by Bob Arnold

Chapter 10.2

Special thanks to Misty Dawn for her editing and proofing efforts on this chapter.

This is a work of fiction, with a few real life experiences added in. All of the characters in this story are fictional, and any resemblance to anyone else living or dead is probably a coincidence. Please notify me if you are archiving this and the other chapters of the story on a web site. Permission specifically granted to Sapphire’s Place and Crystal’s Story Site to archive this. If you intend to publish this story in magazine or book (paper or electronic) format, please contact me for arrangements. Additional information on this story may be found at: StarDust.

Dear Diary,

The alarm was buzzing as I regained consciousness. Being late November the sun wasn’t even anywhere near rising at this hour. The world outside my window was completely black dotted here and there with the glow of streetlights and lights on houses. Since the house was quite chilly I put on my warmest robe and my fuzzy slippers then headed for the kitchen.

The turkey was a fresh one so I didn’t have to deal with thawing it out. After a quick cleaning I put it in the roasting pan and added a couple of cups of water to the pan. It got popped into the over and the heat adjusted just right. Since the bird was so large I decided to prepare the dressing separately. The bird would cook much faster empty than stuffed.

With the bird out of the way, I took another apple pie out of storage and cut a slice for myself. A big glass of cold milk went great with the pie again. I knew it wasn’t the best thing to eat in the morning, but figured that I’d be snacking and sampling all day long anyway, since I had to cook for my guests. I told my self; After all, Thanksgiving is a pig-out kind of day.

After cleaning up the kitchen, I then headed for the bathroom. This morning I wanted to give myself the luxury of a long hot bath. I started the tub filling and added a handful of my favorite bath beads, then watched, mesmerized, as the bubbles started to form in the tub. I kept the water just as hot as I could stand it. When the tub was sufficiently full, I turned off the water then slipped out of the robe and slippers and then carefully eased myself into the inviting water.

I felt a need to release the sexual tension still within me from Adam’s impressive kiss last night. I managed two orgasms then decided that was enough. My whole body tingled and I had a wonderful warm glow inside, quite different from how I felt before the change. I stayed in the tub until my fingers started to look like prunes then decided I had better get moving. There were still loads of things to do this morning with all of the guests coming.

I selected a soft denim knee-length A-line skirt and a similarly colored cotton blouse from the closet. A bra, panties, panty hose and a pair of comfy flats went with me into the bedroom. I got dressed then sat down at the makeup table to do my hair and face. The hair went into the usual ponytail style that had become my signature style. I went easy on the makeup since I would be in the kitchen cooking most of the morning. Satisfied with my appearance I headed for the kitchen again.

I basted the turkey that, by now, had been in the oven almost two hours. I started the coffee maker then popped a sliced bagel into the toaster. A few minutes later the bagel popped out of the toaster. I spread a big glob of cream cheese with bacon bits in it over the hot bagel then started munching. I turned on the television and watched the morning news programs and a little of one of the network morning shows.

The show’s Gadget Guru was talking about some neat high-tech Christmas presents and the newest software coming out in the video game area. At the end of the segment, they made a big deal about the Gadget Guru leaving to get married and follow some other interests with his new bride to be. In the back of my mind I remembered a phone message from earlier in the week from someone identifying herself as a producer from the very same TV show. They wanted to talk to me about appearing on the show as the Gadget Guru. Thinking it was someone pulling a joke, I never returned the call. Now I found myself dashing madly to the computer room to locate the note I had made with her phone number.

I found it under a pile of other paperwork and nervously dialed the phone. It rang twice then a female voice answered.

“Morning show production office. Can I help you?”

“Yes, I’d like to speak to Mary Stone please. I’m Jennifer Stevens returning her call.”

“Just a moment, I’ll find Miss Stone for you. Please hold.” I heard a few clicks then the sound from the show came on the line. I listened for a couple of minutes then heard another click then silence followed by a voice. “Hi, this is Mary Stone.”

“Hi Mary, Jennifer Stevens returning your call. Sorry about the delay in getting back to you.”

“Than heavens we finally connected with you. We were about to go looking elsewhere tomorrow. I think you saw the show this morning?

“I did. I thought when you called before it was someone trying to play a joke on me. I get that pretty often these days. When I saw the show this morning I realized the call was for real.”

I heard her sigh over the phone. “Yeah, we get that a lot too. I’m glad you did find out in time and called us back. So I assume you’re interested?”

“I am. What does it involve?”

“Well, we’d need you here in New York about once a month to do the segment live. A few times a year during the big computer and technology shows you’d be doing a live or taped segment from there. Of course, you’ll be doing several taped segments in the event you’re ill or something else happens.”

“When is this all supposed to start?”

“Well, we just had a segment today so the next one is in about two weeks. We’d like to get you down here before then to do some publicity stuff and meet the crew and our hosts.”

“Hmmm… how about tomorrow? Can we work something out that fast?”

“Sure. Give me your number again and I’ll give you a call back after the show is off the air. I’ll have the staff start working on the details now. Can you stay overnight and come back on Saturday morning?”

I knew that Greg had skipped any practice on the play for this weekend since so many people were traveling. There was one other problem I had to face.

"Probably not, Mary. I don't think that I can make the arrangements for my Saturday morning radio show to originate out of New York in the time that we have left. Since today is a holiday I'm surprised I got through to you at all."

"If the show is on the air live then I'm generally here. It comes with the territory."

"I know all about that from my own radio show. Give me a couple of contact numbers there and I’ll work on the remote broadcast from my end. Plan a single day trip just in case things don’t work out."

“OK, do the best you can and I’ll start working on the arrangements on this end. Oh, by the way, Jeff from MegaComp said to say hello. I had dinner with him over the weekend. When he learned our present Gadget Guru was leaving the show he suggested you were perfect for the spot. When I checked you out I had to agree.”

“Thanks, Mary, and say hi to Jeff for me if you see him before I do. I’ll call you back as soon as I know about the studio arrangements.”

I hung up the phone and slumped back in the chair. The radio deal was something I had fought to get. To have something like this just fall out of the sky into my lap overwhelmed me. I decided to keep it quiet from most of the people at the party today until I knew more details. I had to tell Tammy since she might be going with me to New York again if we could work out the studio arrangements. There was a network affiliate in New York that I had used to do the show on the last trip. They had all the equipment and could link into the network to uplink the show to the satellite for distribution. I made a couple of phone calls and found out that the studio was available if I needed it. The uplink would be no problem. All that remained now was to ask Tammy if she could travel with me and do the show out of New York on Saturday.

The clock was quickly approaching eight thirty when I heard a car pull into the driveway. I opened the front door to see Tammy and her mom walking toward the front steps with a couple of bags of groceries.

"Hey! What's all this? I thought we got everything already?"

Tammy headed past me into the kitchen. "We just got extras of a few things in case we had problems. Besides that apple pie was so good last night mom and I want to see what you did with the spices. We're going to make a couple more of them this morning."

"This afternoon maybe. Right now, the oven is full of turkey. I don't think even one more pie is going to fit in there."

"All right, we'll make 'em this afternoon after we eat. It'll keep us out of the way of the guys in the living room."

"Works for me. You two had better have a seat. I got some news this morning that I need to talk to you about."

A look of concern washed over Tammy's face. "You're pregnant aren't you? You used the test again and it came back positive didn't it?" She started to shake.

"Tammy, I'm NOT pregnant. The news is that I've been asked to take over as the Gadget Guru on one of The Network Morning Show." The look on Tammy's face changed to a big grin. She launched herself toward me and hugged me tight.

"That's wonderful, Jen. When does it start?"

"Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. They want me in New York tomorrow for a visit. They want me to stay overnight. I've arranged to use the studio again in the affiliate station and I was wondering if you'd like to come with me, Tammy? I have to let them know later this morning so they can make all the arrangements for the trip. I can go for one day by myself or two if you come along to do the show with me down there."

Tammy's face changed to a pout this time. "Darn, mom and I have some company coming in tomorrow for the weekend. Some relatives we haven't seen in almost two years are visiting. I really wanted to see them."

"That's ok, Tammy. I understand. I'll do a day trip and be back later tomorrow night so we can do the show in the normal studio on Saturday morning. Bring the family along if you think they would be interested in seeing how we do it."

"Thanks, Jen. I wish I could go. Maybe next time."

"If this all works out, I'll be going there about every two weeks. You'll have lots of chances, Tammy." The phone started ringing. "OOPS! Be right back!"

I headed into the computer room to answer it. "Hello?"

"Jen? This is Mary Stone."

"Hi, Mary. What's the update?"

"We've got a seat for you on a flight out of Syracuse tonight at around eight PM. Does that time work out for you?"

"Yup. I can make it no problem. It's going to have to be a single day trip though. My program producer can't make it with me this time, so I'll have to come back to Syracuse to do the radio show on Saturday morning."

"Ok. Single day then, Jen. I have some more news too. The Executive Producer flipped out when he found out you were coming down. They'd like you to appear on show tomorrow morning a guest. We're in a ratings battle with the show on that other network. They think having you on will draw a few more viewers. They want to do an interview with you about your change and how you're adapting to it. They'll introduce you as the new Gadget Guru then, too."

"I promised my first interview to a local reporter, Mary. Here's what we can do. I'll give you her name and the station phone number. They're a network affiliate of yours anyway. She has loads of video on me and can probably put together a background piece if you ask her. I know she’d love to get something on national TV. That should smooth things over with her about not getting the first televised interview with me. I’m not certain that you can reach her today but it's worth a try."

"That's a great idea, Jen. We really don't have much on you in the files here. The local station supplied all the info we have anyway. In fact, I think I might have talked to her already. Let me have her name again."

I gave her the contact information I had on Doreen, then we talked for a few more minutes working out the last of the details on the travel plan. I would have to leave tonight on an eight PM flight out of Syracuse to be in New York at JFK by ten PM. A limousine would meet me at the airport to take me to the hotel. After an overnight stay I’d pack up my things and take them with me to the studio in the morning. By about one PM I would be back on another plane headed back home. A very quick trip but one that I felt I had to make if I was going to accept the job of the new gadget “goddess”.

Positively floating, I walked back into the kitchen. Tammy and her mom were busy working on the veggies to go with the turkey. I grabbed a knife and started chopping as we talked. "That was the show in New York. I leave tonight at around eight PM from the airport. Doesn't leave me much time to enjoy the day does it?"

"That's the price of fame, Jen. Would you rather not have the chance at this?"

I stopped chopping, lost in thought. "You know, Tammy, I don't have an answer for that? I want to try it but I'm not certain that I'll be any good at it. They must have some faith in me to ask me about it though. I guess I'll just have to try it and see."

"Jen, in the short time I've known you, the one outstanding thing I have learned about you is that YOU can do anything as long as YOU want to do it. Don't worry about it, just let that inner light of yours shine through and you'll do fine."

I just looked at Tammy for a few moments then went back to chopping the veggies. I chopped for a while but my mind kept wandering back to the question of if I really wanted to do the Gadget Guru bit on The Morning Show. I jumped a little when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Jen, why don't you go take a break. I know you're mind isn't on this."

"What…?"

"Jen, look at what you're doing." I looked down to where Tammy was pointing to find that I had chopped a stalk of celery into a pulpy mess. Instead of nice chunks, it was almost like a paste.

"I guess I did screw up didn’t I?"

"Now go and take the time you need to think this through. You need to have ALL of your fingers. Mom and I will handle the cooking." I looked over at Tammy's mom. She was gently nodding as Tammy shooed me out of my own kitchen.

I wandered around the house for a few minutes then finally settled down in the computer room. Even now, after everything that had happened to me, it was the one place that I was most comfortable. Computers weren't like people. They were predictable, most of the time, and did exactly what I told them to. If a computer screwed up in here, it was because I very likely told it to do something wrong. There was no one to blame but me.

I launched myself into doing research on the TV network and the web site of the outgoing Gadget Guru. It gave me a lot to think about, which was exactly what I was doing when I heard the front doorbell ring. I turned the monitor off on the workstation, then went to get the door.

Easing it open, I saw Adam standing on the porch with a few of his friends grinning at me right behind him. He leaned forward and hugged me tight planting a kiss on my lips. Biology took over again and I nearly melted in his arms. One of these days I've got to find a defense for that. I felt just a little light-headed as he broke the embrace.

"Hi, Adam. Come on in. Everything is all set in the living room." He motioned for his friends to come in and introduced them as they entered. A few had brought wives or girlfriends. There was a growing group of women collecting around the kitchen table since none of them were interested in the football action that would be going on in the living room all day.

I wasn't certain where I belonged. I had no interest in football at all. I will never understand what the attraction is to a game where a group of men divide into two teams with the sole intent of killing or maiming each other chasing a leather covered inflated pig bladder across a muddy rain soaked field. Except for certain motor sports, I cared little for most of the male oriented sports. Football, baseball, basketball and golf were among the myriad things I had absolutely no interest in doing or even watching.

I wandered into the kitchen and was warmly greeted by the group around the table. The talk soon turned to my change and the questions were flying furiously. Everyone wanted to know how it felt to be female after being a male for most of my life. I answered their questions honestly while trying to stay away from revealing some of the more personal information they seemed to be pressing for. They eventually gave up and the conversation turned towards clothes, hair salons and men in general.

I listened to all of it as much as I could then excused myself to make a trip to the bathroom. I did have to go but, when I finished, I headed for the computer room instead of returning to the kitchen. Once back into the relative safety of my little world I continued on doing the research on the network. It must have been almost an hour later when I heard a gentle knock on the door.

"Come in?" Tammy poked her head in around the door.

"There you are, Jen. How come you didn't come back to the kitchen?"

"I don't know, Tammy. I don't feel as though I have anything in common with either group out there. If I hang out with the guys, the girlfriends and husbands would probably think I'm flirting with them. I have very little in common with men any more. I have even less in common with the women around the kitchen table. I don't have any of their experiences so I don’t know what they're talking about and they have little in common with me other than a set of tits and …"

"A monthly visitor?" I nodded. "Jen, I understand, really I do. I used to feel the same way, until I met you. You showed me that it was all right to be a female geek." I frowned at Tammy. "No, I mean that in a good way, Jen. The common conception of a woman seems to be that she can't or shouldn't do anything that a man can do especially in a technical field. You showed me that it was all right to have a love of science and technology."

"But I wasn't always like this, Tammy, you know that."

"And it doesn't make a damned bit of difference to me. In case you haven't noticed, Jen, you've become increasingly feminine with every passing day. When I first met you, I saw a few things that didn't look feminine. Now when I look at you it's hard to believe that you used to be a man. You act and think completely like a woman now at least from what I've been able to see."

"Well THAT'S a load off my mind." I grimaced after I said it. "Sorry, Tammy. It's just that I don't feel that way inside. I'm still all mixed up about who and what I am. The problems in New York City started it and today hasn't helped it any."

"Jen, you're a role model to a lot of women. You've shown them that it's OK to have a brain and use it."

"Some role model I am. I can't even pull my own life together and now others want to be like me?" I buried my head in my hands for a few moments. The room was eerily quiet. "Why did you come in here anyway, Tammy?"

"I was showing the photo album of our trips to the group out there and they were quite interested in digital photography. They started asking me all kinds of tech questions. I told them I didn't have the answers, but I knew someone that did. I came to get you. So are you going to come answer their questions or not?"

I thought about it for a few moments then decided. "Ok, I'll try. It's better to have them come in here though, since everything I need is in here. I think the room can handle the whole group. Go and get 'em and I'll get things set up."

A few minutes later the women from the kitchen came trooping into the computer room. I got bombarded with questions until I got everyone's attention. When the babble finally settled down, I started describing digital photography in simple terms. I sensed that the group was very quickly absorbing what I was telling them as the conversation progressed. Their questions soon became so much more focused and several women were asking tough questions about things that I hadn't intended covering. It was obvious that they had some digital equipment already and most had some idea about how it was used.

I passed out both of my digital cameras to the group then sent them on their way to shoot some pictures around the house. In about half an hour they returned and I showed them how to download the pictures to a computer then print them. I was amazed at the creativity and imagination of the group. Several had even raided my clothes closet and taken a few suggestive pictures for later use on their husbands or boyfriends. From some of the pictures it looked like a few couples would have a Thanksgiving party of their own when they got home later.

I made sure the pictures were deleted from the cameras and from the hard drive. Of course, I prepared some floppy disks and a few CD's with the images the women had shot if they wanted copies of the digital files for their own use. The pictures we printed were on glossy inkjet paper and looked just like a photo from a drugstore photo-processing center. The women were positively glowing over their newfound abilities and knowledge. Watching them gave me an incredible feeling. I decided on the spot that I really did want to do the Gadget Guru thing on the morning show.

By now things were nearly ready in the kitchen so we all trooped back there to complete the preparations for lunch. The football pre-game shows were just coming on so the men set up the tables in the living room while the rest of us got the food ready.

I had the men turn the television off so that we could eat in peace. We said grace then dug into one of the best Thanksgiving meals I've ever had. The turkey turned out great and the stuffing, while not my own mix of spices, was excellent too. Everyone had a great time and we all had way too much to eat. The general agreement was to wait on the desserts until later in the afternoon.

As soon as the dishes and table was cleared away the television was turned on again and the men settled down to watch an afternoon of football. The rest of us headed for the kitchen again and put away the food and cleaned up the dishes from all of the cooking. This time when the chatter started up again I felt more at ease listening to the conversation.

As the discussion swerved from dating to clothes and a thousand and one other topics, somehow this time I didn't feel so out of place like I did earlier in the day. I realized that they were making an effort to draw me into the conversation and actively seeking anything I had to contribute. It generally wasn't much but, when I did have something to say, it generally got a pretty good laugh and that was exactly what I was going for. I learned that my time in a woman's body had given me some rather different and humorous view of the differences between man and women. I told the tale of how I had come to understand the woman's desire to always have the toilet seat down. One morning I hadn't fully roused out of sleep mode and stumbled to the bathroom with a full to nearly overflowing bladder. I forgot the night before to close the seat and lid after scrubbing the toilet bowl and as a result plopped down on ice-cold porcelain. The resulting stimulus to my sensitive bottom woke me up and I jumped about a foot as I realized what I had done. I barely managed to get the seat down before the floodgate opened and a waterfall thundered into the bowl. At that moment, I truly knew the value of always leaving the seat down.

Then there was the time in downtown Syracuse when I was trying to climb into the truck cab. The wind was blowing rather hard and I was distracted by something just as I opened the door. My male habits must have kicked in because I hoisted my right leg into the cab and parked my button the seat. At that moment, a wind gust hit me blowing my skirt up revealing my panties to a crew of construction workers across the street. The whistles and noises coming from the crew jolted me back to my senses and I quickly pulled the skirt down then pulled the door closed as much as possible to use as a screen while I got the rest of the way into the truck. My face was a brilliant red as I looked in the rear view mirror at the oncoming traffic to pull out of the parking space.

The giggles coming from the group were infectious and I started giggling like a little schoolgirl too. The stories started flying around the table about other embarrassing moments including some very personal stories about the sex-capades of the group. I, of course, took a blood oath never to reveal any of the stories as I laughed myself silly. As the conversation wound down near the time everyone had to leave I came to the conclusion that we are all absolutely equal at birth. Only the developing differences in the biology of the body you're born with and the way you are raised determine the final result.

As each of my guests left, I gave everyone a hug and thanked them for coming. I watched as the last of the cars pulled out of the driveway. There was just my truck and Tammy's, and Adam's cars left. We returned to the kitchen to found Adam cleaning the last of the dessert plates and placing then in the dishwasher. He closed the door then hit the button to start the cycle.

"Thanks, Adam, that helps a lot. Did you get the tables all out away?"

"I got them as far as the garage. I'll get them back to the rental place tomorrow if I can borrow the truck again."

"Sure you can." I tossed him the spare house key. "This'll get you into the house and let you get the truck keys. I'll leave them on the kitchen table. Just lock up everything when you're done. You know the alarm code right?" He nodded. "Then you're all set. There's one condition though."

"What's that, Jen?"

"You have to pick me up at the airport tomorrow night."

"Damn, sorry, Jen, can't make it. Tomorrow is the start of the Christmas sales season and I have to be at the mall." The look on his face resembled the look that a little puppy gets when just after you yell at it for peeing on the floor.

I walked over to Adam and snuggled up against him. "It's okay, Adam. I understand. Tammy, can you pick me up instead?"

"What time, Jen?"

"About eight tomorrow night. Call the house first before you go to the airport though. I'll take a taxi back here if they get me back on an early flight."

"Eight it is, Jen. I gotta get going to home. May I take one of the extra apple pies with me?"

"Sure, Tammy, and Adam can take one too. We made lots of extra today. I can't eat them all." The smiles on their faces made me feel good. "Adam, can you take me to the airport tonight. I have an eight PM flight I have to catch to New York City. I managed to pack what I needed a little earlier in the day so I think I can make it. I need to change clothes again then I'll be ready to go."

"Sure, Jen. Go ahead and change and I'll get the car loaded."

With that I headed for the bedroom and changed into a denim shirt and a pair of comfortable jeans. If I was going to travel at night I might as well be warm and comfortable doing it. I combed and brushed my hair and put it into the ponytail style that was my usual look. The whole process took around half an hour. I glanced at the clock and found that it was time to go.

By the time I was finished, Adam had loaded his car. I closed up the house and set the alarm. It took almost half an hour to get to the private aviation building on the south side of the airport where I was supposed to meet the plane. As we pulled into the parking lot, I saw a small business jet setting on the tarmac. It had the TV network's corporate logo on the tail. I was surprised that they had sent the jet just for me. I was under the impression that I was going to be on a standard commuter flight.

Grinning like a schoolboy while watching all the planes on the flight line, Adam managed to help me get the baggage inside the small terminal area, then hugged me goodbye. I kissed him on the cheek and told him that I would see him on the weekend. Since Greg had not scheduled a rehearsal because of the holiday, Adam and I could have some time together, though I dared not think of what we might do in that time together.

Even though this was a private flight, we went through the security procedures brought on by the events of September 11th just over a year ago. My bags were fully inspected and sealed before being placed on board the jet. I watched out the window as the plane was refueled and the pilot made a last walk-around of the plane inspecting for any problems. I watched as the beam from his flashlight probed into several nooks and crannies on the underside of the plane and into the two engines mounted at the tail of the plane.

Minutes later he poked his head inside the terminal door to let me know that they were ready to go. He escorted me to the plane as a cold wind swept a dusting of snow across the tarmac. I shivered visibly as I boarded the plane, even though I was wearing a heavy winter coat.

The pilot shook his head and smiled at me. "Don't worry, Miss Stevens. We'll have the heat going in here in just a couple of minutes. It'll be toasty warm by the time we take off."

"Please call me Jen or Jennifer. And you're…?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Jason Brown. But please, Jason will be just fine. Let's get this door closed so we can get the engines started. I'll be back after we level off at altitude." He pulled the door closed then latched it tightly. I had taken a seat and put on the seat belt and checked that it was tight. He stopped to check the belt. "I see you've traveled a lot. Nice job, most people don't get it tight enough."

"Lately I've spent almost as much time in the air as I have on the ground. I've heard the lecture about seat belts so much I can give it myself now."

Jason smiled again. "Well, just sit tight. When you see the seat belt light go off you can unbuckle and move around. There's some hot chocolate in a thermos in the galley and some snacks. Help yourself if you want some, after we're at flight level. We'll be going as soon as we're cleared to start up." He left for the cabin.

It was another five minutes until I heard the one of the rear engines start then after another minute or so the other engine came to life. The plane sat for another two minutes as the engines were checked and the plane's systems brought up to full operation. I looked out the window as the plane was pushed backwards by a small truck. We stopped as the push arm was removed and a final check made of the plane by the ground crew. The engines revved up and we started to move out onto the taxiway. The lights along the taxiway poked holes every fifty feet or so in the inky darkness that had descended over the airport. The plane stopped at the end of the runway and sat for a few seconds with the engines revving at what I thought was full power.

I heard the engines throttle back then the plane started to slowly move forward. The engines revved up again and the jet surged forward down the runway. The lights at the side of the runway were flashing by so fast that I could no longer count them. The plane seemed to leap into the air pushing me back and down into the seat as the jet headed upwards at what seemed to be a forty-five degree angle.

The climb to altitude didn't take very long and the seat belt light went out after only around fifteen minutes. I unbuckled the belt and walked forward to the small galley area behind the flight deck. The thermos with the hot chocolate and some heavy ceramic mugs with the network logo on them were on the counter top. I poured a cup of the steaming hot liquid and added a few marshmallows from a small covered bowl. The heat was warming the cup so I wrapped my still cold fingers around the cup and let the warmth seep into my hands as I sipped at the thick brown liquid. It was excellent hot chocolate and I carefully made my way back to the seat so I wouldn't spill any in the slight turbulence we were experiencing.

Jason came back and poured himself a cup of the hot chocolate then took a seat beside me. "So how do you like the chocolate? Word is you're a chocolate lover of the first class."

"It's great chocolate. Even the marshmallows are great. How did you know?"

"Mary Stone suggested it. How she knew is a question you'll have to ask her."

I sighed. "She probably found out from the president of MegaComp." I sipped at the hot liquid again and smiled.

"I take it you travel in some high circles then?"

"Not really, Jason. This is only the second time I've been on a corporate jet. The first was a trip to New York City for MegaComp. All of my other travel has usually been in first class on the normal airlines."

"I guess the radio show business doesn't pay much then?"

"You know what I do for a living, eh? You're right; the travel plans are terrible sometimes. So I guess you're a fan of the show?"

Jason nodded. "I listen to it whenever I'm home. I even get to listen sometimes when we're on a flight. You helped me with my computers a lot, Jen. Thank you."

The conversation turned into a session with Jason on a couple of his nagging computer problems. We must have talked for almost an hour until a chime sounded.

"OOPS! That's Billy, my co-pilot. Looks like we'll be landing in about twenty minutes. Thanks, Jen, you've been a big help."

"No problem, Jason. Send me an email and let me know if it works for you. Do you have my email address?"

"Right next to the monitor, Jen. I copied it down the first time you gave it out on the show. I never sent you anything though."

"Well, send me email any time and don't be afraid to ask those questions. You know… the ONLY dumb question is the one you DON'T ask. If you want an answer, chances are someone else wants the same answer. Now you can answer a question for me. I'll probably be making a trip like this every couple of weeks. Does the network handle the travel arrangements like this or do I have to make my own plans?"

"Well, this is just a short hop for us. Sometimes it's cheaper to use the company jet than it is to try to arrange travel on such short notice. Billy and I get paid even if we're just siting at home waiting for a call. I'd much rather be flying than waiting any time."

"I'll ask Mary if we can arrange something then. I like not having to fight the airport crowds to get through the check-in and security lines."

"I look forward to out next visit. Be sure to buckle up tight. I think it's going to be a bumpy ride down to the surface. There's a line of storms between us and the airport."

I tightened the seat belt as Jason left for the cabin. I was glad I did because a few minutes later the jet started to buck and dive like a wild bull as we dropped through the storm front. My heart felt like it leapt into my throat as the wild ride continued for several more minutes. Mercifully, the wild gyrations stopped almost as suddenly as they had started. I looked out the window next to me to see the lights of the city and the runway lights stretched out before the plane. I looked down to find my fingers buried deeply in the soft padding on the arms of the seat. I forced my hands to relax as the plane gently touched down on the runway and taxied to a hanger at the end.

As we neared the hanger the door opened and the plane stopped just short of entering. A small vehicle drove out of the building and pulled the jet inside after the engines stopped. I could see a limo waiting off to one side in the bright lights inside the cavernous hanger. Jason and Billy stepped out of the flight deck and escorted me off the plane. I watched as a couple of men from the ground crew placed my bags in the limo.

Jason tugged at my elbow. "Umm… Thanks for flying Air Jason and Billy. We'll see you tomorrow afternoon to take you back home. Sorry about the turbulence, Jen, it should be much better tomorrow."

"Thanks, fellas. I enjoyed the ride except for the last few minutes. I guess the bumpy ride is just a part of flying. I'll see you tomorrow." I gave each of them a hug and a kiss on the cheek them headed for the waiting limo.

About an hour and a half later I was settled into the hotel room and reading a packet of information waiting for me at the front desk. I had a four AM wake-up call already placed for me and the limo would arrive to pick me up at five AM. I decided to take a long hot bath now rather than wait for the limited time available in the morning. The time was already nearing ten PM, so I hurried to the elegantly appointed bathroom.

The tub was positively huge and for a few seconds I considered sleeping in it overnight until I realized what I'd look like in the morning. The bath lasted almost an hour as I completely relaxed in the hot steamy water. The water finally started to cool down, signaling that I should end my stay in the tub. Reluctantly, I popped the stopper and stood up, to let the water drain away from my body. After a minute or so, I grabbed a towel and dried off the rest of the way before getting into my nightie. I liked to sleep naked at home but on the road I decided to sleep in pajamas or a nightie of some type. Tonight's nightie was a silky almost sheer thing that stopped just above my thighs. I wore a pair of scanty thong panties under it and nothing else. Try as I might, I could not prevent myself envisioning Adam’s reaction if he saw me in this naughty nightie. Shaking off the images, I headed for the bed and within minutes I was sound asleep.

My eyes popped open at the sound of the phone ringing. I answered to find out that it was the wake-up call. Sitting up, dangling my feet over the edge of the bed, I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and stretched. I had just an hour to get ready before the limo would arrive to take me to the studio in the city. I decided that warmth was preferable over fashion, so I got dressed in a pair of jeans and a faded but comfortable denim shirt. Since my bags would go with me, I knew I could change into one of the other outfits in the studio dressing room, instead of fighting a cold wind blowing up my skirt again.

I knew from the information packet that they would have someone there to do makeup and my hair so I did just the minimum on both to look presentable. I gathered my things together and made sure nothing I brought with me was left in the room. I called the front desk and asked that someone come up to help with the bags. A few minutes later I heard a knock on the door and looked through the peephole to see a woman in a hotel uniform with a small cart. After I let her in, we got the bags loaded then headed down to the lobby.

The front desk informed me the network had picked up the cost of the overnight stay already. Since I had almost twenty minutes until the limo arrived, I headed for the restaurant in the hotel. It was still closed, but they did have a selection of bagels and drinks available. Selecting a cinnamon and raison bagel, loading it up with thick cream cheese, I grabbed a bottle of orange juice, then moved over to a table to eat. I was just finishing up when someone came into the restaurant to tell me that the limo was waiting. I stopped briefly at the front desk to thank everyone for the hospitality then went outside into the dark and chilly morning to make the trip to the studio.

Even at this early hour of the morning the streets were bustling with activity as the city stirred to life. I gazed out of the window as the limo sped into the heart of the city toward the downtown studio location. Like most of the morning shows, the studio was a converted storefront near Rockefeller Center.

We passed a large area blocked off outside the studio on the street. Even at just after five-thirty in the bitter cold morning, the interminable crowd was already starting to gather. I saw several street vendors selling coffee and hot chocolate from large pushcarts. The limo slowed then stopped outside a large overhead door. I heard the limo driver beep the horn then the door lifted to reveal space inside for several cars or a large truck or two. The limo gently pulled inside before the door closed. The door of the limo was opened and a hand extended into the car. "Hi Jennifer, I'm Mary Stone. And I am very pleased to meet you!"

Mary looked to me to be about fifty years old. Her face was just starting to show traces of lines around her big blue eyes. Those eyes were under a mop of unruly black hair that had started to gray in spots. Her smile extended nearly from ear to ear as she waited for me to exit the limo. I noticed that she barely reached about five feet in height as she stood next to the car.

I shook her hand then stepped out of the limo into the warmth of the garage. "Thanks, Mary. Wow! I am impressed! When you folks do something you do it first class don't you?"

"We sure do. This little setup lets us sneak surprise guests into the studio without the folks outside or our competition finding out. Someone will bring your bags into your dressing room in a few minutes. Have you had something to eat yet?"
(((Mary’s sparkling gray eyes danced lightly over my presentation as she spoke.)))

"I had a bagel at the hotel. Does that count?"

"Nope. Follow me." We walked into the depths of the building and were soon standing outside a small kitchen area. I heard some loud chatter coming from inside and glanced over at Mary’s bright grin. "Don't worry, it's always like this before a show, just think of it as feeding time at the zoo and you'll fit right in.” She lifted a hand in casual response to someone’s ribald greeting as we stood in the opening momentarily. “Don't take anything said in there seriously and enjoy yourself." She motioned for me to follow her in the room.

It turned out to be a large room with a kitchen setup installed in one corner. The rest of the room was tables and chairs with a wall of vending machines at the back of the room. About half a dozen people, in a wide variety of styles of dress, were gathered around a small table next to the kitchen equipment. As the crowd turned to look at us, I recognized Ed Wilson, the show's rotund and jovial weatherman. He was busy chopping what looked like Thanksgiving leftovers into small pieces. The apron he was wearing said, "You may kiss the cook!"

Mary got everyone's attention. "All right, folks. I'd like to introduce the first lady…" The crowd in the room gasped audibly. "…but since she's not here you'll have to settle for Jennifer Stevens. If things work out, Jennifer here will be our new Gadget Guru. Jennifer. Let me introduce the craziest crew in morning television." We went one by one as I met each person in the room. The final person was Ed.

After we shook hands, I made a point of looking at the apron, then shrugged and planted a big wet kiss on his cheek. The crowd hooted as I pulled away. The look on Ed's face was priceless then he smiled impishly, swept me into his arms, bent my body backwards into a classic movie kiss position, and planted a large wet kiss on MY cheek. Then he returned me to a vertical position and spun me around. "Now that we've been properly introduced, my dear, will you marry me?"

Instantly entering into the spirit of his impromptu skit, putting on my best of ‘southern belle’ airs, I lilteded my voice and batted my eyes at him while fluttering my hands. 'Why yes, kind sir, I'd love to be your blushing bride but whatever would your current wife have to say about conjoining visits?"

Ed shrugged, then started laughing. "Can't blame a guy for trying can you?" He winked at me. "I like this one. She's funny." He hugged me again and patted me on top of my head. "My dear, you'll fit in here just fine.” He then waved casually in the direction of his culinary effort, directing my attention to his next gambit, silently daring me to play along. “Would you care for something to eat?”

"Turkey, Ed? Lemme guess, you bought a BIG bird and you're desperate to get rid of the leftovers, right?" Yes, it was all unrehearsed adlib, but it was great adlib.

"Am I THAT transparent?" he smiled again. "Actually I'm making my famous day after Thanksgiving leftovers omelet this morning. Want some?"

"Sounds disgusting. Just the sort of thing to start off my morning. Yeah, I'll try some and don't spare the dressing and cranberry sauce!"

We all watched as Ed set about making the omelet. Twenty minutes later he started serving big portions on paper plates to an awaiting crew. My first taste sent me into orbit and I quickly stuffed the rest of the omelet into my mouth bite by bite. I licked the plate clean then put on my best English accent and walked over to a smiling Ed.

I looked at him with big puppy dog eyes and pouting lips then said, "Sir, can I have more, sir?"

He must have caught my intended reference to the movie "Oliver" since he assumed the "Mr. Bumble" stance complete with imaginary staff in hand and bellowed at me. "MORE? You want MORE?" The rest of the room dissolved into laughter at the sight.

He winked at me and I returned the wink. We launched into the "Oliver" tune and sung a couple of versus to the amazement of the room. We stopped singing and play-acting and took a small bow as the laughter died down in the room.

"Ah, Jennifer. That was incredible. I think I've finally met my match as far as the comedy stuff goes. You just keep pitching 'em…"

"…and you'll keep catching them. Well, I'm just a guest on the show for a short segment today. Maybe when I start in officially with the Gadget Guru spots we'll have a chance to do more."

Glancing suddenly at the big clock on the wall, he sighed heavily. "Well, I have to get cleaned up and ready. There's just about an hour left before airtime. From one old trooper to another, break a leg kid!"

"Thanks, Ed, you too!" Then I headed back to my dressing room to change into the outfit I would wear during the segment. I had to have one of the staff direct me toward the right room since I didn't know where they had put my things after the limo ride.

It was a fairly good-sized room with a well-equipped makeup table in one corner and a small screen blocking off a portion of another corner. An old but serviceable, and comfortable-looking, couch took up part of a remaining wall and a small table and chair took up some space on the other wall. A full-length mirror was mounted to the wall next to the makeup table.

I spread out the bags on the couch and rummaged through them until I found the light gray angora sweater and the black worsted wool slacks I had packed purposely for their warmth. The sweater had a rather low cut neckline and hugged my curves very well. The slacks hugged the curves of my bottom and hips then tapered gently until the ended just below my ankles. I put on a pair of black low-heeled shoes from another bag and looked at my reflection in the mirror. I heard a knock on the door. "Come in?"

Mary entered followed by a woman carrying a box full of electronic gear. "That's a great look, Jennifer, just the right touch. I couldn't have selected any better myself. This is Sally. She'll be hooking you up for sound." Mary introduced the six-foot tall blonde Amazon beside her. I was reminded of a pair of cartoon characters from my youth; Mutt and Jeff and nearly choked on my giggle trying to contain it.

Sally took a small black plastic box out of the box of stuff and motioned for me to turn around with my back to her. She lifted the back of my sweater and clipped the box to the top of my slacks. "That's the transmitter for a wireless microphone. Here, drop this wire down your cleavage." She handed me the microphone with a four-foot cable attached. I dropped the wire down my front under the sweater then clipped the mic to the top of a cup of my bra. It nestled nicely in my cleavage, and without the sweater rubbing against it. "Hey, you've done this before I see!"

"Well, Sally, I used to do your job when I worked on a mobile shooting crew at a station in my home town a few years ago. Let's see what kind of sound quality we get. I may have to relocate the mic to the neckline of the sweater." She took the end of the cable and popped it into the jack on the transmitter. I felt her flip a switch on the box then she took another box out and turned it on. She put on a pair of headphones then asked me to talk.

"Sounds good to me. What do you think?" She handed me the headphones.

"Well, if it sounds good to you then it's all right with me." I gave her the thumbs up sign then handed the headphones back. "What about a talk-back channel?"

"We use a small gadget that fits in your ear. I'll give it to you on the set. Let me turn the transmitter off to save the battery." She lifted my sweater and flipped the switch on the transmitter again. "There, all done. See you on the set." She grabbed the box of stuff and headed out the door.

"So how are you feeling about this, Jennifer?"

"A little nervous I guess but I'll be all right."

"From what I've seen of the story your reporter friend sent, you needn't be nervous at all. This ought to be easy compared to what you've been through already."

I shrugged. "I guess. Do you really have to use the story?"

"Yes. We want to show the incredible story of what you've faced so far."

"Well, if you have to, just no cameras on me during the piece, ok? Those photos of my transformation are just too painful for me to see again."

"All right. We were going to bring you out on the set after the story ran anyway. We're actually going to do two stories with you if you don't mind. The first segment will be a short chat with the hosts about how you're doing now and so on. Then, after about thirty minutes, we'll do the gadgets for Christmas segment we initially planned. By the way, do you mind if we call you our new 'Gadget Goddess'? The old 'Gadget Guru' tag line doesn't seem to fit and the 'Goddess' title will tie into your radio show better."

"That's fine with me. Mary."

"If all goes well, next time you do this for us we'll have an animated intro segment ready. Ed does those for us sometimes. I hear he has something special in mind for you."

"Can I see it before you use it?"

"Certainly. Knowing Ed, it will be fun and very tastefully done. Let me take you to the set so you can check that the demo items are all set up then I'll get you settled in the green room."

With that, I followed Mary through a maze of halls and doors until we stepped into the studio area. I recognized the set that I had seen hundreds of times on the morning show as I had my breakfast. Off in one corner of the cramped space was a table on wheels that held the things I would be demonstrating today. I looked each of them over making sure they worked and had everything I needed ready to go in just a few minutes. I wandered around the set briefly before Mary came back to take me to the green room.

In television terms, a green room is the room used to hold guests before they go on the air. It got the generic name years ago because the rooms used to be painted a particular shade of light green that scientists said was very restful and relaxing to most people. The color remained in common use for years until someone actually got sick and tossed their lunch in one of the green rooms. It was noted that the various shades of green (the tossed lunch, the skin color of the person that tossed their lunch and the walls) matched pretty closely. That spurred a whole slew of renovations; especially color changes, as the word got passed around inside the industry.

Most green rooms today are not green at all. The décor is usually left up to the production crew that handles the show. In general, the room had a television so guests can watch the show in the studio and several comfy chairs and a couch. Quite often, there was a table with refreshments of various kinds and a small kitchenette type setup. On some of the late night shows, the legends say that the refreshments included alcoholic beverages. It was common to see a guest on a late night show more than a little tipsy as they artificially shored up their resolve.

This so-called green room had a rather pleasant earth tone motif. Several shades of brown graced the walls and furniture. Lighter accents on the pillows and pictures brightened up the room considerably. The usual table of goodies stood along one wall with not one but two large screen televisions next to it. A pot of coffee bubbled gently in the corner along with a hot water dispenser for tea. This was, after all, a morning show and the refreshments reflected that. A large tray of bagels and donuts filled the table. Off to the side were covered dishes with cream cheese, several kinds of jellies and jams and a large tub of butter. They had the class to use real silverware emblazoned with the show logo instead of the much cheaper plastic utensils. Even the napkins had the show logo on them.

In spite of feasting on some of Ed's excellent leftover turkey dish, I still felt a little bit hungry so I prepared a cinnamon and raisin bagel with a thick spread of cream cheese. I fixed a cup of the piping hot coffee and got comfortable on the couch.

One of the two televisions displayed the network feed; the other had a picture generated by the control room in the building. Presently it displayed a picture of the studio with Ed and the hosts getting ready to go live. A clock on the wall next to the two monitors was counting down the seconds to air. As the clock hit thirty seconds to go the floor manager motioned and everyone that wasn't needed left the set. At ten seconds, the floor manager started counting silently on his fingers. When the music started at eight seconds the monitor showing the network feed switch to the feed from the studio meaning that the show was now live. The floor manager pointed to the cast as the clock moved through zero and started counting the minutes and seconds “up”.

The show went pretty smoothly for the first half-hour segment. Just as the second half-hour started someone came to fetch me to be ready to go on. I was escorted to a spot just off the set and told to wait. Someone handed me a little thing that looked like a hearing aid and motioned for me to put it in my ear. I heard the folks in the control room talking and nodded to the floor person that I heard them. I was able to see one of the monitors on the set from my position and the cast could also see me standing there. As the segment started to introduce me I closed my eyes tightly as the pictures of me changing were shown. I shivered a little as I remembered my initial shock at seeing my transformation. I stood there trembling slightly until I felt a hand on my shoulder. I opened my eyes to find Ed standing next to me smiling. He hugged me for a few moments as my tremors subsided.

I watched as the segment ended then the cast motioned for me to join them on the set. I took a deep breath then walked into the glare of the lights and took my place in a comfy chair across from Shelly White, the female co-host of the show.

“Good morning, Jennifer and thanks for visiting us today. Are you all right? You looked kind of terrified there for a few moments before you came on.”

I smiled as best I could. “Well, the pictures of my transformation are still quite painful for me to see. I know people are always interested in what happened but for me it brings back memories that I would probably be better forgetting.”

“Anything you want to talk about?”

“No. I’ll just say that even though I’ve been like this for several months now there are still times that the face I see in the mirror now is totally alien to me. Those times are getting further apart but they still happen.”

“You’re in a unique position to compare the male and female viewpoints. What have you learned so far?”

“I’m not sure, Shelly. It’s been just a few months since the accident. I’m still working things out on my own. I do know that there is more involved than just the obvious physical differences.”

“Like what?”

“Well, I used to have better control of my emotions. Before the change I used to feel things just as strongly as I do now but I had better control then. Now I can't completely control my reactions to anything. Other than biological reasons I have no idea why.”

“Anything else?”

“Umm… nothing we can talk about here. Let's say that there is an incredible difference in the way a male and female body responds to a certain sexual stimulus and let it go at that."

Shelly blushed slightly. "I think you're right on that one. Has the change shaken your religious beliefs?"

"Not really, Shelly. I don't believe there is a God."

Shelly's face drained of color. "What?"

"Well, let me explain. I don't believe in God in quite the same way as most people do. I do believe that there is some type of higher power than us humans. I'm not certain if it is a Supreme Being called God or a couple of extra-terrestrials named Gidney and Cloyd. The name God is as good as any until we actually know. Either way, we humans would probably have wiped ourselves off the face of the Earth by now if we were all there was. There has to be something or someone watching over us."

The color of her face returned to almost normal. "How's the radio show going?"

I was glad she wanted to change topics. "The show is going fine. The response from listeners has been incredible and I'm having such fun doing it every week."

The rest of the interview took another ten minutes. The floor manager counted silently down to zero as the segment ended.

Shelly slouched in her chair. "Thanks, Jennifer. You did great. We'll need you again in about an hour for the gadget segment." She dabbed at her nose with a tissue as a huge sneeze escaped her lips.

"You ok, Shelly?"

"I'll make it, Jennifer. I have the start of the flu I think. The medication is helping to mask the effects visibly but I still feel like crap. The show MUST go on though."

"Think you'll make it?"

"I hope. I'm not looking forward to the Santa segment at the end of the show though. I'm gonna freeze my tits off going outside in that skimpy little Santa’s Elf costume." Shelly sneezed again then followed the sneeze with a thirty second coughing fit.

"Are you really sure you're going to be able to handle it, Shelly?"

She sneezed again the dabbed at her nose with another tissue. "Yup. I can make it to the end of the show. It's only another two hours."

I was about to say something when the floor director said that there were thirty seconds left until the show was live again. With nothing left for me to do at the moment, I wandered back to my dressing room.

Rounding a corner in the hallway, I ran right into Ed. I wound up on my butt on the floor. Good thing it had some extra padding now. He smiled and chuckled a bit as he helped me get up off the floor. "Sorry, Jennifer. Didn't see you coming. You all right?"

"I'll be fine. Ed." I brushed some carpet fuzz off my black slacks and straightened my sweater out where it had slipped up my tummy. "Sorry I didn't see you. I was thinking about something."

"Well, you can follow me to the kitchen. I was just about to get myself a big cup of hot chocolate. Want some?"

"Of course. Lead the way." I followed him through the maze of hallways and doors. We entered the kitchen again and I sat down at a table next to the little kitchen area so I could watch Ed work his magic.

In a few minutes, Ed had fixed two large cups of hot chocolate. He walked over to the table setting a cup down in front of me before he took a seat himself. "So what was so heavy on your mind you missed seeing a big fella like me?"

I wrapped my cold hands around the hot cup then blew a little on the steaming liquid. I took a small sip then looked up at Ed. "Shelly, I was thinking about Shelly. She's sick."

"I know She told me. I'm concerned about her too.”

“Ed, what's the Santa segment she mentioned?"

"Oh, that's a tradition. I get dressed up as Santa and Shelly dresses as my elfin helper, then we go outside to see the kids in the crowd. Oh, I see. She's gonna freeze out there isn't she?"

I nodded. "I'm not certain she'll be able to make it, Ed. Is there someone else that can do the elf thing in her place?"

"'Fraid not, Jen. We have just the one costume and it just fits her. We'll have to go without an elf helper this year."

"Ed, I think Shelly and I are about the same size. I'd like to give it a try if that's ok with you."

"You sure, Jen?"

"Well, let's see if the costume fits first, ok?"

"Let me go talk to Mary then. I'll be right back. Stay here." I watched as Ed left to go find Mary. They came back a few minutes later. Mary was carrying the elf costume in a large plastic dry-cleaner bag.

Mary smiled as she walked toward me. "You sure about doing this, Jennifer?"

"Yup. I can't see making Shelly go out there when she feels so bad. Besides, I used to play Santa. It'll be a treat to play a helper for a change. The only question is if the costume fits me or not."

"It should fit. It's basically a leotard and it stretches quite a bit. There's also a vest and wrap around skirt that goes with it. If the boots don't fit, you can use the ones you wore on your way here this morning. We've moved your gadget segment to the next half-hour so you'll have around half an hour to change before the Santa segment. I'll leave this in your dressing room. Ed, can you take her back to the studio? She's on in just a few minutes."

"Come on, Jen. I'll do that segment with you. That way we will both have a little more time to change into our costumes."

"Right behind you, Ed." We walked back to the studio just as the floor director counted down to a commercial break.

I watched as they moved the table with the various demonstration things on it into place and hooked up the power outlets. I did a very quick check of the things I was supposed to demonstrate then waited until the news segment was over.

The time flew by as I did the segment. Some of the gadgets gave me a little problem, as I knew they would. Some of the things were very good presents and I had purposely included a few things to stay away from in the demonstration. I sighed just after the floor director counted us down into a commercial break.

"That went great, Ed. Thanks for being here."

"No problem, Jen. Now scoot. We both need to make a costume change."

While the news segment ran for the last time that morning, we stuffed ourselves into our costumes. Ed’s was the traditional Santa suit complete with beard and white fur around the neck and sleeves. My outfit was a sort of sexy elf with a green and red leotard type outfit that had a low cut neckline, an open front vest and a very short skirt. The outfit had a thermal lining since we would be doing the segment outside and I would not be able to wear a coat over the outfit.

I met Ed in the hallway just as we were heading back outside. He checked out the costume I was wearing with a critical eye. “You know, Jen, if there were real elves like you at the North Pole, Santa wouldn’t ever want to leave for his Christmas run!”

I blushed seven shades of red and smiled back at Ed. “You know for a black guy you make a pretty good looking Santa.”

“It’s the attitude and the round stomach. These days skin color really doesn’t matter to the kids.”

“I agree, Ed, Santa comes in all colors.” I lifted the beard gently and kissed him on the cheek then gave him a big hug. “There, Santa. Now you’re all ready to go.”

He offered his arm and I eagerly took it since the boots they gave me to wear had a three-inch platform on them. It felt almost like I was walking on stilts. At least the boots were lined so my feet weren’t freezing. I wished that the thermal lining in the costume was working as well as the lining in the boots. The cold air was slowly but surely working its way into the more sensitive areas of my new anatomy. Moments after stepping outside, I had two smaller bumps trying to poke up under the bra and lining of the costume. A quick glance at the outside TV monitors showed that the cameras didn’t see anything more than normal but I could sure feel it!

Ed walked over and sat down on a huge throne type chair as parents lined up to have their kids visit with "Santa". Of course, the cameras were close by to record the looks of wonder as Santa called each child by name. The show's staff had collected some names from the parents previously and fed them to Ed and I through the earpieces we wore. I had a great time with the kids as the last twenty minutes of the show flashed by.

I was glad when it ended and I could put on the heavy coat that a staff member was holding for me just off-camera. We had one final shot outside with the crowd as we all waved good-bye to America with the crowd cheering in the background. The outside floor manager signaled that we were clear. I started to head back inside when I heard several people in the crowd yelling my name. I wound up spending another half hour in the freezing cold signing autographs and talking with the crowd. All the while Ed was right beside me doing the same thing. We finally had to say goodbye and walk back into the warmth of the studio.

"So, Jen, did you have fun?"

"I think so, Ed. I'm sure cold though. My poor feet feel like ice cubes even with these boots."

"Mary should have a big cup of hot chocolate and some nice warm slippers waiting for you in your dressing room. I'm going to get out of this suit and into something a bit more comfortable."

"Sounds good to me, Ed. Thanks again, I enjoyed the experience."

I ducked into the dressing room to see a large cup of hot chocolate with a big bow tied around it. The note attached said, "Thanks for jumping in and helping Santa! Let us know when you're ready for the next cup!" Sitting in the chair was a brand new pair of fuzzy slippers. I tossed the coat aside and pulled off the boots. The feeling slowly started to return to my feet as I gently massaged them. Eventually the rest of me began warming up. I slipped my feet into the slippers then took a few minutes to finish the hot chocolate.

Changed out of the elf costume back into my street clothes, I was finishing the last of my packing, when I heard a knock at the door. "Come in."

Mary popped into the room with a wide smile on her face. "Well, the folks at the Rock were delighted with your performance. Pending working out the contract details, you've got the Gadget Goddess segment, if you want it. They also wanted me to ask you if you would consider occasional co-host duties, when the normal hosts are on vacation. Is that something you'd be interested in?"

"Ask me in about three days, Mary. I'm still getting warm from that last segment outdoors. Let me have some time to decide. Right now, I'm not saying no to the offer, but I'm not saying yes either. Oh, how about one more cup of this great hot chocolate before I go?"

"Follow me…" I followed Mary back to the kitchen area where I had met Ed when I arrived. Ed was once again in the kitchen cleaning up after his little breakfast presentation.

"Hi, Ed. Cleaning up I see?"

"Yup, I made the mess so I clean it up."

"Thanks for suggesting that I help out. I did have fun. Did you know the folks at the network want me to do occasional co-hosting duties? Mary just told me."

"You mean we might be doing this again?" The smile on his face looked like it could have gone all the way around his head.

"Maybe, Ed. I haven't agreed yet."

"Well, I really look forward to working with you as a co-host. Did you get the Gadget Guru spots too?"

"Yes. Mary said something about you doing an intro animation piece. Is that true?"

Ed nodded yes. "I like to do that kind of stuff. I have some samples on my web site along with some of my other artwork."

"I'd like to see it when its finished. Whatever happens with the co-hosting thing, I think I will be doing the Gadget Goddess spots."

"They went with my suggestion, huh? That's good, somehow 'The Gadget Guru' doesn't seem to fit you."

I finished the last of the cup of hot chocolate and rinsed out the cup in the sink. "Thanks for making the suggestion. I like the new name too. Well, I have to get going. I need to get back home and prepare for my radio show tomorrow morning then go to the play rehearsal on Saturday afternoon."

"You're doing a play? Which one?"

"Victor/Victoria. It's a stage adaptation of the movie. I'm doing the lighting and sound for it."

"Huh, I thought that with your recent experience you'd be starring in it."

"Et tu, Edward? That's all I hear from the director. I have very little interest in performing on stage. My talents are in the lighting and sound work. I've done that for almost 30 years."

"I keep forgetting what you used to be, Jen. Do you like doing that?"

"I do very much, Ed. I used to work on a television show as the music director too. Remember the old PM Magazine show? Ever see a segment about a lady blacksmith from upstate New York?"

"I remember the show and I did see that segment. That was your music?"

"Well, not my music exactly. I have a rather large record collection. The music used was from the collection. I wish I had the talent to create music. I've only created one song of my own and that took over a year to do note by note and word by word."

"Am I ever going to hear it?"

"Probably not, Ed. It was just an experimental tune to see if I could do it. I doubt that anyone will ever hear it."

Ed sighed. "All right. Will you at least let me know when the play opens? I'd like to come and see it."

"It's nothing special, Ed. Just a community theater production."

"I'd still like to see it. Maybe if the word gets out some celebrities will be in attendance, the crowds will be a bit bigger."

"The company is having some financial problems. They blew the last of the budget for this show, if they don't make enough from it to pay the bills and then some they're out of business."

"Then getting some extra publicity would help wouldn't it?'

"You'd do that?"

"I might even be able to talk Shelly and Dan into coming too."

"Wow, the director would flip if he knew that you were coming. We're just a small town company. To have some visitors like you coming would sure draw attention to the show."

"Send me his name and contact info when you get back home and I'll see what we can do, Jen." Ed handed me a small business card with his email address and some phone numbers on it.

"Thanks ever so much, Ed." I can't explain why I did it but I kissed him on the cheek and hugged him tightly again. "I need to go find Mary now and get back home. I'll be back, I promise."

I left the kitchen and finally located Mary on the set. "All set, Mary. Time for me to go home. What do I need to do? Click my ruby slippers three times and say 'There's no place like home?'"

She giggled a bit. "Nothing so dramatic, Jen. Your bags are already in the limo at the dock area. The driver has been waiting for you." I followed her bobbing and weaving form to the loading dock area and got into the waiting limo after putting on my coat. The dock space may have been warm but, once that door was opened, the outside came inside real fast.

The limo was already warm inside and I watched as the door slid open and the limo backed out onto the street. We headed back to the airport. I was rather surprised when the limo headed for the same hanger that we had arrived at last night. We pulled in through the street side door and stopped alongside the same jet that I came in on last night.

The pilots from the flight last night, Jason and Billy, appeared and soon my bags were on board and the jet was speeding down the runway. It took a little over an hour to cover the distance back to Syracuse from New York City. I felt a hand shaking my shoulder as the plane began to angle downwards.

“Fell asleep did you?”

“Guess I did, Jason. I’ve been on the go since early this morning. We're landing?”

“Yup. I see you’re all buckled in.”

“I don’t think I ever un-buckled.”

“Well, just sit tight, Jen. We’ll be on the ground in less than twenty minutes.”

“How come you didn’t wake me up sooner?”

“When I came back an hour ago to see how you were doing you were sound asleep. Knowing what they put people through on that show I just decided to let you sleep.”

“Thanks again, Jason, for all your help. I really do appreciate it.”

“And I have to thank you for those tips on fixing my computer. They worked great and my system is running fine again! I…” A chime sounded in the cabin. “OOPS! Gotta go. That’s Billy. We’re beginning to descend. I need to get back to the flight deck.” With a tip of his hat, he scurried back to the cockpit, closing the door behind him.

A little over twenty minutes later we were rolling to a stop inside the private hanger that I departed from last night. The pilots unloaded my bags onto a small cart and said goodbye. I watched as the plane was pushed out of the hanger onto the tarmac outside. The engines came to life again and I watched as the plane taxied back out onto the field and roared down the runway leaping into the air to return to New York City.

I was left alone in the middle of a huge cold hanger with my bags on a small handcart. I grabbed the handle of the cart and towed it along behind me as I headed for the main office off to the side of the hanger. I opened the door then stepped inside the toasty warm office.

I looked around the office and spotted a clerk off to one side. “Umm… excuse me, sir. Can I use your phone? I’d like to get a taxi here.”

The clerk looked at me then smiled as if he recognized me. “No need, Miss Stevens. Your limo driver called a little while ago, a flat tire has delayed him. Please make yourself comfortable. There’s some coffee available over by the soda machine and the rest rooms are just down the hall. Your bags are safe in here if you need to use them.”

“Thanks. I do need to go.” I took off my heavy coat and draped it across the top of the luggage on the cart. It took only a few minutes to finish but, when I returned to the office, I found my bags gone and the clerk standing there with my coat.

“The limo is here. I hope you don’t mind but I had the driver get all loaded up so that you wouldn’t have to wait. Let me help you with the coat.” In moments I was securely wrapped in the warm coat and found myself being escorted to the waiting car. I waved back to the clerk as the limo slid away from the curb out into the afternoon traffic.

The driver looked back at me in the mirror. “Home Miss?”

“Yes, please. Do you need the address?”

“No, I have it, ma’am. Do you need to stop anywhere else first?”

“No and thanks for asking.” I realized I could have had a bit of fun and have the limo driver take me to the college but I was getting way too much attention there already from the star treatment I seemed to get whenever I was traveling. I decided that I didn’t need to show up at work in a limo and only make the situation worse.

I watched as the limo rolled trough traffic headed for my home. The traffic was at a fever pitch on the first serious shopping day of the holiday season. The wind outside the limo window stirred the gently falling snow into a near whiteout in spots I shivered slightly in the warm car just thinking about it. The car eventually glided to a stop in the driveway of my house.

I bundled up and made the mad dash to the porch and opened the front as quickly as my cold fingers would let me. I heard the furnace rumble to life as I turned up the thermostat to the normal setting. The front door opened and the driver stepped in with my bags.

"Thanks umm…"

"Max, the name is Max, ma'am."

"Well, Max, thanks for bringing in the bags. You headed back now, or do you have another run?"

"I have another pick-up to go before I can get home."

"Well, drive carefully. I don’t like the look of the weather out there."

"Didn't you hear the forecast?"

"No, I was in New York City last night and this morning. What's happening?"

"Lake effect snow. They're saying we could get upwards of a foot or more overnight.”

“Just what we need, Max. Take care now.” I watched the limo pull out of the driveway and disappear into the growing storm outside. I stashed the bags in my bedroom then made a quick check of the refrigerator contents deciding that I had better take care of stocking up on a few groceries just in case.

Just before I left the house again, I called Tammy’s mom to let her know I was home and that Tammy didn’t need to try to pick me up at the airport. I didn’t want her going out in this weather unless it was an absolute necessity.

The pickup rumbled to life and I backed it out of the driveway to head for the store. The roads were in generally good condition and I made it to the local ‘superstore’ to stock up.

It took almost half an hour to fill the shopping cart then lug the results of my trip out to the truck. The trip back home went smoothly and within an hour I had brought all of the bags inside and stored their contents in the various cupboards and cabinets in the kitchen.

The rest of the day I spent either on the phone responding to telephone messages or working on the stack of mail that arrived while I was gone. A few resumes had started to arrive from the ad I had placed in the paper for the office manager position I wanted for the business. Several quotes also arrived for the work needed to turn the old guest bedroom into my office suite. The work involved adding an outside door and steps and adding an internal door between the new office and my computer room next door. With a little re-arrangement the computer room would become my own office and the old guest bedroom would become the new area for the office manager. Since I didn’t fully know where things were going with the radio show, and now the TV segments, I had decided to keep the changes as simple as possible. If everything fell apart I could always change the area back to a guestroom and leave it that way.

I worked until suppertime then decided to quit for the day and went to the kitchen to get some supper. I planned on making some sandwiches with the leftover turkey. I got out an ancient grinder that had belonged to my grandmother and set it up on the edge of the counter. I placed a bowl under it to catch the ground turkey then started feeding the turkey breast and thigh meat into it turning the handle to grind the meat into fine fibers. As soon as I had enough ground turkey I put the leftovers away and got out a bottle of Miracle Whip. I stirred some of the Miracle Whip into the ground turkey to make a sort of sandwich spread. I added a bit of pepper to the mix and stirred it all up thoroughly.

I soon had a plate with two sandwiches made with the spread, some leftover dressing and some leftover jellied cranberry sauce. A big glass of cold milk sat beside the plate. I noticed that the time was nearing five thirty PM so I hit the buttons on the remote to turn on the TV on the counter and set it to the evening news.

As I devoured my supper the news continued on. At six PM the station started the main local news program. The lead item was that I had gotten the job on the morning show as the new Gadget Goddess. If they started off with that story, I mused, then it must have been a really slow news day. They repeated some video from the morning show and mentioned that I had also substituted for an ailing show host on the Santa segment. They showed a rather long clip of that segment too.

I watched the rest of the news in the kitchen then put the dishes in the dishwasher to wait until I had a full load. The rest of the turkey spread went into the fridge for a future meal.

The rest of the evening was spent working on computers and occasionally answering the private phone line. A few friends called about the new ‘job’ and had a million questions about it. Finally around eleven, I decided to call it a night and hit the bed.

The rest of the month of November and nearly all of the month of December went by as a blur. Between the radio show, winding down the job at the college and the play rehearsals there wasn’t much time to handle anything else. I got word that my next appearance on the morning show would be the Thursday following Christmas and that they wanted to try to focus on new products for the coming year.

I made a few phone calls and managed to wrangle some new products out of a few manufacturers for demonstration on the show. Many were quite pleased to have the chance to have their product demonstrated in front of a major audience. They were falling all over each other to ensure some airtime would be devoted to their product. My home was soon inundated with boxes full of new products. A few had even sent along multiples of the product that I could arrange to give away on the radio show as weekly prizes.

It was a good thing that somewhere in the last month the changes to the old guestroom were completed. At the moment it was almost bursting at the seams with boxes full of goodies. There was barely enough room when the delivery crew from the office furniture store brought the new desk and chairs I had ordered. The new file cabinets and hutch for the fax machine took up some space, too.

All that remained was to find the right person to take care of the office while I was working on other projects. Several more applications had arrived but none were really what I wanted. I decided to wait just a couple of days past Christmas then I would have to make a decision from the resumes that I received.

Leaving work on the last day was a bit of a strain. Everyone had wanted to throw a huge going away party but I really didn't want one. I wanted to leave as quietly as I had arrived at the college. In the grand scheme of things, it really didn't make much difference one way or another if I had ever worked there or not. If I hadn't done some of the work on the network then someone else would have.

My boss was in my office as I put the last of a few personal things in a small box and handed him the office keys. I put my coat on, picked up the box and my purse then walked silently to the truck. I know I'll miss the place and the people working there.

Christmas came just days later and, unlike Thanksgiving, I spent the day alone. Since the morning show appearance was the next day I spent the time wading through the pile of goodies shipped to me by people eager to see their products on television. I picked the best of the lot and prepared a box to put everything in. I knew that the network would send the corporate jet to pick me up again but this time a limo had been arranged to pick me up at the house.

The trip to New York City went smoothly and the morning show appearance was a hit. I wound up back at home around three in the afternoon and had a quiet evening to myself. Tammy had come along on this trip even though I was returning the same day.

Well, Dear Diary, that's about it. I think I'm all caught up for the moment. Next week is New Year's Day and a few days later my birthday. The play opens on my birthday (January 4th) and I've heard some rumors from the cast that they have something planned. None of the cast is talking about it though, so I have no idea what they are going to try to spring on me.

Jennifer

---

The old Chevy lurched to a stop in front of a run-down old house on the north side of the city. Jimmy Glover would have preferred a shiny new Corvette to this rust bucket but it wouldn't look very good for the "Reverend Harvey Peabody" if he were seen driving a brand new car around. It might give people the idea that he was dipping into the Church funds instead of saving everything for construction on the new facility. While that was exactly what he planned, he wasn't ready to suck the construction fund dry yet and depart leaving someone else responsible to take the blame. He slammed the door on the car and walked up to the door of the house. As he stepped on the front porch the door opened, a hand motioned for him to come inside.

"Hi, Tod. Ya got something for me?" Jimmy looked up at the smiling face of Tod Brocker. Tod was considered one of the best of the "black hat" hackers in the area. Just the kind of person Jimmy was searching for to set someone else up to take the fall when he grabbed the money and ran.

"I hit gold… big time… and you owe me for this one, Jimmy." Tod motioned for Jimmy to follow him into the basement of the house.

The basement was well—lit, but crammed from one end to the other with old computers and computer parts. Along one wall was a setup that closely resembled the bridge of the Enterprise, the one from the old TV show. Tod folded his body into one of the chairs and Jimmy slid into the empty one beside him.

"So spill, what have you got on her?"

"Well, you know most of it already, Jimmy. Jennifer Stevens used to be Robert Stevens, until an accident changed him into her a few months ago. Looks like they did a pretty good job of changing all of her accounts over to the new name and sex. They didn't do a great job though. I found this." Tod pointed to a video screen containing information on an old, but still active checking account under the name "Robert Stevens". The account had gone unused for well over a year but was still listed as active by the bank.

"So, why haven't they cancelled this one or changed the name, Tod?"

"The bank's software has a bug, Jimmy. Unused accounts that have no balance aren't deleted after a period of time like they should be. Nobody at the bank has caught it yet. What do you want to do with it?"

"Change the old name on the account to her new name and change the old address to this new address." Jimmy handed Tod a small card with the address on it. "Can you fake adding enough money to the account to get us some checks sent to that address?"

"No problem, Jimmy. Now when do I get paid?"

"Today, Tod, today. Finish this up for me, and I'll pay you before I leave."

A big smile spread across Tod's face. "Ok, just sit back and watch, Jimmy." Tod's fingers flew over the keyboard making changes to the account and then adding a hundred dollars so he could have the bank send a new batch of blank checks to the bogus address. "There, all set Jimmy."

Jimmy reached into his pocket taking out an envelope stuffed with hundred dollar bills and handed it to Tod. "There you go, Tod, two thousand, as agreed upon, in cash. I may be a con man at heart but I'm fair to the other people in the profession. What kind of a reputation or support would I get if I welched on paying my bills for professional services?"

Tod opened the envelope and counted the money then smiled at Jimmy. "All set, Jimmy. Now, get out of here so I can forget where this came from."

"A pleasure doing business with you, Tod. I'll be in touch if I have anything else for you." Jimmy shook Tod's hand, then quickly departed the house to return to the storefront that served as the temporary home for Reverend Peabody's "Rejuvenation Chapel". The name sort of rolled off Jimmy's tongue when he diced on a name for the church. It certainly fit the premise that it would rejuvenate Jimmy's cash situation considerably.

He arrived back at the storefront and threaded his way through the busy kitchen area to the tiny office in the back. Sue Gilmore, his live-in girlfriend and the ersatz Minister's wife was waiting for him. He suspected she was naked except for the dowdy “respectable” dress only a minister’s wife would dare wear in public.

"So how'd’t go, Jimmy?"

"Great, Sue. We got a checking account in her name. Turned out to be a real account that they didn't change when she did. We'll have checks in a few days, love. Have you figured out a way to look like her enough to use the checks?"

"I've got it covered. I found a wig that will do and some makeup I can use. I'll try it at home and you can see what I look like." Then she snorted. “Hell, with a low-cut blouse and a short enough skirt, they won’t be looking at my face anyway.”

"Good. Now we sit back and collect some more money. Then we'll use the checks to implicate her in the project so she'll take the fall for this instead of us. This is going to be the best con I've ever done, Sue." Jimmy had a disconcerting gleam in his eyes that Sue noticed.

"Jimmy, remember I told you to keep it simple, hon. No big schemes, ok?"

"I know, Sue. Believe me, I don't want to screw this one up either. There's millions of dollars at stake here."

"I'll see you at home, then, Jimmy." Sue gave Jimmy a mind-numbing kiss then walked to the door of the office swaying her hips. "Guess you know what I want when you get home huh?"

"I got the picture, Sue. I got the picture!" Yes, she’s naked under…

>>> To be continued in Zapped! Chapter 11 <<<