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- 01/02/2012
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
The Waltz (Lacy's Cinderella Story) - 2. Chapter 2
Drew stripped off his jacket as soon as he got home that evening and tossed the briefcase filled with work onto the sofa. The residential suite at the top of one of the city's exclusive hotels boasted an ocean view on one side and a hilly cityscape on the other. Drew saw none of it though, his mind still focused on the succession of meetings which had comprised his day.
It was a warm, late July and despite the busy day, his energy was still high. He supposed that was good, given the fact that campaign season was just starting up and his days were only going to get busier and longer. Thoughts of his campaign brought him back to thoughts of his new staffer, Lacy Winters. Memories of their meeting had been flirting with his attention all day and he was reminded that he'd meant to find out more about her.
Drew popped the dinner plate his housekeeper had left for him into the microwave then dialed Mike. His friend and campaign manager was the connection between Lacy and himself. Mike was good at getting him the information he needed before he even knew he needed it.
"I met my new volunteer coordinator today." Drew jumped right into the conversation as soon as Mike picked up the call. He rarely bothered with introductions. He knew his name came up on Mike's phone so the man would already know who was at the other end.
"Yes, Lacy told me the two of you had reviewed her proposal." Mike answered. "She's sharp, huh?"
"Exactly what we need." Drew concurred. "She'll be underutilized in that position in no time. She's already way ahead of what someone in that role usually gets involved in."
"I'll keep an eye on the staffing. That's part of my job." Mike started discussing some other aspects of the campaign and Drew grew frustrated as he realized he didn't quite know how to ask about Lacy. Or what he wanted to know. He wasn’t ready yet to explore why he was so interested in finding out more about her, he just knew it was imperative that he did learn more.
He and Mike had discussed Lacy in the abstract before making the offer of employment. Her qualifications and her being out as transgendered and the possible impact on his candidacy had been considered. Both had concluded she was the best applicant they had, and if the other side wanted to make a negative issue out of her gender reassignment, the campaign would deal with that if it came up.
What was he going to say to Mike now? Nothing had really changed, other than today he had discovered he couldn't keep his mind off her. Or his eyes. An image of Lacy wrapped in his arms drifted into his head. Damn it. It was unsettling to be this distracted by a woman, particularly this woman.
"Mike, I said some things today to Lacy. Well, they may have been stupid. Uninformed. I don't know. I guess I expected her to look like a guy in make-up."
"Yeah. You're kidding, right? Don't you ever watch 20/20, 60 Minutes? Those shows have been running episodes with transpeople on them all the time lately. Drew, you're mayor of the city with the largest gay population in the state. Don't tell me you expected a cast member from Rocky Horror?" Mike was genuinely surprised at his ignorance and Drew felt even more foolish.
He had seen plenty of news shows on increasingly out transgendered individuals, catching the shows over dinner or as he wrapped up work on his home computer in the evening. Still, they hadn't replaced those old images he'd formed years ago of fish net stockings, bad wigs and heavy make-up covering five o'clock shadows. "I know and, I apologized to her. I think she's okay. But, I need to get - unignorant."
"No lie. Look, there must be some books out there, internet resources. Something. Take a look around."
"Yeah, okay."
Drew and Mike were both silent. Mike cleared his throat. "So, uh, were you calling about anything else?"
"No," Drew looked glumly at the oversize briefcase waiting for him on the sofa. "I should get going with the work I brought home."
"Look" Mike said, not unkindly "If it's any consolation, when I talked to Lacy about your meeting she didn't bring up any awkwardness and she still seems really enthused about working for the campaign." He paused a moment and then said "I don't think you've completely mucked things up with her."
"Good. That's good." Drew suddenly felt lighter than he had a few moments ago.
Two hours later, the mayor had finished dinner but still hadn't opened the briefcase stuffed with work he'd hauled into the suite. He'd fallen down the rabbit's hole of websites that came up in response to his search for "transsexual information" the results of which had been only slightly better than his search for "transsexual". A book would have been easier. But, he now had information that was both enlightening and sobering. And, he was more intrigued by Lacy than he had been when he walked in the door that evening.
***********************
"So, have you bought your dress for Fiesta yet?"
Lacy made a face at the question but Max, the short man who had directed it at her, didn't see. He was crouched under Lacy's desk fiddling with network connections.
"No, not yet." Lacy said "I've been busy here, too busy to wander through stores."
Inky black hair followed by almond brown eyes emerged from under the desk to give a her a stern look. "You need to shop. Fiesta's only a week away. All the good dresses will be gone."
Lacy bit her lip then caught herself and stopped. She did need to find a dress soon. With her build, it was impossible to wear off the rack. She needed time to make alterations. "Maybe tonight." she said.
The other women in the office had been talking about cutting out early today to shop for the big event. It was to be a sort of "girls night out." Lacy planned to join them. She hadn't specifically been invited, but it wasn't exactly like formal invitations went out for these things either. There had just been chit chat in the bullpen area they shared as office space, and the plan had sort of come together.
Max emerged from under the desk. "Try logging in now."
Although not a permanent staffer, Max spent a lot of time at campaign headquarters trouble shooting computer problems. His company was a one man operation - him - and he was called on nearly daily to attend to the fussy, fragile network their rented office space provided. The two of them watched as the familiar Windows logo appeared on the desktop. "Success again Max." Lacy smiled at him.
"If you don't get your dress tonight, you must call me this weekend. I may not be available to shop with you, but Maxine would be delighted." Max promised.
Lacy laughed, the sound deeper than she liked because she'd been caught off guard. "Maxine" was Max's drag persona. Every Friday and Saturday Maxine could be found at the Bus Stop, a small bar known for its drag performers in the queer part of town. Lacy and Max had struck up a friendship of sorts in the month she had worked for the mayor's campaign. Despite the liberal platform the mayor was running on, and the endorsements of local gay leaders, the staff on the campaign was largely straight. Lacy thought of herself as straight too, but also as queer. She missed the easy camaraderie she'd had on campus with queers of all flavors. She'd been popular with the LGBT student activists and they'd spent a lot of time studying and socializing together. Max was a relief to be around in her new, straight vanilla world.
She wasn't sure she was making friends here at work. Oh, everyone was very polite, nice even. She wasn't ignored or outcast by either the men or women in the office. There were no tussles over which bathroom she used or flubbing up of pronouns. She just didn't seem to be part of any of the small groups of friends that were forming. To say there were cliques would be too strong, but there hadn't been any invitations to lunch with co-workers either. Lacy hoped tonight's shopping trip with the women in the office would change that.
"Lacy" Mike called out to her from across the room "We're about to jump on a conference call with Hal about the Columbus Day sweep, can you join us?"
"Be right there" Lacy started to gather her notes.
"Hal?" Max raised his eyebrows.
"The mayor" Lacy answered. "The guys address him by his last name, Halperin, 'Hal' for short."
"Ohh" Max clutched at his chest in a fake swoon. "That's so straight. I think my heart is breaking; I'd begun to hope he was secretly on my team."
Lacy rolled her eyes, but she empathized with the sentiment. The mayor was very straight. It was hard to imagine him going for someone, er, non-traditional, like herself.
"You could go for him though." Max whispered and waggled his eyebrows suggestively, echoing her thoughts.
"Goodbye Max" Lacy said firmly, heading into the conference room for the joint call.
Her crush on the mayor had come to fruition, but she was realistic enough to keep her feelings under wraps and her fantasies to herself. There was just no way the city's most eligible bachelor would start escorting her around town, no matter how many admiring glances she received from him in meetings. Besides, she told herself, she was trying to get a career off the ground. The last thing she wanted was a complicated romantic entanglement.
Max gave her a little shout as she disappeared through the conference room door. "Call me for the weekend if the shopping trip is on."
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4
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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