the man, he’s all excited about losing the bet.”

Richard was convinced. “But seriously, you recorded songs that the Wildcats had been playing ever since you wrote and sent them along. Some of those hits are a year or two old. I agree that you rearranged some of them, and yes, some of them were new. But everything had been test-driven. Every song had lots of miles on it.”

Phil laughed. “Richard’s new car analogy is a good one. But we don’t need to watch the clock when we release songs or play them live. Introducing new music helps keep the band on its toes, too. Every musician releases their music at their own pace. Taylor Swift released music throughout COVID-19. She put out a record when the spirit moved her. Adele has years between her releases, and she doesn’t seem to be on the clock. We can look at every band’s chronology; they’re all different. Personally I think it’s important to stay out there producing fresh music. As far as sales go, we don’t want the band’s luster to fade from everyone’s mind, and we shouldn’t wait too many years for another album.”

Teri gave each of them a hug. I hope that you’ll hang out. and stick around for the party. “Who knows? Iy could turn into a fun night. You don’t have to leave Philly early? I’m assuming you’ll be staying the night?”

Phil smiled. “Of course. Throughout the time you've had the house in the country, we’ve been renting a condo outside of Allentown, not too far from Bruno. We’ve kept the lease and during the tour used it as a place to change our clothes. And thanks to the Wildcats’ success, we’ve been able to sell our condo in New York and find one that we like better. Neither of us has suffered hanging on to the Wildcat coattails.”

Teri smiled. “It’s crazy! I still can’t believe how everything has happened so fast. I won’t be nineteen until the New Year. It’s still weird to think that last spring I was worried about paying for a semester of music school, and now I could start my own scholarship program.”

Richard smiled. “Your financial advisor should be able to offer you ways to create your own foundation to ensure that the charities you favor will receive some of the profits you make. And if everything is written correctly, you’ll be paying less taxes, too.”

As they walked away, Teri shook her head. So much had changed in such a short time. It was crazy.

“Hey!”

Teri recognized a familiar voice. She turned and hugged Grace. “I love you. I’m so happy to see you. I missed you terribly and just wanted to call and talk on Thursday when we missed our session.”

Grace frowned, “Are you okay?”

Teri laughed and squeezed her tightly. “I am great. But I just wanted to hear your voice, and well, see your smile. I have to tell you about this crazy dream I had when I was in surgery. The doctor wasn’t sure, but she said that if the anesthesiologist had been using certain medications during my surgery, and I could have been dreaming. Well, I found myself living right on top of my imaginary hill. You know, the one that we created to help me with my anxiety. And I had a chance to live in it and explore. I walked through the woods and swam under the ocean. It was amazing, and so realistic. I loved the adventure!”

Grace smiled. “I’m just glad that you made it through the surgery and came out happy on the other side. Seeing you smile is a reward for me.”

Gina stood there grinning from ear to ear. She looked at Grace and started telling a story. “You know, a long time ago, when you first joined the Cats, I asked Grace what she thought was going to happen with you. You know, it was just you disguising yourself as Tasha and working through everything. Back then, we didn’t even know anything about you.”

“Oh, I remember. I was going through so much and then finding out that I was intersex!”

Gina nodded.

“Yeah. My life’s been like one of those video games where things come at you and change you, and you still have to keep exploring and completing the quest. It’s like one huge journey that never ends.”

Gina hugged her. “You got it there. You’re on a never-ending journey.”

“I don’t know.” Teri turned to Grace. “But isn't that kind of what life’s all about? I mean, we try to have control, but sometimes it's like riding a tornado, hanging on for your life.”

“Well, sure. You’ve been through a lot and worked hard to handle it. And besides discovering the mental and physical issues of being intersex, you’ve been dealing with the success of the band. I think you’ve been doing a masterful job of keeping your head above water.”

“Uh-huh. Having the Wildcats blow up so quickly has been something I could have never imagined.”

Gina laughed. “It’s been the opposite for the rest of us. We spent four years touring every dive, bar, and small club playing music every night. We could only dream about what’s happening to us now.”

A Wildcat Fall 7

Smith stood there, listening to Gina and Teri discuss how the Cats had become so popular, and decided to jump in to share his own experiences. “Yeah, I know that I’m ancient history, but twelve years ago, when EBR left high school, we were content to just play in Texas. Back then, that seemed big enough for a four-piece punk band. A year later, we were in demand and needed a manager just to keep track of the bookings and handle all our money.”

Smith smiled. “And after three years, we were ready to stop talking to each other. When we broke up, nobody talked to each other for a long while.”

Gina was smiling. “When we were eighteen, the Wildcats did our bookings, and for four years we took every gig we were offered. No one was coming to us, so we learned the hard way. We played any joint that would pay us. It became us against the world, and we loved what we did.”

Gina shook her head. “The Cats become tighter. We really believed we were at our peak. But after four years of dragging around and butting our heads against the wall, we couldn’t get any recognition. That’s when Teri rehearsed her original songs and played with us for a weekend at the Rendezvous. Richard and Phil came down from New York, and they convinced us that Teri was the missing piece of the puzzle.”

Smith shook his head. “Yeah, you guys got to take it slow and get it right. When we began to blow up, we were seriously blindsided. We were totally inexperienced, and our manager left, saying he didn’t want to go full-time. So when our music climbed the Billboard charts, we had no idea how to handle it. A record company signed us and took over the management duties. The band got popular, and it got crazy. We discovered we’d signed this terrible contract, and they owned us. And that’s when they started to take advantage of us. They made the real money, and we did all the work. You've had it so differently.

Teri shook her head. “We’ve been really lucky to have so many experienced and generous people watch over and guide us. Seriously, since I joined the band, I’ve witnessed amazing people reach out to help us. Robert Davis from the Rendzvous always booked the band. He introduced us to Phil and Richard. They gave us our first check and paid for the studio demo. Conor paid for our website. DJ Blank started playing our club song and introduced us to Ellen. After that, Bill Wiggins signed us and personally directed our production and distribution, moving us into the stratosphere.”

Smith was grinning. “Yeah, we were totally the opposite. One day we’re playing a rock club in Austin, and the next, we’re reading all this made-up stuff about us in Tiger Beat. We couldn’t stop laughing after seeing our faces on school lunch boxes.”

Lisa patted her boyfriend on the back. “Well, I know two Wildcats that each had one of those lunchboxes and still get all wet thinking of you eighteen-year-old hunky guys. I think that Eaten influenced them to become punk rockers.”

Teri was laughing. “It’s hard to think of Zoe and Tiffany as impressionable teenyboppers.”

Lisa shook her head. “I met them later when we were in high school and on the same varsity volleyball team. But those young women still loved their EBR tunes.”

Smith shook his head. “After three years, we were ready to stop talking to each other. Once we finished our three-record deal, we didn’t want to be Eaten By Raptors anymore. We really felt isolated and alone. No one reached out to help us.”

Lisa pointed her finger. “Yeah, the past six months have been crazy for us. After the Ellen show, Ellen referred us to The Tonight Show, where GLOW was sponsoring the band, and Barb and Jersey Girl have been treating us to great clothes. Everybody’s been trying to help us.”

Teri smiled. “Did you ever wonder why they love us so much? Is this like a reverse sexism thing, where it’s good for everyone supporting beautiful women playing rock?”

Lisa hugged her sister. “Well, that would be a big change. We’ve had record companies tell us that we didn’t fit their profile. They’ve turned us down, saying girl bands don’t sell albums. Until William Wiggins came along and forced Warner Records to support us, we were out on our own. But, it’s cool, girl, to see that you’re lumping yourself in as a beautiful woman. I like your show of confidence.”

Teri blushed. “Well, kinda. I mean, I’m not fishing for compliments, and maybe I don’t hold a candle to the rest of you, but I do kinda blend in. I still think it’s weird to have morphed into who I’ve become. But it’s okay.”

Smith laughed. “Stop, Teri. You’re just as beautiful as the rest of the Cats except for maybe…”

Lisa had already made a fist and was winding up.

Smith stepped back out of reach as he snapped his fingers. “Yeah, you know that blonde lead singer, whatshername? Now she’s a fox!”

Teri watched, then turned to her sister. “You know, I noticed that you like to smack Smith a lot. I mean, you don’t hold back.”

Lisa smiled as she pulled her boyfriend into her arms and kissed him. “'Cause he’s just so darn cute. And honestly, he’s fun to punch! Kinda like sex.”

Teri hugged her sister. “Hey! Speaking of that, I haven’t asked yet. How was Nashville? You guys start any babies?”

Teri had to laugh when she saw her sister and Smith suddenly look at each other and blush. She realized that her comment had pushed a button. Knowing she was suddenly in on their secret, she smiled and said in a hushed voice, “Hey, did I guess right? Are you pregnant?”

Lisa shook her head vigorously as she grabbed Teri by the arms. “No, no babies. But we’ve both talked about it, and it’s out on the table. But remember that we’re still talking, not starting.”

Teri was smirking. “Yeah, it’s the Zoe effect. I overheard Mom and Gina back in the hospital, and Mom thinks that Zoe’s baby is going to create an avalanche with you and Tiff. She said something about having to need a nursery for the tour.”

Lisa laughed. “I can picture tiny little tots with tiny little passports.”

Smith frowned. “And cases and cases of diapers. We’ll need a box truck just to carry all the paraphernalia: the strollers, the playpen, the rockers, cribs, and so many toys. Just thinking about all those babies is too much!”

Teri smiled. “Smith, you seem pretty familiar with all that baby business. Do you have a secret family you’re not talking about?”

Smith looked pained as he shook his head. “No, I’m not the family man. But I’ve got eyes, and my band guys all have big families. Actually, that’s a great idea. If we’re going to take care of one, why not three? These junior Wildcats can grow up together.”

Tiffany poked her head in and laughed. “Mike will have a heart attack when I tell him we’re getting pregnant. I’m already driving him crazy being around him twenty-four seven.”

Teri shook her head. “Nah. The guy is in seventh heaven having you sexing him up all the time. He’s loving it.”

Lisa laughed. “Oh, Teri! You’re too much!”

Tiffany grabbed Teri and kissed her hard on the lips. “Nah, the little shit is right. I’m turning Mike into an old man with my demands. I never realized that once I opened that spigot, I couldn’t shut it off. Maybe all those years on tour left me with my needs unfulfilled. So now I’m filling that tank.”

Mike came up and squeezed her. “Uh-huh. She’s got the libido of a nineteen-year-old boy. But I’m having fun trying to keep up.”

Lisa turned to Mike. “You missed the conversation. Tiff and I decided to both get preggers and have three little Wildcats go out with us for our European tour.”

Mike’s eyes widened. “Oh.” He turned to Tiffany and watched her nod.

Teri was impressed by his recovery when Mike said, “Uh, sure. I’m up for that.” He turned to Tiffany and said, “So we can throw the protection out and just knock a few out of the ballpark tonight, huh?”

Smith stared at Lisa. He grinned. “I guess this old man is in, too.”

Teri howled. “And just like that, peer pressure wins. Just don’t tell Jenn. She had this crazy notion a while back to be a teen mom. I think she’s forgotten all about that.”

Suddenly, Jenn called from near the food tables. “No, I have not forgotten, Teri Nelson. I figured if I could go to school and nurse you back to health, then I could take care of an infant.”

Smith shook his head. “How's that possible? I mean, you’re both women.”

Gina laughed. “Hey, cowboy. Wait until you hear Jenn’s plan.”

Jenn grinned and shared the story. “Amy used the same sperm bank donor for both Lisa and Teri. So my reasoning is to use the same sperm for our baby. That way, the baby would have the same sperm that fertilized Amy, and our baby would genetically be linked to both of us.”

Smith paused to digest what Jenn had said. Then he stared at Jenn. “That’s genius. So this baby will genetically be from the two of you.” He then turned to Lisa. “I never heard this story before. Now I have even more respect for your mom and know where you get all your independence from.”

Lisa kissed him and then turned to her sister. “We’ve gotta work on finding out who is this sperm donor guy. You know, track him down and see what makes him tick. Even though he doesn’t know we exist, he’s still our baby daddy.”

“Nah. Baby daddies are there. This guy has no idea where his sperm went. But I agree. We need to find a private detective who can be discreet. I don’t want to find the guy and suddenly introduce him to the family. I grew up with a mom and did just fine.”

Smith shook his head. “Yeah. You don’t need the scandal sheets suddenly connecting this guy with the two of you and the Wildcats. I can’t see any good coming out of it unless it’s for medical reasons. You know, hereditary deficiencies and that kind of stuff.”

Teri looked at them. “Did his sperm cause me to be intersex? Is this all genetic? Will our baby be all right?”

Grace was nodding. “I think that bears some research. Lisa had no problems, but it would be a shame if his DNA produces problems.”

Lisa was smiling. “All the more reason to find a good detective, you know, one who is great and can keep it all hush-hush. Of course, we’d always worry about whether some guy could be trusted not to spill the beans.”

Teri laughed. “A guy, huh? How about a Super Woman to do the job?”

Lisa blushed. “Oh, my gosh. I never thought of Jessica Jade helping us out.”

Jessica hugged Lisa. “I heard the conversation and would be happy to track him down. If he’s a bad guy, we can arrange to make him disappear, right, Teri?”

Teri's eyes grew wide. “Uh, no. We aren’t going to go all Ninja on him. But maybe some long-distance watching. I guess it all depends. But can we keep ourselves out of all of this? I don’t want another stalker.”

A Wildcat Fall 8

They all glanced at one another and fell silent until Lisa finally spoke up. “So what do you think? Maybe if Jessica can investigate this guy, she might be able to locate him. At least she could do a whole bio on him, totally on the down low, and let us know.”

Teri nodded. “Are we ever going to contact him?”

Lisa shook her head. “Maybe someone isolated from us could contact him for medical information, but I don’t think we need to be friends. This guy might have a corporate job, and we can tap into his health care files.”

Sounds like spy kind of work. But I was wondering what would happen if we just sent him a message?

Lisa shook her head. “And what would you say? Like our mom used your sperm to have us, and we want a friend?”

Teri paused for a moment and laughed. “Yeah, that does sound creepy. How about if I just run up and hug him and start calling him daddy?” She smiled at her own words.

Gina laughed. “And after your heartwarming reunion, you’d want to introduce him to Jenn and show him pictures of you and Lisa performing on stage.”

Yeah, that’s a fantastic idea. He can join us for Thanksgiving with the family.

Gina shook her head. “And he’d give you hugs and kisses and buy you ice cream and a balloon.”

Teri blinked and nodded. “Would he buy me a pony?” She sighed deeply. “So I guess this isn’t going to become a lost family reunion, and I’m not going to have a father.”

Lisa hugged her little sister. “Yeah, I know that this crushes all your fantasies, but we’ve got to get his sperm sample to a research place that can examine his DNA and make sure it’s still good. Maybe you got the bad batch, you know, like your DNA went bad or something like that.”

Teri shook her head. “Thanks for lumping me in with the box of broken toys. I’ve wondered what the research is on intersex DNA origins and where my DNA went kablooey. If I’m the DNA that went bad, like chicken salad with mayonnaise left out in the sun on a school trip, Jenn and I don’t want our babies to have genetic problems.”

Gina laughed. “I love chicken salad, and I love mayo. Curried chicken salad is one of my favorites.

“Yeah, another nickname for me: Chicken Salad, or is it going to be Bad Mayo?”

Gina was laughing. “I like Mayo. That could be your name when you check into a hotel, Margaret Mayo.”

I already have my check-in name. It’s Joe Bach. You know, kind of like the composer.

“Except different. Nah, I think you’d be too easy to search out.” Gina was thinking critically. “But I’ve got a great name, Joan Weston. She’s the most famous Roller Derby queen of all time.”

Tiffany was looking her up in her phone, “The Blonde Bomber.”

Gina gazed up at the sky and smiled. “She started it all.”

Jenn smiled and kissed Teri. “Honey, I don’t care if our baby is intersex or you want to call yourself Joe Mayo. I’d still love to take care of her. But I bet we can do intervention stuff, especially if we know what to look for before she’s born.”

Grace nodded. “They can do DNA testing on babies while they’re still in the womb. Give you time to prepare.”

Smith was listening and turned to Lisa. “Is there a chance you are carrying a recessive gene that could pass on intersex DNA, too?”

Lisa looked at Smith. “I would love any baby we had. If it were ours, I would lay down my life for her.”

Smith nodded. “Are we having girls? All I know is all about boy bands.”

Teri was trying to be serious. “I think we’re getting really ahead of ourselves. But maybe we should put a hold on babies until some questions are answered. God knows, Jenn doesn’t need any excuses. I think that she’d love to be pregnant right now.”

Jenn hugged Teri and kissed her. “But only with your baby, Rock Star. And she will be ours and perfect regardless of her DNA.”

Teri looked puzzled. “Why are we talking like all these babies are going to be girls?”

Gina laughed. “It’s a baby moratorium until we get some answers. But we all vote for girls ‘cause girls are perfect and boys are ‘tupid.”

Tiff looked serious as she hugged Mike. “We could still get preggers, baby. My DNA is all warm and cuddly.”

Mike kissed her gently. “I love your DNA and want to be the one who makes a baby with you. We can start tonight.”

Tiffany kissed him on the neck and whispered in his ear before gently biting his earlobe.

Gina laughed. “Why do I think that you and Mike will have no trouble conceiving a baby? The two of you look like you’re ready to celebrate already.”

Tiffany kissed Gina on the lips. Then she looked her straight in the eyes. “I asked Mike if he’d impregnate you so we can have two perfect babies.”

Gina kissed her back, then looked at Mike. “That’s kind of you to be so generous with your wonderful, caring boy toy. But what happens when he falls in love with me and doesn’t want to come back to you?”

Tiffany paused to think. “Hmmm. Well, we can’t lose our drummer, so I’ll just have to shoot him.”

Gina nodded and fist-bumped. “That’s fair. Wildcats first, right?”

Tiffany nodded. “Seems only right. Kinda like how the Black Widow spider kills their mate after it gets pregnant.”

Mike listened and then turned to Smith. “I think I’ve joined a cult.”

Smith looked around and laughed. “A hell of a cult.”

Gina smirked. “But wouldn’t everyone be comparing our two babies? Mine would be so adorable and cuddly with her curly brown hair and sparkly eyes. Gorgeous.”

“Mine would be blonde and beautiful.”

“Mine would be brilliant.”

“Mine would be beautiful and blonde, just like her mother.”

“And mine would have great rhythm and play in the dirt.”

“And mine would be blonde and beautiful.

“I can see our ditzy blonde bassist losing her baby at the baggage claim.”

“Oh, fuck you, wiseass. If Mike were my baby daddy, she would be the most beautiful baby of all time. My genes are super genes!”

Teri laughed. “Great name for a band - Super Genes!”

Gina was nodding. “Well, Smith played with EBR, Eaten By Raptors. We could have a band called DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid!”

Jenn and Amy came over and sat down next to Teri, who turned and smiled at them. “This surprise party is so much fun. It’s great.”

Amy whispered, “I know you’re having fun, but you need to be thinking about calling it a night. You need to watch your stamina. You need to save your energy so that you can heal quickly and get back on your feet.”

Jenn encouraged Teri to get up. “C’mon, Rock Star. Let’s tell everyone good night.”

Teri sighed as she stood. “Yeah, you’re both right. I’m getting tired, and it’s going to take me a few extra minutes to get ready for bed. First night home, and I still have to dilate one more time.”

With that, Teri walked around, thanking everyone and reminding them to visit. Then, she let her mom and Jenn lead her back downstairs.

After Teri took a shower and settled into bed, she could barely keep her eyes open as Jenn held her tightly. Teri smiled and kissed her face. “Well, we did it, huh?”

Jenn nodded. “Yep, we did. I know that it’s important for my wife to be happy.”

Teri paused to reflect. “Yeah, I’m gonna be your wife. I never thought about being a wife. I have to learn a lot of things to be a proper wife for you.”

“A proper wife, huh? Like when I get pregnant, do you want to share the nursing duties?

“You mean, like, give our baby warm bottles of your milk late at night while you rest?”

“Well, more than that. I mean, you have ovaries that produce estrogen. And I read that the doctor can start you on a prescription that will enhance your breasts and milk glands. You’ll be able to feed our baby with the milk your body produces.”

Teri began to cry. “That’s crazy. Our baby is going to have some of my genes and be fed with my milk. And I’m going to be a wife. A year ago, sitting in study hall, I never thought that this would be happening.” She wiped the tears running down her face.

Jenn smiled. “Is that good?”

She smiled. “It’s seriously crazy. All this stuff was hidden from me until I started with the Wildcats. And then I discovered who I really am, which started me on a life-changing adventure. I mean, it’s like a video game, but it’s real. It’s like some crazy movie where I discover that I’m the son of Poseidon. Or my real parents were wizards. Instead, I discover that I’m intersex, and not who I thought I was.”

Teri hugged Jenn tightly. “It was so simple to slide into being Tasha and then evolve to be Teri. I don’t feel like an impostor. And really, getting my genitals lined up with the rest of my changing body is a gift. Sure, it’s still really weird hanging around old friends. Tony’s such a horn dog, and Don wants to be more than friends. I should wear a sign that says I’ve always liked girls. You know that hasn’t changed.”

Jenn was nodding. “So if I wasn’t here, would you make a play for Gina or some other woman who likes girls?”

Teri paused to think and shrugged. “I don’t know because there are too many what-ifs in the way. It’s really simple to say no because I love you. And all of this is so crazy ‘cause we’re talking about bringing a new life into this world and I’d really be part of it.”

“So, do you want to start now?”

Teri gulped and shook her head. “We need more information before we start. We have to track down my sperm daddy.”

“Sperm daddy!”

“Yeah, not really a song title, huh?”

In the morning, Jessica Jade was excited about her new mission. Before she left the farm near New Hope, she and Mac tied up all the loose ends. She kissed him goodbye and headed down to the city to the company where Teri’s mom said she bought the sperm. She met Lisa in front of the building in downtown Philly that afternoon.

The receptionist was extremely helpful after finishing the identification process of checking Lisa’s birth certificate and reviewing copies of her mom’s ID. Thirty minutes later, they were looking over the records of John (Jack) NMN Dempsey while they had coffee at Starbucks.

Lisa glanced at Jessica. “What does NMN mean?”

“No middle name.”

Lisa seemed annoyed. “Oh. You do know your acronyms. So this guy could be a John Doe, with that fake name.”

Jessica wanted to explain. “Well, not necessarily. Even though the records are twenty-five years old, this is what was written down. We know that before donating sperm, Jack Dempsey had to undergo a multi-stage screening process that included physical, blood, and urine tests, as well as genetic testing. Of course, we don’t have a clear picture of what genetic testing involved twenty-five years ago. But the good news is that they have ten more sperm samples in storage, so we can purchase one to have new tests run. And we need to find a reputable lab. Tracking down the guy is one part of the quest. The other part is finding out if his DNA is A-OK.”

“DNA is A-OK. You’re quite the comedian with your rhymes.”

You truly master your acronyms when serving in the military.

I always forget your past. It never occurs to me that you were all kinds of special forces.

“Yeah, I only wish I could forget my past sometimes. It’s probably as deeply ingrained inside my brain as growing up with a crazy father. But I made the best friends in the service, and, of course, fell in love with my husband, too. However, all that killing and the horrors of war are crippling. Now we’re helping our old military team deal with their past and helping to keep them moving forward. We work with everyone else who needs support to get through the day.”

Lisa shook her head. “I’ve kinda ignored everything you and your buddies went through. Sometimes I feel like I’m pretty selfish. Should I feel guilty ignoring the world and its awful politics?”

Jessica shrugged. “Well, that's a yes and no answer. I don’t think that we should put war on a pedestal. Killing people, regardless of who they are, is such a wrong thing to do.”

Jessica hugged Lisa. “And no. I think you need to keep yourself sane and do whatever it takes to stay that way. I believe that if we see something, we should say something. And I do stand up and vote. I try to elect the local people that I admire and know will do the right thing for us. But I’m not a news junkie who can’t put down the remote. I think twenty-four hour news explodes your mind.”

Lisa shook her head. “Yeah, sometimes that's really hard for me to want to vote when both candidates just don’t appeal. I know I shouldn’t, but it’s easy not to vote.”

Jessica frowned. “Yeah, but that’s the way to just give up and give control to someone else. I have a simple philosophy. I view both candidates as bus drivers. I know that neither of them is headed exactly where I want to go, so I just choose the bus that is going closer to where I want to be.”

Lisa sighed. “That’s a great philosophy. But back to the basics. We still need to find a lab that can analyze DNA.”

Jessica nodded. “Your mom works with a doctor. He can get us a good recommendation. And after that, we can talk to a genetic counselor, a medical geneticist, or even a forensic scientist to help us figure out the answers to what we want to know.”

Lisa appeared quite surprised. “How’d you know all of that?”

Jessica laughed. “Yeah, don’t I sound smart? We secret Wonder Woman types have this mysterious place where we go to get all the answers. But if I told you, I’d have to kill you!”

Lisa smiled. “Yeah, uh-huh. You Googled it.”

Lisa took out her phone and paused to read. “Oh, wow! The answer is yes; a person’s DNA can be tested to predict whether they are a carrier for genetic defects. So Jenn, Smith, and I could also have our DNA tested. That’s great!”

Jessica smiled. “And remember what Grace said. Even after a woman gets pregnant, she can have blood work done to give her more info.”

Lisa continued reading. “I wonder if we could get our John Doe, what’s his name, to get some blood work done.”

Yep. We’re going to talk more and more about Jack, no middle name, Dempsey.

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Dear Readers,
I am sorry for the title mix-up for the last chapter. I'm just not adept at getting my story properly posted.
I want to let you in on something that I've been thinking about. I don't believe that A Wildcat Fall is finding a very large audience here, and I think it's my fault. I watch the number of readers drift away after each chapter posting. I still love the core of Wildcat fans who are sticking with it, but it seems like I'm torturing them, too. I have one more chapter to post, and then I will walk away from the project, hoping to gain a sharper perspective on creating this story. Love, Leslie.
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A Wildcat Fall 9

Lisa spoke with her mom, and then, they consulted Dr. Frankel. He was happy to provide them with the name of a lab that specialized in DNA testing. He smiled and reminded them that they had done a complete workup on Teri when they were diagnosing her intersex diagnosis.

“We looked at Teri’s DNA. A DNA test reveals information about a person's genetic sex and their sex chromosomes, specifically the X and Y chromosomes. However, a DNA test cannot definitely determine if someone is intersex. There’s a multitude of variations in chromosomes, genitals, hormones, and internal reproductive organs that don’t fit typical male or female patterns.”

As they were thanking him, Dr. Frankel reminded them that intersex is not a disorder, just a natural variation.

After Lisa called and spoke to someone, they arranged for the lab to pick up the sample. As she told Jessica, “They specialize in transporting frozen samples back to their laboratory and making sure that everything stays clean and not contaminated. It was just a question of giving them my credit card and asking to expedite the procedure.”

Jessica smiled. “It’s simple. Money talks.”

Lisa pondered this. “You know, you’re right. Suddenly, we’re all about not worrying about money. It’s so strange that the Wildcats went from begging to being over the top rich. When GLOW offered us a million dollars to endorse their products, it was hard to fathom. But the point is, we’ve got it. I’m going to write you a check for the same amount and donate it to your group. That way, I’m not feeling selfish.”

Jessica grinned, “Check? Do you actually have a checkbook?”

Lisa laughed aloud. “You caught me on a figure of speech. What I really need to do is give you my credit card number and make a donation.”

Jessica nodded. “That’s great. I’m donating my services for your detective work, too. You and Teri have helped me out many times in the past. But truthfully, our agency can always use more cash to help grease the wheels.”

When Lisa called to fill Teri in on what she knew, Teri’s next question was, “How ya gonna track down my daddy? I do miss him so. And my birthday is coming up, and I want a pony.”

Jessica heard her on speaker phone and laughed. “I’m working my way through Google, Facebook, the White Pages, and Ancestry.com. I’m hoping to get a hit.”

Teri laughed. “No Bat Cave? No digital computer magic where you can travel back in time and see my sweet papa donating his sperm. I wanted to see him walking out with a check in his pocket.”

As soon as she mentioned the word check, both Jessica and Lisa started laughing.

“What? What did I say?”

Lisa laughed at her younger sister. “Have you ever written a check?”

Teri thought for a minute. “Didn’t Mom used to give us checks for our birthday, or did she just put cash in an envelope?”

They were still laughing over the check thing.

“Hey. So if you get any hits, can I come along? I want to see my daddy up close and see if I look like him. I promise not to talk to him, just stare a bunch.”

Lisa shook her head. “And what if your dear poppa is spending life in a state prison for murder, or he’s on the run from the FBI for embezzlement?”

“Oh.”

“And what if Jack Dempsey has a real family and is a great dad to other kids our age? What would you do?”

Teri had to think for a minute. “Uh-huh. I’d knock on the door and when he answers, I’d throw my arms around him and hug him, calling him daddy.”

Lisa laughed. “You’re so ten years old.”

Teri smiled. “Yeah. Maybe I never matured past twelve or thirteen, probably ‘cause my puberty didn’t happen until later. But I like being Peter Pan. I like being a kid.”

Lisa shook her head. “You got away with the juvenile behavior because you wore a boy’s clothes for so long. Girls grow out of that silly stuff. And it’s obvious that you never thought about changing it up. Jenn must really love the boy who still wants to run away with the circus.”

Teri shook her head. “Hey, I deserve a break here. My musical ability is all mature and grown up; it’s just my point of view that’s juvenile. And I wonder about the boy-girl thing growing up. I never had any girl urges.”

“Uh-huh. That’s really something you need to talk to Grace about.”

Jessica was listening. “Okay. I knew I was in the wrong body forever. I talked to my older brother and my mom, but couldn’t go any further with it. It haunted me for decades until I could change my outsides.”

Teri was trying to think about her past and if she ever felt differently. “Yeah, I really don’t know about me. The only thing I do know for sure is that I’ve never been more comfortable and happy. I wake up in a great mood and walk around humming all day long. But seriously, don’t you have any curiosity about this guy? After all, half your DNA comes from a stranger.”

Lisa laughed. “Okay, okay. I promise that you’ll be the first to know what we know. And, by the way. We’re giving a big donation to Jessica’s fund to help moms and kids who are separating from their abusive husbands and having to start a new life.”

“Yeah, that’s a great idea. I was thinking…”

Lisa smiled, “Okay, my sweet sister. What’s your idea?”

“Well, maybe Robert will let us play at the Rendezvous and do a long weekend of fundraisers. It would be our first weekend back as a band since Labor Day. We just have to wait until I’m well enough to stand on my feet for an evening. Maybe in two weeks?”

Lisa smiled. “Sure, that is a great idea that needs to be shared with the band. But you’re going to need your doctor’s okay on that. Without her permission, it’s a no go. And I’ve gotta add, you always have great ideas, Tinker-bell.”

“Tinker-bell?”

“Sure, little sis. I can’t very well call you Peter Pan. I mean, that’s not fair to call you a boy’s name. Hmmm. I know. Okay, from now on, you can be called Pan.”

Teri struggled to find something good to say. “Pan sounds like a character in a Shakespeare play. You know, Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

“You’re thinking of Puck.”

Teri turned to her sister. “You know Shakespeare?”

Lisa smiled excitedly. “I’ve read all of the work, whether he wrote it or not. And I believe that a woman wrote some of his plays.”

“How do you know?”

“I like reading about Shakespeare, too. And there’s a huge amount of documentation that Will might not be the author of. Of course, we’d need a time machine to verify all of that.”

“ I never knew that. And all the plays? You’ve read it all?”

“All. Will gets credit for 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and poems. He became my obsession back in sixth grade when I could take his plays out of the library. I’ve reread them on the road.”

Teri shook her head. “I never knew you read anything. I thought it was all about working up a sweat. Like with Smith.”

Lisa glared. “What does that mean?”

Teri started laughing. “Well, I guess you’re the only one who hasn’t noticed. But you and Smith definitely have a unique way of showing love. We’re all imagining your lovemaking is as physical as everything else you do. You’re a roll and roller babe, tough girl, athletic jock type. We pictured the two of you going at it like a mixed martial arts cage match.”

At first, Lisa stared at her sister, her brain suddenly pushed into overdrive. She was trying to work through what Teri had just said. After a minute of thinking, she grinned, smacking Teri on the arm.

“Ow! Hey, why’d you do that?”

Lisa wound up and smacked Teri again. But instead of taking the blow, Teri grabbed Lisa’s fist and surrounded it with two hands. Using her extra height, she pulled that fist downwards and held it there. Then, let it go. Gritting her teeth, Teri said, “I’m not falling for that, you bully. First, I’m still recovering and shouldn’t be stretching my muscles too much. Second, this is not over, big sis. Just cause you're older doesn't make you better. When the doctor releases me, I promise that I will take you down until you beg for mercy. Let’s see, that’ll be March when I whoop your ass.” Then, Teri reached out and hugged her.

Lisa sighed. “I’m sorry. I forgot I was picking on a recovering patient. But it’s like you just tossed my whole relationship into one bucket. That sucks. It makes it sound like we’re just two rutting dogs.”

Teri squeezed hard. “Well, we all saw how you guys started out talking and flirting, and watched it ignite big time. After that, we enjoyed watching the fireworks that seemed to go on twenty-four seven. It was like you’d be saving it up your whole lifetime.”

“Oh, my God, Teri. It’s so bad how he still drives me crazy. Every time that I’m with him, well, I’ve never felt this before.”

Teri squeezed her again. “I love you and I’m happy for you. And I’m glad that the two of you match up so well. In the meantime, let’s get back to a weekend at the Rendezvous. Let’s make it special. We can donate our salaries. And it would be a good excuse to get the band rehearsing sooner than later.”

Lisa was nodding and listening carefully enough to encourage Teri to go on. “I’m sure Robert will give us a cut of the ticket price or the liquor. He’s met Jessica and it’s really such an important cause. But, do you think Zoe would be okay with that? I mean, can she play four nights straight?”

Lisa was nodding. “I know that Zoe will be excited about playing to help out moms and kids. And how cool would it be to see her showing and rocking on stage with her boomer inside?”

Teri thought for a minute. “I’m going to start working on arranging my Vampire opera so we can play those songs live. Yeah, that would be so cool to do a few at the Rendezvous.”

Lisa laughed, “Hey, Rock Star. Keep it simple and just teach us one new song.”

After that, Teri got excited and opened up her songbook. She found the lyrics she’d written to describe the scene when the two young lovers first meet. She remembered that the song was written from the teen’s point of view and tried to imagine it in her head. After looking at her book, she pictured it as a Haiku and began to write.

Walk in the daylight
Trout swimming in a cold brook
Chasing after mayflies.

Sensing another one
No heartbeat like mine
Saw inside his thoughts

Staring at my face
Preparing to flee away
Fearing he was prey

I watched as he stared,
The boy was frozen in his tracks.
I saw the fear on his face
And imagined that it passed through his mind
He was worried I might drain his life.

No, I whispered.
I can control my thirst.
Stay, I begged.

His voice was soft and gentle.
I intended no harm
I was caught up in your beauty
And wanted to know your name
We are from a tribe that only eats animals,
Not human flesh.

We are so different

After rereading and rewriting the words, Teri texted it to Zoe and wrote, “It’s my opening scene in my Vampire Opera. For some reason, the first three verses are Haiku. Interested in hearing feedback. Right now, it’s too Phantom of the Opera and seems flat.”

Within minutes, Zoe had written back. “Crazy, awesome! I’m picturing playing soft, love music in the background while Gina recites the Haiku poems, like the Moody Blues did in their album Knights in White Satin. Then Lisa and you sing the song.”

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Dear Readers,
I'm taking a break from the story hoping that I can create a more enticing tale. Thanks for understanding, Leslie.
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A Wildcat Fall 10
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“How’s that sound to you, Jack?” The musician looked straight into the glass window of the control room. He’d been frustrated trying to get a smooth, mellow sound out of his guitar and looked towards the producer to give him some feedback.

“It’s good, Spider. Do you want to hear it?”

The guitarist nodded and listened to the playback. He frowned and shook his head. “Nah. It still got too much edge. I’m not used to going for that easy tone. Man, soft sounds are hard to make. Can you lend a hand?”

Jack nodded and spoke into the mic, “Sure, Spider. You’ve got great talent, buddy. It’s just a mindset, and you’ll find it. I can show you some tricks.”

He stood up from his swivel chair, came around into the studio, and took the young musician’s guitar. He leaned in and fiddled with the controls on the amp, then reached into his pocket. Fishing out a glass tube, he slid it on his pinky. Using the glass as a slide, he slowly played exactly what Spider had been trying to do.

“Aw, hell, man. You make it sound so good. Seriously, you should record it and I’ll listen!”

Jack shook his head and smiled. “You know your guitar work is what gives The Deep their sound. You’re better than anyone. I’m just facilitating.”

“No, dude. You make everything look so easy and sound so smooth. I wish I could play like that.”

The producer smiled. “Hey, buddy. Those wishes will all come true. I’ll check back with you after you’ve played for twenty more years, and you’ll have it all under your belt, too. It’s just that I’ve been around longer and seen way too much.”

“Jack, I’ve heard you sing and play a dozen times with your band. You’re the bomb, guy. That’s why the record company sent us to record with you.”

Jack Dempsey handed Spider his guitar back and flipped the slide to him. “Keep that and play around with it until you get set to record.”

Jack stood there patiently and watched Spider try. The producer helped and encouraged him until the talented young guitarist had mastered the slide.

Spider looked up and smiled. “Yeah. Go ahead and give me a playback of the whole band, and I’ll see what I can fit into the song.”

“You got it. Give me a minute to ready the song, and I’ll give you a countdown.”

Jessica called Lisa. “Found him! And it wasn’t that hard. Guy’s got a Facebook page promoting a band he plays with, and he’s a producer at Electric Lady Studios in New York. It appears that he’s pretty successful.”

Lisa was already looking at his photo and reading a blurb from the recording studio. “He’s a worker bee. I’ll bet we can get tickets to hear his band play sometime soon. I’m going to call Richard when I hang up.”

“Don’t leave Teri behind.”

“Right. She’d freak if we forgot her. Thanks, Jessica.”

When Lisa called Richard, she was shocked to hear him say, “Whoa! No, Lisa. Let's let your lawyer investigate it. And let’s get Jessica to do a deep dive first. A serious background check - family history, a full chronology of his whole life. The man’s in his forties, and we need to know everything before we dive in. I’m worrying about addictions like drugs, alcohol, gambling, or women. And the guy could have a serious police record. All the stuff needs to be brought to light before we move forward. We don’t want to rush this. It might backfire on the Wildcats if the connection comes to light and the guy has problems. Let’s think about the band, too.”

Lisa wanted to argue, but hesitated. “Sure, okay. But can you direct all of this? I guess I’m just too close to what’s happening here.”

“Sure. I think you’re being smart.”

“Well, I hope Teri feels the same way.”

“I know that she’ll do whatever we want. She plays the ten-year-old, but there’s a sharp brain there.”

Teri immediately called Zoe after she got Zoe’s text. “Hey, your idea is awesome. And we can create a song where that melody should appear throughout the opera in different fashions and forms, just like a real symphony. And I love the idea of recited words. Maybe we can create more Haiku as the story progresses. I think it might be an interesting break between acts, like climaxes or hooks in the story.”

Zoe laughed. “I really like the way you’re mapping it all out. Put it all down on your word processor so I can get involved.”

Teri was nodding as she talked. “Sure. I love collaborating with you. And it’s going to give me something to do while I’m trying to heal.”