Becoming A High School Girl - Chapter 32

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I was excited about meeting Marlene. I was hoping that she could prevent this issue from getting any bigger. School and track practice blew by in a total blur. All I can tell you was that I know that I was physically in school that day.

Laura drove me home, and we went upstairs to change. I slipped on a short denim skirt and a blue top. Laura thought I looked cute. It's so funny how attitudes change. I really was happy to be called cute now.

We went downstairs and waited for Sam. I looked through the mail and found another envelope from the Rev. I decided to wait until Sam came in before opening it. It wasn't as thick as the last one.

"Here he comes," Laura stated as she looked out the front window.

I looked outside and saw Sam's car pull into the driveway. We walked out to join him. We got in the car, and I handed him the envelope. He opened it and read the letter.

"It seems that our friendly harasser wants to remind you that your decision will free an innocent young man, and it might prevent your eternal damnation. He also says that if you don't send him the letter by the end of the week that he'll make life very difficult for you, your mother, and your school."

"Why doesn't this jerk get a real-life?" grumbled Laura. For the first time, I was seeing Laura get very protective of me. It made me love her even more.

"I'll give this to Marlene. She'll find it very useful. Look, I know this isn't easy, but we'll get you through this," comforted Sam.

"I know that. I'm just glad that this didn't come up while I was having my problems. It would have made it more difficult to recover."

We arrived at the hotel, and Sam took us to Marlene's room. Marlene met us at the door, and Sam introduced us. She was a short, thin woman in her thirties with her long brown, curly hair in a ponytail. She had a very comforting smile that made me instantly trust her.

We entered her room. It had double beds, and one of the beds was covered in papers, as was the table and the top of the dresser.

"Don't worry about my mess. I have a tendency to spread out," she apologized.

Sam handed her the latest letter. She looked at it and shook her head.

"He's using a format that is used by many of these types. I wonder if they give them a form letter and let them fill in the person to be harassed. May I keep this?" she asked. "You'll probably get another letter on Friday or Saturday."

"I'd like a copy when you get a chance. I'll leave you guys to talk. Call me tomorrow at work, okay?" said Sam.

Marlene said that she'd stop by his office tomorrow.

"So, Sam says that you two know a good pizza place?"

We walked out to the parking lot to her car. It was a green SUV. The back bumper had many political bumper stickers and logos. One said, 'Doing my best to piss off the Religious Reich.' There was also one of those Darwin fish on the back hatch.

"I know that this SUV is a gas hog, but I need the storage space. It's my office on wheels," she apologized.

"I imagine that you get a lot of interesting comments on your stickers," I remarked as I got in the front seat.

"Yes, I have. I am not anti-religion, just anti-extremist," she remarked. "There's a difference, although many don't see it that way."

We arrived at Guido's and got a booth. Marlene explained that she'd be sending the Rev a letter informing him to stop all correspondence with me and that if he continued, legal action would follow. She said that she could bring many groups to my defense, ranging from the GLBT community to victim's rights groups. She went on to say that if this guy had half a brain, he'd back down.

"If he had half a brain, he'd be smarter than he is right now," added Laura.

Marlene laughed. I could tell that she liked both of us.

"So, do you think that he'll back off?" I asked hopefully.

"It's hard to say, sometimes they do, and sometimes they'll try to make a sneak attack. That is, they'll say that they are leaving you alone, then they'll show up unannounced to protest. Of course, they'll make it a public protest to grab attention. This guy is new, so he'll probably try something, or else he'll lose all credibility," she explained.

Our pizza arrived, and we started eating.

"You're right; this is pretty good pizza for being way out here," stated Marlene.

"You came all the way from Philly for this?" I asked.

"Sure, I wouldn't miss a chance to help old Sam out. He's a good man, and he really stands up for what he thinks is right."

I thought about what she'd said. If the Rev came here and protested, Sam would be dragged in by association with me. It could have a negative effect on his career. I didn't want to see people close to me get hurt.

"Are we doing the right thing by standing up to him?" I asked.

"Oh, absolutely. These creeps thrive on creating fear and hoping that no one opposes them. They are counting on the victim, not fighting back. They love to pick on people who have already been through a lot of pain and suffering. When you stand up for what is right, you'll be surprised who comes to your side!" explained Marlene.

We finished dinner, and Marlene drove us home. She told me that she would like to meet again later in the week. Laura suggested that she meet us in Spencer's Friday evening. She liked that idea.

When we got in, Sam asked us our opinions of her.

"She's something! I can see why you called her," I remarked.

"I like her a lot - but who pays her?" asked Laura.

"Her group gets grants from various sources as well as donations. You won't get rich in her line of work, but the job satisfaction is pretty high. Almost as good as being a DA," joked Sam.

"Why are you interested in her pay?" I asked Laura.

"I'm thinking of becoming a lawyer. I also like the idea of taking on social injustice."

"Well, I'm sure that Marlene would be happy to tell all about her career," smiled Sam.

Laura had to leave. I kissed her goodbye and told her that she'd make a great lawyer.

Thursday, we had a meeting for all of the 'volunteers' for the charity dinner. I knew most of them. In addition to the Fab Five, Kristen, Tracey, Laura, and Cat had all been volunteered to help. I'm not really fair. Most of us wanted to do this, but being teenagers, we acted as if it was a great inconvenience.

Ms. B spoke to us while Mr. Kline talked to the boys. I saw that Paul, Mike, and Alex had all been selected. She told us that we would have a mandatory training session Saturday at noon. The dinner was being held in the banquet hall of one of the hotels. It was the largest facility in town. She also said that we'd be provided with our uniforms for the event.

"Excuse me, Ms. B, but do you know what the outfits look like?" asked Tracey.

"Yes. Don't worry, the outfits are very nice. You'll be wearing a black skirt, a white long sleeve blouse, a black waistcoat, and a red bow tie. The boys are wearing something similar: black pants, white shirt, red bow tie, and black vest."

"Excuse me, Ms. B, but what's a waistcoat?" asked Ann.

"It is like a vest but is cut lower in the front and is tighter around the waist," she explained.

"That means it will show off our boobs better," whispered Tracey. We all heard her and started laughing.

It really didn't sound too bad. I had worried that they'd have some stupid theme and put us in some strange costume. I was also relieved that there was no silly-looking hat to wear.

"One last thing, girls, you'll need a pair of simple black high heels, preferably with three-inch heels," added Ms. B. "Also black stockings or pantyhose."

"Do the boys have to wear those too?" asked Cat, causing us all to laugh.

"No, make them wear five-inch heels!" suggested Tracey. The boys looked over at us, totally clueless about what we were laughing about. I was impressed that Tracey had told two jokes in the same day!

I wasn't worried as I'd gotten pretty used to being in heels for work, although I could see that not everyone was happy about the prospect of being in heels all night.

Ms. B got the Fab Five together after the meeting to talk to us in private. She wanted to reassure us that the school was doing everything possible to protect us.

"This isn't right! I don't see how this asshole can just disrupt everyone's lives," complained Ann. "No one here has done anything wrong. Besides, Erika should be the one protesting about Jason's claiming that he's innocent."

That seemed to be the group sentiment. They all agreed that the Rev's threats would have no bearing on their being in the competition and that they'd join any counter-protest. It was cool to see everyone united. Little did I know how united the school was.

Friday evening Laura, Marlene, and I were sitting on a couch in Spencer's, drinking cappuccinos and eating key lime pie. Marlene said that she had a lot to update us about.

"First off, the Rev only saw Jason once, and, from what I could figure out, they only talked for five minutes. The guard on duty said that Jason wanted nothing to do with the guy. I also talked to Jason's family, and they turned down an offer by the Rev to publicize the case," she explained.

"So, this guy is just an opportunist and not a very good one," asked Laura.

"It looks that way. I also contacted every house of worship in town, and they all find his tactics reprehensible, so he won't find any support from them. I have a letter being sent to him tomorrow. It will include a list of signatures from various clergymen, groups, and businesses in the area stating that they oppose his actions," she added.

"So, is this over?" I asked.

"Maybe. He might still try something, maybe to coincide with some big school event, like prom or graduation."

"Maybe there will be a Klan rally somewhere on prom weekend that he'd rather attend!" quipped Laura.

Laura then began to ask Marlene about her organization. I got up and got another cup of cappuccino and checked the board for new messages. I was standing there, reading a review of Denise's group in the campus paper, when I heard a voice addressing me. I turned around and saw a pretty girl with brown curly hair standing there.

"Hi. I don't wish to interrupt but is that Marlene Hamilton talking to your friend?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yes, it is. Hi, I'm Erika," I said, extending my hand.

"I'm sorry. I'm Lisa. I'm pleased to meet you. I didn't know Marlene was in town. Is she speaking somewhere?" she asked in a very excited tone.

"No. Not exactly. Would you like to meet her?" I asked.

"Oh, yes! We watched a documentary on her group in class," she exclaimed.

We walked over, and I introduced Lisa to Marlene. Lisa was in awe of talking to Marlene. I listened to Lisa rattle off one case after another that Marlene had been involved with. I felt even better knowing that Marlene was on my side.

After Lisa left, I apologized to Marlene. "I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"Don't apologize. I plan on contacting the college for help if the Rev does protest. They have a pretty active GLBT student organization up here. It was also nice to meet a fan."

We talked a while longer before Marlene said that she had to go. She told me she'd stay in touch and that I shouldn't worry.

Laura and I hung out in the college. We walked around and soaked in the atmosphere. Mostly we just walked around enjoying each other's company. The weather was very nice, and it looked like winter had finally departed. We also talked about the dinner and practice Saturday afternoon. I had a meeting with Jenny early in the morning but would have plenty of time to be at practice on time. Laura said that there was going to be a party at Alex's barn after the practice. That sounded great; it would feel like old times. It would be our first party there since the championship party.

Laura decided that it was time for the weekly photograph of my hopefully growing chest, and we drove over to her house. I knew that meant we'd be making out soon!

"You know that you've been on hormones for almost a month," reminded Laura.

I took off my top and took my pads out of my bra. I then took my bra off. I stood in the position, and Laura took my picture with her digital camera.

"I think you may be growing a little." She compared pictures from a few weeks ago to the latest. If there was any change, it was slight. But I did notice that my nipples seemed a bit more tender and sensitive. Laura began to stroke them with her fingertips. There was definitely something happening. She got a kick out of my reaction.

"Just think that this will only feel better," she said as we began to kiss. We lay back on her bed and kissed and caressed each other. I loved Friday evenings!

Saturday morning Jenny and I talked about everything that was going on. I had gone the whole week without a single nightmare or panic attack. Jenny was pleased and said that we could go back to once a week, which was fine with me. She told me that she'd like to eventually go to every other week but that she wanted to take it slowly. Again, she warned me that there might be future issues to deal with.

Laura and Cat picked me up, and we rode together to waitress practice. I think I liked this task because the scholarship contestants were included in the activity and not separate like the fashion show.

When we got there, I looked around to see if every one of the Fab Five was there. There was a large crowd of students assigned to the event, so it was hard to find people. I still had doubts about Lisa. Denise was the easiest to spot. Her white spiked hair stood out like a lighthouse's beam in fog. I saw Paul and Caroline together. They saw us and walked over.

"Guess what? We won that scholarship for our cartoon!" announced Caroline triumphantly.

We all congratulated them. I was so happy for them, as they really deserved it. I continued to search for the remaining contestants. I saw Ann talking to Ms. B. That left Lisa as the only one I hadn't seen. I was relieved to see Lisa walk in with Bill Fry, the class VP. They were holding hands. I pointed this out to Laura; she was as surprised as I was. Not that I minded, they made a good-looking couple.

Ms. B introduced Rob Granger, who was in charge of the dinner. He explained that we'd be divided into groups and assigned our tasks. He called off our names and had us go with someone from his staff. I'd thought we'd all be waiting on tables, but that wasn't true; some of us would do that, while others would assist in serving drinks, and the guys were all assigned as busboys.

I was assigned to wait on tables, along with Caroline, Laura, and Kristen. Cat and Tracey ended up with Rachael, working with the bartender. Denise and Ann were assigned to the coat checkroom.

We spent the next hour or so being trained in our various tasks. It wasn't that hard, and we were assigned two tables each. There would be eight people at each table. It didn't look too hard, especially considering everyone was having the same meal. We were taught how to properly serve and remove items from the table.

We were also measured and issued our uniforms. They were as Ms. B described them. I thought they were nice, although a little on the formal side. And as Tracey said, they did show off our boobs.

After practice, we headed over to Alex's barn. Just being there brought back so many good memories. The weather was great, and it felt wonderful sitting out in the sun. There was a volleyball net set up in the back, and Laura and Cat went over to play. Alex's father had a big barbecue set up and was cooking burgers, hotdogs, and chicken. I joined Kristen and Rachael and got some lunch. We sat down on some lawn chairs and watched the game.

Because she didn't go out for any teams, I had forgotten how athletic Cat was. She was really good, and she led her team to two straight wins. We cheered them on as her team beat a team made up of mostly male jocks.

When I finished my burger, Alex dragged me out for the next game. He formed a team that included Mike and Rachael, and we ended up beating Cat's team in a very close game. Mike joked that my good luck status still worked for them. Alex said that I would have to come down to their football games in the future. I laughed and said that I'd donate a new shirt to the team. We held the court for two more games before losing.

It felt so good to just be having fun without any problems or stress, just normal teenage fun. When it got dark, we went into the barn and sat around and talked. The good thing about the parties at Alex's house was that there was no alcohol. We had just as much fun, and there were fewer fights. I had no real desire to drink. Besides, I really didn't like beer that much. I liked wine, and I'd had a glass on some special occasions. I was totally against smoking and drugs. Smoking was a waste, as I enjoyed running too much. And Mom was very anti-drug. She'd never told me why she was that way, but it had something to do with some friends in college. I knew she had some things in her past that she wasn't proud of, but I hoped she'd share them with me someday.

I sat and talked with several of the guys from the team, including Mike and Alex. Laura came over and dragged me away; she laughed and told me later that she didn't like the way they were flirting with 'her girl.' I kidded her for being jealous. It was very nice to be so totally accepted as a girl. I had to admit that I liked the fact that some of the most macho guys on campus were flirting with me.

We drove home a little after ten. I needed to get some sleep, as work was getting really busy. Between the prom and the charity dinner, we were swamped. I also had my American Lit paper to finish.

When I got home, Sam and Mom were at the kitchen table. They were planning their trip to Philly. They asked about the party and the practice. I showed them my outfit. Mom said it was much nicer than anything she'd worn when she waited tables. Sam said that he had just dropped his tux off at the cleaners. Mom had a nice black evening gown that she was going to wear.

"As expected, we got another letter from the Rev. It should be the last one," announced Sam.

"Anything exciting in it?" I asked. I had no desire to read it.

"No, just the same threats as before and a couple of misspelled words," remarked Sam. "I already faxed Marlene a copy of it."

"Well, I hope that he tires of this soon," added Mom.

"If he doesn't, Marlene's group is prepared to sue him," stated Sam.

We talked about their trip, and I assured them that I would be safe. They both deserved to have a good time. I didn't want to be the reason for them to cancel. I told them that I'd be very safe with Cat and Terri.

I went upstairs and changed into my PJs and bunny slippers. The nice thing about accepting my feminine nature was that I could be open with my emotions. I also liked that I could dress for fun and comfort and not feel self-conscious about it. The slippers were goofy, but I really liked them, besides they were a gift from Paul.

I sat down at my computer. I wanted to work a little bit on my American Lit paper. I found that I did some of my best writing later in the evening. This paper was a breeze, as I really liked the two books I had read, unlike many of the students in my class! Ms. B found out that I liked reading Steinbeck, and she'd suggested that I read Travels with Charley next. I bought a copy of it, but I hadn't started it yet. I was saving it as a reward for finishing the paper. Sometimes you have to treat yourself.

The rest of the weekend passed without any incident. Work was really busy, so my five hours flew by. Sam, Mom, and I had a quiet dinner together. No problems, no issues, kinda boring, but nice.

That was pretty much the story for the following week. There were no more threatening letters from the Rev. My classes were great that week. I finished my American Lit paper early and began to read Travels with Charlie. Great book, by the way; I highly recommend it! Work was also a breeze. Again we were busy all week, so the time in the store flew by.

Friday after track Laura and I talked Cat into joining us at Spencer's. I think that we all wanted to spend as much time as possible with each other. Starting Sunday evening, I'd be sleeping over at Cat's house. I'd just take a daily change of clothes. Cat said that the second bed was all set up; she also said that I'd better not snore! I felt a bit like a wimp for not being to sleep alone in the house, but Mom insisted that I stay at Cat's or she wouldn't go. Actually, I was happy that she insisted on this. There were still a lot of issues in my life, and I didn't want to face my fears alone at that time.

"So, when is the paperwork for your name change going to be filed?" asked Cat.

"In a few weeks."

"How do you feel about it?" asked Cat.

"Sort of mixed feelings. I'm happy that my name will be legal, but at the same time, it's a bit sad. I never really hated being Eric. I've read a lot of accounts of other transgender people, and they often hate their previous life."

"I can understand your mixed feelings."

"Has your mom picked a new middle name for you?" asked Laura.

"Not to my knowledge. I told her your idea that she should make it a contest and have people post suggestions online. She wasn't impressed!"

We all laughed.

We sat there talking for a while. I then turned to Cat. "You know, you're the only student at Central who knew me as Eric."

"That's right, and even then, you didn't stay a guy very long," added Cat.

"That's quite an honor, Cat," Laura stated. She turned to me. "I know that you've shown me pictures of you as a boy, but I still can't believe it. You're too much of a girl to have ever been a boy."

"I sometimes can't believe it myself," I answered softly.

"So, are you going to college in the fall, or are you still going to take some time off?" asked Cat.

"I want to get the surgery as soon as possible, so I can get on with my life. The surgery will put me down for a while, so I don't want to get too involved in school."

"How will you pay for it?" asked Cat.

"That's the big question. If I get the scholarship, then I won't have to worry about my education. Mom said that we could take out a loan or something like that. Medical insurance won't pay for it."

"It should," added Laura. "The surgery is just correcting a mistake."

"Too bad you aren't my lawyer now; we could sue," I laughed.

"Seriously, they should pay for it," concurred Cat.

As we talked, Cat noticed that a woman was watching us. She nudged and whispered to me to look over at her.

The woman was tall and had short blonde hair. I doubted that she was associated with the Rev; she looked too normal and nice. I know that's rather simplistic on my part; villains and bad guys don't have to look evil.

She kept looking over at us. I just assumed that she either recognized me from the trial, or she had made me for being TS. Again, I would have just preferred her coming over and talking. I have a hard time ignoring someone who is staring at me. I wondered who she was.

"So, do you think she'll come over here?" asked Laura, "Maybe she wants to steal you away from me!"

We giggled and tried to ignore her. Then Cat nudged me. "Here she comes," she whispered.

"Hi, I'm sorry I was staring, but a friend of mine said that I might find you here, and I wanted to make sure it was you. You are Erika Walters, aren't you?" she asked in a pleasant tone.

"Yes, I am. Who are you?" I asked a bit cautiously.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Sandra Plummer. Nancy Bell said that I might run into you girls here. May I join you?"

I looked at Laura and Cat, and they shrugged their shoulders, "Sure. These are my friends, Laura and Cat," I introduced.

"Pleased to meet all of you. Laura? Oh, yes, you're the senior class president. You've done a great job this year," she remarked.

"How do you know Ms. B, and why do you want to see me?" I asked.

She smiled. "I guess I should explain. I've known Nancy since I went to Central High. I graduated from Central 6 years ago."

"That's cool, so why are you interested in Erika?" asked Laura.

"I guess you can say that I'm a fan. I only wish I could have done what you are doing right now."

It took a moment for what she said to sink in. "You mean that you were a contestant?" I asked. I was stunned.

"Yes, my year we made it to mid-November. I didn't have the nerve to continue dressing or even to tell anyone that I was TS, except Nancy. I transitioned when I went to college."

"That's wonderful. I'm very happy for you! So how do you know about me?" I asked.

"Nancy has been keeping us informed about the scholarship and the contestants who are transitioning," explained Sandra.

"Us?" I interrupted

"The girls who have transitioned have formed a little alumni group. It's very informal, and we mainly exist to be a support group and to assist the new girls, like you," she continued.

"So why have you waited this long to contact me?" I asked. "I made the decision to transition back in November."

"We were going to wait until after you graduated; remember, this is an alumni group," she answered with a sly smile. "Nancy felt that we could be of assistance now, considering the harassment you are getting."

"Thanks, but it looks like that storm has passed. But I am excited to meet someone who has transitioned. I have lots of questions for you!"

"I hope you're right, but these jerks are like cockroaches; they are hard to get rid of. As for the questions, I'm sure you do, and I'll be happy to talk to you, but I think we can do that another time. Here's my phone number and e-mail. Feel free to call me some evening. I need to get going; I'm meeting some old friends for dinner."

"So you don't live around here?" asked Cat.

"No, I live in Harrisburg now. I came up for the weekend to meet you and the others. Call me next week, okay?"

We hugged goodbye. I was very excited. Sandra was the first woman that I'd met who was like me. Well, she was the first that I knew was TS!

"I never would have guessed that she'd been a boy," remarked Laura.

"Neither would I! This is pretty cool." I placed the paper in my purse.

"So, I still wonder who is the third?" interjected Cat. "Sandra said that she was going to 'meet the others', so there is still a mystery to solve."

"Yes! The game is afoot," I added.

We all started to laugh. Seriously, I was curious about who was number three, but I also respected her privacy. While Cat, Laura, and I had fun trying to deduce who it was, we had no intention of outing her.

We went over to Laura's and went up to her room. Laura wanted to get the latest photo. I told Cat that I didn't mind if she wanted to stay or if she wanted to see the pictures. She was curious and thanked me for being so open.

My nipples were definitely a bit swollen now and were more sensitive. No, they weren't huge, and I was still pretty flat-chested, but there was something happening. I had been on the hormones for almost five weeks now.

Laura downloaded the photo, and we compared it to the first one taken several weeks ago. There was a little bit of noticeable change, or at least I thought so. I put my bra and top back on. I slipped in my breast pads. I'd be happy when they were retired.

"So, how big do you think that you'll get?" asked Cat.

"The doctor said that I should reach a C-cup eventually, considering my age and the fact that most women in my family have big breasts. Of course, I have no idea about the other side of my family."

"I know this is a tender subject, but from strictly a medical standpoint, have you thought about contacting your birth father? You should know his family's medical history," asked Cat.

"Actually, Mom did that after I was born. She had to use a lawyer to get the information, as he was afraid that she wanted money from him," I replied.

"It's amazing," smiled Laura.

"What's amazing?" I asked.

"It's amazing that such a jerk could produce such a great person!"

"True, he fathered me, but Mom raised me. I'd like to give her the main credit."

Laura gave Cat and me a ride home. I thought about meeting Sandra. I really did have a lot of questions for her. The first thing I did when I got home was to fire off an e-mail to her to establish communications. It was great knowing others who had walked ahead of me. I also thought that someday I would be the one passing on info to the next generation.

We had to be at the hotel banquet room by 3:00PM. Cat and Laura came over in their uniforms. Mom took a photo of the three of us together. She thought the red bow ties were a nice touch.

We were assigned our tables, and from the place cards, we got to see whom we'd be serving. Thankfully Mom and Sam were not at my tables. I'd have never lived that one down. I found out that Kristen was assigned to their table. I did have the chief of police and two members of the city council at one of my two tables. My second table had Mrs. Lincoln. There was no need to mention anyone else. Fortunately, I was used to her, so I wasn't too intimidated. Actually, that was a lie; I was very nervous about serving her. Alex was assigned as my busboy.

I almost didn't recognize Denise. She'd dyed her hair an actual normal color, a light brown, and I told her that she looked very nice. Denise told me that it was only temporary and that she was bleaching her hair blonde again as soon as she could. She grinned and said that she had an image to uphold.

Before the guests arrived, we were formed up for a group photo. I think that most people liked the uniforms, even if they wouldn't admit it. They were pretty classy-looking.

The cocktails were being served in another room, so we wouldn't have to start working until that was over. Rob said that we could expect the guests to be coming into the dining room around 7:30. We wouldn't start to serve until 8:00. He walked around and personally inspected each of our tables and us. He made little nit-picky adjustments. He would adjust someone's tie or move a salad fork over 1/8th of an inch closer to the plate. I think he just wanted to show us all that he was in charge, and we were all high school kids.

Around 7:20, people began to enter. Everyone was dressed up, most of the men were in tuxes, and the women were in evening gowns. I recognized many of the dresses. A year ago, I didn't know one dress from another; now, I could identify a dress by the designer from across a large banquet hall. I wonder what my old friends back in San Diego would say about my new fashion knowledge.

Once everyone was seated, I introduced myself to the people at the tables. Mrs. Lincoln gave me a knowing nod and smiled at me. Everyone was very cheerful and friendly. My second table was very similar. They were too busy having a good time to worry about me, which was great. When I was serving the salad, the police chief asked me my last name.

"It's presently Walters, sir," I said. "It'll be Warren soon."

"I thought I recognized you, Erika! So have Sam and your mother set a date yet?" he asked.

"No, sir. I think they'll have a date after his trip to Philly," I replied.

"I'm very happy for all of you. By the way, did you enjoy the range?" he asked with a wink.

I smiled back and nodded. "It was great, thank you very much," I answered.

I had to get back to work, but it was nice to be recognized as the DA's future daughter.

The entre was a chicken breast in wine sauce. Personally, I thought Cindy's chicken looked better, but everyone seemed to be enjoying it. It's interesting to watch people at a party while you are working it. I walked around the table and found that I was for all practical purposes invisible. I heard lots of interesting gossips as I picked up plates and poured coffee. I had a lot more respect for food servers, and since then, I am a lot more careful about what I say when they are around.

After dinner and dessert, most people got up and began to mingle. Our biggest job then was filling coffee cups. Sam came over specifically so I could serve him coffee. He smiled as I filled his cup. I asked if wouldn't rather have a cup of tea. He playfully stuck his tongue out at me.

After everyone left, we assisted in the clean-up. It went pretty quickly as we had so much help. Before we left, they gave us each a bag filled with coupons, discounts, and special offers from area business people. The gift bag was a nice little surprise. We were also reminded to bring our uniforms back to school by Wednesday. Before we left, we stood around and traded stuff from the bags.

A whole group of us went to a diner afterward. We crammed into a couple of booths and ordered breakfast. There is something very enjoyable about eating eggs and bacon at midnight. I sat with Cat, Laura, Caroline, and Paul. Caroline told us that one of the guys at her table had made a pass at her. Paul was pretty pissed off about it. It was nice to see him being so protective of Caroline.

"So what time are Sam and your mom leaving tomorrow?" asked Cat.

"They want to be on the road by ten. I'll come over after work."

"Great, this will be a lot of fun! Laura, why don't you sleep over next Friday, that is, if you can be trusted?"

"You're no fun. Okay, I promise, no orgies!" said Laura. We all broke out laughing.

We got home a little before one. Mom was waiting for me to get in. She really didn't mind about the time as I had called and told her where I was.

I went to bed and thought about my upcoming week. It would be fun staying over at Cat's house. I also thought about Mom and her first meeting with the future in-laws. I hoped that everything went well. I eventually drifted off into a deep, restful sleep.