Chapter 15

I took my time in the morning. I made sure that I had a good breakfast, tidied up, then spent a lot of time in the bathroom. Freshly showered, hair washed, and no errant wisps of hair anywhere else, I took a great deal of care choosing what I was going to wear.

Chapter 13

When we arrived at Gatwick, there was a sign with an arrow that just had ‘Turbulence’ on it. It led us to a reserved floor in the North Terminal car park, where attendants were there to show us to a parking area and open the doors for us. Our driver would be back at seven, to wait for our return. Jeff and I certainly looked like we should be there as we followed more signs that took us into the main concourse, through a very quick passport check, finally arriving in a VIP lounge where some had already started mingling.

Chapter 11

When she said that, I knew what the part was. There was a lower rank police officer who is friendly with my daughter, and he learns enough to be needed to be killed. It would have him, on set, until fairly late in the shooting, and will be in a lot of scenes with Kurt. As an unknown, he would have to be good. The screenplay has his death the trigger for the unravelling of the coven.

“That’s a big part, Kym, for very little money.”

“You have read the screenplay, haven’t you? What would you think he’s worth if he passes the test?”

Chapter 9

Firstly, though, was the matter of getting this project finished. David and the technical crews were on a plane next morning, bound for a post-production studio. Once they had the film in a rough cut, they would be looking for music to go with it.

Mars Shot – A Tale of New Beginning

When I was young, I read about the moon landings and wondered what it would be like to stand and look back at the Earth. Over fifty years passed before we thought about going back, but the only talk was about Mars, and just how difficult it would be. With the technology we already had, the trip each way would be nine months. Then there was the time on the Red Planet before the Earth was nearing a suitable position to come back.

Chapter 6

After the salon I felt and looked like a star already. I thought that it would be a good time to see what sort of clothes the upper crust wore, so hailed a taxi to take me to the next destination. When we arrived, I saw that the dress shop and shoe shop were side by side. I say shop, but they were both more like fantasy lands. Nothing, in either window had a price shown.

Chapter 4

We stayed seated until the guys had finished, then, as we all stood, Kurt and Jack did the rounds with hugs, kisses and “Welcome to the Movie Madhouse" for everyone. We watched them as they got into a waiting limo and were driven away. It left a vacuum that could only be filled by one thing. Wanda voiced it.

“I don’t know about you girls, but I have just realised that what I was going to wear tonight, isn’t up to my new mindset. Are we shopping?”

Chapter 2

I had, of course, flown with my father several times, but with all of those I had been in economy and had never watched his manner with the passengers. I knew that if he did come out during the flight, he’d never go that far back. Belle saw me watching.

“Smooth, isn’t he. Most of the girls call him Creepy Curtis, no offence meant.”

Chapter 3

Next morning, after breakfast, he loaned me a gown and slippers and I crossed the garden between number two and number six, carrying my clothes. I was sure that I would be seen by the others but, today, I didn’t care. I had done what Jenny and Aggie surely did. My mind was full of memories of last night, a perfect way to lose my virginity.

Chapter 1

I was told that when you reach the end of your tether, you either fall off in despair or start climbing back in hope. My slide on the tether started the day my wife, Zena, came home early to find me in my office, slaving over a spreadsheet, dressed in a slim skirt, lacy blouse, stockings, heels and fully made-up under a strawberry-blonde wig.

The Devil You Know

It was Halloween, and the usual crowd had gathered in the pub to be safe from ‘trick or treaters’. They weren’t heavy drinkers, just steady drinkers, and were all mildly happy by nine. As usual, none of the talk was about the particular reason for the evening, until Harry suggested that it was a nice evening, if a bit foggy, perfect for the kids roaming the streets.

“You think that the kids like wandering around in the fog, Harry?”

“No, Bert, it’s just that it’s the one night of the week they can have fun and dress up.”

Sorry about the delay. I haven’t been able to get to the site for several days, with the message URL Not found.
Chapter 10

We arranged a date for the signing on a day the banks would be open. Then we left again, while Geraldine took a very confused Judy by the hand to lead her into the inner sanctum, to meet, I expect two women that she had never spoken to before.

Chapter 8

The only break, the following Wednesday, was when we had the Mayor come along to cut a ribbon to declare Harrison Industrial Steelworks open for business. I took Carol and the girls in that day all of us dressed to the nines, and we met up with Janet, Gerald, and the rest of the Board, with their families. Geraldine turned up, with Bobby driving her and Astrid. Cyril and the rest of the office were there, along with some of the other union representatives.

Chapter 6

As I drove south, I was very mindful of the speed limits, something that I now took very seriously, not wanting to have my licence being checked while I was in a skirt. Being a nice day, I had opted for something casual but well made and we had bought a couple of good skirts, suited to a businesswoman.

I had a good collection of blouses that we had bought to go with the skirt suits that were in the garment bags hanging in the back of the car, alongside the new dress that had cost almost as much as a month’s salary.

Chapter 4

After that, Albert and I talked a bit of shop, but I tried to keep Raylene in the discussion, adding bits of information for her to add to whatever knowledge she had about running a Union. When I had paid, we stood and went to fetch our coats. Raylene gave me a hug, and then I did the same for Albert. I was happy that he didn’t recoil or flinch. Our time, tonight, had allowed him to think of me as a woman.

Chapter 2

After the others had left, I started making calls. If the girls I wanted to talk to weren’t at home, I’d leave a message for them to call before six-thirty today or tomorrow. By the time I put the phone down at a quarter to seven, I had a list of nine girls, who were all happy to be kept informed about a new site with female welders.

This was originally written as a contest entry, but has - shock, horror - a sex scene. So, it's just a short story about going too far.
Marianne

Family Ties

It was early evening, I was on my bed, and I was in trouble. It was purely of my own making, and it needed me to think clearly and work out how I was going to get out of the trouble I was in.

Part 8

On Sunday, we were visited by Sandra and her parents. They wanted to know just what they were letting themselves in for. They had signed the contract after hearing the two songs, and were now having second thoughts.

Part 6

Sunday, we had a day at the beach at Lyme Regis, with the parents. It was the first chance that Dad had to be where we could talk quietly. He spoke to Angelica as we walked along the foreshore, eating ice-creams. Whatever he told her, it must have been good, as she gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Then, he walked between us while Mum steered Angelica away.

Part 4

“Girls, I wouldn’t have spent it if we couldn’t. You know I do the books for the business, and I can tell you that we do very well. We owe nothing on the house and land because they’ve come down through the family; the original truck fleet were bought just after the war for next to nothing, and the tank transporters came out of a military auction. The Burrells cost about fifty pounds each, so I was told, and are now worth over a quarter of a million, each.”

Part 2

The stage was set up with a bank of speakers on either side, where we would come out from behind. The backing tape went through those, with our voices going through a PA system. As we emerged, with Angelica singing the first lines, I was almost pushed forward by the impact of the sound.

View from a Bridge

The old tune was on constant repeat in my head as I walked, slowly, across the bridge, carrying a heavy knapsack. The view was particularly stunning this bright early summer day. Following the lines of the song, though, I couldn’t take any more.

This one started as an idea for a longer story, but the team was so good they solved the case before it went too far. It wrapped up just in time for Christmas.
Marianne

Chapter 1

Chapter 3

Going back into the house, I helped with the dinner, and we sat to enjoy the meal. Mum had found a bottle of white wine which had been in the fridge, and we had a glass, each. It wasn’t bad. I had baked a cake, during the week, so we each had a slice, covered in custard out of a carton.