Gilly’s Journey – Chapter 6
By: NapaCaster
When I awoke this morning and opened my eyes, everything was a blur, literally. The contacts that blur my vision are the kind meant for extended wear, which means I can leave them in all the time. When I was preparing for my role as a blind girl a few years ago, I went for a full three weeks wearing my blinding contacts, which was a real thrill and an education. I reached over to the nightstand and felt around for my glasses—the ones I picked out that looked rather stylish. Upon putting them on, everything became clear, and I got up to use the toilet.
As I was washing my hands, I gazed into the mirror to take in my appearance. My hair was a mess as usual in the morning, and my braces and headgear looked quite natural on me, like I was meant to wear them. The same went for my glasses, and I liked how the thick lenses distorted how my eyes looked behind them; the heavy prescription will definitely be noticeable on camera. I made coffee and ate breakfast, did my oral care routine, and took a shower. Selecting my outfit, I chose a long dress with a muted floral pattern and a pair of extremely high wedge sandals—a nice, mature look. I took off my headgear and was careful not to snag my facebow, which is not removable. I put my hair up into a bun; I like how it looks sticking up between the straps of my headgear. Finally, a bit of makeup, and I put my headgear straps on and fastened them to my facebow before putting on my dress and wedges. Now, it's off to speech therapy.
One of my neighbors, a man in his fifties, was waiting for the elevator as I approached. Don is a nice guy who is friends with everyone. In a very gentlemanly manner, he complimented me on my appearance, something that he had never done before. I blushed and thanked him in my lispy voice, which he had trouble understanding. We rode down to the garage together, and as we parted ways, he said, "I don't know what it is, Gilly, but you look amazing with your braces and glasses. I know how self-conscious you are about your looks, and how you hate being cast as a kid all the time, but your new look might change that. I don't know why, but your braces and glasses make you look more sophisticated and mature. Oh, good luck with your latest role; I can't wait to see you on TV again."
I turned bright red, and for some reason, a stutter was added to my lisp as I thanked Don for his kind words. His words summed up what I've been feeling and observing since I began this journey: I'm not being treated as a kid anymore. Despite the challenges I'm facing with my lisp, I got in my car and headed to spech therapy feeling very confident and happy; I like the path my life is on.
When I arrived at speech therapy, Ms. Johnstone complimented me on my appearance. On my previous visits, I was dressed very casually, but today I was dressed nicely. This made me feel good, but as we began today's therapy, I became depressed. My speech was getting better, but there was no progress that would make a difference; no one could understand me on film at this point. We took our lunch break, and I just took a walk around a nearby park. This is so depressing. I have an excellent role, and if the show is successful, there is the possibility of many years of steady work with people that I have grown to love being around. But this lisp, or better said, severe speech impediment, is standing in the way. There has to be a solution, damnit!
After lunch, I returned to Ms. Johnstone's office, but we didn't do any speech therapy; we just talked. I enjoyed talking to Martha with my braces in my mouth, and she had no trouble understanding. She said that we had something in common, and I asked what that was. Marth explained that she had been a child actress with a bright future ahead of her in the industry and opened up a scrapbook that was sitting on her desk. She showed me pictures of her on various movie and TV sets, with all the big-name actors of the 1960's. Being how I am sometimes, I bluntly asked, "What happened?" Marth explained that her mother was from Russia and had great difficulty learning to speak English clearly, which caused her great embarrassment. Seeking her mother's struggle, at the age of twenty, Martha gave up her acting career to become a speech pathologist. Laughing, she said, "I could entertain millions or I could change the lives of thousands; the latter was the right path for me." We chatted a little more, and Martha asked me to keep in touch as a friend, which I happily agreed to do; she tried so hard to help me. As I was getting ready to leave, she pulled out a publicity photo of me from when I played the blind girl. It's my favorite photo, with my milky white eyes and white cane. She pushed the picture towards me, along with a pen. I signed it, "To Martha, Thanks for the valiant effort. With love, Gilly" She gave me a hug, wished me well, and I was on my way.
I walked to my car, got in, and immediately drove to Robbins Orthodontics. When I arrived, the place was very busy, but Sally took a moment to talk to me. I explained that the braces and headgear look great, but I just couldn't overcome my severe lisp. She looked at the computer and said to come in tomorrow at four, and we would talk to Dr. Joe Robbins about a possible solution. I said that I would do anything to look and sound good for my role, and again, Sally gave me that mischevious and seductive braced and headgear-clad smile and said, "Anything?" I lispfully replied with a matching metallic smile, "Enyshing" (Anything!)"
When I got home, I texted Bill to tell him what was going on. There was no use in calling, and I didn't want to take my braces out. I love them dearly and miss every second they are not in my mouth. I explained the issue and said that I was going back to the orthodontist tomorrow to seek a solution. His reply was blunt as usual; he said he trusted me to do what was necessary and to be at the studio a week from Monday to begin filming and to stop by tomorrow so he and Jack could see my new glasses.
The next morning, I slept late and reveled in waking up with my headgear and braces on, along with blurry vision. I took my time getting ready and dressed very nicely once again. This time it was another one of my suits, a dark blue one, and very high-heeled booties. I did my hair and makeup as usual and headed out to the studio wearing my nice glasses, but I had my nerdy ones in my purse.
Arriving at the studio, Bill and Jack were outside smoking, but for the first time ever, they were not arguing. Jack asked about my lisp, which he thought was slightly better but still too strong to sound good on camera. I explained that I was visiting the orthodontist in a few hours, that I understood what he and Bill wanted, and that we would find a solution. The two men seemed to have confidence in me and complimented me on how I looked with my new glasses with their strong, prescription lenses. I then took out my 'work' glasses and put them on, and they said I looked perfect for my role. Jack asked me to go inside and let the camera and lighting guys do their thing to see how my glasses looked on film.
I went inside, and we shot some scenes on the various sets. When Bill and Jack saw the results, they were very pleased; they thought I looked perfect. With that out of the way, I put my classy glasses back on, and the guys said that a courier would be delivering the screenplay and my scripts on Monday morning for me to study. They wished me well at the orthodontist and said there was a pre-filming get-together and dinner at the studio next Friday, and to be sure to be there. The final details before filming begins on Monday will be discussed. Bill and Jack walked me out to my car, and as I drove away, they were smoking and arguing as usual.
When I walked through the door at Robbins Orthodontics, the place was empty. There wasn't even anyone at the reception desk. I waited a few minutes, and finally I opened the door that leads to the exam rooms and lispfully yelled, "Enywon shere? (Anyone here?). Sally appeared from one of the exam rooms, with a broad metallic smile on her face and her facebow sparkling in the light. She led me to the room where my first set of theatrical braces were made, and she said she wanted to try a few things and for me to take off my headgear and remove my applinaces. I did so, and my speech returned to normal, but I felt empty, like a part of my soul had been removed.
Sally got to work first on my lower set of braces and ground down some of the plastic that is on the inside of my mouth, then had me put them back in. I could speak almost normally now, but the device felt slightly loose in my mouth. I removed it, Sally adjusted some of the wires, and I tried it again. It fits tighter but is still not as secure as it originally was, and I left it in my mouth. Then she got to work on my upper appliance, doing the same thing. I put it in my mouth, and I still had a lisp, but not as severe as before, but still too much to be easily understood. I removed it, and Sally took off a bit more material, leaving the plastic very thin. I tried it again, and it fit OK, but a bit loose, and my lisp sounded perfect. It was there and noticeable, but I was easily understood. Sally agreed that I sounded great. Just as I was going to call Bill and get his thoughts, Sally told me to put on my headgear to see if it pulled the applause loose from my teeth.
I placed the straps around my head, carefully positioning them around my bun, and connected the straps to my facebow on the left side. As I attached the straps on the right, I heard and felt a crack inside my mouth, and my upper appliance fell away from my teeth. I took it out of my mouth, and the plastic had broken right behind my front teeth; the only thing holding it together was the wire with the brackets. I was heartbroken! The appliance that is basically the centerpiece of my role was destroyed, and worse than that was the fact that I love wearing it so dearly. Ever since getting it, I have only removed it for cleaning; otherwise, I have lived my life as a beautiful young woman with braces and headgear. Tears came to my eyes, and they became irritated and red from my contact lenses.
Sally hugged me and said that everything would be alright and to not worry. I think she has me figured out when it comes to the feelings I have for my braces and glasses and how I need them emotionally; they bring me so much comfort and pleasure. Sally said with a mischevious smile, "Let's go talk to Dr. Joe. I have an idea that I think you will enjoy that will also solve all your problems." We went to Joe's office, and Sally introduced us. I had yet to meet him until now. Sally explained what had happened with my theatrical braces and suggested that Joe bring up my scans on his computer. He looked at the computer, then talked to Sally using a lot of technical words that I did not understand. Then we talked about various appliances that I could wear that would look right on camera but not give me an excessive lisp.
Missing the feel of my brackets against my cheeks, my facebow between my lisp, and my headgear, and also recalling how the models of my teeth looked, I spoke up and simply said, "Wouldn't it just be easier if I got braces for real?" Before Joe could say anything, Sally smiled warmly at me and said, "That is an excellent idea, Gilly, and it is something I think you have wanted all along. How about it, Joe? We can customize her treatment to her theatrical needs." This was, in fact, what I had wanted all along, and Joe replied, "I don't see why not, Gilly. You actually do need braces and headgear. If you are willing, I think it's an excellent idea, and I'll bill the production company for your entire treatment. That way, if things don't work out, you can complete your orthodontic treatment at no cost to you."
Those words were like music to my ears! I have longed to wear braces for years, but due to the expense and the worry that they would make me look even more like a teenager, I never got them. After wearing my fake braces, I found the reverse to be true; they actually made me look older and, more importantly, awakened a strange desire and set of feelings from deep within my soul. I love being a braceface, and my glasses add even more to the pleasure. Joe, knowing what Bill and Jack wanted and my actual need for braces, quickly came up with a treatment plan and asked Sally to go put in my spacers so I could get my bands applied next week.
Sally took me to an exam room and explained what would be happening. She would be placing small elastics between some of my teeth to make room for bands to be fitted to them. These bands would be on all my molars and a few of my other teeth as a way of making my braces more noticeable on camera. I didn't actually know what these bands were all about, but I figured the more metal, the better. Sally placed the spacers, and it felt like chunks of meat stuck between my teeth. They are uncomfortable and annoying, but not really painful. I was admonished not to remove them or play with them with my tongue. The process was soon done, and Sally said to return next Wednesday to get my braces applied. "My braces applied," a dream come true!
Since for the last few weeks, everyone has seen me with braces, I decided to hibernate in my apartment until I get my real braces next week. I made a quick trip to the grocery store to get food for the week, then went home. Luckily, I was able to get to my apartment without any of my neighbors seeing me, and I got settled in for my days alone, catching up on my accounting work and going over my script, which will arrive on Monday. However, I felt naked without my orthodontic braces, which was very depressing. I went to my room, undressed, and put on my Milwaukee brace and leg braces. Then I put on my robe, grabbed my crutches, and headed to the kitchen to put away groceries and fix dinner—a soft meal since these spacers are becoming quite painful.
