Calendar Girls - Part 12

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How can there ever be enough happiness to go around?

Calendar Girls
Part 12

SEPTEMBER - Labor Day

by Tammy Fairbanks
Copyright  © 2003 Tammy Fairbanks
All Rights Reserved.

 


 
 
Part Twelve
 
SEPTEMBER
Labor Day

 
Tyme and Chris strolled leisurely hand in hand past the carnival booths, ignoring the stares of other fairgoers. They had finally found each other, and their place in the world together, and they weren't about to give it up.

When Chris came out as a lesbian to Tyme, Tyme had another adjustment to make, but this one was a lot easier for her than some of the others in her life recently. It had explained a lot. Now she knew what had been bothering Chris about their relationship before. As two young women, they got along much better.

A woman dressed in wild colors stood beside her booth and watched them coming her way. As they approached she beckoned them into her booth with an earnest gesture of her hand. Intrigued, the pair stopped and read the sign on the booth.

"Madam Torvah -- Mystic" was all it said.

"Please come in," the woman spoke in some thick accent that neither of them could place. When she saw their hesitation, she added, "For you, no charge!"

Tyme looked at Chris and gave a little shrug. They entered.
 

*   *   *

 
Sunny stared at the wall. She felt like she should be happy, but she was not. She kept thinking about that night just weeks ago when she had attacked June, and she felt very ashamed about what she had done. How could her desire for revenge and to be a woman lead her to such a terrible crime? She had asked herself that question over and over, but still she was not sure. She had been upset and obsessive about her vengeance and the need to be rid of her male body. She had known what she was doing was wrong, but she didn't care at the time. Now her conscience was eating her up inside with guilt.
 

*   *   *

 
The first day of school was a brand new experience for Tyme, Winter, August, and Autumn. With work they had adjusted to their new role as young women, but they were all very nervous nevertheless. They had friends and supporters like Chris that welcomed the new seniors back, but there were some students there who definitely gave the new girls the cold shoulder. The teachers at Jorgensen High were also very supportive as well as vigilant for any signs of trouble or harassment.

By the end of the second week, most of the students had accepted it as routine. After class Chris, Tyme, August, Winter, and Autumn met together out on the lawn.

"Madam Torvah was very interested in the ghost," Tyme told the other girls. "She could tell I was under some sort of curse as Chris and I walked by."

"How do you know she was on the up and up?" asked Autumn, twisting her hair brown hair around her finger.

"Yeah!" chimed in August. "She's probably conned people like you at fairs and carnivals all over the country!"

"She knew things she couldn't have known," Chris explained. "She knew that the curse was...well, contagious, for lack of a better word. She also knew that it was cast by a ghost. She called it a lost soul in anguish. She also knew that midnight was the time the curse took power."

"Can she lift the curse?" asked Autumn warily.

"No," replied Tyme, "but she thought that she might be able to summon the ghost and get it to lift the curse. Of course, I'm not sure I would want it lifted off me. Chris and I like things as they are." She reached over and gave Chris's hand a squeeze. "I thought you should know though."

"Do you think this seance idea of hers would work?" asked August. "I would hate to have her call up that ghost, get it angry, and have something else happen."

Winter took a defensive step back. "Well, I'm not sure I want the curse lifted, either."

August and Autumn looked at her in surprise. "You mean you want to be a girl?" asked August.

Winter nodded meekly.

"With a figure like that, why wouldn't you?" Autumn retorted. "I've got boobs sticking out to the next county. If this is our only chance, I want to go back. You just don't want to go back because of Eric Penhall. I saw you two making out in the stairwell the other day."

August choked on a sip of her soda. Winter blushed. "It was just a couple of friendship kisses!" she said unconvincingly.

Tyme looked at Winter and said, "Oh Winter! Be careful."

"We are careful!" Winter said defensively. "We haven't done it yet, but if we do, I have condoms for him to use."

"Damn it, Winter!" Tyme cried. "You can't have sex with him at all, even with condoms! They protect against STDs and pregnancy, not a curse. I've talked with May. She made June use a condom, but it still changed June to a her. You keep messing around and you'll soon have a new girlfriend named Erica!"

Winter felt a rush of tears coming as she got up and ran off.

August didn't say anything more. The petite blonde was plucking at the blades of grass thinking about Will Walters, who had expressed some interest in her yesterday. Strangely, she felt some attraction toward him in return.
 

*   *   *

 
"Winter needs to be careful," May told Tyme, after a long talk. "I'm afraid that as long as the curse holds, she will never be able to have the kind of relationship with her boyfriend that they both want."

"Well, they can, but only once," Tyme quipped wryly.

"This Madam Torvah said she could get the ghost to lift the curse?" May pressed.

"Yeah, but I don't think many of us want the curse lifted now. I love Chris and I kind of like being a girl."

"Like father; like son." This time it was May's turn to joke. "I like it too. I would never go back. Still, I wonder if there might be a way to fix things to everyone's satisfaction."
 

*   *   *

 
"Summer!" April whispered in the darkness. "Wake up. I think it's time."

Summer rolled over and looked at her partner. Sleep drained away and the import of what April was saying finally sunk in.

"What? You're in labor?"

"Yes. The contractions started earlier, but I wanted to make sure. I've been timing them. I think we should call the hospital."

"Sure, babe."

"Summer?"

"Yes?"

"Better get some towels too. The bed is all wet."

"Your water broke?"

April smiled smugly. "Yep! Our baby is on the way!"
 

*   *   *

 
"Hi," came a deep voice from behind her as August stowed her books in her locker. She turned to find Will Walters towering over her.

"Uh, hi Will." A nervous flutter deep inside made August go weak-kneed. "How are you do...doing?" She hoped he hadn't noticed her stammering.

"Great! Say August, would you like to go with me to the game on Friday?"
 

*   *   *

 
Sunny opened the narrow door and entered the confessional. She sat and waited for the priest, staring at the door.

At the sliding sound of the window being opened she announced in a timid voice, "Bless me Father, for I have sinned."
 

*   *   *

 
"Push April! Push!"

April pushed... and was rewarded with more pain. April gulped air and let it out in measured breaths. She felt exhausted. She could see the clock. It was going on seventeen hours now. Sweat covered her face in a thin sheen. Summer's hand held hers and occasionally gave her a squeeze of encouragement. She was so grateful that she didn't have to go through this alone.

"Okay, April, I see the baby's head now. One more push," the doctor said. "Big push!"

Summoning all the strength she had left in her, and then some more she didn't know she had, and also that lent to her by Summer's firm and loving grip, she pushed. With all of her might she pushed. Summer was at her ear, her other hand gently wiping at the perspiration on April's furrowed brow.

"Come on babe; you're almost there! I love you and I love our child. You can do it. You can make us a family."

April suddenly felt herself relaxing. She was trying to push, but there was nothing to push against any longer.

"It's a beautiful little girl!" Doctor Adams announced.

April fell back deep into her pillow with exhaustion and took a long relaxing breath. "Let me see her," she requested eagerly.

"Just a second; I'm cutting the cord and we're cleaning her up a bit," the doctor replied, smiling.

It took more than just a second, but soon her baby was brought into view. She felt Summer's squeeze once more.

She was beautiful, tiny, and confused. The doctor placed her naked little body into the blanket the nurse held out. Then she was in April's arms, and April was able to look down into the face of her baby, their baby. Summer leaned in and watched her too.

"Well, babe, you did it." She looked at April and smiled fondly. She gave April a tender kiss on the cheek. "I love you!"

"I love you too," April murmured back.
 

*   *   *

 
"It's a girl!" Summer announced as she approached Emma and May in the waiting room. "Mother and daughter are doing fine; healthy and happy!"

"And so are you," Emma observed with a big smile.

"Yes! I'm very happy!" Summer confessed. "Here! Have a chocolate cigar. After all, technically, I'm the father!"
 
 


 
End Part 12

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Calendar Girls - Part 12

Will April's ans Summer's daughter be subjected to the Curse?

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine