After the Pantomime

By Susannah Donim

A spare time hobby slowly turns into a lifetime choice for Nick.

Chapter 6 – After the Panto

Nick puts what he has learned as a Pantomime Dame to good use.

After the Pantomime

By Susannah Donim

A spare time hobby slowly turns into a lifetime choice for Nick.

Chapter 5 – The Panto

Sarah the Cook starts to take over – and who is Auntie Elsie?

The last two weeks of rehearsals went like a flash – literally so, as every time I was in costume someone from the Society seemed to be taking photos. ‘For publicity,’ they kept saying.

After the Pantomime

By Susannah Donim

A spare time hobby slowly turns into a lifetime choice for Nick.

Chapter 4 - Rehearsals

Nick learns to be a Dame.

After the Pantomime

By Susannah Donim

A spare time hobby slowly turns into a lifetime choice for Nick.

Chapter 3 – A Pantomime Dame

Nick is recruited for a very different kind of female role.

Part 28

That weekend Aganee, Birgitta and I spent a lot of time with Anna, Anudeeps’ wife. It happened that the trash mags had been right when they said she had been an airline hostess. “I met Anu by accident. He was flying in my plane when we hit turbulence and I literally landed in his lap carrying a tray of drinks. He said ‘Don’t worry. I will hold you down’ and did just that.”

It seemed like just seconds ago Avery had snuggled in a warm bed in a dark room. He awoke to a room that was bathed in sunlight. He headed toward the kitchen, stopping for a bathroom break. He found his mom at the kitchen table, reading some papers.

“Hello, Sweetie. Oh, we don’t go around the house in just a nightie. Go slip something on over it.”

Part 27

We had a quiet dinner that night, no grand affair, just normal clothes. The hotel people were still very attentive and the head waiter did say that he looked forward to serving me when I was back here for filming.

Saddled 6

As the babies were all now six months old we needed to get them baptised and it was arranged for the last Sunday in January. The church was quite full of friends and family as all four of the aunts had come along. The one that I had met on the first day with Louisa gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, saying “I knew you would be a keeper.”

Due to the circumstances, Mom gave Avery a temporary deferment regarding discussion of what she knew were probably serious gender issues. It wasn’t discussed because they both realized they were in no condition to attack issues other than the one all-consuming issue at hand.

Saddled 5

I can hear you all now, “Is the lad stupid that he didn’t know what was happening to him?” I agree that it may be somewhat obvious that I had been changed by whatever chemicals that Claudette was giving me. They must have had some other ingredients as I really didn’t mind. By the time I realised that I was no longer the Anthony I used to be it was way too late.

Saturday morning Avery awoke to the smell of bacon and eggs cooking. Mom was fixing a nice breakfast so, presumably, he would have a full stomach to make a full confession. When he went into the dining room, she put a full plate in front of him and inquired, “Can we talk after breakfast?”

He gave the only answer he felt would satisfy her, “Yes, ma’am.”

“Thank you, Honey. You know ….” Her cell phone chimed. She looked at the screen and the blood went from her face. “Hello?”

Saddled 4

I was now getting out and about a lot more. The locals had all taken to me as the saviour of the legend of Henri and word started to get about that I was some kind of magic stud, being able to get Odette pregnant in her mid-forties. I just smiled and tried to look enigmatic.

Saddled 3

She handed me my pants and tee and said that I should get dressed as we would be going into Tours today as she needed to check in with her work before she started back on Monday. Giselle just started getting things out her drawers and dressing as if it was just a normal day.

Saddled 2

It was a good thing that it was not a cold night because we slept where we lay, cuddled on a single airbed. Around two in the morning I woke needing to pee and I worked my way out of the tent and went over to a bush to relieve myself. As I was finishing she came out of the tent and stood beside me and kissed me before squatting and relieving herself, with me holding her steady.

Part 21

On Monday I had a call from Gaurav who wanted me to meet him in town at lunch time. We met and he took me for a nice meal and then we went to a jewellry shop where he wanted me to choose an engagement ring. It was about time he had got around to it!

Part 19

Friday evening we gathered in Tavleens’ rooms and fitted Balnoor with the right outfit. We had him put on a bra which had seed-filled stockings put into the cups and when he put the burqa on he didn’t look pregnant like he had before.

Part 18

Balnoor snorted “No way!” He folded his arms and carried on “it would never work, you must be mad. Besides, I am a proud Indian man and proud Indian men would never stoop to that level!”

Tavleen glared at him and said “So you think that being a woman is a lower level, just like all those haughty rapist men in the old country?” “No, I didn’t mean it like that” he was on the back foot from her attack. I said “OK. Proud Indian Man, just take a look around the table and tell me what you see.”

“I’m sorry sir, but I’m not allowed to discuss that,” Sophie said as she poured the passenger his coffee. “Will there be anything else, sir?”

“Non, that will be all,” the middle-aged businessman replied in his refined Parisian accent. Sophie dutifully bobbed a curtsey and dragged her trolley back to the kitchen, where her supervisor was waiting with a sympathetic smile on her face.

“I couldn’t help but hear that, honey,” Annabelle said softly. “You got another one of those questions?”

Part 17

I chatted with the guys while Tom did his thing. There was Alan on the piano, Joe on drums, Alec on bass and Chico on guitar. When Tom brought us the discs I found out these guys were called the ‘Four Winds’ and the album we had just cut as play was called ‘Four Winds and a Gayle.’ So shoot me, I didn’t get to name it.

Part 16

Jack said that he had saved the disc to his computer and would like to share it with some friends of his and we told him that he would need to contact Salman to get his permission but we were sure that Salman would be happy with it as long as it improved his chances for a successful tour. I gave them the name of the venue he managed.