This is only a story, and it contains adult material, which includes sex and intimate descriptive details pertaining to genitalia. If this is likely to offend, then don't read it.

Unfortunately no politicians were injured or killed in the writing of this story, and no one else was either.

If you enjoyed it, then please Email me and tell me. If you hated it, Email me and lie. I will always welcome contact.

tanya_jaya@yahoo.co.uk

The legal stuff.
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9.

The Michael Parkinson Show was the beginning, and, as you may all be aware, Emma Pearson has now become a household name. At least in those households, which boast a male aged between ten and ninety.

I received a call from Gwen shortly after the show, and I was offered shows and gigs that, had I accepted them all, I would have enough work to last until I was eighty.

I took a part in a West End musical show, and that was a good move. It got me known, and I managed to develop the credibility and reliability, which producers demand these days. I loved the show, and got to make some good friends. The show ran for four months, and at the beginning of May, I took my leave, more experienced, and determined to get into serious drama.

I produced a CD of twelve songs for the record company, and it did very well, and surprisingly, got into the top 20 in the USA. Marcia's Ron owned several radio companies, and it pays to have friends like Marcia. The producer of a new James Bond movie approached me, through Gwen, and signed me up to sing the title song of the movie. Gwen suggested that I undertake a trip to the USA to promote my CD and get my face known, and thereby increase my chances of exposure to the US market.

I packed Mike and Mary off to New Zealand, and took them to Heathrow, on May 4 th 2001. They were both very different people from those who had selflessly helped me not that long ago. They were keen to get to know their daughter again, and she was now ready for them. I was so pleased for them, and considered them almost my true parents.

I had contacted Marcia, and told her that I would be honoured to be her maid of honour, and found several others from the college had been asked, as had Steve and the band. She was delighted, and squealed with pleasure at the other end of the phone.

With this in mind, I booked up my trip to America, starting on the 28 th May, just after Mike and Mary were due to return. Gwen had decided, just before Christmas that I needed a manager, and she declined the job. She referred me to a friend of hers, a woman called Sophie Stanning, who was an experienced performer in her own right. After a nasty car accident left her severely restricted, she took up the management of young performers, and was exceptionally good at contractual work, and generally arranging things.

She had an office in London, and we sat down and worked things out. She put my financial affairs in order, and I had to admit to not really having a clue how much I had. She worked it all out, and opened various accounts, one for working, one for personal, one for costumes and equipment, and then she had a financial adviser look at the balance of what I had to invest.

He was advising on the stock market, but Sophie wasn't happy and we decided to invest in property. Therefore, on my behalf, my adviser bought a large piece of land on the outskirts of Aylesbury, which a property development company snapped up, and made me a 600% profit in six months.

Sophie worked out, by the time I was looking to jet out to the States that I was worth about £1,000,000, with 80% invested in property in the South East of England. I was gob smacked, but delighted, for now my dearest mother could do what she liked, I no longer cared, in fact I looked forward to seeing her disinherited. I was only 19.

America was wonderful. We landed at JFK, having travelled first class on British Airways for the first time, now that I could get used to! Sophie had arranged for some press to be on hand for my arrival, and the whirlwind started.

I had a full schedule ahead of me, with a week in New York, a couple of days in Chicago and then out to California. Chat shows and personal appearances at nightclubs, interspersed with several concerts. Sophie had come with me, and handled the publicity and all the travel and accommodation arrangements, she was proving to be brilliant. She even had great tips on personal presentation and dress.

She was 36, and her husband was a chartered accountant for an international bank, based in Dubai. Although based in the UK, he spent much of the time abroad, and so she was delighted to have a break too. They had two daughters, both at boarding school.

I aimed on getting to Marcia's by June 12 th , and having a rest before the wedding. Steve promised he would fly out some time between the 12 th and the 20 th , depending on his work. He was warned for Crown Court in June.

I sang on TV, I sang in small venues, and I sang to thousands of people in huge halls, and loved every minute. The Bond movie was released, and so I included that song in all my concerts and TV appearances.

By the time I reached L.A., I was totally knackered, but managed to fulfil my obligations.

My last event was at a huge open-air venue in a vast stadium, with four other singers and bands. It was estimated that nearly 100,000 people had bought tickets, and was the largest audience I had ever faced. I had a two session on the programme.

Just before it started, I was in my trailer, shaking like a leaf, with Sophie trying to calm me down. There was a knock on the door, one of the security men told me that a lady wanted to see me, and she had said that was an old friend.

“Marcia!” I yelled, and went and saw that I was right. She was waiting by the security gate, and was looking fabulous. There was a man with her, very conservatively dressed, looking vaguely uncomfortable and out of place.

She saw me and shrieked, and the security man waved them through.

We hugged and were crying with delight, and eventually she introduced me to the man in her life.

“Ronnie, this gorgeous girl, is my bestest friend in the world, and she is truly an angel. I can't tell you what a difference she made to my life when I was very low. Emma, this is Ronnie, and he has made my life complete,” she said.

Ron kissed me on both cheeks, in rather Gallic style, and smelled of sandalwood.

I took them back to my trailer, and introduced them to Sophie. I had told her about Marcia, just so she didn't put her foot in it accidentally.

I went and changed, and Marcia sat in as I did so. We caught up on each other's news. I found she had been following my rise through the charts quite closely, and was more up to date with me than I was with her.

She looked beautiful, having filled out a little. She was still slim, but went in and out in a more voluptuous manner. There was absolutely no doubt as to her gender.

“Have you told Ron?” I asked.

“Oh yes, I had to. I told him the official version, as he couldn't get his head round the truth. Hell Emma, I can't really, and yet I know what happened,” she said.

I shook my head, as regardless of how often I denied it, she would never be convinced. I was not prepared to share the truth until my family skeletons were well and truly buried.

I was in my favourite short black skirt, and top, showing the usual indecent amount of leg, accentuated with my long high heel boots. I was also wearing long black fingerless gloves, and lots of glitter.

“Wow. Emma, you look fantastic. There will be a sea of erections out there tonight,” she said.

Someone knocked on the trailer door.

“Ten minutes, Miss Pearson,” he said.

“Oh shit. Marcia, wish me luck,” I said.

“Emma, come on, with your contacts, what room have you got for luck? But I do wish you the best, you know I do,” she replied and gave me a huge hug.

I was shaking like a leaf as I went onto the huge stage, and the musicians were all ready. I stood in the wings and heard the announcement and my name. It is the most un-nerving experience to hear your name, and then one hundred thousand people roar.

The stage went pitch black, and strobe lights flashed around the stadium. Then I was centre stage, with my back to the audience, but the spotlight hit me, and I watched the bandleader count the band in with his hand – one, two, three, four…..

……..we were off.

One hour later, I was on a high. It had been amazing, despite being almost drowned out by the sea of voices, my own voice had lasted, and I had sung my heart out and danced until I was exhausted. I had nothing left to give, and the audience was still clapping and stomping its feet. I was almost completely spent, and drank a litre of water.

“Can you manage one more, honey?” asked the promoter.

I shrugged and nodded.

“Have I got time?”

“Sure, there is only one band to go now. But, at present, it's you they want.”

“I guess I can then,” I said.

So I quickly changed into a long white sleeveless dress, and the make up girl put my hair up so I looked very sophisticated, as if I were about to attend a formal function. I slipped on two long white gloves and went back out looking as fresh as I could. I felt completely knackered. I whispered the song to the band, and walked to the front of the stage holding the cordless mike.

The applause was absolutely deafening, and I held up my arms. Eventually a hush settled.

“Hey, you Guys, what are you like?” I said, and they cheered themselves.

“I'd like to thank you for being so welcoming to me. I feel so humble to have been able to perform in front of so many people. You have been so wonderful. You have no idea how terrifying it was to walk out in front of so many. Therefore, I'd like to dedicate this last song to my good friend, who is getting married very soon. Poor girl, she is marrying an American, so she needs all my support at this sad time,” There was a huge cheer mingled with laughter, as I realised that I had sounded very English indeed.

“I wrote this with my fella, he is called Steve, and I miss him dreadfully. So all you girls who have their guys with you right now, appreciate them. Okay?” This got another huge cheer.

I waited for near silence, and looked at the band. They nodded me in and I looked straight at Marcia as I sang, ‘I ain't an angel, I'm a woman.'

She grinned at me, and I put everything I had left into the song. As I finished, there was a stunning moment of complete silence, and I dropped my hands to my side and bowed my head. They hated it.

The applause started, and built and built, and the cheering began, and got louder, and louder. Until my ears were ringing, and the vibrations of the noise threatened to knock me off my feet.

I slowly looked up, and found that I had a huge smile stuck to my face, and I raised my arms, and I can honestly say that I had never ever felt like this. Nothing could have prepared me to be the focus of that kind of applause, and I knew that if I did nothing else in my life, it was worth it just for this moment.

To see so many people, all standing, applauding, and cheering me, was the single most exhilarating and humbling experience of my life.

I waved my hand towards those hidden heroes, the band, and the applause seemed to move up a notch. Then a little girl walked on and handed me an enormous bouquet of flowers, and I almost burst into tears. I curtseyed to the crowd, waved, and blew kisses to them all, and then I walked off for the last time. I heard the next band start up, and the crowd had a different idol to worship.

Marcia and Ron met me at the bottom of the steps, and we walked back to the trailer together. I gratefully went into the trailer, and noticed that there was a man sitting in my chair chatting to Sophie. I was tired, and rather cross that someone should be there at this time.

Steve stood up with the most enormous grin on his face.

“Bloody Hell, woman, where did that fantastic performance come from?” he said, and Marcia giggled.

“Steve!” I yelled.

“Marcia, you knew?” I growled, as I ran to him and he swept me into his arms. I was crying and laughing. He kissed me, and I felt wonderful.

Eventually we came up for air, and Marcia and Ron were grinning like fools.

“They paid for my flight. I got a few extra days off, and thought I'd come and see you perform,” he told me, holding me tightly.

“I thought you were at Crown Court?” I asked, still numb with surprise.

“I was, but the defendants changed their pleas to guilty. You have no idea how much I missed you, Em,” he said.

I punched him on the arm.

“You know perfectly well that I missed you just as much,” I said, and he kissed me again.

Ron opened a chilled bottle of champagne, and poured out a glass for everyone. I discovered that Steve had arrived just as I went on, and watched me from the wings with Marcia and Ron.

“You looked stunning out there, and they loved you,” he said.

I just grinned; I was still floating on air. I had just experienced the most exhilarating performance of my life, and I had the man I loved with me. Life could get no better than this.

There was a knock on the door, and Sophie opened it. It was the concert promoter, Lou Hutchins. He came in and received some champagne. He came over to me, and gave me a hug.

“Hey girl. That was out of this world. When we booked you, we knew you could sing, but your whole act was amazing. You looked as good as your voice, and you were really great.”

“Thanks Lou, it was an amazing experience. All those people.”

“We have a sales outlet near the exit, there are loads of your albums and singles available. It would be good if you were available to sign some for the fans. As your agent has signed the VCR deal, people can order the Video of the concert there as well. I understand that there are photographs available for you to sign. And afterwards there is the party.”

So, along with my friends, I went to a huge hall and spent an hour signing album covers and photographs. I was bowled over by the amount of people who crushed in to try to get close to me, but the enormous bouncers and stewards kept me from being molested. Steve sat next to me with a silly grin on his face, and, every now and again, I would kiss him, just to keep topped up.

It was just so good to see him again. I hadn't realised how much he meant to me. In the back of my mind, I was seriously considering his proposal for marriage. I knew that there were things in my life that I had to deal with before then. One of them being my inheritance, and the other, my mother.

The party was a blast, but I was not in any mood to appreciate it. I just wanted to get away and be with Steve, and at the earliest opportunity we sneaked off to the trailer, and gave ourselves to each other as only lovers could. As we lay together afterwards, I knew that he was the guy for me.

Marcia's wedding was simply wonderful. Her parents came over from the UK, along with a few of her relatives. Her father had found it hard dealing with certain family members, as he had to try to explain that his son actually had been a daughter all along. Such were the prejudices that it was too much for some, and they simply broke contact and refused to have anything to do with them any more.

Anne hugged me as if I was someone special, and even Roger went out of his way to speak to me at some length. They were so proud of their daughter, and somehow they seemed to feel that I was responsible for turning her life around.

Anne introduced me to Marcia's older brother, Stewart. He was a tall guy, and very good-looking. He was also very self-opinionated and arrogant, and I disliked him almost from the start. He seemed embarrassed of his sister, and when he did speak to her, he seemed to be belittling her achievements. However, Marcia was so high, that she wasn't going to let him ruin her day.

Sheri, Sally and Simone were all bridesmaids with me, and we really had a hoot. We all got ready together with Marcia, and our dresses were fabulous. Marcia had taken our measurements over the phone and her dressmaker had made them all. We looked like something from Gone with the Wind.

She looked wonderful. She was not quite so slim as when she had arrived in the States. If anything, her fuller figure made her even more attractive. One of the top Hollywood dress-designers made the dress, and her whole outfit, from her hair to her shoes, was breathtaking. I was a little jealous. Ron's family was extensive, and very wealthy. As everyone filtered into the church, filling the entire right hand side. Indeed, the few from the UK managed to fill three rows on the left, and the rest was overflow from the groom's side.

Ron's mother was the archetypal American Mother-in-law, who was utterly besotted with her new daughter-in-law. She had resigned herself to never seeing her son married, and now he was it was like a dream come true. The fact that Marcia was willing to forgo the usual tradition of getting married in the bride's hometown, made it even better for her. The whole wedding was lavish in the extreme. Those Brits who made it were completely gob smacked at the details to which money had been thrown.

We followed the bride and her proud father into the church, and it was lovely to see her looking so happy. I was the only person who really appreciated how depressed she had been in her previous life. I vowed to share the truth with her one day.

Marcia asked me to sit in the front pew with her family, and Steve joined me. I have to admit that I cried as she took her vows, and Steve squeezed my hand.

“Us next,” he whispered to me.

I looked at him and smiled. Yes, I thought to myself, possibly. However, I had to sort out dear Mummy first.

The reception was held at Ronnie's mansion in Beverly Hills. Marcia had been living with him for a few months, and was already well known. She had dealt with the truth behind her gender problems months ago with Ronnie, and had leaked a little to the press in such a way as to make it out as some minor cosmetic condition. As a result, she had controlled any press revelations, resulting in no scandal and little interest at a time when the world had more startling news to offer.

The party went on long into the night, and at midnight, the bride and groom left by private helicopter for their honeymoon in Mexico.

Sophie flew home, and Steve and I had a week's holiday in California. We became even closer in that week, and I realised that he had grown up in the short time we had been apart. He still played his guitar, and slightly regretted joining the police, but he was mature enough to realise that although a good musician, he was never perhaps going to be the best, and he actually loved his new job.

When we finally flew home to England I had to make some decisions. After all, I was still only nineteen, so I decided to ask Gwen about getting a teaching qualification.

Steve went back to work, and once again asked me to move in with him. I thought about it, and declined. I explained that if we lived together, then the marriage commitment meant less. I wanted the whole package, without compromising. I still stayed with him for most of the time, but I lived with Mike and Mary

Their trip to New Zealand was a great success.

Caroline was the epitome of the middleclass suburban housewife with two young children. Her husband was working as a manager in a restaurant, and all Mary's fears and reservations were dispelled after a few moments of meeting them.

By the end of the holiday, Caroline had confessed to everything to them, even Charles Gregson's baby. There was a lot of crying done, as parents and daughter came to a closer relationship once more. The children adored their new grandparents, and they were all terribly sad to leave. Seeds were sown, and I was sure that one or other couple would end up moving to make the family united again. I had my money on Mike and Mary moving there, as there was already Caroline's In-laws in New Zealand.

Mary had lost weight, and was looking so much happier. As she busied herself in the kitchen, Mike asked me into his study.

“Emma, as you heard, Caroline told us that Charles had got her pregnant, and she had the abortion. I was surprised, yet when we told you, you didn't bat an eye. Now, I know you, and you are one of the brightest people I know. So, I thought back, and remembered that when Charles moved away, you pretended that you hardly remembered him. That was not like you, so, it got me thinking.

“I think that you knew that Charles was responsible for Caroline's pregnancy, and my guess is that somehow you managed to blackmail Charles into doing what he did.

“I don't want to know the details, because what is done is done, but I need to know how you found out.”

I looked at this man, who was the nearest thing to my father. I couldn't lie to him, so I told him about the diary.

“I was so angry and the damage that man had done to you all, and I wanted him to pay. I did not want to destroy him, as he had so nearly done to you, but I wanted him to pay. It was wrong of me, I know, but I decided to deal a new hand of cards to you and Mary,” I said, feeling quite guilty.

“Where is the diary now?”

“Safe,” I said.

He smiled.

“Emma, thanks for caring, but I think it should be destroyed now. The past is now well and truly dealt with. It's dead,” he said.

I went and retrieved it, and handed it to him. He looked at it and turned it over in his hands. We walked down the garden, and he put it on the bonfire. He then lit the dry twigs and newspaper, and soon the diary was ash.

He put his hand on my shoulder.

“We are now even,” he said, and I grinned.

Tanya Allen

© 5 December 2004