Dear Readers, Thank you very much for continuing to sample a new Wildcats story. As you read, think about a few questions. (1.) Is it clear? (2.) How much background do you feel you need to read the new one? (3.) What would you like to see?

Chapter Two
 
     Terry watched Phil manipulate a bank of sliding controls on the big console that Warner’s installed in the new studio. He turned and said, “It’s great! We can fine-tune the sound coming from your instruments and the mics as we record. We control the volume and quality of each individual input. Warner’s also installed mics around the room to record a live sound. Everything feeds through twenty-four tracks here.”
     “Sounds impressive, Phil. Let’s give it a try. I’ll go out and noodle around with a guitar.” Terry left the booth and grinned as he picked his Fender Telecaster off the stand. Lisa had given him her old Stratocaster she’d bought in a pawn shop. Sid Mack’s Allentown Music provided the new Gibson Flying Vee in exchange for public appearances. But the best one was an early Telecaster that Zoe’s dad had gifted Tasha.
    Terry went to the wall and pressed a few buttons on an electric metronome. After getting a good beat, he strapped himself in. Turning on his small studio amp, he ran his fingers along the strings and the fretboard. Holding a pick in his right hand, Terry struck a few notes using his left hand to bend the notes a half step or more. He thought of Buddy Guy or Muddy Waters and wanted to achieve a Chicago blues sound.
     Terry warmed up for a few minutes, then looked at the glass booth. Phil was waiting for a cue and clicked the bright red button. A lighted sign above the plate glass window said LIVE.
     As the metronome ticked off a slow beat, Terry could hear the entire band playing inside his head. It was easy to feel Gina’s bass drum, her sticks banging out a 2/4 time. Tiffany’s bass would melodically find the rhythm and lay down a walking beat. Zoe would chose a counterpoint to his lead. And his sister, Lisa, would use their synthesizers playing piano and Hammond Organ.
     Usually, the band warmed up by playing one of Terry’s compositions, Two-Thirty Blues. Of course, the women heard a tortured love song. They never suspected that he was whining about last period study hall waiting for the bell to ring.
     No one heard the band playing except Terry. It was how his brain worked. Terry closed his eyes and felt the music run through him. He was at the top of a hill looking around at fields of wildflowers under a blue sky. He could hear the bees buzzing and the birds chirping.
     When Terry finally returned to the present, he wiped the tears from his eyes and smiled as he felt the weight lifting from his shoulder.   
     Of course the tears were a reminder of his overactive emotional state. Hormones blasting through his system caused him to experience a lot of new feelings. Terry frowned as he pictured a line of high school cheerleaders yelling out, ‘Yeah, Estrogen!’
     Terry was still struggling with his intersex diagnosis. He realized he wasn’t driving the bus. These days, he was barely hanging on for the ride. Tasha was in charge and driving the bus.
     As he wiped down the neck and put the guitar back in the rack, he thought about the album they’d be recording. Richard had reminded them, “Better songs were downloaded as singles. And you know Warner’s wanted Wildcat hits to flood the world this summer.
     Lisa smiled. “We’ll give Warner’s twenty songs, our greatest stuff. And each song will the best version we can record.”
     Tiffany was nodding. “Good thinking. I say we work for the next few weeks playing and recording those numbers. We smooth out the kinks playing a Rendezvous weekend. and an afternoon concert for Sid Mack on his rooftop in downtown Allentown. We’ll be ready to lay down our final tracks before we fly to Atlanta.”
     Zoe nodded. “Field tests make sense.”
     Terry smiled, but was still worried. His fear sent chills down his spine. Filling an arena with fans paying a hundred bucks a seat seemed daunting. The band wondered if they were as good as all the hype. And when Richard talked about the Atlanta stage, it got worse. “It’s a hockey arena, kids. They held the NBA All-Star game there. It can hold up to 16,000 in the stands, not counting the seats they can put on the floor.”
     Hearing that, they turned to each other and shook their heads. None of them felt confident about this. They hoped talking to Bill Wiggins would ease their concerns.
     In the meantime, Terry wandered over to the booth.
     Phil smiled. “Your guitar sounded great! Are you ready to hear your sound?”
     Terry was nodding as Phil played the music through the studio monitors. He was listening critically. “The sound is great. Could you make it more three-dimensional?”
     Phil nodded and showed him where the controls were located. “We can even run auto-tuning, too. But I wouldn’t want to remove the imperfections. It would sound too AI.”
     Terry smiled. “You’ll have your hands full when we start recording this afternoon.”
     Phil chuckled.“Yep. I’ve already given Richard notice. He’ll be in here working with me to get sound recording levels on everything. It’s the first time the studio is ready to record and the Wildcats need to give it a name.”
     “What?” Terry shook his head.
     “Sure. Your studio will get a recording credit if you plan to record EBR here. I already heard your reference to Music From Big Pink, the band’s first album.
     Terry was smiling. “Those guys were consummate musicians.”
     The eighteen-year-old amazed Phil. Terry had a very unique gift when it came to music.
     A studio name. Terry thought about all the famous recording studios. Muscle Shoals in Alabama, Electric Lady in New York, Paramount Studios in LA, AIR studio in Montserrat, and Sigma Sound Studios right in Philly were his favorites. While their little basement outfit would never touch those shrines, it would be fun to give it a name.
     As Terry was thinking about the studio, his phone rang. He looked down to see that it was Jenn calling. “Give me a minute, Phil. I want to talk to Jenn.” He turned and walked outside. “Hey, lover! How you doin'?”
     “Lover!” Terry heard a man’s laugh. “No. It’s Tony, dude. Your lover’s standing right here with me. We bumped into each other getting coffee. Jenn and I decided to get the whole gang together. But Jenn said we needed a nicer place than my garage apartment. She suggested we have dinner in a restaurant. She said you’ll treat cause you’re so rich!”
     Terry was trying to understand what he was hearing. OMG, Tony! A while back, he and Jenn dropped by to visit those guys before his planned intersex announcement went public. In just a few quick minutes, he’d explained to them that the fifth member of the Wildcats wasn’t a sexy twenty-two-year-old rocker chick but their nerdy high school buddy who’s discovered he was intersex. They hadn’t spent any time with the new Terry. He felt like he was still on shaky ground talking to his old buddies, especially Tony who couldn’t stop talking about the new hot chick, Tasha. “Sure, Tony. Great idea! Now, put my scheduling director on.”
     “Great, see ya soon, dude.”
     He was trying to keep his mind from spinning with the ‘what ifs’. Dude? He was far from a dude anymore.
     Then he heard Jenn’s voice. “Hi, Honey! Surprise!”
     “Yeah, Jenn. Surprise, surprise. Uh, what’s going on?”
     “Aw. I can hear it in your voice. You’re getting all crazy worrying about this meet-up. It’s going to be good medicine, Rock Star. The sooner you start interacting with your old friends, the better you’ll feel. You’re getting worked up over this Terry/Tasha thing. Hiding out in the Wildcats world is safe and secure, but you’re missing out on the Allentown laughs. Public stuff like rides at Dorney Park with Brian, Don, and Tony.”
     Terry sighed, “I’m trying to visualize hanging with the guys but keep seeing myself wearing Jersey Girl. Seriously, Jenn. What’s hanging with the guys going to do? I think you’re shooting from the hip here with psychobabble. Seriously, I don’t need any help.”
     Jenn laughed. “Oh, I agree, lover. You’re perfect in every way. But, come on. You’re a wallflower. After everyone gets past your look, it’s going to be fun. You know, the same old, same old.”
     “Uh, sure. Everything’s going to be great for you. Except they’re going to be staring at Terry in a dress. Their old friend is a joke, a freak.”
     “You’re a beautiful freak. And they will have trouble taking their eyes off of beautiful you.”
     “Yeah. Everybody stares at the pretend woman from another planet.” He could hear Jenn laughing. “C’mon, it’s not funny. I’m not ready to be a woman in a public setting. I don’t want to be sexualized.”
     “Listen to you, sexualized! I understand. You have no incentive to look as pretty as you do on stage. Terry, I’m your coach. I’ll help you dress, and we can downplay the new girl growing  in you.”
     “I don’t have to hide with the Wildcats, but you’re stretching my mental limits. Terry’s not ready for PrimeTime!”
     “C’mon, Terry. You won’t have to act differently or pretend you’re something you’re not. The outside world knows about Tasha of the Wildcats. But in Allentown, Terry can be who he wants to be.”
     “Uh, thanks, Doc. Great advice to get my head spinning. I’ll be too sick with worry to enjoy this. By the way, when are you arranging this public execution, oops,  gathering?”
     “For tomorrow night. I’ve made a reservation at Buddha Thai. It’s upscale enough to keep your gang under control.”
     “Okay, sure. I can see it now. I’ll be the appetizer along with hot and sour soup, summer rolls, and dumplings. Look at the boy in the dress using chopsticks.”
     “Stop overthinking this, Terry. I’ll hold your hand and it’ll work out. You’ll be thanking me afterward.”
     Terry tried to imagine what his friends would be seeing. Today, he wore a cropped tee shirt, lightweight leggings, ankle socks, and low sneakers. Of course, he was wearing a thong and a bra. He needed a thong for tucking, and his boobs were almost filling an A cup. When he went without a bra, his nipples reacted. They grew and were visible. He stopped and glanced at his reflection in the glass-mirrored recording booth. He’d gotten so used to adding mascara and lip stain. And now, with his shaped eyebrows, there was no mistaking his girly face. And piercings! His tattoos! Everything yelled out girly!
     He cursed under his breath. His fantasy Wildcat life would crash into his old Allentown world tomorrow night. Thinking about a dinner with his high school buddies was making him crazy. He needed to stop playing the ‘what if’ games inside his brain.
     When Terry walked back into the studio, both Zoe and Lisa were getting lessons from Phil. He tried to smile even though his brain was bouncing all over the place. “Hey!”
     Lisa hugged him. Zoe gave him quizzical look. She sensed something was wrong.
     Lisa was sharing. “Gina’s picking up Tif and bringing out an early dinner. Her mom’s sending over a vegetable lasagna and a big green salad. Come on. Follow me up to the dining room.”
     As Terry followed them upstairs, Zoe grabbed his arm and leaned into his ear. “Something’s wrong. It’s written all over your face. Let’s talk later.”
     Terry relaxed. Knowing he’d be airing his craziness with Zoe made him feel better. Walking up the steps, he did his best imitation of their beautiful blonde bass player. “You know, I can hear Tiffany letting go on Richard and Phil. She’d be saying, ‘We need a good Chianti! Something rich and full-bodied to go with this delicious food.’”
     As he finished his imitation, Tiffany stood there holding a big lasagna in an insulated pouch. “Yeah, Little! You know it. It’s a sin to eat a great homemade pasta dish without a proper red wine.” She stared at Phil, directing her comment at his face. “But, it looks like mom’s eating with us tonight. Our prison warden!”
     Phil held up two hands in surrender. “Hey! You guys have a month to make a record and I’m a big believer that all work and no play makes Tiffany a boring Wildcat. So, get out the wine glasses, and we can toast to our new, unnamed studio. Oh, and please stop calling me mom. Uncle Phil will suffice!”
     Gina was carrying the big bowl of salad. “Hey, gang! Did I hear Uncle Phil say we can toast with wine? Coincidently, my mom sent over two bottles from my dad’s cellar.”
     As they all gathered in the dining room, Phil talked about Atlanta. “I hope you’re ready to try out an arena. This hockey stadium in Atlanta is perfect. They’ve held plenty of concerts, and the acoustics are great. If you have any questions or concerns, Bill Wiggins is arranging a video call after lunch. In the meantime, how about limiting yourselves to one glass and drinking lots of water? I want you to remember to stay hydrated.”
     As they munched, Terry looked at each of them. No one seemed too concerned about doing a show in an arena. He hoped that Warner’s head honcho would have some words of encouragement.
     An hour later, everyone gathered in front of their big screen in the living room. After exchanging pleasantries, William Wiggins started their meeting.
     “So, Ladies! How does it feel to find yourselves rocketing into the big time?”
     Tiffany spoke out first. “Honestly, I’m scared about Atlanta. We’ve played to bigger audiences in New Orleans. But my big fear is we won’t sell out and have to play in a half-empty building. The Press would love to write about how the Wildcats fizzled out before they got started!”
     Terry looked around to see everyone nodding.
     Wiggins smiled. “I hear what you’re saying, Tiffany. It’s a valid concern and I’m sure your biggest fear is failure. But, remember. You’re an experienced band and know how to handle all your problems. You solve all your dilemmas and are confident that you've got it covered whatever comes your way, whether it’s a broken guitar string or an electrical problem.”
     The Wildcats smiled as Bill Wiggins continued. “Okay. Let’s talk about Gimli and what experience he brings to this evening. The man has been in the business for twenty years and specializes in selling tickets in Atlanta. He has partners and won’t gamble with their money. He’s a sharp promoter, and if he’s confident that the Wildcats can sell tickets. We need to focus on that. Gimli wants to start promoting a show for the last week in May. I say we give him the green light.”
      Lisa raised her hand. “We don’t want to look foolish or like losers. Up until a short while ago, we handled everything. Now we rely on professionals to steer us in the right direction. It’s disconcerting.”
     “Right. I hear you. Phil and Richard are great people, and are good for you. Gina Dinardo’s dad is an excellent lawyer and financial advisor. And I’m confident you’ll be a sell-out in Atlanta. I see you selling out everywhere you appear throughout your summer tour.”
     “Are they all ten thousand-seat arenas? We can do that?” Zoe looked skeptical.
     Wiggins looked confident. “Yep. I bet you’ll be sold out in every town you visit. We’re going to be working hard to help drive the band’s success. Warner’s has the team and the experience. We’ve got contacts everywhere you play. Our advance people will start the ball rolling. We’ll have you interviewing with local radio station personalities, podcasters, online influencers, and on TV talk shows. After a while it just becomes a job. You’ll find yourselves answering the same softball questions over and over again.”
     Bill Wiggins took a sip of water. “Not all your shows will be 10,000 seats. Certainly, weekends will be packed. We’ll all pitch in to drum up the audiences everywhere you go. You’ll be performing at State Fairs and festivals. Eventually, it all becomes a blur.”
     “We’re not afraid of work.” Tiffany nodded.
     “Well, remember that you have national fame now. People recognize you from YouTube, the Ellen Show, and the Tonight Show. Your website is constantly getting money for downloads. This band needs to realize how much buzz is going around. Your Fur Face song is an underground hit. You’re always being posted on Instagram in your furry costumes. You’ve got fans.”
     Lisa smiled remembering how she was recognized in Nashville down in the tourist section. It was disarming, but she was glad to have her hunky cowboy with her. “Well, how about merchandising?”
“Good question. We have all the photos from your cover shoot. Posters, a tour souvenir book, tee shirts and apparel from Jersey Girl are being made to sell for the tour. A merch crew has been hired to tour with you. Set design, sound, and lighting are being dialed up right now. We’ll be testing all of that out in Atlanta.”
     Terry watched them look at each other. They didn’t look convinced.
     William Wiggins sighed. “Okay, well, I’ll let you in on a secret. Your hockey rink seats sixteen thousand in the stands and even more on the floor. But, if ticket sales lag, they can drag a huge curtain across half the stadium, and it will be a half-full house. They call that a dance party.”
     Terry raised his hand. “Thank you. I’m feeling better. We’re just starting to work on the album, which is our first day in the studio.”
     “Good. Speaking of your album, I just heard a rough cut of your live side, and it’s being sent out to you today. Remember, it’s a rough cut, so you might hear some electrical hiss or a balance problem that hasn’t been cleaned up yet. It’s one of the best live albums I’ve heard. When we release the double album in early June, you’ll easily sell out places. Trust me.”
     After everyone said their goodbyes, they went downstairs to their instruments. Richard appeared back in the booth as Phil’s assistant, and they were getting levels on the mics and instruments. Everyone wore headphones to hear the directions and talk without yelling.
     After ten minutes, Phil quietly said, “I think we’re ready. Turn it loose, Wildcats. Play “Run, Run, Gone” at full speed.”
     Everyone turned and grinned. This was the moment they’d been looking forward to for days. They kept their headphones on to muffle the sound and protect their hearing. They were overjoyed finding a familiar spot, playing what they knew so well. And when Phil played it back to them, they couldn’t get the grins off their faces. As their lives were becoming more complex and decisions had their heads spinning, music soothed their minds.
     They spent the rest of the afternoon laying down tracks and listening to them. Around eight o’clock, Richard kicked them out of the studio and told them that was it. “Go relax and let off some steam. We’ll start again down here tomorrow afternoon.”
     As they put their instruments away, Tiffany yelled, “We’ll be running tomorrow at ten am. And we need to hire a personal chef to start eating healthier.”
     Everyone stopped and turned to look at her. “Sure. To start the day, someone should leave the refrigerator full of fresh fruit, smoothies, and whole grain muffins. They can also prepare calorie-conscious lunches and dinners. I’m not getting fat while we sit around recording. I’m going to need to fit in my wedding dress.”
     Gina laughed. “The big question will be our bridesmaid's dresses. Right, Terry?”
     He was used to the banter. “If Tasha’s going to be a bridesmaid, the bride’s gotta wear pink. We can call Tiffany’s old designer from Jersey Girl. He’ll gladly make the whole ensemble for you!”
     Naturally, everyone laughed as they took Richard’s encouragement seriously. It was a cue to call their honeys and disappear. Gina drove her mom’s car into Philly where Grace kept a small place. Tiffany disappeared with Mike with a smile.
     Lisa collected Smith from upstairs. As they were headed out, she turned to Terry. “Hey, we’re going out to eat. Can we bring something back for you?”
     “Thanks. I’m calling Jenn now. We’ll do something.” He waved as he reached for his phone. “Hey.”
     “Hey, yourself. You ready for me?”
     “I will be after I get a shower.”
     “You hungry?”
     “Hungry for you.”
     “Well, I’m hungry. So I’m taking you out to eat. Warning, I’m dressing nice.”
     With that, Terry disconnected. He wandered upstairs and dropped all his clothes in his hamper. It was getting full, which meant he needed to do his laundry. He walked across the hall to the third-floor bathroom and turned on the water.
     While waiting for it to warm up, he stared at the mirror. Before it fogged up from the steam, he stared at a teen girl whom he would have asked out.
     He was drying off when Jenn popped in. She immediately pulled the towel away and held him in her arms. The contact heated him up, and he felt like he was melting. “Mmm.”
     Jenn smiled and bit his lower lip hard enough to get his attention. “You’re dressing up for dinner tonight. Let’s get a move on. Our reservation is in thirty minutes.”
     Terry wasn’t thinking; he just followed Jenn’s orders. His closet was packed with Wildcat outfits and it didn’t take him long to pick out Jersey Girl’s idea of a jumpsuit. It was light gray and the material seemed to glow. It had cap sleeves and tight leggings. It zipped up in the middle with a wide black zipper. He slipped on ankle-length boots.
     He looked over to see Jenn picking out a cocktail dress. It was a strapless corset-style top with a pleated skirt. The fabric was dark blue with silver threads running through it. Terry watched her slip on matching pantyhose. With that outfit, she didn’t need panties or a bra. Locating the three-inch matching heels only took a minute.
     As she was looking herself over, she noticed Terry staring. “What?”
     “When Jersey Girl sent that one to me, I never considered it. You own it!”
     Jenn kissed him, then smiled. “I enjoy looking good for my beautiful Rock Star.”
     Once dressed, Terry added product to his hair and combed it straight back. The top was longer and dyed silver. The sides were close cut allowing his light brown hair to frame his multiple piercings.
     He watched Jenn apply her makeup. When she saw him watching, she smiled. “You’re lucky that Glow Cosmetics gave you such a wonderful makeover. With your dyed eyelashes you can forgo mascara and eye shadow. And with your shaped and lightly dyed eyebrows, you don’t need to do anything. You have such young skin.”
     As they drove off in Jenn’s car, his stomach grew tight. “Please don’t tell me that tonight's dinner is with the guys. Please.”
     Jenn laughed. “I am cruel and mean, girl, but would never kick your feet out from under you. No. Tonight’s dinner is with my mom and your mom. I think it’s time we all get together. My mom wants to make sure your family is acceptable. You know, no two-headed mutants.”
     “Seriously? She’s worried about my mom?”
     “No. I think she wants to meet the woman that raised you.”
     “What’s she going to think about me all Tasha’d out like this?”
     “Oh, honey. Your mom has seen you dressed up a million times now. But my mom only recalls the skinny kid I haven’t stopped talking about for the past two years. She’s never met the woman I love.”
     Terry gripped his seat rest tightly and moaned quietly. “I don’t know about this.”
     Jenn smiled and patted his thigh. “Honey, you’re going to be fine. Fine.”
     Later as they lay in bed together, Jenn curled up on Terry’s chest. “I think you make the best love after you’ve had a near-death experience.”
     He sighed. “You’re right. That’s what this felt like throughout the evening. I thought I was going to die several times. The worst was when you announced your sperm bank plan. I thought both moms was going to kill you.”
     “Well, after my mom’s scolding, you heard me promise I would wait until I got my Masters and my career going before I’d make little Terrys.”
     “Yeah. For the rest of the night your mom looked at me like I was as crazy as you are. She stared at me like I was the sex fiend who wanted to impregnate her innocent, saintly daughter. Even after I explained my intersex dilemma and that I’m impotent and sterile, I don’t think she believed me.”
     “Well, Terry. Your mom defended the sperm bank. And the way she proudly told her story, I knew my mom instantly loved her. My mom had to raise the two of us all on her own after my deadbeat dad abandoned us. That’s how we ended up in Allentown. She was broke, and this advertising agency needed an East Coast representative.”
     “In all this time I’ve known you, where’s your sister? How come I haven’t met her? Is there a problem?"
     “No. My sister and I get along well. I applied to some Universities in the Chicago area. My sister lives in Chicago. She has a business, a home, a dog, and a lover out there. We were raised in Washington DC, not Allentown. When we moved here, she was already in school. She doesn’t call Allentown home.”
     Jenn got up on her knees and reached for a Kleenex.
     “That’s where my mom stays when she’s out in Chicago on business. Even though mom’s central offices are in the windy city, she works the entire East Coast.”
     “You don’t talk about your sister much.”
     “Oh, it’s not at all like that. We are great and I talk to her a lot. We have separate lives, and she likes to draw some lines.”
     “Why?”
     “Well, my sister stepped out of the lines a while back. She has this successful clothing boutique that is doing great. She’d even had offers to sell out. My sister, Julia, financed her clothing boutique by working in the adult film industry. She did one of those pay-per-view daily shows pandering to voyeurs. She was quite popular with removing her clothes and putting them back on. But once she made enough money, Julia retired. So my mother has trouble dealing with the shade attached to her.”
     “Is that a problem for you?”
     “Not for me. She even offered to introduce me to her old agent if I ever wanted to make a lot of money.”
     Terry laughed. “Well, Jenn. You can do whatever you want, and I’ll support you. It would be a status symbol for a Rock Star to have an adult film actress for a girlfriend. You and my mom can have all my money. Together we’ll have enough money for a lifetime. The Wildcats are just getting started.”
     “Yeah, sometimes I think my sister’s need to make money that way was her way of releasing the anger she had after our father ruined our lives.” Jenn shook her head. “Looking at my sister you would never know that she’d spent three years showing off her body for money. I will give her credit. She drew a line and never had sex online. All she did was get herself naked and talk to people. She used to joke that it was therapy for many lonely men. She’d spent her time in different lingerie.”
     Terry nodded. “When I meet her, does she keep all that a secret now?”
     “No. She never denies it but has to be constantly wary of stalkers and predators from her old life. It isn't very easy. When she retired from that life, she disappeared from that scene completely.”
     “You know, I understand your sister’s fears, which brings me another thought. Will we have a problem with the weird people? The Wildcats will be pushed out into the public eye when we start to tour. Will we need security to keep people from bothering us?”
     Jenn shook her head. “Good point. People are going to be interested in you. But what happens when people start to hear about a gay drummer and an intersex guitar player in a band of women? I wonder what creeps will come out of the woodwork? Lots of crazies!”
     Suddenly, Jenn looked shocked, realizing who she was talking to. “Oh, Terry. I’m sorry I forgot that you know all about crazy people. I guess you need to talk to Bill Wiggins and Jessica Jade. She and her fiancee might end up joining your tour as security.”
     “Yeah, how's it going to work? Are we going to be in hotels every night or playing a lot of nights for two weeks and then coming back to Allentown for some down time?
     “I’m sure all those questions will be answered soon enough. I suggest asking Richard tomorrow morning. And don’t forget, tomorrow is your coming-out dinner!”
     “Ah, Jenn. Don’t remind me. I’m so nervous out right now. Dressing up in front of your mom and mine was a deep breath. It’s different being dressed and on stage. Dinner was real. There wasn’t any doubt that looking at me, I'd turned the corner. I’ve become a woman.”
     “Terry, honey. You look beautiful, and you’re a Wildcat. You love it. Maybe someday, you’ll embrace Tasha fully.”
     She pushed him down with her hands resting on his shoulders. “Just remember that being a woman doesn’t mean you need a man around to fulfill you. I know how much you love to be held and kissed. But don’t get confused over that. Everyone loves to be held and kissed. Don’t start shaming yourself because you let yourself go. You’ve discovered what turns you on. You love to get high and be squeezed and kissed. I know because that’s what we do together. And sure, you’ve gotten stoned and kissed a boy. You were enjoying the whole physical thing. That rush was pleasureful and your inhibitions let you enjoy yourself. I don’t think there’s anything gay when you’re intersex. I think you love everyone, boy or girl. That’s not bad.”
     “That was the longest speech I’ve ever heard you say. You might be right. Sometimes, I lose myself in Tasha and forget who I am.”
     “It’s whom, not who. Sorry, too many hours prepping for the GED. I don’t want to sound like a broken record, Terry, baby. Here's a big secret-you are Tasha! The two of you share a body.”
     “Ha, ha.”
     “Let’s face it, Rock Star. Remember that word transitioning?”
     “You mean like moving from one sex to another?”
     “Sure. I think you need to relax your rules about sex.”
     He stared directly at her. “That’s easy for you to say because you weren’t standing there while I was making out.”
     “Okay, ask yourself. If I’m there and you’re high, who would you choose?”
     Terry thought for a minute. “Who’s in charge? I don’t trust Tasha. All joking aside, you are always number one.”
     “Woah! You gotta share that with Grace.”
     “What? You mean not trusting Tasha. Yeah, but it’s all getting strange. Too many of the things I love are girly. That could be who I am. I get so confused.”
     Terry could feel the tears starting to flow from his eyes. “Look at me! I’m crying like a girl. I’m ready to sob into my pillow.”
     Jenn held her lover tightly in her arms. They’d both gotten undressed and were wearing tees. Jenn felt Terry’s breasts as he sobbed and his chest heaved. “It’s okay. Nobody has to know about your loves and fears. It’s okay to feel beautiful. It’s okay to like to look at yourself in the mirror.”
     Terry stopped sobbing and turned to look at her. “How’d you know?”
     “Oh, honey. All of us cry in the shower and all of us look in the mirror. You forget that it’s not all girly. Guys are the same way. And yes, guys cry, too. It’s not the estrogen that’s making you into a different person. It’s you. It’s always been your nature, but you denied that. You were afraid to got there.”
     “Huh?”
     “Sure. You’ve written sad songs, beautiful torch songs about love. That’s been you since I first heard you. And you’ve always been a skinny, quiet person who is happy just being part of a group. The cats love you because you’re a caring, loving person. There’s not a mean bone in your body. They see that and would all take a bullet for you.”
     Terry was listening. He realized that Jenn had been sitting watching all those times while the guys horsed around playing video games. “Jenn, what happens to everything I’ve done with the guys when I appear looking like this? I can’t do a fake Terry thing anymore. It’s so weird, but this is me.” Once again, tears were streaming down his cheeks.
     “You’re the same Terry. Sure, the undiscovered part of you is emerging rapidly. You’ve never been able to digest or run with it. Just imagine if all of this was happening in the classroom. Imagine changing so much daily that you can’t hide your changing body or even your expanding mind.”
     Terry started laughing. “You know, I first imagined an alien inhabiting a woman’s body trying to move among the Earthlings. Slowly, that alien started to morph inside and out until the creature was the Earth woman.”
     Jenn sat up on her knees and kissed him on the mouth. “You’re living that story. I like the fact that the story’s not over. It’s still happening. Ya gotta love it!”
     Terry grabbed her hard and pulled her down into his arms. “I think it’s my turn to be on top!”

Dear Reader,

Wildcat Summer is available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Wildcat-Summer-Leslie-Moore-ebook/dp/...

There are many chapters to read in the sample

Leslie

Thank you for reading. I enjoy hearing your suggestions. This is the second half of chapter three. It's funny how it's much easier to write half a chapter at a time.

Terry picked up the phone. He smiled, seeing that Jenn was calling.

“No!” It sounded to him like she was laughing.

He decided to play it cool. “Well, hi, Jenn. How are you doing?”

“Fine, Terry. No, no, no.”

“Three no’s. I think you’re trying to tell me something.”

“Stop being a smart-ass! I just got your photo. You certainly look beautiful, but you need to have your head examined.”

“Why, Jenn? I thought you said it’s a casual place. What’s wrong with my outfit?”

“First of all, you don’t go into a restaurant with an exposed midriff. It’s like a sanitary thing, you hoochie momma. No bare feet, no bathing suits.”

“Hoochie? I’m insulted. Here I was trying to look nice.”

“Terry Nelson, you’re doing a good job of trying my patience and making me laugh at the same time. I commend your moxie for jumping into the deep end of the pool. But that’s not how you greet your friends.”

“Why? Isn’t that me now? Shouldn’t I embrace who I am?”

“Certainly. But you’re making me feel like I’m your mom and saying, “You’re not going out dressed like that!”

Terry laughed at the sound of her voice. She did sound like a mom. “OK, mom. So why not?”

“You need to garner respect from your high school friends. If you show up all decorated and on display, they will all respond to you like you’re working in Hooters.”

Terry laughed aloud. In a put-on voice, he said, “Hey, I guess this is the new me. The old high school Terry has evaporated into thin air. What everybody used to imagine he was, well, news flash - he never was. Old Terry spent his life disguised, trying to look like a boy. The old Terry was never a boy! And I think this is a great outfit to wear to his funeral. But, OK. I see your point about going into a restaurant dressed like this."
.
“My point is you have to think about what your horn dogs would think if you showed up decked out like Tasha does on stage. Tasha is a two-dimensional puppet, like an imaginary figure, like a character in a movie. She’s the stripper side of you and strippers wear everyday clothes, too.”

“Interesting. You’ve gone from calling me a hoochie mama, to Hooter’s girl, to stripper. Well, Jenn. We’ve covered a lot of ground in a few seconds.”

“Well, either way, Rock Star, you need help. I know Jersey Girl will send you anything you ask for. You need to get some stuff to wear around the house for the next month.”

Terry was grinning and shaking his head. “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about how rock stars dress at home and kinda came up blank. Duh.”

Jenn started laughing. “Duh? You’re living with four rockers twenty-four, seven. Do the Cats dress up like they are going on the stage every day?”

Terry suddenly felt like he’d been pushed into a cold shower. He looked at himself and opened his eyes. The clouds parted, and he thought about his bandmates and how they dressed. “Good point, mom. What do you suggest?”

“I suggest you come downstairs and greet me in the driveway. I’m here.”

When he reached the entrance hall to the house, she was waiting there. He quickly looked her over and smiled. Jenn was wearing Jenn clothes: dressy black capris, a pretty white knit top, and a Phillies team jacket. Her hair was in a high ponytail, and she wore mascara and lipstick. She was beautiful in a perfectly Jenn way.

She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard. “Oh, my God! You’re a sexy, beautiful doll, and I want to take you upstairs and ravish you. But instead, I’m going to take you upstairs and dress you all over again.”

“Aw, no time for a ravishing?” Terry followed Jenn up to his bedroom.

“Mmm. You’re right. We should always take time for ravishing. Strip down, and let’s see what you’ve got on for underwear. You are wearing underwear, right?”

After Terry stripped down, she playfully ran her hand across his butt. He shivered with her touch and moaned.

She slapped him hard. “Keep the jeans look, they’re nice.”

Terry was pleased to see her tossing him a new top but sad that it covered the tattoo on his upper arm. When she threw him a new black satin hoodie from Jersey Girl, he hesitated. It was a sample they were looking to sell as merchandise on their upcoming tour. There was a large, colorful Wildcat emblem stitched across the back, but the whole jacket was piped in bright pink. He slipped it on and modeled the outfit in his mirror. He frowned. It was a woman’s cut and fit him perfectly. He was pleased it didn’t have Tasha’s name embroidered on the breast.

He reached for his black leather Jordans.

Jenn laughed. She saw him frown as he was staring at his image. “What’s the matter, lover? Too boring?”

Terry shrugged, “I guess not. But I’m still making a statement, aren’t I? I just look like me. Isn’t everyone looking for Tasha? Isn’t everyone expecting to see a rock chick?”

Keeping him facing the mirror, Jenn reached around and held him tightly so he continued to stare at himself in the mirror. She nuzzled his ears and bit an earlobe. “You are the real Terry, not your stage fictional character, Tasha. You can still be a rock star without all the trappings. You’ve been wearing these clothes every day since you started with the Wildcats. You’re not making a public appearance to sign autographs or take pictures with fans. This is just a dinner out with friends.”

He nodded. “Okay. I’m starting to understand your point. It’s obvious that I still need guidance to get this right.”

“Honey, you’ll meet your friends as the new Terry. Let them buy Tasha’s poster if they need a fantasy to moon over. New Terry wears bras and thongs because he has to. New Terry wears a touch of makeup because it looks nice. New Terry has curves. You don’t need to score points or make it all more than it is. Your boys will stand on Sid Mack’s Allentown Music roof when you do another concert. They can see Tasha and all the Wildcats dressed in their Jersey Girl finery. But there’s no stilettos in the band house.”

Terry didn’t have to think for a minute as he took Jenn into his arms. “You are the best. I don’t know what I’d do without you. Marry me and have our babies.”

Jenn laughed. “Nah. I enjoy being the mysterious lesbian girlfriend of a Wildcat. I’m the woman in the shadows who everyone wonders about. I like it that way. But it would be cool to be a pregnant teen. So radical. I think I’d make the best parent!”

“You’re already helping me get it all straight. And you know, before Frankie knew who you were, she described you as an exotic looking beauty.”

Jenn thought for a minute. “Sure. Almond eyes, thick straight hair. I can see that. But my mom and I are different. There’s a lot of Cossack blood running through my body. And I’m certainly not a tea-pouring Geisha. You might say I have a temper.”

“I agree that you’re not a geisha, but you’re not a Klingon either.” He sighed and looked at his phone. I see that we have a problem. We don’t have to be at the restaurant for another hour. Isn’t there a way I can show my appreciation to the most beautiful woman I know?”
Jenn giggled and pulled his hand towards the bed. “Yep. I could use a sex slave right now.”

An hour later, they were walking into the restaurant, and the guys were standing up to greet them. Brian, Don, and Tony all wore collared shirts and clean jeans. Each looked like he’d showered and taken the time to brush his hair. Terry could smell too much Axe body spray.

He inwardly smiled. As he looked at his buds, he realized he was checking out their broad shoulders and upper body strength. Why was he noticing this for the first time?

Jenn grabbed his upper arm and whispered in his ear. “Do you like what you see, Rock Star?”

“Did they notice that I was staring?”

“Nah. Try to remember that boys are tupid.”

Terry didn’t have to respond. He blushed bright red and made a choking sound. “Oh, my God,” he thought! “I’m sizing my old friends up as potential boyfriends. Jeez, what’s happening with my mind?” But the guys moved towards them before he could discuss this issue with his girlfriend. He stood back behind Jenn to see how they greeted her
.
Jenn lifted her right arm up in the air and gave them each a quick hug, ending with a straight left hand to the chest moving each guy backwards. Terry admired how she could do this in such a casual manner without making it look stiff. What should I do, he thought?

Tony answered this dilemma by reaching over and grabbing him in a big bear hug. He chose not to return it by pushing his arms against his chest and separating himself from his big friend. He marveled at how solid he felt. It was like he was carved out of stone. For a brief second he felt his heart beat increase.

Don and Brian chose to stay back and just give him smiles without contact. He was relieved because the simple contact with Tony had him reeling. The man was big and strong. The first thought that came to mind was that he wanted to stay in his arms for a lingering moment. But fortunately, he heard the warning bells going off inside his brain. Terry realized he obviously was not in control when those thoughts took over. He made a note to talk to Grace about acting like a love-sick girl.

Brian was smiling and talking. Terry had to quiet his mind to concentrate. He watched his face, noting his nice lips.

“Dude, you have such a life. I’ve become your biggest fan. I taped the Tonight Show and have already watched it many times. And, yeah, I admit I did that for the Ellen Show, too. Those women are exciting to watch.”

Terry kept grinning, thankful Brian was drawing a line between the cats and him. He even called him dude. He briefly thought about Brian watching the band play in the privacy of his room and got a cold shiver running through his body. His blood pressure was going down, and the pulse in his ears stopped pounding. He just didn’t want Tony hugging him again.

Don was nodding his head and waiting his turn. “I never knew you could shred the guitar as you do. You are the best musician in the band. Pretty amazing.”

Terry realized that this was going to be OK after all. He wasn’t going to have to talk about his surgery or his changing body. It wasn’t going to be about him after all. And when Tony interrupted and said, 'Anyone else hungry?’ everyone’s thoughts turned to the menu. When the waiter arrived to take their order, Terry almost slipped and ordered at Singha, forgetting he was eighteen, not twenty-two. He listened to what everyone was talking about.

He realized that Jenn had hardly said a word. She seemed content to simply listen to what everyone said. Terry learned she was playing the same game Tiffany and Zoe had done with their admiring fans. She was asking questions, encouraging the guys to talk about themselves.

When the tables turned towards him, Tony looked straight into his eyes, saying, “What’s up, dude?” Terry was more than ready to respond with a question: “Tony, I really want to hear what you guys have been up to." It worked, and the guys were happy to talk until their dinners arrived. He chuckled when Don pointed at him and said to their server, “The rock star’s gonna pay for our meal.”

After everyone seemed to have eaten too much, they were content to just sit around, grin, and make small talk. Terry deflected all their questions until Don finally asked about the Wildcat’s schedule.

He summed it up with a brief summary. “We’re working on our album right now. Then we’re doing a weekend at the Rendezvous and another rooftop concert downtown at the music store. Finally, we’re headed to Atalanta for one more show before the record drops at the beginning of June. We’re going out on tour after that.”

Tony was smiling. “Oh, wow. You guys are really busy. Can you get us up on the roof again for your concert? I don’t think I’ve ever been close to so many beautiful babes.” He stopped suddenly when he realized he’d included Tasha in his beautiful babes category.

Terry ignored it and simply nodded. “Sure. We can get you up on the roof again. That’s no problem. I’m sure Jenn can get you passes from Richard.”

He deflected the rest of the comments, enjoyed listening, and occasionally made eye contact with Jenn. He’d never noticed how little she had to say.

Then suddenly, Don turned to her and asked, “What’s it like to have a rock star for a boyfriend?” He blushed and looked back at Terry. “Well, I mean.…”

Terry held his breath and didn’t say a word.

Jenn dove in quickly. “Terry is the best lover you could ask for. I’m the luckiest woman in the world.”

He thought about pronouns. The guys were fumbling, trying to figure out whether Terry was a him or a her. He just smiled and decided to let it go until next time. When would Teri be called a she? Thinking about that, he decided that once they were on the road, Tasha was going to move to the forefront and Terry with step back into the shadows. Since Tasha was a she, he figured that Teri would emerge as female.

As they walked out together, Terry stopped to pay the bill. Each guy patted him on the arm or the small of his back, thanking him for the dinner.

Brian sounded sincere when he nodded and said, “Hey, thanks, dude. It was great seeing you. And I am so happy for you. I can’t even imagine what your life must be like compared to slugging it out in the muck with the rest of our Senior class.”

Terry grinned while he was signing his receipt.

Don was listening in. “Yeah, speaking of that, dude. Have you thought about walking for graduation? You know, cap and gown and all that stuff?”

Terry was caught off guard. The first thing he thought about was trying to figure out whether he’d wear the guy’s red robe or the shiny, silky white robe all the girls wore. He also thought about the dress and stilettos he’d be wearing underneath. “Uh, I don’t know. We’ve got a lot to cover in May, and I can’t commit to anything that slows the band down.”

As they were driving away, Jenn whispered. “You’d look cute in a white satin gown, a mini, and bright red heels. And man, would Tony love to wrap you in his strong arms again. Oh, my God. Just think, you’d be close enough to feel his throbbing!”

Terry blanched and sputtered. “Uh, c’mon, Jenn! He caught me by surprise, and well, I wasn’t expecting my insides to turn to a jelly. Do you think anyone noticed?”

“Nah, baby. I saw your pupils get big and then glaze over. I do think it’s good you pushed away when you did before you started rubbing yourself all over him and sucking his face.”

“Jenn! That wouldn’t happen!”

“Oh, honey. I’d love to do a threesome with you and Tony. I bet he’d die in horn dog heaven having the both of us. And you’d get to wear your silky white robe and your stilettos! Maybe we can fulfill his every fantasy with you wearing a garter belt and stockings!”

He thought back to the first weekend when Zoe wore a baby doll and stockings. But the thought of Tony in bed with the two of them turned his stomach. “And what would you be doing while I’m being mugged?”

“Oh, I’d be taking videos to show our kids when they were old enough to watch. You know, ‘when mommy got it on!’”

“Jenn, that can never happen. I don’t want that! A mommy? Is that what I’m going to be?”

“Sure. Our kids are going to have two mommies. Baby, you know you want everything; you’re just too afraid to admit it!”

“Do lust for those guys?”

“Hardly. But I will tell you who I lust for.”

Terry held his breath, waiting to die.

“I want Gina and I know you’ve been there, and I’m jealous.”

Terry was at a loss for words.

Dear Reader,

Wildcat Summer is available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Wildcat-Summer-Leslie-Moore-ebook/dp/...

There are many chapters to read in the sample

Leslie

Dear Reader,

Wildcat Summer is available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Wildcat-Summer-Leslie-Moore-ebook/dp/...

There are many chapters to read in the sample

Leslie

another piece of a Wildcats Puff Piece. I should bring back their furries' costumes. Thanks for reading and leaving comments.

Terry quietly turned away as everyone was hugging and kissing Zoe, listening to her baby's plans. Out of nowhere, tears were streaming down his face. He was confused and didn’t understand what was happening to his emotions.
 
As he stood there feeling his shoulders quake, he realized those were tears of joy. He was excited and happy for his best friend. Jeez, he thought, what’s going on? He mopped his eyes and took some deep breaths.
 
Lisa had seen him get up and move over to talk to him. She pulled him close. “What’s up, Little?”
 
He grinned through the tears. Everyone in the band had taken his nickname, Little Shit, and shortened it to Little. Even his mom had called him Little. She thought it was a term of endearment. “Lisa, I guess I’m too high. Suddenly, crying tears of joy for Zoe kinda frightened me. But Isn’t it great that she and Bruno want to make a little boomer together?”
 
Lisa looked at him and smiled. Terry was a piece of work. As worried as he was about Tasha taking over and turning him female, he was behaving just like a girl. She hugged him just like she would another woman and squeezed him tightly. “I know. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Wildcat’s success would spawn lots of little boomers.”
 
Terry looked her in the eyes. “You and Smith?”
 
Lisa shrugged. “He’s perfect, and I’m falling in love with my hunky cowboy. But while Smith is feeling his age, I’m not. It’s too soon, and I have too much happening right now. I promise you that when it’s time, you and Mom can walk me down the aisle and give me away.”
 
He tried to picture wearing a fancy long dress and walking with his mom. He sat back down and listened to everyone talking about babies. Tiffany asked Gina, “Would you and Grace adopt a child together?”
 
Gina grinned. “If I had my way, sure. When things slow down, I picture us having a couple of kids bouncing off the walls with me. We could have a mini roller derby team. But the best idea is Jenn’s plan.”
 
Terry looked up, grinned, and shook his head.
 
Now that Gina had their attention, she talked about how Terry’s mom had used a sperm bank for both Terry and Lisa. They had been conceived using the same donor. “So Jenn called that agency, and they still have samples. She wants to be impregnated with the same sperm that made Terry and Lisa.”
 
Tiffany needed clarification. “How’s that work?"
 
Gina laughed. “So half their baby will be Jenn’s egg and her DNA. And the other half would come from the guy that supplied half of Terry’s DNA.”
 
Tiffany looked at Terry. “You can’t make sperm?”
 
“Nope. The insides of my body are all messed up. I’ve got some female organs inside making estrogen, but no male stuff. I was declared male at birth cause my body had tried to make male organs from a uterus. So I’m not going to be a baby maker. If we used Jenn’s idea, the baby would still be part my DNA, which is pretty cool. But I have to watch out because Jenn is crazier than me. She thinks it would be cool to be a pregnant teen attending college.”
 
Tiffany wagged her finger. “There goes all your money paying for a nanny and diapers.”
 
They were all enjoying their celebration when Lisa spoke. “Uh, I propose that we all take a five-day vacation. Let’s meet on Monday to prep for our concert at Allentown Music and the weekend at the Rendezvous.”
 
Tiffany smacked her on the arm. “That's a good idea. We’ll still have a whole week to relax before Atlanta. If Warner wants us to rerecord or mix something  differently, it’ll still be ready by June.”
 
“If Warner has everything ready for release, they might start leaking tracks to radio stations and Sirius Radio before we even show up in Atlanta. Richard said they’d probably want some phone interviews  to frame out the record.” Zoe nodded sagely
 
Gina hugged Zoe. “We really owe Rolling Stone an interview. After all, they gave us a cover based on all the hype.”
 
“Well, don’t act like our hype isn’t earned. We’ve kept it flowing and ballooning.”
 
“Yeah, Fur Face is still popping up on Instagram. But it would be good to play nice with the magazine.”
 
“And it would be fun to see what their reviewers say after hearing our disks. I like it when people talk sincerely about our album.”
 
Terry was thinking about their production. “There'll be lots to talk about. A live forty-five-minute side and twenty more studio tracks plus our original live studio recording of Summer Song. I’m hoping for a five-star review.”
 
“I’m hoping everyone remembers us at Grammy time. I want to get dressed up and stand on the stage, hooting and hollering like the complete idiot I am!” Tiffany was laughing.
 
Gina studied her carefully before wrapping her arm around her. She bore her weight, then laughed aloud. “Girl, I might be a moron, but you’re way too high. Somebody’s gotta page Mike to come take advantage of this Saint Barbie’s virginity.”
 
With the thought of Mike showing up, Tiffany was grinning. “Good thinking, Derby Girl. Wanna tag along? We can get naked and do a dance for Mike. And we can all play!”
 
Everyone turned and looked at Tiffany. She was totally drunk, high, and wasted when Gina said, “Damn, where’s the responsible adult to take care of this Swedish vegetable?”
 
Tiffany laughed. “Wrong again, moron. I’m not a Swedish vegetable! I’m from Jersey!”
 
Later, after everyone had helped Mike load Tiffany into his car, it was time to begin packing. Terry called Jenn and asked her if she was interested in a trip.
 
“Sure. Where’re we going, Rock Star?”
 
“You name it. We can drive, fly, or take a train. You pick.”
 
“Hmmm. Let’s go shelling. We can fly from Philly to Key West. I wanna swim, sail, and walk along the beach with my baby. You call the airport and your limo service. I’ll pack, and you can pick me up.”
 
“Sounds like you’ve thought about this. That’s a great, excellent idea. I’ll hop right on that.”
 
“Well, I’d really like to do Tahiti. But five days is too short. I’ve seen so many photos of private suites over the Bay. It’s a someday dream.”
 
Terry chuckled. “We could take a break from the tour when we get to the West coast. I think it’ll be fun to make LA a home base.”
 
“Hey, baby. I just thought of something. You got any summer clothes or beach wear?”
 
Terry froze and thought about getting undressed in public. He tried to breathe and think. “Uh, no. But I can call Jersey Girl and pick up some stuff on the way to the airport. I can book us a night flight so we’ll have time to shop and get something to eat.”
 
“Good thinking, lover. I am so looking forward to playing in the surf with you. Oh, my. Won’t we have fun!”
 
After Terry made a list, he called American and booked them two first-class tickets to Key West. They’d get there around ten tonight. Then he called Barbara at Jersey Girl and told her his needs: “Jenn and I are going to Key West for a week. Can you hook us up with summer clothes?”
 
“Oh, Terry. Of course. And we’ll pick out some cute stuff for Jenn, too. It will be fun to deck you both out in beach wear. And there’s the nightlife, too!”
 
“Uh, Barbara. Nothing too wild for me, please. This will be the first time Tasha has ever appeared in a bathing suit. I’m not looking forward to any photos.”
 
“Okay, before I run over to the Rittenhouse Square store and start shopping for you, what size is Jenn?”
 
“I don’t know. She’s five foot seven inches tall. She weighs one-thirty. She’s in good shape and wears much of what you’ve sent me.”
 
“Okay. This is going to be easy. When will I see the two of you?”
 
“Maybe around four o’clock. Is that going to work?"
 
“Oh, sweetie. We’ll make it work. You still have your band luggage?”
 
“Uh-huh.”
 
“Leave it. We’ll find some matching luggage for you and Jenn.”
 
After he hung up, he smiled. They’d really worked out a fantastic relationship with Jersey Girls and Barb. She’d gotten so much national publicity from the Wildcats wearing her clothes that she'd do anything to keep them all happy. He’d never heard her say no.
 
Richard always reminded her what a bargain she had. Barbra would laugh and say the Cats were worth paying six figures.
 
Terry called their limo service and told them what he needed. After he was done, he called  LaCroix at the Rittenhouse. Barbara said it was a great restaurant and was close to their shop. She even said to use her name for a reservation.

He even called a service to arrange a place for them to stay. Terry grabbed a makeup case and a bag full of underwear. As he packed, he realized he’d also need summer shoes. He remembered an assortment of shops around Rittenhouse Square where he could shop for Tasha. Fancy, fancy, he thought.
 
He smiled as he realized that putting outfits together for Tasha was becoming easier. When they began their tour in June, he thought about a new haircut and color for Atlanta. Maybe he’d try extensions again, you know, something different.
 
“Rock Star, Barbara is the best. I can’t believe how sweet and generous she is. And you’re the best at buying your baby momma new clothes. But no hoochie high heels!
 
They’d walked across Rittenhouse Square and were drinking fruit juices. They’d had time to study the menus and watched as their salads were placed in front of them.
 
Jenn waved her hand. “I could get used to all this!”
 
Terry wondered how much he’d need to make with the band to keep her happy. Her love was important. “If it takes millions, you are worth it.”
 
“Aw, Rock Star. I was just kidding. It’s been fun to live like the CEO of Warner’s, but I’ll be happy in our Paris loft where you entertain each night in our little coffee house.”
 
He kissed her.
 
That night, they fell asleep in the chaise lounges on the patio of their Key West bungalow. The stars and a salty breeze coming off the ocean had them snuggling together under big, comfy quilts.
 
In the morning, they both dressed to go out for a run. Terry’s pink sneaks were broken in, and he’d gotten use to his spandex microfiber running outfit. They laughed aloud as they went through the village, avoiding the marauding roosters that seemed to be everywhere.
 
They slipped into the showers, then changed and went out for breakfast. As they were sitting there, Jenn looked over at Terry. “I love you, Rock Star. This reminds me of New Orleans after you weren’t murdered on the street.”
 
Terry shook his head. “You have such a way with words. Yeah, happy days that I wasn’t murdered. But the big question is, what do you want to do today?”
 
“I know. Lather with sunscreen, and then find a guide to take us to the best shell beach. Let’s remember to grab some collection bags to start a memory lamp full of shells. It’s gonna look great in your bedroom.”
 
Terry wore a soft green terry cloth top that stopped at his thighs. Under that, he was wearing a bikini that covered less than his underwear. But here he was, stepping into the ocean and leaving that cotton top behind. After a few minutes, he forgot about the embarrassment of having to show off Tasha’s body.
 
He woke up every day and felt those breasts. His clothes told him that his butt was growing rounder. And Tasha was out in public. Anyone could see the girl. “Jenn, I feel like everyone is looking at me.”
 
She laughed. “Yeah, well, you’ll get over it. You look like any other teen girl walking around in her bathing suit. If anything, guys will give you a look and move on.”
 
“Huh? Why?” Suddenly, he felt kind of disappointed. He looked at Jenn and couldn’t stop staring at the sun light, making her skin glow. Her body was so beautiful, soft, and curvy that he knew he could stare at her for hours.
 
Jenn grabbed his arm with both her hands and dragged him down into the water. It was warm enough to be a bath. As they floated along, she laughed. “Cause you are just a skinny babe. There’s not enough meat on those bones.”
 
Terry shook his head and tried not to slip under the waves. He stood his ground and grabbed Jenn, lifting her into the air. Swinging her around, he pretended to let her go as he watched her squeal.
 
“Stop that, you beast. You can’t be muscling your loving lesbian girlfriend unless you want to be taken for a masc!”
 
Terry put her down slowly. “Aw, I thought you’d like that. But what’s a masc?”
 
“A masc is a lesbian who feels more comfortable dressing boyish. You are not a masc.”
 
“Then what am I?” He’d already been told that no one would look twice at him. Now, what was she going to say to him?
 
Jenn wrapped her arms around him. “You’re a fem. A lesbian who is comfortable looking pretty and wearing nice clothes. Between what you wear each day and what you wear on stage, you are totally feminine."
 
“Oh.”
 
“Oh, come on. You’ve worked hard to sound, look, and act like a Tasha. All your work has been successful, and you must be proud of what you’ve accomplished.”

He thought about it and found it hard to feel that way. He did everything for self-protection, not self-promotion.
 
They talked as they walked along the beach together, periodically looking in the shallow surf for shells.
 
“You’re right, Jenn. I’ve been Tasha to where I’ve lost my Terry self. I’m the undercover guy who’s lost who he used to be.”
 
“No, baby. You’re not lost.I’m still in love with the Terry standing right before me. This marvelous, complex person is gifted in so many ways. And so strong. You are dealing with all the distractions that would cripple a weaker person, and yet you are finding things to laugh about. Look at you. You’re wearing a cute suit, awesome sunglasses, and the cutest sun hat in the world. You are a fashion plate and are so relaxed about it.”
 
Terry wiped the tears from his eyes. “Look, now you got me all teared up like a crybaby. You give me too much credit. I’m a coward who can’t stand up to defend myself. I’ve let the world make me who I am.”
 
“Oh, my God! Not a chance of sympathy from me. Honestly, you are so big-time, no small peanuts here. You’re the bomb, the shits….”

 
Lisa called Smith from her limo. “Hey, what did I catch you doing?”
 
“Sitting with my guitar, drinking a cup of iced coffee. I’m scribbling down lyrics….”
 
“Hmm, let me guess. Nashville county song about your horse, pickup, and mom.”
 
“Nope. One guess used up.”
 
“Used up? How many do I get?”
 
“I’ll let you know.”
 
“A Texas song about wide open spaces.”
 
“Nope.”
 
“A rage about bad drivers.”
 
She heard him chuckle. “Well, what?”
 
“I’ll tell you when you get here.”
 
“How’d ya know I’m on my way?”
 
“Figured the album’s done, and you’re taking some time off. When do you land?”
 
“Around eight. Hoping on a dinner flight. Can you find room for me on that mountain of yours?”
 
“You mean I have to kick all the groupies out of the house? Who’s going to shine my boots?”
 
“I’ll take care of all your boots, cowboy. I’ll even take Old Paint out for a ride to keep him happy.”
 
“You’d do that for my old golf cart? You’ll be pleased to see that it arrived safely. I was excited to see what a good job Yellow Freight did shipping it here from the Carolina movie set. My little Airstream had to be trailered here on a flatbed.”
 
“Well, I’m glad all your possessions are home for you to play with. How about the band?”
 
“Well, I’ve talked to everyone, and they’re itching to get started. The four of us had promised to do the family thing for a month before we started rehearsing again. But I can hear the need in their voices. You stirred up their juices in New Orleans when you invited us onstage. They want to play their music and hear the crowds.
 
“Yeah, I get that. We’re doing another rooftop lunch time concert for Sid Mack at Allentown Music as payback for all the instruments he’s gifted us. Richard got us some photos to hand out from our New York shoot. It’s going to be fun.”
 
“Well, a free concert is always fun because you can stay as loose as you want, and nobody complains. What else?”
 
“We’re going to do a weekend at the Rendezvous where the band got started, and then we really jump into the pool's deep end.”
 
“What does that mean?”
 
“Well, the guy in Atlanta who booked us at the Underground Club wants to do an arena show on the first Saturday in June. We’ve heard they’re promoting the show, and ticket sales have been good.”
 
“Hmm. How many seats?”
 
“We’ll know about a week before the show. They can configure the place to hold five thousand or twenty thousand. But I think that’s reaching.”
 
“When’s the big drop? When’s Warner’s going to release your album?”
 
“About the same time.”
 
“That would be a big boost for ticket sales if your stuff was leaked in Atlanta early.”
 
“Yeah, that’s what we were saying. The promoter, Gimli, talks to William Wiggins. It might be a good thing to do. But speaking about that, what’s happening with EBR and Warner’s?”
 
“They’ve offered us a really generous contract. And Gina’s dad says it’s perfect. We can call the shots, and the company seems very interested in signing us up.”
 
“When’s that going to happen?”
 
“We’ll rehearse and talk about it. Signing is a no-brainer.”
 
“Hey, Smith, gotta run. That’s the boarding call for me and I’ve gotta go. It’s funny how Richard insists we fly first class. I’ve been so budget crazy to keep the band together for so many years, and now there are no brakes. Hard to get used to.”
 
“Well, don’t expect caviar and champagne when you get here. I’ve got a big pot of beans on the stove waiting for you.”
 
“Wonderful. My kinda guy. We can toot all night together….”

 
“I told them about our plans for a baby.”
 
Bruno turned and smiled. He kissed Zoe as he started the car. He’d finally got the old Tesla two-seater sports car up and running. “What did they say?”
 
“They were all pretty excited. Of course, they were also drinking and smoking, too. But you gotta hear Jenn’s plans to have Terry’s baby.”
 
“Really? I can’t wait to hear that. But when are we starting?”
 
“We can practice tonight and for the next five days. Of course, it means that we have to stop drinking and smoking for nine months.”
 
“We?”
 
“Uh-huh. If I have to watch a baby developing inside me by doing one hundred percent healthy, you do, too. Only fair. This little boomer is going to be yours.”
 
“Sure. Sure. A little sacrifice is important. After all, this kid must have his wits about him.”
 
“Him?”
 
Bruno shook his head. “Just a figure of speech. How about her?”
 
“That’s more like it….”

 
“I can get a ride up to your place this afternoon. Would you be interested in having me do your hair for five days?”
 
“Five, huh? Then the album’s done, right?”
 
“Yep. We’ve sent it to California for the big bosses to listen to. Of course, they’ve had the live side since we returned from New Orleans. Twenty-one studio songs, including Summer Song.”
 
“I hear your stuff on the radio all the time. It’s strange to think my girlfriend is the drummer in a Billboard top ten band.
 
“Top ten? Get out!”
 
“No. The Wildcats’ Summer Song is climbing with a bullet alongside it. You’re rocking the downloads. How come you didn’t know?”
 
“I guess Richard didn’t want to distract us while we were getting this album finished. Will you have time for me between patients?”

“I’m looking forward to slipping you in between sessions. Mmmm, I can hide you in the back room….”

 
Tiffany stared out the windows. She was fighting to stay awake sitting in Mike’s front seat. “Oh, baby. Thanks for picking me up. I think I might have overdone it this afternoon.”
 
Mike smiled. “You had a good reason to light it up. It's not often that you get to release an album. You can take a nap at my place, and we can start back up again later.”
 
“But I was hoping you'd take me to the bed and tuck me in. I was hoping for some kissy-face.”
 
Mike laughed. “Yeah, well, knowing you, my dear. You’ll be sound asleep before your head hits the pillow.” He looked over to see his beautiful girlfriend sound asleep, gently snoring as they rode back to his place.”

Dear Reader,

Wildcat Summer is available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Wildcat-Summer-Leslie-Moore-ebook/dp/...

There are many chapters to read in the sample

Leslie

Once again, thank you for taking the time to read another chapter. And I love the comments and appreciate constructive criticism. Big question: What would you like to see happen?

After their rehearsal, they all hung outside the music room on the stone patio.
 
“We sounded good.” Tiffany was drinking red wine. She would sit up to take sips but was content to lay on a chaise. “Real good," she said.
 
Zoe stared out at the trees that bordered the property. “Uh-huh. But it’s really what Little thinks about whether we’re ready. After all, he’s our musical director.” She playfully punched him in the arm.
 
Terry laughed and nodded enthusiastically. “Oh, we’re ready! I think we get better each time we play. We’re soooo ready. This band has grown so much.”
 
Gina laughed, “I love when you talk dirty.”
 
Lisa defended him. “Seriously, I think Tee’s right. Nothing like the discipline of recording an album to get us sounding tighter.”
 
Gina was still laughing. “Well, we haven’t played for a crowd in a while. You think we’re ready to shake that rust off?”
 
Terry grinned and turned to Lisa. “Absolutely! Hey, sis. How long do we play during our Wednesday concert out on Sid Mack’s rooftop?”
 
Lisa nodded, “Good question, Tee. We start making noise around 11:00 a.m., and we have to go silent at 2 p.m. Law.”
 
Terry smiled. “Tee, huh? Is that what happens when Terry and Tasha finally become one? Just a letter?”
 
Everyone was grinning. Another nickname had been born!
 
 
Terry walked out on the stage by himself. He had his Fender Telecaster strapped on. As he returned to his two Marshall amps, he fiddled with the dial touching his strings and listened to the resonance he could create. When he had it just right, he returned to the front of the stage and tapped on his mic. The sun was shining, and it was a perfect May weekday. The gates had opened at eleven, and everyone was staring at the one person on the rooftop stage.
 
Terry smiled fifteen feet above the crowd and whispered into the mic. “Hey, everybody.” The crowd roared, and many people called her Tasha, Tasha.
 
Now, Tasha felt the electricity running through her body. It was like somebody had plugged her in. As her heartbeat increased and her breath became shallow, she felt her pulse quicken. She kept reminding herself that this was a marathon, not a sprint. Everyone watched as she turned her back to the crowd and began to play.
 
The gates had opened at eleven. Everyone had to pass through security, so the lines took a few minutes. The crowd was patient. After all, they were rocking out on a Wednesday afternoon. Some people had started getting in line at 9:30. The parking lot was half full in ten minutes. That’s when Tasha appeared holding her guitar. She waved and then fooled with her amplifiers against the back of their stage. She’d already set everything up, so these seconds were all for show.
 
Tasha was dressed in Jersey Girl casual. Each of them was wearing different colors. She wore black, skin-tight, high-waisted capris that shined in the sunlight. She had a bare midriff and a banded bra top. As Terry had gotten Tasha dressed, he thought about how a lovely pierced navel would look. Her bolero jacket was silver and matched her shiny stilettos.
 
She’d been to Isabella’s salon yesterday, sporting long hair extensions. Since the sides of her head were close-cropped, she’d dumped a ton of product on and made it all into a crazy Mohawk. Gina and Lisa had helped her tint the ends a bright red. She used that same color on her lips and eyes.
 
Tasha frowned and looked at her band members. “Too over the top?”
 
“Definitely over the top and perfect.” Gina smiled. “I’m jealous that you get to be Joan Jett. You’re so electric, you’ll light up the stage.”
 
Lisa grinned. “You’re our glam punk rocker. I think you look more like anime than Joan Jett.”
 
“Yes, definitely a cartoon. What’s the blue hedgehog that’s in the movies?”
 
Tasha laughed. “Sonic.”
 
With that, Terry thought about the direction he was taking Tasha. He wasn’t hiding her anymore but bringing everything out in the daylight. He looked into the mirror. If you liked crazy-looking, skinny model types, Tasha was it. She was tall, pretty, and could easily walk a runway in high heels. She even had curves. And, well, Tasha looked like she liked what she was doing.
 
Tasha lacks a brain, he thought. She’s here for the applause and the glamour. She’s not a thinking puppet and just does what she’s told. The band tells her, and Jenn tells her. Everyone is in charge of her.
 
But I used to be in charge of myself. I used to have dreams and fantasies, but none were about being a Tasha. He never knew how exciting playing music on the stage in front of cheering crowds could be. All he ever wanted to do was play his guitar and write music. Now everything had changed.
 
He shook his head and felt Tasha’s hair sway. I’m halfway between being a boy and a girl. I’m halfway between Terry and Tasha. And the challenge is that Terry has to find a way to join the two together.
 
He stared at the mirror. Tasha is pretty, and everyone likes her. Terry was hidden in the daylight. No one ever looked twice at the tall, skinny guy with a nerdy look. But Terry was smart. He had a gift, a talent to write and play music. He was a genius when it came to music but brain-dead when it came to life. He was afraid to tell Jenn how he felt. He was a coward, afraid of rejection.
 
Terry knew rejection. He’d applied to all the music schools around the country. He’d made audition tapes showing off his songwriting and his playing. But every school turned him away.
 
He saw the path ahead of him. He saw himself as being happy and loved. But it wasn’t Terry walking forward. No, Terry was stuck in place. It was Tasha moving into the future. He saw all the doors opening for Tasha. But he was so afraid to let all his mind and body parts merge. He liked women. He admired them for their strength and determination. But he had none of those qualities. He needed to be stronger and more determined. He was even afraid to try to become Tasha because it might ruin things.
 
Maybe it was just being able to release some energy or channel her inner rock chick. Still, Terry was ready to light her afterburners and take off. She’d looked in the mirror, seeing Lisa and Gina standing behind her. She shook her head. “I’m not sure this is who I really am. It’s like Bowie and Jett had a baby named Tasha.” 
 
It was laughs and hugs all around.
 
 
At quarter to twelve, the audience listened as Tasha played the intro to a Jimi Hendrix song, Little Wing. After finishing up the guitar intro, she stepped to her mic and sang the first verse. 'Well, she’s walking through the clouds, with a circus mind that’s running wild…'
 
As the crowd cheered at the sound of her voice and guitar lick, Tasha knew that she was the girl dreaming of moonbeams and riding with the wind. Tasha was a figment of their group's imagination. She had been brought to life by a committee, and Terry had stepped in to animate her. As time went on, a strange thing happened. Tasha became real. Whether it was the mysteries of science or the lure of being a superstar, she was no longer a puppet.
 
The crowd cheered at the mesmerizing sound of her alto voice. After that, Jimi’s song became a footnote of the solo she played alone on the stage. When she stopped, the crowd cheered.
 
As they clapped, Tasha blinked her eyes as if she was waking up from a dream. She smiled as she spoke. “Thank you, thank you. I’m Tasha, and I grew up right here. At Allentown High, everyone called me Terry, Terry Nelson. I’m still Terry, but I’m a Wildcat named Tasha out here. If you think it sounds confusing, take my word for it. It’s crazy! So call me whatever you want.”
 
At that point, she started counting a slow blues beat. Tapping her foot, she smiled. “This one’s called Two-Thirty Blues. It’s about being a twelfth grader stuck in last-period study hall.”
 
After bending notes and chording out a lazy rhythm for sixteen bars, a bass joined in, and Tiffany appeared from the other side of the stage. Her blonde hair glowed and fell over the shoulders of a gold jumpsuit with matching heels. If people thought that Tasha was sexy and cute, everyone knew that Tiffany was the real thing. With her blue eyes wide open and her smiling grin, she was almost six foot of fantastic woman. The crowd cheered when she appeared. The two of them faced each other across the stage while Tiffany sang the first verse of their song.
 
Climbing up my butt and dragging on my heels
Holding me back, hearing brakes squeal
 
Slowing me down by weighing on my mind
Keeping me chained and wasting my time
 
Tasha joined in on the chorus, and they filled the air with their harmonies.
 
I’ve got the two-thirty blues, baby.
Can’t seem to shake them off my mind.
Those two-thirty blues, baby.
Well, I get them all the time.
 
The crowd was ready to go wild. With all the excitement surrounding the band, Tiffany was too beautiful to be real, let alone an accomplished musician. As she finished singing, high up on a raised platform, Gina kicked her foot pedal, and her bass drum caught the rhythm. She waved her arms up, showing off her brushes. Then, she created a steady beat. She looked like a gym princess. Her sleeveless bright blue spandex leotard and matching leggings were covered in big, bold red stars. Her high tops matched that rich, red color. Gina’s dark, wavy mane framed a classic face with sparkling eyes and lush lips. She laughed out loud at how much fun she was having.
 
Tasha pointed to them and yelled, “These are my best friends, Tiffany and Gina!”
 
The crowd cheered as Tiffany picked up the pace. At that point, Lisa walked out and stood behind their synthesizer and began playing and singing the second verse. Everyone gazed at the beautiful blonde in the red party dress. With her hair pulled back in a high ponytail, no one could take their eyes off her. Everyone said she was the real Barbie, but only if the real Barbie could rock all night and take no prisoners.
 
The entire audience stared at the band until the sound of another guitar rang out. They turned their heads to see Zoe appear in a white sleeveless tuxedo shirt and emerald green tailored pants. Everyone watched as she moved around gracefully on highly polished, four-inch black patent leather stilettos, shredding her guitar. No one could look away while the whole band played.
 
Tasha, Tiffany, and Lisa shared the vocals, and when they finished the song, it was twelve o’clock, and the parking lot was full. The police had wisely closed the street to traffic, allowing people to crowd up along the sidewalks and the streets. It looked like all of Allentown had shown up for a Wednesday afternoon with the Wildcats.
 
When the song was over, Lisa moved away from the keyboard and fixed her mic to the stand at center stage. 
 
Terry chuckled, remembering Lisa mentioning how the five-pound weighted mic stand was a handy weapon for stopping drunks wandering up on the stage when they used to play dive bars and small clubs.
 
Lisa waved, “Hello, Allentown. It’s so nice to be back. First, we must thank Sid Mack and Allentown Music for making all this possible today. Sid also outfits the whole band with all our instruments. And while we are thanking, how about another one of our sponsors. These are the wonderful people at Jersey Girl. We can honestly say that Jersey Girl is with us everywhere we go. It’s all we wear!”
 
She paused while people laughed. “But enough. Let me introduce my family. You all remember Tasha, Tiffany, Gina, and Zoe. We’ve all been around long enough to help bring two State Championship Volleyball titles to Allentown High.”
 
As the crowd cheered, the band gathered in the middle of the stage and talked. Lisa whispered, “I guess we’re ready to start. While we get everyone clapping, how about Zoe whipping them up with her guitar?”
 
Zoe nodded. “I’m ready.” She was strapping on the original Gibson Flying Vee her dad played with his band in the sixties.
 
Gina whispered, “Uh before we start, I want to share something. It’s been on my mind for a while.” She waited until everyone got quiet. and whispered, “I think I want to have Mike’s baby.” She looked into Tiffany’s eyes, who started to laugh at her drummer’s devilish grin.
 
When Gina returned to her drum set, she stood up and banged her sticks together overhead. The rest of the Wildcats held their clapping hands over their heads, getting everybody to join in.
 
With the audience clapping along, Zoe started playing. She held the audience in her hand and showed off everything she could play on the same guitar that her dad used to whip up his fans over thirty years ago.
 
Her dad, Conner, was off on the side of the stage watching the band. He was holding Amy’s hand and gave it a squeeze. Of course, she was beaming while watching her kids, Terry and Lisa, perform. The two parents discovered each other at a Wildcat Rendezvous weekend and hadn’t been apart since then.
 
As the band began their opening number, each member came into the song one at a time as the crowd clapped. When all four instruments were pounding, Lisa screamed like a banshee. She started singing the words to the music that had become their opening trademark after premiering it on The Ellen Show and the Tonight Show.
 
I’m a racer,
I’m a cheetah,
I’m a dragster,
I can beat ya.
 
I’m a missile,
I’m a rocket,
I’m a speedster,
I can sock it.
 
Then, Zoe, Tiffany, and Tasha joined Lisa at the front of the stage to sing together.
 
GONE, baby, GONE
I’m not gonna chase ya
GONE, baby, GONE
and I won’t miss ya
 
By the time the song ended, the whole crowd was singing along. Women loved this song because it was empowering. Guys loved this song because the Wildcats could rock it.
 
In the wings, Jenn and the guys all watched and sang along. Tony, Don, and Brian couldn’t take their eyes off the beautiful women standing only yards away. Jenn was watching the guys. She had a smirk on her face, watching her guys get all moony-eyed. She was focusing on one of the guys who couldn’t seem to take his eyes off Tasha.
 
Tasha was totally in the zone as the band continued to play. Lisa had already mentioned that the new album was coming out. One at a time, they played each song, adding extended solos and repeating lyrics and choruses to build each number’s power. After all, now they were in the business of selling hits for Warner’s.
 
After the song was over and the band stopped playing, the crowd yelled out. In the silence, the bass started up as Tiffany walked over to the mic. The crowd roared, knowing what was coming.
 
“Oh, Tasha?” Tiffany spoke aloud into her mic as she played. “Oh, Tasha!” She played her bass, then smiled. “Oh, Tasha. You look so sexy. So sexy, Tasha. So sexy.”
 
Each time she did this, Tasha blushed. It still unnerved the eighteen-year-old to be singled out and talked about in front of the crowd. But it was all okay. She had to remember that this was part of the game. Tasha tried to steel herself up, knowing she had to do the same for Tiffany. Being a solo artist wasn’t in her nature, and the band knew that she needed a little nudge to get out there.
 
Taking a deep breath, she cooed, “Oh, Tiffany. You look so sexy tonight.”
 
The band had decided to power straight through their usual forty-five-minute set rule and play right up until quarter to two. This way, they could fit in a three-song encore and still be done by two o’clock.
 
When the show ended, Tasha was exhausted. She’d been singing and playing for two hours without taking a deep breath. As she was toweling down and wiping off her instruments, she thought about creating other songs that would showcase each member while some of them could take a break.
 
“Hey, Rock Star! You were great out there.” Tasha turned and wrapped her arms around Jenn. As she squeezed hard, she started to take deep breaths and find her center.
 
“Oh, baby, it felt awesome. I really needed to get out in front of the crowds. I’m the junkie loving that adrenaline rush. I felt like I was playing in the clouds. It was pretty amazing.” He kissed Jenn lovingly and held her tightly. Terry blinked a few times and looked around. He saw his mom and Conner, and then he saw his friends. Everyone was waiting for him to approach them.
 
It was nice that they were giving him some space for the rush to slow down and stop amping him up. Terry felt he should be shaking like a dog getting the water off its body after the big swim. At this point, he grabbed Jenn’s hand and headed toward his mom and friends. He said hi to Conner and then gave his mom a hug.
 
“How are you doing? The band sounded amazing.”
 
“I’m great, mom. I was telling Jenn that I think I really needed to explode after burying myself in the recording studio for weeks.”
 
His mom studied him. “Tasha looked pretty amazing out there this afternoon. She has amazing hair.” She touched her spikes.
 
“Yeah. I stopped by Isabella’s to get a mani-pedi and have her put extensions in my hair. Tasha needed to get spruced up for all the shows coming up. Lisa and Gina added color to the tips. What do you think?"
 
“Great, it’s perfect when you’re on the stage. Will you wear it like that when you’re out and about?”
 
Terry shook his head, feeling Tasha’s hair moving. “Nah. This is for the crowd. When we go out, everything is understated and conservative.”
 
“You said when we go out.”
 
“Oh, I did. Maybe I meant the whole band.”
 
“Are you still fighting with Tasha?”
 
“Well, sometimes I don’t have a problem with being a rock chick. But I’m still clinging to what’s left of Terry.”
 
“Would it be easier to just let it all flow?”
 
“You mean just give up?”
 
His mom kissed his cheek, then patted it. “Nothing to give up, honey. You’ve got it all.”
 
Just about then, the guys all surrounded him.
 
“Dude, you guys were awesome out there. You were meant to rock. Everyone looked so great!”
 
“Thanks, Tony. It’s a lot of fun!”
 
Brian was shaking his head. “Dude, you’re successful and rich. What more could you want?”
 
Terry decided to just smile and nod. He was tired of debating with himself.
 
Then Don stood close and spoke directly into his ear. “Hey, would it be all right to talk together sometime? And maybe text?”

another piece of the pie....it would have to be blueberry because they're in season right now....thanks for reading, writing, and leaving those kudos, too

Dear Diary,
       If I was a fifteen-year-old, I would be excited right now. See, this guy I know, we used to be friends. To him, I guess I was just one of the guys. But now things have changed. Well, maybe it’s just me that’s changed. And now, this friend of mine, let’s just call him Don. Well, this friend of mine, out of nowhere, wants to talk, text, whatever!

       Well, I ran to the doctors. I had tests. But the changes kept happening. Good news. I’m not dying, I’m just intersex. It’s a biological thing. I’m told my body started this puberty maybe two years ago.
 
 
 
"I just don’t know, Jenn. He says he wants to talk or text. How’s that going to work. What’s he gonna say? It is creepy to think he might like me? What did you do when the guys wanted to single you out?
 
Jenn laughed. “Honey, it was really simple for me. I just told them that my heart belonged to another. I kept it short and simple. But c’mon, Rock Star. I told you to watch out. I noticed Don’s been staring at you. He was memorizing everything about you. And now you’re handling it like a fifteen-year-old girl! Whatcha gonna do? Are you going to practice writing his name in big, curly letters in your notebook? Dreaming about his lips?”
 
“God, Jenn! I’m regretting telling you anything about what’s happened. I never should have told you about kissing guys!”
 
“Fine. Don’t tell me anything. Maybe that’s the best way to get rid of me. Cool. Hope you find true love and happiness.”
 
“I’m seeing it now. You’re jealous! You think cause I’m turning into a female, I wanna have a boyfriend. You’re starting a fight cause you’re in a bitchy mood worrying about losing me! Is it cause I’m gonna be rich?”
 
Jenn stood there staring at him. There’d been no place for a costume change at Allentown Music. Tasha’s over-the-top Jersey Girl stage outfit and makeup remained on while Tasha and the band posed for selfies with fans and signed autographs.
 
Jenn couldn’t take her eyes off her the whole time they threw barbs at each other. She’d been with him since before noon. But she only had time to kiss him before he went out on stage. But as soon as he heard the screaming and clapping, she watched him change as soon as he hit the first note on his strings. And she looked happy, excited, and very Tasha.
 
Jenn watched her play, and then they hugged and kissed afterward.
 
Later, as she watched and listened from behind a counter, Jenn realized that her boyfriend, Terry, had definitely changed. This new three-dimensional Teri/Tasha was amazing. There were no boy gestures or boy-style talking. No, this was just how Lisa was handling this scene. Teri/Tasha were confident and beautiful. She signed autographs, posed for group selfies, and talked, talked, and talked over at the music store with the other Wildcats. Jenn had never seen her so energized, so excited. She wondered if that last kiss before Terry went on stage was the last one they’d ever have together. She’d be kissing Tasha from now on.
 
The first thing Tasha did when she walked into the bedroom was pull off the top and capris. “I don’t think these pants breathed at all. I was running around on stage wearing a rubber suit in the hot sunlight!” She took a towel and wiped herself off.
 
Jenn watched as Tasha prepared to take off her stage makeup and cold cream her face. She back-brushed her hair, curling the ends. She gathered her silver strands with a practiced hand and pulled them into a high ponytail. She picked a few tendrils loose that she sprayed and curled. She played with it in the mirror until she seemed satisfied. Jenn watched her smile contentedly. Then, after she washed and moisturized, Tasha carefully did her eyes with mascara, then used her fingers to add color stain to her lips.
 
She slipped on a clean tan thong and tucked it as she got the underwear in place. She pulled out a cute white lace bra and put it on.
 
Jenn watched as Tasha pulled up a tan tennis skirt and added a tight white tee. At that point, Jenn was trying to keep up with what was happening and what she should be thinking. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear a skirt. It looks cute on you.”
 
“Does it? I wondered. Do you think it’s too short? I feel like it barely covers my butt. Yeah, my crotch is so overheated that the idea of wearing capris feels hot and heavy. You’ll tell me the truth. Am I too tall for this skirt?”
 
“No. It looks cute, and it does accent your butt. But I like it.”
 
“Jenn, I’m sorry if I lost it on you. I was feeling so good after the show. I mean, I was supercharged. It was a feeling I’d already forgotten. Boy, what an adrenaline rush. I mean, I’m still high.”
 
“There’s nothing to apologize for. I understand how having an old friend approach you is a little scary. But you need to know what he’s going to say. He might just want to talk, but didn’t you say you wanted to have more friends?"
 
“I do. But having Don as a friend is weird. I mean, we have a history. He was buds with Terry. And let’s face it, that Terry has left the building.”
 
Jenn blinked. “So are you finally the new Terry with an i? T-E-R-I? Or should I start calling you Tasha? You tell me.”
 
He looked at her and wiped his eyes like he was trying to stop a tear. “Uh, definitely not Tasha. Anybody that uses that name is talking to a Wildcat. I want my friends to keep calling me Terry, but I don’t have to correct spelling if it’s with an i.”
 
Teri stood up. “But I still have a problem with where you want our relationship to go. I have been totally upfront with you to the point of transparency. You seriously know my life inside and out. I think that’s important. I love you and am afraid that is getting ready to change.”
 
He started to pace around the room. “Here’s what’s bothering me. You remember when Gina was sad because she and Grace were on the outs. It had been weeks, and they weren’t talking. At that time, the three of us were walking on the paths around the house, and you whispered to Gina that she could have a romp with me to help her feel better. Do you remember?”
 
Jenn nodded.
 
“Well, when we went to North Carolina to do the movie, you told me that I had a responsibility to cheer her up. And so I did. And then I told you. Right?”
 
Jenn nodded and wiped a tear from her eye.
 
“Okay. So I’ve told you about kissing Amos and the sailor when I’d been drugged. And I told you how I made out with the guy at the Underground when I got high. And you know that I had an orgasm when I was getting my first tattoo from Bruno holding me down. And I was getting high and kissing with Gina at the same time. Right?"
 
He stopped. “So my question is, why do you keep pushing me to have real sex with strange guys? Why do you keep pushing me away? You’re telling me to leave the nest and fly away. Are you saying you’re done with me and want me to move on?”
 
Jenn had tears rolling down her face, and she made no move to wipe them. She just stood there and slowly shook her head back and forth. “No. I don’t want you to leave me. I am so deeply in love with you that I thought we were saying goodbye before the show. Because after the show, you were who you wanted to be. I get the Tasha on stage thing, but you really are Teri spelled with an i. I just thought you’d outgrown me.”
 
Teri took two steps and scooped Jenn up in her arms. “No, no, no. Never. I am always going to be yours, and I want you and I to have three kids - one boy, one girl, and one crazy intersex kid that we can love forever.”
 
Jenn sobbed into Teri’s thin white tee, and she could feel the dampness seeping into her bra and boob. She held her girlfriend tightly, rocking her in her arms. “I love you, Jenn. You are my heart, you are half my brain, you are everything.”
 
As they pulled each other’s clothes off, Jenn laughed. “Aw, and you looked so nice after doing your hair and makeup. And yes, your skirt is fine, but I think your legs are too long. But we’ll find something for you to keep your crotch dry and properly covered. But not now. Now I want to see you naked and in that bed.”
 
Later, after they both showered, Jenn helped Teri pick out a cute, sleeveless, beige summer dress with tiny tan hearts all over it. She assured her that it was the perfect length. She showed her by giving her a smack on the butt.
 
Teri yelped and grabbed her hand. “Uh, that hurt and felt good at the same time. Would you do it again?” She laughed.
 
“Oh, my girlfriend is just so evil. I think I might have to paddle some good sense into her!”
 
“Uh, speaking of good sense, what should I say to Don?”
 
“I don’t know. Talking on the phone is safe. You can always ask him to hold on while you mute it and think about what to say. Just don’t be lulled into having to help the sad guy out like Bruno did to you. Start off talking slowly and keep the pace relaxed. You can always find an excuse to hang up. Like, tell him that Jenn is calling you.”
 
“That makes me sound like your pet!”
 
“You are my pet. And if you can’t behave, you’ll get punished. Maybe I need to buy you a collar.”
 
“The first weekend, I was dressing up as Tasha, I wore a dog collar as a choker.”
 
“Uh-huh. I missed that one. But I should be wearing leather. I could be a great dominatrix.
 
“Uh, Tiffany was reading that Shades of Grey book cause she thought she looked good in black leather.”
 
“Whatever came of that?”
 
“No much. But Zoe and I were inspired to start our bad boys song. I still need to work on that. I need to write something to replace our use of the Stones, Paint It Black.”
 
“Okay. You’re calm enough. Go ahead and text Don and see if he wants to talk.”

Dear Reader,

Wildcat Summer is available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Wildcat-Summer-Leslie-Moore-ebook/dp/...

There are many chapters to read in the sample

Leslie

Thank you for reading. I cobbled up an intro for the new reader to better understand where this story originated. I posted it separately, and it's called A Wildcat Summer Prologue. (Imagine David Attenborough narrating it.) Let me know what you think. LM

Zoe smiled. “Thank you, Teri, for offering to use your name for our coming boomer. But I think Bruno will want to contribute to the name of our baby since he’s pretty involved.”

Lisa’s voice cut through the chatter. “Okay. So, should we head to the club now or in three minutes?”

Gina laughed, “For a pretty, smiling blonde surfer chick from Allentown, You still like to be in charge. Does Smith ever complain that his girlfriend has the need to be on top every time?”

Lisa grinned. “Top? I have no need to be anything but me. No driving needs to dominate him. I can be myself and feel quite at home with him. He brings out my best. But you’re right; I’m not the demure groupie who follows him. I do kinda express my opinions.”

Gina shook her head. “As in telling him what to do.”

Lisa held up both her hands in surrender. “Nope. But Smith likes to think out loud or share his thoughts. I have no problem expressing my thoughts. I guess if he didn’t like it….”

Tiffany laughed. “I’ve seen it. You two are still in heat. But what happens when that wears off?”

Lisa looked back at her. “You tell me. Do you still pretend to hang on every word Mike says?”

Tiffany laughed. “He’s quiet. I’m the one that babbles all the time. But shocker, I have never felt more loved.”

Gina scoffed. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

Tiffany laughed and grabbed Lisa’s hand. “Don’t try to analyze it. You and Smith had found a chemistry that has locked you both together. I know that you can’t go one minute without thinking of him. He’s always in the back of your mind, and the need to scratch that itch is more than sex.”

Zoe looked over at her best friend. “Well, surprise, surprise. You sound a little like a psychologist. When did you get so smart?”

Tiffany looked across the table and burped. She smiled. “Zoe, my buttercup, I am only telling Lisa how I feel about Mike. I’ve never had a relationship where we’re both equals. I don’t need a man to rule me; I just want a partner. There’s no ring in my nose. I’m not his chattel.”

She stopped and used air quotes. “He professes his love to me freely without worrying about me using it as a weapon. He’s sweet and caring. He likes pleasing me, and I want to shower him with everything I have.”

Gina stood up. She moved away from the table in the restaurant. “Okay, everybody talks about their true loves for a few minutes while I call Grace. Suddenly, I have this need to profess my undying love for her.”

Teri watched her walk away. “I know what’s happening. You are all getting nervous about playing tonight. You may be confusing our big-time show in Atlanta next week with appearing at the Rendezvous this weekend. Me? I’m looking forward to trying out new things with a group of fans who will love everything we do tonight.”

They all turned and looked at Teri. She wasn’t dressed for the show tonight in a typical Jersey Girl outfit. She wore skin-tight calf-length white capris and a tight red tee shirt that exposed her midriff. Her tee had a discreet P for Phillies on the right breast, and the back had big numbers 00 and the name Nelson printed on it. Her hair was parted in the middle and curled under to give her a bob style. She’d even managed to create cute silver bangs. The close-cropped sides of her head were lost in her extensions, and many earrings adored both ears. They saw a new pair of red high-topped sneakers that seemed covered in glitter when they glanced at her feet.

Teri saw their glances and squeezed Jenn’s hand. “Uh-huh. Jenn and I went to the mall and bought some fun stuff. What do you think?”

Lisa laughed. “No wonder you’re so chipper. You’re doing a Terry throwback tonight. You look cute as a button, and obviously, you’re happy with yourself.”

Teri nodded and smiled at Jenn. “Yeah, instead of the mall being a test of my courage, it just turned out to be fun. Jenn made me feel like it was old times again when we’d just wander around and stare at stuff. We even went into the arcade and blew a ton of cash playing video games.”

Zoe laughed. “You can dress her up but still can’t take the eighteen-year-old out of her. You go, girl!”

Lisa laughed. “Okay, enough dress-up envy. Maybe tomorrow, we can all have a dress-down experience. I’m sure Barbara at Jersey Girl will be happy to make us some outfits that could complement some Philly sports teams. But it’s time to go work for our living.”

Robert gave them all hugs and smiles. “It’s just so great to see your faces. Hard to believe it wasn’t that long ago that Mike was helping you shoot your first live video here on a Sunday evening.”

Zoe gave him a kiss on the cheek. “It’s more than that, Robert. You always welcomed the band back when we were still working on our sound. And let’s all admit that we weren’t the same band back then.”

Tiffany laughed. “Let’s face it. We sucked. But all those years of playing together and Teri's magic made us who we are today. Robert, we wouldn’t be who we are today without you and your club.”

Lisa laughed. “Okay, before this walk down memory lane becomes a tear fest, let’s get to work.”

Robert walked with them up to the stage. “Phil supervised a crew that came in and set you up. I never knew that he could tune everything, including balancing out Gina’s drums.”

As they put in their ear prices and attached their battery packs, the band looked at each other curiously.

Lisa smiled. “I guess there’s a lot we don’t know about our managers. We need to find out more about each of them.”

Teri held down a C on the keyboard so they could all test their tuning. As each one smiled, they realized their instruments were perfectly tuned.

Gina nodded. “Well, Lisa, you’ve got your wish. “True love, roadies, a manager, and an album. Anything else?”

Tiffany laughed. “I would have never guessed that the Genie in the bottle would be wearing red glitter high tops!”

Robert stood on the darkened stage. He nodded to the crew in the booth, and a pin light illuminated him. Three hundred people who had rushed in the doors at eight-thirty to order their drinks got quiet. This was the moment they’d been waiting for. The crowd felt the electricity that they were about to spend the night partying with their friends.

“Okay, folks, and welcome to the Rendezvous, the best club ever. And now, I have a real treat for you. Ladies and Gentlemen, are you ready to rock out?”

Robert watched as everyone started to cheer. When the music reached a crescendo, the stage lights came on, and he shouted, “The Wildcats!”

When they were still eighteen, Gina wanted a really cool name for their new band. She and Lisa had just invited Tiffany and Zoe to play with them. Those women were a couple of years older and had been playing in local bands together for several years. Lisa had contacted them and told them about her idea to form an all-girl punk band. It wasn’t an original idea; there had been plenty of tough chicks rocking the house.

After their first rehearsal, they discussed names. Gina kept pushing cat names. She liked The Lioness and the Panthers.

Tiffany was laughing. “Nah, way too lame. We need a name that separates us from all the shitty bar bands out there. People have to know who we are.”

Gina shook her head. “Well, I still like cat names.”

Tiffany faced off against her. “You mean little girl names like the Pussies?”

Gina shook her head. “C’mon. Just because I’m proud to be gay, it’s not like I need to wear a vagina on my sleeve.”

Zoe made her point. “The Stones had that crazy tongue album cover that made everyone think of how nasty they were. We need a name like that.”

Gina hopped back in. “You know, something that conjures an image. Maybe instead of a name, we should think of adjectives that should describe us.”

Tiffany looked at the drummer. Gina had been a massive shot in the arm when the coaches moved Lisa and her from the JV volleyball squad to Varsity. She was solid and quick, and there was something brilliant about her. “Adjectives? Fuckin’ adjectives? C’mon girl, and leave that school stuff out of it.”

Lisa tried. “Bold.”

Zoe smiled. “Powerful.”

Gina looked at Tiffany. “Crazy.”

“Quick.”

“Untamed.”

“Wild!”

Everyone remembered that moment, but no one was sure who said wild. But they all got goosebumps. “Wild is good,” Zoe had said.

“Wild Pussies.” Tiffany had a grin on her face.

Both Zoe and Tiffany had grown up loving another punk band. Four guys from Austin, Texas, had gone on and made fantastic music. They were called EBR, Eaten By Raptors. Tiffany was still on a crazy roll. “How about Eaten By Pussies or Wild Vaginas?”

After a good laugh and nixing Wild Vaginas and Wild Pussies, they settled on Wildcats.

Tiffany was not happy. “I’m not crazy about it. It doesn’t sound powerful enough. Seriously, Wildcats won’t fill people up with power or fear. It’s kinda like calling ourselves the Pussies.”

But the name stuck. Eventually, they agreed to become the Wildcats.

And woe to the drunken guy in a bar who disrespected the band or their new name. Tiffany stood six feet tall, and Gina, whose favorite sports were Roller Derby and Rugby, could easily take on anyone swinging a mic stand with a five-pound base weight. No one ever questioned that they could be wild.

They loved it when Robert yelled out, “The Wildcats”! It gave them even more energy as Gina started pounding her drums in a four-four time.

The rest of the band clapped until the whole place reverberated with that primal sound. Then, Zoe stepped up with her Gibson Flying Vee and let loose a solo with everyone cheering. The crowds had forgotten how exciting it was to hear her shred her strings in that small club.

It made them even more excited when Teri stepped up and played a counter-point solo that topped out when Tiffany started pounding out the place with her bass. The place was ready when Lisa stepped up to the mic and screamed, then immediately went into their opening number.

Everyone there knew the Cats. Everyone there had downloaded their songs from their website. Everyone there had watched the reruns of Ellen and the Tonight Show. They’d watched the Live from the Rendezvous and Live from the Underground tapes on their YouTube channel. And no one minded watching the Wildcats become famous and maybe a little rich. After all, this was Allentown; anybody who did well was a hometown hero.

The Wildcats hadn’t publicized their donations to local charities, although the site announced them. Their ticket did say in small letters that all the proceeds from their weekend were going to local charities, but the attention these places received helped their donations double.

Everyone sang along. They roared through Run, Run, Gone, and when they switched it up to Downward Spiral, no one missed a beat. They danced, sang, and drank up as the band powered through forty-five minutes of Wildcat songs. Richard challenged them to have one set of all original tunes, and they banded those expectations. They owned several hours of originals and loved to play and promote their upcoming album.

But they wanted to please their audience. When the second set started, they were pleased to see the band all come out with dry-erase markers and whiteboards. Everybody started cheering when Terry stepped to the center stage mic. “Okay, Allentown. One more thanks to Robert and the whole crew at the Rendezvous.” After the applause died down, Teri smiled. “It’s time to hear from you guys. It’s your turn to choose your favorite songs. Yell them out, and these beautiful women will write them down. Gina, Tiffany, and Zoe strutted around writing down songs as Teri approved them.

Teri only chose hits, not Wildcat songs. Lisa sat at their Hammond Organ and played roller rink music while the boards were filled. After that, they huddled in the middle, and Teri offered to run the set.

Tiffany smiled. “You’ve come a long way, Little Shit. Who would have thought that little boy could become such a superwoman?”

Teri wrapped her arms around and kissed her smack on the lips in front of three hundred cheering fans as they yelled out the lyrics to Show Me Some Love.

Finally, Teri returned to the mic and said, “Oh, Tiffany, you look so beautiful tonight!” Everyone cheered as she held her guitar and yelled, “C’mon and help me sing!” They started with Journey, then Bruce and Madonna, and for the next forty-five minutes, played the most popular songs ever to break through the Billboard hits. They finished with Sweet Home Alabama. When the set was done, and the stage went dark, five Wildcats stepped into the back, snacked, and used their private bathroom.

As Terri returned to take her turn in their bathroom, Tiffany came up alongside. She put her arm around her waist. “You realize kissing me on stage lit up my fires, girl. I used to think you were a cute little boy, but when Mike gives me the night off, I’m joining you and Jenn up in that third-floor bedroom. I gotta see what we can all do together.”

Tiffany walked her to the door and kissed her again. “There, I’m giving you your cooties back.”

Even though Teri had finally joined the other side, admitting that she couldn’t fight the tide, she still thought about Tiffany using what was left of his boy's brain. Boy brain, no brain. She knew that girls still excited her. Gina, Grace, and Tiffany were still fantasy dreams. She tried to imagine romping with any of them and realized that rolling and tumbling were foremost in her mind. Teri realized that she loved it all but was not into pinning some girl and making love to her. It would have to be a mutual giving.

As she was spacing out, Zoe stepped in front of her. “You all right. I saw how you glazed over coming out of that bathroom. Who were you fantasizing about?”

Teri turned red with embarrassment. “Uh, well.”

Zoe grabbed her around the waist. “You’re cheating on me in your mind, aren’t you? Who was it this time? Tiffany, Gina, or the lovely Grace Goldman. Damn girl, I can’t have you cheating on me.” She laughed and gave her a squeeze.

“Okay, ladies. Somebody has to crack the whip around here. You can’t be mooning over some fantasy; you must be on point. We’ve done a perfect job tonight but must end on a high note. I know Thursday is a warm-up, but those fans paid as much money as the crowds on Friday and Saturday night. And even though Teri is dialing down her look, we need to rock their socks.”

“Show Me Some Love, Summer Song, and Sam Cooke are musts.”

“Aretha?”

“Are we getting the cello out tonight?”

“Well, we’ll have time to rehearse a new version of Bad Boys tomorrow. It’s the same piano and cello piece but a new sad rocker attached.”

Lisa looked at Zoe and Teri. “Sure. That’s great that our writing team is back to work.”

“Aye, aye, General!”

Lisa wagged her finger. “It’s yessir, not aye, aye.”

Thank you again for reading. An apology for 8.1. I uploaded a rough copy. Sorry. In the meantime, constructive criticism is always loved

When Teri woke up to use the bathroom, she brushed her teeth. Still slightly disheveled, she came back and crawled under the covers.
 
From under those covers, a voice whispered, “I smell someone’s minty fresh breath.”
 
“Fe-fi-fo-fum….” Teri smiled and began to touch Jenn all over her erogenous zones while she spread kisses all over Teri’s body.
 
As Jenn giggled and tried to stop Teri’s hands, she whispered, “Somebody woke up on her good side this morning.” She kissed Teri back and tried to distract her by tickling. Jenn liked the way she could grab Teri’s extensions and pull her head back, exposing her neck. That soft flesh was just so appetizing, Jenn thought.
 
After a while, they both had to stop to catch their breath. As Jenn lay there enjoying the high the lovemaking brought her, she turned and whispered, “I love you.”
 
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Teri kissed her lips gently. “I’m the luckiest human being in the world.”
 
“You are sweets. You’ve got the best girlfriend ever, a rock band that loves everything you do for them, a million-dollar contract with a huge record company, and a baby on the way.”
 
The last line had Teri sitting up and forgetting that she was naked. The cool air immediately brought a reaction from her small breasts. “Huh? What did you say?”
 
Jenn wrapped her arms around her and dragged Teri back close to her so she could kiss the woman she loved. “Just seeing if you were paying attention. No, no pregnancy, yet, Rock Star.”
 
“Uh, Jenn. What do you mean not yet?”
 
“Well, honestly, I started thinking about Zoe’s big boomer plans. And with a baby on her horizon between Thanksgiving and Christmas, it seemed like the perfect time for us. And then I decided to postpone going to college next year so I could spend most of my time with my girlfriend. If those plans worked out, I could have the baby after you finish your summer tour. I could always start college after I get a handle on motherhood.”
 
Teri smiled but shook her head. “Okay. This all sounds crazy, but that makes sense.”
 
It was Jenn’s turn to look shocked. “Okay! I'm in as long as we don’t have to have a wedding or anything like that. I can’t see either of us in a wedding dress, but I can see myself pregnant. And you have enough money for us to have a nanny, an assistant, or whatever we need. We could travel the world with our little boomer as the band tours. I can picture you pushing a stroller across Europe and Asia.”
 
Teri shook her head. “Well, everything you’re saying is going at light speed. I’m still adjusting to being female and then she and her stuff. And now, suddenly, I’m supposed to see myself as a parent!”
 
They both lay there in silence until Teri spoke up.
 
“Jenn, I want to talk to my mom and see what she knows about infants. She’s a nurse and has all that experience. Right now, all I can think of are the positives. I want to hear what she says, especially about eighteen-year-old women becoming parents.”
 
“Onward, Rock Star.”
 
 
“What? The two of you are serious?” Amy leaned back against her kitchen counter for support. She was torn on what advice she should be giving them. Impulsively, her first words should have been no, no, no! But she really wasn’t sure after listening to the logical way that Jenn talked.
 
It was obvious that Jenn was brilliant and the best thing that had happened to her new daughter. Sharing the same sperm donor that she had used made perfect sense, and both Lisa and Teri were wonderful in every way.
 
Amy just stood there and thought about it. “You know, I’m really not sure about this. A baby takes up a lot of time and needs all your energy. It takes a lot of work to jump into.
 
“Mom?”
 
“Yes.” She was happy to stop thinking about all of this for a minute.
 
“How old were you when you had Lisa?”
 
Amy smiled. “I’d finished nursing school, had dated off and on through college, and never met any guy I saw as a father and husband. So Lisa was born before I was twenty-five.”
 
“Mrs. Nelson, you handled it alone and still worked daily.”
 
Amy smiled. “I guess things are changing, and I can't be Mrs. Nelson anymore, Jenn. I think you better start calling me Amy or Mom. Back then, I was very fortunate that the hospital where I worked offered daycare. I would go downstairs, where it was quiet, to nurse her several times a day.”
 
Teri nodded. “Were there any roadblocks with being a new mother and keeping a job?”
 
“Plenty. It was all about scheduling. Lisa was with me twenty-four hours a day. I didn’t have a support structure available. I hate to be critical, but my mom wasn’t well and my father was useless.”
 
Teri had never heard much about his grandparents. He had never met his grandmother, and Amy only talked to her father once or twice a year.
 
Jenn pressed on. “Then, if I’m hearing you right, the only thing that would have made it easier would have been a support system.”
 
Amy hugged Jenn and looked her in the eyes. “I know how smart you are and love how you treat Teri. You will make a great mother, but is that what you want? Are you trying to have Teri’s baby to help your relationship?”
 
Jenn hugged her back, looking into her eyes. “Absolutely not! I don’t think that we could be doing better. I know that Teri has had her ups and downs dealing with her intersex diagnosis. Still, I think we are destined to be together forever.”
 
“And what has your mom said?”
 
Jenn shrugged. “I don’t know. We haven’t really sat down and talked about much recently. She’s been working hard for her company and has to return to Chicago on business frequently.”
 
“Is that where their home office is? Why is she here in Allentown?”
 
“She’s in advertising and sales. She’s worked her way up and now runs the East Coast branch of the company. She’s been pretty busy.”
 
“You are planning to tell her, right?”
 
“Yes. But she is just starting to see me as an adult. I know the courts see me as an adult, but my mom has trouble with that. She was still managing my life until she finally permitted me to withdraw from high school. However, I aced my GEDs and have gotten accepted at several notable colleges. She's getting better about it.”
 
Amy listened. “Okay. This sounds crazy, but I want to be on your side. I don’t want to shut out either of you by questioning your credibility.”
 
Teri looked at Jenn, then back to Amy. “That sounds like a yes.”
 
“It does. But my only negative is that the two of you should have some time to yourselves before children start to dominate all your mental and physical time. With Teri’s musical future starting to explode, you might resent her for not giving you and this baby enough time and support.”
 
Jenn nodded and looked at her love. “That might be a point we should consider before starting a baby.”
 
Amy smiled. “Well, I think your mother needs to be on board. If she can see you two as responsible adults, that will help. But you need to sit down and see what she says.”
 
Teri nodded. In her mind, things were moving along. “Okay, now that we’ve covered the important stuff, let’s get lunch. Oh, and Mom, why are you home today?”
 
Amy blushed. “I have an appointment at Isabella’s late this afternoon. I’m going away with Conor for a couple days.”
 
Teri grinned. “You think he’s going to pop the question?”
 
Amy shrugged. “I don’t think so. It's too soon. I’m just looking forward to a getaway.”
 
Teri looked at her mom. She understood how important Conor was to her. “Cool. Lunch?”
 
Jenn looked at Teri. “You’re always hungry. Amy, has he always been like that?”
 
Amy studied her daughter and hugged her. “No, quite the opposite. Maybe it’s all caused by what's happening inside her that’s burning up all those calories.”
 
Teri smiled. “Maybe it's because the band worked last night, and we didn’t stop for breakfast.”
 
Amy looked at Jenn and then at her new daughter. “You’re going to need a pediatrician and you are going to have to start taking vitamins. Plus, you can’t skip meals.”
 
Jenn smiled. “I guess that goes for both of us! Thanks, mom!”
 
Teri nodded. “C’mon, gang. I’m on the verge of ‘hangry.’
 
They got into Amy’s car and drove to the Charcoal Pit. As they pulled up, Terry moaned. “Uh, I hate to be the one to say this, but the Charcoal Pit hamburgers, fries, and milkshakes are not on the healthy list.” He pointed to the other side of the mall. “We can get a nice salad over there.”
 
 
After Amy drove home, they all hugged goodbye. After they picked up Jenn’s car, Teri got quiet.
 
“What’s up, Rock Star?”
 
“Lots of stuff. My mom might be getting engaged, and you are starting to take prenatal vitamins and thinking about your car.”
 
“Car? That’s new. I thought you never noticed cars. You can drive, right?”
 
“Sure. But I have no problem being chauffeured around. No, I think you need a big, safe car with all those bells and whistles that make you safer. And you’ll need space to carry around all the kid’s stuff.”
 
“Thanks for thinking about me. What did you have in mind?”
 
“Maybe a mid-sized SUV. One with a back seat and room in the back to carry all that baby stuff.”
 
Jenn looked at Teri. “Are you ready to shop for your baby’s furniture? And where’s this baby going to live? We'll need our own house, too. That means no sleeping in the band house.”
 
“Uh-huh. We can shop for a car and a house before we’re caught up in all the plans for the tour. And in the fall, you can start building a nest out of sticks and twigs.”
 
Jenn leaned over at the red light and socked her in the bicep.
 
“Aw, that hurt.”
 
“Wise ass. But we should figure out where I will be when I'm in my third trimester and can’t get around much.”
 
“Geez. This is all too real, huh?”
 
“Real is when you start thinking like a mother.”
 
Teri sat there reacting to what Jenn had just said. She suddenly realized that this great plan of Jenn’s was going to happen, and she'd end up being a mom to a baby. She tried to picture herself handling everyday things like diapers and feedings and being there, focusing on another person.
 
Jenn looked over and watched her. “Uh-huh, what are you thinking about?”
 
Teri shook her head. “This is real. It’s not just buying things and paying for stuff. It’s a full-time job to make sure our boomer grows up perfectly. I’m a little shaken, but I'm trying to understand that a baby is important. I wondered if I could still play music with the Wildcats and raise a kid. All of a sudden, I realized that I was going to have to give everything up to be a parent. And you said, a mom.”
 
Jenn smiled. “It’s not quite that crazy. Babies sleep a lot, and you kinda grow up with the baby. But I have a strange thing to put in your head. Do you want to share the nursing, too?”
 
“Huh?”
 
“Yep, those boobies of yours are real and made from the estrogen flowing in your body. I’m sure they have all the necessary ducts to be milkers. We’d have to talk to the doctor to see if they can turn the milk part on.”
 
Teri shook her head. “Oh, wow.”
 
 
That afternoon, Lisa texted everyone to say that Gina’s mom had made two big lasagnas for the band's dinner tonight. Dinner was at six, and then they’d head over at eight for a sound check.
 
Teri showed his phone to Jenn. They were at her house, and she was getting ready to take a shower. “Cool. Does that include me?”
 
Teri nodded and watched Jenn strip down. She stood there looking at her. “Watchcha thinking?”
 
“That you can make a baby for us.”
 
“Two or three.”
 
“Would you still want to attend college and get a degree?”
 
“Sure. Your mom worked the whole time she raised the two of you, and everything was good.”
 
Teri shook his head. “I’m just having trouble visualizing the whole thing.”
 
Jenn smiled. “I’ve got a head start on you. I’ve been practicing playing a grown-up mom since I used to play dolls. I’m okay with all of this. What makes it easier is how much money you have. We can hire the best help to make it the perfect world for our kid.”
 
Teri shook her head. “Maybe it's cause everything is happening so fast. And this is all so serious. It scares me.”
 
“You’ll have plenty of time to get prepared. We’ll be a step behind Zoe so you can watch her and see what Bruno does, too. But you won't fall back into being the guy in this relationship. I won't be your wife and keep a perfect house for you while you’re out playing music. You’re going to be a mom, too.”
 
Teri stepped into the shower and kissed Jenn. “Right. That’s just what I’m going to be. I’m the alien creature that inhabited an earthling female body and got pregnant. I’m going to be the second-best mom ever.”
 
“And I’m going to be the best mom?”
 
“That’s what I was just saying.”
 
“Nope, wrong. You’re going to be the best mom, Teri. You won't be calling on me for help to bail you out. You’re going to be the leader.”
 
“Can I ask my mom for help?”
 
“Of course. Just like I’m going to ask my mom for advice.”
 
As Teri carefully soaped Jenn, she lost herself in her girlfriend’s beautiful body. She loved her curves and, after the soap ran off in the shower, kissed her everywhere. She tried to let all the tension flow out and away like the water running over their bodies.
 
Then Teri felt Jenn push her tightly up against the wall and soap her; Teri started to get excited. As the heat of her passion-filled her up, she moaned. When Jenn dropped the soft sponge and pressed her hard into the hard tile, Teri was shaking with excitement. Jenn took advantage of her girlfriend’s passion and started squeezing and biting her flesh, touching her everywhere until finally, Teri felt herself go completely.
 
As they dried each other off, Teri started rubbing moisturizer into Jenn’s skin. Using her hands and mouth, she touched all of her sensitive spots, which made Jenn shiver and her body respond. Once the moisturizer was completely rubbed in, Teri touched and kissed her everywhere. It was her turn to get Jenn to moan, groan, and finally scream over and over again.
 
As they lay there on Jenn’s bed, Teri started laughing.
 
“What, Rock Star?”
 
“Just thinking about our first times on this bed, rolling my sleeping bag out so we wouldn’t get any wet spots on your sheets.”
 
Jenn laughed and slid up on top of her. She gripped Teri's wrists forcefully and held her to the bed. “Sometime, I'm going to tie you up and paddle you until you have an orgasm. I’m going to become your dominatrix.”
 
“Is that supposed to scare me or make me want you more?
 
 
As everyone stuffed themselves with salad and lasagna that night, Teri looked around at her best friends. She was grinning, realizing that these were the best times.
 
 
Lisa stood on the stage and talked to the audience. “We love our fans who come out to party with us each night. We must thank all the people who work the sound, the lights, and the wonderful people who pour your drinks. Everyone here, including the bouncers and the caretakers, makes it the best place to hear music. The owner, Robert, has gone out of his way to help new groups who need encouragement and the opportunity to make money by playing here for you. This is where we started, and we will never forget how wonderful everyone in Allentown has been to us.”
 
She waited until the clapping died down to speak again. “If you look at your ticket, you’ll see that everything the Wildcats make this weekend will go to the Boys and Girls Club of Allentown. If you want to look further, go to the first page of our website, and you’ll see the list of all the charities with which we share our money. Since we signed with Warner Records, all we’ve collected from our website donations have gone to those charities. If you like doing more, tap those charity icons to take you to their donate pages.”
 
People continued to cheer until they heard the sounds of Teri’s guitar playing the first notes of Sam Cooke’s A Change Is Going To Come. Everyone watched as the Wildcat used her guitar to tell the story of the struggle of black and brown people trying to make changes in this country.
 
After playing for a few minutes, the rest of the band played with Teri. Finally, Lisa got up from their keyboards and gently took the mic in her hands. She looked at three hundred people, staring at her sister, who had just hypnotized all of them with her playing.
 
Lisa started singing the words as Teri, Zoe, and Tiffany sang in perfect harmony behind her. When the song ended, everyone started cheering for their hometown band, the Wildcats.
 
When Teri reappeared dressed in her fuzzy bunny costume, the crowd roared. She waited a few minutes while everyone in the audience got out their phones. The roar got louder as the other Wildcats appeared in their yellow chick, red fox, pink poodle, and tabby cat.
 
Teri pressed a foot switch and struck a few notes on her guitar. The sound that came out was heavily distorted. She spoke in her mic, “Guys, could you turn the lights up on stage so everyone gets a good recording?”
 
As the lights came up, Gina counted them off. Zoe, in her fox costume with the beautiful red tail swishing behind her, started with a raucous-sounding heavy metal solo as Gina pounded hard on her drums. After sixteen bars, Tiffany, larger than life in her pink poodle outfit hammered out a bass that any punk metal group would have loved.
 
Finally, Teri handed Lisa her guitar. The beautiful blonde grinned and started chording like any twelve-year-old playing air guitar would have done in the mirror. She totally laughed as she tried her best to look like a heavy metal killer.
 
When everyone was playing, rocking the house, Teri grabbed the mic stand and screamed loudly,
 
Fur Face, Fur Face,
Kiss your fuzzy fur face
 
Love my fluffy bunny slippers
Love my tiny chick
Sweet little puppy, soft little fox
My cute poodle, think you rock
 
Fur Face, Fur Face,
Kiss your fuzzy fur face
 
I love my soft white kitten,
Love my pussy, too
Give you hugs, Give you kisses
Bury my face into your fur
 
Fur Face, Fur Face.
Kiss your fuzzy face
 
The crowd roared at the lyrics Teri had innocently composed. They'd seen and heard them on various videos everywhere, including the Today Show, Instagram, and TikTok.
 
And in the middle of the fun, Tiffany grabbed her mic and began her rap in the song’s breaka s everyone shouted along.
 
Feathers, fur, and a soft red coat,
Love you more ‘cause you’re so helpless,
crying out for me to hold.
In my arms, I’ll squeeze you tightly.
You’re so small, and you’re really needy.
Tug my heart with all your cuteness,
Make me blush, I’ll hold and kiss you
Puppies, kitties, little sheepie.
Love ‘em cause they’re soft and cuddly.
Baby, I want you in my arms, holding you and kissing me. When you’re smiling, I love you more.
Give you kisses and bite your fur.
‘Cause teddy bears and little foxes
Aren’t as cute as you can be
 
As the crowd roared their approval, the whole band ended the song singing.
 
Fur Face, Fur Face.
Kiss your fuzzy face
 
The stage went dark as Lisa whispered, "we’ll be back in fifteen minutes. Plenty of time to use the bathroom and have another drink."
 
As the women walked off the stage, they knew they were back. Everyone laughed as they watched the fuzzy bunny skip to the snack table. 
 

Dear Reader,

Wildcat Summer is available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Wildcat-Summer-Leslie-Moore-ebook/dp/...

There are many chapters to read in the sample

Leslie

“Let’s start with a number. How are you doing today?”
 
“Good. Maybe a seven.”
 
“Why not a ten?”
 
“Well, Grace. Not everything is perfect.”
 
“Where would you like to start?”
 
Teri thought for a minute. “Well, I feel like a ten for the music. I’d forgotten how much fun it is to play live. Wednesday, we played on the roof of Allentown Music to all of downtown Allentown. It was great! We’re playing at the Rendezvous tonight and are booked for the rest of the week. And hey, that’s where Tasha got her start.”
 
“Do you miss her?”
 
“Tasha? Well, she was the perfect avatar. She always did the right thing, and everybody loved her. But there’s no more Terry or Tasha. Terry just evolved, and it was finally time to let him go, and I guess Tasha vanished into the thin air, too.”
 
“Do you miss Terry?”
 
“Well, sometimes I miss how easy it was to be Terry. No one expected much from him. I could just leave everything for someone else to care for and stumble along at whatever pace I wanted to go. But Terry really wasn’t intersex; he was just a guy whose puberty had stopped. Of course, we now know that wasn’t true either. And once the truth was out and I knew what would happen, it was easier to become Teri and enjoy the ride.”
 
“That sounds very healthy.”
 
“Yeah, and most of the time, I believe it until it’s too much. It can be overwhelming.”
 
“What happens when it overwhelms you? What do you do?”
 
“Retreat to my room, cry in the shower, or talk to my mom or Lisa. And, of course, I can turn to Jenn. I hate sounding like a broken record and always complaining, but those moments are getting further apart. I use many of the techniques you’ve taught me, too. I think I’m a lot calmer.”
 
She took a deep breath and looked at Grace. “My biggest focus is The Wildcats. The band takes up a lot of my time and keeps me happy, especially playing. I’m looking forward to the Rendezvous. I used to think that that club was enormous. We took our equipment straight over to the Rendezvous after we played. I walked around and was surprised at how small it was!”
 
“How many people does it hold?”
 
“Three hundred. It’s like playing in front of your family at Christmas time, a big living room full of love. At that club, everybody knows all the songs, sings along, and cheers loudly for every solo and song. This might be what heaven is like, intimate, friendly, and perfect.”
 
“You said that the Rendezvous was small. What are you comparing it to?”
 
“Well, our first big show was The Underground in Atlanta. It held a thousand or fifteen hundred, but the stage was huge, and the sound was amazing. It was perfect for a big place. We did a couple of long weekends there. It was funny because we made the same amount each night at the Underground as the Wildcats made in a week on the road last year.”
 
“Seems like the Wildcats are going big time.”
 
“Well, when we played at the French Town Festival in New Orleans, they estimated thirty-five thousand people or more were there. That was a free concert. That was our biggest crowd ever. But, and this is a big but, we are scheduled to play back in Atlanta next Saturday night for twenty thousand people buying tickets to see us. I think that’s insane!”
 
“You’ve come a long way since rehearsing with the Wildcats at spring break.”
 
“Truly. My life has changed a lot. And you know what, Grace? I think it’s great.”
 
“So the transition is done? No more internal battles?”
 
“Well, I am curious to know whether my transition is done. I’m only eighteen and think I’ve got to grow up. And as far as inner battles, I still keep myself busy worrying about many things.”
 
“Some stuff is still grabbing me by the ankles and slowing me down. I’m not feeling dumb or slow like I have an underdeveloped brain. But it’s strange to think my guy friends aren’t as mature as Jenn or me, like puppies. I have a problem with my old friends who knew me as Terry.”
 
“Tell me.”
 
“Well, Jenn made a dinner reservation for the guys and us, just like old times. After a lot of gnashing teeth, I decided I should be Teri, spelled with one R ending in an I. I did not shrink away from appearing as female. That was a big hurdle for me, and with all my worrying, nothing happened,”
 
“Nothing?”
 
“Well, at first, I got called dude a bunch, but that’s just them. And, after all, I used to be that dude. But something did get weird. One of the guys pulled me aside. He wants to text and talk to me more privately. I’m worried about what might happen with that.”
 
“What do you think will happen?”
 
“He’s going to start treating me like a girl.” Teri took a deep breath. “Yeah, I finally said it. I mean, how would that go? I’d be a girl on a day date and end up sucking face with an old classmate who used to consider me a dude?”
 
Grace did her best not to smile. “Okay. So what do you want to do?”
 
“I like having friends, but not boyfriends. I have Jenn, who is more than enough as my girlfriend. Although recently, she’s getting weirder and weirder.”
 
“Why?”
 
“Well, it’s about this baby thing.”
 
“I remember you mentioning this before where she uses the same sperm that procreated you. At first, I thought it was crazy, but in a way, it’s very novel.”
 
“At first, it did sound cool. But the more I thought about it. Wouldn’t that make our own baby my brother or sister?”
 
Grace thought for a minute. “Half brother or sister. But you’re right. Jenn would be giving you a child that you’re related to. And while it does sound strange, you would have a child that is yours.”
 
“Well, now she wants to move forward with it this summer. She wants to use Zoe as her model.”
 
“Zoe Finley? In your band?”
 
“Yeah, she’s newly pregnant with Bruno.”
 
“I thought you guys were going on tour.”
 
“We are. And Zoe thinks that won’t interfere with the tour.”
 
“Well, it might be taxing for her to play for three hours each night.”
 
“Yeah. We’d tour with another band and be second on the bill. We’d play for ninety minutes and an encore to warm up the crowd and get our name out there.”
 
“Okay. But that theory is only good if you are second on the bill.”
 
“I can’t see us leading a tour. I see us as a second fiddle.”
 
“Well, if your band is the headliner, you’d play for at least two hours, maybe more. Zoe is young and in good shape. And you can spend money on a private chef and support people.”
 
“True. Has Gina said anything about our summer tour?”
 
“Not much. The record is dropping now, and Atlanta is the first show on the journey. It sounds to me like Warner’s ready to make you stars. I would have thought you’d know more.”
 
Teri thought for a minute. “I’ll bet Richard and Phil know more details but don’t want to scare us. They want us to get an arena show under our belts first. I don’t know how many dates we must hear about, but we will dance to their beat all summer.”
 
“So what will you say to your old friend when you call him?”
 
“Grace, I don’t have a clue and need help.”
 
“Well, you should let him do most of the talking. I’m sure he’s just as nervous as you are. What’s Jenn say?”
 
“She says she wants me to experience everything. But I think that’s a lie. I think she wants us to be exclusive.”
 
“And you?”
 
“Honestly, Grace, my body is so strange. I mean, I don’t get horny or lust for anyone. I still like looking at beautiful women, and guys are just not for me. Unless I’m high.”
 
Grace nodded for her to go on.
 
“Well, the only times I’ve lost control around guys is when I’m high. And when I make out, I like being restrained and have little orgasms and well….”
 
“Have you had penetrative sex with a guy?”
 
“Not with guys, but regularly with Jenn.”
 
“Do you have orgasms?”
 
“Wonderful orgasms. But now she wants to get pregnant, and she wants me to get shots so that I can nurse, too.”
 
“How’s that make you feel?”
 
“Like I’m being rushed. When she talks like that, I want to run away and hide.”
 
“Do you share those feelings with her?”
 
“No, not yet. I don’t want to argue or get her mad at me. But I need to face a lot of things I’ve been avoiding. I’m just having trouble dealing with some things.”
 
“Teri, avoiding those things that drive you crazy is just doing that. You need to confront all the issues that are bothering you. You don’t have to go along just to get along. You’re making progress, and I can see the changes in your demeanor. You are becoming a wonderful young woman, Teri.”
 
“Well, I don’t think I’m ready to be a parent, Grace. I’m not ready to be a nursing mother. It scares me, and everything is going on too fast. But how do I tell Jenn?”
 
Grace smiled. “Maybe we can pretend that I’m Jenn, and you can talk with me about your feelings. We can act it out and discuss it as we practice. Do you want to try?”
 
Teri shrugged, “Sure. But telling you that I love you is a little strange. I’m not sure that’s where I want to go.”
 
Grace smiled, “Okay, we’ll skip that part. Just start with small talk.”
 
She took a deep breath. “Hey, Jenn. What are you doing?”
 
“Oh, hi, Teri! I’m just looking at the cutest maternity dresses online. Wanna see?”
 
“Uh, sure.”
 
Grace nodded. “Good. Keep trying to see her side. Show some empathy.”
 
Teri smiled. “I think that one would look nice on you. The colors would complement your hair and skin tones.”
 
Grace gave her a thumbs up. “And Teri, you’re going to need nursing bras, too! Won’t it be fun to start shopping together?”
 
“Honestly? No. I love you too much for words, but you’re moving too fast. The whole idea is making me scared.”
 
Grace held up her hand. “Let’s stop for a minute. I want you to talk like an adult to another adult. I’m scared of what a child would say to a parent. To have a discussion, you need to present your thoughts as an equal if you want her to treat you as an adult and not a child.”
 
Teri was nodding before Grace had finished. “Okay, let’s try it again.” He took a deep breath. “Honestly, Jenn? No. I love you too much for words, but we’re moving too fast. I like what my mom said about how we should spend more time together for the two of us.”
 
Grace gave her a thumbs up. “But, Teri. Having a baby is something we can really share together.”
 
Teri nodded. “Yes, and that’s something I’m looking forward to. I love the idea of us having a great family. And I want to spend our lives together forever. But for now, I’m selfish and want more of you. The idea of you coming on our tour and sharing the experience is a memory we will have forever. It’s like coffee and the little donuts in the French Market each morning.”
 
“Sure, I remember our walks around the French Quarter. Discovering Cafe Du Monde, beignets and cafe au lait.”
 
“There’s going to be so much for us to see together.”
 
“But aren’t you going to get tired of me being your fifth wheel? I mean, seriously? Won’t I just be in the way?”
 
“No. I love being with you all the time. I’d be afraid of the opposite. I see you being bored because so much time will be spent with the band. Could you take college courses to fill your time?”
 
“Teri, let’s stop. There’s a problem with you suggesting things Jenn could do. Let her figure out what she’ll do when you’re being a Wildcat. Let her be her own self.”
 
Teri was nodding. “Okay, and thanks. I just hope it goes smoothly, you know.”
 
Grace shook her head. “It won’t go as well as what we just practiced together. But the trick is talking to each other as adults.”
 
“Oh, yeah. And my mom might be falling in love with Zoe’s dad, Conor Finley.
 
“How’s that make you feel?”
 
“Pretty good. I think she deserves to be happy.”
 
“Teri, I believe everyone deserves to be happy.”
 
“Uh, does that include you? How are you and Gina doing?”
 
“Very good. We have had more time together, and I love her even more. I know she loves me, and that’s all that matters.”
 
Teri thought for a minute. “Uh, one more thing. Should I be having experiences with other people, you know, kinda making out and having little orgasms?”
 
Grace smiled. “Only if you could handle Jenn doing the same thing. I believe you and Jenn need to discuss all those situations that might arise beforehand. Just picture Jenn with another person doing what you want to do.”
 
Teri became horrified. “Oh, no. I couldn’t handle it. But….”
 
Grace slid over to the couch. She turned to face Teri. She reached over, took Teri’s hands, and squeezed them firmly. Then Grace smiled and, still holding Teri’s hands very firmly, said, “I’m going to put away my professional hat for a minute and talk about Gina. She’s my love, and we’ve reached a point where it’s true love for both of us. But it’s not cheating if we both agree about having sex with others. Our big difference is that I’m more discrete.”
 
Teri stared with her mouth open. “Oh.”
 
Grace pulled her up closer by her hands. She did not let go; instead, she moved so close their bodies almost touched. Grace smiled and looked deeply into Teri’s eyes. She did not say anything.
 
Teri felt the warmth of her hands and the firm way she gripped her. She could feel the heat of Grace’s breath and smell her perfume. Looking at her beautiful face and perfect complexion, she briefly was lost in the deep pools of her brown eyes, full lips, and smile. Teri felt a surge run through her body, and a wave of pleasure went everywhere at once. She was happy that Grace was holding on to her because she was close to passing out.
 
Grace slowly let her go and smiled. “Our session’s been over for a few minutes, Teri. I know that Gina and Jenn have planned to join us for lunch and are probably out there waiting for us. I’m picturing something decadent and all gooey, maybe grilled cheese, tomato, and bacon!”

“Hey!”

Teri smiled. She was staring at Jenn. A few minutes ago, she’d been having a moment with Grace that had left her breathless. Minutes later, she greeted Jenn and Gina outside the Comcast Building and tried to act normal.

Thinking about the word normal, she realized nothing would ever be normal. In less than six months, everything had been flipped on its head. Male, female, intersex! Twelfth grade, rock band, record, band house, girlfriend, new friends, new body bursting from within! Terry to Tasha to Teri!

“Hey!” She tried hard to focus on Jenn and smile. Act normal, act normal, she said to herself. She kept trying not to look at Grace. When Grace had been discussing her relationship with Gina, she’d talked about true love and separating that from sex. She remembered Grace smiling and saying the difference between the two of them was that she was discreet.

Discreet! Teri kept reminding herself to be discreet about what happened with Grace. But what did just happen? They held hands, an innocent enough gesture. But something seriously happened to me, she thought.

Jenn got very close. Looking into her eyes, she said, “Are you all right? You seem strange. Is something wrong?”

Teri shook her head. “No, not really. I’m just a little shaken. We did some role play and I’m still feeling kinda lost. I’m okay. How are you doing?”

Jenn linked her arm with Teri’s. She pulled her along. “We’re going to lunch with beautiful Grace and wild Gina! C’mon, babe. It’s gonna be fun.”

Teri turned and focused on Jenn. “What did you and Gina talk about?”

“Sex!” Jenn had a big grin on her face.

“Huh?” Teri realized she wasn’t paying attention.

“Just checking to see if you’re paying attention. But we did talk about sex. Gina was giving me pointers and even offered to play with me!”

Teri almost choked and started coughing. “For real?”

Jenn squeezed her hand. She leaned over and whispered, “Why not? You and Gina have plenty of time!”

Teri drank a whole glass of water as they sat in a booth. She knew her eyes were wide open, like saucers! She wanted to say something, but everything was spinning. “Uh, Jenn. For real?”

Teri watched her shrug. Then she held up the menu. “Isn’t this place cool? Gina said it was Grace’s favorite.”

She looked at the menu. The place was called Say Cheese! She smiled. Grace had just mentioned that she wanted something gooey at the end of their session. Teri was still trying to understand what had happened. They’d just held hands, but she had an orgasm staring at Grace’s face. Teri also knew that it was their secret.

She scanned the menu and saw macaroni and cheese with options like truffles, lobster, crab, and even bacon. There were grilled cheese sandwiches with assorted toppings. There were pasta dishes with cheese, a cheese soufflé, risotto, a white pizza, fondue, and cheddar grits. So many things all anchored by cheese. “This place is crazy!”

As the waitress took their order, Teri watched everyone else and finally chose the mac and cheese with bacon.

She leaned over to Jenn. “Seriously, you and Gina?”

Jenn smiled. “You know. I figured it could only add to our relationship. I mean, you and I, we’re both innocents. I mean, all we bring to our relationship is what we’ve fumbled around and discovered. Maybe we should play with Gina and see what we can learn together.”

Teri stared at her. “You know, you’re the smartest person I’ve ever met and are probably right. But you move twice as fast as I do, and my whole session with Grace was about helping me figure out how to communicate with you. Sometimes, I feel like a sheep following Mary around.”

Jenn leaned over and kissed her. “I love sheep. But seriously, honey, I live for you. And I’m sorry that you feel uncomfortable trying to deal with my hyperactive brain functions. But you’re right! I never want to make you feel uncomfortable or pressured. I knew you looked strange when I first saw you after your session. I sensed something had thrown you, but I figured we’d get to it later. But, seriously, how about doing something with Gina?”

Teri shook her head.

Jenn leaned in and whispered. “How many times have you been intimate with Gina? I counted three. The Saturday morning when you were under the covers. You told me that she rode you like a pony. And then you had your group thing with Gina and Bruno getting high while you got your tattoo. And then the time I told you to cheer her up, you said you did it on the movie set in a theater.”

Teri was thankful that their food had come. She picked up a soup spoon and dug in. This was, without a doubt, the cheesiest, most flavorful delight she’d ever had, but her appetite was quickly fading. Looking over at Jenn, she was pleased to see that her grilled cheese sandwich was keeping her occupied.

Teri snuck a glance over at Grace and Gina as they ate. She wondered what Grace was saying to Gina and if discretion meant that Grace was not revealing what had happened between them upstairs. Really, it was only sitting close together and handholding. She knew that when Grace had held her hands tightly, her insides had exploded and melted.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” Jenn was turned and looking at her curiously.

“Uh, nothing. It’s this Gina thing. You make sense. But it may be easier for you to do something with Gina one-on-one rather than the two of us together.

Jenn leaned over and purred in her ear. “Oh, baby. Wouldn’t you want to be in on it too? In my mind, I kinda pictured the two of you sending me over the moon. I was kinda getting excited. Is that okay to tell you?”

Teri shook her head. “Well, it does reveal a side of you that I wasn’t expecting. Now it makes me wonder if your encouragement for me to explore with other people, especially guys, was because that’s what you wanted to do.”

Jenn turned bright red. She was quiet. “This might not be the right place to discuss this, but it’s kinda true. I want my cake and eat it too. I want you forever, but I still wonder about just having crazy sex. You know, for some reason, the idea of a group scene, well, gets me all hot and bothered. Does it scare you when I talk like that?”

Teri shook her head and sighed. “It makes sense. I want to love you forever, but I know I’m inadequate. My libido is strange and quirky. I wish I was closer to normal, where I could give you what you need. And maybe there’s another person who you might find to love. I wish I could satisfy your needs.” She had to take a deep breath and stop a tear from appearing in her eye.

She stared at Jenn and thought about it. “Okay. You’re being honest, and so I will be, too. This seems to be very important to you. I will go if you want to arrange for the three of us to be together. And if you want to explore being with other partners, that's fine. I will be there for you.”

Tears started flowing from Jenn’s eyes as she stared at Teri. She shook her head and used her linen napkin to wipe her eyes, making sure her mascara didn’t smudge.

In the meantime, Grace and Gina had already stood up. When they looked over, Gina explained, “Grace needs to get back to work. Since Jenn and I came together, how about you two finish up while I walk her back to her office?"

They watched the two of them walk away. Jenn turned and said, “I wonder what Grace is like? She’s so beautiful.”

Teri was thinking the same thing. “So I guess it’s settled. It’s a threesome.”

Jenn squeezed her hand. “You really sound resigned to do this. Aren’t you the least bit interested?”

Teri smiled and kissed her. “If I can pick up some pointers to make you happier, I’m game. But my little orgasms are so nothing compared to a woman’s.”

Jenn said, “How about if we get high first?”

Teri shrugged. “Fine.”

When Gina appeared, she smiled and walked straight up to Teri. “Oh, my God. I love that woman. I don’t think I could live without her.”

Teri nodded. “I feel the same way about Jenn. But Jenn tells me we’re going to have a threesome. How does that make you feel?”

Gina looked carefully at Teri. “Uh, you’re not grinning from ear to ear. Aren’t you excited to play with me again?”

Teri sighed. “It’s not that, Gina. I enjoyed playing with you and just, well…. Jenn wants to initiate this. I think she wants to experience hard sex. She talked about groups. She sounded excited. And that leaves me feeling pretty inadequate.”

Gina nodded. “Yeah, I see you. But I’m not interested in screwing with your head. Let’s take a rain check on this. Jenn is gorgeous and seems like she’d be fun, but this seems awkward. Does she talk about an open relationship? Is that what you both want? It can complicate things. I would know. How would you feel if she left you for another person cause of sex?”

“Miserable. But I’m not her boss, and I want her to voluntarily be with me. You already know I have limitations and can’t offer her what you have.”

“Well, couldn’t you get surgery and fix all that?”

“Yup. And maybe that’s what I’m going to learn from today. I want her to be happy and not resent me. I just can’t say no.”

Gina smiled and kissed her cheek. “I think that’s wonderful and very naïve. What if one of you wanted to bring a guy into the mix. How would you feel if she went straight after that?”

“I’d have to wish her all the best because this is all I can be. It’s been hard to admit I never was a guy.”

Gina smiled. “I think you’re pretty understanding about meeting her desires and maybe a bit foolish. But we can go with this and always stop if it’s too much for either of you.”

Jenn saw them whispering. “Okay, girls. If you’re going to talk about me, then you need to both share.” She folded her arms and looked upset.

Teri kissed her cheek. “Uh, Gina asked me how I felt about this. I told her how I felt but that you were the most important thing in my life, and I honestly couldn’t say no.”

Jenn smiled and kissed her. Then she turned to Gina and kissed her hard on the mouth as she wrapped her hands around her neck. “Oh, my God, Gina. I can’t wait. I am already excited just thinking about this.”

Hearing those words, Teri wanted to just disappear. She knew that she couldn’t complete. She was just a placeholder until somebody really made Jenn crazy in love.

As they were driving, Jenn took a turn on the highway. Teri raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh. We’re going to Mom’s house. I want to do it in her bed, and we can shower in her bath. That’s on my bucket list.”

“I thought they were showing the house to sell?”

“Not yet. Next week, after my mom gets all her stuff out of there. And I just talked to her, and I know she’s tied up in big-time meetings for the next three days. So, we are good. Plus, we have deadbolts on all the doors, so we won’t be surprised even with a key!”

Gina smiled. “Okay. So a couple questions. Do you have weed? Toys? Lube?”

Jenn laughed. “Gina, I have a virtual toy shop here. Many are hand-me-downs from my older sister, who did an online gig, but I’m not touching mom’s stuff. That would be too creepy.”

Gina smiled. “I want to see what your mom stocks. Just peek.”

Jenn laughed, and they all went over to her mom’s nightstand. She pulled open the bottom drawer, and they all looked inside.

Gina was the first to speak. “Boring. I’ll give you a list of presents you can buy her. Does she date?”

Jenn smiled. “I’m not supposed to know, but I think she likes fem boys and women.”

Gina nodded. “That’s pretty cool. I was hoping for a strap-on.”

Jenn laughed. “You haven’t seen my collection yet. I’ve got a pretty nice one. But Teri doesn’t love it.”

Teri sighed. “I don’t have a boy prostate, so I lack that anal stimulation thing. And my girl organs are small and hidden away, so no G spot either. Maybe the surgeons can decide what to do with me sometime in the future.”

Gina announced, “It’s time to smoke. I know that will help Teri get in the mood, right Hunny Bunny?”

Teri nodded, and they carried everything out to the screened porch. The three of them lit a pipe and passed it around until Teri was so high she was afraid to stand. She turned the next pass down. “I’m more than good.”

When they stood up, Gina gave her a kiss. She pulled her in close and put both hands on her butt and squeezed. When she let Teri come up for air, she kissed her neck. “Oh, baby. You’ve got a nice booty coming in back there. Mmm, Gina likes it.”

Jenn opened the door to the family room. “Time, girls. We can pretend we’re having a tea party.”

Teri giggled. “I’m not wearing a fancy little girl dress. That’s way too weird.”

Gina laughed. “Good, 'cause all I want to see are birthday suits.

“I never got naked with you, Gina. So you have to promise not to laugh.”

Jenn smiled. “Teri’s physical development is at about sixteen years old. She’s very cute.”

Teri frowned. “This is weird with two beautiful women watching me get naked.”

Gina laughed. “Me first, girlies.” She pulled off her top and her bra. She shook herself and massaged the marks left by her underwire. Then she slipped off her skirt and her panties at the same time. Teri remembered that she shaved from their movie set experience.”

Jenn approached Gina and kissed her while her hands roamed her body. She looked into Gina’s eyes and ordered, “Undress me.”

Teri wished she was higher so she could just pass out. She sighed and knew this was not going to go well. When she stood up, she had to find her balance before she could walk away.

Jenn enjoyed exploring Gina’s curves and was surprised to see her girlfriend leaving. “Hey, baby. Where are you going?”

Teri stopped walking but kept one hand on the dresser for balance. Without turning, she shrugged and waved as she left the bedroom.

Dear Friends,

Thank you for reading and writing. (Especially the writing part!) It's great to hear your opinions and how this affected you. I knew I was walking on thin ice here. But, it seemed like the right time. Excuse the mistakes in this portion. My spelling checkers, three, do not like slang and are always trying to turn my stories into business letters or dissertations. That's not how the Cats talk. So ignore the spelling or grammatical errors cause sometimes I'm 'toopid'

When Teri woke up, she turned over and stared at the empty side of her bed. She felt alone. But instead of thinking, she turned over and went back to sleep.

When her bladder finally forced her up, she thought about how comical her exit had been last night.

It was definitely something a stoner would do. She’d walked away leaving all her clothes and possessions in the bedroom where Gina and Jenn were. She knew she wasn’t going to return to the bedroom to get her clothes or ask for anyone’s help. So she searched around and found clothes in Jenn’s mom’s drawers and closets. After finding clothes, she had to get her own ride.

She’d fumbled at first with the how-to part, but was happy that Gina had left her phone out on the porch where they’d gotten high. It was still totally unlocked so she was able to use the Uber app. A nice woman picked her up ten minutes later and took her straight to her door.

Fortunately, there was a hidden key and she was able to quietly tip toe in and go up to her room. Everything in her mind was jumbled and confused but she knew that she wanted was sleep.

Getting up, she realized that she still had Jenn’s mom’s underpants on. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she got out her own clothes and got dressed. She found Lucinda downstairs who happily made her pancakes and bacon. As she wolfed everything down, she remembered her last meal was lunch with Grace, Gina, and Jenn. She decided she was still fuzzy brained and promised not to think about Jenn or anything that happened yesterday.

Instead, she went down in their studio and plugged in her guitar. She started playing. At first it was just finger exercises and then it became chords and finally she was playing solos from some of her favorite guitarists. Recently, she’d been focusing on rock gods from twenty years ago. Those guys were easy to find on YouTube and it was fun to watch them playing live.

She was in the zone when she realized she was not alone. She turned around slowly and Gina was standing there crying. She stopped and stared at Gina.

“Oh, Teri. I’m sorry. I fucked up. It seemed like such a good idea and Jenn really was excited. I thought that it was okay with you since she said you’d ventured out with other people, including me. But when you left I suddenly realized what a mess it had become. I’m sorry that I didn’t really think about your feelings.”

Teri gave her a hug. “Stop blaming yourself. You offered to shelve it for another day and I just went along with what Jenn wanted. Just like I’ve just rolled over to do whatever she’s wanted forever. I loved her so much that I wasn’t thinking about myself, just going along for the ride. And suddenly I realized that the whole scene wasn’t what I wanted.”

Gina still sobbed. “Jenn told me that you’d made out with several guys and lusted for them. And she reminded me about you pleasing me on the couch in the old theater. It just sounded like you were up for this.”

Teri set her guitar back in the rack and the two of them went outside. They both sat in chairs facing the forrest. “Yeah, well, I’m not going to defend myself. I was heavily drugged with the first two guys and the third guy, well, I was pretty high, too. You and Jenn are the only women I’ve tried to please. Obviously, I did a satisfactory job with you. But yesterday after listening to Jenn talk, she wanted a lot more than what I could provide her.”

“Do you want to know what happened last night?”

Teri shook her head. “Nah. That’s yesterday’s news and I’m only looking forward. I’ve got to figure out what I want to do.”

Gina looked at her. “What about Jenn?”

Another voice suddenly interrupted their conversation. “Yeah, what about Jenn?”

Teri and Gina both turned to see Jenn standing there. She looked unhappy.

Teri shrugged and looked at Jenn. “Hey. I blame myself for yesterday. I wasn’t in the proper state of mind to romp with you and Gina. Maybe under different circumstances it might have been good. But when you started talking about doing it with groups and trying to be blown away with a sexual adventures, that’s when I realized that I was never going to satisfy you.”

“But….”

Teri held her hand up. “No blame, no fault. You are who you are and I’m whom I am. Until yesterday, I thought I was enough, even with my shortcomings. And I thought loving you was enough. I’ve followed your lead trying to please you.”

“But I’ve watched enough porn to see what happens when several guys all work together to get a woman over the top. And you know what I thought? I couldn’t be one of those guys because my equipment didn’t work even when I was just good, old Terry. And I could never be that woman because my equipment isn’t there. And honestly, I wouldn’t have a clue about how to appreciate mind-blowing sex.”

Teri wiped a tear from her eye. She was still watching Jenn and never realized that Gina had left. “I still love you. But there’s no do overs. What you really want is something I can’t provide. And I realized at that point that I had never been a swinger. You painted a picture for Gina that was a lie. You made it out like I sought out pleasure from guys and Gina. I’m not making excuses. I enjoyed all those encounters, but the only time I initiated anything was with Gina and you’d told me to make her happy. That was the day you called me baby and said that I was yours to give away. You might have been joking, but I felt like a dog.”

“Okay, Jenn. That’s not who I want to be. I’m boring and handicapped in bed. And yesterday I realized that our relationship was never going to be enough for you. It’s important to say the truth out loud and just deal with it. My body doesn’t have to be the elephant in the room. We know that I have nothing to offer you and that my intersex diagnosis is real.”

Teri took a deep breath knowing that this had to be said. “I just hope we can remain good friends. That way, you have no guilt and can be who you want to be.”

Jenn stared at her. She had listened and understood what Teri had said. She had driven out to the band house thinking of all the things she would say to apologize and make it right. She was in love with Teri and all of this was breaking her heart. But part of her still wanted more even though she had trouble admitting it. She knew she’d been a little crazy yesterday and hanging out with Gina only stimulated her fantasies.

As the tears rolled down her face, she nodded. “You’re right. I’m the one who’s fucked up. I will never stop loving you and only wish this whole thing had never happened. But it’s not about your limitations. I never settled or felt unsatisfied with you. But when I heard how you got high and experimented with other people, I was jealous. Sure, I understand how all of that wasn’t in your plans.”

She wiped the tears from her face. Then she lost it. “Fuck you, then. After I’m gone, you’re going to remember all the good times because that’s all we’ve ever had. And I’m going to remember how you did everything in your power to show me your love. I’m going to be heartbroken that I fucked up the best thing I’ve ever had cause I lost my mind for one night. And yes, the sex with Gina was great but afterwards I realized that it wasn’t any better than what you and I have. I’m stupid and foolish. You are the only one I have ever had sex with and now I know that screwing with someone just to screw isn’t like what we had.”

Jenn took a step closer to Teri who stood up. She noticed that her arms were at her sides. “You know. I just wished you could hurt me like I hurt you. I wish we were even so we could start again. I was a horrible person telling you to go out and experience guys, because I thought that there was more out there that I was missing. I’m so fucked up. Maybe I should move closer to my sister and let her hook me up in the adult industry so I can screw my brains out until I don’t have any left. Maybe then, when I’m used up and stupid, I will realize how I gave up the golden ring of happiness with you.”

Teri raised her hand and said, “Stop.”

Jenn stood there letting the tears run down her face. She didn’t want to sob or let her nose start to run, but she knew she was close.

Teri nodded. “I’m not as hurt as you think. I understand your need to experiment. And I experienced that when I was high with the guy in Atlanta. Sure, he didn’t know I was intersex and just thought I was a girl. We’d talked a bunch and then when we got high, I felt like I was in a dream. And when he held me and kissed me, it caused me to melt down and get pretty excited. I liked it.”

Teri stood on the spot. “I get it and well, maybe cause of that guy, I understand how you want more. I will remember all the wonderful times we’ve had and will miss every moment as I move forward. No one likes to be alone and knowing that the most beautiful woman in the world once loved me. I wonder if that will ever happen to me again?”

Jenn sobbed. “Can’t we try? You know I love you and you love me. Why can’t we just move forward and make new rules?”

Teri choked. “What, so you can go out partying and come home after being with someone else? And I’m supposed to just take you back after they filled the needs that I couldn’t. Am I supposed to wonder every time we meet someone new thinking you’re going to want to try this guy or girl out? Am I supposed to hold you after someone else has mauled you and got you off? No, Jenn. I couldn’t do that. But I understand you have different hungers that need to be met.”

Jenn stood there listening to Teri get mad at her.

“Jenn, I’m going to have new rules. I’m going to grow a backbone and be proud of myself. No more pity parties or worrying about whether someone else’s needs are being met. I’m going to stand on my own two feet and do what it takes to make me happy. And if that isn’t enough for another person, so be it. I have a disability but I’m not going to let that run me anymore.”

Jenn cried.

“I free you, Jenn. You can walk away knowing that we are both better than before. And I know you’ll find another person who can truly satisfy you. We both know it’s not me, but that’s nobody’s fault. I know that everyone would jump at the chance to have you in their arms. I know that you’ll have your choice of partners. We can walk our own paths knowing that our time together was golden.”

Jenn stood there. “Oh, fuck. I’m not going to just listen to you talk like what we had wasn’t earth moving. And yes, you are right. I was fucked up thinking that there’s something out there that I was missing. Sure, break up with me and send me away. Stand on your high fuckin’ horse pretending that I have this defect or hunger that I can’t control. Imagine me going out and intensionally hurting you and then coming back to you smelling of sex and somebody else. Fuck you for thinking so little of me. I can learn, you asshole. I can grow. But I want to grow with you. I want us to grow together, not thinking back on what it could have been. You’re a fucking moron. Our sex life has been great and I don’t think anything could top it. But if you want to use this as an excuse to walk away, just go. Be an asshole and just have your own pity party. I have held you and comforted you plenty. I proved my worth to you and now, after I fuck up and want to learn, you’re kicking me the fuck out.”

Jenn walked closer and stared him in the face. “You’re an asshole just like me. You want to write sad songs about the worst breakup in history, go ahead. It won’t be long until you realize that I wanted to make this right. I’m not a quitter and neither are you. I hate you for making this so hard, but I deserve it too.” She leaned in close enough that Teri didn’t see the slap coming.

It hit Teri in the cheek and was hard enough to make her head spin. She immediately grabbed both Jenn’s arms. To keep her from breaking free, she had to twist Jenn around and pull her back into her own body. With her arms wrapped tightly around, Jenn couldn’t move. As Teri felt her relax, she turned her around and kissed her hard on the mouth. She grabbed Jenn’s lower lip with her teeth and did not let go. Finally, Teri released her bite to kiss her hard again thrusting her tongue deep in her mouth. This wasn’t make up love, this was sex. .

Teri dragged her off on the grass and proceeded to ravage her. She squeezed and bit and did not let her up. She tore off Jenn’s clothes and bit her soft flesh with pressure but never breaking the skin. She sucked and kissed and never let her up. Teri never stopped her attack on her lover. She wasn’t punishing her, just taking out all his pent-up fears on her. She knew Jenn wasn’t in pain as her cries got louder and louder as one orgasm after another racked her body. Jenn flailed and gasped, trying her best to gain control. But Teri refused to let her up until she was crying aloud as her body writhed out of control.

When Teri stopped and released her grip, Jenn didn’t move. She just lay there humming and running her fingers through the grass. Finally, she sat up. “Oh, shit, Rock Star. You sent me through the roof. I was so high I know I passed out. That had to be the most momentous time I have ever had.”

Teri nodded. “No more nice girl. From now on, I’m going to ride you like a pony and and put you away wet. Maybe we need to try a little bondage or a lash or two. We’re going to watch fifty shades together and then you’re going to be my slave. You want your world rocked, well, I’m the one who’s going to do it.”

Jenn started crying. “Oh, please don’t think that’s what I want. Sure, it’s nice once in a while, but I want a deep love from you that makes me feel special. I want to be your princess, not your slave.”

Teri knew what she wanted. She never stopped wanting Jenn but tried to cut that part of her out. And she wasn’t standing strong, she was just having anther enormous pity party. “I’m pathetic,” she thought to herself. “I’m such a waste of a person that I should find a hole and crawl in waiting to die.”

Trying to find a solution all she could think, if they started again, when would the next time be? Every time they were separated would she worry that Jenn was out having a sex romp? She knew that after last night, everything had changed. “I don’t know what to do. Sure, I love you and having you back would be the greatest thing ever. But, having you back would cause my brain to just worry until the next time you saw something you wanted. You have no control. You agreed that you were manipulating me so you could get what you want. I can’t live like that. I’m not a character in a short story who get used and manipulated and thrown out with the trash. ”

Jenn stood there. “You know you’re right and wrong at the same time. I would never do anything to break your heart or fuck up what we have. But how do the Cats do it? I get Zoe. She’s been in love with Bruno since forever. And sure, Tiffany was totally destroyed by Mr. Wrong last year and lived like a nun until Mike came into her life. But how can Lisa go from her doctor lover to Smith like changing a tire? I know she said that she and the doc had an understanding, but we’re supposed to believe that she’s engaged and totally going to spend her life with him? Does Smith wonder that sometime she’ll leave him, too? And Gina. She fucks whomever she wants anytime the mood strikes, but she’s in love with Grace. How’s that work? How does Grace take her back?”

Teri shook her head. “Okay, so the way I understand it with Grace and Gina. They both fuck around. They have an open relationship but each one knows the difference between sex and true love. I think Grace understands Gina well, but she’s just more discreet.”

“But how’s that different from your sister fucking some doctor exclusively and just dropping him for Smith. What if Grace or Gina find another person they like better? Where’s the true love then?”

Teri nodded. “You’re right. There’s no guarantees. I think the only guarantee is to remain by yourself and celibate. To survive the loneliness knowing the pain of heartbreak could never happen. We could be married and have kids and still end up getting divorced because we find someone new. There are no guarantees. Yeah, I know about what your dad did to your family. He totally played your mom and you and your sister, using you as pawns with no regard to love.”

“Honestly, Jenn. I don’t know the answer. Maybe we should both just do what we want and grow armor so we don’t get hurt. You see someone you want to fuck, you just go ahead.”

“Right. It’s not just me that screws up. You know, when you came home and told me about the Atlanta guy and how you got high with him and had orgasms when he held you and kissed you, I didn’t fucking scream or yell or play any games. I just tried to understand. And sure, sailor guy and Amos, when you were having rude thoughts, you were doped up. But admit that when you were high, you wanted all sorts of gooey experiences with them.”

“And I never fucking said one word. I just loved you more because you were being honest and loving with me. But you’re going back to Atlanta for the weekend and what if Atlanta guy was to approach you and say he read you were intersex but that didn’t matter cause he can’t stop thinking about him. Whatcha gonna do then? You gonna spread your legs and open your mouth to please him?”

Teri was steaming. “I wish I could slap your mouth closed, but can’t because you’re right. I also lusted for the sound engineer at the underground and was doing flip-flops over her. And the only reason I held back was because I was scared of myself.”

“I don’t know the answer. I just wish I could be all you need and want. I just wish I could keep you satisfied that you’d never want to leave me or think about anyone else. I just wish that you got excited over me cause I could get you excited just by looking at you. That’s a lot of wishes.”

“Deal, Rock Star. You have me whenever you want, anytime you want to make me scream. I want you to exhaust me so there will never be a next time. And if we lust, we need to share those feelings and not bottle them up. And maybe I need to go see someone. Maybe my dad issues need to be shared with a professional. Teri, honestly, I will do anything to keep you.”

Teri picked her up in his arms and kissed her.

Jenn was crying. “Oh, I love you so much and will be the best girl you could ever want. No trips, no games, no manipulating. I promise.”

Teri carried her through into the music room and stood her up on her feet. “I can’t be mean to you and have trouble being mad at you. But if you need a couple of hard smacks on the butt, you have to beg.” With that, Teri took an open hand and smacked her bottom, but not too hard but not too soft.

Jenn grabbed Teri’s hand and led her upstairs. As they walked into their room, she kissed her hard and whispered, “Now, it’s my turn.”

Dear Reader,

Wildcat Summer is available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Wildcat-Summer-Leslie-Moore-ebook/dp/...

There are many chapters to read in the sample

Leslie

As they stood on the darkened stage looking out and watching the crowd order drinks and talk, Lisa turned around speaking quietly. “So, this is our last night at the place where the Wildcats were born. So many years ago, Robert let us entertain our friends while we found our sound.”

Gina smiled. “Tiny little wildcats with no claws, meowing to be fed, barely having their eyes open. So cute and cuddly.”

Zoe said it straight out, “We need to show these fans how much we appreciate them and love this place. Ideas?”

Tiffany nodded. “Uh, rock it hard for forty-five minutes, no break.”

Zoe smiled. “Yeah. One solid cardio workout of rock. We play hard, telling our friends how much we love them. We intersperse our songs with the hits they always request during whiteboard sessions.”

Gina stood up at her drums. “Yep. Every tune has to be a rocker. We gotta blow them out of their shoes. No breaks, just flood them with music. Ride them hard and put them away wet. Some of you know what I’m saying.” They all turned and stared at Teri.

Once again, Teri felt like their junior. “You know I’m gonna tell my mom you’re all being mean. And she’s gonna call your moms, and you’ll all get punished. Maybe no sweet treats for a week, maybe a month ‘cause you’re all awful!”

Lisa laughed. “You know we all want a big send-off. Maybe this will be our tune-up for Atlanta. We need to sweat a little blood tonight.”

She looked all around. “Okay. So, the usual opener, and then we’ll let the guitars start each song to overlap what we’re finishing up like we used to do with You Really Got Me or Rock and Roll All Night. Tiff, you tell Zoe what you want to do, and I’ll scream it out to Teri. Let’s step back there once in a while and hear what Gina has to say while we’re playing.” Lisa was grinning. “Seriously, we don’t have to introduce ourselves, do we?”

Everyone chuckled.

When Robert walked up on stage to start the show, he smiled. “I adore my Cats. I really do. It’s been a big circle of love that’s reminded me that I need to continue giving local groups a chance to shine like I did with you guys long ago.”

Lisa smiled. “Long ago.” She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

Robert turned around, and a pin light lit him up. He was grinning from ear to ear. The Wildcats had brought national attention to the Rendezvous; every night, it was sold out. He yelled out like it was a cheer. “Hey, everybody! How about a big cheer for Allentown’s Own Wildcats!”

Gina was already pounding on her drums, and the rest of them were clapping overhead when the big lights found them all up on stage. Gina was in back wearing a silver spandex jumpsuit that was glittery and almost transparent. Zoe was in a corset top made of glittering emeralds. She showed a bare midriff and wore skintight black tights. Tiffany was a goddess in gold. She had on a tight top and tight mid-calf shiny pants. Her four-inch stilettos raised her up over six feet, and all the curls piled on her head only made her more majestic.

Lisa grabbed the mic from the stand and screamed. In her signature red short prom dress, no one could take their eyes off her.

Her sister Teri was in all black tonight. Her thin, shapely body was encased in a series of shiny, wide ribbons skillfully designed to cover the intimate parts of her body, leaving the rest exposed. She wore a pair of low-heeled boots.

When the women complimented her on her look, she shook her head. “Okay, so I promised Barbara from Jersey Girl that I’d try to be more daring and feminine. But this is all too much.”

As the audience didn’t know where to look, Zoe cut loose with an incredible guitar solo that the rock gods would have loved. When Tiffany started playing her bass, Teri started chording the melody. The whole place went wild when Lisa let out a banshee cry to start Run, Run, Gone.

As promised, they played non-stop until their break at 9:45. By the time Lisa yelled out, “Back in fifteen!” Everyone inside the building was breathing hard from dancing. The place went crazy, cheering on their favorite band.

As they all walked off stage and grabbed towels to dry off, Lisa called out, “We’ve got fifteen minutes before we go back on. What shall we do?”

Zoe laughed. “Hey, I don’t know. But I do know that the first set worked. Let’s continue to play hits and some of our stuff, too.”

Gina nodded. “We’ll never get the chance to be this loose again for a while.”

Tiffany frowned. “Oh, I disagree. We need to keep it exciting for us, too. Playing the same stuff each night on this tour will turn us into Zombies.”

Zoe looked at Teri. “Zombies! We should resurrect all the stuff we were going to give to EBR and try it out. That way, we can throw in any new stuff, too. Who knows. We might find time to write while we tour.”

As they opened the second set, Lisa stood at the mic. “We love you, Allentown, more than you can imagine. This is our hometown. Our parents still live here, where we made all our memories. Without you, we’d be nothing. She turned and nodded to Tiffany, who immediately started the bass line to Show Me Some Love.

Naturally, the crowd went wild while they performed a shortened version of their club hit. Everyone cheered when Tiff turned to Teri and spoke. “Oh, Teri. How beautiful you look tonight. Oh, Teri. How delicious you look tonight. I want to unwrap you and eat you alive!”

Teri realized Tiffany was calling her by her real name and had dropped the Tasha part. She thought for a minute and decided that it was perfect. She looked back at Tiffany and purred. “Oh, Tiffany. How beautiful you look tonight. I want to start at your feet and worship you all the way to the top of your head. You are a vision of beauty.”

As the crowd cheered, they all chanted along with Lisa as she said those words,

You can’t lose if you don’ try
If you don’t try, you can’t lose

You gotta give it a try
You gotta give it a shot

She kept repeating the lyrics as the crowd all danced and chanted along with her. The crowd whooped and hollered and screamed and yelled. As they were carrying on, Tiffany walked up to the center of the stage and began playing her bass with a reggae beat. This only meant that they’d be playing their radio hit, Summer Song. As they sang, the crowd sang along with them.

Then, they started all over again with non-stop rock and punk until the second set was finished. Lisa told them they’d return in fifteen minutes and to drink up.

When they reappeared for the last set, Teri came waddling out in her fluffy bunny outfit and grabbed the mic. The pink poodle played bass, the ginger cat was on drums, the red fox and the yellow chick were playing guitars.

They all did their mock heavy metal sound while Teri sung. Everyone sang along

Fur Face,
Fur Face,
Kiss your fuzzy fur face

Love my fluffy bunny slippers
Love my tiny chick
Sweet little puppy,
soft little fox
My cute poodle,
I think you rock

Fur Face,
Fur Face.
Kiss your fuzzy fur face

I love my soft white kitten
Love my pussy, too
Give you hugs,
Give you kisses
Bury my face into your fur

Fur Face,
Fur Face.
Kiss your fuzzy fur face

As Teri sang, everyone sang along. When she reached the line, ‘Bury my face into your fur,’ everyone screamed it out as one.

Then, the beautiful pink poodle slid her bass behind her back and did her rap.

In my arms I’ll squeeze you tightly.
You’re so small, and you’re real needy.
Tug my heart with all your cuteness,
Make me blush, I’ll hold and kiss you

Puppies, kitties, little sheepie.
Love ‘em cause they’re soft and cuddly.
Baby want you in my arms,
holding you and kissing me.
When you’re smiling, I love you more.
Give you kisses and bite your fur.
‘Cause teddy bears and little foxes aren’t
as cute as you can be

That night, when they walked off the stage, the crowd clapped and chanted Wildcats over and over again until the sound system came on, playing Wildcat music from the soundtrack they had recorded there for their first upload to the internet.

As they were packing up, Robert came up and hugged them all. “Best show ever. You sent everyone home smiling and singing their favorite Cat’s song. Our crew will pack you up and lock everything securely until Phil sends a crew for your stuff.”

Robert laughed and handed Lisa a manila envelope. “Here, for old times’ sake. And yes, everything you made this week is being donated, but this is from me. Not much, but it will pay for your dinner tonight. Oh, yeah. Did I mention that we’ve got a room reserved at The Spot for twelve-thirty? I talked the chef into doing something special for you guys tonight.”

Richard found them and grinned. “Now that’s the band I want to take to Atlanta. Your energy levels were so electric. Oh, yeah. The Flower Sisters are bringing their instruments and are ready to play on Saturday for your arena show. Rose said the girls were looking forward to the sound check in the afternoon.”

Lisa was nodding. “What band is going on first to warm up the crowd at our arena show?”

Richard smiled. “No one. You guys sold out twenty thousand seats. Everyone paid bucks to see you women play. Big crowd, lots of music. This should get you all tuned up for your tour while the Cats rock Atlanta.”

All of them were squeezing each other with excitement. “How long should we play on Saturday?”

Phil smiled. “A two-hour show will be okay, but if you can take a pause and come back to rock them for another thirty minutes or more, you will own them forever.”

Teri was nodding. “Easy. We can do that, especially having the Flowers with us. How about if we save them for that last part and play cool songs? We can easily fill two hours of our own stuff and then rock the night with some favorites. We need a big list at this point.”

Tiffany laughed. “For the second half, we return and open with Fur Face. And then we give them Bach, Sam Cooke, Aretha, and whatever we want!”

Lisa was clapping. “Should we end with our single?”

Phil smiled. “It’s singles now. Summer Song and Run, Run, Gone are both being pushed by Warner’s. I think they’re hoping we have five songs on the Billboard top ten before the summer is out.”

Gina laughed. “Okay. Will anyone tell us about this tour and where we’re going?”

Richard shrugged. “I wanted to see how the ticket sales were going in Atlanta first, but now that you have the confidence to headline a solo tour, it’s all up on your website. And yeah, you’ll have the option to include a warmup band before you come out each night while you’re on tour. We can support the young bands.”

Teri was already grabbing at her iPad. She pulled up their website and was looking at the dates. “So we go on the road June 15th and do show a couple of weekdays and weekends every month until the end of August.”

Richard leaned over and pointed out some gaps. “Uh-huh. In big cities, you play for two or three nights, and we also throw in some state fairs and festivals. We’ll do some of the smaller towns for one night and travel to the next place a day later. Bill Wiggins and Gimli have hammered this out. We even built in some three-day gaps for time outs from the road.”

Teri was counting, “Thirty performances.”

Richard smiled, “Right. You’ll each clear a million dollars after all the expenses. Wiggins is backing the tour so that everything will be paid for in advance. And we will hire more road crew, a wardrobe specialist, security, a massage specialist, and merchandise people. Everyone will tour with the band!”

Zoe thought for a minute. “I think we need a food truck and a chef.”

Lisa immediately thought of contacting Jessica Jade for security. “Can we invite Jessica?”

Richard smiled and nodded. “She’s already said yes.”

Teri was still looking at the list of stops. “This is pretty incredible. Will each show be as big as Atlanta?”

Phil smiled. “No. Atlanta-sized arenas are about the maximum you’ll see this time. They’re already putting together a second leg for September until Thanksgiving. It's the same deal: three-day breaks every two weeks to get you off the road. And you’re already booked to do the Christmas show on Saturday Night Live.”

“SNL!” She turned and looked at Zoe. “We need to start working on a Christmas Album!”

Zoe shook her head. “I’ll be heading into my third trimester around Thanksgiving. That will be interesting for my costumes.”

Tiffany nodded. “That’s great! Let everyone see that women have babies and still rock!”

Lisa shook her head in disbelief. “What? No Super Bowl Half-Time Show?”

Richard shrugged. “Warner’s is already talking about two years from now.”

Phil laughed. “Oh, yeah. And you’re going to play at this year’s Grammy Awards. Bill Wiggins says that you guys are up for several nominations. And your song from Chances might get nominated for Best Song at the Oscars.”

“Huh?” Lisa looked puzzled.

“Remember that song you wrote for Chances? The movie comes out on Thanksgiving Day. Teri penned that quick song, and all of you cobbled together. Well, you need to practice it because it will start getting airplay for their trailers in September.”

They all looked at each other. Finally, Gina said, “It was that James Bond sort of thing. I think we played it three times.”

“If that’s all we played it, I wonder if we could practice it and then rerecord it for their soundtrack?”

Phil nodded. “Yep. They’ll take whatever you send them. After all, it’s an exclusive Wildcats song that will only be available on the Chances soundtrack. Oh, yeah. Many of your songs are being remixed as club versions for their album.”

Tiffany laughed. “We’ve become a club dance band, after all. It’s Teri’s fault because she wanted us to record a club song for DJ Blank.”

Then Gina stuck her tongue out at Tiffany. “Yeah, Show Me Some Love, a totally stupid idea!”

“Yeah, nothing at all. Just the beginning of the Wildcats' rise to fame and fortune.” Gina smacked Tiffany on the bicep.

Teri raised her hand. She’d found it on her tablet. “Okay. So, here’s the song we did. It’s all here on the iPad.” She played chords on her guitar and sang the melody.

He was looking down and gasping
at the thin cable at his feet
The shiny wire stretched tightly
He knew it was a path that led him home

Taking a deep breath, he started placing one foot in front of the other
He thought that a wrong breath or blink would send him over the edge.
But there only was one direction to go

Once he started going forward
There was no turning back
There was no time to change his mind or room to turn around
Home was on his mind as he stepped out onto the wire

“It sounds okay. I like how it’s not about the movie but just about the universal need for humankind to go forward. I like that line, no turning back.” Zoe read it over and passed it along.

As Teri played the chords, she sang.

Tiffany gave her a hug. “Sounds good to me. Let’s keep working on it this week. We have the time to give them another recording.”

Lisa nodded. “What should we call it?”

Gina grinned. “A Leap of Faith.”

Teri nodded. “No Turning Back.”

They all cheered.

After packing up, they all walked out into the empty parking lot. They were quietly curious as their shuttle drove them to The Spot, the best restaurant in town. The big sign was dark. As they went through the front doors, everyone they knew was holding a glass of champagne. Teri spotted her mom standing with Conor, Bruno, Mike, Grace, and Jenn. She saw Phil and Richard talking to Robert. Everyone looked like they’d already started drinking as the server brought each a glass and offered trays of snacks, too. They all hugged and greeted each other at this after-hours surprise party. Lisa’s boyfriend Smith appeared from the back stepped up and gave her a hug.

Everyone was talking about the tour until Robert held up his glass. “Folks. This little celebration acknowledges our talented musicians who have put Allentown on the map. Here’s to the beginning of a new journey for our Cats. Finishing up tonight and generously donating all their money to Allentown charities really says a lot about our kids. We’ve watched them grow up and change. We’ve seen and heard an amazing band headed out to conquer the world. So raise your glasses high to The Wildcats!”

Everyone drank champagne and nibbled on little snacks until the doors to the private room opened. At each place setting was a beautiful salad with fruit and cheese. After that course, there was a tiny dish of sherbet to cleanse the palate and then a roasted fish dish with grilled potatoes and fresh green beans on the side.

After everyone finished, they moaned that they couldn’t eat another bite. Then out came a flourless chocolate torte covered in fresh raspberries. Naturally, there was homemade whipped cream and ice cream, too. When they were done, everyone thanked Robert for his generosity and kindness.

Laughing, Lisa handed over her envelope with Robert’s money to pay for the dinner.

Two shuttle buses were heading out, and the Wildcats and their lovers filled one bus. Their bus made a side trip to Bruno’s townhouse and then dropped all the sleepy Wildcats off at their house in the woods.

As Zoe was walking off the bus, she turned and yelled, “Sleep in kittens. No work tomorrow!”

Teri yelled out, “But we’ve got to make a new song for Chances this week!” She was overwhelmed with the loud boos she received from her best friends. “Okay, so maybe on Tuesday?”

Jenn and Teri climbed the steps to the top floor. As they were showering together, Jenn kissed Teri on her mouth. “I love you, Rock Star.”

The next day was Sunday, and Teri woke up early and headed to the music room. She was determined to turn that quick song into a dramatic one. She sat down at the synthesizer and pulled up the piano sliders. Looking over the lyrics, Teri trimmed and substituted new words. Her goal was to change it, add punch, and give the song a mysterious feel. She wanted to make it more universal and tightened it up

Looking down
at the thin cable
Stretched tight out in the night
The path to home

One foot in front of the other
A breath, a blink
Only one way to go

One foot in front of the other
A breath, a blink
Only one way to go

A deep breath
Stepping off
Never looking down
Just focusing ahead

One foot in front of the other
A breath, a blink
Only one way to go

One foot in front of the other
A breath, a blink
Only one way to go

Once you start
There’s no going back
No changing your mind
No turning around

One foot in front of the other
The only one way to go home

When she had finished the words, she tried to create a melody to accompany it. It wasn’t long before a sleepy-eyed girlfriend was sitting next to her. Teri looked over to see Jenn wrapped in their comforter. She still looked sleepy but quite content. “Sing it to me, Rock Star.”

Teri smiled and began to play. As she did, she realized that this song would fit perfectly into her quest to find something they could do on stage to replace Paint It Black and the Bach piece. As she played and sang, she could sense where Lisa would start to sing and how it could morph into a real heavy rock song.

She stopped and kissed Jenn hard on the mouth. She grabbed Teri’s head and hungrily kissed her back. She pointed to the sheet music. “Where’d that come from?”

Teri smiled. “This is the core of a new song for the movie Chances that we did a while back I hope the band likes it enough to keep working on it with me.”

Jenn moved to sit in her lap. She whispered in Teri’s ear. “Of course, they will because they love you and the song, too. But I have a serious problem, Rock Star. I need your help. I’ve lost all my clothes and don’t know what to do.”

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Part Two

Chapter Fourteen

“Here, take it.” Tiffany tried it pass a joint on to Zoe. She waved it off and Lisa reached around and took it.

Tiffany looked at her best friend. “Oh, that’s right. You’re not getting high, are you?”

Zoe grinned and drank from her water bottle. “Nope. Remember, I’m pregnant.”

Tiffany shook her head. “Sorry, I’m high and I forgot.”

Gina laughed. “You could use that excuse all the time. ‘Sorry, I’m high and I forgot. ‘Blown Away Barbie,’ weed and wine not included.”’

Tiffany shook her head. “Oh, fuck you, Miss High and Mighty. Just cause I’m not some scholar like you. I’d rather be me, all beautiful and caring. I’ll take me over you any day. You’re nothing but a little fat turd with nose hairs and chin whiskers.”

Gina laughed. “Have you been practicing that one as you stare at yourself in the mirror each morning? Do you have to say it out loud and then write it down just to correct it?”

Tiffany was turning red. “Hey, not everybody can just roll wise-assed stuff from their brain to their tongue. Some of us are poets and just want things to be perfect.”

“C’mon, Barbie. You gotta do better than that. Do you want some help insulting me?”

“And what would you say, Miss Perfect?”

“Well, maybe we could talk about my perfect figure and my beautiful hair. Or we could talk about my talents and skills.”

Tiffany paused, then shook her head. “Hey, those aren’t insults!”

“Oh, that’s right,” she mimicked. I forgot what we were doing ‘cause I’m too high!”

Tiffany looked around at everyone wiping tears from their eyes. Suddenly, she held her face in her hand, and said quietly. “You’re right. I am a stupid, no-good person, and Mike is going to find somebody perfect and leave me behind.” Then, she bent over at her waist and sat there crying silently to herself.

The other Wildcats looked at each other and frowned. Nobody wanted to hurt her, but it looked like that’s what they’d done. Gina stood up from her chaise and walked over. “I’m sorry, Tiff. I thought we were just having fun. I apologize for making fun of you. Please, don’t get upset.”

Tiffany sat up and stared at her. She had no tears on her face. Instead, she had a huge grin. “Upset? How could a pimple on my ass upset me? I just ignore anything you say to me, you toad!”

Realizing that Tiffany had gotten the upper hand over Gina made them all smile and break into applause.

Teri looked away from the scene Tif and Gina were creating and looked at Zoe. “Are you going to be alright being pregnant on this tour and everything?”

Zoe smiled. “Sure. I’m doing all the right things and I’m even sitting upwind from the smoke. I’m taking special vitamins, still running with you guys every day, and it’s all good. I see my doctor and she told me that I can do everything I’m doing now right up until I can’t do it anymore.”

Teri shook her head. “I mean, I can’t even tell you’re pregnant.”

Zoe stood up and moved close to her. She took Teri’s hands and guided them to her belly. “Feel my little baby bump. That’s my body preparing a nest so when the baby grows big, they’ll be room for it to fit.”

Teri shook her head. “That’s just so crazy. I’ve never been around a pregnant woman before. Is that why we’re having a trainer, a masseuse, and a food truck for the tour?”

Lisa laughed and shook her head. “The trainer knows first aid and was an EMT. She’d also a licensed masseuse. The food truck will shop daily and provide fresh, healthy meals for us and the crew. So those expenses will pay off when we don’t get sick or feel bad because of something we ate. It’s a win-win.”

Teri turned to Lisa who had been listening. “What will those things cost us, sis?”

Lisa patted the side of Teri’s face and smiled. “Don’t worry. It’s not going to take away from your million-dollar payoff.”

Tiffany looked at Zoe. “Speaking of payoffs, Zoe’s baby starts out life as a millionaire. Seriously, Zoe gets a million buck payoff from touring, Bruno already has millions of dollars, and Conor has millions and millions of dollars. This baby is going to be the Prince of the Wildcats.”

Zoe laughed. “Or maybe, the Princess of the Wildcats.”

They all watched Tiffany refill her glass of white wine from the ice bucket she had by her feet. Lisa smiled. “Before Tiffany becomes incoherent, can we talk about Atlanta and our song list?”

Everyone nodded and watched as Teri raised her hand. “Uh, I have an idea. Well, several, but one at a time, right?”

Gina laughed. “Okay, Mozart. No moans or groans. Spill the beans.”

Tiffany said, “Oh, I had that game when I was little. Or was it Monkeys in a Barrel?”

“Well, I was thinking since this is our night and we can take our time warming this crowd up. Right?” She waited until everyone nodded. They were all used to Teri ideas and looked forward to them. Without a doubt, young Teri had brought a huge amount of energy to the band.

“Well, I saw some old reels of Jimi Hendrix performing live. He’d start out with a blues song that would get everyone’s attention. Once he finished that, he’d roll into the good stuff.”

Gina smiled. “I see your logic. We open with “Two-Thirty Blues” and then go into “Run, Run, Gone!””

Lisa was smiling. “Sure. All these people will have watched or heard all our stuff by now and expect Run to be our opener. This way, they can watch our talented musicians play the blues before we take their heads off. Ya got my vote.”

Everybody was smiling.

Then they turned back to Teri to hear her speak.

“Since we already agreed to have the Flowers in the second half of the show, I think we should make it a real second half. Kinda take a break like an intermission and then come back to slowly wow them. You know, for the second half, we can open with Fur Face, and do our Bach piece integrated with Chances. Then, everybody will watch as the Flowers come out on stage to help us with Summer Song and the tag where Iris sings her church ref. After that, we can do the B-52’s, Aretha, and Sam Cooke all with horns.”

“I vote for Stevie Wonder and Sly.”

“How about Prince?”

Tiffany smiled. “I want to do more. Really just funk it up.”

“Yeah, those would all work. More time with the Flowers, more variety for the crowd. Where we going to stick “Show Me Some Love?””

Tiffany stood up. “We can close out the first set with it as we go to black.’

Lisa listened than said, “I think we should end the second set with it.”

Tiffany was grinning. “A voice can say, The Wildcats will be back after a brief intermission. This will give us time to regroup, get our furry suits out, and play Fur Face. And then we can introduce the Flowers.”

Gina smiled. “And you know they’re going to want an encore. Shall we save the B-52s and Aretha for our encore?”

Lisa was clapping. “I suggest that we write down all our songs on the tablet so that we have some things to call out and play. I do like the idea of the first set being ninety minutes and the second set another ninety minutes. We can get a feel for this on Saturday night in Atlanta and perfect it on our first stop.”

“Wow. That’s a pretty big workout. Three hours?”

Lisa nodded. “I know we can handle it. The nice thing is that we don’t have to hurry our songs, more time to solo.”

Tiffany looked up. “Where’s our first stop?”

Teri looked at their schedule. “At the beginning of June we are booked for two music festivals, one in New Jersey and another in New York. And then we’re in Chicago for three nights, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. After that, it looks like we make several one and two night shows a week until July. There’s a ton of festivals back-to-back we might want to play.”

Tiffany yelled out. “And we get a bus!”

After that, it was a quote-out contest from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation starting with, “Yep. That there is an RV. I borrowed it off a buddy of mine.”

“Why is the carpet so wet, Todd?”

“It’s a bit nipply out here.”

“Shitter’s full, Clark.”

“Snot’s just yakkin on a bone.”

“Save the neck for me, Clark!”

“Is Rusty still in the Navy?”

Later, Jenn found Teri asleep on the bed. She shook her and when she rolled over, her eyes were all bloodshot. “Hey, what’s up, Rock Star?”

Teri had to wipe the sleep from her eyes. After getting high, she’d gone upstairs to write some lyrics. “Oh, hi. We were celebrating finishing up the recording of Chances for the movie. You know, the band gets a few cents whenever they show the promo.”

“So you guys all got stoned?”

“Well, except for Zoe. She’s already getting into shape for the baby. But Tiffany killed a half bottle of wine, too.”

Jenn shook her head. “How does she get up in the morning?”

Teri grinned. “It’s the funniest thing how she still leads us running every morning. She might be hung over, but the whole time we run, she curses at Gina. And of course, Gina just laughs at her. They really are a pair. Did you know they were together for four years riding across country in the old van?”

“Is that the same old rust heap that’s parked out by the tool shed?”

“Yeah. They want to save it for an album cover.”

Jenn shook her head. “They should take the photos now and then put it out of its misery.” She smiled and looked Teri over. C’mon. I’ll take you out to dinner. You look homeless.”

As Teri cleaned up and got dressed, she still talked. “Well, we did find out we have a bus on some legs of our tour, especially when we’re playing music festivals. And our first big show stop is in Chicago for two of three nights. Richard says they always leave another day available if the tickets sell out quickly.”

Jenn nodded. “The Wildcats have become part of a big money making machine. You need to talk to Smith. EBR were chewed up and spit up.”

“Well, I think that’s what the women were all hoping would happen. But I don’t think that’s going to happen to us. I trust Bill Wiggins and Gimli.”

“Yep, I was looking at your schedule on your website. There’s a lot of places when I can come out and share a hotel with you for a couple days at a time.”

“Wait, Jenn. You’re not going to go everywhere with us?”

“Nope. It looks like it’s just the Wildcats. You know, besides playing at night, you’re going to be working a lot in the daytime.”

“Huh?”

“Interviews, public appearances, signings. And people are going to win tickets to go backstage before your shows and they’re going to have crowds sit in on your sound checks, too. You’ll be busy.”

Teri shrugged. “Yeah. I never thought about all of that. But we’re being well paid.”

“Yep. There’s that.” Jenn grabbed her hand and the two of them slipped out to get a healthy dinner.

Saturday night, Teri stood in the wings of the big stage. She’d watched five people climb ropes so they could work the overhead spotlights. Once they were twenty feet in the air, they pulled up their rope ladders behind them.

Zoe was watching with her. “Pretty cool, huh?”

Teri nodded. “We should add lines to Chances about singing high in the air.”

They both peeked out at the crowd. The arena was packed. She could see just walls of faces everywhere.

A group of people approached them. They were dressed in all black with a tag that said ‘stage.’

One of the women smiled and stuck out her hand. “Hi, I’m Lucy. Our jobs are to get you to your spot on stage. There are some big cables in the back out there, so we don’t want an accident.”

As they were picking up their instruments, Zoe reached over and gave Teri a hug. “Have a great time. Enjoy tonight. Make the most of it.”

Teri looked at Zoe and smiled. “So, tonight there are six Wildcats. Your baby is going on tour, too.”

When they walked out on stage, each musician was escorted out to their spot by a stagehand holding a small pocket flashlight with a red gel on it. Teri placed her free hand on the woman’s shoulder who led her out.

What she noticed immediately was the hum of thousands of people talking. It was a sound she’d never heard before. She strapped on her guitar and touched the strings. She heard the low thrum of her guitar resonating with her speakers. Teri had a single amp head resting on four more. They were all hooked up to three six-foot tall Marshall speakers. When they’d had a sound check that afternoon with the Flower Sisters, she was surprised how much power it took to properly drive those big speakers to their full capacity.

They’d spent ten minutes catching up with the Flower sisters. Lily, Rose, and Iris were the most talented brass musicians they knew and were happy to include them in the live part of the album they’d recorded at the French Town Festival in New Orleans.

Teri stood there watching everyone find their places out on the stage. After they were settled, Zoe started playing. When a single spot found Zoe, the audience all started cheering. All eyes were on Zoe who was playing a slow blues guitar solo. The clean sound of her playing held the crowd’s attention.

After sixteen bars, Gina began drumming, and then Tiffany came in with her bass. Now there were three spotlights showing each woman playing. Before long, the tall blonde looked back at Gina and like a well-oiled machine, they picked up the pace from a walking blues to something faster, a Chicago style. That’s when Teri came in. The spotlight found her using a glass slide on her left forefinger to add a different layer to the song. Now, for her, it was all about bending strings and playing under Zoe’s solo which hadn’t stopped.

A light appeared in the middle of the stage and found Lisa holding onto the mic stand, singing the lyrics to “2:30 Blues,” Teri’s ode to last period study hall. While that time slot gave all the jocks at Allentown High School a chance to get changed and get on their sports bus, the geeks and nerds were herded into afternoon study hall trying to amuse themselves without talking or violating the code of conduct.

Lisa started signing in a mournful deep throated Bessie Smith style. If you knew the words, you couldn’t help but chuckle.

Climbing up my butt and dragging on my heels
Holding me back
hearing brakes squeal

Slowing me down by weighing on my mind
Keeping me chained
and wasting my time

I’ve got the two-thirty blues, baby.
Can’t seem to shake them off my mind.
Those two-thirty blues, baby.
And I get them all the time.

Count those minutes down, honey
Because I can’t wait

The clocks seem to slow
I’m starting to faint
Watchin’ the minute hand come to a stop
Times moving slower now I just wanna drop

I’ve got the two-thirty blues, baby.
Can’t seem to shake them off my mind.
Those two-thirty blues, baby.
Well, I get them all the time.

As each guitar took a solo, the crowd was clapping along with the song as it continued to rock out.

But then, Gina started pounding her drums upping the sound from a lazy blues to something heavier. It was not even close the slower rhythm they’d be playing. As she took over everyone else stopped playing. The other four Wildcats all walked to the front of the stage, holding their hands over their heads, clapping along with Gina’s pounding.

Suddenly, Zoe turned up her guitar and ripped a hard rock solo that shredded her strings. Everybody came to their feet, screaming and applauding. Then, the whole arena joined in clapping together, one beat, one rhythm.

Tiffany started to play a bass line that sent the whole place cheering. No-one could take their eyes off the tall blonde skillfully taking their sound to a higher level

Until Teri who was still clapping, now swung her guitar around and started to make it moan. Everyone watched as the sound of the guitar matched the young woman and she continued to use her glass slide and hold the notes. After she’d reach a crescendo, she’d resume chording with her right arm swinging pendulum style.

At this point, Lisa came up to the mic and screamed so loudly that her sound cut through all the noise that the band was making. After everyone’s eyes were on her, she began singing the lyrics to “Run, Run, Gone!” until everyone was singing along.

When they got to the chorus, everybody in the band would scream out Run! They all encouraged the audience to join in and shout with them.

After they played the complete song, Zoe wowed them with another masterful solo that would usually bring the song to an end. Instead, as they were ready to wind down, Teri started the chording the music to Downward Spiral and the song began. From that point, the Wildcats played one song after another with no break for thirty minutes. They were keeping the crowd clapping and dancing to the amazing beats that Gina would lay down. Thirty minutes of singing and playing non-stop had turned their concert into a dance party.

When they finally stopped, Lisa walked to the front and yelled, “Hello Atlanta! How Y’all doin’ tonight!?”

This brought a roar from the audience who had not stopped clapping and dancing since they’d started playing.

Lisa waved and did a 360º twirl sending her red dress spinning around. “I’m Lisa. Over the years, we’ve played throughout the south, but when we played at The Underground, I fell in love. We had so much fun and were tempted to take a few of your beautiful men home with us. Unfortunately, the women lassoed them back before we could temp ‘em with our northern love.”

Everyone was smiling and laughing. “So, we’re back again looking to trap some handsome, broad-shouldered, strong jawed lover boys who can satisfy Tiffany’s needs. Oh, yeah, speaking about that, let me introduce you to the Wildcats. Sitting back there, looking beautiful in her blue skintight spandex is our drummer, Gina! Gina likes roller derby and wants a man who can check her hard enough to knock her off her feet. Right, Gina?”

Gina had heard this nonsense for the past four years and smiled and pounded her drums in response.

Then Lisa turned and smiled. “Oh. And let’s see. Over there looking tall and blonde and beautiful tonight is Tiffany in her gold! I warn you, boys. Tiffany likes a party. As a matter of fact, she is the party and always likes to have a few spare men on hand in case there’s a blowout.”

All the guys yell and clap while getting dirty looks from their dates.

Lisa pauses. “So don’t be surprised if you’re handed a Golden Ticket tonight from Tiffany. Our gal is wearing a golden jumpsuit and four-inch stilettos, but don’t be afraid. She’s not interested in your jump shot. Right?”

As the crowd roared their approval as Tiffany curtsied, Lisa pointed to Zoe. “Now, men. You’ve already watched our lead guitarist, Zoe performs. You’ll be warned to know that she’s as intense as her solos. Any guy that Zoe picks out tonight has to have a full physical before they can be cleared to meet and greet our Zoe, who is wearing a white tuxedo top and sparkly green tights. Isn’t she just a dream with her flaming red hair and a personality to match?”

At this point, Teri waked over and snatched the mic from her sister’s hand. As she held it high in the air, Lisa playfully tried to jump for it, but Teri was two inches taller. As Lisa gave up trying to get it back, Teri spoke. “Hi, Hotlanta! I’m Teri and I had to interrupt my talkative sister and tell you about that vision in red standing right next to me. Now, my sister, Lisa, is dressed for a party in her beautiful mini dress because she is all of that and more. And that’s really the problem we have to face every time we play. No one has ever, and I mean ever, been able to last a night with my big sister. Sure, you say, a pretty blonde who seems so nice, what could go wrong? Believe me when I tell you that Lisa is so powerful that she sucks the blood out of vampires. Every one of those walking dead know her portrait because she’s in every vampire post office throughout their world. Last warning, boys. Watch out for those fangs!”

As Teri went to put the mic back in the stand, Lisa stood there expressing anger. Teri pretended to ignore her sister and finally said, “And, oh yeah. I’m Teri, Lisa Nelson’s little sister. My mom says I’m too young to date, but what does she know, right?”

With that, Teri turned her guitar around and began the intro to Jimi Hendrix “Foxy Lady.” Her guitar roared as she played hard and loud. As she did, Tiffany started in on her bass. Pretty soon, Gina slammed down her drums and joined in on the power trio. Teri approached the mic and surprised the audience when she was able to sing as clearly and as well as Lisa. As she sang, “You know, you’re a cute little heartbreaker” she grabbed the mic stand and pointed it out into the audience as everyone sang back, “Foxy Lady.”

The trio played all the way through the song as Teri demonstrated that she could handle Jimi and rev it up. When it was done, everyone’s cheering was drowned out with Zoe’s intro to another Wildcat original, “Electric Cars.”

And that’s the way it went for another hour. They didn’t give the audience a chance to breath as their catchy beats and beautiful harmonies kept everything going. At ninety minutes, the Wildcats took a break. Lisa yelled out, “We’ll be back. Plenty of time to get another drink. See you in fifteen minutes.”

As they walked off the stage, any fears they had of having to fight to handle the big crowd were gone. When they all reached back stage, they stood together with a group hug. They were laughing and talking until Zoe said, “Bitches, we own this place! I’m going to need four men to help me carry my guitar back to my hotel!”

Teri knew they were all kidding around, but she was feeling confused. She had never been this high. She worried that she’d probably lose control on the first warm body that gave her a hug.

She immediately knew it was time to kiss Jenn, seriously hydrate, and find a candy bar.

Before she had a chance to look around, a blur wrapped Teri into her arms, hugging and kissing her. “Oh, Rock Star! You guys are incredible tonight. You’ve never sounded so tight and wonderful. Everything was perfect.

They both heard a deep voice laugh and call out. “You’re right, Jenn. Your girlfriend is a rock star.!”

Turning to look, they saw Gimli and Bill Wiggins standing there. There were smiles all around. Gimli laughed. “Now, Teri. Do have any more doubts about the Wildcats filling an arena?”

Teri carefully answered. “Well, I don’t have any doubts that you can fill an arena for the Wildcats.”

Bill Wiggins laughed. “Good answer, Teri. And that’s why Gimli is going to be the advance man for the rest of the summer. He’s going to make sure that everywhere you go will be sold out!”

By that time, the other Wildcats had come over with their lovers in tow. After introductions, Bill Wiggins spoke. “We are witnessing a phenomenon here. Two months ago, I bet my job that these ladies would become the next supergroup. Fortunately, I can still recognize talent before everyone else. And that’s why the Wildcats get the best treatment from Warner’s Records.”

To start the second half, the Wildcats came out on stage in their Furries outfits. The whole place rose to their feet screaming “Fur Face.” No one in the audience knew that their famous costumes had started as an inside joke with Barbara of Jersey Girls, their wardrobe outfitter.

Because everyone else was communicating well with their clothing designer, Tiffany started getting frustrated. All this guy wanted to do was keep dressing her in were furs and leather like Eskimo Barbie. She kept saying that she wasn’t from Sweden but from New Jersey. She needed something more, but unfortunately, her man wasn’t listening.

And when they were all eating together, Tiffany was sharing her grievances with Barbara. Her designer heard that and made some nasty remarks about Tiffany’s body not measuring up to his designs. Barbara fired him and Tiffany was given designers who would listen.

But when the group discovered Tiffany’s designer secretly had a furry fetish, that sealed the deal. They all decided to dress as furries for one show. Gina had always called Teri her hunny-bunny, so naturally she was dressed as a cute little rabbit with long ears and a big white cotton tail. Zoe opted for a red fox with a big tail to match her flaming red hair. Gina chose a white cat, but Tiffany insisted that she resemble Garfield and be a fat tabby. Lisa said she’d like to be a cute yellow chick and naturally Tiffany had to be a pink poodle because that’s all her original designer dressed her in was fur and pink.

Teri wrote a faux heavy metal song and Fur Face became a multi-million viewed reel on Instagram and TikTok. It was even played on the Today Show.

After singing their slightly R rated lyrics, Tiffany did her rap along with half the people in the audience. As they were finishing up, everyone was riding the “Fur Face” wave along with them.

After that, the stage went to black. It came back to a single spotlight revealing Teri playing the piano. It was the introduction to Bach’s Cello and Piano Suite. As she played, it was obvious she’d had lots of lessons in her youth. As everyone’s eyes were on Teri, Tiffany carried out her electric cello and sat down on a small stool. Once a second spotlight found her, no one could take their eyes from the majestic beauty with her legs wrapped around her twenty-first century instrument. The band humorously referred to this segment as the Revenge of the Blondes, which is what they called their strange showstopper. Common sense told all bands that you never stop the momentum by doing a ballad.

The audience grew quiet listening to every note that came from her cello. Teri and Tiffany dueled with the Bach piece as another spotlight found Lisa sitting on a stool between them. Teri and Tiffany switched from Bach to the introduction to their song, Chances. Lisa started to sing slowly and mournfully.

Looking down at the thin cable
Stretched tight out in the night
It was the path to home

One foot in front of the other
A breath, a blink
Only one way to go

One foot in front of the other
A breath, a blink
Only one way to go

A deep breath stepping off
Never looking down just focusing ahead

One foot in front of the other
A breath, a blink
Only one way to go

One foot in front of the other
A breath, a blink
Only one way to go

Once you start, there’s no going back
No changing your mind, no turning around

One foot in front of the other
The only one way to go home

As the music continued, Zoe started a Hendrix style feedback solo that built in intensity until Gina started pounding on her drums. Everyone was watching Zoe and never saw Tiffany leave her cello in its stand as she picked up her bass. Now, the Wildcats were playing an upbeat version of Chances with Teri on the synthesizer, Gina on the drums, and Tiffany on her bass, as Lisa ripped loose with a passionate delivery of the same song.

But as they were playing the song through again, each musician stopped until it was just Zoe noodling on her guitar. Then she stopped and the light went out. But Tiffany’s cello filled the arena. The spotlight went on and found her playing the end of the Suite as the crowd roared its approval.

A minute later the rest of the Wildcats appeared walking over to their amplifiers and speakers. As they did, three beautiful women mounted a riser behind Teri. Each one carried two horns. They all set one of their brass into a rack and readied themselves to play.

Everyone watched Gina as she counted off. Teri was at the Hammond organ and Lisa was center stage. Two of the Flower Sisters held a trumpet and a sax. The third sister, Iris, had her own microphone and was joining Lisa at center stage.

Everyone on stage began to stamp their feet, and clap their hands until the whole audience joined in. Each Wildcat began shouting, “Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey!”

As everyone clapped and yelled ‘Hey,’ Lisa began to sing, “Beat is gettin’ stronger.

Iris sang, “Music gettin’ longer, too,”

Then it was Teri’s turn, and she sang loudly, “Music is flashin’ me”

Everybody in the band yelled “Hey, hey, hey, hey!

Now Iris took the lead and sang,” I want to, I want to, I want to take you higher!”

Now, it was Teri’s turn as she sang, “I want to, I want to, I want to take you higher!”

Then Lisa sang out, “Baby, baby, baby, light my fire.”

All three vocalists sang, “I wanna take you higher!”

Then, the entire band sang, “Boom laka-laka-laka, Boom laka-laka-goon-ka boom.”

Then, they did it all again with the horns blasting, the slap bass making them all stamp their feet, and the guitar and organ giving them the melody. They all took turns singing Sly and The Family Stone’s hit, “I Want To Take You Higher.”

From there, they went right into the intro to Prince’s song, “Kiss” which included all the brass and musicians pumping up the beat. No one noticed that Tiff had handed off her bass to Zoe until Tiffany stood at her mic and in the prettiest voice sang, “Don’t have to be beautiful to turn me on!”

Since the audience had not seen Tiffany sing solo the crowd went wild. And it didn’t hurt that she was dancing the whole time. Everyone was mesmerized by her singing and dancing as she shouted out, “everybody sing with me!”

And everybody did, “You don’t have to rich to be my girl, you don’t have to be cool to rule my world,” finishing up with “I just want your extra time and your KISS!”

As they sang out the song, Tiffany stood at her mic and waved as the audience cheered.

As she waved, the band did the intro to “Pink Cadillac,” a song made famous by Aretha Franklin. While all three Flower sisters played their horns, Lisa had moved over to the Hammond organ. Zoe played the song on her guitar. while Teri covered the bass. Tiffany sang.

Everyone in the audience realized that each musician was able to play different instruments and sing without missing a beat. They were mesmerized.

As the song came to an end, the band started the intro to “Respect” and once again Tiffany sang the lead. As they finished the song, Tiffany went to get her bass back from Teri. But Teri smiled and wagged her finger, no. Then she started the play the bass intro to the B-52’s “Love Shack.”

As Tiffany sang the song with everyone’s help, she also did all the old dances that this song was a homage to. The crowd couldn’t get enough as Tiffany did the Frug, the Twist, the Swim, the Pony, and all the corny dances that had sprung up long ago. They were all singing along with the chorus and when the song was over, everyone gave Tiffany a standing ovation.

Tiffany acted like she just won Miss America as she paraded around throwing kisses to the crowd.

Lisa thanked them for their enthusiasm. “And now, we all want to do our version of Sam Cooke’s “A Change If Going To Come.””

As Lisa sang the slow ballad, the band played behind her.

I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh, and just like the river,
I’ve been running ever since.

It’s been a long, a long time comin’
But I know a change is gonna come.
Oh, yes it will.

In the middle of the song, Teri walked up to the front and start to play the melody with the traditional vibrato guitar as it was written into the song. As she played, everyone else in the band stopped and watched.

Teri went back and played the melody, then she’d riff on it. Then she played more of the song and riff on that. The third time, she didn’t stop her riff. Instead, she played a guitar solo that just floated away on its own.

It was a long solo that incorporated feedback, and the harpsichord sound you get when you play the fret board with all ten fingers. She used more feedback and layered her solo by using a loop machine that could repeat what she played. Before the audience realized what was happing, Teri had layers upon layers of guitar solos playing all at once.

As she played, her body seemed to be connected to her guitar. She swayed and bent and then stood up as tall as she could.

People would later say they heard so much in her solo. In Teri’s music they imaged hearing protestors marching, police sirens, dogs barking, and momma’s crying over their lost children. They’d say they heard a church choir and angels until finally they heard a thunderstorm and thousands of rain drops falling.

The audience seemed to be holding their breath during Teri’s solo and not a sound could be heard in the large arena.

When Teri returned to playing the vibrato guitar written for the song, Lisa finished singing it. The audience just stood there silently as Teri walked back to her spot on the stage.

Suddenly, the dams broke loose, and the entire place went wild. They’d never seen or heard anything like that before and would talk about it together after the show. But in the meantime, they all roared their approval, clapping and stamping their feet, crying out the words Teri, Teri, Teri! When one of the cameras on stage got a close-up of Teri, no one could miss the tears streaming from her smiling face on the large projector screens on each side of the stage.

Lisa let the applause go on for a while before she thanked everybody for their contribution as the best audience, they’d ever hand. “You guys are great, and we’d like to thank you by playing a song they’re playing on the radio, “Summer Song.”

Everyone watched Tiffany come out and play the island style reggae bass that was the signature of this song. Soon, everyone had started to play the song. Lisa was playing Teri’s guitar, while she sat at the Hammond organ. When they band started singing the words, the whole audience joined in, while swaying the beat.

As Summer Song was about to end, Teri started playing a church choir organ and Zoe started banging out a counter melody on their piano. As they did, all the voices on the stage joined in singing the last verse of “Summer Song” turning into a church revival. It was like they’d found the happiness at the beach and went straight to heaven.

This was not on the record and was just a free form version that they’d cobbled up for fun. As they were applauding, Tiffany started playing a familiar bass line if you knew the Wildcats songs. As she played, all the rest of the band played the hypnotic rhythm, Tiffany crooned out, “Oh, Teri, you look so beautiful tonight. Oh, Teri, you sang so beautifully tonight. Oh, Teri. I want to hold you tonight.”

As the crowd cheered, Teri went up to her mic and looked at Tiffany. All she did was breath out and back slowly like she was making a pornographic phone call. Finally, she started saying “Oh, Tiffany. Oh, Tiffany” as the crowd started to cheer.

When Lisa chanted the lyrics to Show Me Some Love, everyone chanted along. When she raised her voice, everyone raised their voices, too. When the lyrics changed, everyone followed along.

As they reached the psychedelic portion of the song, both Teri and Zoe went out on their own tangent using feedback to move the song along.

Finally, they came back to Lisa chanting, repeatedly. As the neared the end, she yelled out, “You know what to do! Atlanta show us some love!”

And with that, the audience stood up and cheered. When it was over, everyone was gasping for air. Twenty-thousand people had never had this much fun together. The Wildcats left a big impression that night.

As they walked off the stage waving and blowing kisses to the twenty thousand people who’d been listening for over two hours, they gave a lot of love to the Flower Sisters. Everyone was telling the sisters they had to think about giving up their real lives and coming on tour with them. Tiffany even offered to get them their own bus.

When it was all over, Teri was sitting on an empty couch staring off into space. She had used several towels to dry herself off and loose the stage makeup. Now, all she wore was a little mascara. As she sat there, she felt a familiar body sit next to her to her. She turned and there was the love of life. She reached out and pulled Jenn in close to her body.

As she did, Jenn laughed. “Oh, you are soaking wet. You sweated through all your clothes tonight.”

Teri laughed. “Uh-huh. We gave it all we had. It was a milestone for us.”

Jenn whispered in her ear. “Rock Star, how much did you make tonight?”

Teri shrugged, “I don’t know. Maybe like seventy to a hundred thousand.”

“Just you?”

Teri nodded. She was thinking about how last winter she was struggling to find enough money for college tuition.

As Richard called them all together, he announced that there were coach buses out back to take them all to dinner. “We’ll be leaving in a few minutes.”

As they all stood up, Teri looked at Jenn. “Remind me to take a clean set of clothes for after the show. And lots of towels.”

Jenn smiled and saluted. “Aye, aye, my captain.

No one did anything on Sunday afternoon after they returned to Allentown. As their energy came back, Richard sought everyone out on Monday. “Okay. So, congratulations on a great Saturday night. We’ve collected all the reviews from the local music critics and printed them out for your scrapbook. A year from now, you’re going to look back and smile when you realized that our Atlanta concert raised the band up to the big show.”

He smiled as he got out a list on his iPad. “Here’s what’s coming up. Barbara wants to get the Cats down into Philly for a summer wardrobe design meet-up. She wants to make sure you’re always wearing Jersey Girl on and off the stage. She said they’d be bringing in a new wardrobe for each musician every week from now until the end of the summer. They’ll collect the laundry and see that everything gets cleaned and mended before it gets back to the tour.”

Lisa laughed. “She’s trying to stay on our good side because we renegotiate her contract in August. She knows she’s going to pay bigger bucks to outfit all of us.”

Teri laughed. “Heck. She even wants Jenn to come in and get her own designer, too. She said that would be a gift to us.”

Richard laughed. “Speaking of sponsors, Glow wants us in New York for a day. So that might have to be sooner than later since Gimli is booking music festivals for the band. Festivals are simple. We fly to an airport, bus in to the festival, do 60-to-90-minute show, then bus out. Wiggins is high on those because of the exposure for your new album. I assured him that all the songs from the album will be played at each show.”

Gina laughed. “That’s easy because we don’t have any more songs to play until Teri and Zoe write us some new ones.”

“Well, we did “Chances” this week and we were successful tying that into the Revenge Of The Blondes.”

Lisa looked around. “Well, folks. It looks like tour is officially starting.

Dear Reader,

Wildcat Summer is available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Wildcat-Summer-Leslie-Moore-ebook/dp/...

There are many chapters to read in the sample

Leslie

Dear Reader,

Wildcat Summer is available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Wildcat-Summer-Leslie-Moore-ebook/dp/...

There are many chapters to read in the sample

Leslie

Teri had promised the Cats that she would hang up the garment bags from Jersey Girl and look through them. She wanted to ignore her promise and move on with the important things, but finally figured, ‘What could it hurt?’ And truthfully, she could look at the women in their eyes and nod.

Teri looked at the bags she had brought and hung up in the closet. There were two sets of garment bags, the ones that Phil had packed in the box truck and the new ones. Barbara had sent up complete outfits for them when they added two shows, Sunday and Monday. They were in a theater in Greenwich Village. She hummed as she peeked inside all the new bags. She was hoping that they would contain street clothes. She didn’t have clean underwear to go the extra days. Teri knew that she sweated through her stage outfits each night, and they were too fancy to wear around, especially when they were wrinkly and had sweat stains on them. And honestly, she had to admit that they smelled.

Teri realized that her nose had changed. Maybe a while back, Terry always smelled sweaty. Of course, it would be impossible to ignore now. She tried hard to make herself presentable all the time. She ignored the words she would have used back when her mental state was different as a guy.

They’d been expecting to return to Allentown before they did more shows, and Teri hadn’t thought about clean underwear and regular clothes. As she opened the bags, she was looking for tee shirts, yoga pants, or capris. She needed clean panties and bras, too. She quickly searched for the new stuff and found a whole garment bag full of everyday clothes. Hanging in one big bag were small bags containing shoes, underwear, tops, and pants. They had even thrown in shorts.

She was elated. The colors were great, nothing flashy or attention-seeking. Teri liked to walk around in public without drawing any attention to herself. As she unpacked, she was pleased to find comfortable clothes she’d wear daily. With that in mind, she decided to get a shower.

Just as she was undressing, Jenn brought two garment bags from Jersey Girl. She grinted. “This is great. Barbara sent up two bags just for me. I’ve got outfits for the daytime and a few dressy things, too!”

Teri smiled and stopped undressing. “Underwear? Shoes?”

Jenn grinned and held up several small bags. “Yep! And everything is pretty with beautiful colors. I’m excited.”

Teri wrapped her in her arms. “I’m glad you’ll be with me for a few days instead of disappearing like you do when we’re home.”

“You know I’m not running away from you. But you really do spend most of your time withdrawn in your head. You’re thinking about songs that you’re writing or arrangements for the band. And when you are tuned into me, it’s great. It’s just that I want a life, too. I don’t want to wait around all day until you notice me and then come alive.”

“What do you do when you’re alone?”

“I read, I study for my college boards and the extra tests I can take to skip undergrad classes, I like to exercise, and I like to just have some time for myself.”

“You can do all of that in the band house. We have our own bedroom, and the whole third floor is ours. It’s yours, too.”

“I know. But I’m afraid I will get on your nerves or become just a fixture or a plant in your room that you occasionally remember to water. I still want to be special. I like it when you surprise me and do special things to show me how much you love me.”

Teri looked at her and felt the tears already forming in her eyes. One thing she did hate about all that estrogen was that it made her weepy. “I don’t want you to feel unnoticed. I loved you too dearly to have you feel any pain at all. You’re important to me. You’re not a houseplant. You are oxygen. I breathe you and need you and can’t live without you. Believe me, please.”

Jenn kissed her hard. She ran her hands along Teri’s back and down her spine. “Okay. I understand and really need to hear that occasionally. And I need a shower. I’ve been outside all afternoon in the sun and feel sticky. Will you get a shower with me and wash my back?”

Teri didn’t need another invitation and quickly finished undressing. Their shower was amazing, with a rainfall head from the ceiling and a conventional head on the wall with a wand attachment. Teri liked that each had its own controls. Sometimes, rainfall heads got soap in her eyes while washing her hair, but they were fun to stand under and feel the water engulf her.

Jenn kept stroking her with a soft washcloth as they played around in the water. Teri kept grabbing her and squeezing her arms because Jenn was making her flustered and feeling dizzy with excitement. Finally, Teri found herself on her knees, pleasing Jenn in an all-out battle of orgasms.

They mutually agreed that it was a tie. Drying off with big fluffy Egyptian cotton towels, Jenn smiled. “Can I style your hair?”

Teri looked at her strangely. “For now, or for the show tonight?”

“Both. I want to braid your hair and extensions on your head. I want to try some cool things to see how it looks.”

Teri shrugged. She’d never braided her hair on her own but remembered that GLOW had done some fancy things to her hair. She hated it because it looked like she was dressed so girly, like she was going to a wedding. And she had no interest in trying it independently because it always seemed like a lot of work. But after talking this afternoon, she knew she needed to spend more time with her girlfriend. “Sure. And I can watch you and learn how to do it, too.”

Jenn offered, “If we braid your hair when it’s still damp, we can use some spray to lock it into place. And if you don’t like it, taking it out will create interesting waves and curls.”

Teri shrugged. “Let me get some clothes on first. I want my butt covered before I sit on hotel furniture.”

Jenn smiled. “Smart enough.”

Teri pulled out a matching set of clean panties and a bra. These days, she filled out more than an A cup but felt incomplete when she wore a B. So, she put on the A and laughed when she saw how much cleavage she had. The guys would describe it as bootylicious.

She sat down in front of a dressing table mirror after throwing on a top and yoga pants. She watched what Jenn was doing. She narrated her plan as she started pulling her hair in different directions.

Teri watched. It looked like Jenn was forming pigtails, but then she wrapped them around her head and finished in a low bun on the back of her neck.

Teri studied herself in the mirror. She looked very elegant and understated but still wedding-like. But she hated to admit how sexy she looked. “It’s great, only prettier like Princess Leia from Star Wars. But it really is very girly, almost too fancy for me.”

Jenn laughed. “Open your mind, girl, and step away from doing the same old thing all the time. In your own eyes, that old look is growing stale even in your eyes. A hairstyle is supposed to make you feel special. Focusing on your long neck and elegant profile is easy when your hair is off your face. You really are beautiful.”

Teri knew she was becoming anxious listening to Jenn talk like that. She liked being a wallflower and just disappearing in the background. In her mind, she never wanted to take attention away from the band. Those women worked so hard; this deal meant so much to them. She didn’t want to steal the lights shining on them. She shook her head. “That’s hard for me to accept. I hear what you’re talking about, but I don’t want to be sexy like the Wildcats are. I like to be standing in the shadows.”

“Oh, baby. Let it go and enjoy your beauty.”

Teri stared. She sighed, and rather than fight Jenn’s and all the time she’d spent working on her hair, Teri turned and kissed her. “You’re right. You’ve given me a completely new look. I just hope I don’t stand on anybody’s toes. I don’t want to steal anything from the women who worked hard to make this possible. It’s their time to shine.”

Jenn kissed her neck and ran her hands along her chest. “Good. Now, let’s find you something pretty to wear.”

Teri freaked over what Jenn wanted her to wear. It was a tailored jumpsuit that she’d wear on stage. Dark and way too tight, showing off her boobs and cleavage and wrapping around her thin waist and girlish hips and butt. And even with high tops on, the tight pants accented her legs.

And Jenn wanted her to step out into public dressed that way.

Teri sighed and looked it over. “I don’t know. That’s awfully eye-catching. I’m not looking to get anyone’s attention. It’s kinda scary to look too girlish. That’s not me.”

Jenn laughed. “I love the fact that you’re girly. I love that you are beautiful. It makes me feel good that you want to be with me. And you need to take a deep breath and just accept it.”

Teri shook her head. “I’m not sure I can do that. It’s kind of frightening.”

Jenn hugged her tightly. “Honey, I don’t want to crush your male ego, but you never came off as macho. It was just not you. I would hate to see you try to be someone you aren’t and feel like a failure. You’re not a guy dressing up like a girl. C’mon, you know that you were never a guy, right?”

Teri shook her head and couldn’t help but glance in the mirror as she held up the jumpsuit before her. It was beautiful, but…. “You know, in my mind, I was a guy. Maybe I imagined myself that way, but I’m having trouble imagining myself as a girl. I can do it, but I just want to disappear alone.”

Jenn smacked her hard on the bicep. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. You’re a broken record, and you’re selfishly playing that song. How about me? How long do I have to put up with your negative attitude?”

“Huh?” Teri was shocked at the way she was talking.

“Stop the needy behavior around me. I may like my space because sometimes you use up all the oxygen, complaining repeatedly. You make it sound like it’s a death sentence.”

“But….”

“C’mon, lover. Face it. You never had enough testosterone in your system to get an erection, let alone grow big muscles. And that’s not who I love. I have no complaints about you pleasing me. I honestly am not jealous of anyone else’s boyfriend. I don’t look at guys and wonder what it would be like.”

Teri was confused. “What does ‘what it would be like’ mean?”

Jenn blushed. “Well, you know. I don’t want some muscle-bound guy thinking he can impress me by fucking me to death. I don’t want that. I want you. I have always loved you and everything you are. Our lovemaking sends me to the moon and back.”

Teri listened and hoped everything would last forever. She decided to make a concerted effort to make sure she paid attention to Jenn every day and did something meaningful to show how much she meant to her. She considered her the most important thing in her life and knew that without Jenn, she wouldn’t be able to keep up with the flow.

“Okay. I hear you and love you. I am going to try to be just that. Just remember to kick me in the butt when I forget.”

Jenn laughed and hugged her.

After getting dressed, they wanted to go for a walk in the Village. As they walked out into their shared great room, all the rest of the Wildcats were waiting. Richard smiled, “Well, everyone’s here. Let’s walk to dinner, and then we can walk around and return to the hotel. We will still have time to change and sound check before you play.”

As Teri walked out of their doorway, Zoe immediately grabbed her arm. “Okay, so I love the hair and the outfit. I am so glad that you respect and listen to Jenn. You look good.”

Teri wanted to roll her eyes but instead smiled and said, “Thank you.”

After they ate dinner, they went out for a walk. Naturally, they all talked about playing at the festival that day.

Gina nodded. “I like Teri’s idea to make the next festival a total shoot-the-moon show.”

Tiffany turned and smiled. “We don’t play many daytime shows. The only ones I can remember are the rooftop shows we did in Allentown.”

Lisa nodded, “But don’t forget the Saturday afternoon hour that we did in New Orleans.”

Zoe clapped. “Right. We played every song we liked. It was our tribute to New Orleans and the South. That was fun. We were real show-offs.”

Teri agreed. ‘It still feels strange to get all set up and play an hour in the afternoon.”

Lisa laughed. “But would it have felt stranger to play an entire show as the featured act at one of these festivals? That would all be at night.”

Teri stopped and thought for a minute. She turned to Richard. “Are we going to be the featured act at any of these festivals?”

Richard laughed. “Yes, you will. By the time you are tired of playing festivals, there are two at the beginning of August where you’ll be the top bill. Festivals usually have two names to promote and sell tickets. One plays on Friday night, and the other on Saturday night. You’re the headliner for Friday night. You can do a whole show since you’re last to go on.”

Phil laughed. “And eventually, as your fame spreads, they’ll offer you the Saturday nights, too. Give it a month. They’ll be playing three Wildcat hits on the radio.”

Lisa ticked them off. “Right! Run, Run, Gone,” “Summer Song,” and “Show Me Some Love.”

Richard smiled. “Right. If they are all on the Billboard Top Twenty-Five most downloaded songs, then we have truly arrived, and Warner’s will shower you with lots of attention.”

Zoe agreed. “When we get there, we need to sustain the attention by releasing more songs as singles. The real test is to see if we’re still popular enough to sell our Christmas album.”

Teri looked curiously. “Do we have Christmas songs?”

Zoe smiled at Teri and grabbed her hand. “We have to write a few, hoping they’ll become classics, and rearrange a few standards to add in there, too.”

Teri shook her head. “We’d still be short another ten songs.”

Zoe laughed. “How about our vampire song we wrote for Eaten? We could call it a bloody, red Christmas.”

Teri looked like she’d been hit between the eyes. “A Vampire song? You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that dark side of you. Are you a secret Goth girl? That sounds awfully black.”

Gina grinned. “Drops of red blood in the pure white snow could be the cover.”

“I thought you would use your old truck for the album cover.” Jenn was as surprised as Teri to hear about a Christmas album.

“That could work as a Christmas cover if it snowed. It’s all ready to go. We parked the old van back against the barn. Mike told me where to park it so he could shoot it in perfect natural light. Of course, he’ll use three lights to take out the shadows.”

Gina looked amazed. “How do you know about that stuff?”

Tiffany grinned. “Hmm. How do you think I’ve learned? I ask questions about what he does all the time. After all, this is not my first boyfriend.”

Teri smiled. “He’s been really good to you.”

Tiffany laughed. “I think I’m growing up and figuring it out. Mike is amazing and the best thing that’s come my way. I want to keep him. So I am trying to get to know him and what he does.”

Teri immediately thought about Jenn and realized that she needed to start taking an interest in what Jenn was doing daily while she was a musician. The hardest part was reminding herself that not everyone thought music was the greatest thing ever.”

They ate at a seafood house that boasted fresh lobsters and shrimp from New England. Teri was having fun eating a lobster roll and a big green salad. “I’m impressed that all this good food is available in this huge city. I looked at the prices and didn’t think they were too crazy.”

Phil leaned over and smiled. “It's a well-kept secret. Restaurants around here must stay competitive, or they lose their customers.”

Walking to the theater, they saw Wildcats in big letters on the marquee. Under that, it said All Week.

“Uh, Richard. All week?”

Richard was grinning. “Yeah. They sold out so quickly that Gimli and Bill agreed to change it a little. You don’t mind, do you?”

Lisa shook her head. “I want to be involved with some of those discussions, too. No, we enjoy playing, but we are not wind-up dolls.”

Richard nodded and spread out his hands in apology. “You are one hundred percent right. They tape the Tonight Show at five o’cock. Would you have time to fit it in, too?”

They were all laughing at the thought of another appearance on the Tonight Show. Lisa shrugged and shook her head. “Sure. But you and I need to sit down and discuss where we’ll be for the rest of the month tomorrow. No talks without including us.”

The rest of the Cats were patting Lisa on the back and laughing.

“Atta girl, General. You tell ‘em.”

Teri was surprised that the stage was big and the lighting was great. As she plugged and played, she realized that the acoustics were also first-rate.

Zoe came over to fill her in. “This theater has been here since they showed silent movies and Vaudeville. They’ve had a lot of time to fine-tune it.” She pointed overhead. All those murals and fancy stuff are original. The Historical Society likes it being used as a theater now. You cannot often find great places like this that seat three thousand people.”

Teri continued to strum and heard Alan talking into her earpiece.

“Can you all hear me?”

Five Wildcats were all saying yes.

“I’m all the way in the back and am watching you on monitors. But finish tuning up and start playing. I’ll be adjusting your levels as you go.”

After a short sound check, they all gathered at the center of the stage to discuss their song list.

“Two sixty-minute sets and a thirty-minute encore.”

They were all nodding. Zoe also reminded them that they needed to play their whole record and emphasize the three singles. “We’ll have time for Fur Face and the attack of the blondes. Barbara already made seven outfits for us, so we can wear them each night without worrying they’d get dirty.”

Gina laughed. “I was so tired of Febreze spray and sweat last year.”

“We’re union now after our movie stint in the Carolinas with Chances. Union regulations require us to have clean clothes every time we play. Barbara knows it, and they deliver everything we need to our hotel. And since Richard signed us up for the whole week, Jersey Girl is hustling to keep up.”

Tiffany shook her head. “I don’t get it. It sounds like we’re playing catch-up, taking a full week here, and running to a festival. I mean, what gives? I thought this was all being organized.”

Richard smiled. “Tiff, you are not far off at all. Right now, it is catch as catch can because we’re booking the big stuff first and filling in the little stuff like here. They saw how the ticket sales went and asked if we wanted to stay another week. You’ll have Tuesday night off and play Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Tuesday night at five, you're back on the Tonight Show. I hate to remind you that it’s really great money. They’ll collect about two million dollars at the gate to see you; for New York, that’s a bargain. We’ll get half of that.”

Tiffany looked shocked. “A million bucks for a week’s work. Jeez.”

“That’s not all yours. You’ve got a payroll, expenses, and everything. Remember, Phil and I are paid members of this traveling circus. After this, you’ll pick up our chef, his food truck, and our on-the-road laundry and wardrobe service. Since you’re only a couple hours from Barbara and Jersey Girl, they are getting a feel for what to do.”

Tiff looked curious. “What do we get?”

Richard shrugged. “We still have to figure it all out. But you should make a hundred thousand weekly, give or take.”

The Wildcats stood there quietly. Lisa was the first to speak. “So a ten-week tour and we each see a million dollars?”

Richard smiled. “Well, once we’re on the road, your money increases because our costs stabilize. If we were to run this tour to Thanksgiving and stop because we wouldn’t want to cause undue stress on Zoe and her baby, you’d see a lot more. And that’s what we’re looking at.”

Teri reminded them, “We have a big commitment over Labor Day weekend in California. We’re supposed to be running her big fundraiser.”

Gina raised her hand. “Have we heard from them?”

Lisa smiled. “Richard is handling it right now.”

They all turned and looked at Richard. “Right. Well, they have the Hollywood Bowl and a big TV network. They’ve started getting the word out, and I was told that they have one whole day filled with groups and individuals who want to participate.” He turned to Teri. “Have you got sheet music for these acts yet?”

Teri nodded. “Yep. If they didn’t send sheet music, I am transcribing it for the Cats to read. We play the backup band, and we entertain between acts. We’re like the Roots do for Fallon and the Tonight Show. We won’t need much rehearsal.”

Tiffany nodded. “Will I be able to wear cute headphones while we’re playing the house band?”

That night, they went on at nine. Lisa said they’d be wrapped up by midnight, so it wasn’t a big deal.

As they stood backstage, Tiffany whispered, “Uh-huh. We’re getting a hundred thousand for this week, and it was a big deal to earn twenty-five at the Rendezvous.”

“Hey, that was Tasha’s first paycheck! And that was the most money I’d ever made.” Teri could only grin.

“Now we are in the biz.”

Gina started them off by pounding on her drums, and they all came out holding their hands over their heads and clapping. When they appeared, everyone came to their feet and started cheering, yelling, and clapping along with them.

As Zoe lit into Run, Run, Gone with her blazing guitar solo, they all looked at each other and grinned. Teri started giggling. She leaned into Lisa and smiled. “You know, I’d do this for free.”

Dear Reader,

Wildcat Summer is available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Wildcat-Summer-Leslie-Moore-ebook/dp/...

There are many chapters to read in the sample

Leslie

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay?”
 
“I would love to stay and hang out with you every minute of every day until as Tiffany so aptly puts it, “I become a pimple on your ass.”
 
“C’mon, Jenn. It’s never been that way and besides you have a beautiful ass.”
 
“No Rock Star. I don’t want to become a pimple on your ass.”
 
“Your ass, my ass. It’s not a negative that you want to stay with me. It’s a bus ride to Massachusetts and then we fly to Detroit.”
 
“I saw the schedule, honey. But after the band finishes up playing in Detroit, I’ll be waiting for you in Chicago. It’ll give me a chance to reunite with my sister and my mom. I’ll be waiting.”
 
Teri heard Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time and the lyric, “I will be waiting…” All she could do was smile. “I will miss you.”
 
“Oh, I know you will. And I will miss you. But it’s time for you to get your head into the tour. You’ve got arrangements to make, songs to write with Zoe, and you’ve got to start thinking about Ellen’s big fund raiser.”
 
Teri thought about what Jenn was saying. She was right, but it still worried her that Jenn will forget about her and find somebody new. “I don’t know. For some reason, I’m having a hard time thinking about you not being here with me.”
 
Jenn smacked her on the bicep. “And that’s why it’s a good thing. We need some separation to be able to step back and have some perspective on our relationship.”
 
Teri felt a chill run down her spine. “Separation? Are you saying goodbye?”
 
“No. Not at all. You’re my true love and I’ll miss you just as much as you miss me. But we need some air, some oxygen in the room. Just think about all the cool things you’ll be able to share with me each time you call. And we’ll have a romantic reunion in Chicago.”
 
Teri wanted to protest but figured that if Jenn missed her as much as she’d miss her, well, so be it. Teri shrugged, leaned over, and swept her up in her arms. “I’m filing a formal complaint protesting this declaration of yours. I’m taking this up with my lawyer”
 
Jenn giggled. “I think that’s why I love you so much. You make me laugh and you are my baby.”
 
Teri nuzzled her neck and bit gently.
 
 
They all had the day off on Sunday and wouldn’t be traveling up to Massachusetts until checkout on Monday morning. Mike and Bruno showed up on Saturday night to watch the show and spend some time with their girls.
 
Teri watched as Tiffany was busy going on and on giving Bruno instructions on how to be the greatest dad ever. Mike was trying to peel her away from poor Bruno and give them some time together. He just wanted to spend more time with Tiff. Finally, he simply swept her up in his arms and held her while he kissed her on the lips.
 
Tiffany returned the kiss and laughed. “Oh, who are you again? Those lips are familiar. She clung to his neck as they walked away together. She turned around and called out to Zoe and Bruno left watching Mike carry her away. “Hey. Don’t forget my advice!”
 
Teri and Jenn watched the carrying on as she whispered in her ear. “See, Rock Star. See how much they miss each other. Your summer tour is only going to make us love each other more. Remember, I wasn’t with you in Atlanta or in the Carolinas on your movie set and that didn’t hurt our relationship.”
 
Teri felt shivers in her body. She didn’t want to mention that’s when she got high and made out with John in Atlanta. Or how she had a big, dangerous crush on Frankie where the Cats had to bail her out from total panic.
 
Instead, Teri just nodded and held Jenn tightly. “Let’s go have a day together in New York. We can be tourists and visit the Statue of Liberty and take a boat tour around the island.”
 
Jenn nodded. “That’s the spirit! I’ll mention to Phil where we’re going to go.”
 
After hearing their plans, Phil hesitated, and then shrugged. “I really want to send Jessica and Mac with you. But, if you’re going out on your own, you have to promise me to check in every hour and drop a pin where you are.”
 
Teri nodded. “Sure. Give me your phone and I can sync us up together, so you know where my phone is at all times.”
 
Phil nodded. “Okay, so I know this is going to sound paranoid, but I have these Air Tags from Apple and I want you to pin one inside your clothes so I can track you.”
 
Teri and Jenn laughed. Jenn patted Phil on the back. “Oh, mommy. We’re not going to get lost. But if it will make you feel better, sure. We can used safety pins on our underwear.”
 
Phil smiled. “I bought two dozen of them. No one is ever going to get lost again. Well, and no luggage is ever going to be forgotten or disappear either.”
 
After saying goodbye to the others, Jenn and Teri walked around the Village and then bought the tickets to the Statue of Liberty. After their sea cruise and the educational tour of immigration in the US at the turn of the century, they both remarked how the country has changed. “It’s a shame that people view aliens coming into the United States today in a negative way.”
 
“Well, that’s how some people feel. But immigrants coming at the turn of the century were also scorned, too. Back then we hated Italians, Irish, Asians, and Jews. Now it’s all about hating people with brown and black skin, Hispanic and African.
 
“Not everybody.” They both agreed.
 
“But it’s so ironic that we’re all aliens. Only Native American tribes aren’t really aliens.” Teri was shaking her head.
 
“Well, Rock Star, I read that all the Native American tribes crossed over a land bridge connecting Asia with North American. They were following bison as they migrated to warmer climates and larger grasslands.”
 
“Oh. How come you’re so smart?”
 
“I read stuff.”
 
“Okay.”
 
Jenn hugged her. “Hey, we’re a team. I don’t write amazing songs and play beautiful music. We don’t compete. So, I can be the brainiac mad scientist who wants to take over the world.”
 
Teri grinned and kissed her neck. “Sounds fair enough to me.”
 
 
When Jenn and Teri returned, the whole group was gathering up for a big dinner to say goodbye to their loved ones. The first thing that Teri thought was about her stomach. “Okay, but we’re not eating Afghan food again?”
 
Richard was smiling. “No. We are going to have a classical French meal prepared in a Michelin Star restaurant.”
 
Gina laughed. “I know that Grace will enjoy dining, but you’re talking to a drummer that grew up on Happy Meals.”
 
Phil smiled. “I just read where they’re bringing them out for adults, now. Poison in a box, one size kills all.”
 
As they sat down in the restaurant, the first thing that the waitstaff brought them was a tiny sampling on a soup spoon that was set in the middle of a small plate. While they all looked, Richard and Grace winked.
 
Richard held his spoon up in the air. “This is called an amuse-bouche. It’s translated to mean amuse the palate. Consider it a tiny appetizer in one bite.”
 
Everyone popped it into their mouths and reacted the same way with a smile.
 
Richard watched. “It’s a civilized way to set the standard of our meal. Enjoy.”
 
Very soon, a woman strolled up to their table. “Bonjour, mes amis. I am Charlotte Dupont and this is my restaurant. Our friends, Phil and Richard contacted me and asked for a special Sunday celebration meal. But he also warned me, and I quote him, “That I’d be planning this meal for heathens from Pennsylvania who think epicurean delights are hoagies and cheese steaks.”
 
She smiled and held up both her hands. “Before we have a revolt on our hands, I want you to know that I’m from Cape May, New Jersey and know diner food well. I went abroad to study my craft in Paris. After school, I came here in New York where the population is receptive to true French cuisine. But you are safe tonight. No snails or frog’s legs. Instead, you’re going to enjoy a delicious rustic meal the way people eat out in the countryside. You’ll start with a chilled consume, a beef stew with vegetables, crusty bread and tomato preserves. Then we’ll have a chocolate souffle. Please enjoy!”
 
And they did. They even enjoyed an alcoholic free red wine and tasty white.
 
Tiffany was sipping her red and wiping her lips. She held up her glass. “Here’s to you, Richard. Not only do you take care of us, but you provide this alcoholic a way to enjoy her grapes without breaking my covenant.”
 
Gina smiled. “Covenant, big word girl. I gotta say I love the new Big Word Sober Barbie. She is my new idol.”
 
Tiffany looked carefully at Gina. “Huh? That was a compliment. Is it because Grace is around?”
 
Gina blushed. “Well, I try to act more like an adult for her. Being a twenty-four-year-old wise ass might get old and I don’t want to scare the love of my life away.”
 
They all looked at Gina and Tiffany. Then they turned their glasses to them and drank a toast.
 
Zoe took Bruno’s hand and kissed it. She moved over and sat in his lap.
 
 
 
On Sunday, after saying goodbye, they loaded up the bus and the box truck on a side street. When they finished, Phil observed, “We are carrying a larger wardrobe than musical equipment.”
 
Richard smiled. “I just talked to Barbara this week. Jersey Girl is now an official sponsor of the Wildcat Summer Tour. And beside bending over backwards to make sure our musicians are always well dressed, they have begun negotiating a new contract.”
 
Lisa listened carefully. “How much?”
 
Richard leaned in. “Six figures and the same attention to detail as they have always given us. I really like how they’ve treated all of you and think they deserve our consideration.”
 
Lisa nodded. “I agree. I’m more than pleased how they are willing to customize whatever we want. I’ve never heard any push back which is nice. I say we stay yes. I like the idea that they are local and small, too.”
 
Richard agreed. “I just don’t want to let them get too complacent. I say a half million for six months, with an three year automatic renewal.”
 
Lisa looked at the other four who had been listening. Everyone was smiling. “Okay. We all agree. I’d recommend that we send all the contracts to Mr. DiNardo and see what he says.”
 
After that, they started the ride up to northern Massachusetts, a six-hour trip that included a stop for a seafood dinner at The Bayside Restaurant in Westport. After that, most of them disappeared in the back and napped.
 
When they arrived in Mansfield, they pulled up in the driveway of a modest sized Fairfield Inn. Richard laughed. “Well, kids. The honeymoon is over. Our accommodations are not always going to be suites in five-star hotels. Sometimes you just have to sleep in a simple hotel near the highway. Tomorrow, we will have a sound check in the afternoon and play to seventy-five hundred people in a sold-out arena. We go on at nine. We’ve even drafted a local band who opens at seven-thirty.”  He checked his phone. “The band is called Alba May.”
 
Since no one had heard of them, they all waited while Teri Googled them. “Alba May is the lead singer of a New York band. They are popular on TikTok.”
 
Zoe was clapping. “It’s great to give a band exposure and money in their pockets.” She turned to Richard. “Can we do that more often?”
 
“Sure. And I’m sure that Warner’s has a lot of bands they want to see get out there and see the public’s reaction, too.”
 
Lisa raised her hand. “So, what now?”
 
Phil looked at his watch. “Well, the rest of the world is getting ready for bed, but they do have a nice, heated pool and there are lounge chairs, too. I recommend you take a dip and enjoy this clear star filled June evening. Just don’t be out of control. Oh, yeah. And Barbara told me to tell you that each of you have five suits in your garment bags with sandals, too. And she said that none of Tiffany’s are pink, coral, or red.”
 
Teri got her pass card and went up to her room. She decided to see what she looked like in a suit. Since she still had to tuck into a gaff or a thong each day, she was interested in how it would work. Jenn had told her about a simple procedure called a Vulvoplasty where they can use her flesh to create inner and outer labia and a clitoris without making the deep incision for a vaginal canal. She told her to read up on it for consideration. Since Teri didn’t fall under a transgender category she could opt to have this done any time. Jenn mentioned that the recovery was less intrusive.
 
Teri slid into a black bikini bottom and tucked herself. She realized that that surgery would be perfect if she never planned on having vaginal sex. She looked, pulled, and pushed to see what would show. She was quite pleased at the results but knew she needed to use her razor to shave closer.
 
After all that effort, she found the top was a simple black band across her chest. After squeezing in, she looked at her profile and frowned. Not much on top. Even though her A cup bras were too small, the damned elastic on this top squished her down to being almost flat chested.
 
So she tried another one on. Bottom okay, top okay. She stared at the cut and wondered if pink was really her color. Pink equals girly and Teri was allergic to too much girly. Pink made her look too young like she was fourteen. She checked out her legs in the flat sandals. Her legs looked okay. They were filling out and had some shape to them. She didn’t mind that she was looking more and more like a woman every day. In a way, it was going to happen, and she was lucky that she was turning out to look normal.
 
Finally, she found a ready nice one-piece, dark blue Speedo that really required her to stop and shave. Finally, she was ready. Teri shook her head, grabbed a towel, and walked out to the elevator. Suddenly, she realized that she couldn’t just walk around in a bathing suit in a hotel. She turned around and walked back into her room and gathered up a long tee shirt that Jenn used to sleep in. Pulling it over her head, she decided that it would do as a coverup.
 
Returning to the elevator, she saw Gina coming. Gina was wearing a black cotton dress as her top.
 
“You look nice. I was all confused about what was okay in the elevator and the lobby. Should I have more clothes on?”
 
Gina grinned. “You look great. Stop over thinking and lets do some laps. Is Teri as out of shape as I imagine?”
 
Teri shrugged as they rode down. “Well, I’ve been keeping up with you running each morning. I don’t know.”
 
Gina smiled. “Do you know how to swim?”
 
Teri had to think for a moment. “Uh, probably not. All I’ve ever done was splash around and jump in our friend’s pool. But I’ve never done laps.”
 
Gina frowned. “Just don’t drown.”
 
 
Later as she was laying on the bed in a tee and panties, she text Jenn. “Sup?”
 
The phone rang. “Hey,” she answered.
 
Jenn sounded like she was whispering. “What are you doing?”
 
“Getting ready for bed. Why?”
 
“Look at the clock, Rock Star.”
 
Teri was shocked to see that it was two in the morning. “Oh. I guess I lost track of time.”
 
Jenn giggled. “Go to bed and we can talk in the morning. I love you, baby.”
 
“I love you too.”
 
As Teri was plugging her phone in, she noticed that she’d gotten a text. It had come through so it must have been a number she had in her directory. The text was sent at eight that night. It said, “Hey” and was from Don.
 
Teri had trouble getting to sleep after that playing the what ifs in her mind. And Don.
 
 
They all went out for breakfast around eleven. Teri was hungry and had completely forgotten about her old friend’s text until it came up as unanswered. As they were riding in their shuttle to a restaurant, she responded by saying, “Hey, back. What’s up?”
 
Her phone dinged halfway through her omelet. She’d already talked to Jenn and apologized about calling her so late at night. They both excused themselves because Jenn was returning to real world hours, and she was still on Rock n’ Roll hours.
 
She looked and saw that it was Don. This time, he’d enclosed a photo. When she opened it, she started to laugh. Don and the guys were all standing on the sand in front of the ocean. Obviously, someone had taken the photo for them. Naturally, Tony and the guys were all doing poses and showing off their bodies. She wrote back. “Where are you?”
 
“Ocean City. We all got jobs here and are living together in this dive that we got for cheap rent. The indoor-outdoor carpeting inside is always damp so I wear my flips everywhere.”
 
“Sounds like a good summer plan. Nice graduation present to yourself.”
 
“Yeah. I’m learning how to surf and paddle board. My muscles are getting muscles.”
 
Teri tried not to think of the photo of Don with muscles and sexualize him. She knew that might lead to mind game problems for her. And while she was totally in love with Jenn, she still squirmed thinking about being held in strong arms. Oh, lord, she thought. Not Don!
 
Teri realized that everyone had finished eating and were all staring at her. She’d gotten lost in thought, still holding the phone in her hand.
 
Lisa looked at her strangely. “Is everything all right. You suddenly got all flushed and dreamy looking. Who are you thinking about?”
 
Teri blushed harder and clicked off her phone. She shook her head and frowned. “Uh, kinda got lost in thought after receiving a message from the guys. They’re all down the shore for the summer.”
 
Lisa frowned. “What’s the matter? Would you rather be there?”
 
Teri looked back at her sister. She whispered, “No. No. I want to be here, but, well, my mind is playing games, and this is not the time to share.”
 
Lisa sat down next to her and reached for her hand. In the old days, Terry had occasionally talked to her about things that were bothering him, but right now her younger sister looked devastated. “What do you want to do?
 
“I don’t know.” Her voice sounded weak, and she looked drained.
 
“How about if maybe we take a walk and let the others go. We can always catch up to them, wherever they’re going. We aren’t having a sound check for hours.”
 
Teri wiped her eyes with a finger and nodded.
 
Lisa stood up and went over to talk to everyone. “Uh, Teri and I need some time. Maybe we’re going to talk, I really don’t know.”
 
Richard leaned in. “It’s alright. Take as much time as you want. We have a sound check around five and then go out to dinner. I’ve got my phone. We’re all going sightseeing.”
 
Lisa nodded and turned away. She headed right back to her little sister who was visibly shaking. The first thing she did was reach her arms around her and squeeze her tightly. They stood up together and walked out the front door as they watched their shuttle drive away.
 
“Okay, honey. So it’s just the two of us. What can I help you with?”
 
Teri immediately sobbed into her shoulder. As she cried she said, “I’m a horrible person and don’t deserve Jenn’s love. The minute she’s gone, I’m having fantasies of strong arms holding me tight and strong lips kissing me. I’m freaking out!”
 
Lisa held her and stroked her head. She spoke quietly, “What brought all of this on?”
 
Teri shook her head. “One of my old friends texted me and sent me a photo. He said they were all in Ocean City working for the summer.”
 
“Okay. And…”
 
“And he sent me a photo.” She thumbed through her phone and enlarged the pic. She handed it over to Lisa.
 
Lisa looked at the pic and studied it. “Yeah. I know all these guys. They’re your video game guys. You brought them to our rooftop concerts. Oh, with their shirts off and all tan, they do look good. And look how buff they are. They know all about you, right?”
 
Teri nodded. “Yeah. That was all covered. But Don, the guy on the right, well, I’m getting strange vibes from him. I never thought about it before, but he was always pretty nice to me.”
 
“And you’re worried because you’re thinking about him?”
 
All Teri could do was nod. She was nearly breaking down. “Yeah. And now I’m fantasizing about being in his arms, feeling him holding me tight, and forcefully kissing me. And just the thought and I’m having orgasms.”
 
“Have you ever kissed a guy?”
 
Teri wiped her eyes and said sheepishly, “It’s like this guy I got high with at our Underground show. You know, he was one of the brothers. John and I got high, and we started making out and it was a big turn on. I must’ve had three little orgasms and it all felt so dreamy.”
 
“Did you ever tell Jenn?”
 
“Uh-huh.”
 
“What did she say?”
 
“She told me to do it again and find out if it was right for me.”
 
Lisa looked at Teri. She looked even worse than she did earlier. “Have you taken her advice?”
 
“No. I just get upset and argue. It’s terrible the way this all makes me feel. I mean, when I was just old Terry back in high school, I never thought about sex, but Jenn always got me hot and bothered. And now, I’m seriously changing, and I know that this whole thing with hormones is happening. I can deny I look too much like a girl to deny it.”
 
“But my old brain is really having trouble thinking about being a girl and making it with a guy. First, my sex organs don’t exist.”
 
Lisa looked curiously. She shook her head.
 
“I found out that I never had testicles and wht I thought was my scrotum was filled with two fibrous precancerous masses. And what I assumed was my penis isn’t. What I have between my legs is my urethra and very sensitive nerve endings that would have been my clitoris if I wasn’t intersex. But no vagina, none of that stuff ever developed.”
 
Lisa was trying to digest all of this. “So have you tried anal sex?”
 
Teri laughed. “Yeah. It happens, but Jenn enjoys pegging more me more than I do. She likes to dominate. But anal sex doesn’t get me off because I don’t have a prostate.”
 
“So, you say you have orgasms, how?”
 
“I get this all-body thing that builds and builds and finally blows the top of my head off. Jenn knows that she can stimulate what I have between my legs and dominate my body so I have many orgasms.”
 
“Okay. So you have little orgasms when you are held tightly and kissed. But Jenn knows exactly what you need and does it with you. Do you satisfy her?”
 
“Yes.”
 
It’s like she’s pushing me to do something that I don’t want to do.”
 
Lisa looked around and saw a bench down the street. She led her sister to it and sat her down. She saw a MacDonalds. “Can you sit tight while I get us some Cokes?”
 
Teri nodded through tear stained cheeks.
 
When Lisa returned with two Cokes and napkins, Teri was sitting crosslegged on the bench and hunched over. She sat right next to her. “Here, drink.”
 
Teri drank. The cold felt good on her throat. After drinking a lot, she burped, then giggled. “Oh, I am such a looser.”
 
Lisa laughed. “Uh huh, cause you love Jenn and still have fantasies about big strong guys? Teri, it’s not wrong. I still look at guys and size them up. I love Smith and believe he’s my entire future. I mean, look, he gave me an engagement ring. But a couple of the roadies are cute.”
 
Teri looked at the ground. “Everybody looks at Ben, but my favorite is Robbie.”
 
“Would you make out with Robbie?”
 
“No! I mean, well, that wouldn’t work out. I’d have to see him every day and well, he’s seen me with Jenn. That’s not good.”
 
“Well, how about a stranger you don’t know. Would you pick someone up in a bar?”
 
“Well, I’m not twenty-one and I’m intersex. That wouldn’t work out. As soon as we took our clothes off, he’d freak and figure out who I am. And well, that couldn’t be good for some story to appear in the tabloids.”
 
“Well, what would work?”
 
Teri started crying. ‘That’s it. Nothing is going to work and it’s playing over and over in my mind. All I keep remembering how I felt in John’s arms and those feelings.”
 
“Have you talked to Grace about this?”
 
“Yeah. A lot. We figured out the common thing was it all happened when I was high. But, Lisa, I’m not hight and now I’m on my own and ready to cheat. I am scum and well, it’s back to this boy-girl thing and who should I love?”
 
“What did Grace say?”
 
“She said that since I was intersex I could consider myself pansexual and like whomever I chose. Lisa, I really thought that it was Jenn. But how can you love one person and kiss another?”
 
Lisa shrugged. “You could ask our resident free love girl.”
 
“You mean Gina?”
 
“Yep. She is madly in love with Grace, but hops in bed with whomever she wants.”
 
“Yeah. Grace and I talked about this. Her answer was that she’s just more discreet.” Teri looked at Lisa and smiled. “Yeah, you lust for her, too. She’s the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and I fantasize about who she sleeps with.”
 
Lisa nodded. “Uh-huh. You were reading my thoughts.
 
They’d finished their Cokes and took them over to a trash can. Lisa looked at her little sister. “Are you feeling better?”
 
“Well, yes and no. I mean, if I fool around, doesn’t that mean that Jenn can, too?”
 
Lisa nodded. “I think the solution is to talk to Gina and tell her everything. She what she says. She’s got muscles and knows all about sex. You can get advice and sleep with her, too.”
 
“Do you think she’d tell Jenn or anybody else?”
 
“Nope.”
 
“But the idea of Jenn being with someone else who is better than me and she falls in love with that person, and I lose her and die alone.”
 
“Right, sis. Now that’s not going to happen.”
 
“Why?”
 
“Cause nobody’s dying.”
 
Lisa sighed. “All this is wearing me out and making me miss Smith. Let’s just walk around this town and then head back to the sound check.”
 
When they were dropped off at the Xfinity Center, they walked right in and went up to the stage. They were the first ones there and Teri immediately sat down at the piano. “I’m working on a song but only have a few lyrics. Do you remember Miami Sound Machine?”
 
Lisa shrugged. “Kinda.”
 
Teri started banging out a rhythm on the keyboard playing chords and a fast Spanish beat. Out of nowhere, Gina was using mallets and banging out a calypso beat. As the two of them continued, Tiffany picked up her bass and followed the basic line that Teri was drilling with the piano. She turned to her sister. “Hey Lisa, can you take over my piano part?”
 
Lisa laughed and pushed him over on the bench. She deftly took over exactly what she had been doing.
 
Zoe had her guitar on and was idly strumming along. Teri looked at Zoe, picked up her guitar and showed Zoe what chords she had in mind and the pattern. Naturally, Tiffany copied and played a great bass line that fit right in.
 
Teri went to the mic and turned it around so she was facing the band.
 
Love ya’ baby,
Miss ya’ baby,
Need to feel you in my arms
 
Wanna squeeze ya baby
Wanna kiss you baby
Give you lovin’ till you’re mine
 
Tiffany laughed. “C’mon, Terry. That is so much of a rip of Conga from the Miami Sound Machine!”
 
Teri turned to Lisa. “See, she’s heard it.”
 
Tiffany laughed. “My mom and dad loved all the Latin dances.” Without stopping her bass she danced the Rumba and the Samba the whole time Teri was up front.
 
When I get ya
Goin to show ya
Just how much you mean to me
 
Hold ya baby
Squeeze ya baby
Keep ya happy all the time
 
Teri went over to their synthesizer and set it up for brass. She proceeded to use three different notes at a time to simulate trumpets and a slide trombone.
 
Zoe was watching Tiffany and matching her step for step. Before long, they were dancing together.
 
Lisa stood up and waved them down. “Okay. Let’s get practical here. Teri, you’re going to cover the piano and the horns. We’ll stack the synthesizer on top of the big keyboard and set you up with a mic, too.”
 
She looked at Zoe and Tiffany. “You are both great with what you’re doing. Everybody’s gonna watch you and just want to dance. And Gina, dig out some bongos and a stand for me to play while I’m up at the mic. And a cowbell, please.”
 
It was a union stage, and the crew jumped right in to cover all their bases.
 
After running through it, Teri asked, “Don’t we need more lyrics?”
 
Lisa laughed. “You’ll come up with them the longer you’re away from Jenn. And work on a chorus, too. But stop listening to the Miami Sound Machine, please. We don’t want to be sued for copyright infringement.”
 
 
 

Dear Reader,

Wildcat Summer is available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Wildcat-Summer-Leslie-Moore-ebook/dp/...

There are many chapters to read in the sample

Leslie

A Wildcat Summer 21

When Teri hung up, she just wanted to sit and think. Talking to Jenn was like walking through a corn maze, where the walls are ten feet high, solid, and thick. All the sound is muffled except for the breeze rattling the dried husks.

Teri felt stuck and couldn’t find her way out. It was all going in endless circles of confusion. She didn’t want to get mad at Jenn, but they’d had this talk so many times that she wanted to scream. In her mind, she was starting to think that this wasn’t a discussion anymore. Jenn was giving her an ultimatum.

Sure, Teri created this situation. She admitted to having fantasies with muscular guys, but they were about squeezing and kissing. It was just making out. But she’d watched enough porn back with the guys in high school to understand what her role would be after the hugging and kissing went further. It was all about mindless passion. She’d reached that fevered point all the time with Jenn. But they loved each other, and it was done for each other’s mutual excitement.

With porn, Teri found those images disturbing. The animalistic lust was beyond comprehension. Those women did a lot of crazy things. Teri sometimes wondered if it was acting.

Argh. It was too much. She really wanted to tell Jenn to stop. Telling her to go out and consummate something with a guy, well, none of what she’d done was planned. She couldn’t picture herself being used like as a socket for some guy to plug into. She had trouble seeing any positive. She decided those videos were just for some guy’s masturbation fantasy.

Teri shook her head and found Lisa. “When are we going?”

Lisa shook her head and looked at her phone. “I’m guessing in an hour. What do you want to do?”

Teri smiled. “Anything. How about cards?” Growing up, they’d always played a fierce game of Double Solitaire.

Lisa grinned. “I happen to have a couple of decks in my stuff. How about us finding a quiet spot?”

They stopped while she dug out the decks. Then, they found a little nook in the lobby to get comfortable. As they each shuffled their own deck, Lisa looked at Teri. She seemed a lot more relaxed. It was like she had an epiphany and found inner calm. She decided to play a twenty-question game with her sister to get to the reason. “Hey. Can I ask you twenty questions?”

Teri raised her eyes and laughed. “Sure. Whatcha wanna know?”

“What turned you around and put you in such a good mood?”

Teri laughed. “I thought that in twenty questions, they were supposed to be yes or no answers.”

Lisa shrugged.

Teri shuffled her cards out on the table. “Okay, I’ll give you a starting question.”

Lisa smiled. “Shoot. What question should I ask?”

Teri was grinning. “Did you fool around with Zoe?”

Lisa would have swallowed her gum if she’d been chewing. Instead, she just coughed. “Really?”

Teri shrugged. “A sister's secret, okay?”

Lisa was nodding. “Oh, yeah. Til I die.”

Teri looked at her and smiled. “It started out cause I was talking about my problems. Well, she said I needed a lesson to help level me out. She took my mind off my dilemmas by dragging me upstairs to her hotel room.”

Lisa was grinning from ear to ear. “That makes you very special. I’ve been hanging with that wonderful woman for many years. Zoe doesn’t drag someone up to her room very often.”

“Oh, yeah. I do feel special.” Now, Teri felt that she understood the mutual passion that two people are capable of without any strings attached.

Richard was rounding the Cats up and getting them on the bus. After being accounted for, they drove to the airport and went through security. Teri was shaking her head as they all sat up front in first class. The first class was still a big deal; now, it was routine.

She listened to her options and chose fresh fruit and a croissant. As she sipped a bottled water, she smiled. Her airplane ticket would have probably paid for a semester at community college. She understood the whole logic of moving them around efficiently, but sometimes, it was still hard to believe.

Teri was sitting next to Tiffany, who was digging into a full meal of chicken, potatoes, and carrots—it looked like a double portion. “How do you do it? You eat big meals and never gain any weight," Tiffany said.

Tiff grinned. “I know what to eat. Remember, I did a lot of sports in high school. My dad’s a doctor; counting carbs, lean protein, and lots of fresh veggies makes it easy. After a while, it’s just routine. It’s not quantity, it’s quality. Look at what you’re eating. That croissant is all fat and white flour, plus it’s loaded with stabilizers to keep it from getting stale. That could have been made a month ago and reheated. Nothing in that pastry is healthy, But you made a good attempt with the fruit. But that’s all sugar, too. You’d have been better off getting an apple. It’s got fiber.”

Teri was always surprised when Tiffany showed her props, just like the first time she played the cello. Teri had to remind herself that everyone around her was three-dimensional and complex. Tiffany was a lot more than an air-head Barbie doll.

She leaned over and whispered, “Did you ever play Barbies with your friends growing up?”

Tiffany laughed. “Of course I did. I was Annika Lundgren, a too-tall, four-eyed, freaky girl. I was gawky and awkward until I hit high school. But sports showed me the way. I ran cross-country and played volleyball and spring field hockey. By then, my size didn’t matter. And I started wearing contacts. Suddenly, I bloomed and became a lover of bad boys.”

Teri laughed. “Is that when you became Tiffany?”

Tiff laughed. “We can thank Gina for that nickname. She always was a boil on my ass. But she did kick our field hockey team up a notch, but she helped us rule the state in volleyball.”

Teri shook her head. She still had trouble being around Tiffany. Looking into her blue eyes, watching her lush lips, and smelling her wonderful skin were still mesmerizing.

“Hey! Earth to Teri. Come in, space girl. Stop fantasizing about me. Are you sexualizing your bass player again?”

Teri knew she was blushing bright red and laughed at herself. “Yeah, you know what you do to me. You’re my fantasy girl.”

“You realize just how beautiful you’re girlfriend is, right?”

Teri grinned. “Uh-huh. I’m totally in love with her. It’s just a shame we’re both so young and inexperienced. It would be much easier if we were both older like you.” The instant those words came out of her mouth, she realized how stupid she sounded.

“Honey, I’m twenty-four, and you’re eighteen. Six years older and just so much wiser. I think you need to start following me around and writing down everything I say and do. After all, not only am I brilliant, but beautiful. Prayers every night to only be as perfect as I am.” Tiffany had a huge grin on her face.

Gina leaned over between their seats from the row behind. “You are shoveling so much horse shit right now, they’re going to smell it up front and not be able to fly this boat.”

Teri smiled at Gina. “I’m already dedicating a space in my tablet to write down all the words of wisdom from Tiffany. I want to grow up to be just like her.”

Gina patted her on the shoulder as she disappeared behind them. “You bet, kid. Tiffany is the best person to see about giving advice.”

When Richard walked by their seats, Teri stopped him. “You said we’re playing at this festival and have been moved up as a headliner?”

Richard smiled. “Uh-huh. Your fame is snowballing. They contacted Gimli and wanted to pay you more and let you play longer. I knew you’d like that.”

Teri beamed. “We were just talking about hungering to perform for more than an hour. That’s great!”

Richard nodded. “I’m going to spread the word. Do you need time to meet and draw up a set list?”

Tiffany was grinning. “Yeah, that would be a good idea. It would be great to play under the lights for a receptive crowd. But do you know how they got the name, Kick Out The Jams?”

Teri immediately sat up and turned towards them. There was a Detroit band, MC5, who had a hit titled Kick Out The Jams! They used to yell, kick out the jams, motherfuckers.”

Gina laughed. “The girl is a walking encyclopedia of Rock and Roll history. She should have her own podcast.”

Teri smiled at Gina. “A podcast where we can interview rock gods and discuss their history. I’d really like that.”

Lisa leaned over Gina and looked at her sister. “Okay, that could be a real thing. When we’re in LA, you'll meet all those people to possibly record interviews with them. Some of your podcasts can be with bands we meet on the road who are just getting started, like Alba May.”

Gina got excited. “Do a two-part interview with EBR. Maybe Lisa can put in a good word for you.”

Teri was laughing. “Those guys owe me. I’ve spent a lot of time rearranging their old songs for them.”

“There you go, girl. You’ve got another career to keep you busy when we’re not on the road or even on it.”

Richard added, “Talk to Phil, and he’ll hook you up with the proper mics and recorder to make it perfect. Then, you can mix it on a soundboard. With your up-and-coming reputation, you’ll have no trouble finding sponsors.”

Teri frowned. “No money, no profit. I want to do this for charity.”

“Easy enough. We’ll find you sponsors who will just do it for branding and donate all the money to charities.”

“You could get the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland to be one of your sponsors. We’re playing in Cleveland at the end of June in a small place called The Beach Land Ballroom. You’d have time to visit the hall while you’re there.”

Teri got out her tablet and started taking notes about a podcast. “This is a real open-ended project," she said.

Before long, the plane landed, and their bus was out front waiting for them. As they all climbed off, Phil and the roadies appeared. The box truck was parked behind the bus. Teri immediately cornered Phil to talk about her podcast plan. The two of them immediately made lists and discussed what they’d need to create a portable studio.

The Cats discussed a ninety-minute set as the bus rode along to the festival.

Lisa laughed. “I say we punch out a ninety-minute set, and maybe they’ll call us back for an encore.”

Zoe scoffed. “Of course they will. I’m surprised we’re not doing a longer show to close the place out much later at night.”

Richard shook his head. “They have a permit but must stop at ten at night. If we start at eight, we have to close before ten so they can make announcements.”

They were introduced to their chef and his assistant, who prepared a full meal.

“I’m Pete, and this is Gloria. We’re making grilled vegetable tacos and sides of macaroni and cheese tonight. From now on, we’ll give you a long list of foods you like and ensure you have them. We are also stocking up your freezer and fridge on board the bus with healthy, fun stuff to snack on. Richard already told us what Lucinda made for you in May while you were home. We can make three meals a day or just dinner. We’ll shop for local organic, fresh ingredients daily to make each meal special.”

After meeting their commissary people, they walked around the festival and listened to the bands.

After dinner, they sat around backstage until it was time to go on. At eight at night, it was still more twilight than dark. When Gina started slamming down on her drums, the crowd cheered and also started clapping.

Teri appeared wearing a bright orange, form-fitting jumpsuit, orange platform sneakers, and silver hair braided and looking like dreadlocks. She unleashed a Jimi Hendrix-style feedback guitar and played a freeform solo that had everyone cheering and clapping. On the other side of the stage, Zoe was in black tights, a white tuxedo shirt, and black stiletto heels. As she spun around, her bright red ponytail moved with her.
With the two guitars blasting at both ends of the stage, everyone cheered as Tiffany came out in a silver bodysuit. People down front were treated to seeing her live, but everyone could look up on the projection screens that showed all the Wildcats.

They had divided the screen into four parts, one for each Wildcat. The director filled the screen with one Cat and then moved to four. The greatest applause was for Gina, who never stopped pounding down, looking incredible in a black, one-piece runner’s outfit that showed all her muscles.

Then, the stage flashed black, and a single spot revealed Lisa standing at center stage in her bright red prom dress, her hair cascading down her back. The big screens just showed Lisa as she gave a banshee cry and started singing the lyrics to Run, Run, Gone!

Everyone on the festival grounds had swarmed the stage to see the Wildcats. Later, the sponsors estimated the sixty-thousand people who’d bought tickets were in front of the stage.

The Wildcats played without stopping for an hour. Then, Tiffany announced, “We’ll be back in a few!”

Crowded in the back, they wiped off and donned their Fur Face costumes. When everyone was ready, Teri waddled out to the stage front while the rest of the cats stood downstage and played their heavy metal song. When Tiffany started doing her rap, you could hear thousands of people accompanying her. Everyone continued to sing along with most of their songs, including the new ones on their recently released album.

After another forty-five minutes, they played their last songs, saving Summer Song as they got closer. Throwing kisses and disappearing, they closed out a festival night.

As their bus left the grounds, they could hear the promoter's final words to the festival goers.

After a quick rinse, they were all in comfy clothes as they headed to their hotel on the outskirts of Detroit. By the time they parked and staggered into their rooms, no one had anything to say. Even Teri was quiet as she dragged herself into bed.

“Clubbing?” Teri was curled up in the back of the bus. She’d gotten up, put on comfy clothes, ate a yogurt parfait from their fridge, and was warming up with a cup of hot chocolate. She was happy that they had a good machine on board that made a fresh cup on demand. She’d slept in and simply moved from her hotel over to the bus to veg. They’d finished playing last night, but she was still tired when she woke. She’d gotten a hot shower and cleaned up but wasn’t ready for Prime Time.
“Yep. You know Travis, right?” Tiffany had a grin on her face and mischief in her eyes.
“Sure. Six-one, broad shoulders and chest, curly brown ponytail, and hazel eyes.”
“Uh, hazel eyes, huh.” Tiffany’s smile grew bigger.
“What?” Teri was not quite following Tiffany’s thinking and knew she was laughing at her. Her first impulse was to throw something at her just to get that grin off her face, but she held back, knowing that she was just tired.
“You’re paying close attention to those men, girly. And only girls describe eyes as being hazel. You’re getting girly, girly, girly.”
Teri stopped being angry and realized that she was being played. She shrugged. “If the high heel fits, ya gotta wear it! But what’s all this excitement about clubbing?”
Tiffany stopped and looked carefully. “Have you ever been clubbing?”
Teri shook her head. “The one time you initiated me into the Wildcats, and I got my tattoo. We went clubbing that night. But that was a hazy experience.”
Tiffany laughed. “Hard to believe that I was more sober than you were that night. So, we’re going clubbing after we play at the House of Blues in Detroit tonight. Your new boyfriend, Travis, is from Detroit and said The Bath House stays open until four in the morning! He was raving about it.”
Teri blurted out, “Is he going?”
“Ooh, we just got somebody’s attention. Who finally woke up on the right side of the couch. He is cute. Good body, too. But sleeping with the help is not good for an eighteen-year-old.”
Teri was shocked that the conversation went from idle thoughts to serious. “I’m not planning on sleeping with anyone. I’m meeting up with Jenn when we get to Chicago, and we have Sunday off. Maybe a little catching up.”
Tiffany was making herself a cup of coffee. “I know. Did you look at the schedule? We’re working four and five days a week for the rest of the month.”
“I saw that and asked Richard. He did point out that we have a whole week off from the tour at the beginning of July. That’s cool.”
Tiffany was nodding. “Sure. I’ve already told Mike to clear his calendar. We’re going somewhere.”
“Not hanging with family on the Fourth?”
“We decided to celebrate Independence Day another time cause this little darling needs to hump her boyfriend in an exotic location.”
Teri thought about Jenn's once-mentioned Tahiti. She decided to do a Google search and found that the flight was fifteen hours from O’Hare. She also realized that they could be in Hawaii in nine hours. After that, she had a big grin on her face and thought about surprising her. Maybe a call to feel her out was in order before she purchased first-class tickets and a hotel.
As Tiffany was walking away, another thought came to her mind. “Hey, Tiffany. What do you wear to go clubbing?”
Tiffany grinned. “Something tight, sexy, comfortable, and it’s gotta breathe. And hot shoes that won’t hurt your feet.”
Teri tried to think about that list. “Would you be changing after the show before we go out?”
Tiffany shrugged. “Nah. Stage sweaty translates to club sweaty. Probably not. Just picking something out that makes me the center of attention.”
Teri laughed. “Everything you wear!”
As Tiffany walked off, she looked, shook her hips, and said, “Duh!”
“Hey!”
Tiffany stopped and sighed. “What, Little?” She pretended to look at a non-existent watch on her wrist and tapped the non-existent face. “You get one more question, 'cause I’ve got places to go and people to see.” With that, she jumped on the couch next to her and snuggled in with her.
Tiffany looked her in the eyes. “You’re adorable when you have that sleepy look. Remind me to wake up next to you the first chance I get.”
Teri laughed and leaned in so they were touching. “What kind of club is named The Bath House?”
Tiffany nuzzled her neck. “The bad kind, honey. You gotta look up a bath house in your Google. No club is for church-going, God-fearing people. Clubs are for sinners. Kinda like Hell with air conditioning and better music.”

Teri watched her walk off, dancing as she went. She realized she didn’t know the first thing about dancing but knew she could bounce up and down with the music forever. She started flashing on being groped by strangers but took a deep breath knowing she wasn’t going alone.

Music blasting,
Lights flashing,
People jumping up and down

Music spinning
Non-stop dancing
Joy happens all around

Bodies crashing
toes get stepped on
Random hands start groping

Sweating, laughing
Spinning round
As alcohol clouds your mind

Next day headache
Bloodshot brain
Start all over again

“Hey!”
“Rock Star! How’s my baby?”
“Countin’ the days til I can see you.”
Teri heard a pause.
“Uh. I wasn’t going to say this over the phone, but there’s no easy way to break it to you.”
Teri felt her pulse quicken and the ‘what-ifs’ started her heart racing. She heard her voice crack and croaked out, “What?”
Jenn sounded concerned. “Uh, I decided to marry Tony. He came out to visit and swept me off my feet. I couldn’t help myself, Rock Star. You know. He’s so bright and caring. I’m sorry.”
Teri suddenly knew that this was Jenn’s tease and decided that two can play that game. “Oh, I guess I should congratulate the two of you and hope you find happiness together. I guess I’ll have to find somebody else to go to Hawaii with me, the first week in July. Maybe Don will want to go.”
Teri counted to five before Jenn shouted, “Hawaii!”
“Uh-huh. The band is off for a week and Tahiti is just too far to go for just a week. Shame I’ve got these first-class tickets and a place to stay and all. But maybe my boy will keep me company. Maybe we can double date when we get back.”
“Teri! Hawaii! Oh, wow!”
“Oh. You sound excited. Is that where you’re going with Tony on your honeymoon? I would have thought it would be someplace cheesier, like driving a rental car to Las Vegas.”
“Really? We’re going to Hawaii?”
“Yeah. The band’s still out in the Midwest so I thought Chicago to Hawaii in nine hours. But maybe I can get two more tickets and another room for you guys. Maybe that would be my wedding gift to the happy couple. I better cut this short and try to call the travel agency. Bye.” She hung up and wondered how long it would take to be called back.

Two minutes later, her phone rang. “Well, hi Jenn. How ya doin'?”
“Dammit, Teri. You’re no fun. All I’ve been thinking about for the past four days is how much I miss you. I don’t like sleeping by myself.”
“Me either. And when Tiffany and I were talking about our week off, she said that she and Mike were going away. I immediately thought of treating you to Tahiti, but like I said, a week won’t cut it. I was thinking that maybe after Labor Day and the Central Park concert, we could take some serious time away. By then, I’ll have money to burn and be burned out, too.
“Uh, Rock Star, how about my college classes? I’m supposed to start Freshman orientation at the end of August.”
“Okay. I guess I could ask Don. I don’t know what his plans are.”
“Stop it. My classes end early in December and don’t start up until February. Plenty of time to shower me with love.”
“I like showering you with hugs and kisses. And you know, I’ll have a hotel room when we get to Chicago.”
“I was hoping to fool around with you in your big bus. Close those curtains and do it while everyone is walking around.”
“Hmm. Got some long weeks ahead in the Mid-West. I can smuggle you aboard, and you can live in my little bunk. Sneak out when everyone is gone. You can be the bus ghost.”
“Now you’re talking. Groupie on a bus. Like that movie, “Almost Famous.”
“My favorite is “Streets of Fire.” I own a DVD of that. It’s so good.”
“You could afford a whole collection of DVDs now.”
“Uh-huh. I’m doing that with vinyl.”
“Wish I was rich like you.”
“You can be. Do you have a checking account?”
“Yeah. A little one that my mom opened for me.”
“I’ll write you a check when I see you in Chicago and you can be rich, too. How much do you need to be rich?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never thought about it.”
“How’s fifty thousand?”
“What? You’re crazy!”
“That’s less than a quarter of what I’ve got. And in September I’ll have a million dollars more. Then you can be richer.”
“Teri, I’m looking forward to seeing you. It’s so weird that I just can’t be with you. That makes me want you more.”
When they were done saying their goodbyes, Teri called their travel agent back in Allentown and got round-trip first-class tickets on a direct flight to Hawaii. They’d fly out of Chicago on July 1st early in the morning. After the lady on the phone confirmed the return date and said she’d get the best ocean view and optional activities to take advantage of during the day.
Then, Teri went to find Richard who could tell him about their venue.
“It seats five thousand, and you sold out two nights. Because this is a long week and you’re performing for five nights, you’ll get an opening act. They’re called the D City Band. Bill Wiggins wants them to open both nights. I think he’s thinking about signing them for Warners. They go on at eight and play until nine-thirty. You go on after that and stop at eleven thirty. A two-hour show only. You have five shows this week and four next week and four the following week. I’m not keen on stretching you and the band. I don’t want to see fatigue and remember you’ll get July 1st through the 7th off. No tour for a week.”
Teri saw all the Cats for dinner at six. She was all excited because their chef had grilled portobello mushroom burgers with all the fixings. Naturally, they all poured Heinz Ketchup on their burgers and sweet potato fries.
Lisa watched her sister add red onion, local tomatoes, relish, and a touch of mayo then stare at the results. Lisa laughed and grabbed it off of her plate. “Thanks, little sister. That’s just the way I like it.”
Teri watched her sister take a big bite out of the burger and smile. Without losing a beat, she turned and smiled and said, “Can I fix anyone else a burger?”
When no one else said a word, they all watched as Teri made her sandwich and ate it quietly. She smiled and acted like she’d made that burger all along for her sister.

When they were all done eating, Tiffany cleared her throat and quietly asked, “What are we doing tonight? No one’s said a word about playing, set lists, or what’s going out afterward. Why is everyone so close-mouthed?”
Everyone shrugged and looked at Teri and Lisa sitting and nibbling on their fries. They’d made a pool of ketchup and were both dipping together. Teri looked at her sister and shrugged. “Lisa’s all about the set lists and really, we’ve been playing like a well-oiled machine. I don’t see a point of messing around when we’re doing so well. I don’t know anything about our opening act. I’m looking forward to hearing them. And Tiffany said we might go clubbing afterwards.”
Lisa smiled and continued to nibble on her fries. “I pretty much go along with Little. We sound good and everyone seems to enjoy the show. I’m a bit concerned about how much we’re working over the next three months. I think working five nights a week is tough, maybe too much. Since it’s our first touring experience, I guess will keep playing until the wheels fall off.”
Zoe stood up and shook her head. “Yeah, I know I can handle the guitar parts, but I’m more concerned about vocals and Gina pounding away. Those are the parts that I’m worried about wearing out. We’ve played four nights at the Rendezvous, and we’ve played weeks at a time on the road. I’m worried we might burn out.”
Gina smiled. “Sure. A lot of drummers have hand problems as they age. I think it might be good to talk to a doctor and maybe a physical therapist now rather than wait until I crack. But I want to know the story with the hamburger tonight. I’ve never seen Lisa behave that way. I expected Teri to strike back but nothing happened. I mean, what gives?”
Lisa smiled. “It’s kinda like a sister thing. Just between us.”
Teri sat back and smiled. , so it
“No. That’s not an answer. Seriously, what’s going on?”
Teri looked at her sister and watched her shrug. “Okay, so it’s her birthday. And I’m supposed to do something for her and she gets to chose. It was a growing up thing.”
Everyone started singing Happy Birthday which devolved into Old MacDonald and the e-i-e-i-o.

After everyone calmed down, Lisa sighed. “I’m kinda agreeing with Teri. I think it’s important to sound good and do well. I don’t want us to wear out. Teri and I were talking, and we thought maybe designing some spaces where each of us has a few minutes to catch our breath. But not tonight. I think we’re on a roll and since this is our first time playing in Detroit and Chicago, I think they’ll be press watching and writing reviews.”
Tiffany smiled. “Speaking about the press, I think we’d better talk to Gimli and have him look at this schedule. I think we should agree to cap things at four nights a week unless there’s some dire need.”
Zoe was nodding. “If we were playing four festivals for an hour each, we can juggle another show in there that week.

Teri was fidgeting. “Okay, so about this club thing. I don’t want to go with just Tiffany. I need protection. Is anyone else going?” She watched the rest of the Cats shrug, and Gina said, “If it’s Lisa’s birthday, we gotta celebrate, right?”
Teri sighed. “Good. I feel better if you’re going. Now that Mac and Jessica have disappeared while we’re in the mid-west, I’m shy going into a club with strangers. I kinda pictured myself dancing with Travis. He’s cute and maybe we could become friends.”
When everyone broke into laughter at the same time, she knew they were laughing at her.
“What?”
Tiffany grabbed her hands. “Little, you are so innocent. You think some hunky roadie will look at you and just want to be friends? C’mon. Like friends with benefits.”
“Huh?”
They stared at her. Gina whispered, “You’ve never heard of Friends With Benefits?”
Teri shook her head. “Should I know what that means?”
Lisa whispered in her ear.
Teri looked shocked. “No. Not that. Oh, definitely not that. Why can’t we just be friends? You know, laugh and talk. Nothing like that!”
Zoe shook her head. “Uh, since you’re playing on our team now, you need a lesson. Guys don’t understand just being friends with beautiful women. Uh, they only want to do one thing.”
“Seriously, one thing.” Tiffany was grinning. “But you can be in charge of that one thing, kinda.”
“So, there’s not dancing with Travis tonight and just having fun?”
“Sure. But you’re going to want to touch him. Like feel his muscles and have him hold you.”
“Uh. How’d you know?”
They all laughed. Gina put her hand on her knee. “Cause you’re obsessed. It’s all you can think about.”
“How come none of you think about guys?”
Lisa smiled. “I do.”
Tiffany raised her hand. “I do, too.”
Zoe was smiling. “Sure.”
“Why am I the only one who’s going crazy about this?”
“Cause you think there’s more to it. You’re like dreaming of Cinderella going with the Prince to his castle. He’s going to sweep you off your feet and adore you, kissing you and stuff. You’re not thinking about him being overcome with testosterone range and mauling you, kinda like your nightmare in Sea Isle City.”
“Does it have to always end up where I’m mauled?”
Tiffany was smiling. “Being mauled is fun with the right guy. I like it when Mike takes control.”
Teri looked all around, and they were all smiling and nodding.
Gina shook her head. “You love it when Jenn takes charge and mauls you, right?”
Teri was blushing. “Yeah. But we’ve worked all of that out. We know what turns each other on. It’s nice.”
“Well, guys can be tamed. Kinda like riding a stallion. That’s fun, too.” Lisa smiled at her sister.
Teri shook her head. “So just having a friend won’t work.”
Tiffany smiled. “Nope. Friends With Benefits means you both benefit. You know, like just having sex without all the relationship stuff.”
Teri found herself crossing her arms. “So let me get this clear. You can only have guy friends if you have sex with them. But Jenn shares my guy friends.”
Lisa shook her head. “Think about it. Does she act like one of the guys?”
“No.”
Gina smiled. “There’s only one kind of guy to be really friends with like you’re friends with us. Guys that aren’t interested in women.”
Teri’s eyes opened wide. “Oh.”

Teri was in a tizzy. She didn’t want to tell Jenn that the band was all going to a club tonight after playing. She worried it might upset things between them. She was afraid it would open up too many cans of worms and was tired of being on the defensive.
Before they left for the House of Blues to play, she texted Tiffany and asked her to send a photo of what she was going to wear. Tiffany had said earlier that she was going straight from the show to the club. Teri was at a loss and was wondering if Tiffany’s outfit could give her an idea of what she should wear. Was club wear the same as a stage costume?
There was a knock on the door, and Tiffany announced that she was outside. After opening the door, Teri watched Tiffany stroll into the room.
“Hey, Little. I’ve decided to be your support person tonight. You should look closely at my gorgeous outfit and savor the beauty that stands before you.”
Tiffany was wearing bright blue satin hot pants. Teri thought they were the tightest, tiniest, cutest hot pants ever.
She couldn’t take her eyes from Tiffany’s crotch. “Uh, they’re beautiful. You are beautiful. They are so tight and so tiny. You should be declared illegal.”
Tiffany grabbed her, pulling her in tightly. So close that their boobs were mashed against each other. Then, she looked Teri in the eyes as she kissed her on the lips and kissed her again.
Teri moaned, feeling the heat bubbling up inside her. She felt her breath grow shorter, her heart beat faster, and she knew her eyes were growing wider. She opened her mouth to speak, but Tiffany stuck her thumb in there, causing Teri to suck down hard.
Tiffany continued to grip her fiercely and slathered kisses on her ears, neck, and eyelids. She whispered, “You like this, right?”
Teri sucked down on Tiffany’s thumb and nodded her head up and down.
Tiffany pushed her back, holding her at arm’s length. “You are amazing. I’ve never seen anyone go from zero to one hundred miles an hour so quickly. Jenn must love turning you on. You are such an eager puppy.”
Teri felt Tiffany pull her thumb away and grab her chin. She was getting dizzy from what Tiffany was doing to her. Her voice sounded hoarse. “You’re making me crazy," she said.
“Did Zoe make you crazy like this the other day?”
Teri was dumbfounded. “She told you?”
“Of course, all of us share. I told her that was the most selfless thing she could have given you. I know Gina mentioned something, but I never realized you had such a quick trigger. Did you just have an orgasm?”
Teri nodded her head. “A little one, just one.”
“Hmmm. When you and Jenn are going at it, how many orgasms do you have?”
“Big ones or little ones?”
“Tell Mother.”
“Lots of little ones and maybe four or five big ones.”
“How many does Jenn have?”
“I like to bring her to at least three or four.”
Tiffany stood back and released her tight grip on Teri. “Okay, sex kitten. Time to check out the rest of the outfit.”
Teri saw that she was wearing a matching bolero-length jacket in the same material. It was perfectly tailored to her body. Teri watched as she pulled off her jacket to reveal an ivory-colored chemise covered in lace.
“Oh, wow, Tiff. You look amazing. And you’re not afraid to wear this to a dance club?”
“Oh, no, honey. And check out the shoes.”
Teri looked down to see that she was wearing flats in the same blue as her outfit.
“Pretty cool, huh?”
“Did you get all of that from Jersey Girl?”
“Of course. I just ask.”
Teri knew she was staring, but Tiffany wanted to be stared at.
“Now, Little. Let’s see what you were thinking of.”
Teri showed her three things: a shiny black jumpsuit, a pair of capris and a blouse, and a little black dress. “I didn’t know what was appropriate," she said.
Tiffany was nodding. “Do they all fit?”
Teri nodded.
“Okay. Let’s see the jumpsuit.”
Teri decided to get undressed in front of Tiffany and pulled off her yoga pants and tee. Her underwear was navy blue.
Tiffany reached over and cupped her breast. “Not fair, Little. You have more than me. All I have is an A-cup.”
Teri blushed and took the opportunity to slip on the jumpsuit before Tiffany decided to explore her more. Her little appendage was small enough that she barely needed to tuck, but it didn’t belong on a woman.
Tiffany watched as she pulled up the tight, black jumpsuit that had molded to her body. It was shiny, with Capri-length pants and capped sleeves. One oversized black zipper ran up from her crotch to her chest.
As she was zipping it up, Tiffany reached out and stopped her hand when the zipper was below her breasts. They were exposed but not revealing a nipple. “That’s it, baby! That’s what you wear to a club.”
“But…”
“But, what?”
“But I’m exposed! I mean, I could just fall out.”
“Cool. You just tuck yourself back in like it happens all the time. You have to become the Queen of Cool tonight. And one more thing.”
Teri stopped to listen.
“No orgasms tonight. Don’t look for anyone or encourage anyone to hold you too close. Tonight you dance with us or by yourself. And if someone comes up behind you and grabs you, you spin around and step sideways. You’re not going hunting tonight for a new best friend.”
“You’re making me out like I’m an idiot.”
“No. You confusing going to a dance with a dance club. Try to rethink this evening. You’re picturing this like a high school dance where the boys all stand together and cross the gym one at a time to ask a girl to dance. That’s not a club scene. There is no couple dancing. It’s more like our forty-five-minute sets where the music never stops.”
“Picture this: The lights are flashing, the bass is thumping, and the music is so loud it consumes your senses. People go to clubs to let themselves go. Tonight, you’re going to lose your mind and let the music make you dance. It’s just supposed to be fun. Kinda like playing to sixty-five thousand people at a festival. Most of those people are just coming to have a mind-blowing good time.”
“Uh, you said most.”
“Right. Not everyone who goes to a club is good. There are pickpockets. There are perverts, and there are haters. You have to take some precautions. Never order a mixed drink that someone can drop shit into. You don’t want to get drugged up. Get a bottled beer or bottled water where you open the top. Just sip it. Hang on to it, but once you set it down, that’s it. Walk away and trash it. Just buy another.”
“And I’m going to be with you every step of the way. All of us are going tonight, and we’re going to circle the wagons to protect you. When we rest, we’ll get a table and just hang out until we’re ready to go again. We’ll screen all the guys who want to dance with you.”
“We’re all going to be your moms tonight. Thumbs up, thumbs down. If we don’t like the guy, we pull the cord, and the trap door takes him down to the shark and alligator pit, never to be seen again.”

“You’re acting like I can’t be trusted.”
“No, sweetie. We’re acting like it’s your first time and want you to have fun. Clubs are great and will give you a different perspective of being on the other end of our show. If you have orgasms dancing, well, join the club. That’s what it’s about.”
Teri nodded. “Okay, I get it, and I’m thankful that the Cats are going to keep me safe tonight. By the way. How old do you have to be to go to a club?”
“If they serve alcohol, you will need to show ID to get in. Do you still have your Tasha ID that says you’re twenty-two?”
Teri nodded.
“Good. Well, if you get carded, you’re covered. But I doubt that we’ll get carded tonight.”
“Why?”
“Because five beautiful dolls go straight to the front of the line. Your buddy Travis will use us to get in if there’s a line.”
“Why would there be a line at midnight”
“Clubs don’t open until ten, and they have to count their numbers for the Fire Marshal. So, are you excited?”
“Crazy excited.”

They were sitting down in the back of the House of Blues, eagerly watching the act on the stage. The D-City Band had two lead singers, two brass players, a bass player, a guitarist, and a drummer. The two singers also played a keyboard and bongos. They opened with a lot of Motown mixed in with Eminem, Bob Seger, and some amazing soul legends.
As they watched, Teri turned to her sister. “They’re playing all Detroit acts, lots of talented people.”
Lisa nodded. “But so far, all I’ve heard are covers. I’m wondering if they have any originals.”
Ten minutes later, the male singer came up and said, “Bruno Mars wrote this tune for us.”
After that, they would announce that different artists had penned songs for them. It became apparent that Warner’s was feeding them songs, and they were stylizing them.
Zoe whispered, “They’re really good. There's a lot of talent there.” Lisa looked at them. Where are their weak points?”
Gina laughed, “Percussion.”
Tiffany turned and said, “Better horns.”
Lisa looked at Teri. “You want to write some songs for them? I’m sure Wiggins would love that.”
Teri laughed. “Well, I’m pretty busy right now, and I don’t think they’d dig the Vampire songs we wrote for EBR.”

Later, after the opening act had disappeared, they were all strapped in and standing on the stage. Teri looked out and wondered what this audience would think after listening to the D-City Band. Before she could think about it, Gina started pounding on her drums, and a voice on the PA system simply said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, Please Welcome The Wildcats.”
They vanished if she had any doubts that this crowd had come to see them. As they all stepped to the front and the spotlights found them, Teri could see everyone on their feet clapping along. Then, she heard Zoe yell out into her mic, “C’mon, Teri. Play that guitar!”
She was suddenly struck by the soul of Eddie Van Halen moving through her. Wrenching feedback, bending notes, playing high-speed strings with the fingers from both her hands and chording like a maniac, she lit the place up. After a minute or two, she realized that the show was just beginning. Remembering Lisa’s sage advice, “It’s not a sprint; It’s a marathon," she yelled into her mic, “C’mon, Zoe!”
While she passed the lead over to Zoe, Tiffany filled in the bottom with high-speed super bass that echoed off the walls. Before long, Lisa stood at the mic and yelled out, “Hello Detroit!" and began singing the opening lyrics of Run, Run, Gone!
The whole place was with them shouting back, “Run!” along with the entire band. After playing the song through twice, Zoe stepped on the ending of the song with the opening chords from Downward Spiral.
And they were off.
After fifty minutes of non-stop playing, the band stopped so Lisa could talk to the crowd. “Thank you, Detroit! We're excited to play for you tonight and tomorrow at The House of Blues. And how about the D-City Band? Aren’t they great?”
Waiting for the applause to die down, she waved and pointed out the members of the band. Each was getting applause, but Tiffany and Teri were getting whoops and hollers, too. Lisa read the crowd and looked at Tiffany. As if it was mental telepathy, she started her bass introduction to Show Me Some Love, which had everyone up on their feet and dancing. As each instrument joined in, Tiffany came to the mic. She turned and stared at Teri from across the stage. Then she started softly cooing. “Oh, Teri. You look so wonderful tonight.”
The crowds roared and ate it up.
Tiffany looked at the crowd and then turned again to Teri, who was playing and watching but did not acknowledge Tiffany. “Oh, Teri. You look so sexy tonight.” She emphasized sexy.
Teri turned and looked at Tiffany as if to ask, "Where did you come from?" “Oh, Tiffany…”
Tiffany’s voice was dripping with passion. “Oh, Teri. You make my heart beat faster.”
Teri repeated, “Oh, Tiffany.” And moaned.
Tiffany fanned herself and said, “Oh, Teri. I love you.”
Teri just started moaning.

Lisa had moved to the Theremin and started getting spacey sounds from it. Zoe had begun using her amp and guitar to provide feedback and a cacophony of various noises. Tiffany stated blasting away on her bass, and Teri used a glass slide on one finger to bend notes. Gina was going crazy back on her drums.
As the noise grew louder, Tiffany started repeating, “Oh, Teri," and clicked a foot pedal that added those words to a looping machine.
Teri did the same thing with her moans until the entire place was lifted high and away from Detroit on their orgasmic ride.
Then Zoe stopped playing, Lisa stopped her Theremin, and Teri stopped and clicked off her moaning loop.
All that was left was Tiffany going back to the starting basic baseline and the loop of her moaning over and over, “Oh, Teri," until she clicked her foot pedal and stopped playing. She leaned into the mic and whispered, “We’ll be back in a few minutes. Get your phones out and ready.”

As they walked off the stage to the cheering crowd, Zoe turned and smiled at Lisa. “Good call, coach. You heard what they wanted and gave it to them.”
“Right, but where does that leave us for our Show Us Your Love ending?” Tiffany was puzzled.
Lisa nodded. “We do the song without the space twins. Just the music and the lyrics. They’ll be busy chanting along.”

Richard appeared. “Excuse me, Teri. Do you have a minute?”
Teri smiled. “Sure, Richard. What’s up?”
Richard whispered in her ear, and Teri smiled. Then she returned to the group, which had already put on their Fur Face suits.
“What was that about?”
“Just some arrangement ideas about our encore. Richard thought we should do something special just for Detroit.”
Lisa was talking out loud. “We did the Detroit Wheels medley with Smith in North Carolina.” She stopped and looked at her sister. “No. You didn’t!”
Teri just grinned and watched Smith walk up behind her.
Lisa saw where all the eyes were turned. She turned and fell into the arms of her boyfriend, Smith Walters.
Tiffany laughed. “How’d you do that, Little?”
Teri shrugged. “I was talking to Bill about some of the arrangements that I’d written up for Eaten’s new album. And I mentioned that we were in Detroit, then Chicago. I wondered aloud how doing an encore with Smith would be so cool. And then maybe do some real Chicago blues on Saturday night. You heard his harp and how he did a great job with Howlin’ Wolf and Buddy Guy.”
Gina was laughing. “And you and Bill, as in William Wiggins, head of Warner’s, just made it happen.”
Teri smiled. “I don’t know. Bill said something about their jet flying in to watch our Chicago show. So I suggested he come early and bring Smith.”
They were all still watching Lisa and Smith kissing. Zoe asked, “So Wiggins is here?”
“Nah. He flew on to Chicago for meetings. So Smith has a round trip ticket back to LA from Chicago.”
“Is that where EBR is practicing and recording?”
“Just practicing. Their album was recorded in the little studio where we practiced. You remember, down in the Treme.”
“How are you doing the arrangements if you’re here?”
“Oh, that’s already finished. Now they’re revitalizing some of their old songs, and I’m helping with the arrangements.”
“Well, somebody needs to tell Lisa to come up for air. The little yellow chick needs to be out on stage.”
Lisa came up and hugged her sister. “Oh, my God! I love you!”

The stage lights went up as the five Wildcats waddled out on stage. The crowd cheered and chanted "Fur Face."
When Lisa donned Teri’s guitar, pressed some buttons, and began playing a heavy metal three-chord pattern. Zoe played the dirtiest, screaming guitar as Teri stepped to the mic.
There was no way that Teri, dressed as a brown and white bunny with huge floppy ears, could muster a scowl as she began singing the lyrics to Fur Face. And the crowd loved it as they sang along. But when Tiffany stood at her mic and did her rap, the crowd went wild and rapped with her.
After the last verse and chorus, the stage went black. They were still chanting “Fur Face” when the spotlight found Teri seated at the concert grand piano playing the introduction to Bach’s Concerto for Cello and Piano. Everyone listened.
Then, a spotlight found Tiffany sitting on a stool, her long, beautiful legs wrapped tightly around her electric cello. You could have heard a pin drop as five thousand people sat, watched, and listened to her performance.
A third spotlighted Lisa as she sang the lyrics to their new song, Chances. The audience heard every word as the piano and cello accompanied her. The sound of Zoe’s feedback began rumbling throughout the silence of the hall. As she walked to the front, eyes were on her as she swayed and played.
When Teri’s guitar and Tiffany’s roaring bass joined Gina pounding her drums, Chances became a hard-rocking song played by five true musicians. As Lisa screamed and shouted the words, forming a fifth instrument, the crowd was enjoying something new and crazy.
But just as it started, soon, all that was left was Zoe still playing her loud rock. When she stopped, Teri was back at the piano playing Chances as if Bach had written it himself. People gasped when Tiffany returned to her cello and played. When Teri’s part ended, Tiffany played the most beautiful ending to Bach’s Concerto for Piano and Cello.
When she stopped, she just sat there until the roar of the audience consumed her. She stood, curtsied, and the light went out.
When all the Cats appeared back on stage, they played the remainder of their songs, ending with Summer Song and Show Me Some Love. When they walked off the stage, they all knew they were coming back for an encore.

When the band returned, Lisa talked about their new album of live and studio songs. She explained that everything except Chances and Bach were on there. “You’ll have to wait for Chances because it’s a song for the movie coming out this fall with Brad Pitt and George Clooney. And another guy in it was the lead singer of Eaten By Raptors. But EBR is so long ago that nobody probably remembers those guys.”
As everybody cheered and chanted E-B-R repeatedly, Teri began the introduction of Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels hit version of Devil With A Blue Dress and Good Golly Miss Molly! on their synthesizer. As he did, a guy walked out on stage wearing jeans, scuffed boots, and a pressed, white Western shirt. He picked up the mic and began to sing.
The audience recognized the voice from nine years ago because their hits were still playing all the time on the radio. Lisa shouted out, “Smith Walters, Smith Walters!”
As Smith sang, the Wildcats became the Detroit Wheels, playing and singing backup until Zoe played that recognizable guitar intro to Good Golly, Miss Molly! Lisa and Smith shared the lead in the song.

“You know your sister isn’t going clubbing with us, not with Smith here.”
“Yeah, I figured that. I even wondered if clubbing was even a guy thing.”
“It’s more of an age thing for him. But you didn’t hear it from me.”
“Hey, are we still going?”
“Sure. But watch. Zoe’s gonna bail next.”
“Baby?”
“Uh-huh.”

Teri, Gina, Tiffany, Travis, and Leon all walked into the club together. Gina slid two fifties into the bouncer’s hand as he waved them through. As they weaved through the mass of dancing bodies, Teri held Tiffany’s hand firmly and looked all around. She couldn’t hear anything, and the music overwhelmed her senses. Travis led them to a roped-off section, and they all sat down at a table marked reserved.
The Wildcats all stared at him.
Travis blushed. “I went to school with the owner’s son.”
Tiffany said, “High school?”
“Uh, grad school.”
Tiffany was shocked. “How old are you?”
Travis blushed. “Twenty-five. Engineering. That’s why I wanted to work with Phil. And my dad knows Mr. Wiggins, so they put in the good word.”
“You need an advanced degree to move amplifiers?”
“Sure. After years of classes, touring is awesome! He looked up to see a waitress standing there. “Beers?”
Teri made the mistake of drinking hers too fast. Realizing that she should have ordered water. After emptying her bottle, she put both hands on the table and stood. She shouted above the music, “Who wants to dance?”
As they all downed their beers, Teri followed Tiffany to the dance floor. People opened up a hole as the tall blonde danced her way to the middle of the crowd. The five of them formed a circle and started dancing. Teri took all her cues from Gina and Tiffany until she felt the rhythm and just let loose.
Her eyes were closed when she felt a tap on her shoulder, and Tiffany said, “Bathroom.”
It was a lot quieter inside the tiled room until the door opened. Teri concentrated on her hair. Tiffany had insisted she pull it all up in a massive ponytail and create curled bangs on her face for the show. She’d also insisted on a red stain on her lips for tonight.
“Red is a power color, baby. And you’re powerful tonight.”

Teri really was enjoying her dancing when another body stepped between her and the circle. She looked at Tiff and Gina, and they both shrugged. So she smiled and danced.
As the music changed, she looked over at her partner. She was momentarily confused as to the sex of the person dancing with her. She had highly teased, bleach-blonde hair, elaborate makeup, and tight, glittery clothing. But under the tight clothes was a boy’s body. She realized that she was having a good time and this person was just enjoying the dancing.
Eventually, Gina whispered in her ear, “Let’s take a break. Invite your friend back to our table if you want.”
Teri impulsively grabbed her arm and led her back to the table. When they all sat down, and she had a chance to study her, she wondered. This person was not trying to fool anyone. She was really all dressed up for the party.
Teri stuck out her hand and leaned in to say, “I’m Teri.”
“Angel. But I know who you are. You’re Terry Nelson, and I love you and the Wildcats. I have tickets with my friends to go to tomorrow’s show. Wait until you see the outfit I picked out!”
Teri was trying to think of something to say, and Angel took that as an opportunity to continue talking about himself. “I know you’re trying to figure me out. I guess they don’t have a lot of femme boys back in Allentown. But that’s me. I totally love everything about you and have followed you for ages. And when I saw you were coming to Detroit, we all had to buy tickets. All of us dolls are coming tomorrow night. And, of course, my boyfriend refused. He paid for my ticket but is shy when I get all carried away in public.”
Teri found herself nodding. She was handed another beer and started drinking. Angel was still talking when the bottle was empty. “Hey, Angel. You wanna dance some more?”
As Angel grabbed Teri’s hand, she looked back. She saw they were all getting up to join them, but Teri felt happy and maybe a little drunk.

When she woke up and looked at the clock, she was surprised to see that it was two o’clock. Afternoon! As she started to get out of bed, she had to wait for the spinning to stop. She was happy she was in a private hotel room and not on the bus.
As she leaned over the toilet, waiting to see if her stomach was going to empty itself out, she realized that she had been drunk and was now hungover. She called room service and ordered black coffee and dry toast.
Stepping out of the shower, she wrapped herself in a robe and answered the door to get her coffee. Sitting down to drink it, she saw another text from Don and one from Jenn. She put her phone down and concentrated on keeping the coffee and the dry toast down.

Later on, she called Jenn. “Hey!”
“Hey, yourself, Rock Star. What’s up?”
“The usual life of a teen rock star. Just flying in my private jet and playing with my groupies. You?”
“Seriously thinking about getting a boy toy to have around while my rock star girlfriend is out on tour. Course that’ll happen after she’s gone again this weekend.”
“Yeah. This week, I’ll be in Ohio, Nebraska, Indiana, and Missouri, one night stands, sleeping on the bus. Like a real old-fashioned tour.”
“Well, at least you have your pick of Wildcats to keep you warm.”
Teri refused to take that bait. “How’s your family?”
Jenn laughed. “I’d really forgotten just how dysfunctional they are all. Spending a few hours with them is my maximum. Hiding out and being a ghost groupie on your bus sounds pretty good.”
“Well, I’ve got a suite in Chicago for two nights. So you’ll have a chance to escape. When are you going back to Allentown?”
“I’m evicted from mom’s house. I had to pack my stuff in storage until I got a place in Philly for school. I’m going to start looking after I see you. I have to get a twelve-month place anyway.”
“You wouldn’t just stay out at the band house and commute to school?”
“I thought about it, but I really do need to pay attention to my classes and do well. I’m pushing for some scholarship money.”
“Why? I can pay for everything. By the way, did you get a check from Richard?”
“Yes. Fifty thousand dollars! That’s crazy!”
“Glad you got it. Deposit it and spend it. When it runs out, you’ll get some more.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing you and snuggling under the covers. I do miss you.”
“Me, too. I’m always thinking about you.”

After the phone call, she texted Don and sent a photo of House of Blues in Detroit. She wrote two nights.
When she was dressed, she called up Tiffany. “Hey.”
“How ya doin', Little? You got hammered last night with your new friend, Angel. Did you have fun? It looked like it.”
“Honestly, all I remember is having a second beer and dancing. Did I have fun?”
“You know, Little. If you’re going to go and have fun, you have to stay sober enough to remember what you did. You won’t appreciate your dancing orgasms.”
“Did I have any?”
“You told me you had three dancing with Angel. At least you don’t have to worry about him getting into your pants.”
“Yeah, what is a femme boy?”
“Is that what he said?”
“Yeah. And he mentioned he had a boyfriend.”
“Sounds right. Just a feminine boy who likes to be pretty and be a bottom to a man.”
“Bottom, like in sex?”
“Uh-huh. You’re the femme in your relationship with Jenn.”
“Yeah. That’s what I heard.”
“I was told to pass the word. Dinner at six. Richard is taking us out. Then we head to the theater. We go on tonight at nine-thirty.”

Teri thought about everything while she waited in the dark on the stage. They would go with last night’s set list and feature Smith in the encore. Of course, Lisa might change things up right on stage. They were just cogs in the machine, playing and having fun. No clubbing tonight since they were in Chicago playing tomorrow night. The word was they were going to convoy at ten in the morning.
Before coming to the show, she made sure everything was cleared out of the drawers and ready to pack. She picked out a stage and travel outfits before leaving for the theater. Everything else was prepared to go.
Tonight, she was wearing a mini dress and tights. Everything was dark green, including her boots. She pulled her hair up in a pony again and curled her bangs. She laughed at herself for looking like a girly girl tonight and wondered if that was where she was heading. She might be leaving Joan Jett behind but heading towards a sexy bad girl. She thought about Debbie Harry and Stevie Nicks.
As Gina’s drums started pounding, she flipped the switch and moved into her rock god persona. Her last thought was how cool it would be to be a Vampire rock star.

Dear Reader,

Wildcat Summer is available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Wildcat-Summer-Leslie-Moore-ebook/dp/...

There are many chapters to read in the sample

Leslie

Dear Reader,

Wildcat Summer is available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Wildcat-Summer-Leslie-Moore-ebook/dp/...

There are many chapters to read in the sample

Leslie

Dear Reader,

Wildcat Summer is available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Wildcat-Summer-Leslie-Moore-ebook/dp/...

There are many chapters to read in the sample

Leslie

One step at a time.

Several days later, our moms escorted Brooke and me into their studio. All the papers had been signed, and we were excited to start our new careers. We followed the GPS directions to a large office building off Market Street. We parked and rode the elevator until we reached the fourth floor. We followed the signs and pressed the Johnson Portrait Photography buzzer on the door. We could hear footsteps, and Leana opened the door with a smile.

“Hi, everyone!”

Brooke introduced her mom and smiled. I did the same.

Leana reached her hand out and laughed. “I’m Leana. Why don’t you all come in? I hope you can stay with us today and see how things are done. Until everyone is comfortable, it’s good to have an adult here.”

Brooke’s mom smiled. “In the future, Brooke’s older sister, Melody, will come by with the girls. She’s turning eighteen.”

Leana nodded. “Well, if that’s all right with you, that’s good enough for us. We won’t shoot minors without a chaperone ever.”

We all turned when we heard another voice. George was walking towards us, holding a long, bright yellow cable. “C’mon back, and we can show off the magic. I want to walk everyone through what we do here.”

The morning flew by way. Leana showed us the dressing rooms, lockers for our stuff, and a large hair and makeup area. We followed Leana into the dressing rooms. She pointed to several racks of clothing, each one with tags pinned to the outfit. Each outfit had shoes and outerwear. “You find the clothes marked with the number one and put them on. I’m going to be here to help you. I’m not following you into your dressing room unless you ask. After you get dressed, I will pin the clothes to fit them properly. I’m going to help you with hair and makeup, too.”

George waited in the massive studio with high ceilings and big black poles across the ceiling, holding huge lights in big black boxes.

George saw me staring at the lights hanging from the ceiling.

“Haley, all those lights do different things. We store them up there, and I can bring them down on individual cable controls.”

I watched him walk over and start pressing buttons on a big panel on the wall. We all watched as the lights moved up and down and changed direction. “Everything is done remotely, making it easier for me to set up a shoot.”

There were three areas where they took the photographs, and each had a green backdrop. “That color green is a neutral shade. We can use our computers to change the color or insert a scene. We try for flexibility.”

I was nodding. “What other things do you do besides clothing photos for manufacturers?”

He smiled. “We do portraits for individuals and families. Weddings, Quinceaneras, and pet portraits. We can change the lighting to fit whatever our needs. Catalog photography is pretty simple. You stand in front of the green screen, and we take your photo. Leana will help with the poses, and I will shoot. Then we look at the monitor, choose the best, or shoot again.”

Leana nodded. “Once we get into a routine, it’s pretty simple and goes by quickly. We are going to work until three o’clock today. We’ll break for lunch at noon. Altogether, you will be paid for the seven hours in the studio. And right, you get a paid lunch break, too.”

We were ushered back into the dressing room, where Brooke and I hung up our clothes and put on outfits marked with the number one.

I wore white tights and an orange and black jumper, while Brooke wore green tights and a pink and navy jumper. We smiled at each other.

Brooke leaned over and whispered in my ear. “Twinsies.”

Leana found our size in shoes and gave us each a pair of white sneakers. “Remember, everything you try on goes home with you today.”

Once we were dressed, Leana sat us in front of a mirror and worked on Brooke’s hair. I was green with envy because her beautiful hair was pulled back in a high ponytail. Then she turned to me.

“Haley, I can give you various hats or even a wig to try on. But honestly, you have such an angelic face; I think you look good with your short hair.” Then she picked up some gold clip-on earrings, cleaned them with alcohol, and adjusted them to fit.

I looked at Mom, who smiled and nodded. I knew I would get my ears pierced by how she looked at me!

After Leana finished with Brooke’s hair, she used a little airbrush to apply a light coat of foundation to our skin. “This flattens out your complexion for the bright lights. It also removes the glare. You’ll get used to it. Then she applied color to our lips and a bit of mascara. Since we’re not doing close-ups today, we aren’t going to work on making up your faces. But remember, you’re now professional models, and your job is to smile and look happy for the camera.”

I glanced at the moms sitting on stools. They were both grinning and looked like they were having fun.

After fifteen minutes, we changed into outfit number two and repeated the process. I thought the clothes were nice. They were all from the same brand name, and we had done eight different outfits before long.

Leana looked at the clock on the studio wall. “Break time, everyone. Time for lunch.”

As Leana led us into the dressing room to change our street clothes, their door buzzer went off. I watched George grab a roller cart and disappear. When he returned, he had platters of cheese, cold cuts, water, and a huge tossed salad. We all followed him back to the dressing room, which became our lunch room.

As we were helping clean up from our lunch, my Mom smiled and laughed. She looked at Leana. “We’re so jealous of the girl’s new outfits that we’re going shopping. We’ll be back at three o’clock to pick you both up.”

I was exhausted. I didn’t think about how we were both standing and modeling clothes most of the day. I wasn’t used to being on my feet all day. The highlight was when Leana handed us each huge black plastic bag full of clothes to take home.

“They are all neatly folded, and everything is in good condition. Some of the clothes were pinned to fit perfectly, so be careful you don’t discover a safety pin. Check each item carefully.”

As we were walking out the door, Leana smiled at everyone. “Well, have a good couple of days, and I will see you two on Tuesday. It’s a new work week, and you will each work twenty hours. That’s a thousand dollars a week until summer is over.”

We looked at each other and grinned. We knew that we had just walked through a magic door. Brooke’s mom looked at her phone as we waited for the elevator.

“Your dad just texted me. After you get home and clean up, you’re invited to our house for a barbeque.”

Mom smiled after we carried all the clothes down to the laundry room. “Well, now that you’re a working girl, I suppose you want to buy a new car.”

My head swiveled. “Huh? But I’m twelve!”

Mom grinned. “ Too soon? Well, maybe we can schedule a mother-daughter mani-pedi tomorrow after church.”

I suddenly realized that tomorrow would be my first day in church since I’d gotten out of the hospital. Everyone would be staring at the damaged trans girl. I realized that this was going to be my future. I sighed. “Okay. Can we look through the piles and pick out something nice from today?”

Mom nodded. “Do you want me to get the needle and the ice cubes before or after you shower? I know I have some cute gold hoops that will look beautiful on you.”

I started to cry. “This is all too good to be true.”

Mom hugged me. “Oh, no, honey. You just endured a trial by fire by your crazy father and spent weeks in the hospital after that. You deserve some happiness.”

the author withdrew this because it proved dangerous

the author emptied this file to make room for other stories more worthy than this hot mess

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The author withdrew this because is was a hot mess

Wait, did my wife just divorce me?

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Dear Readers,
.
Invisible has been my guilty pleasure. And I hoped you enjoyed it as much as I did.
.
But, while I'm editing and waiting for the final cover, I had to write this little story that came to me in the shower. It's really a first draft and I don't know if it has legs. But, I know the readers here have lots of patience and tolerate my rotten tomatoes.
.
By the way, this chapter has been rewritten since it was published

An hour later, I had people swarming all over the house. I’d used Sophia’s service before and was a great customer. Two men and women wearing coveralls got out of a box truck with the company’s lettering on the side. They began bringing in cardboard boxes through the front door. They were here to move me out.

I was surprised when the owner herself followed the big truck up our drive. I saw the attractive bright red Ferrari pull up along side and watched Sophia climb out.

I almost had tears in my eyes as we hugged and kissed. “We’ll, it’s happened. You were so right. She handed me the papers this morning and I signed them. It’s official. And yeah, I’m giving her gran’s estate. Too many memories of us together are everywhere I look. I’m not interested in staying and thinking about the past.”

Sophia looked around. “This place is worth a hundred million bucks and you’re just giving it away. That’s crazy. You’re running from her. If I were you and wanted crazy, I’d torch the place. You own it. You have the deed. You have all the rights in the world to just set it on fire. And burn the bitches’ clothes down with it. But wait until we pack you into the truck.

I laughed out loud and hiccuped. That was so her. I loved her crazy.

A while back, I’d told Sophia about Lily’s recent affair with Tom Reynolds. It was when we were playing tennis at the club. After a tight three set match, we’d sat and cooled off looking out over the eighteenth hole. While we sipped ice cold water brightened with cucumbers and lemons, I cried a lot of salty tears talking about the bleak situation my marriage was in. It was not a good day. I remembered being so distraught.

“Sophia, I honestly don’t know what to do. She’s ignoring me and having this whirlwind love affair right in front of me. Sure, I agreed to an open marriage but she’s destroying any good parts of anything we have left. I’m being punished while she flaunts this new lust she’s in. She’s treating our house like it’s a hotel and I’m the concierge. I do her laundry, I hold her when she wants to be cuddled, and then she’s off for another rendezvous with him. We’re married. Doesn’t that count for anything?”

Sophia listened and shook her head. “It’s over, baby. You’re the problem by standing in her way. Your presence reminds her of how shitty she’s behaving. Deep inside she knows how bad she’s being to someone she was supposed to be in love with. And it’s hard for her to carry on and really enjoy herself when she knows she’s crushing your soul. I think it’s only a matter of time before she plays lawyer on your ass and divorces you. Will she take your money, too?”

I raised my hand and waved it. “I’ve got enough to share, but she wrote our prenuptial agreement before we got hitched. She barely gets a million dollars. A drop in the bucket.”

Sophia looked surprised. “No secret clauses, no strings? What if she murders you?”

I shook my head. “Charity. She arranged it. We picked out the charities long ago.”

Sophia held her hand up to get the waiter’s attention. She looked at me. “We need something stronger.”

I laughed. Sophia was a good friend. She knew the whole story of my life.

She smiled at the waiter. “Two iced Irish coffees please. Double shots of expresso and double up on the whiskey, please.”

I laughed. “Who’s going to hold my head when I puke?”

She laughed. “That’s the sign of a true friend. Someone who keeps the puke out of your hair when your head’s in the toilet.”

After we drank the foam off the second drink, Sophia got a little more colorful. “Shit, girl. You’ve just got to stand up for yourself and kick her the fuck out. Change the locks, throw her clothes out on the lawn, then send her packing. She’s treating you wrong and you both know it. It’s got to stop. Look at how miserable you are. It’s killing you inside.”

I sobbed. “But, I owe her big time. She stuck by me through my transition and all my surgeries. She means so much to me. Without Lily, I would have never become who I am today.”

“That’s bullshit, honey. You might have had some detours, but you’d still be sitting here with me drinking the afternoon away. Except you wouldn’t be suffering from the pain that bitch is causing you. Seriously, stand up to her and tell her to get out.”

“I can’t do that. That’s not me. And,I just don’t want to be that person. I can’t be that person. And I still hope she’ll come back.”

“That’s your problem, babe. You’re wearing blinders trying to convince yourself that she still loves you. She knows you’d take her back and forgive her. That’s why she doesn’t care if she walks all over you. You’ve taken guilt out of the relationship.”

I drank and sobbed. Sophia was right.

“Well, maybe it’s cause you were raised on the right side of the tracks. You need to do a Jersey on her big butt. if you can’t or don’t want to be that person, fine. I will never say another word about your crazy-assed wife again.”

Sophia was a true friend. We’d met years ago when I contacted a security service about installing a system in my grandmother’s old house. It was on forty acres and used to be a horse farm. I wanted sensors and cameras installed on the perimeter walls and the house, too. The security company sent Sophia out to talk to me. But, instead of buying a system, we spent the afternoon telling each other the story of our lives.

She’d worked hard as a Blackjack dealer in Atlantic City, doubling up as a bartender and a cocktail waitress on the weekends before she met Lou. Long before she married Lou, we’d become friends. He liked to gamble and enjoyed being around her. His kids were grown and had moved away when the two of the started dating. He was deeply in love with her and she was happy to have found someone who appreciated her mind as well as her body.

She’d moved up to the Main Line to be closer to him. And that’s how she ended up pedaling security systems.

I liked her from the first time we met. Instead of selling me a system, I convinced her to go into business on her own for herself. I thought she had the talent and the moxie to go the whole way. So I became a silent partner in her business.

Over several bottles of wine, we created a game plan for her new endeavor. She’d create a service company to older rich people who needed someone to take care of things. Sophia would come in and make a list. She’d arrange for the contractors and oversee every detail of whatever needed doing. I wanted to call her busines ROTPTP for “Rob the rich and pay the poor.” Instead we settled on naming it Sophia’s.

And I made sure she’d make it through tough times by creating the cash flow she needed to stay afloat. I’d arranged with my bank to open up a line of credit to get on her feet. She was the first person that I’d ever played angel for by giving her a loan on a simple handshake. Oh, but, did I mention I owned a small part of a big bank?

My grandmother had a lot of investments and businesses that she’d left me. One of her properties was a Savings and Loan company from back in the 1930’s. It was an old fashion community bank that served the Lehigh Valley. It couldn’t compete with the big boys and was running on empty but still had lots of local customers and generations of family loyalty. When I inherited it, I promptly lined up a national bank to buy me out. It became an upgrade for our employees and customers. Besides the millions of dollars they paid me, I also got a minor seat on their Board of Directors. At nineteen, I was their youngest board member. I was also the only board member who proudly waved an LGBTQ flag.

The old farts laughed at me. One old, white man told me I should just sit there and listen. But, I pushed hard to create a positive attitude towards all people. And when the word got out through our TV and print advertising that women, minorities, same sex families and gay singles were welcomed here, out profits soared. From there, I pushed our nation wide branches to support community projects. We strove to show we cared about the underfed and the under appreciated. When I turned twenty-one, the board wanted to move me up to serve as their vice chairman. I turned them down, saying I could do more good behind the scenes.

I retired my seat when I heard that Forbes was getting ready to write a very complementary article about a special woman who was slated to become the first trans-woman billionaire in the world. That’s when I ducked my high profile position and retired. I declined all the publicity and returned to my small world.

Back when I was eighteen and itchin’ to transition, Grandmother Camille died. I was her only inheritor. Naturally, when all that happened I dove straight into embracing my female side. I had to leave my male life behind. And so, in her honor, I changed my name to Camille.

Gran’s trust included a substantial portfolio of stocks and bonds. As my lawyer, Lily arranged for me to receive a huge check each month from the interest gleaned from gran’s holdings. Instead of spending that money, I lived in my small dorm room and invested most of those dividends. While Lily managed gran’s trust, the portfolio I created was mine to invest.

I guess I was lucky because I was beating all the odds by making a lot of money in the NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange. My favorite was playing with ninety day grain futures. I bought shares in all the markets around the world and enjoyed those late night challenges.I saw a lot of action trading Yen for Euros. It was my personal gambling addiction. I really didn’t care how much I made, but I saw that it all got reinvested.

That first year, when Lily happened to see the accountant’s statement on my personal investment portfolio, she freaked and immediately insisted that I incorporate. Lily had made sure that gran’s trust was protected, but now she wanted to start overseeing my personal money, too. I allowed her to send me to an accounting firm and started listening to their advice.

But, I only took advice and chose to handle everything myself. Maybe it was juvenile, but I didn’t even want Lily or a strange accounting firm to oversee my investments. I also liked the idea of betting it all. Before long, I’d moved from investing tens of thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands daily. I really did my best to kept everything quiet. I never told anyone.

But, finally the government came knocking. It started when the Federal Reserve Board was checking on my seat on my nomination to the board of the large bank. The Securities and Exchange Commision and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation became aware that I was moving a lot of money around the world awfully fast. It seemed to make them worry. After that, I agreed to slowly pull back. Millions of dollars flying around the global markets managed by a single woman made them nervous.

When Lily found out the extent of my investments, she called it gambling. I remember her shouting. “Dammit, Camille. You’re playing with fire here. The big investment firms don’t move this much money at a time. Your going to be seen as trying to manipulate markets. Movimg half your gains in one day sends small shock waves out across the financial world. It’s just not done that way. It you don’t plan on drawing out these monies, you should start buying bonds. And it will simplify your taxable income. That way, you’ll only pay taxes on a salary you draw as an employee of your corporation.”

And so I stopped. It wasn’t as much fun with everyone looking over my shoulder. I hadn’t realized just how much money I’d amassed over a three year period. It was about the same size as grandmother Camille’s inheritance.

I soothed my conscious by donating half to charities I liked. Eventually, those were the same foundations that my big bank helped too. It was a win-win.

We lived very well as a young married couple. I felt that Lily was entitled to half of everything I had. And I would have generously complied, but Lily didn’t want any of it. She wrote out our prenuptial agreement and all of that property and bonds stayed in my hands.

So, I owned it all. We’d joke how Lily was a kept woman. I paid all her expenses including gifting her a wallet full of credit cards. It was good deal for her but I also saw where every penny she was spending went. I knew about each of her affairs as they happened. I saw the charges on the daytime hotel rooms, their food and drink, and the occasional getaway resort stays. Bermuda and Ibiza seemed to be her favorite places to take her younger men. Those trips and her shopping spree’s reflected a penchant for tiny bikinis and cocktail dresses.

I’d touch all her French lingerie purchases as I’d hand wash them. I always knew that a lover had seen her wearing those skimpy things before she’d brought them home for me to wash. Lily knew I was watching her affairs. I think she saw it as power over me. But, I liked the pleasure of taking care of her beautiful clothes. Until it all backfired.

Lily didn’t flaunt her cheating to my face, but she never lied either. While I tried my best to satisfy her, she’d remind me that she was bi, not gay. Early on in our relationship, I learned that our lovemaking didn’t fulfill all her needs. Her favorite reminder was where she’d laugh after a second cocktail and kiss me. “Camille, you are a perfect wife, but I’m not a vegetarian. I still have a hankering for a good steak.”

I learned to accept what she said. But, sometimes I pretended I didn’t hear her. Instead I concentrated on myself and the steps I needed to take to finish my transition. I loved Lily very much but had to think hard just to understand her. All those affairs were short-lived infatuations. When I saw what was happening, I just shrugged it off. I knew all the rules before we became engaged. I learned what an open marriage entails. I could have asked about each one of her men and knew Lily would have enjoyed telling me everything.

And I could have stepped outside our marriage, too. But, to use Lily’s phrase, I had no interest in dining out at a steak house. I was content with my wife. Did I ever think about beef? No. I looked at guys as aliens.

My all-boys boarding school had provided a wide menu if I wanted to dine at a buffet. But, I realized early on I was female but asexual. Maybe removing my body’s source of testosterone at fifteen prevented me from having deep sexual lusts. But, those upperclassmen who saw my long hair and willowy frame as a potential bottom to their obvious top, were game. I never could get excited as hard as I tried to be somebody’s girl. No one offered me a true relationship. For those guys, it was just about quickies.

So, when I met Lily, it was the first time I’d wanted to make love. And my new found lawyer was interested in training an innocent who was eager to please.

But, I soon realized I wasn’t the only one on her dance card. She had a penchant for twenty somethings. She liked the buff, male model types but never looked for an equal. There were no love affairs, just the occasional fling. I sensed that as Lily got older, these affairs with younger men provided a tonic. I could see the signs. Maybe she’d become bored with me. She’d be distracted. Then, she’d have a fling. After that, she’d be back eager to have me back in her orbit. Our love making would actually become better each time. I was convinced that she loved me more after each affair.

I reflected upon the past months Lily and I spent together. We’d been going through the paces, but I knew all Lily really wanted to do was talk about her new love. She wanted to share her happiness with me.
While I thought she was being mean, it was really all very simple. Lily had already stopping being in love with me. In her mind, I’d just become a loving girlfriend who she could talk with about Tom. I didn’t play. And since I wouldn’t be her confidant, she couldn’t find a place for me in her new life. I served no useful purpose.

I know Lily wanted me to react. Maybe it would have eased her mind if I had screamed and yelled. I guess she would have liked to have said hurtful things back at me. Deep inside, Lily knew the damage she had done, but she was the kind of person who had no remorse. And because I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of showing her that she had broken me, she was angry and contrite at the same time. She wanted to walk away without any guilt but, that was too bad for her. Deep down inside, I knew she wasn’t going to be forgiven. So I worked on forgetting her.

Deep inside, I still felt hurt. But, I decided that the easiest thing I could do was emulate Lily. I, too, would appear light and breezy and act like nothing had happened.

But, even as I played her game, something had died inside my heart and was gone forever. So, I read about the stages of grief and tried a few out. I refused to become angry. Denial was the easiest emotion for me to feel. Lily was there, right in front of my eyes, coming and going on her new schedule, going off to be with Tom.

Whenever she tried to bring him up, I’d shake my head and turn away. There was my denial.

I finally decided it was foolish to think l’d win her love back. If she came home at all, it would be late at night. Obviously, she’d ran through her wardrobe and needed a change of clothes to go to work tomorrow. She’d go straight into the shower to wash off the smell of their romps. And, while we still occasionally cuddled in bed, I’d become a different person. It would be wrong to say I stopped caring. But, I was acknowledging that our love had died. It was an epiphany when I finally realized that for all those years, our love making had been very one-sided. I’d always worked hard to please Lily. My satisfaction came at knowing I was fulfilling my role.

At those times, Lily would laugh. “You really are the girl here. So content just to please. All your satisfaction comes from making me happy. It’s strange to think that’s all you want. I could never be so passive like you. I have needs.”

Lily had always been my mentor. I was eighteen and she was twenty-seven when we’d met. Back then, that was a big difference in our maturational levels. I was a precocious teen starting college, faithfully going to classes, listening to everything said. But after school, I was getting my life classes from Lily. I learned to do her domestic chores. I learned to be her lady-in-waiting. I treated her like she was a goddess on a pedestal. And I loved my role. Until six months ago, I still wanted to stay that person. I was the devoted, loving pleaser.

I had worked hard to become her love slave. And then, when the inevitable happened, I was crushed. She’d tired of my love and sought out someone else. This break-up was my first and I was learning as I went.

Here Lily was on Cloud Nine and I was grieving. By the time I signed those papers, I’d moved on.

Now, it was time to move out. I’d been divorced and I was on my own for the first time since I was eighteen.

Sophia and I talked. After I pointed at what needed to get done to move me out, she wrote it up and gave her crew the list. The two of us went out to the sunroom and talked. She held my hand and I cried. I don’t know whether it was sorrow or relief that caused me to breakdown. But, it was all finally over.

Sophia held me while I sobbed. But, I tried to sound strong.

“Sure, I’m distraught, but at this point, I’m determined to stand up, shake it off, and resume the life that I want. I’m not broken. I’m not down on my knees. I never begged her to love me again. I pretended that everything was fine.”

Sophia was a tonic. She listened, then laughed. “Your ex is bat-shit crazy. She’s a sociopath. She has no guilt about anything she does.”

I listened and now understood what Sophia was seeing.

“Camille, You were blinded by love and never saw the real Lily. In most cases, sociopaths are men. The FBI hunts down people like that who find it easy to become serial murderers. Instead, Lily has unbridled sex with men instead of killing them. All her life, this woman has only thought about her self. Running from you to have one affair after another was more than insane. She’s confused immediate gratification for love. The woman was trying to overcompensate for the missing pieces inside her soul.”

I shook my head. “I’d been her fool. I thought that was what love was.”

“Honey, you’ve been through this shit storm and survived. While Lily single-handedly destroyed your marriage, you are strong enough to stand on your own two feet. You don’t need a wife to hold you up.”

“I’m lost, Sophia. I didn’t have a plan.” But I knew that I was strong enough to rise. I knew that after a period of complete surrender and meditation, I would see a direction to follow.

It took about ninety minutes for us to pack all my stuff and move it out to their big truck. They’d take everything out to the beach for me and I’d spend the next week getting settled. I liked the little house on the bluff. On one side was a mill pond and the other side looked out over the dunes into the ocean. I really was ready for a new view.

I had sweated through my clothes and needed a shower. As I washed, I thought about everything. Some good had come out of all of this. I still loved myself. I didn’t blame myself or look for my shortcomings that might had driven her away. I truly believed I hadn’t failed in our marriage.

It was Lily who had steered us onto the rocks. She had tired of what I offered. But, since it was all I knew, well, I was lost. I didn’t know what else to do. So I stood back and tried to see another perspective. And that’s when it came to me. That’s when I realized it was me who’d been enabling her. I was still being that person. She could count on me for everything. She had my love, my dedication, and my support while she romanced with someone new.

It wasn’t complicated. I’d never clipped her wings. I’d never taken charge or asserted myself. We’d never been equals. I couldn’t look through her eyes or see into her heart. Tom had become her life. It really wasn’t my place to judge her infidelity. But, after listening to Sophia, it was obvious she only cared about herself.

I’d changed. I didn’t want to play the wifey role anymore. Lily wanted a ‘get out of jail free’ card and I handed it to her. I offered her our house and my money. I’d come through to the other side. In the years we’d been together, I’d matured and become the woman I needed to be. I could look in the mirror and smile.

I pulled the shower cap off and moisturized. As I stood there staring at myself, l smiled. All my surgeries, all those enhancements had blended with my own flesh, fat, and muscle that created the look I wanted. The only vestiges of my past could be easily tucked away and out of sight.

I had lied to Lily that morning. All I thought about was my bottom surgery. And now that I’d be living alone, maybe it was the perfect time to call the doctor. I’d estimated it would take six months to recover enough to be back on my feet. So I needed to think through a plan.

I wanted to recover near my surgeon and while I didn’t want to hunker down in a large metropolitan city, I wanted the best team. Surgery and recovery would be a distraction. Speaking about distractions, I realized I needed to dress and head over to the salon. They’d made room for me and I didn’t want to abuse that kindness. Nails and hair. I even thought about letting them do my makeup.

I committed the ultimate sin. I wore Lily’s clothes to the salon. Her bra cup was too large, and really, the thong didn’t fit well either. My waist was tiny compared to hers. I found a pair of yoga pants and a sleeveless tee. Nice, quality stuff that I’d leave behind on the floor when I was done.

The Red Barn was an upscale farm to table restaurant and I needed to bring on the glam without overdoing it. After all, Lily and Tom would be the older couple at the table. I’d researched and found that Tom had already turned forty and Lily was close behind. So, my plan was to emphasize the gap. I’d be the starlet with the perfect body. Fresh face, perfect smile, and innocence all wrapped in a demure, quietly sexy package.

While Tom was having an affair with a woman married to a trans-woman, I wondered how he’d rationalize that in the company of his friends. Jocks were notoriously unkind to gay people and I winced imagining how I’d be perceived. Whenever a guy finds out that I’m trans, the first thing that comes to mind is what’s in-between my legs. But, rather than dwell on the ‘what if’s’ with this impossible dinner, I’d be breezing through for this occasion on my own time. Arrive late and leave early.

The salon was a sweet two hour escape. After that, I had just enough time to change into my evening wear and throw everything else into a bag. I dragged my overnight case out to my car. As I locked our house doors behind me, I tossed the house keys through the mail slot. I grinned thinking if this was a movie, the house would explode and burn just as I reached the road. But, no fireball. Just the sound of the car tires on the lane and crickets in the beginning of night.

I arrived at the Red Barn at eight-thirty, a planned ninety minutes late. When I strolled through the doors, I saw Lily across the room. As I headed her way. I knew the dress was gathering a few eyeballs. It wasn’t anything special, just a little black thing. But, in heels and a beaded black bolero jacket, I was absolutely sex on a stick. I stood almost six feet tall in my stilettos and with my hair up in a high ponytail, well, I couldn’t be ignored. I felt like I was prancing as I arrived at their table.

When Lily saw me, she pursed her lips. I think she expected me to look sad and lost. I knew she wanted to be the star of this party. And, if you think about it, Lily alway expected to be the center of everything. Instead, with all my blonde tresses and long legs, I wasn’t playing the role of the loser. I was an eye full. Jackie, at the salon, had barely touched my skin as she feathered out my makeup. I wore just enough to make my features pop.

I hadn’t dressed up in a while. This wasn’t the introspective shadow that cleaned house and made dinners. Instead of the kitchen girl, Cinderella had come to the ball. I smiled at Lily, then glanced at Tom. He sat there wide eyed, his mouth agape. I wondered what he was thinking.

I was about to apologize for being so late when another person rose to my right. I glanced over and immediately felt an electric current running through my body. I knew I was all stressed out over appearing at this dinner, but I never expected to be standing this close to such a beautiful man.

Tom laughed and finally stood. “Well, it’s so nice to finally meet you, Camille. Lily has told me so much about you, I feel like we’re old friends. And this is my business partner, William Mathews. Our Lily wanted to round out the table and bring you a date. I hope you’re not disappointed.”

Once again, Lily had topped me. Here I was, excited to be making the grand entrance and I was now struggling with keeping my poise. I was standing next to a man who could grace the cover of any men’s magazine or be seen modeling suits for any of the big fashion houses full page adds. I shook his hand. He had a firm, dry grip and gave me a warm smile. But, something was wrong. Mr. Perfect here should have a beautiful woman on each arm. It was obvious that I was being set up.

I frowned a bit as I tried to smile. Obviously, Lily knew just how dashing this William was and she was teasing me by showing me that she knew best. I remember her saying this morning, you need to date a man. Thinking back, I realized even then, Lily had made the reservations days in advance and probably told William to join us. Of course, I was the last to know. I had literally walked into a trap sprung by my dear ex-wife.

I wasn’t about to make a scene and decided to go with the flow. I turned on my best smile towards my date and whispered in his ear. “I’m sorry that you had to be dragged into this soap opera. It’s seems like everyone was in on this but me. I feel like a fool.”

William pulled back and looked at my face. Even with my heels on, the man had to look down on me. He was at least a few inches taller.

“I’m sorry if I appear to be part of a scheme. Tom asked me to join him tonight to be the forth. I think he’d gotten his orders from Lily. But, if I had seen your photo, I would have jumped at the chance. This is all my pleasure.”

I tried to smile. “I was being set-up tonight. Lily handed me divorce papers this morning and insisted that I met her new fiancé tonight over dinner. Obviously, I’m incapable of saying no to her.”

William frowned. “I have an idea. Let’s get some fresh air and take a walk.” He turned to the other couple. “We’re going to talk a stroll and get better acquainted. Go ahead and order. Maybe we’ll be back.”

The gentleman took me by the elbow and steered me around the other diners. He did an excellent Humphrey Bogart saying, “Let’s blow this joint, kid.”

I think it was the first time I’d laughed in a while. I was led out the side doors onto a patio. There were heaters and a fire pit going. The stars were out and it was a beautiful night. If the circumstances were different, maybe I might have enjoyed myself.

We stood together taking in the view, when I turned to him and said. “Thank you for the chivalrous exit. If you walk me around to the parking lot, I’m going to head home.”

“Why?”

“Why, what?”

“I understand you wanting to exit out on those two. I think I’d be just as pissed. But, why are you walking out on me?”

He still held my arm so it was easy to lean in. “William, I’m sure you’re a wonderful man and I know there are many women who would enjoy your company. But, well. You don’t know me and well, most men would not want to be seen with me. I’m trans. I was born a boy.”

William looked at me and kissed my forehead. “And…”

“And, what?”

“Well, trans but why would that put me off? Are you a serial murderer or in the slave trade, maybe smuggling blood diamonds, working with the Mexican cartel?”

I laughed. “William. Trans as in transgender. I would think that would send you running just thinking that you’re standing next to a woman who tucks her penis.”

William grinned. “My older brother is trans and I love him very much.”
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Wait, did my wife just divorce me?

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Dear Readers,
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Invisible has been my guilty pleasure. And I hoped you enjoyed it as much as I did.
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But, while I'm editing and waiting for the final cover, I had to write this little story that came to me in the shower. It's really a first draft and I don't know if it has legs. But, I know the readers here have lots of patience and tolerate my rotten tomatoes.
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By the way, this whole story has been rewritten this week since it was originally published a few weeks ago. To really appreciate it, you might want to skim it all
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Tom watched William stand up and greet Camille. He’d already said hello and tried to add some sincerity into his voice. In his mind, this was going to be an awkward meeting. He’d been having an affair with Lily for months now. She’d explained that she and her wife had an open marriage and the two of them weren’t doing anything wrong.

Tom reflected on the woman he’d just shook hands with. She was a knockout. A real stunner with everything going for her. He’d been told she was a trust fund baby with millions in the bank and was in the process of transitioning. In his own mind, he didn’t see any male characteristics showing around the edgesl. There was no giveaway. She was a ten.

Tom really liked dating married women, especially the ones who cleared it first with their husbands. Husbands! Tom scoffed at any man who’d let his wife screw around on them. In his mind, these whores were only good for one thing. And of course, with no strings attached, Tom was more than happy to please.

He’d started in minor league ball when he was nineteen years old. Even back then, he was tall and strong looking. He knew he was a chick magnet after playing all the team sports in high school. But, baseball opened up a door that had never closed. He literally could be our there swinging a bat or throwing a pitch and the women would line up to watch. All he had to do was make eye contact for thirty seconds to know he’d caught a prize.

Then, he’d call out the trainer. He’d walk over and describe the woman. After the game, she’d be waiting for him in the training room or the office or any place that wasn’t taken. It was like that in every town. And when he moved up to the majors, well, he wasn’t safe anywhere. He’d be recognized walking down the street and women would proposition him. Sometimes, two girlfriends would want to have him at the same time.

The major leagues were prime beef, too. These heifers would do anything to please him. One seasoned player warned him. “Don’t be in any hurry to get married, Slick. Your bride will never do what these broads would do to make you happy. With them, its a click of the fingers. A wife always wants something in return.”

So, Tom took his advice. Tom got a lot of advice and tried to hear what everyone had to say. He’d gotten good financial advice from Patch Mathews, one of the elderly players on the team, about investing his money. He did what he was told and enjoyed watching his bank accounts double, then triple. Eventually, his advisor retired but introduced him to his oldest son, William.

“Tom. This is William. My boy’s been to the Wharton School of Business and Harvard Law. And I think you need a partner to help you diversify and go big. My boy could be the guy to take you there.”

William gave him great advice and had him incorporate. He wanted to simply call it, Tom Reynolds. But, William wanted him to call is the Green Field Fund. Naturally, Tom won out.

After a while, William told him if he wanted to go really big, he needed to go public on the New York Stock Exchange. Tom liked the idea of his name in lights and it proved to be a winner. A lot of fans bought a share or two of Tom Reynolds just so they could look at the fancy paper.

But, some of these guys encouraged their darlings to go out and sleep with this baseball hall of fame winner. One guy even asked his wife to get him an autographed baseball. Tom wanted to personalize it thanking him for letting him have a wonderful weekend away with his wife, but William advised against it. He said that that man would have the evidence to sue him. And William reminded him that America had a strong moral compass.

William reminded him of the stars that had been shot dead by jealous husbands. “Don’t push your luck, Tom. You’re only screwing the wife, not both of them.”

But when Lily told him she was married to another woman, visions of having the two of them, well, that would have been a classic. He joked about it with William.

“So, I met this babe named Lily, who is incredibly hot to trot. She just can’t get enough of Big Tom, showering him love. I’m telling you, she couldn’t get enough of me. And she says she’d in an open marriage with another woman. She tells me the other woman is transgender.”

William looked at him. “Do you know what that means, Tom?”

“Sure. When we did public relation tours in Japan, we’d always do a little side trip to Thailand. I gotta tell you. Everything goes there, dude. I mean some of the players were really bent and loved breeding little girls who were only fifteen. But, I thought that was a sick thing until Wayne took me to a bar where all the entertainers were ladyboys. Amazing looking girlyboys who were eager to please. You could call the shots. Pre, post, two, three, whatever you wanted. Some of them would take a Viagra and their little stuff would stand up straight. Crazy!”

William didn’t say anything.

“So you see, Mr. Harvard Law, I’ve been around the block. But, back to this babe. She’s calling me up and arranging all these meet-ups. It was like she was in perpetual heat. I guess that lesbo action she was getting at home wasn’t enough cause she was begging for Big Tom. I mean, gorgeous body, beautiful face and old enough to appreciate my Major League touch.”

William laughed. “Please, Tom. I hope you don’t talk like that to your friends. Somebody could record your carrying on and you’d end up on the front page. Remember, you’re still selling that squeaky clean image, the All-American guy.”

“Yeah, I need to be in the movies. I could be an action hero.”

“Dream on, partner. But, you need to try to keep Big Tom in your pants. Or someday, you’re going to get your pants sued off.

Tom thought this whole thing was going to be a quickie, but Lily kept coming back, and back. She was really a woman he liked showing off. She was a quality piece and well, the last couple had been kinda cheap and trashy.

Sometimes he worried about the ones who kept coming back, but there was something special about this one. The biggest problem was that Lily was starting to grow on him. He liked her in and out of the sack. He enjoyed her pluck and her take no prisoners moxie. But, after a long weekend in Las Vegas where Lily had brought call girls up to entertain him, well, Tom thought he’d died and gone to heaven.

He was star-struck watching her maneuver these two babes around while they tickled his fancy. Then Lily took the lead engaging in stuff with these dolls you could only imagine in your fantasies.

He was sold.

He turned to Lily as he watched Camille walk away. He was having trouble not staring as he got a perfect view of the woman walking away. “Hey, babe. What just happened? Where are they going? I thought that we were getting something to eat.”

Lily grinned. “I guess your partner just swept her off her feet. I don’t think they’re coming back.”

Tom laughed. “That’s funny. I’ve never known William to be quick to the plate. But, I guess she must have swept him off his feet. The photos of the two of you together don’t do her justice. She’d a ten.”

Lily squeezed his muscle and bit his lower lip as she kissed him. “If she’s a ten, then what am I?”

Tom laughed but knew he’d better answer this one carefully. “You’re off the scale, baby. No one comes close to being as gorgeous as you are. But, seriously, I have a hard time believing that your ex is not real. I mean, when we traveled to Asia for exhibition games, we met plenty of ladyboys, but seriously.”

Lily grinned. “Oh, Tom. I never knew that you enjoyed pushing it deep into those cute trans girls.”

Tom laughed. “Well, if that’s what’s offered, who’s going to turn it down?”

Lily looked at him strangely. “Really, I took you for the All-American guy. Never saw you as the gay type.”

Tom took a big drink of his Scotch. “Guys? Nah. But, when a trans woman goes to all that trouble to make herself a woman, it’s the least I can do to show my appreciation. You know, the two of you are still close, right?”

Lily frowned. “Where’s this conversation going, Tom?”

“Well, I was thinking we could invite Camille to join us. After what you’ve told me, I’m sure she’d do whatever you asked. And seriously, once she gets a peek at Big Tom, well, he speaks for himself.”

Lily stewed a bit before she answered. “Hey. I’ve agreed to an open relationship and if that’s what you want, well, we can do it. But, don’t make me jealous or I might have to behead Big Tom.”

Tom pulled her in closed and squeezed her. “Oh, baby. I’ve only got eyes for you. Dipping Big Tom into an inkwell ain’t love; that’s lust. I love you but I’m not quite dead yet.”

Lily whispered in his ear. “I think it would be polite to let me know who you’re playing footsie with. I get wanting to screw the celebrity, but it better be wham, bam. Nothing that would make me feel taken advantage of.”

“I’m hearing you loud and clear. But, we need to talk about how much Big Tom loves tight spots. Seeing your ex just reminded me. Maybe you can show Big Tom how much you love him by showing him your other spot.”

Lily laughed. “Oh, baby. If I’m giving everything up to you, well, that’s a two way street. You need to learn to worship my beauty, too. You learn to eat at the table of love. You know, a little nibble goes a long way.”

Tom shook his head. “Seriously, that’s not what I am doing. I’m not in on that. But, why don’t we invite Camille over to worship me while Big Tom parts her Red Sea. You can watch and then the two of you could put on a little show like you did back in Vegas. I like watching a little girl-on girl.”

Lily frowned. “Okay, Mr. Smoothie. I think you’ve had too much to drink and not enough to eat. Let’s get you some black coffee and some starchy foods.”

Tom kissed his date. “Well, weren’t you going to tell me something tonight? Or were you saving it for the four of us?”

Lily blushed. “Camille signed the divorce papers today. I am a free woman and ready to become your love slave.”

Tom swallowed. “Uh, yeah. Sure. Good. So you’re a single babe, huh?”

“Yeah, Tom. I thought you’d want to make me an honest woman since I’m eight weeks along with your baby. Don’t you think Tom Reynolds the third should come into this world with a mom and dad who love him?”

It was all he could not to pass out. All the blood drained from his head with all this crazy news. This broad was carrying his baby and now she was expecting him to marry her. He was trying to think, but he was afraid he’d had too much drink on an empty stomach. He lurched up out of his seat and ran towards the men’s room.

He heard her calling to him but he was afraid to speak for fear it would all start coming up. He trotted to the men’s room, slammed the door open and pushed his way to an open stall. Forgetting all publish restroom protocol, he fell to his knees while his stomach emptied itself clean. He hung there waiting for another purge when he realized that this broad was standing next to him.

“Tom. Are you all right? Is there something I can get you? You want a cold towel for your head or something to clean yourself up with?”

He shook his pounding head. Divorced, pregnant, and wanting him to make her an honest woman cause she was carrying his baby. Thinking about that and suddenly his stomach emptied again until he felt rung out. Jesus, he thought. She was standing right there by his side.

He shook his head. “Pregnant? You sure?”

He chanced a look over his shoulder to see her grimace as she nodded. She was getting pissed.

He knew the next question would really pop her cork. “Are you sure it’s mine? I mean you’re the one who screws around without protection.”

Lily looked like she was ready to explode. He watched the tears fill her eyes. “I thought that’s what you wanted. I thought you were going to marry me and I’d give you a family. I was trying to please you.”

He was still too shaky to stand. He sat on the bathroom floor and looked up at her. He reached out and feebly grabbed her ankle. “That’s my dream, Lily. But, well, I never saw it coming around so fast. I mean, I love what we do together. You’re great. But, marriage and a family. I mean, I’m just forty. I could probably have kids for another ten years. I mean what’s the rush?”

She kicked him again. This time she hit his inner thigh. He realized what she was aiming for. “Hey, stop that! I get that your biological clock is running and a broad like you is running out of time. But, hey, for me. I have lots of younger women to choose from.

The next kick hit him right in the jaw and sent him backwards hitting the porcelain toilet bowl. He saw black.

Lily stared down at the unconscious man lying there. Then she noticed bright red blood coming from the back of his head. She kicked him in the side to see if he felt it. He didn’t move. She kicked him again and again and again until she couldn’t kick anymore.

She felt the tears running down her face. She shook her head and muttered, “Fuck me.”

As she walked straight out of the bathroom to the side exit, she prayed that no one saw her. She’d made the reservation in his name because it was the only way they could get a table with a week’s notice. She wondered when they’d find the dead man.

It was time to go home. She wiped the tears from her eyes and felt a pang of nausea pass through her system. It’s that baby, his fuckin’ baby. She thought about him and his baby. She remembered seeing Camille leaving with that side of beefcake.

As she drove back to her house, she stopped off at a bar. She needed a distraction to take her mind off this whole fucking mess. As she walked through the doors, she realized this was a biker bar. She saw the bare, muscle laden arms covered in tattoos. The dirty jean jackets smeared with sweat, blood and motor oil. Perfect, she thought. A couple of these boys should take care of all her problems.

She walked over to the bar making sure she didn’t lose her balance in her four-inch stilettos. Putting one foot on the rail, she looked around. She paused, then spoke with an air of confidence, “Okay, boys. Who wants to buy this lady a drink?”

Two hours later, she led the two bikers back to her place. As she turned onto the lane, she saw the lights, the trucks, and the flames. Smoke was billowing out from everywhere as the flames seemed to lick the old Victorian mansion.

As she got closer, a state policeman stopped her. “Excuse me, ma’am. You can get any closer. This is a total mess. The house is gone. We just got here about twenty minutes ago. We got an anonymous call. Are you the owner?”

Lily watched in her rear view mirror as the motorcycles turned sharply on the grass and beat a hasty retreat. Damn, she thought. This is turning out to be a real cluster-fuck. She’d never gotten the deed changed over or processed in court. She saw the divorce papers in the back seat. “Uh, no. It’s not mine. I just saw the flames and got curious.”

The policeman used his big flashlight to get her turned around and back down the lane. Lily tried to think about finding a place for the night. She realized that everything she owned was back at that house.

Shaking her head, she decided to drive back into town. She still had to go to work in the morning.

As we stood together out on the patio, those were the last words I expected to hear from this man, William. Sure, I’d gotten a number of common lines from guys trying to pick me up. Out for drinks with friends, even wearing an engagement ring and wedding band, guys would hit on me.

I didn’t blame them. I’d spent a ton of cash making myself as beautiful as possible. I had the money, thank you, gran, and could afford to spend it. Sure, vanity and all that, but, I wanted my outer shell go along with my brain. I dreamed of making myself flawless. I did it for all for myself unlike Lily who needed her looks to wrap every soul around her pinkie while dangling her beauty.

We’d walked out on the happy couple. They’d probably spend the night drinking and maybe end up back at his place since it was closer.

But, I still had this weird entanglement with a beautiful man who just told me that his brother was trans. I assumed that this brother used to be his sister. I paused for a moment and thought to about this brother’s life and wondered how he was doing. I could ask.

I looked at this guy. “William, tell me about your older brother.”

He nodded. “I’ll keep it sweet and simple. Jan was always our mother’s helper. I don’t think that anyone knew how she felt inside. She never acted out her feelings, but in high school started becoming the guy she wanted to be. By the time she got to college, she’d told everyone about her plans.

“She transitioned during those four years and became my older brother. Our relationship never changed. I loved Jan and he loved me. Eventually, he finished up and found a loving woman to marry. They are happy raising two kids and we’re still very close.”

Camille shook her head. “So how about you?”

William smiled. “I was closed to being engaged to Jessica. We lived together and we loved each other dearly. We met in college and shared a place for two more years. But, well, it wasn’t perfect. She met another guy and just loved him more. We both cried, but it just wasn’t meant to be.”

“So, I’ve been dating but I’m not really looking for another Jessica.”

I squeezed his hand. “I want to talk to you until the sun comes up. I have this great place out on the coast if you want to take a drive. But, I have a favor to ask before we head out.”

I saw him smile and look at me. This might have been Lily’s plan, but sometimes things don’t always go the way you plan them. I didn’t know this beautiful man, but he seemed like a nice guy.

When I was eighteen and met Lily, I sensed something special and acted on it. And now, we were standing here on the patio under the stars and I felt good about myself. I realized I didn’t need a plan but just to go with the flow.

“Tell me, William. How are you at building fires? Tonight, I want to burn my house down.”

He shrugged. “That’s the wildest pickup line I’ve ever heard. I know you’re crazy rich but I didn’t see you as insane. I guess if it’s your house, you can burn it down if you want to. But along the way, I need to ask you what your plans on for thirty percent of our company.”

finis

This is just the beginning of a new story. But, it comes with a warning. I've crossed a line here by writing an adult-themed story that is intended for a mature reader.

And, of course, I have to remind you that I have a new novel on Amazon called Being Invisible. (It is very G rated, not like this twisted thing I'm presenting here.) Take a look. There are lots of chapters to read for free.
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Don’t Worry
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Leslie Moore
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Chapter 2
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Mathew watched Frankie fluff up his covers before she helped him back to bed. He smiled. “You are being so good to me. No one ever spoiled me like this before I’d gotten sick. But, now, you’re smothering me with love. Sometimes, I almost feel like purring.”

Frankie smiled and kissed the top of his hair.

Mathew was still babbling. “Honey, I feel so much love pouring out of my heart. I sometimes think this whole experience has helped me find another side of myself. And when I think about how you’ve stepped up and taken care of me, well, it almost makes me feel like crying. Before I got sick, I never felt these emotions.”

Frankie listened and smiled. She knew why he was feeling this rush of emotion, but this was not the time to tell. Since Covid, Mathew had been reduced to depending on her for everything, and she was also experiencing a new set of emotions. Frankie was enjoying this feeling of power and Mathew’s adoration at the same time. She secretly hoped it would continue. She was warming up to being in charge of her little hubby.

Frankie talked to him while she got him ready to get in bed. “You know, baby. When I first started dating, I’d never had a boyfriend quite like you. I’d always been attracted to guys who made me feel delicate and pretty. By the sixth grade, I was already taller than all my classmates. And it didn’t help that I was big and husky. It was a very awkward time for me.

“I found my escape in sports. I loved playing softball and women’s rugby. Standing almost six feet tall, I’d always been a powerhouse among my teammates. They looked to me to hit the winning run or muscle my way down the field. And all my coaches and trainers encouraged me to take up weight training, too. So I learned to love it when I bulked up with muscles across my broad shoulders and powerful legs. I never realized what I was doing.

“Most guys were intimidated by my presence. I stood apart, being so big and strong. No one realized that inside I was just another young teen. But, after one ugly incident where a guy purposely spilled his lunch tray over my head, no one ever considered making fun of me. The kid called me ‘she-hulk’ and Shrek in the lunch room loudly in front of everyone.

“I knew how to handle myself, so I blocked him to the ground, and when I sat on the guy’s chest, he knew it. All the kids laughed at him as he whined about being crushed. But, no one ever bothered me again.”

Mathew closed his eyes. He loved listening to her voice. He felt tears on his cheeks as he tried to picture her trying to cope.

“But, you know, Mathew. I secretly longed to be a princess. Deep inside, I envied those pretty cheerleader types with their long blonde hair and willowy figures. And it broke my heart, watching all the boys cluster around them, eager for their attention.”

“It’s okay, Frankie. We’ve all wanted to be what we weren’t. I looked at all those big guys with their bulging muscles. There were plenty of times I had fantasies.”

Frankie tried to picture Mathew’s muscle envy and wondered where that thinking would take him in three months. She smiled at the thought of him looking at buff guys and what he’d be fantasizing about.

“Well, I finally found happiness with the guys on the football and basketball teams. Back then, I loved being in their strong arms, feeling their chests tight against my breasts at the school dances. I loved it when those tall, muscular guys would look down at me and kiss my lips. I loved when they dominated me, and I secretly melted in their arms.

“By the time I reached college, I was an easy target for those kinds of jocks. They didn’t have to bring flowers or candy. It wasn’t necessary to gift me expensive perfume or boxes of imported candy. All they had to do was pick me up off the ground and hold me tightly. I started becoming addicted to pretending I was that cute, blonde cheerleader.

“That was until Dan came along. That’s when things changed. He was drop-dead gorgeous and seemed to love me as much as I adored him. It was a fairy tale week of romance until he took me to his fraternity party on Saturday night. I felt like a princess in my party dress, and Dan was my prince.”

Mathew was listening. Frankie had never shared like this before he’d gotten sick.

“That was until he slipped something into my drink. After that, things became a blur. I remembered him laying me on his bed and whispering that it was time for him to introduce me to the rest of his friends. He smiled and mumbled they would enjoy my precious body, too. I tried to tell him no and that I was a virgin. But after that night, those jocks helped themselves to me. All I remembered were all the faces, all the pain, and the horrible feeling of being helpless and dominated.

“When I woke up the next morning, I was lying on the wet grass outside by the dumpsters behind the cafeteria. I was disoriented and racked with pain. I crawled into a sitting position and cried for an hour until I had no tears left. They’d gang-raped me and put me out with the trash. When I finally limped back to my dorm room, I showered and then slept for a day and night. All I could do was cry with embarrassment. I blamed myself and never thought of going after Dan for revenge. I never pointed a finger or told the campus police about the rape.”

Mathew felt the tears rolling down his face.

“The next time I saw Dan was in one of my classes. I glared at him. He laughed in my face and asked if I wanted copies of the pictures he’d taken on Saturday night. He told me that I’d looked pretty eager to take on his fraternity brothers, and they were all looking forward to when I was ready to have them all again.

“I was speechless and turned away before he could see the tears. I left the classroom and soon dropped out of school. I came home and wanted to die. When I finally confessed what had happened, my mom found a counselor to help me overcome the mental anguish that haunted my dreams. After six months, I felt strong enough to attend community college, but never went out on a date again.

“And that’s how I led my life until I met you, Mathew. You were the opposite of everyone I’d ever longed for. You weren’t even as tall as I was. You were slim and didn’t have bulging muscles. But you were kind and caring. You made me feel special every time you looked at me. I adored how handsome you were in your beautifully tailored suits as you ran the family business. You were encouraging and kind to everyone who worked for you. And, then, you professed your love to sad, damaged me.

“I never felt threatened on our wedding night. I loved it when you worshiped every inch of my body. I loved how you gently kissed me and eventually whipped me into a passionate frenzy. I was able to forget about my past fears of being dominated.”
Frankie knew she could have carried Mathew across their threshold. But, all those thoughts were cast aside as he brought her to one climax after another that first night they made love. His lovemaking style was different. Because of the diminutive size of his organs, they both understood he couldn’t satisfy her in the usual way. But Frankie was overwhelmed as he pleasured her with his tongue and fingers. Her wedding night was heavenly.

And for the longest time, Mathew brought her deeper and deeper to a level of satisfaction that consumed her. In that non-threatening environment, Frankie found it easier and easier to lose herself completely in their passion. And Mathew seemed to relish everything she offered him. The night she’d finally lost control of her bladder after multiple orgasms, he greedily consumed every drop of her golden nectar instead of pushing her away.

At first, Frankie was shocked and embarrassed. But, Mathew assured her that act made him feel more manly. He was pleased that he’d been able to bring her to such a dizzying state. He said that everything she then offered was a delight. From then on, each time they made love, Mathew took her further and further. And each time she spurted, Mathew would gulp down her nectar with a smile on his face.

Frankie noticed that Mathew’s orgasms seemed to be much more powerful whenever it happened, too.

At first, it all seemed wonderful. But, after about six months, Frankie started to wonder what had happened. She’d still enjoyed their sex together, but she'd fallen out of love with Mathew. She worried that maybe the passion of their relationship had not turned the corner into mutual love.

Chapter 3
.

And that’s when Frankie decided to confess her fears to her mom. “Mother, I worry that I’ve made a mistake in marrying Mathew. I love how Mathew showers me with gifts and gives me everything I could want. But, I worry if that’s all there is to our relationship. I feel like I’m a bad person taking advantage of his kind and loving spirit.”

Her mom handed her some tissues from her bag. “You’ve done nothing wrong and Mathew adores you.”

“But, I feel so horrible. My thoughts about him are changing and I’m afraid of becoming a terrible person.”

“No, baby, you’re just young. You’re not even twenty years old. After everything that happened to you at school, I think you’re still recovering. I think Matthew has helped you heal. You’re feeling so comfortable that you’re ready to try again at dating. Mathew’s sweet, non-threatening manner has been so encouraging. Maybe you should talk to him and ask for an open marriage.”

“I don’t know. I’m afraid of hurting him.”

“Well, life’s not perfect. If you’re afraid of saying something, just hold off for a month. Just try to keep yourself busy while I think about this. Can you do that?”

“Of course, mother. You know what’s best.”

So Frankie filled her time with tennis and golf. She spent hours each day in the gym working out. Frankie really enjoyed the attention the big guys gave her when they were in the weight room. Mathew encouraged her workouts and paid for a personal trainer. And Butch showed her how she could still feel feminine and that having muscles was beautiful.

Frankie started to fantasize about Butch. He was tall and muscular and physically the opposite of her husband. She couldn’t look at Mathew in his tailored suits and stylishly long hair without thinking about Butch, in his tight tee shirts and spandex workout shorts.

And at night, when the married couple made love, Frankie would close her eyes and try to imagine what it would be like with Butch. And when she’d completely immersed herself in her fantasies, everything became even more wonderful.

Mathew thought it was his ministrations that were taking her to another level. He was innocent of her fantasies until one day Frankie called him from the gym to tell him her car wouldn’t start. When Mathew drove over to the gym, he met Butch for the first time.

Frankie was standing there in her sweats. She was smiling and gave him a big hug. “Oh, honey. Thank you for rescuing me. You are my prince.”

Mathew smiled and looked over at the big man standing behind her. “I’m Mathew. My guess is that you’re Butch, Frankie’s trainer, right?” He reached over to shake and watched his whole hand disappear in the man’s large paw. He had to look up at this tall, well-constructed man. For the first time in their relationship, Mathew felt inadequate.

On the way home, Mathew had trouble listening to his wife’s voice. He wondered if he was selfish by keeping Frankie to himself. He started thinking that she needed to enjoy what was out there and not be chained to him.

When they got home, Frankie started walking into their bedroom suite. As she was taking off her sweaty workout clothes, she realized that Mathew had followed her. She turned and saw the sadness in his eyes. “What? What’s the matter?”

Before he could answer her question, he was overwhelmed with dizziness. He tried to talk but couldn’t get his breath. He moaned as he collapsed to the floor.

Frankie thought he’d died. She rushed to his side and heard his labored breathing. She grabbed her phone and called 9-1-1.

The EMTs had him on oxygen almost immediately. They warned her to put on a mask. “Has your husband had the Covid vaccines?”

“Oh, yes. We’ve both had two vaccines and two boosters. Why is he so sick?”

As they wheeled him out to their ambulance, the second man was fitting him with an IV. “The virus mutates. We’ll start him on an infusion on the way to the hospital. Hopefully, it will save his life.”

And that’s when everything changed. Frankie got special permission to be by Mathew’s side while they waited for the anti-viral drugs to work. But, just as he was rounding the corner back to good health, Mathew caught pneumonia. It took almost four weeks before he recovered enough to go home.

After Frankie got him settled in, the doorbell rang. It was her mother. She was bringing a large box of medical supplies. “Oh, mother. Thank you. You were the best thing that Mathew could have asked for. I think you saved his life by treating him.”

“Where’s he now?”

“Asleep. The ride home took all he had.”

“Well, baby. I think I saved both your lives.”

Frankie was puzzled. “How?”

Her mother smiled. “First, I need to tell you a little more about me. I’m very protective about my little girl.”

“Mother. I’m not very little.”

“Well, you will always be my baby. And sometimes a mother has to be bold to keep her daughter healthy and happy”

“Mom, where are you going with this?”

“It was my fault you were raped. I failed to keep you safe.”

“No, mother. The only fault was with those fraternity men.”

“I took care of them. They will never hurt anyone again. I killed all of them.”

“What!”

Frankie’s mother approached her and whispered in her ear. “The boy who planned all of that. I gave him a much stronger version of what he dosed you with. Then I drove him out to the National Forest. I tied him down, and when he woke, I used hedge clippers to cut his genitals off. I documented it. The video shows all the blood and the audio captured all his screaming.

“When he awoke, he tried to drag himself to safety, but the blood loss had left him weak and helpless. I recorded another twenty minutes while wolves feasted on his body. I scared them away before the corpse was unrecognizable. I wanted him to be found.

“Two of the boys died in a Saturday night car crash when they were drag racing. Everyone who witnessed their fiery death thought it was because their brakes locked up at high speed, and as the car flipped, it exploded. No one knew about the drugs I added to their case of beer. They never suspected that someone dosed their bottled beer with LSD and Angel Dust. And it was so easy to buy a bottle capper. You can pick them up at any home brewing shop.

“Two more died from alcohol poisoning. The police thought it was another case of too much drinking on a quiet weekend when their parents were away. It was easy to overdose them with grain alcohol and enough barbiturates to stop their hearts.

“And the final boy confessed to everything. While the police will never read his suicide note, I wanted it for you. He gladly used his father’s revolver on himself after I showed him what I did to Dan.”

“And finally, I’ve helped you solve your problem with Mathew.”

Frankie put her fist in her mouth to keep from screaming.

Chapter Four

“Mother, what are you going to do? Are you going to kill him?”

“What do you care, dear? The last time we talked, you told me you made a mistake in marrying the little twerp.”

“Mother, I made a mistake. But he’s always been so wonderful to me. He’s done nothing to justify you killing him. He’s not Dan.”

“No. You are right. Dan was an animal who simply needed to be put down. And before I euthanized him, I fixed him and let him feel pain. I wanted him to experience castration before I sent him on his way. I enjoyed watching him scream and cry. It really was a shame I just couldn’t let him live in that state, but, that would have never worked out. He’d put me out of business. I agree that Mathew is a caring, loving, person and wants to please you. But, Mathew’s not a man. From everything you’ve shared, he much more of a woman. All those wonderful qualities that he demonstrates are from his feminine side.

“A real man would have gone out and taken revenge on the boys who gang-raped his wife. A real man would have done what I had to do.”

“Mother, I would hope that no one would commit murder in the name of justice. I think you were wrong in what you did. And as far as criticizing him, I think that’s unfair. He’s wonderful. It’s not his fault that he has physical limitations. He does his best to be my loving partner.”

“Oh, hell. Frankie. Dan was more of a man than Mathew. But, he was rabid. And seriously, it’s about time you faced the real world. Men are only good for breeding purposes. They need to be treated like bulls. And you only need one prize bull for breeding.”

“Mother, how can you say that? And what have you done to my husband?”

“I’m telling you, Frankie. You need to open your eyes. He’s not your husband, he’s your wife! Everything you’ve shared points to his feminine nature. And while she was in intensive care, I gave her a little push. I started her on hormones.

Frankie moaned. “Why, mother? What did he ever do to hurt you? That man helped me grow out of my trauma of being raped. He’s been patient and loving. He’s never made me feel threatened or dominated. No, he’s been more than kind and loving. And what have you done to him?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I really haven’t started the complete process with him yet.”

“Process? What process? It sounds like you’ve done this before!”

“This is what you do with the runts of the litter. You castrate the males, soften them up like the girls, then you make them useful by serving them up at the table. And, yes. I have.”

“You’ve done this to a man?”

“Yes. A useless man, a good for nothing man. A man that was only good for procreation. Well, and once he’d done the deed, he needed to become useful. So I performed my process and made her a loving woman. I didn’t have to sacrifice her, but sent her forward with a new direction. And she loved serving a useful role. You loved her. You described her as a second mother.”

“Aunt Edna?”

“Oh, yes, baby. Your Aunt Edna started out as your father, Edward. Right after we were married, he declared that I should take care of him. And just because he came from money, he told me I should be grateful that was paying for my schooling. He thought I should worship the ground he walked on. Well, he leaned a lesson from me. Once I chemically castrated that cad, he wasn’t as demanding anymore. And before long, he was begging my forgiveness and asking me to help him find a purpose. Eventually, with the proper training she became your wet nurse and raised you. In turn, I made her complete.”

Frankie stared. She couldn’t stop the pounding in her head. “I thought Edna went off to be married in California. I met her fiancé William.”

“That was part of the deal. She begged me for that final surgery and when you started school I allowed her to leave and find true love. She really believed that’s what she wanted. I used psychotropic drugs, mind control through auto suggestion, and of course testosterone blockers and powerful estrogen compounds to make sure it work.”

Frankie was horrified. “And that’s what you’ve done to Mathew? You’ve chemically castrated him and pumped him full of estrogen?”

“Oh no, baby. Remember, he was always incapable of performing his manly duties. And I only started dosing him four weeks ago when I started treating him for Covid. He recovered so quickly from the virus that I had to give him pneumonia to keep him in ICU.”

Frankie stared at her mother. “That’s crazy! You gave Mathew pneumonia? What if he had died?”

“Oh, honey. I was right there with him. And seriously, if he’d died, wouldn’t that have answered all your prayers? As a widow, you’d have his money and you could finally date a real man. Win-win!”

“Mother, you need to stop. I don’t want you touching him. I want you to leave us alone and give us some space. Mathew might not be perfect, but you need to stop playing God with our lives.”

As her mom packed up, she knew that her daughter would see the truth soon enough. She also knew that the Norplant device she’d already put under Mathew’s skin would continue to deliver the proper doses of daily estrogen over the next three months.

Chapter Five

After her last meeting with her mother, Frankie wrote her a letter. She suggested that they take some time to cool down and reflect. She never told Mathew why they parted ways but went ahead and found her husband a new doctor. The fact that Mathew had just left the ICU unit, helped her get him an appointment for the following week.

Mathew was quite appreciative. But, the most challenging event he faced was getting the blood work before his appointment. This was a formidable task because he wasn’t mobile yet. He needed Frankie’s help getting into the car and to the clinic. Fortunately, his wife was strong enough to bear most of his weight.

As they were driving home, he kept feeling his eyes closing. “I can’t believe I’d grown so weak lying in bed for a month. All that strength and weight just left me so quickly. I’m exhausted.”

Frankie patted his arm. “You had Covid and lived to tell about it. But, it left your body weak and drained. And after that, you contracted pneumonia which probably robbed you of what little strength you had left. But, in time, you will recover.”

Even though he felt better with his wife’s pep talk, he still fell soundly asleep when he was tucked into bed. He moaned, feeling his helplessness overtake his body and soul.

Two days later, they had to repeat the procedure at the doctor’s office. When they arrived and checked in, the receptionist smiled. “Mr. Wilson, you can go right into room number two. The doctor will be in to give you a full physical.”

Mathew smiled, “Can my wife accompany me?”

“Of course. But she’ll need to sign a form before we start. I assume you have no objection to her attending the consultation, too?”

“Right.”

Frankie had to help Mathew into the examining room. She helped him disrobe down to his boxers and put on a cotton gown. She laughed when she saw that he was using a safety pin to hold his underwear up. “I still can’t believe how much weight you’ve lost.”

“I think the Covid killed my taste buds, too. I’ve had no desire to eat.”

“Well, we need to buy you some over-the-counter liquids like Boost to build you up.”

At that moment, the doctor entered the room. He was young and quite handsome. Frankie was enjoying the show and noticed that Mathew had perked up, too.

After shaking hands, Dr. Charles started examining Mathew. “Mr. Taylor, do you have any objection if my nurse takes notes while we talk? I’m assuming that your wife can hear anything we talk about.”

“Sure.”

After the usual blood pressure, temperature, height, and weight, Dr. Charles began to touch Mathew everywhere while he dictated notes to his nurse.

He looked Mathew in the eyes. “Mr. Taylor, when did you start transitioning?”

Mathew’s eyes grew wide. “Transitioning?”

Dr. Charles nodded. “Sure. Your blood work indicated that you have several different types of estrogen in your bloodstream. And I can see the physical changes in your body already. Are you capable of an erection?”

Mathew blushed. “Only when I am waking up in the morning and have to urinate. After that, I am incapable of penetration. But, I’m not aware of any estrogen in my bloodstream nor of any changes in my body.”

Dr. Charles paused. He picked up his tablet. “You have copies of your blood work on the table, but let me point out what I’m talking about. Do you see this line here? Well, that estrogen product is commonly found in women’s contraceptive products. Are you taking birth control pills?”

“No, but my wife is.”

“Well, that birth control pill runs through your wife’s bloodstream and exits through her urine. Does that ring a bell?”

They both blushed, but Mathew answered. “Uh, yes. That does.”

“Mr. Taylor, I am not here to judge. But, if you aren’t transitioning, well, you have a choice. I’m just saying if what you’re drinking is a conscious choice, well, I recommend you make a choice. Stop swallowing, or your wife needs to stop taking birth control pills.”

Mathew nodded and glanced at Frankie.

“Now. Let’s look at the second line. This estrogen is given to someone who is transitioning. And this tells us that you are full of this product.”

Frankie asked the question. “Is this a recent thing?”

“That’s hard to say. Mathew is showing signs of the physical changes I see in trans women. But, it’s in it’s early development. From my observations, I would say Mathew is six months into transitioning. But, his breast development is unusually strong.”

The doctor indicated that Mathew takes the top of his cotton gown down. “Nipple development and aureoles are progressing well. And he’s already grown enough real breast tissue to fill an A cup.”

“And the third estrogen that the blood work shows comes from the Norplant product on the inside of your upper thigh. I can see that one. Looking at the undissolved portion, I’d estimate that it is one-third gone. That’s a three-month product.”

Both Frankie and Mathew were in shock when the doctor showed them the product. It was small but visible.

“The doctor who put this in entwined it with the major artery running through your leg. The estrogen is going directly into your bloodstream. Now, I do have a question. Did either of you know that this was being done to Mathew? Mathew, are you transitioning?”

Mathew shook his head. “No, I am not transitioning, nor was I aware of the three types of estrogen in my system. I didn’t notice the changes happening in my body either.”

The doctor shook his head. “Well, I see a thinning waist and generous amounts of fat settling in the hips and buttocks. And we’ve already talked about Mathew’s breast growth.”

“Can the Norplant be removed?”

The doctor shook his head. “Certainly, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It would be a dangerous and damaging surgery. As I said earlier, it’s very close to an artery. A mistake might cause the need for amputation or even death. If that artery is touched with a scalpel, well, it’s fatal.”

“You have control over two of the three estrogen products inside you right now. No birth control pills and no more injections or infusions. The Norplant will continue to add estrogen for another two months, so I predict you will continue to change. Your mind and body will continue to shift for a while. Then, we’d have to wait for the Norplant estrogen to finally leave your body. I’d say that in a year, you won’t have any estrogen in your bloodstream.”

“Will the body changes fade after the Norplant wears out?”

“Not without surgery.”

Suddenly, Frankie started sobbing and poured out the whole story of her mother’s intervention and all the other deeds she had done. Both the doctor and his nurse sat there with their jaws open.

After Frankie was done, the doctor shook his head. “I am very sorry to hear this, but you and I both know that your mother is a homicidal criminal and needs to be arrested. Even though, on the surface, she appears normal, it sounds like she is insane. I have an obligation to contact the authorities. Would you be willing to testify?”

Frankie nodded.

Chapter Six

As soon as they got to the car and Frankie buckled him in, she kissed him soundly on the lips. “You know I love you and would never have anything to do with my mother’s scheming.”

As Mathew kissed her back, he reached his arms around his wife’s neck and hugged her fiercely. “I love you too much, but you need to leave me. I’m an anchor around you and dragging you down. After talking to the doctor, my mind is made up. I was already broken when we met. I’ve never been able to fulfill my duties in the bedroom and trying to please you in other ways backfired big time. All those juices I’ve swallowed have dosed me with so much estrogen that it’s affected me physically. And then, who knows what your mother did to me?”

Mathew stared into her eyes as the tears rolled down his cheeks. “There’s no turning back. The way I figure, in three months, I’ll be almost a year on estrogen. We can see what it’s done to me already and even the doctor said they can’t stop it.”

Frankie looked horrified and when she went to protest, Mathew cut her off. “I’m just so broken you’ve just got to leave me behind. You are so young and caring. But I think it’s time. You are so ready to go find a real man to make you forget me. You should search out someone like your trainer, Butch. I should become a memory before I turn into your sister.”

Frankie froze. It was almost like Mathew was reading her mind and looking deep into her heart. “No! I love you.”

Mathew hesitated. “Yes. I know you love me, but there’s a difference between loving someone and being in love. I have eyes. We’ve been spending a lot of time together since I’ve been sick. I see you daydreaming. Especially when you return from the gym after spending time with your trainer. There’s no mystery how much you want him. At this point, I love you too much to be that selfish.”

Frankie knew everything Mathew was saying was true but she felt guilty. She wanted to tell him that he was wrong, but couldn’t.

Mathew looked into her eyes. “Even our lovemaking has changed since you met Butch. It’s obvious who you want in your bed. I get it. And it’s only going to get worse for us. My body will keep changing until I’m unrecognizable. I’ve tried to ignore what’s happening but after talking to the doctor today, well, your mom got her wish. She permanently destroyed any masculinity I ever had. She was able to alter my future with her drugs.”

Frankie was almost hysterical. Everything was crashing down around her. She’d done nothing with Butch other than fantasize. And she never knew that her mother was a murderer. “No! She can’t win. We’ll go see another doctor, we’ll get more tests. There’s got to be a way through this. Maybe I’m guilty of fantasizing, but I’m married and have my vows to honor.”

Mathew shook his head feeling his too long hair touching his ears and shoulders. “No. You owe me nothing. We both know that I’m a eunuch and my future is bleak. Your mom destroyed any shred of dignity I had left. Thanks to Covid and her giving me pneumonia, I’ve lost weight and muscle. And now, thanks to that damn Norplant, everything I gain back will flesh out my body with curves. I’m growing breasts! All my weight is going to my hips and butt! It’s not fair what’s happening, but I’ve got to face the facts. Maybe it would be best if I should just die.”

Frankie slapped his face hard. “No. No. Stop talking like that. I love you and I will always love you. Don’t be so quick to throw away what we have.”

Mathew kept talking until they reached their home. As Frankie helped him get back in bed, he stripped his clothes off in front of her. “Look at me! You can see it, too!” He started crying. “I’m a mess. I can barely stand up straight. I’m so weak, I don’t have the strength to even support myself!”

Frankie was desperate for anything to help. “I don’t know what to say, Mathew. Maybe you need a back brace to assist you. You need a back support. I have a brace that I use in the gym when I’m lifting heavy weights. Maybe that will help.” She dug through her drawers and held it up. It was black spandex covered in satin vertical stripes.

Mathew frowned. “It’s a woman’s foundation garment. Our company makes these.”

Frankie nodded. “Yep. But this is heavier and reinforced to keep my back straight”

“Why are you offering it to me?”

“I thought it would help you stand up straighter. It was just a thought.”

Mathew looked it over. He sighed. “I feel like a cripple, but sure. If you think it would help.”

He turned and watched as she fitted it over his shoulders and then laced it tight in the back.

“Now, it zips up the front. Look, you’re standing straighter already.”

Mathew turned to see the results in their bedroom mirror. “Wait. This is for a woman, it’s body forming. The chest piece looks like I have boobs and well, it’s nipped in at that waist and makes my hips and butt look even bigger.”

Frankie giggled. “Oh, honey. I don’t mean to laugh. But your flesh is almost filling up those cups. With that brace squeezing you, your boobs are as big as mine. And your butt and hips are getting pretty soft and round, too.”

Mathew was feeling lightheaded as he stared at himself. He did look like some sort of freak show. But, as he was looking, he felt all the blood rushing to his member.

Frankie noticed immediately. She’d never seen him erect. “Oh, my god, honey. Look at you. I’ve never seen this before. I can’t believe it. And you’re large. Wow!”

Mathew didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He’d never had a daytime erection and now he was getting one wearing his wife’s lifting jacket.

Frankie came over and gently caressed it. “I like it.” She kissed him on the mouth. “I really like it.” She squeezed it and was surprised to see Mathew wobbling with his eyes closed and having to lean a hand on her shoulder to stay upright.

An hour later, they were both breathing hard after the most exercise Mathew had had in a month. “Oh, lord. That’s never happened before. In all my life, it’s never happened before.”

Frankie was curled up next to him. She was satiated. She’d never experienced sex that way with her husband and it was wonderful. “Why now, baby? Do you think it was wearing my top? Did that do it for you?”

Mathew shook his head. “I’ve never worn anything feminine before. In all the years I helped mother run the business, I was never tempted to try on any of the undergarments we sold. It was just suits and ties for me.”

Frankie slid out from next to him. “Let’s just experiment and see what happens.”

Mathew sat on the end of the bed. He was still trying to figure out why cross-dressing was making his body respond like this. He felt like he was on fire.

Frankie chose some of her own lingerie and slowly dressed Mathew. His body responded the same way again. “I don’t know. Your response is pretty amazing for a man who’s been sick for a month. I think we need to celebrate.”

Mathew loved the warmth and the wonderful feeling of being on top of his wife and making her scream out with joy. He loved being able to kiss her and please her at the same time. He tried to look past the clothes and just appreciate how his body was responding. Nothing made sense.

Just a reminder that Being Invisible is now available as a Kindle Book and a Kindle Unlimited book on Amazon

Chapter Seven

“Chemistry.”

“Chemistry?”

“That’s my guess. Oh course, this is pure speculation on my part. But, all my studies are grounded in science. You know, a lot of people believe in magic and the gods. They all hope for miracles. But, if everything you’ve told me is legitimate, I’m not doubting you. Well, I’d need to see lab work. If I had all your workups, I’d want to look at blood from a year ago. Then I’d examine blood drawn four weeks before your mother-in-law dosed you. Oh yeah, that’s some crazy wacko you got there.”

Mathew just listened. Tony was a buddy from college he’d called this morning and shared his story. They’d stayed friends. But, he was a lab rat who loved simplifying the seemingly complicated. Even back then, he’d been applying his framework of logic to explain everything.

“Mathew, everything we are is chemistry. Every reaction, every thought, every behavior is sparked by chemicals inside our brain. I’ll use an example. Viagra opens dormant blood vessels and increases blood flow. That’s chemistry. Your adoration for Frankie is caused by chemical reactions inside your head. And now, that physical reaction when you cross-dressed was just a mix of chemicals pouring through that brain of yours. Obviously, that brain directs your body. It’s one big system.”

Mathew listened. “You know my whole story. What’s going to happen to me?”

Tony chuckled. “Shit, man. I’m not laughing at your situation, just your question. Seriously, how the fuck do I know? We’d have to take everything apart to pinpoint why your body and mind turned into the perfect fuck machine. And let me add, that is not a punishment. Countless erections with a young wife, well, I’m not trying to sound like a perv, but you should be kissing the ground, thanks to the scales tipping in your favor.

“But, back to the chemicals and illness. I’ll use the stressed tree example to explain it. It’s far fetched, but it’s what comes to mind.

“Trees suddenly produce seeds when they’re under stress to keep the species going. A dying tree gets chemical signals to start this process. It’s not a thought process, it’s just basic chemistry. Maybe this is just speculation, but your body is reacting to all the chemicals introduced recently. Covid, pneumonia, the Norplant, and who knows what else that crazy bitch dosed you with for four weeks that caused your dick to come alive! But that’s my guess. Anything I predict is just guessing. But I’m curious. Am I going to recognize you next year? All these chemicals are altering your appearance but are not changing your DNA. You might become more feminine in your outward appearance, and your brain synapses might react differently to stimuli, but your core will still be you.”

Mathew laughed. “Well, I promise to come up to you at the next reunion and ask you to dance. That can be our secret code.”

“But, Matt. That’s no good. So many women ask me to dance. Seriously, how can they turn down a toad like me!”

Mathew laughed. They’d covered all the ground he was interested in exploring, so he changed the subject, and they talked about everything under the sun. Finally, he thanked Tony and decided he needed to sleep for a while. When he woke up, his body was soaked with sweat, and he needed to clean himself up.

Frankie was coming by to check on him and helped him bathe. As she was drying him off, she playfully nipped his neck and then kissed him lovingly. Mathew enjoyed every moment as he fumbled with her clothes until they both stood together in the moist air of their bathroom. He’d never been turned on so much in his life. He moaned as she licked every spot on his body. In the past two days, he’d become one big pulsing raw nerve ending.

As Frankie’s movements became more deliberate and demanding, Mathew could only grab her fiercely and hang on. There was no doubt who was in charge as she lifted him up off the ground, carried him into the bedroom, then tossed him in on the clean sheets.

Mathew moaned as she moved him around. “Frankie, be careful. I don’t want you to hurt yourself picking me up like that.”

Frankie’s purr sounded like a deep growl. “You’ve lit some fires in me I can’t control. I want to dominate you. I love the feeling and being able to take you with me to the stars.”

Mathew stopped thinking. He let each wave of pleasure consume him as he surrendered to her hunger.

An hour later, they lay together, basking in the glow of their sex and love. As their breathing returned to normal, Frankie started them up again.

Mathew loved it. He knew she was using him, but it was all so new for the both of them. Neither had ever known anything like it. For the moment, Mathew just surrendered and stopped worrying about his future. He’d decided that just living in this sexual bliss was all he wanted.

Mathew told Frankie about what he’d heard from Tony. They both agreed that whatever happened was going to take place regardless of what interventions they sought out.

Frankie was still insistent. “I want a second opinion. If Tony is right and your chemistry was changed, well, maybe there’s a way to change it again.”

Mathew sighed. “I’ve never felt so alive. As much as I hate to admit it, this has been the weirdest, most exciting few days I’ve ever had. I’ve never stopped loving you and well, I love what your lips and hands are doing to me. I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but I still believe you need to walk away and find a man who will be a proper husband for you. Our relationship is wonderful and I know you still love me. And I’ve never had this much fun or pleasure. But…”

Frankie cut him off. “Good. You’re being so honest with me and I’ll be honest with you. I love how you’ve let me take control. I love the power I feel from turning you on and I love how you respond. I know you’ve had to set your male ego aside, but we both are enjoying your newfound body part. Other than being drugged and raped, this sex is everything I’ve ever had. I love using you to please my every desire.”

Mathew smiled and started kissing her everywhere. He only wanted to please her. “I’m your sex slave. I love what we’re doing together and just want to hear you moan louder.”

Frankie smiled. “You’re my boy toy. I love owning you. I love the strength you’ve given me. And I want to have some fun with you. And I want to dress you up. Are you willing to give up total control? Are you willing to trust me?”

Mathew kissed her everywhere. “Yes. You are my queen. I trust you.”

EIGHT

An hour later, Mathew lay on the bed next to Frankie. “Well, that didn’t work out as planned, did it?”

Frankie couldn’t help but laugh. “Seriously, I’m not the one with the growing problem. One piece of clothing and boom, it’s got to br break time! And I’m getting sore. You’re wearing me out and exhausting me at the same time! It’s not fair.”

Mathew sat up. He was naked. “I think I need to put on a tee shirt and a pair of boxers. I think it’s all about top much tactile stimulation.”

“Is that your final answer?”

Mathew shook his head. “What’s that mean?”

“You want to put on a tee shirt and boxers. I went out and shopped for this moment. I really wanted to play Barbies. I was all excited to have a pretty boy toy to take out for a spin.”

Mathew laughed. “I’ll put on a collared shirt and khakis. You get something comfortable to wear. We’ll go to your favorite restaurant to eat tonight. I know you love Alfredo’s. I’ll call to get a table.” He kissed his wife and stood up. He was really feeling a lot better. It was like day and night. All that recent cardio with Frankie was getting his blood boiling. He was really feeling good.

Mathew idly wondered if the new chemicals flowing through his blood stream were giving him this energy rush. Or was he just happy to be getting well? He was on fire and he felt like he’d just downed a double espresso. He didn’t know the reason why but had already decided to just let things flow.

All through his career, Mathew knew that worrying contributed to stress. And he’d had enough physical challenges in the past month between Covid and pneumonia already. He felt that wasting time worrying about what Frankie’s mom did was senseless. He hoped that whatever was in his system would eventually flush out. He understood that his body might be changing, but he was still alive.

Tomorrow he’s take Frankie’s advice and call Tony back up and get some names of specialists. He’d also get some blood drawn and ask his doc to forward his records to Tony’s lab. “Frankie, I’m listening to you.Yeah. I’m taking your advice and asking Tony to recommend some specialists who might understand how to counteract the Norplant.”

Frankie kissed him and ran her hand across his chest. She tried not to react to how soft he was becoming. She could even see some development starting, maybe heading towards an A cup. When she’d squeezed him into that back brace of hers, he’d surprised her how his loose flesh filled up the bra. She smiled thinking about that piece of exercise equipment.

She’d bought that back brace to show herself off to Butch. She’d been hoping to catch his eye back when she’d bought it. She’d never felt sexy. She’d always felt awkward in her own body. Too tall, too strong, she’d always felt unattractive. Mathew had been the first guy who professed his love to her. He was the first man to make her feel special.

She never wondered if he had an ulterior motive. She grew to realize that his love for her was pure. She’d never felt cheated when he turned out to be impotent. Mathew found so many different ways to satisfy her that she started to feel special even when she looked in the mirror.

Mathew had insisted that she take up golf and tennis. They joined the country club and she took lessons. He was proud of her. And he was the one who paid for a gym membership and gotten her a trainer. Mathew loved and trusted her.

But things had gotten complicated. She’d developed a crush on her trainer, Butch. He’d made her feel special. He’d complimented her muscles and told her that strength was beautiful. And she could see the evidence that Butch got turned on by her. His workout clothes hid nothing. For ninety minutes every other day, Frankie stared at all his muscles and felt his strong hands on her as he showed her the proper way to accomplish each new exercise.

When she saw the body hugging lifting jacket, she tried it on immediately and was thrilled when she looked in the mirror. It showed of her slender torso and accented her waist. Frankie was happy that lifting hadn’t made her thick bodied like a man. And of course, the jacket was sleeveless accenting her strong arms and shoulders. All her life she knew she that from the back she could have easily been mistaken for a guy. She had an athlete’s body, strong upper body and a tapered frame. Her legs were muscular but trim.

But, she was a woman with the dream of love in her heart. She loved Mathew very much, but after time had passed, things had changed. And when she started working with Butch, the fires of passion had been kindled again. But this was different. Butch was bigger and stronger. All she could think about was being taken in so many different ways.

But, Butch had been set aside. Mathew was making her blood race and her motor purr. Ever since yesterday, she’d felt like a cat in heat. Butch had seriously taken a back seat in her life. She’d stopped going to the gym when Mathew got sick a month ago. She’d stayed by his side crippled with the thought he might never come home. She focused on his welfare and day and night did everything she could to aid his recovery.****

Mathew watched her stare out the window as she brushed her teeth. He wondered if she was daydreaming about her trainer. He sighed. Long ago, he resigned himself to a life of loving and losing. Even after marrying Frankie and thinking their love was going to be different, he was staring to feel that Frankie had already fallen out of love with him. Even though he tried his best, he knew it was only a matter of time before those crushing words were spoken.

In his mind, Mathew pictured how it would all take place. She’s be crying while she told him that their marriage was over. She’d tell him how much he meant to her, but how she was torn and wanted to be with Butch. She was sure that Butch felt the same but would never break up their marriage. And now, he’d been offered a chance to manage a group of gyms and training centers in San Diego. She also knew that she didn’t want to cheat on Mathew. She wanted to tell him first before she left.

He heard all of this in his mind. Mathew realized it wasn’t real, but he felt the need to protect his heart from being crushed. He watched the woman he loved turn and smile at him. As she walked closer, she tossed the hand towel on the sink and reached up and put her arms around him. As she pulled him in closer, she reached down between his legs.

They both stood there realizing that nothing was happening. She kissed him and grinned. “We still have some time before dinner. Let me find you something soft and silky to wear. I bought so many pretty things that you need to try on for me.”

Mathew laughed. “You just told me you were sore.”

Frankie grinned as she held up a lacy chemise. “I’m a quick healer. I have good recovery.”

Mathew shelved the goodby speech he’d been hearing in his head. Maybe all this shit falling down on his head had been a blessing. He tried to wonder if the key to this erotic off and on switch was just a simple piece of clothing. Women’s lingerie seemed to be his personal Viagra. He could take a deep breath when he headed back to work. That would mean he’d be wearing his business suits and not having to worry about unexpected things popping up.

And until he couldn’t hide his changing body from his staff, he could still be his old self. Mathew knew that eventually he’d get to the point where he wouldn’t be able to hide what was happening. But, that was in the future. He’d deal with all of that after he couldn’t keep it a secret.

He pictured himself trying to explain how he was turning into something he wasn’t.

Mathew stared at Frankie as she pulled off his cotton tee. She quickly was on her hands and knees pulling down his boxers waiting to have Mathew step into a pair of boy shorts that matched the lavender chemise she’d stretched out on the bed.

As she pulled up the panties, she laughed. He husband was not going to fit in those beautiful lacy things unless she got his excitement under control. Frankie shook her head. She stared at the object bobbing right in front of her face. She was sure it was larger today than yesterday.

Mathew smiled. “I honestly never thought I’d be standing here watching anything like this. This is not the me you married.”

Frankie was sizing up his excitement. She could feel how big the girth was. “You know, Mathew. I think if I’d had to face this when we first were married, I might have gone running home to mother.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew she’d said the wrong thing.”

Mathew reached down and grabbed her hand. Then he took the other and helped her back up to her feet. “Hey. I know what you mean. Don’t break down worrying about your mom and her terrible ways. Let’s look out past all that and just keep it focused on you and me. I love you and well, if keeping you happy means I’m going to start wearing nightgowns and thongs around the house, so be it.”

Frankie stood there with the tears cascading down her face. “I’m saying this now. My crazy doctor murdering mother is no longer part of our lives.”

Frankie was right. They did have time before dinner. Twice.

A week later, Mathew started to plan his return to work. He talked to his mother at least three times each day. She’d been okay about returning to run the company until his return. She laughed and told him not to get too comfortable living the life of leisure. She liked her new retired life in Florida.

His mom decided to send some material home that Mathew could start to read and examine. She wanted him to take some baby steps to start him gearing up for the stressful return to the job. “I’m sending Cory over this afternoon with some reports and spread sheets that you can drown yourself in.”

Mathew excitedly told Frankie that they’d be having a guest coming by in the afternoon. Frankie had never met Cory but had heard the name mentioned before. She was surprised when she opened the door to find that Cory was a beautiful woman. Medium height, curves, and a terrific face. Frankie was immediately jealous because this woman was ultra feminine and the opposite of her standing there in her tailored dark suit, stockings, and low, patent leather heels.

Her hair was beautifully coiffured, her make-up was perfect, and she couldn’t have been nicer.***

She watched Mathew give her a hug and the two of them sit down and open up a laptop and rapidly get lost in company business. Frankie decided to go for a run. She obviously couldn’t deal with worrying about her husband with another woman. She even wondered if brushing up against her lacy undergarments would get Mathew fired up.

As she jogged, she tried to imagine Mathew having an affair and how she’d deal with it.

And so we wave goodbye to Frankie and Mathew. Their story together comes to an end. Remember until I post again, that there are stories galore on Amazon that I've written that you can browse.

NINE

Four weeks later, Mathew and Frankie had each tried to settle into their old routine. Mathew was back to running their company, and Frankie was back to playing golf and tennis. She spent a lot of time in the gym. They’d been going to their doctors together, so there were no secrets.

The two sat together on the couch facing Ruth Savage, their psychiatrist.

“I’ve had a chance to study your friend’s lab reports. There were some pretty unnerving revelations.”

Mathew looked at both of them. “For me, the samples they pulled from the Norplant were shocking. Frankie’s mom dosed me so drastically it was hard to fathom.”

The doctor nodded. “I’ve never heard of a six-month Norplant before. She must have designed it herself. That’s crazy. My question is whether she inserted anything else inside you.”

Mathew nodded. “Tony said the same thing. I’m scheduled for a full-body MRI this week. But, she’d really loaded up her delivery system on this one.”

Frankie spoke. “Mom wasn’t trying to kill him, just reverse everything in his body.”

“That reminds me. Where is your mom?”

“No one knows. She drained her accounts and sold off her home and office. She was renting them back from the new owners. It was like she was planning to run. I’m sure that I heard her last public confession.”

“And I guess I was her last victim. But Tony said I’ve got twice as much estrogen as I need. I guess I’m just lucky she didn’t castrate me. She had all that time while I was in the ICU.”

“I guess mother knew you were impotent and forgot about it.”

“Speaking of that, how are you making out with your therapy?”

“Good. I’ve got total control of myself. It’s not about women’s clothing anymore. I’m able to control everything successfully. Of course, my whole body continues to spin out of control.”

The doctor nodded. “Are you wearing a bra?”

Mathew nodded. “I have to for support. But it’s a sports bra to lower my profile.”

“Are you still trying to pass as a man?”

“No. I’ve just tried to have an androgynous look. Ultimately, I’m going to have to become a woman full-time.”

“Frankie, how do you feel about that?”

“Well, Mathew knows how I feel, and we both know there’s nothing we can do to change the course. The fact that he will be receiving huge doses of estrogen for six more months takes it out of our control.”

“You didn’t answer me, Frankie. You are upset about your husband becoming a woman.”

“It’s irrational. I know. But, well, it’s not been easy, and I don’t want to make him feel any worse because of me.”

Mathew nodded. “But, the truth is that Frankie was not in love with me before I got sick. She loved me but had fallen in love with her trainer at the gym.”

Frankie was crying hard. “I am so wrong. I am bad. But, well, Mathew had taken me so far in accepting myself and my sexuality. And just about the time I was hungering for Butch, well, I wanted to have a talk with my husband, hoping we were going to be able to work something out. But, then, he got so sick."

Mathew reached over and held her. He was stroking her back and trying to soothe her.

The doctor watched the two of them. “Well, we will need to set aside some time to discuss all this. But, it’s obvious that Mathew is still in love with you, and sadly enough, you aren’t with him.”

Frankie was sobbing. “I should be dead. I’m not worthy of his love.”

The doctor sighed. “Well, maybe you aren’t worthy. It takes a lot of dedication to stick out a marriage. And not to sound too harsh, quitting is not a good trait to start doing. Sometimes you just have to stick things out.”

Mathew shook his head. “You’ve both got it wrong. Frankie is wonderful and doesn’t have an evil bone in her body. And I don’t think she should stick out going down with my ship. For all we know, her mother might have implanted a time bomb inside me that hasn’t gone off. Regardless, I think she deserves a separation. I think we need to live apart, and she really needs to spread her wings.”

They both looked at Mathew, who was crying. “I think Frankie needs to keep the house, and I will find a new place to live. I think she needs to consummate anything she desires with Butch without feeling guilty. I’d say we separate for six months and then meet together here in this office.”

Frankie was horrified. “Don’t you love me? Do you hate me?”

Mathew looked her directly in the eyes. “No. I still have a lot of love in my heart for us, but I refuse to be the husband that is cuckolded. I have my pride even though I’m going through a lot of personal pain. But, I’ve gotten used to my relationships crashing and burning. And I’m not going to be an anchor around your neck.”

Mathew stood up and shook the doctor’s hand. “I’ll be in touch. You still have my phone number in your file.”

Then, he turned to Frankie. He smiled and kissed her on the forehead. He squeezed her shoulders. “It’s for the better. Now, you have no guilt. You are free to do whatever you please. Just promise me you will continue to see the doctor each week. You need someone you can confide in.”

And with that, Mathew turned and walked out of the room.

Frankie sat and cried. Finally, she calmed enough to look across at the doctor sitting in her chair. “What am I supposed to do? Where do I start?”

The doctor smiled. “You continue to do what you do every day. You sleep in your bed, eat the same meals, and follow your regular routine. And when the time is right, you ask Butch if he’d like to have dinner with you. At dinner, you can explain that you and your husband have separated because you discovered you were going in different directions.”

Frankie nodded. She realized that she hadn’t been alone in a long time.

“And you learn to listen. You should have a complete conversation with your trainer. Men like to talk about themselves. Learn about this man, not the fantasy that you have nurtured. I will tell you that the image you have imagined in your mind, well, no one could ever live up to those expectations. So, don’t exclude him because he is not perfect.”

Frankie nodded. “This is not what I expected. I thought he’d be so happy to know we’d separated; he’d sweep me off my feet.”

The doctor laughed. “He’ll gladly take you to bed. But, if that’s all you want, that’s all you’ll get. If you want a relationship, you will have to work at it. Mathew spoiled you. He waited on you hand and foot. He did everything for you. He loved you so much that he never questioned your intentions.

“But, now that you’ve spoken those words out loud, you can’t take them back. Forsaking his love for a walk on the wild side is exactly that. You’ve deserted him for another man. No man is going to let you do that and still love you. He’s going to work hard to forget you.”

Frankie sobbed.

Mathew walked out of the office and headed across the street to a bar. He needed a drink or two to settle his nerves. He had to wait in the doorway until his eyes grew accustomed to the dim light. He climbed up on a stool, and a very attractive woman came over and asked him what he wanted to drink.

Mathew stopped to think. It had been long since he’d had a drink in the afternoon. He also realized he wanted something straight from the bottle so nobody would spike his drink. “Beer, please. Do you have Guinness in a bottle”

The woman nodded, pulled out an unopened bottle, and asked whether he wanted a glass. He shook his head and took a long pull on the bottle. It was cold and refreshing.

It didn’t take him long to finish the bottle, and the bartender put another one in front of him. “Compliments of the gentleman at the end of the bar.”

Mathew turned to smile and realized that the man thought he was buying a drink for a single woman. He thought about it. He wore a button-down dress shirt, a pair of skinny jeans, and running shoes. His hair reached his shoulders, and recently he’d been taking Frankie’s advice in maintaining it. He’d even gone to her salon and had it trimmed.

Mathew’s biggest problem was his changing body. Even in a white sports bra, there was no secret that his bust was evident. He’d never been muscular, but everything on his body had changed since he spent four weeks in intensive car. He’d lost a lot of weight and what he gained back was on his butt and hips.

He suddenly wanted to get out of there. He felt a little frightened that he was defenseless. Before he could move, the man appeared out of the shadows. He was dressed well and appeared normal. He asked Mathew if this seat was taken.

Mathew’s voice was a tenor, never a baritone. Because of his early impotence, his Adam’s apple was slight. But, he wanted to clear the air.

As the man sat down, Mathew took a deep breath. “Thank you for the drink. But, you ought to know right now that I’m male. I don’t want to fool you.”

The man smiled. “I think that makes you more interesting. My name is Vince, and I just finished completing a big sale. Since I live in California, I wanted to wind down and have a drink to celebrate before I head back to my hotel room to order from room service.”

“I’m Mathew. Congratulations on the sale. I’m in sales, too. I know how much pressure you are dealing with and how you must feel right now.

“What do you sell, Matty?”

Mathew blushed. “I own a woman’s lingerie company. We manufacture and sell high-end products to boutiques and department stores.”

Vince smiled. He leaned in closer. “When did you start transitioning? And I have to admit, you are lovely.”

Mathew laughed. “That’s a two-hour story. But, thank you for the compliment.”

Vince nodded. “Well, my day is done, and I would love to take you to dinner. Maybe you’d share part one of your story with me.”

“Well, let me call my office first and see what’s been happening there today.”

Mathew excused himself and sat down at the other end of the bar. He dialed his office and asked to speak to Cory. When she came on the phone, he was starting to feel a lot of emotion inside him.

“Hi, Mathew. How are you doing? How was your doctor’s appointment?”

“Not so good. Frankie and I separated today. She can’t get her trainer out of her mind, and well, I just didn’t feel like fighting.”

“Jeez, honey. That’s horrible. I’m sorry to hear that. Was it over your transitioning?”

Mathew laughed. “Well, I’m sure that didn’t help. I can’t compete with a bulked-up trainer who sees her three times a week. And all the time she’s working out, she has endorphins pumping through her body. It’s really the end of the road for us.”

Cory suddenly burst out. “Mathew, come stay with me tonight. Please?”

“Why? Cory, we work together. I think that’s maybe too much.”

“No, Mathew. I’ve got a guest room, and my bedroom has a lock on the door. But, maybe I can help you. After all, I went through what you’re experiencing a while back.”

Mathew suddenly remembered that Cory was a trans woman. “Gee, I forgot you are trans.”

“Mathew, I present myself as a woman. I’ve worked hard to be that person. But, I have more experience than most people over what you’re going through now.”

“Okay. How about if I come to your place after dinner?"

"Why wait? We can get dinner together.”

“Well, this guy I just met wants to buy me dinner. He seems like a nice guy.”

“No, Mathew. You are not ready to fend off some guy who thinks he can get into your pants for the price of dinner. Thank him and tell him you have to get back to work. And don’t give him your number or address. Just go.”

Mathew came back over and smiled. “Vince, that was a nice offer, but I must get back to work. I’m sorry. I was looking forward to telling you my tale of woe.”

When Vince stood up and hugged him, Mathew felt himself freeze and stiffen up. He’d never hugged a man like that, and he could feel the guy’s member pushing against his belly. He realized that he was so far out of his league and wanted to run to catch a cab.

He was stuck in cross-town traffic and exchanged texts with Cory. She was already home and said she was stepping in the shower. She’d have an adult beverage ready for him when he arrived.

When he saw a text come in from Frankie, he erased her account before he could read it. He decided that no matter what she said, it would upset him. He’d never wanted to be second and knew it was time to remember all the good things they did together. He wanted to end it on a good note.

When he arrived at Cory’s place, he stopped at a florist and bought a lovely bouquet of flowers to present to her.

Cory was wearing a pair of sweats and looked comfy. “Aw, Mathew. That’s so sweet of you. Now c’mon in and put your feel up. We’ll drink the evening away and order delivery when we get hungry. I’ve gotten out some toiletries and some comfy stuff for you to slip on after you get a shower. There’s going to be no judging and no sorrow.”

Cory wrapped her arms around him and kissed him on the lips. “If you behave, you can choose the movie or decide what we will eat.”

A month later, Mathew arranged to come by their house and pick up some of his stuff. He instructed Frankie to donate anything he’d left behind.

She was waiting for him to pick up his stuff when he entered the house. She stood there looking him straight in his eyes. “I’m so sorry I fucked up our lives together. You should know that you never failed me and spoiled me with everything I could ever need. And I was shocked when the lawyers contacted me with a checking and savings account. You are more than generous.”

Mathew nodded. “And when the divorce is finalized in a few months, you will receive millions from the business. We weren’t married long enough for you to receive half of everything, but I’m giving it to you anyway.”

Frankie rubbed her eyes. “I feel like shit over what I did.”

Mathew wanted to hug her and told himself not to. He didn’t want to lose the ground he’d gained since they’d separated. Instead, he drove a knife through his own heart. “How is Butch?”

Frankie shook her head. “It never happened. Nothing, nada. When I told him we were separated, he looked sad. He told me that he’d just finished a round of marriage counseling with his husband, and they were trying to work out their differences. My dream prince turns out to be gay!”

Mathew didn’t want to laugh but secretly took delight in Frankie’s heartbreak. He knew she’d built up this wonderful romance that she’d have with Butch, enough that she’d fallen out of love with him. He did not feel any sadness for her. She wasn’t his to comfort anymore. “Are you still seeing the doctor?”

“Uh-huh. I meet with her three times a week. She’s been helping me trying to find myself and learning to be independent. I wish I could lean on you, but that wouldn’t work.”

Mathew shook his head. “It will only take me a short time to clean out the stuff I want.”

Frankie nodded. She knew that she’d ruined two lives with her shortsighted selfishness. But that was all over. “You look very nice. It’s fun to see you looking pretty. I like the highlights in your hair. They look nice with that outfit and those earrings.”

Mathew blushed. He knew that without Cory, he’d have continued to hide behind what he wasn’t anymore. She’d helped him to spread his wings and enjoy his newfound strength in being female.

“Thank you. And, really, good luck. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

“Well, I have a lot of growing up to do. And I don’t think I’ll ever find a man to take your place. But you can’t be Mathew anymore, can you? What’s your name now?”

“Matty. Keeping it simple.”

fini

Nanites

Chapter Seven

Story by Leslie Moore, edited by Dee Sylvan, formatting by Dawn Natelle

COMING SOON TO AMAZON AS A NEW NOVEL TITLED "COPY. CURED."

Portrait


by Leslie Moore

Chapter One

I was working in my office when Matt called. I smiled thinking about our morning as I said hello.

He didn’t sound good when he greeted me. He came right to the point. “Hey, babe. Bad news. I’m broke again.” His voice sounded pained.

I frowned. Mathew was a challenge, but he was my challenge. I tried to stay calm. He needed to hear calm. “Tell me.”

“Well. Man, this sucks.” He paused and I could hear him getting control. “I got a call from the bank this morning and went over. I talked to John. You’ve met him. He oversees the family accounts. He told me I’m way overdrawn and that mother refused to balance me up.”

“Uh-huh. Did you talk to your mother?”

“I called and her secretary told me she’d see me today for a late lunch. I have to go. Will you come with me?”

I cursed to myself. Lunch with Matt’s mom meant a whole afternoon lost. But the end, I’d have indigestion and have to work late into the night to get a project ready for my customer. I sighed inwardly. “Sure. I’ll have to come home and change. I don’t want to wear jeans.”

“Great! I’m going to get a shower now. The good news is I’ve been working this morning.”

“Good. I can’t wait to see what you’re working on.”

“It’s just another portrait of you.”

“You are too sweet. Well, I’ll stop in the studio before I come upstairs.”

“Do that. Should I wait to shower with you?”

“No. Go ahead. It’ll take me an hour to clean up and then I want to walk home. It’s too nice a day.”

“Okay. See you in a while. Of course, she's sending the car for us around two.”

It took me about sixty minutes to rough in the layout for the ad. After I worked on it tonight, I’d see that it got out tomorrow. I want to keep my customer happy.

When I was done, I capped all the inks and cleaned the pens. I let the dog out and made sure her water bowl was full. I locked up and walked the six blocks to Matt’s condo. I pressed the elevator button for the third floor so I could stop off at his studio.

In the middle of the big room near a wall of northern exposure windows sat his large easel. He was half done the portrait. Mathew had become obsessed with my face and I didn’t want to deny him that pleasure. After all, it had been a year since he’d paid for my surgery and we both knew that I wouldn’t be half as pretty without the work.

Others liked his work too. This year, he’d sold twelve pieces. Three were portraits he’d painted of me. He painted whatever interested him. The gallery in Manhattan that represented him always wanted anything he did. All his work was selling and for good money, too.

I stood and studied the painting for a few minutes. I remembered when he’d set up the appointments and paid for my operation in advance. He chose the most expensive team to do the work. My old face was hidden deep in that portrait. But, a lot had changed.

My Adam’s apple was gone. My jawline was reduced and completely reshaped. Naturally, the brow lift changed my forehead and eyes. And my nose looked more like my sister’s now. I loved my new cheekbones, too. Between my weight loss, the estrogen, and the surgery no-one would ever guess that I had been born male. Mathew had insisted on perfection and I loved looking perfect for him.

I sighed. Who would have ever thought I would be so lucky in love? We’d met in a bar eighteen months ago. He was so drunk he needed to be carried out before the bouncers called the police. Matt was an angry drunk and that night was a bad one. He was about to get in a fight with the manager. I stepped in-between them. I didn’t know him but I sensed a good person under the alcoholic haze that was controlling his mood.

I persuaded the staff to help me get him into a taxi. I took my rescue home with me that night. I made sure he was still breathing when I left him on my couch and brought the dog in my bedroom. Then I carefully locked my bedroom door. In the morning, he was still out when I got up to make my breakfast and brew my tea.

I heard a sorrowful voice call out to me. “Miss, do you have any coffee?”

“I do. How do you like it?”

“Black with two sugars, thanks.”

He was back to sleep by the time it finished brewing. I left the coffee in the French press with the sugar packets by the side of the cup. I wrote a note saying my workspace was on the ground floor and to stop and say goodbye as he was leaving.

When he knocked on my door jam to get my attention, he looked like the typical drunk trying to clear his head.

“Thank you. The coffee was good. I appreciate you keeping me out of jail last night. The sober part of my brain knew I was behaving poorly, but the drunk part was winning.”

I smiled. I always felt sorry for homeless cats and dogs. He was pretty sorrowful looking. “Do you need a couple bucks for the bus?”

“Oh, yeah. No. I’ve got a ride home. I meant to ask you. Where am I?”

“You’re in Brooklyn. You were in Uncle Sally’s Bar last night.”

“Yeah, Right. I knew where I was. But, why were you there?”

“I’m trans. It’s a safe place to drink with friends.”

He looked me over for a long minute. Then he held out his hand. “I’m Mathew.”

I shook his hand. His grip was surprisingly steady for a drunk. “Caroline.”

“Well, Caroline. Thank you for the rescue and the use of your couch. I will find a way to show my appreciation. Do you have a business card with your address?”

I handed him my card and watched as he studied it.

He smiled and left. He stood outside for a while. When I looked up the next time he was gone.

Portrait


by Leslie Moore

Chapter Two

Two days after I extricated him from a fight at Uncle Sally’s Bar, Matt was standing in my doorway.

He had showered and dressed nicely. He had a grin on his face and a small package in his hand. The robin’s egg blue (Pantone 1837) gift wrap paper and the silver ribbon (Pantone 1077) was a dead giveaway to its origins.

I was sitting at my drafting board working on a presentation for a potential client. I’m a graphic artist, a one-woman company.

This was my first chance to examine who I’d rescued. He was six feet tall, attractive face, and with a well-developed body. His hair was a bit shaggy.

He stepped forward and carefully set the Tiffany’ package on my drafting board. “Hi, Caroline. Remember me from the other night? I’m Matt.” He grinned.

He had a perfect smile that would melt any girl’s heart. And those dimples sealed the deal. I couldn’t help but smile back.

I’m old-fashioned. I can use my computer but I find comfort in pens and inks. I was making a storyboard for my presentation. I was sitting there coloring and listening to music. It’s a tough life.

I went back to school to learn to use the serious computer drawing tools. I’ve mastered enough to get by but envy the kids today who can handle technology so skillfully.

I hope to hire a talented young art school graduate next. Then I could take on more work, expand my business, and make more money. Now, I’m limited to what I produce.

Mathew stood there looking over my office.

My storefront is twenty feet deep and fifteen feet wide. I work right up front and have comfy couches and chairs in a living room setting behind my workspace. My studio looks like a living room. Behind my conference area is a spacious kitchen and a powder room. Out back I have a nice garden and patio. Upstairs I have a sitting room, a bedroom, and a bath.

Most people are put off by my right-brained style. They assume graphic design means a minimalist cutting edge lifestyle. Everyone thinks all graphic designers are in love with Bauhaus and Charlie Eames. They expect to see chrome, glass, and black granite. People expect me to look like a Euro-trash hipster with piercings, tats, and an asymmetrical hairstyle. That’s not me but it’s a great way to cut to the chase. You either like me and my style or you don’t.

Mathew touched the two Bougainvillea trellising up the walls in my storefront window. He glanced at the gold leaf lettering (Kozuka Gothic Pro) advertising my business. 8th Avenue Graphic Designs. He walked over to my grandmother’s pine corner cupboard filled with jars and clay pots of my art supplies.

My storage units were painted Shaker reproductions. My music came from an authentic 1971 mid-century modern RCA stereo console. He smiled when he saw the dog bed and looked at me curiously.

I didn’t have to look in the doorway to the kitchen. I knew my fur face stood there in the shadows watching him. Mabel was waiting for my signal.

I turned and said, ‘bene’. She came forward to sniff. An Italian Spinone is like a German Wirehair Pointer only much more fun. Matt reached down and rubbed her head. She looked up at me and I nodded.

Mathew laughed when she leaned into him encouraging his scratching. He was smart enough not to stop. He looked up. “What’s her name?”

“Mabel.”

He dropped to his knees and used both hands to rub her face. He started to coo and say her name. She shook her rump and wagged her tail. No one can resist a Spinone face. My brown and white baby is gorgeous.

But, I’ve heard her growl and seen her ready to attack, too. She’s a whole different dog when the hair raises on her back and she shows her teeth. She has a great throaty growl and a nice deep bark. I knew if someone strange walked in off the street, it would only take one word from me, ‘merda’, to prove her bite was worse than her bark.

He was still scratching Mabel when he said, “I came by to thank you for the good night’s sleep. I figured you saved me from a night in the drunk tank and having to make bail the next morning. I appreciate your assistance.”

I sat there watching him scratch Mabel and shrugged. “I like helping people.”

“Well, I feel like I owe you. I wanted to take you to lunch.”

“You are too kind. A gift and lunch?”

“Yes. I wanted to show you something.”

I stared and waited to hear what he was going to say.

There was that smile again. “It’s a surprise. I have a car outside.”

I thought about it. And then an idea came to mind. It was my turn to smile. “Only if we can take Mabel.”

He thought for a minute and grinned. Those dimples showed up again. “Of course. Is she going to be our chaperone?”

I stood up and started to clean off my desk. Mabel was at my side the whole time. A minute later, I grabbed my pocketbook then picked up her collar and leash. “Ready.” I smiled.

There was a huge limo out front complete with a driver. He graciously opened the door for Mabel and me. He smiled warmly as the three of us climbed in. I learned later it was a Maybach.

Mathew was grinning. “It’s mothers. She never uses it and she’d die to know we were taking Mabel to lunch.”

We crossed over the river and into Manhattan. We pulled up in front of Tavern on the Green. The three of us had lunch outside under an umbrella at a table for two. They brought a pan of water for the dog and I had a crab cake and a glass of white wine.

After Matt signed the check, we walked two blocks up Central Park West to a gallery on 67th Street. Inside, a beautiful woman greeted us.

“Oh, Mr. Statler, it’s good to see you. We’ve sold another piece.” She had an English accent. She was model beautiful and dressed like she was going straight to a cocktail party in her little black dress and three-inch stilettos.

“Which one?” Matt looked excited.

“The Loeb Boathouse. The big one.” She was all eyes for Matt.

Matt smiled. “Lisa, this is my new friend Caroline and this is Mabel.”

Lisa smiled at me. “I love Spinones.”

Matt took my hand and led me back to a painting. It was a very large landscape of Central Park. The card had a red sticker on it. “This one just sold.”

I looked carefully and saw the artist was Mathew Statler. I turned and looked at Matt. He nodded. Then I looked around the gallery. All the paintings were his.

He whispered in my ear. “You saw me at my worst. I wanted to show you the better side of me.”

We spent an hour walking around the gallery studying his portraits and landscapes. He had a gift. His work was amazing. Most of the paintings had red stickers on them.

“How long did it take you to paint all of these?”

Matt thought for a minute. “I do one show a year here. So this is pretty much the last twelve months of my life.”

I smiled.

Portrait


by Leslie Moore

Chapter Three

As we walked along through the park with Mabel, we both enjoyed the warmth from the afternoon sky.

Matt turned to me with a smile. “So what did you think?”

I smiled back. “I think that Lisa is hot for you. I think your paintings are beautiful. I’m impressed with your talent and I wonder what it’s like to stand there and look at all you’ve accomplished in a year’s time.”

Matt didn’t say anything. I assumed he was digesting the large lump I’d just handed him. “Okay. Thanks for the compliment.”

We watched Mabel as we headed through the park and away from the street and traffic. I slipped her off her lead and she stopped. She turned to me and I nodded.

As soon as I nodded she moved about thirty feet away and started putting her nose to the ground and trotting. We watched her for a few minutes without talking.

“Would you go out with me on a date?” He glanced at me when he asked.

I looked at him and shook my head. “No, I don’t think so.”

“Why?”

“Well, first because I’m trans and well, it’s just not right to tease someone into thinking I can perform what they want.”

“How do you know what I want?”

“I don’t. But, if we remain friends then we don’t have to find out. And there’s more.”

He smiled. “Oh?”

“If we went out, I think I’d feel the need to either reform you or defend you.”

He smiled. “Well, that sounds like a maybe.”

I looked at him. “I’ve seen you twice. Once where you were a falling down mean drunk ready to get into a fight with anyone. And the second time today when you are a delight.”

He nodded. “I’ve wondered why’d you bring me home that night?”

“Well, I didn’t know what to do with you after I got you into a cab. I didn’t think you were able to take care of yourself so I brought you home.”

“Were you afraid of me then?”

“Yes, I was. But Mabel was right there the whole time. Normally, she sleeps downstairs in the kitchen. That night, she was in bed with me. All I would have to do was call her.”

He nodded. “Yep. What do you say when you’re in trouble?”

“Merda”

He nodded.

“It means shit in Italian.” I whistled to Mabel and she came running back. She looked at me and sat. I patted her and hooked her back up. We both continued to walk.

“So you’d need to train me like you trained Mabel?”

I laughed. “Only if we were dating. But, if we stayed friends, then you could be who you need to be.”

“So, let me get this straight. You’d date the second version of me, but not the pathetic drunk?”

“No.” I smiled. “I’m not going to date you because I am trans. I would love to have you as a friend, but being a transsexual has its own baggage. From the looks of you, you don’t need any more baggage in your life.”

“How can you say that when you’ve only met me two times?”

“No one gets so wasted drunk, so angry drunk unless they own lots of baggage. You’re probably a sweet, wonderful, sensitive, caring person. But, your problems must be wrapped tightly around your core. You don’t need my ups and downs mixed up in your life.”

He looked at me and stopped. We stood there on the sidewalk.

I kept talking. “Seriously. If we were friends, I could help you, care for you, and bolster you up when you’re down. And we’d be able to stay friends. But dating would just fuck it up.”

“You’ve never been in love, have you?”

I had to think about that. “I’ve held myself back from that kind of attachment. I do just fine. But when a guy pretends to like you because he wants to experience gay sex and it seems easier with someone trans, then I get my heart broken. So, no. I don’t fall in love.”

Matt got a bit defensive. “I’m that kind of guy? I want to date you just to experience gay sex?”

I had said too much and I wanted to take it back. I put my hand on Matt’s arm. “I’m sorry, Matt. I don’t know if you’re that kind of guy. I just don’t think that I’m secure enough to date a handsome guy who has beautiful women throwing themselves at him. I don’t know what I have to offer a guy who’s obviously rich and very talented. I can’t compete. I don’t know anything. I can’t afford to be hurt.” I was at the point of breaking down and crying right there in traffic. I could feel Mabel getting agitated and pulling on her leash. I think we were both at a breaking point.

Through my tears, I just wanted to run away from all of this. Sometimes being so honest is frustrating. I think I was at my breaking point. “I’m going to catch a cab. I think we’ve had enough today.” I went to raise my hand.

Matt reached over and pulled my hand down and held it. “I’m sorry, too. I just wanted you to say yes so we could continue being together this way. I want to talk again with you and ask you again, but I will be happy to be your friend in the meantime. Please let me take you home.”

I was wiping the tears from my eyes before they started to fall. I told Mabel to heel and then said bene. We walked back outside the gallery and climbed into the big car.

As we rode along, Matt whispered in my ear. “I think you’re beautiful. I think you’re honest. I know you are kind. You helped me when I was dealing with my demons and gave me your couch. I am better than that night. I can be trained. I can remain celibate if you’ll just kiss me and let me hold you. I just want to be with you.”

I looked at him like he was crazy. Beautiful? Who was he looking at?

Portrait


by Leslie Moore

Chapter Four

The ride home was quiet. Mabel looked out the window. She was curious. I wondered how many cars she’d been in. Her first owner trained her himself. They gave her up when their newborn started having allergies. Mabel was two when I got her. We’d been together for three years.

After adoption, I promised to make her feel secure for the rest of her life. I was seventeen when I was pushed out. My father, the minister, had given up trying to pray the gay out of me. When I announced I was trans, that was their last straw.

I was headed to Rhode Island School of Design thanks to a scholarship. My parents politely told me good luck and not to return.

It was ironic. Instead of feeling the loss of a family, I felt all the pressure lifting from my shoulders. I finally could be me, a complete person. I arrived at RISD feeling like a five-year-old going to her first birthday party.

We watched the traffic whiz by. I turned to Matt. “Your credibility goes down a notch when you refer to me as beautiful.”

He shook his head. He took out his phone. He showed me a Picasso nude, a Botticelli, a Sandys, Frank Benson’s, and a Degas. He smiled. “None of these paintings fit the modern day definition of beauty. Mona Lisa Giocondo could not have gotten a cover on Vogue but millions stand in line each year to admire her face.”

I laughed and shook my head.

Matt held my hand and looked into my eyes. He touched my face while he talked. “You are beautiful. Wonderful skin, gorgeous eyes, lush hair, and generous lips. And that’s just the superficial part of you. I want to get to know you better.”

He had a knack for making me believe his words. But sanity returned. I didn’t want to be hypnotized by his fast talk. I murmured, “We’ll be friends.”

Matt didn’t stop staring. “I want more. What about love?”

I shook my head and turned away. “You throw around a lot of wonderful words. You call me beautiful. You use the word love. You’re sounding like a complete bullshitter. Let it go.”

Matt was smart enough to stop.

As we pulled up to my office, the driver stopped the limo, got out, then held the door open for Mabel and me. I thanked him. I waved goodbye to Matt. He looked like someone was punishing him.

I stuck my head inside the open door. “Hey.”

He looked at me. His face was blank.

I leaned into the car right in his face. I smiled. “Thank you for lunch. And thank you for the gift. I enjoyed seeing your work and taking our walk into Central Park. I am looking forward to getting to know you better.”

He tried to smile. “Me, too.” He stared at me and sighed.

I reminded myself that he was a spoiled man used to getting his way. Money, talent, and good looks evidently gave him a free ride. He must get everything he wants, I thought as I walked up to my door.

Mabel waited while I unlocked the door. When we got inside and I was hanging out the open sign, the big black limo drove away.

I reminded myself that I wasn’t fifteen and susceptible to teenage crushes. I was a grown-up woman who knew what was best for her. I pushed away the fantasy of being in his arms and fed Mabel her dinner. As I leaned against the kitchen counter, I tried to focus on something else. It wasn’t working. He was a catch.

As we drove over the Brooklyn Bridge, I shook myself out of my flashback. Eighteen months ago, I met this man. Now, I was riding in his mother’s car headed to see the old crone and provide him moral support.

Our ride across the bridge and into the city was uneventful. It’s fun to gaze out at the scenery. The upper west side of New York is lush with beautiful high rise apartment buildings, marvelous boutiques, museums, galleries, restaurants, and Central Park.

Sidney pulled the Maybach over to the curb and the doorman opened my side. We rode up the elevator in silence. I could feel the tension radiating off of Mathew. We smiled at each other but I could see the anxiety on his face the closer we got to her lair.

I could almost smell the fire and brimstone as we walked down the hall to the apartment. She and her late husband purchased a second apartment on that floor to make room for their growing family. When Mathew left and his dad died, his mother had the rooms redecorated. If Mathew wanted to stay the night, there was always a sterile guest room he could use temporarily.

Mathew went to the Maryland Institute of Art. After he graduated he used his small trust fund to move out. Fortunately, he made enough money selling his paintings to stay almost independent.

Mathew refused to take money from me even though we were together. My graphic arts business was expanding and doing well. I started renting out my second floor home through Airbnb and VRBO to pay off my mortgage early. I banked the rest of my money.

The maid opened the door and ushered us into the foyer. “Mrs. Statler will be with you shortly. May I get you a beverage?”

We both smiled and said we were fine. Mathew’s mother was fond of importing Irish girls as her domestic help. We sat down and waited.

Mathew whispered to me, “I feel like a stranger in here. She’s redecorated again.”

I didn’t have a chance to answer before Helen Statler walked into the room. We both stood. I couldn’t get the grin off my face. It was like greeting the fucking queen. I tried not to laugh or curtsey.

Helen looked at her son but not at me. Boy, she was a piece of work.

“I had Briana set the third plate. I knew you’d bring your little friend along.” Then she turned and looked at me like I had an infectious disease. “Caroline, how are you?”

I nodded. “I am fine, Mrs. Statler. It’s nice to see you again.” She didn’t care how I was. I could have told her I was hemorrhaging internally and she would reply, ‘that’s nice’.

I loved the way she emphasized the word Caroline like I stole the name and she wanted it back. Mrs. Statler didn’t like having to acknowledge that I was transgender. In her mind, her son was living with a freak. She once told Mathew that she was tired of him bringing a drag queen into her home. She referred to me a man wearing women’s clothes, but not to my face. She knew I would have slapped her. I draw a line.

Mathew later related the conversation. He told her that he wouldn’t come by anymore to visit. It was then that she actually apologized. He defended me and told her that I was more of a woman than she was.

Portrait


by Leslie Moore

Chapter Five

Lunch with Mrs. Statler was always a test. It was a real challenge to ignore her dour attitude. She truly tried your patience with everything she said. She asked questions just to see if she could raise your ire. She said what she was thinking as if all her filters had left with aging. She just sounded crazy.

Helen Statler was richer than most third world countries. If she wasn't loaded, she would have been locked up years ago. Instead, she sponsored charity fundraisers and supported the worst politicians. People fawned over her words like they were jewels. I thought she was a waste of oxygen.

But, Matthew Statler was my boyfriend and was important to me. After knowing him for six months, I lifted my own ban on dating him and turned my inner woman lose. After all that time working hard to be my friend, I felt sorry for him. I ran over him like a truck at high speed. I thought about the Black Widow spider who eats her mate after sex or was it the Praying Mantis?

That’s what kept the smile on my face while I ignored Helen’s babble about ‘what was wrong with the country today’. Or was it, ‘Did you know what I saw the other day? And they were holding hands and kissing in public.’ Instead, I thought about the raw sex that Matt and I had while we were getting ready to visit for lunch. I wondered what she’d say if I described how we did it standing up in my closet with me holding the reinforced clothes rod and my legs over his shoulders.

Fortunately, I had already received my third degree. Earlier, she’d looked me over and complimented my pleated skirt. Then, she wanted to know if it was wearing a poly blend. I sighed and said it was cotton and silk.

“Oh that’s right, you don’t like chemically based fabrics on your skin. I’ve wondered why you people are so anxious to fill yourself full of artificially made estrogens if you don’t like synthetics.”

Matt cut her off with a steely voice simply saying, “Mother.”

I almost wanted to laugh. “Well, Mrs. Statler, we all have to make choices. I wasn’t fortunate enough to have my body provide the correct hormones.”

I could look her in the eye and do my best to stay glib as I thought about how I screamed with pleasure burying my face in a heavy winter coat as her son brought me to orgasm less than two hours ago. I smiled and shrugged.

When Helen failed at getting a rise from me, she switched over to Mathew. “Oh yes, Matthew. So after our banker contacted me, he told me you wanted one hundred thousand dollars and that you were overdrawn on next years trust fund too.”

She stared as Mathew sat there looking at her like she was a stain on his tie. The two of them had years of practice glaring at each other. Fortunately Mathew saved his best glares for his mom, the Beast Master, herself.

“I want to make an investment.” He said.

“Are you going to tell me what it is?”

Mathew shook his head. “No.”

“Well, tell me why should I just give you another hundred thousand dollars then?”

Mathew always saved his best for last. I was thankful that we didn’t have this type of relationship. “Mother, I am thirty-one years old. When I turned thirty, I could have gotten a lawyer and challenged you for one half of father’s estate and won. I don’t think a court would turn me down. But I didn’t. I didn’t want to expose the family name in the papers and shine a light on you. I’ve lived very comfortably on what I earn through my paintings and the trust. But, I have an opportunity to make an investment in my future.”

His mother stared.

“So it’s simple, mom. You can write a check and cover my overdrafts for next year’s trust and add a hundred grand to sweeten the pot or you can wait for me to petition the court and I will take half of everything you have. It’s your choice.”

Helen looked at him and smiled. “Well, why didn’t you simply say so, honey. Of course, I will call John and give him those instructions.”

“Today?”

“Yes, dear.” She sighed for dramatic effect. “Today.”

Matt stood and pulled my chair out for me. “Well, mother. Thank you for lunch but we must be going. Caroline has work to do.”

Helen looked at me with a feral grin. “How is 8th Avenue Graphics Designs doing?”

I looked down at her and smiled as I thought, we won! “Thank you for asking, Helen. It’s keeping me busy.”

One of her Irish lassies showed us out and we were back in the Maybach before we could thank all the angels for rescuing us from the Queen of all that is dead and dismembered.

When we were safely in the car and moving along, Matt whispered to me. “Usually, this is when I like to get blind drunk and go looking for a fight.” He chuckled and grabbed me in an embrace.

I laughed a real laugh. “She does bring the best out in people.” I told him about what I concentrated on while I sat there. While I was retelling the details of our sexual heat in the closet, I put my hand on his crotch and felt him respond.

I kissed him hard on the lips. “We go home and go to the gym. Five miles of cardio and then we can practice kickboxing together. I might let you win this time.”

He laughed and kissed me back. I could see the dark mood had passed. “You’re on. But, I’m not going to hold back. I’m not going to let you win.”

I grinned. “Like I let you win in the closet today?”

Portrait


by Leslie Moore

Chapter Six

When Sidney dropped us off at the curb, I was mentally putting together what I’d need to do tonight for the business tomorrow. Since I couldn’t come up with any pressing work that couldn’t wait, I just followed Matt upstairs to change for a workout. I think he needed me more than my clients.

One of the perks of living in Brooklyn was I could change in the condo and run to the gym along an attractive jogging path through our park. We changed and skipped the elevator. We ran down the stairwell to the ground level.

As we burst out the side doors, I gave Matt a playful shove giving me a decent head start down the sidewalk. I got the crossing light and was in the park in ten steps. I was sprinting until I found my rhythm sliding into an easy cadence. I could keep this pace up for the two miles through the park to our gym. I could hear Matt struggling to keep up with me.

I gave a glance back and Matt was trying to force himself into catching up with me. I slowed briefly to let him come alongside. Matt had strength but I had him beat in cardio. I grinned. All those toned muscles were heady to drag along.

I smiled and gave him an encouraging moment. “C’mon, big boy. You’re not trying to find your center and you’re beating yourself up. Stop worrying about catching me and find your inner pace. Once you have that, then challenge me.” I knew what would happen next. He would try to reach out and grab me to throw me off stride. He did have the bulk to push me around.

As he reached out, I pushed off his hand and gained a step. I dug in and took a few strides to take a longer lead. I heard him grunt and breath harder.

I laughed and turned my head. “You can’t catch me ‘cause I’m the gingerbread man.”

As we drew up a slight rise, I could see the gym right across the street. I stopped at the light and heard Matt coming up behind me. He was breathing hard.

“You cheat.” He shot out the words between breaths.

I laughed. “I take any advantage. All’s fair in love.” I kissed his cheek as we stopped outside to collect our wits.

We walked into the gym together and an hour later, walked out together. We stopped to purchase healthy smoothies and strolled our way back home.”

As we window shopped, I turned and put my arm on his sweat-stained shirt and chest. “What investment?”

He looked me in the eyes and smiled. “Well, I have two investments perking out there.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Do tell.”

“You and the building next store to your shop.”

“Mrs. McCarthy’s flower shop? She’s finally retiring?”

Mathew nodded. “She’s retiring and moving to Florida. I’ve been chatting with her for six months. I’m going to buy the building and help establish an annuity for her.”

“What’s the other investment?”

“I was going to take you to Thailand to talk to a doctor.”

I stopped dead in my tracks.

“I’m your investment?”

“Only what you want.”

I thought about that. I’d put off thinking about that last surgery for a number of reasons. The first reason was money and the second reason was I was frightened. I’d never given it the thought it was due. I guess I really forgot about it.

That’s funny how you think you need something and then you sleep on it and don’t anymore. Well, I have never gone back to revisit the topic.

“I need to get my shit together. I’ll need to start going back to Crystal. I haven’t talked to her in a while and I want to have some sessions and work through some stuff before thinking about that kind of thing. Hell, I’ve just finally recovered from my face.” That was true. The swelling around my nose hadn’t disappeared until six months ago.

Matt shrugged. “The offer stands. The money’s there if and when you want to use it.”

Oh wow, I thought. I’m twenty-seven and my sugar daddy’s thirty-one. That sure doesn’t fit the norms. Maybe his need to take care of me included owning me, too.

Did I want to be owned? All I could think about was a book like Fifty Shades. I wasn’t needy enough to fit the profile. Of course, we’d never experimented with toys or bondage. I wondered if there was a dark side to us?

As we walked around, I tried hard to picture all of this. I knew I wasn’t ready for another vacation of recovery and wondered about all the mechanics of the surgical procedures. I’m sure I could Google it. I really needed to brush up on what’s out there. I hadn’t looked into SRS really carefully. And the bottom line, excuse the pun, was who was I doing this for?

So, I wasn’t about to get into the whole mind thing of relationships and him paying for me. I tried to understand what it meant to always have too much money. I guess I needed to go back and read the 50 Shade books again. Maybe I could give up my day job and just write novels. I laughed.

Matt looked at me. “Hey. Whatcha thinking?”

“What are you going to do with the flower shop? You’re planing to go into business?”

Matt shrugged. “I never thought of it. I was just looking at all the possibilities of what we might do. We could rent out the flower shop and redo the second floor and look at her backyard for expansion.”

“Her yard is bigger than mine. And her lot is bigger, too.”

Matt nodded. “I’m going to sell off the condo spaces or mortgage against them. I have to talk to someone first. The market is up and I’ll have no problem there.”

“If you’re selling your condo, why’d you visit the cash cow today?”

He shook his head. “Good question. Maybe to piss her off? Maybe to reshuffle the power structure? Maybe to remind her that I exist?”

I turned to him and shook my head. I put a hand on his chest and brought him to a halt. I stood next to him and whispered in his ear. “How much money is in that trust?”

He looked at me and laughed. “You want me for my money?”

I coughed and then covered my mouth. “Yeah. That’s it. I’ve been stringing you on just for your money.”

It was a joke because while Matt paid our way, I still went to work and paid all my business bills. He’s never tried to change my world to suit his terms. When I was with him, he picked up the tab. But, he’s never paid my way.

He thought for a minute. “The market’s good right now. I’ll bet its worth five hundred million or maybe more. It’s funny that you should ask. I haven’t checked into it for a few years.”

I froze. “Huh?”

Matt grinned. “My half. Right? Mother’s half is totally tied up in father’s business stock. Her’s is probably worth almost twice what mine is worth. My half is much more stable and less volatile. And you know she’ll pay off my debt to the bank and the cash I asked for from my side of the estate. She won’t touch hers for me.”

“Jezz, Matt. What are you planning on doing with that money?”

He hesitated. He sighed. He fidgeted. “I don’t have much choice. When I turn thirty-five, it’s all changed over into my name. I’m stuck with it.”

I didn’t know any of this until just this second. I knew he was a trust fund baby but never had any idea of the specifics. It gave me a giddy feeling to know someone that rich. Especially the guy who could provide me with such nice orgasms.

He looked out into space as he led me up our steps. “I’m going to put most of it into a large trust and use the interest to underwrite good causes. I want to develop a system where we can help non-profits with gifts and provide scholarships each year to individuals. I want to help underprivileged kids afford school and Vets get small business loans. You know, that kind of thing.”

“No yacht? No private plane?”

He laughed and smiled. “You want that kind of shit? Do you want to be Mrs. Gray?”

I laughed. “Do you want me to be your slave, Mr. Gray?”

Portrait


by Leslie Moore

Chapter Seven

Matt skewed my whole world in one fell swoop. When he told me he was worth a half a billion dollars I didn’t know what to do or say.

This world is all supposed to make sense, right? I mean, do all fairy tales deserve a happily ever after? I don’t know. No, really. I do know my world stopped that day.

I have no concept of what a half a billion dollars is. If you live in New York you hear about people who have millions or billions of dollars. But, my income is less than a hundred thousand dollars a year and I save my paperclips. I eat leftovers. I put the cork back in wine.

What are you supposed to do when all your dreams suddenly can be fulfilled? When every thing is within your grasp? I never wanted to be rich. Sure, back when I was five I wanted to be magically changed into a girl and have parents that loved me. But, you don’t need millions of dollars to be loved.

When I was little, I had this reoccurring dream. It was where I fell into a large postal storage box. Those big green ones that used to sit on city street corners. How I fell in, I don’t know. But, I’d find myself sitting in one and next to me was this cute little girl, so pretty, delicate, and oh so sweet. We’d look at each other and I would change into her. I’d trade places. And then I’d be out of the mailbox and go to her house and become her. And I had this dream a lot. I never told anyone especially my father, the Reverend or my mom, the hand wringer.

But, I never felt abused unless you think about the Reverend being verbally insensitive. Actually, I take that back. I was smacked around a lot. I had a big mouth and spoke my mind. And my parents were so conservative you would have thought we grew up in the dark ages. So when I heard stupid things being said, I spoke up. I guess it was always the wrong time because I got pounded occasionally. But, back then, I thought I deserved that it was what was coming to me for being disrespectful. I hadn't learned that all men of God weren't like Jesus or Gandhi.

But, back to Matt and his thoughts of taking care of the downtrodden. I live in New York and we have homeless people with mental illness and poor people full of hopelessness everywhere. Have you worried about how many hungry kids go to bed without dinner? Or how many fathers and mothers fight over money instead of hugging their kids? Matt wanted to change that.

And Matt wanted to use his money to help fix those problems. It boggled my mind that he could have that much power. I got confused just trying to think about it. Especially when he mentioned that his mother had more than twice that much money and all she did was redecorate her large apartment and ride in a limousine.

But Mrs. Statler viewed money as the gateway to power.

We're all supposed to be happy in this is the modern age where diseases are treatable and technology can solve our problems. But, why is everything always tied up in knots and just a breath away from happening? I think I read it was Marshal McLuhan and McGill University that said we have enough food to feed everyone in the world but there’s a serious problem with distribution.

This is the kind of stuff that bothered me. And when Matt said he had enough money to put a dent in solving childhood hunger and taking care of needy people, I should have been excited.

But something screwed with my head that day and I was sad. Maybe it was visiting the Wicked Witch of Manhatten or hearing her insults. But I had that ashes taste in my mouth and was upset. Even on this sunny day, I felt a chill in my bones. I was shivering when I fell asleep spooning Matt.

Hours later, I was thrashing inside the bed covers. Well, actually I was tangled up and frightened. The same sheets and covers that Lisa, the babe from the art gallery, helped Matt pick out.

Eighteen months ago, when Matt and I met, I turned him down for a date. I said I just wanted to be friends. So for those first six months, Matt and I were just friends. Back then, I told him, actually encouraged him, to actively date others. I smiled when he told me about his women. Secretly, I was insanely jealous and wanted to go around and club them all to death. But I would nod and tell him how happy I was when all I wanted was jump on his bones, kiss his face,

Back then, we were supposed to be friends, just friends. I wanted to keep my distance. But, slowly I was falling in love with him. I wanted him. And after a while, it was all I could think about.

I yearned for the body that Miss Art Gallery was feasting on. I wanted to trade places with her. I even envied her English accent, her trim figure. and her beautiful face. I wanted to be whatever attracted Matt to her. I did like my hair better. Mine was thicker and healthier. Bleaching is not my thing.

We finally started dating and slowly I let him into my life and my world.

But this afternoon, when Matt told me how much he was worth, a strange thing happened. I felt it was the time to say goodbye to our relationship. I never realized he was that rich. I suddenly was suffering from insecurity. I felt I was not worthy of dating Matt anymore.

That same night, I had this terrible nightmare. Someone was chasing me. It was so dark I couldn’t see a face. Everything was hazy. I felt something grabbing at me. Matt was shaking me, assuring me everything was all right as he woke me from my nightmare.

But, even as I woke, it didn’t feel like everything was all right. I was wide awake and scared. I sat there on the edge of the bed and looked out the window and listened to the street noise.

I felt shaken. I had this underlying dread. I’m strong. I’ve persevered through all sorts of nonsense and weathered every shit storm tossed at me. I’ve been snubbed, called names, and shunned. I’ve heard slurs said behind my back. I was teased as a kid. And I lived through all of it and come back strong.

Sure, throw it at me. I’m steel. I’m tough. I can take it. But, in the night when everything is quiet and everyone is asleep, the monsters in my dreams shake me to my core. I feel slithery things on my skin while my feet were frozen in place.

I wasn’t going back to sleep. And sitting there was just stupid. I quietly told Matt I was going to go do some work. He offered to go with me and I told him I was fine.

I got up and put my clothes back on that I wore last night. Then I put on my coat and grabbed my keys. The walk back to the shop is short. The night air felt good. As I passed Mrs. McCarthy’s Flower Shop I looked at her building. It looked twice as big as mine and the lot was immense.

I fantasized about moving the business into the flower shop and hiring a few employees. I wondered what the second floor looked like. And Matt said something about building an addition in the back. I reminded myself to look at it tomorrow and to talk to Agnes McCarthy about where she was moving to in Florida.

I unlocked my side door and there was Mabel staring at me in the shadows of the kitchen light. I turned on the staircase light and we went upstairs to my bedroom. We both hopped on the bed and lay there together. I listened to Mabel’s breathing and had my hand on her heart. As we lay together I closed my eyes and fell back to sleep.

I woke when Matt climbed into bed with the two of us. He held me and when I turned to face him, he smiled. He kissed me softly on my lips and cover my face with gentle kisses.

“I love you, Caroline.”

I cried as I fell asleep.

Portrait


by Leslie Moore

Chapter Eight

The whole visit with Matt’s mom and finding about his inheritance still had me spinning.

For the next three days, I wandered around in a fog. I guess I got my work done. I guess I watered the plants. I know I fed Mabel, walked Mabel, and slept with Mabel.

Actually, Mabel was my salvation. I wanted to be with her and I told Matt that I wanted to be alone.

“Why are you punishing me?” He stood there staring at me with pain in his eyes.

I shook my head. “I love you, okay? But, right now, I’m all mixed up. I can’t be in charge of anyone else. I can’t handle my own confusion. I’m sliding down a well into the darkness and I don’t want to drag you along. I’m fucked up and it’s not fair to see you be swallowed down with me.”

Matt refused to leave. “I’ll just be in the other room. I need to prove to you that I love you. I’m a rock. I’m your rock.”

I wanted him to leave and let me have a pity party. I couldn’t succumb to the pain if he was here. I wanted to wallow and sob and bawl. I wanted to let it all go. I really wanted him out so that I could hate myself more. I felt like I needed to punish myself.

It really sucked. I knew what I was doing. I wanted to engulf myself in sadness. I wanted to listen to mournful songs and feel sorry for myself. I knew what I was doing and I knew that it was bad. I knew I should just straighten myself up and tugged myself back up again. Instead, I wanted to make fists and hold my breath and cry.

It was stupid. Like when you eat a whole bag of Doritos and you get nauseous. Then as soon as the sickness passes and you feel better and you eat more Doritos.

I stayed busy. During the day, I was normal. I was working on a set of matchbook covers for a group of bars and taverns. Right, you heard me. You’re asking who needs matches anymore? But these guys said that they were the greatest form of advertisement around and they wanted new designs. I was told that people still collected them.

Matt came by and watched over my shoulder. Mini pop art, I like it.

I guess I was lost in my work when Matt and Mabel came downstairs and entered my studio. I looked up. “Hey.”

Matt smiled. “Mabel and I are going out for a walk and ice cream. We voted that you had to come.”

I was still pissed at the world and was trying to think of some hateful thing to say. The best I could do was “Where are you going for ice cream?” I really wanted to know.

“Mabel wants to go to Howards.”

Howards is the best. Seriously, ask anyone in Brooklyn where the best ice cream is and they’ll tell you Howards. I stood up. “Okay. Give me a minute. I need to change.”

I went upstairs and realized I needed a shower and clean clothes. I wondered when was the last time I had cleaned up. I called down and asked if they would give me a few minutes.

A voice came back up. “Mabel says not to take all day.”

I was ready in record time. Well, I don’t know if it was Guinness Record time, but I was moving as fast as I could. I felt a lot less itchy and skunky when I came back down. We cut through the park. I got mocha chip and Mabel got vanilla. Matt always says he doesn’t like ice cream, then eats half of mine.

As we walked back, I glanced at him. “I don’t want to be rich. I don’t want to be corrupted.”

Matt reached over and took a lick off my cone. Then he kissed me. “Good. I didn’t fall in love with you for your money.”

“Why did you?”

He thought for a minute. “You have an inner glow. I can close my eyes and paint you a million times over.”

“If you liked me so much, why did you pay for my facial surgery?”

Matt didn’t hesitate. “Did it make you happy?”

I nodded. “Yes. It made me very happy. It fulfilled a wonderful dream. But, doesn’t it make you uncomfortable being seen with me? Don’t you worry someone might find out you live with a tranny?”

Matt laughed. “Hey, if I can live with someone who likes mocha chip, then I guess it’s all right.”

We walked along without saying anything for a block. Then I turned to Matt.“I’m afraid.”

Matt leaned in and wrapped his arms around me. “I know. I protect you at nights when the goonies try to get at you.”

“Seriously, Matt. I’m afraid. What if you have all that money and something happens to you or someone realizes who you live with and they shun you?”

“Is that what you’re afraid of? You’re afraid the world will hate me because I love you?”

“It’s entered my mind. I don’t want to cause you pain. I love you but I would rather see you leave me while we are still happy than have us break up angry.”

Matt stared at me. “That’s so fucked up. I say I love you and you tell me you’re radioactive and you don’t want me to die from being around you.”

“Don’t you think that people treat you differently because you’re with a tranny?”

Matt kissed me. “Do I care? I don’t need all those other people, just you.”

I sighed. “When you’re rich can we still live like we do? Does anyone have to even know how rich you are and how you run a charity? Do we have to become like your mother?”

Matt laughed and squeezed me tight. “Oh lord. Shoot me now. You know what kills my mom? She knows I’m going to inherit her money too. It’s all written up that way. And she hates the fact that that money is going to help needy people.”

I laughed. I think it was the caffeine from the mocha chip. But I laughed again. I turned to him and kissed him on the mouth. “I’m sorry. I can be a real ass sometimes.”

Matt kissed me. “It’s good. And you have a lovely ass. Caroline, you keep me grounded. I need you even when you’re fighting the goonies day and night. I just want to make you happy.”

“If you sell your condo and your studio, where will you paint?”

“I can paint in my new studio behind Mrs. McCarthy’s flower shop. There’s great northern light and it’s got a pretty view of your house.”

“Would we still live in my house?”

“Yes. It’s perfect for a couple. Of course, we’ll have to reinforce the clothes pole in the closet and put in a new double shower. “

“Do you always think about sex?”

“I don’t like ice cream so my wants are simple.”

Portrait


by Leslie Moore

Chapter Nine

For the next few weeks, life went smoothly. We were doing well together and thank goodness we didn’t hear from Mrs. Statler. Matt did report that she gave him the money out of his account.

We were sitting there in the condo on a Monday night. I was catching up on the Times. Matt mentioned the hundred thousand dollar deposit in his account and last year’s loan being covered He also brought me up to date on our plan.

“I’ve talked to the condo offices, and they have buyers for this place and the studio. They said whenever we want we can sign a contract. We’re walking away with mad money.”

I looked up from the Sunday Times. “When are you up for packing boxes?”

“I don’t think we can move the studio until we build a new one. And I have no idea where we put all the stuff that’s in here. Your place is already full of your stuff. I’m stumped.”

“I say give us six months from the time we settle with Mrs. McCarthy.”

“That’s a good idea. I’m thinking about starting up the Foundation early after we finish with all of this. I’ve decided to start laying out the groundwork and seeing what I need to do. After talking with my mother, I’m even going to invite her to donate a portion of her money to the foundation.”

“Seriously? You think your mother is going to let you have her money?”

“No, I don’t. But I’ll let the lawyers show her the benefits of starting a foundation in my father’s name and all the positive press she’ll get. Plus, I’m sure her tax accountants will agree with it. Imagine if this foundation has a billion dollars in it to start. Imagine what we could do to help people.”

I nodded and put the paper down. I was too nervous to multitask. “It all just scares me. But I do want to help teens with outreach programs. There are so many people who need help.”

“Well, we can find an outreach program and donate to them or we can fund a start-up program. I think we need to create a board and come up with a general philosophy that appeals to us. We’ll have all sorts of lawyers and accountants to walk us through the government process of making this all tax deductible. Who knows, we might get donations from other foundations, too.”

I smiled. “Helping would be nice. But let your mom have all the glory. I don’t want you kidnapped and held for ransom because they think you’re a billionaire.”

“Sounds smart. But, if we start this foundation, all that money goes away. We’d be on the board, but people would know we won’t benefit from any of the money. If we center the whole project right here in New York, we’ll just have to cross the street to have meetings, no round the world junkets.”

I nodded.

“In the meantime, I talked to Mrs. McCarthy, and she’s happy to let us tour the place anytime today.”

“Now that’s something I can get behind. I’d love to walk through McCarthy’s place and start laying out the changes we’re going to make. I’m thinking of moving my business over to the flower shop. It would give me room to hire two new people so I can expand.”

“What happens to your store?”

“Hmm. I guess I haven’t thought that through. If someone were to rent it, they’d want both floors, wouldn’t they? That’s not going to work.”

“Living here has spoiled us. We have both places now. What if we kept both?”

I nodded. “You’re right. We use all our space now. The studio, our condo, and my house are all consumed. We are gluttons.”

“Would you like to move to one of those tiny houses or an Airstream?”

“We could walk the Rockies and backpack.”

We both chuckled and tried to imagine all the places we’d never been.

“Why don’t you move to the flower shop and open up another business in your old space. How about a copy store that offers technical assistance? It would be a local version of Staples. You could hire on your help and just oversee the production.”

“Not bad. Not bad at all. We can brainstorm all sorts of businesses we can operate out of it. Would you still want to live upstairs?”

“Let’s decide that after we visit the flower shop.”

We went over to the flower shop after it closed that afternoon. We both took tablets with us to take photos and make notes. Matt went down into the basement.

He was smiling when he came up. “The heater’s shot and there are soft spots in the flooring where years of water has trickled down. We can bring in a good contractor to repair and replace all of that. I’d rather put in a whole new system anyway.”

I smiled. I had no desire to take that on, but if we got the right contractor, we could just sit back and watch. I did an inventory of the first floor.

“It’s the same story on the first floor. Both the kitchen and the powder room are outdated and need some structural work. We might as well start fresh. I’d love to design a new kitchen and powder room.”

Matt reported back on the yard. “The outside is awesome. There’s a nice north facing spot that’s dying for a studio. I think we put a separate system out there. I’m even thinking about making the building two stories and using the downstairs for my office.”

I laughed out loud. “Office? Sure, just another term for a man cave. Fine with me. I’d rather not hear the raucous sounds of a large blaring television anyway.”

I pointed back to my house. “I’ll keep my hideaway in my old bedroom on top of my shop. We can still use it as a guest room, and it can be my retreat.”

Matt was enjoying this. “This is win-win, so far.”

We both were smiling as we stood upstairs together. It was large and nicely laid out. There were a sizable bathroom space and a beautiful bedroom with lots of windows and light.

The living room was cozy. It was gorgeous in it’s old Victorian charm. All the moldings were intact. The whole building still had an authentic charm to it.

I looked at Matt and pointed to the two marble encased fireplaces. “Do the fireplaces work?”

“Mrs. McCarthy told me to have them cleaned and fitted with flues before we built a fire in it. But she said it could be quite cozy.”

“We don’t need a living room if we make this all a suite.”

“Where would we entertain?”

“I’m going to design a larger version of what I already have next door with a kitchen and powder room and dedicate half my workspace to a generous conference room. It will be perfect for entertaining.”

Matt nodded. “I like this. I do.”

We stepped outside. “It would be nice to do the yard over so that we can have outside parties and maybe even have a gallery show each spring and fall using the inside and the out. We could do the whole open french door thing. It would be neat to hang some of your modern stuff on fancy Victorian wrought iron right outside under the stars.”

“Stars in Brooklyn?” Matt laughed.

“Okay, how about lights? It could be the whole Italianate patio look with strings of white lights.”

“You mean show paintings right here?”

“Why not? You can paint some smaller works that are reasonably priced to sell to the neighbors, and you wouldn’t have to give fifty percent to the gallery.”

That night, we took Mrs. McCarthy out to dinner. We handed her a deposit check for a hundred thousand dollars. She smiled.

“You know. When John and I bought this in the seventies, we paid fifty-three thousand. We paid off the mortgage long ago. I’m going to sock this away in short-term T-Bills and the market. I’m from the mid-west and love to invest in ninety-day grain futures. Soybeans are going to be up this year.”

Matt said he’d bring the contracts around to her this week.

“Honey, bring it on. I’ve already started to cut back on my wholesale orders. I can be out of here whenever you’re ready. I’m sure you’ve got wonderful plans for the place. I’ve told my kids they can share in the money if they let me come and visit my grandkids. I headed to California first. They have a cute guest cottage out back and told me I can stay for six months.”

We finished up our bottle of wine and all walked back to the flower shop. We stood there while Rita unlocked her door. She smiled.

“I’m so glad you two bought it. The last thing we need in this neighborhood is some outsider coming in thinking that he knows best. We don’t need another latte shop or someone that sells scented soaps.”

Portrait


by Leslie Moore

Chapter Ten

Two weeks later, we had our sketches in hand and made an appointment with a local architect. We were riding in the cab to her office while Matt was walking me through the complexities of starting a tax-free charity, a limited liability corporation, and the joy of working with lawyers.

After five minutes, I asked him to stop. “I’m getting a headache. But one question. Who is going to do all of this?”

Matt nodded and put everything away. “Mother’s lawyers. She insisted that they be in charge if she was going to give up her money.”

“She’s in on all of this?”

“Yep. And that’s why Mother wants her lawyers involved. But that’s good. The Foundation has will be examined and rechecked over a thousand times before it happens. It looks like we’re going to need staffing and the family trust will be happy to pick up the slack and provide us a location and a few people to answer the phone. So it can all happen in six months.”

I rolled down the window for a bit of fresh air. Fresh air in Brooklyn? How desperate was I getting? I was feeling claustrophobic. “It’s a bit intense, Matt.” I looked around. “How far to Sheila’s office?”

Matt looked at his GPS. “Almost there. Move closer to me, and I’ll protect you from the goonies.”

I snuggled in like a child on a stormy night. I was starting to feel better.

We pulled up to Sheila DiNardo’s architectural firm. It was about the size of my building with a shop downstairs and living space up. It was typical Brooklyn.

Walking in, I immediately felt at home. She had a beautiful touch with her layout and decorating. I felt a kinship.Which only got better when I saw her ring and noticed the pictures of she and her wife on her desk.

By the time she looked through our sketches, photos, and the plot plans she was cooing with delight. “This is wonderful. I love your ideas and don’t think this is going to take much effort to do. One suggestion comes to mind. Why not put your art studio on northeast the corner of your old lot? It’s got perfect exposure and will anchor your yard nicely. If you put it right in the middle it breaks up the flow.”

We looked at each other and wondered why we didn’t think of that. We smiled.

“Another thing would be, and I’m only suggesting, that you do the studio in an Arts and Crafts period. It would contrast nicely with the Victorian and your Italianate garden and provide a reduced scale for a two-story building. An Italianate building would look too imposing. You’d have the same interior space and the smaller windows downstairs would mean not having to close off all the light when you’re watching TV.”

“And you’d have an unobstructed view of the yard from your new bedroom in the Victorian. And another point. If you rent out the smaller house to me, I’d run my office in the downstairs and my wife and I could live upstairs. We’d cede over our outside privileges when you want to have gallery shows, too. We need it for four years until we retire and move back to California.”

Sheila continued. “I’m being evicted from here and need new digs for my office and my home. I wouldn’t change anything in your office and house and look forward to our black lab meeting your Spinoni. Her name is Jade.”

Matt and I looked at each other. We smiled.

Sheila grinned back. “I think we need to add some more living space above your new back porch so Caroline will get her quiet back room when she doesn’t want to be out on the porch. I recommend you glass that in and heat it. Let it serve as a buffer when the cold winds blow. Maybe add two more fireplaces, one up and one down. I’m going to recommend gas for those two.”

“I’ll design your art studio first so your builder can start soon. Did I mention that my wife’s brother is going to be the best builder you’d ever want? And if we say yes to everything today, I’ll get him to get your permits and start in two weeks.”

We shook and started to talk terms and a schedule. We’d give Mrs. McCathy notice and more money right away. After talking to her, it sounded like she’d be happy to move out to California tomorrow.

We sat in a bar across the street. My hands were shaking.

“Did all that just fall into place? Are we smart?”

Matt laughed. He’d just been researching the builder online. “It’s all amazing. You get a four-year tenant. We get a creative design and a good contractor with a five-star rating. It sounds great.”

Two weeks later, the first thing the contractor did was change Mabel’s fence. Temporarily, Mabel would enjoy Mrs. McCarthy’s yard and all her flowers. She was watching her old yard through chicken wire while the builders started a grand two-story studio in the back of the property.

Since our house was going to be untouched, we watched as another team of workers started redoing the flower shop. All the beautiful Victorian details were saved and restored, but everything else would be redone to modern code requirements while a new porch and my new sitting room added on.

Every day, I was surrounded by building noise and contractors pouring all over the property. After four weeks, they were making great progress and I was starting to show signs of shell shock. Just about the time I was thinking about taking a long walk, Matt appeared right before lunch.

“Hey.”

“Hey, yourself. Did you come to take me out of here for lunch? I’m getting weary of all this activity.”

“Better. I’ve got a bag full of hoagies and a nice white wine. The three of us are going for a picnic in the park.”

“Ice cream for dessert?”

“Funny, that’s the first thing Mabel asked when I told her.”

As we sat there in the relative quiet of the park, Mathew looked at me carefully.

“What?”

“I was thinking. Can you carve out two weeks off from work right now?”

“You mean off as in leave and go away?”

“Yep.”

I thought about it. I had several assignments in the works. I knew I had enough contracts that I didn’t have to worry about losing any future business. “I could if I had a few days to prep it would be no problem. What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking two weeks in Maine. I know someone who has a great place in a gorgeous cove. They’ve bought some of my work. I called them. We could bring Mabel, hike, and just enjoy the peace and quiet. I’d like to paint while we’re up there.

While our building budget seems to have gone up in flames with all the extras, I think we can afford to swing it. We’d borrow a car and give ourselves a food allowance. If we watched our budget, we can do it.”

“Wait. What happened to the billionaire playboy? No yacht, no limo, no private seaplane?”

Matt laughed. “Would Mabel like to arrive by sea?”

“Not really. But, I might.”

“Shades of fifty. You’ve obviously been reading the third book. My, my. Should I have my whips and chains sent up there along with my paints, Mrs. Grey?”

“I’m wondering about ice cream and maybe lobster.”

“I’ll give you the best. Mount Desert Island Ice Cream in Bar Harbor and Red’s Eats for lobster roll in Wiscasset.”

“I’ll start to pack.”

Portrait


by Leslie Moore

Chapter Eleven

As we drove along, I turned to Matt. “You know, we’ve had two weeks of breathtaking skies, fresh air, and gorgeous views.”

Without taking his eyes off the road, he spoke. “Yeah, I know I’m happy. I feel better than I’ve felt in a long time.”

“That was an amazing house. I never knew that a camp would be a three-bedroom house with a panoramic view of the water. I envisioned cots, a wood stove, and cold running water.” The coastal Maine house that Matt borrowed was a dose of happiness injected with dishes of ice cream, and lobster rolls dipped in butter.

He smiled. “Yep. I did good.”

“What do you think that something like that costs?”

He grinned. “A couple million.”

Even though Maine was only a few states north, it had eluded me. Its rugged beauty was exhilarating. I especially liked the merging of the ocean to its rocky coast. We hiked, we walked, and we window shopped.

“I understand why people flock here to vacation. And the natives are very obliging.”

“They have to make their money in a short time. The only see skiers in the winter. The rest of us are too smart to come up there in January.”

We spent our days wandering around and discovering. I’d drop Matt and his easel, paints, and canvasses off in some beautiful locale. Mabel and I would drive around until we found hiking trails or cute little towns to sightsee. In the afternoon, I’d go looking for Matt, and we’d eat lunch together. Some days it was a picnic, and other days it was an outside umbrella at a cozy restaurant.

Other days, we’d go nowhere. While Matt painted, Mabel and I would lounge on the deck and stare out at the water. Each morning, we’d plan our itinerary for the day. I’d vote for small towns with lots of stores and windows to look through. Mabel always voted for walks and hikes. Mabel won most of the time.

I had my eyes closed but heard Mabel shift and stand. I opened one eye to see Matt trooping back up with his equipment and two finished canvasses. “Hey! Did you catch any fish?”

“Tried to. But I think I’m using the wrong bait. I keep trying Cadmium Yellow, but they’re not biting.”

“I don’t miss my Pantone colors, but let’s see. That would be 15-1054.”

He smiled. “Show off.”

I stuck out my tongue. “I think I’m going to learn all the names of the native plants indigenous to Brooklyn. I think we need a butterfly garden out back.”

We day-tripped as far north as Bar Harbor to hike in the National Park. We ate lobsters and drank local beers at a local lobster pound. It was fun for all.

For me, there were no deadlines, no calls, and no stress. Each day was always something new. As a single woman developing my own business, I’d spent all my time working for the past six years. My breaks from work were going to the gym or jogging. But, the joy of this year-old relationship changed my life. In the process of sharing my world with Matt, it brought a new perspective to my way of thinking.

Mathew had always lived his life by the seat of his pants. The privilege of being a trust fund baby meant he could be a successful painter without worrying about making ends meet. Taking a trip to Maine to get away was a big deal for me. The fact that he’d spend his time painting, his version of working, was just part of his unique and privileged lifestyle.

My world was much more ordinary. If my income faltered for a brief minute in time, I could disappear. I was in touch with all my clients, and when I told them I was going to Maine for two weeks, no one said a word. I was shocked. It was a realization that this vacation thing was the norm for the rest of the world. I wondered where I had been.

Since I started my own business, I’d never taken time off. I always put all my money back into my business. Matt’s perspective was decidedly different from mine.

“You know, this is the first time I’ve had a vacation since college. It’s rather refreshing to get away. I hope my business is still there when I return.”

Matt laughed. “You’re not a dairy farmer. You don’t have to worry about milking cows. Your clients will love you more when you return.”

“I hope so. I can’t afford to play at work for a living.”

Matt grinned. “Don’t be mad at me, but I’ve never held a job in my life. All my money is from selling paintings.”

“That and your trust fund.”

“You’re right. But that will soon be ending. When we start the foundation, all the money goes there. I’ll become a starving artist from then on.”

But his present lifestyle came with a curse, his mother, Helen Statler. The Red Queen needed blood to survive. The crone had been dependent on draining his life force regularly as tribute until a year ago when we became a couple. Now, the harpy had been forced to look elsewhere.

The good news is there always a greedy politician willing to cut open their vein for a generous donation to their campaign. So Helen doled out cash to anyone willing to bend to her will. She was a real society charmer, all right.

By living with me, Matt was saving money. I was a cheap date. It also meant Matt had been freed of the guilt and the need for his angry rebellion. He was saner, too. His dealings with his mother had lessened. In simple terms, he’d stopped his blackout drinking just for me.

On our way home to Brooklyn, Matt was in a joyful mood. He had painted every day as if he was on the clock. He had found his groove and loved himself again. Me, I’d gained five pounds. Our third member of the happy band was content to sleep most of the way back New York.

When we arrived, the first thing we did was drive over my house and the construction site. We noted the progress our contractor made on the property. Then we unpacked at Matt’s condo. The rental place came to get the shiny new Volvo.

Back over at my place, Matt’s future studio was ready for occupancy. They’d painted the new building inside and out. Mabel mourned her old yard sacrificed to the two-story Craftsman-style building. But was pleased with her new yard behind the flower shop. She had new bushes to sniff and the contractors had built a nice fence to keep her secure.

Matt would schedule the move from his existing studio for the end of the week. He'd start packing his materials this afternoon. He’d made arrangements to have the Manhattan Gallery receive his large Maine paintings and remainder were shipped to my shop. He’d done all his plein air work on site. He had forty completed canvasses. Fortunately, there were places for him to buy stretched blank canvass right around the corner in Booth Bay. He had ten large pieces for the Manhattan gallery.

Over at our future home at the flower shop, the new addition was framed in, had windows, and a roof. They were working on the cedar siding when were arrived.

Inside the flower shop, my future office, the kitchen and bathrooms had been gutted. They were installing floors and new walls. The builders had added structural beams and replaced all the rot. Matt went down in the basement and pronounced it sound. The building was updated to meet building code. The contractor said six to eight more weeks and he'd be gone.

I put Matt was in charge of colors. Even though I did design and graphics, I was more impressed with his color eye than my own. As we were looking at paint chips together, he turned to me with an odd look on his face.

“What?”

He had this strange smile. “This is our first house together.”

I got a tear in my eye and kissed him. “I never looked at it that way.” What I wanted to do was undress him on the spot and make love. But, with fifteen workers all over the property, it wasn’t appropriate. I gave it about two minutes thought.

I smiled. “Let’s take a walk.”

Matt looked at me. “Sure. Where?”

“Your place. I want our bedroom, uh, now.”