Mistaken For A Girl Singer - Chapter 7

OTHER CHAPTERS | ALL STORY LIST

"A nice long conversation with me. Perhaps you didn't know this, but I own fifty-three percent of this company, so I think you can spare me a few minutes, don't you?"  Ellen looked around, then nodded in resignation. "Yes, I think I can." 

 "Come on girls," Evan muttered quietly and led them out into the hallway.  

Once in the hall, Evan turned to Margo and in an angry whisper, hissed, "What were you thinking!? The very first day and you find a way to blow this whole thing!? 

The one thing that you agreed to never mention, you write down and leave it around for people to see!? 

Are you nuts!?"  

Terry interceded. 

"Evan, Chris threw the note in the waste basket. I'm sorry. I should have taken it with me and destroyed it, but, come on, who would expect anyone to go through the waste baskets after a."  

"I would! And so should you! That's how corporate America works; finding out other people's secrets."  

The girls nodded in sorrow and agreement. At that moment, they noticed that Chris was no longer with them. They turned at looked down the hallway where Chris was seated on a small bench; his knees together, with his elbows on them, and his head buried in his hands.  "Chrissie," Terry and Margo both called softly as they hurried down the hall.  

"Are you, ok, baby?" Terry asked as she sat beside him and Margo knelt in front of him.  Chris shook his head and looked at them. His eyes were rimmed in red, but he had not cried. "No. I'm not ok. I don't think this is going to work. 

Do you?" He looked from Margo to Terry, but neither answered. "It's day one and already I have to wear a bathing suit tomorrow - which we all know, I can't do - and at least two more people know I am a guy! 

At this rate, it will be in tomorrow's New York Times! 'New Jersey Boy Is a Freak In a Dress' - more on page six!"  

"What do you mean, two people. It was only Ellen?" Margo asked.  "And Mr Bennett," Chris reminded her. "He heard everything and it was obvious that he knew before."  

"Of course, he knew." 

Evan chimed in. "He is the president of this company. I had no choice but to tell him, but he promised me and he made me promise him that this would never be discussed! Let's see how this plays out before we panic, alright?"  

Margo and Terry nodded, but Chris put his head back in his hands and this time the sobs came. His shoulders shook as he tried to stop it, but he felt so powerless and useless. He knew that he'd let everyone down and he couldn't bear the thought of 'going home to mommy' and having to admit how he'd failed.  

Terry hugged him while Margo kissed the crown of his head, but he couldn't be comforted until a man's voice cut through his misery.  

"Chrissie," The voice said, but at first it seemed far away and Chris didn't even acknowledge it. "Chrissie." 

This time it was louder and caught his attention. He raised his tear-soaked and mascara-smeared face and Alan Bennett was squatting down next to him. Alan had his hands on Chris' shoulders and was looking him right in the eye. "Chrissie," he was saying. His voice was calm and paternal. "Chrissie, Ellen would like to speak to you for a moment."  

Chris looked up higher and spotted Ellen standing behind Alan. She looked very upset and returned Chris' stare with a brief, weak smile. 

"Look, Chrissie, I am really sorry. How could anyone have anticipated this? And, well, 

I know this must happen all the time - ever since you were little but I really do apologize from the bottom of my heart. Mr Bennett has said that I can stay on as your liaison if that's ok with you, and I promise that I will do everything in my power to keep your secret! Yours too, Terry. 

I will be on your side 24/7/365. Ok?"  

Terry Chris and Margo all exchanged shocked and confused glances. Then, Chris looked at Alan who had never looked away from Chris' eyes. He still held his stare while he said, "Thank you, Ellen. You can go, now. I need to talk to the girls."  

Ellen nodded, again the weak smile, and left.  "My secret?" Terry asked.  Alan let out a long, frustrated sigh. "I had to think on my feet! Evan and I had planned to take you girls for a bite to eat tonight to discuss a cover story in case one was needed in the future. Obviously, things got ahead of us! So, I came up with a story that not only would shut Ellen up, but get her on your side."  

He stood, now, and helped Chris to his feet. "I told her that you were born a hermaphrodite and that you had been raised as a boy until your 'late puberty' hit, about a year ago, and you started to blossom. 

Now, you live as a woman full time and you are anticipating corrective surgery when the time is appropriate. I also made it clear to Ellen that she needs to protect you from the media and the world in general. 

This is top-secret information and it is her job to keep it that way. She is to care for you as if you are her little sister. I also gave her a huge raise. I don't think that Ellen will be a problem ever again."  

Chris took all of this in and, eventually, he nodded and wiped his face. A little relief passed across his face as well.  

"But," He said, "This is just day one and I am in so deep. She found out."  

"Because of a note that should never have been written."  

Margo grimaced. 

"Sorry."  

"Don't let it EVER happen again," Alan smiled at her.  "... and tomorrow, I am supposed to go swimming as part of my exercise regime. How do I handle that!?"  "Look," Alan laughed, "you created this persona.

 I have dealt with many artists who have weird lifestyles - at least yours has the potential to appear normal. Just don't panic and find a solution. Keep everything as simple as possible and no one will question you. Besides, Denise isn't all that bright."  

Alan turned Chris so that he faced him again. His hands were on both of Chris' upper arms as he spoke. "I haven't even heard you guys hit your stride, yet, and I am already impressed by you. I want this to work out, so make it work! I know you can do it!" Then he pulled Chris in for a big, supportive hug. When he released the hug, he gave Chris a soft kiss on the cheek, then patted that cheek with his large hand. 

"Now, be a good girl and make me a richer man."

Then he tweaked Chris's nose and walked down the hall.  Chris was stunned - by everything.  Suddenly, a thought occurred to Terry. 

"Hey! Wait! What's my secret!?"  Alan didn't even turn. He spoke while he walked away. 

"You're twins. You used to suffer from the same condition, but your surgery was more obvious, so you had it performed on you when you were an infant." 

Then he disappeared into the cafeteria.  

The four of them, Margo, Terry, Chris, and Evan, stood in shocked silence until Margo said, "Wow. You think you know a girl,"  

"No kidding, huh?" Terry said. "I can't wait to read my Wikipedia page." 

"So," Alan Bennett was in the studio talking to the girls, "for the purposes of a scratch track, this is how we will work. We'll pick a song and decide on the perfect tempo. Then record a click track - that's just a metronome click for the length of the song. 

Then one of you plays a really simplified accompaniment - just a simple strum on a guitar and Chris sings along. When that is done, we can begin to build our recording. So, who is going to play the guitar tracks?"  

Terry said, "I guess that Chris and I should. I play all the simple stuff. Gracie plays the hard parts." 

 "Alrighty, then! Terry and Chris, you have a couple more hours of work ahead of you. The rest of you can do whatever you'd like with the rest of your day." 

 "Cool!" Gina chirped! "Let's go shopping! I need a new swimsuit and I know that Chrissie does, too."  

"So do I!!" Terry reminded them. "And be nice to Chrissie! Pick out something conservative, but pretty. My little sister is not a slut." 

The others smiled and gathered their purses together. 

"But I am!! Find something cute, but sexy as hell! Size two! I want it to really show off my butt!" She stood and turned to show her rear end to the others who were already laughing and waving her off. 

"This is good stuff back here and I want it to be well framed! No granny-panty bottoms. Hot stuff! Victoria's Secret stuff!"  

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Margo laughed and waved as the door shut.  

Terry and Chris worked on scratch tracks for the next four hours until Alan sent them home. 

"Eat, sleep, and come back at 10:00 tomorrow morning. I really think we're doing something special with your stuff." 

He kissed them both on the cheeks; the kiss of an affectionate uncle. 

"Good night, girls."  

When they got back to the hotel, there was a sewing machine set up in the suite.  "What's all this?" Terry asked as she entered.  "Did you know that our quiet, little Gracie could sew?" Gina asked a bit mockingly.  

"I did not know that!" Terry replied with the same playfulness.  "Well," Gina continued in the same tone, "It turns out that she can. 

So, we picked up this sewing machine - top of the line, I might add, nothing but the best for Dusty Rose's favorite lead-guitar-slash-banjo-slash- mandolin player and she has made some very clever alterations to little Chrissie's first one-piece-all grown-up-big-girl bathing suit."  

Grace appeared from Terry and Chris' bedroom. She was carrying a bathing suit with a tropical flower pattern on it. 

"Oh, you're back! Hi!"  "And here it is! The latest in country music swimwear and ready for you to try on." Gina jumped across the common room to where Grace was standing and she displayed the swimsuit as if she were a model on The Price is Right. 

"Pretty and revealing in all the right places, but guaranteed to keep all of your secrets secret!"  

Grace took the suit back from Gina and walked over to let Chris and Terry see what she'd done. 

"I had a friend in high school who was really petite - no real boobs or butt, either - so she shopped at this store for petite women. 

Well, there was one of those stores here in Nashville, too, so we went there and I bought this suit for you, Chris. It has a little bit of subtle padding built into the bust, hips, and butt to make you a little curvier."  

She held the suit so that Chris and Terry could inspect the padding. She was right, it was only a very little padding but probably would make a difference.  "Thanks, Grace, but my butt isn't my biggest concern."  

"I know, I know. So, Margo told us about those gaffs that you wear to keep everything tucked in, so to speak, so I bought this sewing machine and some 'invisible' nylon thread and I sewed a gaff into the suit. Look!" Grace turned the suit inside out at the crotch and her handiwork was evident. "Tah dah! I took one of yours out of your suitcase and copied it. I was just putting it back when you came in. Go try it on!"  She practically pushed Chris into the bedroom and closed the door behind him.  

When he emerged from the room, he looked great. Curves in all the right places and no bulges where there shouldn't be.  "Nice work, Gracie!" Gina offered from the couch as she turned on the suite's TV and searched for a channel.  Terry, Grace, and Chris all set about cleaning up the sewing machine and its work when it finally occurred to Terry to ask, "Hey, where's Margo?" 

 "Right here!" She hollered as she burst through the door carrying a couple of shopping bags. "We bought our bathing suits and the sewing machine and came back here without buying any cover-ups. I figured we'd need them to get from here to the pool in the morning, so I went back out. Wow! Chrissie, you look amazing!"  

Chris blushed just a bit. 

"Thanks."  "Here, put your arms up and I will help you put on your cover-up."  

He did as instructed and Margo lowered what looked like a summer dress over his head. The top was made out of a band of bubbly, elastic material that clung softly to his bust. Then, it hung loosely to his upper thigh in a very pretty way, with eyelets forming floral patterns cut into it.  

"There," She turned him towards the mirror, "aren't you the cutest thing!?" She kissed his neck from behind and rubbed his fanny through the dress. Then, she turned to the others and passed out their cover-ups.  

Terry's was just a large scarf-type thing that wrapped around her breasts and hung down. Gracie's was like a simple, red sundress and both Margo and Gina's looked like elongated polo shirts that hung to their knees. They all held them up and looked at them, enthused over them and thanked Margo. 

 "Hey!" Chris got their attention. 

"Why is mine so frilly? 

I look like a child in this and you all look so, well, sophisticated and grown in yours."  

Margo turned him back to the mirror. "Look how pretty you look like that." She said. 

Then, without a thought, she pulled off her dress and pulled her cover-up on. Chris felt very excited to see Margo so casually disrobed. She turned back to the mirror and looked at Chris' reflection. 

"Look at me. I am a girl wearing a men's style top; it's just a little longer than usual. I look ok, right?"  

"I think you look beautiful," Chris said, truthfully.  

"Nice; yes, but I look a little boyish, which can be sexy in its own way. You look beautiful, though. Soft, young, sexy and vulnerable. That's beautiful on you and that's the image you need to always project. The 'good girl'. The 'farmer's daughter'. 

I just play bass behind you. Being beautiful is now your job and you are great at it, sweetheart." Then she hugged him from behind and kissed him, again, on his neck. 

"Besides, you grew up in kakis and jeans while our moms were forcing us into frilly, uncomfortable dresses against our wills! I've heard Terry say at least twenty times, 'It's like having my own life-sized American Girl doll' and she's right! We all enjoy making you pretty.  Then she turned Chris towards her and gave him a soft, passionate kiss on the lips while the other girls shouted, "Oh, gross," and other immature and funny remarks.  

"You like being pretty for me, don't you, baby?" she whispered to him.  Chris shook his head and smiled up at her. "No. I love looking pretty for you, Margo. Make me as pretty as you like." They kissed once more and then hugged as they joined the others for an evening in front of the TV.  

Denise arrived at the suite at 6:30 the next morning, 

Chris and the others were all wearing yoga pants and exercise tops. She ran them through a rigorous, hour-long yoga session. The four girls had done yoga many times and it was tough for them. Chris ached everywhere when they finished.  

"I thought this was supposed to be a relaxing exercise?" 

Chris grumbled as they finished.  "Once you're used to it, it will be. We have to work on a few problem areas as we go along. Margo, you're in pretty good shape?"  

"Good?"

 Margo mocked as she stood and posed like a bodybuilder. 

"I am an Amazon Queen!"  

"Gina, you need to strengthen your pecks just a little. You have a nice rack there, but they can get a little perkier with some work."   

"Thanks, I guess" Gina looked at her boobs and played with them for a moment.  

"Grace, you have a little posture issue. You're tall and lean, but sometimes you stand like a question mark. You need to focus a bit on your shoulder muscles." 

 "Yes, 'em. Will do!" Gracie replied.  

"And you two," She pointed at both Chris and Terry, "have to work on your upper legs a little. Terry, you have a little cottage cheese developing right here." 

Denise ran her hand along the back of Terry's leg just where it met her rump.  "What?"  

"Don't panic! That's why I am here! But you, little girl," She turned and placed her hand on Chris' rump this time, "have the hips and butt of a fifteen-year-old boy. We need to firm that thing up and get it sticking out a bit. Let the world know it's there! Ok!?"  Chris smiled through the embarrassment he felt. "Ok!"  

"Good! Now we're all on the same page! Quick, ladies! Bathing suits on and let's go swim some laps. Five minutes to change." 

 Four minutes later, clad in their new bathing suits and cover-ups they all headed for the pool. Just as the elevator doors opened in the basement of the hotel, Denise's cell phone rang.  "Hello, this is Denise." 

"Right now? 

But, we're not done and she's not really dressed for..." "Yes, sir. I'll send her out. Right now."  She disconnected the call grabbed Chris by the arm and pushed him back into the elevator. 

"You four start swimming. 25 laps a piece. No cheating! Chris, that was Alan Bennett's secretary. He wants you in the studio - NOW!"  The elevator doors closed with Denise and Chris inside. She pushed the lobby button and it started to rise.  

"Now!? I'm not dressed!! I haven't done my make-up! I'm still in a bathing suit!!"  "It doesn't matter if you're in your birthday suit! When Alan Bennett calls, you do what he says, little girl! He sent a car for you. It should be out in front." The doors opened. "Come on." She led him towards the front of the lobby.  

Chris froze midway across. "Denise." They stopped. "why me - alone? Did I do something wrong? 

Can't I take Terry with me?"  Denise could see the panic on Chris' face. She suddenly wasn't a drill sergeant anymore. 

"Oh, don't worry, baby girl. I'm sure it's studio stuff. If you were in trouble, he'd have you meet him in his office." It suddenly dawned on Denise that Chris looked very young. "How old are you, sweetie?"  

Chris, who had been staring in fear towards the door, looked briefly at Denise, "Seventeen." His attention went back to the door and he noticed a man in a black suit had entered. He was obviously a chauffeur and he was obviously here for Chris.  

"Wow." Denise's surprise was real. "You really are a baby, aren't you? Is this your first time away from home?"  

Chris nodded. "Monday was the first night I ever slept anywhere but at home or in a hospital. Denise, Denise, do I look ok like this?"  

"Honey, if there's one thing I know about Alan Bennett, it's that he isn't calling you in because he wants to get you alone. 

Alan Bennett is one of the most happily married men I have ever met. He is all business at the studio, so he couldn't care less if you showed up in a ball gown or your skivvies - just that you come when he calls. So, go on!" 

She gave him a quick, playful slap on the bottom. "Git!"  

"Good morning, beautiful!" Alan said as Chris entered the studio. 

"Are we feeling good, today?"

 He gave Chris a warm hug and kissed him on the cheek.  Chris smiled. "I'm ok, I guess. Is there anything wrong?"  

The only other person in the studio was Mark, the technician. He was setting up a guitar mic and a vocal mic in front of a chair.  

"Wrong? No, why?" Alan grabbed his iPad off of a music stand and started scrolling through his notes.  

"Well, I don't know... why did you call just me down here?" 

 "Because I need just you. Chrissie, you work for me now. I am your boss. This is a business and I call who I need when I need them. Is that a problem?"  Chris shook his head franticly. "No, no, of course not. It's just that, you know, after yesterday... well, I was scared."  

Alan laughed, "Oh. I get it! No, look," He directed Chis' attention to his iPad, "I made some notes on yesterday's scratch tracks and I only need you, me, and Mark here to try a few things. So, put your big-girl panties on, and let's start." Now, he seemed to look at Chris' clothes for the first time. 

"Are you wearing a bathing suit?"  

Chris lifted the hem of his cover-up so Alan could see. "Yes. I was about to jump in the pool when you called."  

"Why didn't you change?"  

"Because Denise said"  Alan laughed. "Denise!? I told you she's not that bright! Well. I can't let you leave now, but you're ok with that, aren't you?"  

"Sure, I guess."  

"Good. I sent word to the others to not come until 1:30. You and I are going to work on one song until then. You know that one," he checked

d his notes on the iPad, "Those Eyes that we laid the scratch for last, yesterday?" 

 "Yes."  

"Well, I listened to it a lot and I think we have our first winner there. There are two things I want you to try, so sit, and let's get started."  

Alan led Chris to the chair in front of the mics. Chris sat and crossed his legs at the knee. Mark handed him his guitar. Alan sat in another chair nearby.  "First thing, I want to try it a little higher in your range. 

Here," Alan handed Chris a capo, a small clamp that shortens the neck length of the guitar and raises the key of the song the person is playing. "Put this on the third fret."  Chris did as he was instructed.  "Now play and sing the song."  

Chris strummed and when he started singing, it felt very high. 

"Those eyes can see me when I'm sleeping. Those eyes, they make me want to cry." He stopped.  "What's the matter?" 

 "It's really high and if I push up there, won't I sound like a guy straining for high notes?" Chris whispered so Mark couldn't hear.  

"Chris, country girls are all belting out songs now. 

Open up and let it out. This time, though, instead of Those Eyes, I want to hear you sing, His Eyes. That's a lot sexier. 

Try it."  

"Ok." Chris took a deep breath and tried Alan's way. It was awesome. 

His voice seemed to flow out like it never had before and the new words made it so personal. It was a little weird at first, singing about a man, but when he considered it, songwriters wrote for the opposite sex all the time. 

This was no different. As the song went on, Chris closed his eyes and really let the song flow through him. 

 When he finished, Alan leaped up and shouted, "Yes, yes, yes! 

That's what I want!" He practically lifted Chris out of his seat to hug him.

 "Do it like that one more time, Chrissie! I want one more take with that passion from beginning to end." Alan released his hug so Chris could sit back down. 

Then he gave Chris another kiss on the cheek as he headed back to the recording booth.

 "One more time, my country music princess! Just like that!"