She was staring blankly at the cold packs, remembering her first night with the new firm. ‘You’ll have to do more.’ That phrase had drummed thro...gh her head the next morning like a hangover, wincing against the pain she had gone out shopping for the things she needed, hands trembling, body aching and raw skin rubbing in sensitive areas. She had called Connie and said she wasn’t feeling well, would pick Colin up at six that evening. She’d told Connie that she’d found a part-time job overnight in. "Like two idiots, Eric and I both responded at the same time with another, "hey," then I couldn't help feel my troubles deepen from how cool Joey looked sitting in his Mustang with those damn glasses on.I was so unsettled by this that I almost didn't hear him say, "Wanna race?" Race?" I said."Yeah... You know... Light turns green, we floor it, the first person that makes it to the end of the strip wins." I don't think..." Eric began."Yeah, all right," I said, feeling my heart begin to pound,. ’ It can be hazardous to drive when someone is trying to hug you. Chapter 13 – New Beginnings I did not think through my coming-out ceremony before I wrote out invitations. It simply seemed appropriate to have a ceremony of some kind. Humans do rituals. Anthropologists study them. I even did a little reading on the gift economies, but that was not really the way I was pointed. I leaned toward giving thanks to those who had paved my way. The gifts would be tokens of appreciation. Since I did. I lightly ran my fingers overit. Okay, as clothing went, it was very pretty.I padded through the bedroom. I finally had forms to put into my corset.They felt huge, body-defining. I pullet the laces on my corset astightly as one person can do by herself. I slid the panties on. Thehose. I doffed my wig. Replenished my makeup. Put on my robe.I went downstairs. I felt the bracelet on my wrist. That had gotten someattention at work. So much so that Janet, another programmer, hadwhispered to me that.