“I think those books are wrong,” I said dismissively. “Sure, I enjoy being a girl, and Scott likes being me, but he’s not disgusted with being a man like those transsexuals we read about. I think what’s going on with us is more complicated than that. Or maybe simpler. I don’t buy that everybody who isn’t completely masculine or feminine is crazy, either.”

Chapter 29

They say that the real world has a habit of sneaking up on you when you least expect it. I was determined to do nothing for as long as it takes but was only home for a week or so when the phone rang. Larry answered it, listened for a few seconds, and then passed it to me.

“It’s for you, Julia.”

I took the handset and went to sit in an easy chair before I spoke my name.

All was chaos in the house. With the forth of July conveniently occurring on a Thursday this year, those that could stretch the holiday into an extra-long weekend did so. Thus Chris and Sandy, a modern couple with demanding jobs, chose to leave their teenage children home to fend for themselves and spend four days backpacking in the woods. Naturally, this occasioned some acerbic comments from Melissa – age 13 – and Carter – age 15 – concerning the decrepitude of their aging parents and doubts as to their ability to survive without Cable, Internet and Fast Food.

Chapter 28

As we moved into the year, I made the final film of the trilogy, ‘Kathleen Cary, the Slide’. It was hard for me to make, with a lot of emotional scenes. If this didn’t win anything I was in the wrong game.

Forget Silicone
A Vignette
By Maryanne Peters

I had always had a crazy crush on Gerry. I suppose it was because he was like me in many ways – quiet and home loving. I suppose that the big difference was that I was I gay, and while I hoped he was too, he wasn’t.

We met through gaming. We had an online team of three guys and the third guy suggested that we get together and look at playing at a live e-sport event. I guess that Gerry and me came across as more outgoing on line, because when he met us in person he realized that it would never work.

Admit it. We all do it. How many times have you wasted far too much time just surfing the web and watching video after video about stuff you never knew was interesting?

Chapter 27

We, in Europe, now think that the influx of migrants is a problem. In Germany, after the war, there were over seven and a half million German prisoners, as well as an influx of thousands more being shipped in from other theatres of war.

On top of that, there were tens of thousands of Displaced Persons, some fleeing the Soviets and the Soviet Zone. The British, alone, had two million prisoners in a space no bigger than Suffolk, on top of the local population. The speech was wishful thinking, at best.

Sheltered
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

She struck me as being the very height of feminine sophistication as she sat at the bar. She was dressed well, in an expensive dress that was sexy without being slutty, and she wore her soft blonde curls up on top of her head to reveal her slender neck and her ears with pearl drops dangling.

I had been talking to the barman previously and he saw me looking at her.

“She is taken,” he said. “She is waiting for her fiancé – the surgeon who turned her into a woman.”

Allison spent the day making new friends, and experiencing things in a new way, the first time really as herself, traversing the station on her own. This happened while Angie prepared for her new job with the medical professors. When Angie came back to the apartment it was obvious she enjoyed herself as she was a little worse for wear. And worse again once the two demolished most of a bottle of gin she’d been given as a gift.

Now Allison is waiting around, letting Angie sleep off her hangover before they go for breakfast with Adam. But the time spent doing nothing but waiting for Angie has brought her to a realisation, and she needs to tell One something about her intentions.

Chapter 25

When we arrived in Los Angeles, we were swept up in a tidal wave of media hype. As defending champions of the Best Film and other awards, we were a hot topic. We were a few days early, which were filled with interviews and TV appearances. ‘Thirteen Women’ was controversial, seeing that it acknowledged the Devil without a mention of God. The ultra-right was in an uproar, which meant that everybody else supported us, ‘just for the hell of it!’

Chapter 24

“There’s also something else I need doing. Make sure that your passport is up to date. I have the house near Valencia. I would like you to go there, in October, and open it up for me. Colin, Ruth, Larry, and Brendon will be spending a few months in it, and we will close this one down for winter. Talk to Michael and get a credit card linked to my account for all your living expenses.”

“Thank you, Julia. I’ll be careful.”

Photo by Pablo Heimplatz on StockSnap

It happens when you're an old fart. You just sort of doodle along, until one day you open your dresser drawer and there is only one pair of shorts left in there and when you put them on they sort of droop and barely hang on, the elastic shot from too many washings. Back when I was married such things just wouldn't have happened, my wife would have replaced my worn underwear as part of her wifely duties. Seriously, that's how she thought of such things – wifely duties.

Chapter 23

“Thanks, Agnes, see you later.”

I went to where David was trying to answer fifteen questions at once.

“David, we have a security screen. They’ll help us get out to the cars. I don’t think that we’re going to be able to answer everyone, or to make the fans happy, but we have to get out.”

He nodded so I went over to the leader of a very fierce looking group of guys.

“I believe that you’re going to help us get to our cars, lads. Can we do it without blood on the floor?”

Chapter 22

The party was a lovely event and allowed me to show all my friends how much I appreciated their friendship. From now, until close to Christmas, I would be going to the studio and would be unlikely to be able to socialise.

Diva in Disguise Chapter 5

Allison found some way of slowing things down at the start of her week; on Monday, the day women mostly had to themselves. Up until then her mind had been racing but a message from Des — delivered to Jenny’s — helped her put things in the correct place. It was right around the same time Dr. Grace said what Allison was going through was normal; the standard effects of the disruption Allison had been through.

Dr. Grace booked an appointment for Allison for the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, saying Allison could see her on any of those days, whenever she needed to, simply walk in. Just to talk, if she wanted. But no later than the Thursday. Whatever she ended up doing it would mean yet another round of fun with doctors on her journey to womanhood.

Diva in Disguise Chapter 4

Bored with their sex life and seeking to supplement their income a husband and wife decide to enter the world of prostitution. This is a vignette in the day of a life of a high-class prostitute and explains how a married couple can live happily together while they each have sex with strangers for money.

Another thing I liked a lot was her healthy lungs, her ability to breathe so deeply and easily and go for hours without feeling the need for a cigarette.

Allison and Angie were having lunch when Allison revealed she wanted her ears pierced. Angie knew the perfect place for it, and it was also the perfect place to fix Allison up with makeup, but neither counted on finding two women who treated Angie and Allison just like Angie and Allison treated everyone else; they were fun head-wreckers.

Now Allison needs quiet. And to rest. And more. But with the pace of the past few days, with all she’s discovering, all the secrets revealed on the deep space station, she doesn’t know how to achieve any of that. And she doesn’t know what she’ll do if she can’t find it.

Natalie looked at the coin on her wrist. “Three mornings in a row.”

“Life’s a bitch,” I said philosophically — or as close to it as I can manage, first thing in the A.M. “Two eggs, over easy, and dry toast for me,” I added helpfully.