My Wonderful Obsession 36 free porn video

My Wonderful Obsession Part 36: The Curtain Closes What an amazing, awesome week that was! I could live it over, I'd do it again - in a heartbeat - and a hundred times more, too. And even though it brought with it a lot of emotional turmoil, I'd take it any day over the week that followed. But there I go again, getting ahead of myself! Anyway, this particular week began with our 'Kiss Me Kate' dress rehearsals, where we discovered we actually had something worth performing in front of an audience, and ended late Saturday night when the curtain dropped on our final performance. Or more accurately, on the following Sunday morning. But more about that later! Our first real performance, as always, was really one last dress rehearsal in the guise of a Wednesday matinee, put on for the freshmen and sophomores at our high school - well okay, excluding the ones who were way too 'cool' to sit through an 'ancient' period piece like 'Kate' and the pierced-eyebrow Goth types who had no place for such 'fluff' in their sorry, regimented lives. Oh, and anyone who had detention or some other self-inflicted problem preventing them from being there. No matter - the theater was still packed out, with teachers standing along the back wall and kids sitting everywhere including the floor and steps. Everyone in the cast played their regular parts and, aside from a few miscues and forgotten lines, not to mention some sketchy playing on the part of the orchestra, we pretty much nailed it and were rewarded with major laughs and great applause. And judging by how different the students' facial expressions were at the end compared to the beginning, I'm thinking most of them found the show much more entertaining than they ever expected - kind of like it was for me and Kath the first time we saw it. I'm also guessing a lot of kids recognized the nineteen-forties-looking lady in the hallway from two days before, judging by some of 'aha' looks on front-row faces the few times I was on stage. Another thing that struck me was how well Adam Chiang as a singing and dancing gangster went over with them, especially two Asian girls who seemed totally enthralled with the whole show but Adam in particular. And why not, I thought? He was a lot more over-the-top funny and cute than menacing, and come to think of it, the entire show was just one huge fun romp for everyone involved, the audience included. With that not-so-little success behind us, we all headed home for an early dinner, returning eagerly at six o'clock for the big evening opener. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, who had tickets for their daughter's star turn that night, drove us back to the school. For some reason they were unusually chatty, asking how everything was going and wishing us both good luck. Kath, of course, and in spite of my elbow poking in her rib cage, just had to inform them it was bad luck to be wished good luck. That seemed to shut them up, and the little episode made me think, for the first time, that maybe there was blame to go all around for dysfunction in the Thomas household. Now, I'm not going to go into every little detail about 'Kiss Me Kate' like I did with 'Fiddler' the year before, 'cause I don't want to get you totally bored out of your skin. So I'll just touch on the highlights as I remember them. And one very memorable highlight was the performance of Michael Bell, the guy I originally thought was so miscast as the male star of the show. I was SO wrong! Wow - could he ever act, and even his singing was up to snuff too. He looked equally great in a dapper suit as Fred Graham, and the clownish costume he sported as macho-man Petruchio. Kath and I both had to admit we pegged him entirely wrong - in fact, afterwards he seemed to us like a more impressive, attractive and likeable personality than he did before, even though I'm sure his off-the-wall demeanor never changed a bit. All because of that role he played! And when I got to do my turn as his love interest Lilli/Kate, he never let his knowledge of my true sex get in the way of relating to me exactly the same way he treated Kath - including the 'big kiss' near the end of the show! But there I go again getting ahead of myself. Back to the beginning - on opening night Mr. Nelson gave a great little speech before the curtain went up, basically praising his cast and crew for all their dedication at getting the show audience-ready and relating how he wanted to do this particular show for years but only in this year did he have the right talented individuals he thought could pull it off. Kath and I stole a quick glance at each other as we waited backstage. "He loves us," she whispered in my ear. Yes, I suppose he really did. I certainly felt that way - after all, didn't he give me an incredible gift, letting me have the chance to play not one but three great women's roles? Sure, I'd be doing the least of those that night, a role without a solo and only a few spoken lines, but I'd get to do at least one of the others over the next few days. The show opened with a fun dance number, 'Another Openin', Another Show,' where secondary actors like myself could sing as well (accompanied by Michael, Kath and Cindy on microphones from off-stage). Then Fred (Michael) and Lois (Cindy) appear on stage, followed by Lilli's (Kath's) grand entrance. Lois and Bill (Doug Peterson) take over and she gets her first big solo, 'Why Can't You Behave?' But soon comes one of the show's most entertaining and romantic numbers, 'Wunderbar,' a song-and-waltz duet starring Fred and Lilli (who has recently been divorced from Fred, but finds herself drawn back to him as the song progresses). Alone in her dressing room afterwards, she realizes how strong her feelings still are, and delivers the most romantic song in the show, 'So In Love.' Kath got such huge whistles and applause for that one, I found myself once again feeling guilty I'd be stealing those accolades from her the following night. The next scene has Fred accosted by two gangsters (Paul DaSilva and Adam Chiang) sent to collect on a big gambling debt rung up by Bill in Fred's name. These two larger-than-life characters appeared in classic double- breasted forties suits with pant-cuffs, hats and white ties and boy did they get some laughs for their crazy Brooklyn accents and amusing tough- guy antics. From there, the show descends into farce as it segues to renaissance Italy, and the main characters, Fred, Lilli, Lois and Bill take on their alter-egos as Petruchio, Kate, Bianca and Lucentio, members of a travelling theatrical troupe who are supposedly performing Shakespeare's 'Taming of the Shrew.' They all march round the stage singing 'We Open In Venice' in front of painted backdrops of the famous Renaissance places they're taking the show to. Fast-forward a few scenes and Kate sings her signature 'I Hate Men' number, which leaves no doubt how she feels about the other sex. And judging by her knocked-up state that spring, I felt Kath had every reason to sing that song from the heart. From my vantage point in the wings I could just make out Mr. and Mrs. Thomas's faces in the third row, and when she sang the words "his business is the business that he gives his sec-re-tary" I couldn't help wondering how that went down with the two of them. Major discomfort was my guess, if my hunch was correct. Speaking of major discomfort, there's a very funny scene (well, funny if you're a guy, I guess) where Petruchio puts Kate over his knee and spanks her, and she's absolutely furious with him, causing her alter ego Lilli to threaten to leave the show. Having spoken to Kath about the scene, I knew she disliked being spanked in front of everyone and tried to get Mr. Nelson to change it, but to no avail. Act One winds up with Kate and Petruchio married (against her will of course) and he entreats her in song (and in vain) to 'Kiss Me, Kate,' and when the lights went black for intermission there was wild cheering and applause. It was customary for the cast and crew to relax in the parking lot outside the theater, partly to unwind a bit but mostly to cool off in the refreshing evening air. Those stage lights were always so damn hot! Ironically, Act Two begins with 'Too Darn Hot,' another big and very active song and dance number, after which everyone was hotter than they were before intermission. Then we get a super, swashbuckling performance from Petruchio in 'Where Is the Life That Late I Led?' an ode to life as an unattached womanizer. Next comes Lois singing 'Always True To You In My Fashion,' another great solo, which is followed by Fred reprising 'So In Love.' And THEN comes the most crowd-pleasing number of the entire show, starring our two favorite gangsters Adam and Paul - 'Brush Up Your Shakespeare.' Those two guys must have really practiced their choreography 'cause they just nailed it and was the audience ever appreciative. I think that's what I liked best about 'Kiss Me Kate' - it had great opportunities like that for a lot more than just the 'star' performers. With the closing curtain nearing, Kate (who by now has thrown in the towel and agreed to marry Petruchio) sings her lament, 'I Am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple,' and shortly afterwards comes the finale, a reprise of 'Kiss Me, Kate' with the entire cast on stage saying "Kiss him, Kate!" and then the big, much-anticipated kiss. And even though we kind of half- expected it, it was still hugely gratifying to get that standing-O. How was it for me personally that night? Well, I'd have to honestly say the best part wasn't being on stage. Surprised? Maybe you're thinking, 'Oh, she doesn't like not being the star,' but it wasn't that at all - no, it was just more fun spending time in the girls' dressing room! After a few appearances in Act One, Suzanne doesn't get much more stage time, so I pitched in with hair, makeup and costume assistance for Kath, Cindy and the two ensemble girls. What fun! I stripped down to just my slip to stay cool, and I got to indulge in my favorite hobby: playing dress-up, and with a bunch of other girls to make it all that much sweeter. And none of them seemed too freaked out being in only bra and panties on while I helped them in and out of their costumes and applied touch-ups to their hair and makeup. Of course, I realized the tables would be turned the very next night! ***** Before I knew it Kath and I were arriving back at the school and making our way towards the theater. There was a big signboard in the foyer with all the cast and crew pictures, and once again I was billed as 'Alexandra Johnson' - to my great relief. I never found out who did me those nice favors, but I still suspect Mr. Nelson or Ms. Griffith, even though they denied any part when I thanked them. Soon we were in the girls' dressing room again, only this time it would be my turn for the start treatment. It was now Thursday evening, and I was about to make my debut as Lilli Vanessi, the ultra-chic actress with the huge stage presence and the stylish wardrobe to suit. With all my family and friends in attendance! Not being in a major rush, Kath and I took the time to help each other into our undergarments and dresses and after applying makeup and accessories we gave each other last-minute inspections and advice. Kath went first as she was fine-tuning the placement of my fascinator. "Now don't think you have to, you know, like dominate every scene you're in," she admonished. "Why not?" I shot back. "Isn't that what I'm supposed to do? YOU certainly did last night, didn't you?" "I did not! Well, maybe I did. But Sandy, you can be such a prima donna ... and such a show-off." "I hate to tell you this, Kath - Lilli's SUPPOSED to be the center of attention - just like you were last night. So I promise I won't change a thing - I'll be like, the perfect understudy - deal?" "Okay, but remember, I'll be watching to make sure you don't go overboard..." "And if I do?" "You'll be my live-in maid till you're ninety." "Good - at least I won't be out on the street, and I get to wear those cute dresses every day, right?" "And the frilly white aprons, too. Uh, something tells me you're not taking this as a threat, are you?" "More like a promise, darling. More like a promise!" And at that moment it didn't sound like such a bad idea, as long as I got a night off once or twice a week to go on a date or something. But a moment later we were summoned upstairs for our pre-show pep talk from Mr. Nelson. He smiled and gave me a wink as I took my place in our customary circle, and I could hear the audience shuffling in on the other side of the curtain. Were those butterflies I felt in my stomach? I wasn't accustomed to having stage fright by that point in my career as a singing cross-dresser. Or was it the start of a panic attack? Could have been - after all, this was my first-ever time as the legitimate star of a show. Why, even the title had my name in it. I don't think I heard a word Mr. Nelson was saying - I was just trying to focus on staying calm and trying to ignore the fact that I was about to be out there front and center with at least four hundred people staring at me, and God knows how many of them knowing my big huge secret and probably whispering about me to everyone around them ... like maybe Bob and Sharon! I was shaken from my paranoid thoughts by Michael's hand nudging my shoulder ... Mr. Nelson was saying, "Sandra? Miss Johnson, are you still with us?" I quickly nodded, feeling quite embarrassed at my lapse of attentiveness. "Well, that's a relief - you had me worried. We were going around the circle and I didn't hear you respond. Do we need to get Miss Thomas into costume this evening?" "Uh, no sir ... I'm fine - my mind was just somewhere else for a minute ..." "Well, please keep it right here on this stage until the final curtain, if that's not too difficult." "Yes sir," I replied sheepishly. He was right - I needed to focus on more than just staying calm. I needed to get myself completely into my role as the beautiful, unapproachable Lilli Vanessi, and also the shrewish Kate, or I'd be totally letting him down. And that's how I was able to forget about the audience - at least for a little while. As the orchestra began playing and our little group of leads assembled at the offstage mics to sing their way through the opening number, I actually felt myself growing calmer, even though my big entrance was now only minutes away. Soon I was making my way into the glare of the stage lights, and I thought I could hear a subdued gasp emanating from the audience. Was it my red hair, I wondered? Or my clothes, which looked like they could've come straight from a Paris runway - in the nineteen forties? Luckily I never got around to wondering if they were shocked to see me, Sandy Johnson, in that outfit - because I was instantly transported into my Lilli Vanessi persona, and for the remainder of the performance I simply luxuriated in the wonderful feeling of inhabiting that powerful oh-so-very-female character. And what a feeling it was! Remember how I said my fondest wish was to experience everything a woman could? Well, being the center of attention is certainly one of those things, and whenever I was on stage, as Lilli or Kate, I knew instinctively that the audience's attention was riveted on me. What amazing energy you get from that! And your ability to perform is so much stronger! I could just feel all that energy and emotion pouring into every line, every song, and every movement. The best part was, I think I totally forgot my concerns about who I really was inside and who out there knew about that. I don't think I'd ever felt so completely female as I did that night, even if you include all the times I'd made myself up so feminine for those romantic dates with Mark and Rob. Speaking of my two guys, I have to confess I thought about them momentarily, just before I launched into 'I Hate Men.' And no, I didn't have even an ounce of contempt for either of them - the opposite, really. In fact, there wasn't a single male I knew that I could honestly say I hated - even Justin Bradford. What can I say - I've always loved men. I guess I've always been more the loving type - loving even my enemies, like I'd heard at one of those women's retreats when I worked for the Taylors. But no matter - now I had to positively drip venom as I delivered that big show-stopping number, and I had no idea till later whether I managed to pull it off believably. Then I had to 'endure' the same spanking that Kath hated, but maybe I'm just easier to get along with 'cause I didn't mind it one bit. And I hoped Michael knew that! On a much more pleasant note, I DO have to tell you - as much as I loved prancing around in Lilli's fashionable suit ensembles, I positively ADORED Kate's period dresses. Kath and I both needed a corset to fit into them properly, and as you can imagine it made our waistlines so tiny and our bust lines SO full! By then I was only one cup size smaller than her, but you'd never know it if you saw what we looked like in those garments. Of course, I thought it was kind of odd that Kate should have such figure-flattering outfits when she was always trying to scare men away, but whatever - I'm really glad for the inconsistency! Especially in the final scenes where she has given into Petruchio's wooing and her dress, which now exposes her beautiful neck, shoulder blades and d?colletage, seems to have done the same. Thank God for hormones, I thought for the thousandth time. And yes, thank God Kath wasn't showing yet. Now I bet you're wondering how it all went in the dressing room, getting in and out of the corset (for that reason alone, it would have been worse than insane for me to use the boys' room). Well, that's where my best friend was REALLY my 'bosom' buddy. Not that I would have found it overly awkward to show off my bare boobs to the other girls, like Kath had done in the previous shows - but they might not have agreed, so we simply used the handicap toilet stall for privacy, and she laced it up for me, and everything was fine. Well, more than fine, really - even with that bit of awkwardness, I just felt SO a part of the world of girls, being able to dress and undress and put on my makeup and do my hair alongside them. The only downer was, in the dressing room I was always aware of that stupid male organ between my legs, maybe because I knew everyone else in the room knew it was there - the elephant in the room, as it were. But I wanted SO badly to forget about it so my female experience could be more complete, like it was for me on stage. Damn thing! And you might also be thinking, 'How was it singing in the corset?' Different, I'd say - you had to breathe quite differently, for sure, and you had to plan ahead for your air a lot more than usual - but it didn't take me too long to get used to it. Attitude is everything, they say, and my attitude was, I'm just so thrilled to look so utterly female in this dress, to have such a narrow, feminine waist and prominent, jutting breasts, that I'll wear a corset anytime you ask me to. Maybe even if you don't ask! In fact, as you'll see later in my story, I've had quite the love affair with corsets. Intermission found all of us cooling off outside, and there was me in my Kate dress getting huge but very friendly ribbing from the other guys, especially Doug who as usual was obsessed with my boobs. But for the first time I began to feel accepted as a regular girl by those guys. Now I already told you that Michael had accepted me from the start (maybe because he never really knew me as a regular guy) but many of the others had gone through all of high school with me and had witnessed my entire transformation from a quasi-normal teenage boy to a girly-boy to a sometimes-girl and finally to a full-time if not totally girly girl. And now I looked, acted and sounded for all the world like a real honest-to- goodness female - a woman, even. In that shape-enhancing, revealing dress, with my hair and makeup done so beautifully for the show, it was so natural for me to just stay in character between scenes and acts. And I don't mean as a man-hating female, I mean as a soft, feminine creature who craves acceptance from male and female alike. The second act went super-well and I got to peer out from stage left a few times to check out the performances of my friends. Now I have to admit, when I watched Cindy (as cute, sexy Lois Lane) seductively singing 'Always True To You In My Fashion' to Doug (as her boyfriend Bill) I felt a major pang of guilt for even imagining I could sub for her. I mean, she was just so perfect for that part! Neither Kath nor I were as petite, and neither of us had her looks or her sweet, high voice, so I couldn't imagine either of us being able to fill her shoes. So I said a silent prayer that nothing would happen to make Cindy have to miss a performance. Then, following that amazing 'Brush up Your Shakespeare' number, came the part where Petruchio starves Kate as part of his scheme to 'tame' her. This was one of the funniest scenes in the play, where my character has to become a comical figure (SO different from how Lilli's portrayed) and I try hiding link sausages down the front of my dress between my breasts, only to have them snatched away by that determined man. Now THAT must have been a real scream for those in the audience who knew the real me, judging from the reaction which I'm sure was a lot louder than when Kath did it. Whatever - it was a ton of fun to act out like that! At last came the big moment when I finally throw in the towel and let myself be kissed, which I have to say was kind of breath-taking the way my take-charge Petruchio swept me up in his arms, bent me over backwards and delivered it full on the mouth, to hoots and cheers from the rest of the on-stage cast and the audience. Like WOW, I thought - he never did it like that in rehearsal! Maybe there was a lot more to this guy Michael Bell than I gave him credit for! Of course we got another standing ovation, and I have to say the feeling was absolutely incredible as Michael and I strode on from either side of the stage into the bright lights to hold hands for our curtain call. People were clapping and cheering so loud I thought my eardrums were going to burst. We took our bows, then repeated them twice again, then we gestured towards the orchestra and the sound and light crew ... and as I turned to exit the stage I felt Michael's hand firmly swat my butt. I was kind of shocked, and my first reaction was to glare at him, but the audience hooted with laughter and I quickly realized he was staying in character, and I'd inadvertently done the same thing, just like in the spanking scene. Before I had a chance to dump on Michael for humiliating me in front of everyone like that, we were all ushered out into the corridor and back to the theater entrance to form our receiving line. It was gratifying to see that my idea from the year before was adopted as standard procedure, so Michael and I were the last in the lineup. "So what was that smack all about?" I complained as we waited for the audience to work their way down the line. The look on his face suggested the reason should have been obvious. "When I saw the show with my parents in Chicago," he explained, "that's what the guy who played Petruchio did. It was like, so PERFECT, and I just couldn't wait to try it out on YOU." "Why on ME? You didn't do it to Kath last night." "She doesn't have your butt," he smiled. I was quite shocked to hear that from him and the first thing that crossed my mind was, 'Is this guy gay too?' And my second thought was, 'Does he really like my butt?' Then before I had a chance for a third, which might have been something like, 'Is he just a dirty old man, or what?' he added, "No, I'm just pulling your leg. But you didn't seem to mind the spanking as much as Kath did, so I thought with you I could get away with it." "Okay, you're forgiven," I laughed. "It WAS pretty funny." Just then the crowd arrived and much hand-shaking, congratulating, thank-you'ing and hugging ensued. And this was the part of the evening that became an even more emotional experience for me than the performance. Why? It's because of who was there to see me perform - and who wasn't. Right away came two of the girls I worked with at Milestones, Hannah and my mentor, Chelsea. I got all teary-eyed as they both hugged me warmly and said how much they liked the show, my costumes and my performance, not to mention my red hair. "Y'all are gonna make a big splash when you come back to work," said Chelsea. I replied "Oh, I'll be there tonight! My folks are taking me out for dessert. I mean, they're having dessert, but I'm having REAL food." Hannah laughed, "Oh yes, you're still hungry!" A reference to the scene where Kate gets starved, I assumed. Next came Michael's parents, who I was introduced to by my leading man. They seemed awfully pleased to meet me, and they gave my singing some really nice compliments. But his father couldn't say a single thing without making me giggle or laugh. "I just LOVED performing with your son," I gushed. "He's such a great actor!" "Actor? What actor?" exclaimed Mr. Bell, both eyebrows raised. "We put up with that every day!" "You WILL be coming to the party on Saturday night," said Mrs. Bell, making it sound non-optional for me. "I wouldn't miss it for anything, ma'am," I replied with my best smile, still giggling. "Thank you so much for letting us use your home." "What home?" said Mr. Bell, looking wide-eyed at his wife and feigning surprise. "I thought we gave them the garage!" "You're parents are so fun!" I said to Michael when they'd moved on. "Uh ... do they know about me ...?" He nodded, and then winked to let me know they were cool with it. 'Oh my God,' I thought. Bob and Sharon Stevens were present, as anticipated, and I almost cried as I got major hugs and even cheek-kisses from Sharon (but only warm handshakes from Bob, whom I already knew wasn't quite as huggy as his wife). "Oh Sandy, you were so wonderful," she gushed, and it was SO amazing to hear you sing again. And do I ever love your HAIR!" Bob had a somber, pouty look on his face, but said "Yeah, you were great - even if yer not into us fellas too much." "Oh Bob," I laughed, reaching my arms out to give him a hug anyway, "I like YOU!" But people were beginning to stack up behind them, so as I dabbed my tears with a Kleenex they moved on to meet Michael before stepping out of the way to wait for me. Soon, along came Julia and her parents. "Thanks so much for coming!" I squealed. More tears! Julia replied, "As if we'd miss your big night!" and as she hugged me close, I momentarily caught a trace of her special smell and for a few seconds, memories of being her boyfriend came flooding back. But they were interrupted by Mr. and Mrs. Taylor who wanted to say Hi. "Sandy, I must say - you've certainly developed into a striking young lady," Julia's mom said, examining my upper body, and I thought her comment could have two meanings. Julia's dad, who hopefully took it the other way, exclaimed "And wow, what a fantastic singer you are!" Julia added, "She can really act too, can't she?" Her parents both nodded and her mom said, "Yes, she's quite the amazing actor." I caught the use of the male gender in her reply and realized it wasn't my performance in the show she was complimenting me on. But there was no time to dwell on it, with all the people still to greet. While thanking a bunch of people I didn't know, I spotted Ben hugging Kath, and tried to see if Mark was with him, but there were too many people blocking my view. A minute later he was in front of me offering his congratulations. I gave him a nice hug in appreciation, and asked, hopefully, "Did Mark come with you?" The look on his face was enough of an answer, but he said, "Uh, no Sandy - he's a bit tied up right now. He still might come out to one of the other shows ..." I just nodded and tried to hide my intense feelings of hurt and disappointment, though I'm sure the tears running down my cheeks gave me away. 'But he won't see me do Kate,' I silently lamented. 'He may as well not come at all.' A moment later my mood brightened considerably. "SANDRA!" a familiar voice called out, right next to me. I looked over and saw my new friend's expertly made-up face beaming at me. "ERICA!" I yelled and we wrapped our arms around each other and jumped up and down. "Oh Sandra, you were just so fabulous!" she exclaimed, stepping back a little to get a good look at me. "Nice move, honey - red hair's a real magnet for the boys ... nice skin show, too. Oh, and I'd like you to meet my husband - Ted, this is Sandra? Sandra, meet Ted." Now I could see why Erica wanted so badly to keep him - Ted was unbelievably handsome, just like a movie star! In fact, he could have been Rock Hudson's twin brother. He was wearing a nicely tailored charcoal suit, with a crisp white shirt and blue tie with a gold pin. And he had a full head of well-groomed hair that was graying a bit at the temples. SO perfect! I was kind of speechless, so it was a good thing he spoke first: "Erica's told me all about you, Sandra. It's wonderful to meet you at last. She's right on the mark - you're a very attractive girl." "So talented, too," Erica added. Ted smiled and nodded, "Extremely talented - that was one of the most entertaining shows I've ever seen. Congratulations on a great performance!" I was in a daze, still shaking his hand ... I think. "Thank you," I managed to croak at last. "I ... uh, I'm not really ... I mean, I'm just the, uh, backup girl ..." "You mean the understudy?" Ted clarified for me with an even bigger smile. "I know - Erica filled me in. But tonight you definitely owned that stage. Wonderful singing and acting." Erica was clutching Ted's arm with both hands - and I took my eyes off him just long enough to notice they had the most perfect French-manicured nails. "He's SUCH a good listener, and he says the nicest things, doesn't he? I'm so impressed, Edward," she cooed in his ear. Ted smiled, then turned and planted a quick little kiss on her bright red lips. "Well I'm glad you enjoyed the show," I offered rather lamely, still feeling uneasy in the presence of that beautiful man. "Oh we did - but only because of the star," grinned Erica. "I'm so glad you told me about it - I'd hate to have missed your big night." She glanced at her 'husband' and back at me. There was an apologetic look on her face. "Well, Sandra honey, I'm afraid we have to dash off - I brought Ted straight here from work? And if I don't get some food into him I'm worried I'll be looking for a new man." "And they're SO hard to come by these days, aren't they?" I giggled, regaining enough of my composure to come up with something I hoped was moderately amusing to say. Amusing maybe, but pretty much the truth, I thought. Erica and Ted laughed good-naturedly at my attempt at humor, then both of them gave me a quick hug and a "See you again soon?" and they were lost in the crowd. 'Be still, my beating heart,' I thought, placing a hand over the bare skin of my chest. By then the ranks of the patrons were beginning to thin, and I caught sight of my family across the foyer. After getting a few more congratulations and hugs from students I knew and didn't know, and random grown-ups who seemed to know me even though I didn't know them, I was able to make my way over to Mom, Phil and Natalie. Of course the hugs and congrats began all over again, and as expected, the snide comments from Phil on what my costume did for my physique. But then we were interrupted by Bob and Sharon, who I'd forgotten about in all the excitement. Introductions were made and I explained how I knew them. "Thank you so much for rescuing my daughter," said Mom sincerely to both of the Stevens. "I was so worried when I heard they had car trouble out in the middle of nowhere." "Aw, it was nothin', we enjoyed every minute with those two," smiled Bob. "You shoulda seen 'em - they were like a coupla drowned rats out there in the woods." "Sandra waved us down before we came around a blind corner and ran into their car," explained Sharon. "She was quite brave, really." "My sister? Brave?" interjected Phil, who attracted a swat in the arm from Natalie for his comment. I didn't mind, as long as he didn't call me his brother. Sharon was glancing around the now nearly-emptied foyer. "Isn't Mark here tonight?" she inquired. "I've been looking everywhere for him ..." "No, he isn't," I replied, feeling a huge pang of sadness again. "He's, uh ... pretty busy tonight." "Oh, that's so sad! He missed your wonderful performance. Will you get to do it again for him?" "Uh, I don't think so. My friend Kath, who has the role, let me do it tonight 'cause I had family and friends here?" Oh brother, I was speaking like Erica again! Sharon shook her head and her face wore a very disappointed expression - just the way I felt. Mom, who had been checking her watch, jumped in: "Mrs. Stevens, we're all going out for dessert and coffee after Sandra gets changed. Would you and Mr. Stevens like to join us?" Sharon looked at Bob, who just shrugged, and back at Mom, then me. "Oh, we wouldn't want to impose ..." "Please come," I said. "We'd love to have you." Phil and Natalie nodded. Sharon looked pleased. "Well, that's very nice of you. Thank you." "Okay, well I better get out of this dress and makeup so we can go," I said. "I'll be back in a jiff." With that, I hurried backstage and down to the dressing room, where I encountered Kath and the other girls in the final stages of changing into their civvies. "I met your special friend," whispered Kath as she was pulling a tank top down over her bra. "You did? You mean, like, Erica?" "Yeah - she, or he, or whatever - introduced herself and went 'So you're Sandra's best friend Kathleen.' She must have been checking out our pictures or something ..." "So what did you think of her?" I inquired, very interested in what her impressions were. Kath began helping me undo my dress's rear fasteners. "Nice enough - very classy. You'd never know she was a he - 'specially with that Rock Hudson lookalike on her arm. Now HE sure looks like a nice catch." "I'll say - like, I could hardly get a coherent word out of my mouth when he was talking to me." "That figures. Sandy, you're such a push-over for good-looking guys. Have you ever thought about seeing a shrink? Here, you can step out of the dress now." "I already have one, remember? But he's not much help when it comes to guys. Hey, look who's talking?" Kath hung the dress on the rack and began unlacing my corset. She was silent for a few moments and I had this terrible feeling that I'd said the wrong thing - like I was alluding to her getting knocked up. "Oh Kath, I didn't mean anything by that - I'm so sorry ..." "It's okay, Sandy ... I know you didn't. But you're right - like, I AM a pushover when I'm around Ben." "I think it's mutual?" I suggested. All of a sudden I realized the corset was falling off me - and my boobs were completely bare! I quickly folded my arms over them, hoping the others hadn't caught a glimpse. She laughed. "Yeah, that sounds about right ..." I still had a long half-slip on, so I grabbed the bag with my clothes in it and headed for the toilet stall, one arm trying to cover both breasts. Kath followed me and the thought crossed my mind that she'd exposed me 'cause I insulted her, but I told myself it was just an honest mistake. "Well I'm really glad you met Erica. She's kind of a shrink for me too. Like, she HAS talked to me about my thing with guys, you know." When we were alone I gave my boobs a quick massage, thankful to have them freed from the tight corset. Kath idly watched what I was doing. "Good. Somebody needs to." I didn't respond to that, partly 'cause I didn't know what to say without sounding mean, and partly 'cause I didn't really believe I had a big problem when it came to men. At least not then. Kath hooked up my bra for me, and after pulling on my white jean skirt, pink tee-top and low-heeled white leather sandals, I parked myself in front of a mirror and tried to figure out what to do with my makeup that wouldn't take another hour. "I'm leaving mine as-is," announced Kath, who apparently felt I should do the same. "Do you think I should too? I have to go out with my family and some friends." "And I have to go out with Ben," she said, making it sound like what was good for her was just fine for me. That was kind of a switch, I thought, 'cause it was usually me who tried to get Kath into makeup. AND into a skirt! It was only then I noticed she was wearing one, a short dark green skirt that looked just great on her. I chose not to make a big deal about it. "Kath, I think you've got the right idea. I'm with you." And with that we both gathered up our stuff and headed back upstairs. Mom, Phil and Natalie had gone on ahead to Milestones while the Stevenses waited for me, as per their suggestion. Of course that gave Sharon the chance to ask me how my life was going, as we made our way out towards the main entrance. I answered as best I could without giving much away. Then we ran into Ben and Kath outside, walking hand-in-hand to the parking lot, and I made the introductions, pointing out that Ben was Mark's best friend. "Oh how perfect," Sharon remarked, "best friends dating best friends!" The others looked at me and each other a little strangely, and then we said our goodbyes and Bob ushered Sharon and me into the back seat of their SUV so we could talk privately. She must have sensed something was up after meeting my friends, because she grilled me about Mark on the drive to the restaurant, and I ended up having to come clean about our breakup. "I just can't believe it," she said, shaking her head and sounding genuinely shocked. "I thought you two were the perfect couple. You seemed so in love with each other." She was right on both counts, of course, and I found it really tough to explain what happened without actually explaining what happened. So I did something I still regret (to this day!) which was to essentially blame Mark and Pam for the breakup (even though it had a lot more to do with me and Rob, amongst other things). Upon hearing that, Sharon's expression changed from shock and amazement to one of deep sympathy for me. "Oh, you poor girl," she said. "That must be so incredibly hard on you. So Mark just never got her out of his system? Do you think that was it?" "I guess so," I fibbed. Or maybe it WAS true. Then I tried undoing some of the damage: "But I've been thinking about it a lot ... and I guess we were both too young to have a really serious relationship like that. And I don't really blame Mark - like, I wasn't the nicest girlfriend sometimes? I had a lot of issues, like moods and stuff ..." "We all have our moments, Sandra," Sharon reassured me in a low voice that Bob couldn't hear, "but that shouldn't have been a reason to break up. Remember how you were so emotional that morning, and we thought it might be PMS, and I told you I often had the same issues?" "Uh-huh?" I nodded. Actually I remembered how she thought I was pregnant. "Well that's just life for most women, and it's all about how we handle it. I try to compensate whenever I can by being as attentive as I can be to my husband's needs." "Really?" This had a familiar ring to it. "I've heard that before - and you get treated very well in return, right?" "Like a princess, honey." Just then the SUV pulled to a stop. Bob shut off the engine and in a flash he was holding my door open. "Everyone out!" he commanded, and I complied by sliding my legs out (properly, 'cause my skirt was a bit on the short side) followed by the rest of me, my shoulder bag and then Sharon. I wasn't sure if ordering us out like that constituted 'princess' treatment, but at least he was holding the door. And he took his wife's hand as she exited, keeping it in his all the way into the restaurant. I could stand to be treated like that, I decided, which made me think sadly of Mark again. What a gentleman he was! "Hi Sandy!" chirped Angie in her musical voice as we approached the hostess station. "Oh, look at your hair! How fun! How's the show going?" Bob spoke before I could answer. "The show's great! She's dynamite! You gotta see it." "Oh, I'd love to see it. Are there still tickets? Oh, and your folks are waiting for you at table fourteen." She didn't wait for any replies before turning to serve the next customers behind us. Table fourteen was a corner banquette-style horseshoe-shaped booth with soft leather-upholstered bench seating that comfortably accommodated up to six, or sometimes eight if they were friendly enough. Bob waited for us ladies to slide in before taking the end position opposite Phil, so that we had two men book-ending four women. Or trapping them, as Natalie commented with a smirk. No problem at all, though - after ordering, the two guys got acquainted by figuring out which sports they both followed, and then spent the rest of the evening going on and on about those, totally oblivious to the topics which interested the girls, like the upcoming wedding - bridesmaid dresses, lingerie, hair, makeup, invitations, decorations, colors, flowers and a million other things the other three seemed to know everything about - but me ... not so much. I could talk clothes, hair and makeup but that was about it. Okay, maybe food too. And remember, I had that small problem with multi-tasking, which did me no favors as I tried keeping up with the ever-changing topics of conversation these women could somehow keep total track of. What a bother for someone who wanted so much to be 'one of the girls.' What's more, it reminded me I didn't fit into the worlds of men OR women - back to feeling like a freak all over again. As if that wasn't bad enough, all the wedding talk made me think long and hard about Mark, and how Sharon was so certain we'd be married. Those thoughts brought back so many powerful emotions that I nearly started crying again - like, there was such a huge feeling of loss that came from not having him in my life, and the probability that he wouldn't be, ever again. Sharon, whom I knew from previous experience possessed major intuition, must have sensed my fragile state of mind because she indicated to Bob that she wanted to be let out, and she whispered "Come with me" in my ear. "I'll go too," I said aloud as I grabbed my bag and followed her out of the booth. "Which way to the ladies' room?" she asked. "Follow me," I replied, and we made our way past the bar and down the short corridor, passing the men's room I'd accidentally entered the year before (which revealed my true sex to Chelsea), and through the door with the stick figure wearing a dress. There was only one other woman present, and she was just finishing up touching up her lipstick. "Sandra, I'm so worried about you," Sharon began when we were alone. "You're having a terrible time, aren't you?" I looked at my face in the mirror and the first thing I noticed was my thick eyeliner, mascara and eye shadow, still mostly in place from the show, if a little streaked and smudged. The second thing - my eyes looked quite red. I turned to face her and she immediately embraced me, and just like the time before, my tears began flowing freely. I tried pulling my head back, not wanting to get anything on her nice blouse, but she just held me tighter. "Like I said before, Sandra ... you're a very precious girl. You may not realize it right now, but God has a plan for you and if you just trust Him everything will work out in the end. Do you believe that?" "Yes, I do," I sobbed, not feeling overly convinced but wanting to be positive just the same. It felt so wonderful to have Sharon's arms wrapped tightly around me that agreeing with her seemed like the right thing to do. "Uh, Sharon?" I asked. "Yes, honey?" "Do you think I should call him ... or like, try to see him?" "No, honey, I don't think you should. You need to let God do His work. It may take some time, but time is something you have on your side, and you have to trust Him to know and do what's best for you." That advice sounded reasonable, even if it conflicted a bit with what Erica had said and even if I wasn't quite ready to trust God to look after my needs. I'd also heard that God helps those who help themselves! But down deep I also knew that I hadn't exactly been the ideal God- follower - I'd been lying to a lot of people and engaging in pre-marital sex, hadn't I? And I never went to church! So it didn't seem likely that God would be too eager to be generous with me in return. But on the other hand, I did trust Sharon, so I told her I'd follow her advice, and I thanked her for being so caring towards me, someone she barely knew. "Oh Sandra," she replied in a soft voice, "I feel like I've known you forever. Remember how I said you remind me a lot of myself when I was younger? But there's more to you than that - I can sense it, but I can't put my finger on it. I think you're just such a fascinating young woman, and I really hope we can stay friends forever." "I hope so too," I agreed without thinking. Now if I HAD been thinking, that intuition of hers might have scared the living daylights out of me. After all, it'd only been a year since Chelsea figured me out. This woman seemed even MORE perceptive! But none of that occurred to me at the time, so we both used the toilet and then she helped fix up my face so we could get back to the rest of our party. When we returned nobody seemed to think anything was amiss, so the rest of our time there was just as it was before, namely guy (sports) talk and girl (wedding) talk. Only this time I tried a bit harder to keep up. It was just past midnight when we said our goodbyes outside the restaurant. "Thanks SO much for coming tonight," I told the Stevens. Then Sharon and I put our arms around each other. "And thank you for everything," I whispered to her, "especially for caring so much about me." "I'll be praying for you every day," she whispered. "Please take good care of yourself, okay honey? And remember what I said." "I will ... I promise." "And if you do see Mark, please tell him I'm praying for him too." "Uh ... okay, I will." The others had been saying their goodbyes to Bob, and now Sharon exchanged hugs with each of them, and she gave an extra hug to Natalie, wishing her and Phil all the best for their upcoming wedding. "So long folks!" yelled Bob as they made their way to their SUV. "Hope to see y'all again soon." "And Sandra, don't forget," Sharon called, "you're coming to Knoxville to sing with me sometime. Right?" "Right," I laughed. Whether that would ever happen, I really had no idea. ***** Well, that Thursday evening was such a significant one in my young life that it would be hard to top it for remainder of the 'Kate' run. And it did prove to be that way. I didn't end up performing even once in place of Cindy, though you already know I was cool with that - even preferred it. But Kath did 'trick' me into taking her place for the Saturday matinee, which I was reluctant to do but not hard to convince. All she had to say was how she needed to save herself for that night's big closing show. How could I say no to a request like that? Now, I did call work the day before to let them know, in case any of the girls could come, and I briefly considered calling Mrs. McCowan, but I thought about Sharon's advice and jammed out. 'We'll see if God has anything to show me,' I thought. The matinee audience had a lot of younger people show up with their parents and friends, and I recognized the same two Asian girls from the Wednesday school show - except this time there were at least ten more Asian-looking people with them. And noticeably more African-Americans, too, possibly in support of Jordan Harris, who had mixed parentage, and one of the two ensemble girls who didn't. Or maybe they were just there because! Anyway, I did scan the other faces whenever I got the chance, and though I recognized some of the students and teachers, I didn't make out anyone else I knew - or someone in particular. Whatever, I thought - at least word of mouth was bringing more bums into the seats to help pay our drama department's expenses. And I didn't really expect Mark to come - just fervently hoped he would. Apart from that it was another successful show for me, although I knew it would be the last, and I have to admit I wondered, not for the last time, if I should be pursuing singing and acting as a career. I just felt so natural and accepted up there on stage, and if all the cheers and applause were anything to go by, the audience seemed to like me too. Such a morale booster! But the show wasn't just about me; there were a lot of other people who deserved and got their own accolades. And once again, there was a standing-o waiting for us at the end. And once again I got my butt smacked, though this time it was kind of expected. Then things got interesting. Michael and I were in the middle of saying hi, hope you enjoyed the show, and thanks for coming, to all the people in the meet & greet line. We were just getting used to all the nice compliments, when the first of two rather uncomfortable things happened. The random lady who always came to Mrs.White's voice recitals appeared in front of me, and she took both of my hands and said out loud, "Alexander, you were wonderful as always. I really enjoy watching you perform. You're so believable - no one would ever think you're not really a girl!" I was too dumfounded to speak. But Michael wasn't - he immediately jumped to my defense and, still in character, lectured the lady: "Ma'am, I'm afraid you are quite mistaken ... my lovely wife Katherine is indeed every inch a woman. And I shall prove it - kiss me, Kate!" At that moment I was facing him open-mouthed and without thinking I went ahead and kissed him! I don't know what the lady thought of that, but she looked surprised and mumbled an apology and began to move away. But I held onto her hands a bit longer and thanked her for her kind words, since I figured she at least meant well. But I wondered how many others heard what she said. "Michael - why on earth did you do that?" I whispered to my partner when she was out of earshot. "A gentleman always defends the honor of a lady," he pronounced, still in his lofty Petruchio voice. "Is THAT what you call slapping me upside my ass!" Michael must have thought my retort was pretty funny, 'cause he laughed hysterically. 'Oh my God,' I thought - 'this guy can be so strange sometimes.' But I was thankful for his intervention, just the same. No telling how awkward it would have gotten if she'd been allowed to go on and on about my true sex. A few minutes later I glanced to my left and was surprised to see Mrs. McCowan and Megan approaching. Megan was carrying a bouquet of flowers for some reason. But was Mark with them? No - I couldn't see him anywhere. Damn! So until they arrived I kept talking with the people in front of me and pretended not to know they were there, and I kept stealing glances all around. "Sandy!" called a familiar voice. "Sandy!" Then I turned and, trying to look surprised and excited, called back "Megan! Hi, I'm so glad you came!" When they got closer Megan said, excitedly, "I told Mom we just HAD to see your show. This is the only time we could come." "Well it's a good thing you came today or I might not have been in it," I laughed. But Megan was frowning. "What did you do to your hair?" she demanded. "I had it dyed the same color as my friend Kathleen, 'cause we're sharing roles. I wanted to look just like her." That explanation seemed to satisfy Megan. "Oh, here - these are for you." She handed me the bouquet of long-stemmed red, pink and white flowers - chrysanthemums, I think - set in baby's breath. "Oh, thank you so much," I gushed. "Flowers! What a nice thing to do!" I held the blooms up to my face and inhaled their fragrance. "I love them! Thank you!" Mrs. McCowan finally got a word in edgewise as we shared a hug. "Sandra, it's so nice to see you," she said in a voice that was full of emotion but had an odd sound to it, like she wasn't being sincere or something like that. Or maybe it's just me, I thought uneasily. Then Megan and I shared a major big hug, and I told her how much I missed her, and how sorry I was that I hadn't seen her for so long. She told me the same and also said how much she loved the show and seeing me perform. "You ARE a good dancer, Sandy!" she squealed. Then she stepped back to get a good look at my costume. "And you get to wear the funnest clothes," she said, a bit jealously. "Like a real-life Barbie!" I laughed and replied, "Yeah, I guess it IS like being a Barbie. And you're right, it IS a lot of fun!" "She's a wonderful singer too, don't you think, Megan?" her Mom added. "Oh yeah - she sure is! Oh Sandy, I'd give anything to do sing and act on stage like you, when I get to high school. " I was still glancing around in case Mark was somewhere close by. "Well it won't be long, and I hope you do - but you might have to take some voice lessons too, honey." Mrs. M noticed. "I'm afraid Mark couldn't come," she said with a combination of regret and finality in her voice. Like he'd never be coming, or something like that - which in the case of this, my last show, was the sad reality. She probably couldn't miss the look of huge disappointment behind all the makeup on my face. "I'm sorry, Sandra." I was fighting valiantly to hold back tears, while wondering what the hell was so important that he couldn't make time to come see me perform - me, the girl he was supposedly so in love with only a short while ago ... or was it something really bad, like was he injured or was he terminally ill? I felt like I really needed to know why he never came to any of my shows! Megan, who was maybe too young to know the meaning of the word 'discretion,' supplied the answer, which I might've figured out on my own if I hadn't let myself get so carried away. "We tried to get Mark to come, Sandy," she stated, "but PAM-E-LA said 'Oh NO, you're not ALLOWED to go see your old GIRLFRIEND." The drippy, disparaging way Megan spoke Pam's name and quoted her words reminded me that she didn't care much for Mark's 'older' girlfriend. On that, Megan and I were in total agreement. But her mom spoke up. "Megan! Please don't speak that way about others. It's very rude." "Sorry Mom," she mumbled, rolling her eyes while looking at me. I tried brightening the mood, even though I was dabbing my eyes with a Kleenex and my emotions were on the verge of spilling out all over the place. "But you're both here and I'm so happy you came. I love you both so much ... I really do." Then we had a three-way hug and tears ran down my face. I couldn't believe I'd just put my feelings on the line like that - was it just the hormones making me so weepy, or was it the deep-seated feelings I still had for Mark - and his family? "I love you too, Sandy," Megan said in a soft voice. And her mom added, "Me too, honey." Now that almost made me start bawling out loud! So I made an attempt at changing the subject. "Oh ... I'm so sorry, I almost forgot - this is the leading man, Petruchio - I mean Michael. I'm sorry, Michael. This is Mark's - you know, the guy who played Perchik last year? - his mom and his little sister." He was STILL doing Petruchio. "I am gratified to make your acquaintance, my dear ladies." And with a sweep of his hat he executed a perfect bow in front of the three of us. "Michael likes to stay in character between shows," I joked, shaking my head at his strange antics, while still mopping up stray tears from my face. "I gathered," Mrs. McCowan smiled. "It's nice to meet you too, Michael - I mean Petruchio. Megan and I enjoyed your performance." "'Specially when you were dancing on the tables," added Megan, moving closer to him. While she was admiring the bright colors and touching the fabric of his costume, Mrs. M took me aside for a moment. "I do want to speak with you sometime about Mark ... and Pamela," she whispered. "I'm afraid it's pretty serious, Sandra. I'm very sorry." I think her words were so shocking to my psyche that no emotions surfaced at all - not till later, anyhow. So I just nodded and replied in a soft voice, "Oh sure ... whenever you like ..." And with that the three of us 'ladies' hugged again and said our goodbyes, leaving me to wonder when, or if, I'd ever see either one of them again, let alone Mark. But then I remembered what Sharon had said, and wondered if God had just given me a sign. I just didn't know what it meant. ***** Strangely, as the evening's show got started I was still feeling kind of numb on account of what Mrs. McCowan told me, and it wasn't till close to the end of the show that my emotions began to bubble to the surface again. So I don't really remember too much about the usual closing ceremonies, or what Mr. Nelson said in his annual wrap-up speech - or even much that happened in the receiving line, though I do recall greeting my Mom, who'd come with Mrs. Thomas to see Kath do the lead. Speaking of Kath, I would've forgotten to give her the dozen roses I'd bought if Cindy hadn't reminded me at the last possible second, so I could dash down to the dressing room to grab them. I do know I helped her out of her costume, 'cause later on she kept reminding me how many times I'd pinched or scratched her, but quite frankly I'm surprised that I even managed to get myself dressed and made up for the big party at Michael's place. I guess those kinds of things were so second-nature to me by then, that I could almost do them in my sleep. Needless to say, I wasn't exactly in the mood to party that night, but Kath told me later that seeing as I'd been so attentive to her since she shared her 'news' with me, that she was only too happy to be able to return the favor. "After all," she'd explained, "I didn't want that party dress of yours to go to waste, and there's no chance I was gonna be the only one there in a dress." Both good points, and I'm glad the two of us agreed (in advance) to stick our necks way out and dress up for the party - Kath because dressing like that still went against the grain, and me 'cause - well, you know why. So we'd both brought pretty dresses with us on hangers, along with some accessories like low-heeled sandals, earrings, bracelets and neck chains, and of course perfume. Her outfit was the salmon-and-off-white floral- patterned sleeveless dress I'd bought her in Macy's last summer (still unworn) and mine was one of the two I bought for myself, with a blue-and- white pattern. They were a similar style, and both tended to show off our waistlines and cleavage, but neither was nearly as showy as the layered turquoise party dress she wore for her big date with Ben. They didn't have to be - all they had to accomplish was set the Kate star and her understudy apart from the crowd, and of course to put the wearers in a party mood. Actually it was Kath I was concerned about when we made those plans, not me. I figured, with the show behind us, she'd slide back into worrying herself sick over her 'condition.' So pushing her to make a splash at the cast party seemed like a good strategy. And with any luck the boost might even last until she could make an even bigger splash at the upcoming spring prom. As for me, I seriously doubted anything could get me into the partying frame of mind, but after we got into our dresses and helped each other with our hair (we both brushed our red locks out full) and makeup (Kath had to remind me, as usual, to apply lipstick) I felt noticeably better too. Seeing myself in the mirror looking pretty ALWAYS improved my mood, and I haven't changed a bit today (note to girls in need of a pick-me- upper: put on something nice!). Kath seemed really pleased with her looks too. I remembered from a year earlier how I caught her checking out the feminine outfit I wore to that cast party, and if what she told me next is anything to go by, she must have been kind of jealous then. So now I was doubly pleased that I'd pushed her to get all dolled up. As we were dabbing some fragrance onto our necks, shoulders and wrists, she said, "There - now I've got a fighting chance to get some attention for once. Can't be letting you have all the glory." "Kath, don't be silly - like, this is YOUR show. And it'll be your party ... trust me." "Well this time I'm making sure." "That's totally fine with me. But hey, if you want I'll take this thing off and put my jeans back on and you can have the spotlight all to yourself ..." "Didn't you hear what I said? I don't wanna be the only one there in a dress." "Well then make up your mind for God's sake." 'Sheesh,' I thought - 'is that what I'm gonna be like?' I'd heard how women are famous for being contradictory and changing their minds all the time - I just didn't expect that from my tomboyish best friend. ***** Kath drove us the few blocks to the Bell home, which wasn't in quite as well-established a neighborhood or as large as the McCowans' house, but it was a lot newer - a rebuild I guessed. The exterior and interior of the house were quite contemporary with furnishings to suit. As Mrs. Bell admitted us to the foyer I caught sight of a grand piano and black leather sofas and chairs in their spacious, vaulted-ceilinged living room. I could also hear music and a lot of animated voices. "Don't you two ladies look well put together," she said. "You're sure you're at the right party?" Mr. Bell appeared from around a corner. "What have we here? A pair of twins - all dressed up and no place to go?" "A pair of Kates, Howard," said Mrs. Bell. "Or is it Lillis?" "Just plain ordinary Sandy and Kathleen," replied Kath. "Didn't you hear - the show's all over." "Take it from me," Mr. Bell retorted, "plain you two are NOT." "Not very ordinary either," added his wife, "and the show is never over!" Of course I wondered if that last statement had something to do with me. But nothing more was said on the subject and we were directed down a wide curving flight of stairs to an enormous carpeted room that was filled will happy, chatting people and classical music. Everyone must have thought we were making some grand entrance, being side-by-side and the last ones to arrive, 'cause they erupted in cheers and applause. And yes, we were definitely the best-dressed kids there - and the only ones not wearing pants of some description. Some guy called out "Kiss Me, Kate!" and that started a pattern that went on all night. But neither Kath nor I was in the mood to kiss anyone at that party ... at least not till a bit later. In short order we both had punch glasses stuck into our hands by Michael, and people were all around us laughing and telling funny stories about their experiences with the show. Kath and I soon got separated and she got talking with our host and some of his friends from the orchestra, whom he would have been playing alongside had he not been tapped for the leading man. As I was chatting with Cindy about her role, several other girls gathered around to join in. Cindy and I both got lots of very gracious compliments, which made me feel good because I'd been a bit worried how other girls would feel about me getting the plum parts I did. "Hey, how come you wore a dress?" Cindy asked. "I thought we were all coming casual." "It's a long story - mostly about getting Kath into one? She wouldn't do it unless I wore one too. I guess we kind of overdid it ... sorry!" "I like it a lot - it's very cute on you," said one of the ensemble girls. "Thanks so much, Hayley. I really like the style - and it's supposed to be a good color for me?" "Yeah, it really is," agreed one of the musicians. "How come you never wore that color in school? I never saw you wearing a