Part Nine

Aaron decided that he needed to speak with Abner Throne as quickly as possible. If nothing else, he wanted to correct whatever impression Mannequin had left him with. Therefore, instead of trying to make an appointment, he simply arrived in the man's office early the next day. Throne, busy poring over some documents, didn't even notice him until Aaron noisily cleared his throat. Throne's reaction then was one of annoyance.

"Who are you!? How did you get in here?!"

"I'm Aaron Labelle. I understand you've been trying to talk to me."

Sent By Sophia

Chapter 5: Set-Up

A Transgender Coming of Age Adventure

A Story from THE ONE

Ariel Montine Strickland

*

The gym's fluorescent lights are unforgiving. I take a stall to change, shucking my jeans. My usual workout shorts go on and I understand the problem immediately: the fabric pulls tight across a rear that's rounder and fuller than two days ago, the seat straining in a way that has nothing to do with fit. I have less muscle in my thighs and the mass sits differently - softer at the inner thigh, fuller at the seat, less dense at the outer quad. The shorts follow a silhouette I don't recognize. I dig out my sweatpants and put those on instead.

Rascal's First Halloween
By
Rebecca Anna Coleman

-1-
Down the Transgender Fiction Rabbit Hole!

I fell down the transgender fiction rabbit hole late one summers evening between my junior and senior year in high school. I can still recall how it happened, it was simple enough, it was early in the evening and mom had been invited out to dine at a local restaurant by one of her co-workers. Leaving me alone, to fend for myself. Well not really fend for myself, she had slipped me three twenty dollars bills and told me to door-dash something.

Chapter 5

That January was full-on. We recorded shows in Narooma, Bermagui, Bega, Merimbula, Eden, Bombala and Cooma. We had to stop at Batemans Bay to re-record me leaving, as we now had another town next.

To the tune of “You Oughta Be in Pictures”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Oughta_Be_in_Pictures
Composed by Dana Suesse and Edward Heyman
Originally recorded by Rudy Vallee.

https://youtu.be/aYkO1Jwlue4?si=JakMphzejll6iOID

Photo by Olga Solodilova on Unsplash

I blame it all on AI. So OK, everybody blames everything on AI these days, but in this instance it is the complete, unvarnished truth.

The ward bathroom. You are standing at the mirror with your shirt off and you don't know how long you've been standing here. The bathroom is empty except for you. The strip light hums above. Your hands are pressed flat against the sides of the belly, which is — large, is the only word, enormous compared to the last time you looked, the navel pushed outward, the skin taut and marked down the center by a dark line you didn't put there. You have been doing the inventory.

Part Seven

The gathering was held in a large, outdoor venue, one with a permanent stage. It currently also had folding chairs set on the concrete. Those seats nearest the stage had padding, for the comfort of honored guests (mainly donors). However, most of the chairs were unoccupied, padded or not. Over half the attendees for the event, "honored" or not, were actually in the padded chairs and still many were empty. The campaign organizers had seriously overbooked the facilities.

I woke early on Saturday, excited and terrified by the thoughts of the coming day. Probably more excited than terrified, yesterday’s excursion having done much to allay my fears. I checked the time; 5am. Still time for another snooze. I turned over, snuggled further into the duvet, closed my eyes, and stayed fully awake. After about 10 minutes or so, I decided I might as well get up and start to get ready. I wandered to the bathroom and was just about to step into the shower when I saw a small box on the shower tray with a note.

Wear this in the shower.

Chapter 3

When the crew had packed everything in the van, and Bernie had put his cameras in my car, Matthew opened an ice box and we all sat on the sand and talked about the day. Matthew proposed a toast.

“To Carol and the insights that she has brought to us.”

We clinked bottles.